Richard Pryor gets pensive in a gun shop
October 25, 2009 9:25 AM Subscribe
A contemplative sketch with Richard Pryor in a gun shop. SLYT.
Those were the days. You just left guns laying around!
I love 70's humor, it's way better then the crap that gets passed off as funny these days. This felt kind of like a Kentucky Fried Movie sketch for a moment there, too. I was hoping BIG JIM SLADE would jump out of the window.
posted by Askiba at 9:41 AM on October 25, 2009
I love 70's humor, it's way better then the crap that gets passed off as funny these days. This felt kind of like a Kentucky Fried Movie sketch for a moment there, too. I was hoping BIG JIM SLADE would jump out of the window.
posted by Askiba at 9:41 AM on October 25, 2009
Thanks for this.
posted by Optamystic at 10:00 AM on October 25, 2009
posted by Optamystic at 10:00 AM on October 25, 2009
I especially like the "suppressed" revolver. Couldn't tell exactly what it was--looked like another Browning--but I'm pretty sure it wasn't a Nagant M1895, so that little thing on the end ain't doin' nuthin'.
Point? What are you talking about?
*whoosh*
posted by adamdschneider at 10:09 AM on October 25, 2009
Point? What are you talking about?
*whoosh*
posted by adamdschneider at 10:09 AM on October 25, 2009
Richard is a big sour-puss. He should have picked up a Remington .22!
posted by Tube at 10:13 AM on October 25, 2009
posted by Tube at 10:13 AM on October 25, 2009
That was... something.
After the Taxi Driver call out, I was expecting it to be a bit more goofy, but then once the racist shotgun started in, I knew I was in for a whole 'nother experience. I'm pretty surprised that network TV would let that air. Really ballsy, intense stuff.
posted by Saxon Kane at 10:46 AM on October 25, 2009
After the Taxi Driver call out, I was expecting it to be a bit more goofy, but then once the racist shotgun started in, I knew I was in for a whole 'nother experience. I'm pretty surprised that network TV would let that air. Really ballsy, intense stuff.
posted by Saxon Kane at 10:46 AM on October 25, 2009
That was chilling.
posted by humannaire at 11:02 AM on October 25, 2009
posted by humannaire at 11:02 AM on October 25, 2009
The Luger didn't look right.
posted by ooga_booga at 11:24 AM on October 25, 2009
posted by ooga_booga at 11:24 AM on October 25, 2009
That was Robin Williams as the voice of the Walther :)
posted by clarknova at 11:26 AM on October 25, 2009
posted by clarknova at 11:26 AM on October 25, 2009
He should have picked up a Remington .22!
Or a Winchester 73
posted by PeterMcDermott at 12:01 PM on October 25, 2009
Or a Winchester 73
posted by PeterMcDermott at 12:01 PM on October 25, 2009
Seems to me we'd work out a lot of arguments over gun rights for self defense if weapons companies started making single-use disposable tasers. They'd come with enough charge for a few shots, but after that, they'd be done.
It'd be a good compromise, as it gives people a way to defend themselves against an attacker with non-lethal force, but it's a weapon that'd be useless to a gang, as you can't fire it more than once.
The problem with guns is that they are durable and last a while, so they will cary their resale value and remain usable for many years. Thus, they are very hard to control. A single use non-lethal weapon gets around those issues, and robbers would have little incentive to steal a single-use weapon to sell it on the street.
I'm not saying this would end the issues with guns, but for a person who wants some self-defense without the risk of increasing the number of guns that leak to illegitimate owners, this is a good solution.
posted by mccarty.tim at 12:02 PM on October 25, 2009
It'd be a good compromise, as it gives people a way to defend themselves against an attacker with non-lethal force, but it's a weapon that'd be useless to a gang, as you can't fire it more than once.
The problem with guns is that they are durable and last a while, so they will cary their resale value and remain usable for many years. Thus, they are very hard to control. A single use non-lethal weapon gets around those issues, and robbers would have little incentive to steal a single-use weapon to sell it on the street.
