A clip of an interview with late great comedian Richard Pryor from 1977 has made the rounds again. In the interview with Bill Boggs, Pryor is talking about his short-lived television sketch show on NBC The Richard Pryor Show. The show lasted four episodes and was cut short by executives after it failed to rate in a prime-time family slot across from the mega-hit Happy Days. Instead of playing out Pryor’s 10-episode contract and moving the show to a later and potentially more appropriate time slot, NBC ended the show. As an aside, a little known talent named Robin Williams was in the cast. Asked by Boggs why Pryor’s short lived show was scuttled by NBC executives, Pryor said they were “probably afraid.” Asked what executives might be afraid Pryor was going to do to white America, Pryor explained:
Richard Pryor: Probably stop some racism.
Bill Boggs: Stop racism?
Pryor: Yeah probably afraid of that. Because then people don't hate each other and people start talking to each other and when they start talking to each other they find out who's the problem.
Boggs: Which is?
Pryor: Greedy people.
Boggs asks if Pryor thinks that this is an active move by the elites and Pryor says it’s a systemic issue.
Prior: Part of capitalism is to promote racism, right? In order to make things work. If you feel better because you're white and you can get a job you use that. I mean, you know I would absolutely.
Watch the sage simplicity of one of America’s greatest, and funniest, social critics.
Watch a longer clip here.