Richard Pryor: Icon

The Life and Career of an American Comic

Richard Pryor's 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. Richard's epiphany that night would change the course of comedy forever.

In RICHARD PRYOR: ICON we delve into his life and legacy -- how he came up through the brothels of Peoria, Illinois, performed on the Ed Sullivan Show, got banned by the networks, and became embroiled in a pattern of self-destruction that threatened his life.