Comedy has always been a tool for artists to ease the pain of social issues, stereotypes and racial injustice. It has also brought front and center the positive transformation of pain into humor. Perhaps no ethnic group has displayed this with such commercial success as Blacks, but this transformation has not come without great struggle and criticism from forces both internal and external of their cultural experience. It is without dispute, Black humor has left a distinct impression not only in our society but in the greater world experience as well.
Please visit The Museum of UnCut Funk to see our current exhibition on Black Comedians who paved they way for today’s comics.
Comic actor Marlon Wayans‘ next screen role could turn out to be portraying a real-life comedy icon.
EW.com reports that Wayans is in talks to play Richard Pryor, the groundbreaking comedian whose troubled life will be depicted in an upcoming biopic, “Richard Pryor: Is it Something I Said.”
Wayans is reportedly being considered for the part after fellow funnyman Eddie Murphy dropped out of negotiations early on. The film was written and will be directed by Bill Condon of “Dreamgirls,” who originally shopped it as a vehicle for Murphy.
Sources at the Entertainment Weekly that Wayans, best known for such over-the-top comedy films as the “Scary Movie” franchise and “White Chicks,” impressed producers in a 13-minute screen test in which he “transforms into Pryor.”
The Pryor project, scheduled to begin shooting in the spring, is being made by Sony Pictures and Adam Sandler‘s production company. Variety.com reports that Sandler is considering playing a small role as Pryor’s first agent.
Budgeted at about $20 million, the movie will cover Pryor’s controversial life and career as a raunchy standup, beloved movie star and troubled drug addict who famously set himself on fire while freebasing cocaine.
Pryor died in 2005 at age 65 after a series of health problems, including multiple sclerosis.
