Richard Pryor: Last News

, has died, according to a statement provided by his family. Per the statement, the late screenwriter died March 15 at his Hudson Valley home in upstate New York. He was 83.Born in Brooklyn, New York, and a graduate of the University of Pittsburgh law school, Steinberg turned to comedy writing after life as an attorney did not turn out how he had imagined it would.

Norman Steinberg, who co-scripted Mel Brooks’ comedy classic Blazing Saddles with and won an Emmy for Flip Wilson’s 1970s variety show, has died. He was 83. The WGA East said Steinberg died March 15 but did not provide other details.

creative talents at “The Daily Show.” Sure, he’s got all the accolades now, but the Louisiana native started chasing his dream post-college after moving to Chicago. There, he slept on couches and worked at grocery stores. But he has an interesting perspective on his early days.On this week’s “Renaissance Man,” Josh told me that if you aren’t used to having creature comforts, “you don’t actually know the difference.

The Midnight Special, the once hugely popular music program that featured such now legendary performers of the 1970s and early ’80s as David Bowie, Tina Turner, Elton John and too many others to list, is now available to watch on YouTube.

Donn Cambern, the Oscar-nominated Romancing the Stone film editor whose credits also include Easy Rider, The Last Picture Show and Ghostbusters II and was a longtime president of the Motion Picture Editors Guild, died Wednesday, his family told the guild. He was 93.

Yousef Srour Freddie Gibbs is “The Mack” of hip-hop — hunched over a grand piano, two ice cubes in his old fashioned, white dress shirt unbuttoned to his torso, Big Boss Rabbit chain glistening across his neck. Slightly off-tune on purpose, he croons classic soul songs, from The Jackson Five’s “One More Chance” to Stan Smith’s “Stay With Me” to TLC’s “Waterfalls,” but there’s one exception: he wrote them. “Oooh, baby give me one more chance” transforms into “Oooh, baby give me one more gram,” as Gibbs gives them the Freddie Corleone treatment. In tandem with the emergence of Blaxploitation films in the early 1970s, artists among the likes of Richard Pryor and Ron O’Neal have lent their hand as the comedic relief to tales of pimps and gangsters, dealing crack to their respective communities. Freddie wants you to ask yourself: “Is it entertainment or is it an autobiography?” Blurring the line between fact and fiction, “Soul Sold Separately” finds Freddie Gibbs on the Kane Train once again, running hijinks, opening fire and selling cocaine at the $$$ Casino.

Gene Maddaus Senior Media Writer The Comedy Store filed a lawsuit on Tuesday claiming that it lost out on $8.5 million in COVID relief funds because its accountant didn’t know about a government deadline. The comedy club sued Moss Adams LLP, alleging that the firm failed to warn that the application period for the grants was about to close. In late 2020, Congress approved $16 billion in relief funding to theaters and live performance venues that had been forced to close due to the pandemic. In the suit, the Comedy Store says that its business plummeted by nearly 90% in the latter half of 2020. The iconic club — which helped launch the careers of Richard Pryor, Robin Williams, David Letterman and many others — was not allowed to reopen at full capacity until last fall.

EXCLUSIVE: Warner Bros just set Kenya Barris to write and direct Wizard of Oz, a reimaging of the fantasy classic, with his Khalabo Ink Society producing.

Neil Castles, a NASCAR driver who later worked in films as a stuntman, transportation coordinator and actor, died today at 88. His death was reported by journalist Deb Williams.

Jennifer Maas TV Business WriterVice TV is adding another “Dark Side” series to its growing fan-favorite franchise with spinoff “Dark Side of Comedy,” Variety has learned exclusively.The cabler describes the new show as “a fresh look at an art form that has long shined a light on significant cultural issues, and the artists who have managed to create light in times of darkness.”Joining a “Dark Side” lineup that currently includes “Dark Side of the Ring,” “Dark Side of Football” and “Dark Side of the ’90s,” “Dark Side of Comedy” is a series that “examines the internal battles, unexpected fame and societal pressures that are ever-present in the comedy world; as well as the lasting legacy of the women and men who allow us to see the world through their eyes.” The first season of the show, which is narrated by Dave Foley, will consist of 10 episodes focused on these comics: Andrew Dice Clay, Chris Farley, Freddie Prinze, Artie Lange, Roseanne Barr, Dustin Diamond, Greg Giraldo, Brett Butler, Richard Pryor and Maria Bamford.It features comics like Patton Oswalt, Godfrey, the late Gilbert Gottfried, Maria Bamford and more weighing in on these stories.Per Vice’s logline for “Dark Side of Comedy,” “Comedy has entered a new golden age. Podcasts, social media, and streaming services have all created new life and new laughs for comics living and dead — comics who were once relegated to smoky nightclubs and finite network TV time slots.

