Back in 2014 we all got a chance to see Richard Pryor’s Icon which premiered on PBS. The documentary was is a hour long program that featured comedians inspired by Pryor all while telling a in-depth story on his life. As a way to further expand their comedy catalogue; Netflix has announced that they will now make it available for their nearly 100 million subscribers. The streaming service has announced that Richard Pryor: Icon will premiere May 1st on their platform.
Here’s a little about the film according to PBS:
“Richard Pryor: One of the greatest American comics of all time. His impact on comedy and this generation’s top comedians — who cite Richard as their biggest influence — is unrivaled. He was one of the first black men ever on television. He pioneered a new brand of humor: black man impersonating white man while making fun of himself. And he was a hit. His comedy was universal. His rise to fame was nothing short of miraculous. But Richard’s comedy was a sign of the times. And in the midst of growing racial tension in the ‘60s and the free speech movement, he became increasingly dissatisfied limiting his self-expression to comedy that didn’t touch on religion, politics or race relations — let alone the “N” word. This burden of pretending to be cut from the same non-controversial comedic cloth as Bill Cosby proved too great, and in 1967 he walked off stage in Las Vegas in front of a sold-out crowd without performing.”
Source: Comedy Hype
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