For over 40 years, Richard Pryor made millions laugh with his stand-up comedy routine. Considered to be somewhat controversial, the five-time Grammy Award winner put racism, politics, sex, and religion at the center of his comedy routines, often using the N-word in his jokes about African-American culture. In his 1995 memoir Pryor Convictions, the comedian details his rocky start in life (including spending time in brothels and bars as a child), beginning his career alongside heavy-hitters such as Nina Simone and Bob Dylan, finding mainstream success as a comic and actor, and going on to host the Academy Awards twice, as well as becoming the first Black host on Saturday Night Live. He also delves into his numerous romantic entanglements, relationships with his children and family, and the drug addiction that almost caused him to lose it all.