Will Smith slapping Chris Rock at this year’s Academy Awards ceremony, at this point. Some have come out in defense of the star, while others have crticized him for striking the noted funnyman. Interestingly, a number of Rock’s fellow comedians, like Steve Harvey and Tiffany Haddish, have provided some particularly strong thoughts on the situation.

Comedian-host-director W. Kamau Bell claims a Black Carrot Top could never exist.

John Mulaney is clearing up a misconception he feels people have about the late Robin Williams and the source of his brilliant comedy.

Tim Gray Senior Vice PresidentRight now, the name Chris Rock is synonymous with one thing: The Slap at the March 27 Oscars. However, Rock’s career is a lot more varied than that one incident, though there are several clues in his work leading up to that moment.May 20 marks the 35th anniversary of his movie debut as a parking valet in the 1987 “Beverly Hills Cop 2.”Variety’s review described it as “noisy, numbing, unimaginative” and didn’t mention Rock.

Netflix has announced a June 10 premiere date for A Tribute To Bob Saget, a celebration of the comedian and actor’s life in comedy with his friends and family. The date was unveiled as part of the Netflix Is A Joke festival.

You might feel like you’ve already seen Mr. Saturday Night the musical even if you’ve never seen Mr. Saturday Night the movie, and whether you find that comforting – Billy Crystal certainly is one of the most likable presences in all of show business – or disappointing might depend entirely on your taste for well-delivered Borsht Belt comedy.

Kim Kardashian and boyfriend Pete Davidson looked very comfortable together as they were pictured dressed in matching black attending an event on Sunday night.The pair were seen sitting beside each other at the Kennedy Center in Washington DC where the 23rd annual Mark Twain Prize For American Humor ceremony was being held in honour of US comedian Jon Stewart. Kim, Pete and several other celebrity guests watched the 59 year old as he received the Mark Twain Prize for Lifetime Achievement in humour, which has previously been won by such comedic icons as Richard Pryor and Dave Chappelle most recently in 2019.

Pat Saperstein Deputy EditorThe Oscars In Memoriam segment gave viewers a chance to remember the memorable names in film who died over the past year. But every year, viewers are surprised to see that a few recognizable names were omitted.Beloved comedian Bob Saget, who had a small handful of film appearances in movies including Richard Pryor’s “Critical Condition,” drew the most outrage on social media.

Regina Hall, Amy Schumer and Wanda Sykes were leading by example at the 2022 Oscars. As Hollywood's biggest night began outside the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, California on Sunday, the three women put their most stylish foot forward on the red carpet, each sporting glamorous looks uniquely their own.Hall opted for a caped nude gown with a corset bodice and sheer chiffon overlay while Schumer donned a navy, plunging scoop-neck gown embellished with a rhinestone bow design by Oscar de la Renta. As for Sykes, the comedian smiled in an elegant white tuxedo.So what do the co-hosts have in store for the long-awaited ceremony? If it's anything like their rehearsals for the show, there won't be any shortage of fun. «Wanda and Regina are like complete comedy royalty to me.

Amy Schumer is getting a kick out of co-hosting the upcoming 94th Annual Academy Awards, but what makes the once-in-a-lifetime experience even sweeter is being surrounded by co-hosts she has anointed “comedy royalty.”

Amy Schumer is getting a kick out of co-hosting the upcoming 94th Annual Academy Awards, but what makes the once-in-a-lifetime experience even sweeter is being surrounded by co-hosts she has anointed «comedy royalty.»The 40-year-old actress and comedian spoke to ET's Rachel Smith about her new upcoming Hulu series,, but before diving into her new scripted series, inquiring minds wanted to know — how are rehearsals going alongside co-hosts Wanda Sykes and Regina Hall?«So fun,» Schumer said. «Wanda and Regina are like complete comedy royalty to me.