Farewell... Richard Pryor

After a 20 year battle with multiple sclerosis, a degenerative nervous system disease, actor-comedian Richard Pryor died of a heart attack on Saturday at age 65. While he was most notably known for his stand up routine where nothing was off limits, for me it was his 1986 film Jo Jo Dancer, Your Life is Calling.

In one of my favorite films, Richard Pryor stars as a popular comedian's fall from grace. Jo Jo Dancer is brought up in an Ohio brothel, who rises from his humble beginning to become a popular comedian and film star. Who, like Pryor, throws it all away when he severely injures himself in a drug-related accident. In the hospital, he looks back on the events in his life--from his ascent to stardom, to his troubles with women, to the events that caused his downfall. Although Jo Jo, was inspired by events of his own life, he refused to label it as autobiographical.

While he may be remembered for his stand up or his movies with Gene Wilder.... Jo Jo Dancer will always symbolize Richard to me.