East Bay Yesterday

“The freest time of my life”: Richard Pryor’s transformative East Bay experience

Richard Pryor was one of the most influential comedians of all time, but when he first arrived in the East Bay, he said: “I don’t think I have a style yet.” This episode explores how living in Berkeley during an era of riots and revolutionaries sparked Pryor’s creative evolution. Authors Cecil Brown and Ishmael Reed share memories of these tumultuous times and Pryor biographer Scott Saul explains how Pryor went on to change American culture forever. [Photo credit: Alan Light] 

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