I'm not saying this would end the issues with guns, but for a person who wants some self-defense without the risk of increasing the number of guns that leak to illegitimate owners, this is a good solution.
posted by mccarty.tim at 12:02 PM on October 25, 2009
Chances of something like this being made and aired today? Not just the content (the white racist Southerner?) but the slow pace and the genuine creepiness of the entire piece?
posted by matteo at 12:03 PM on October 25, 2009 [4 favorites]
posted by matteo at 12:03 PM on October 25, 2009 [4 favorites]
"The Richard Pryor Show premiered on NBC in 1977, but was canceled after only four shows. Television audiences didn't respond to the show's controversial subject matter. . ."
Can't think of other products that afford the owner the power to control someone else, like a handgun or shotgun.
I was certainly happier moving from LA to Tokyo where only the hardcore and police had guns, not just everyone, but getting from here to there is looking to become more different.
Then again, I personally don't have a problem with gun ownership and would love to own and train-up on an MP-5 . . . such a beautiful tool for taking someone out at close range.
The hazards of gun ownership aside, gun crime itself is more a symptom of a larger social problem, alas.
posted by mokuba at 12:06 PM on October 25, 2009
Can't think of other products that afford the owner the power to control someone else, like a handgun or shotgun.
I was certainly happier moving from LA to Tokyo where only the hardcore and police had guns, not just everyone, but getting from here to there is looking to become more different.
Then again, I personally don't have a problem with gun ownership and would love to own and train-up on an MP-5 . . . such a beautiful tool for taking someone out at close range.
The hazards of gun ownership aside, gun crime itself is more a symptom of a larger social problem, alas.
posted by mokuba at 12:06 PM on October 25, 2009
It's really quite odd nowadays to see a comedy sketch without a laugh track or a live audience being pestered into laughing at every joke.
posted by trojanhorse at 12:10 PM on October 25, 2009 [2 favorites]
posted by trojanhorse at 12:10 PM on October 25, 2009 [2 favorites]
The Luger didn't look right.
I noticed that too.
It's a Walther P38. It replaced the Luger in 1942 for the Wehrmacht.
posted by chambers at 12:12 PM on October 25, 2009
I noticed that too.
It's a Walther P38. It replaced the Luger in 1942 for the Wehrmacht.
posted by chambers at 12:12 PM on October 25, 2009
The Luger didn't look right.
No Luger in the shop, at least not one that I could see. There is a Walther, voiced by Robin Williams.
I did enjoy the sketch, I particularly enjoyed the Saturday Night Special with an inferiority complex. But it does show how weird our relationship with guns are. Others fetishize them and others consider them evil. This sketch does the latter, anthropomorphizing them as evil or at the very least troubled individuals.
posted by Authorized User at 12:14 PM on October 25, 2009
No Luger in the shop, at least not one that I could see. There is a Walther, voiced by Robin Williams.
I did enjoy the sketch, I particularly enjoyed the Saturday Night Special with an inferiority complex. But it does show how weird our relationship with guns are. Others fetishize them and others consider them evil. This sketch does the latter, anthropomorphizing them as evil or at the very least troubled individuals.
posted by Authorized User at 12:14 PM on October 25, 2009
Williams was also the bolt action, of course.
posted by adamdschneider at 12:19 PM on October 25, 2009
posted by adamdschneider at 12:19 PM on October 25, 2009
It's not just guns, though. Throughout history, personal weapons have been treated as an extension of the body, and that mode of thought allows the wepon to be used more effectively.
posted by chambers at 12:21 PM on October 25, 2009
posted by chambers at 12:21 PM on October 25, 2009
Pryor was a genius through and through. I've been on this Pryor trip for a coupla years now watching and re-watching his stand up movies and still mesmerized by some of the poetry of the moments he captured and the humor. The man just kills....
posted by Skygazer at 12:27 PM on October 25, 2009
posted by Skygazer at 12:27 PM on October 25, 2009
From WFMU, a story about Richard Pryor and a derringer. Makes one wonder about the derringer in the video's story about killing a mugger.
By the way, this gun shop clip is taken from Pryor's short-lived show for NBC. It also brought us such things as The First Black President of the United States, some early skit work by Robin Williams, the rather surreal Black Death Metal skit, and his Q&A with the studio audience which was never broadcast for some very obvious reasons.
posted by ooga_booga at 12:29 PM on October 25, 2009 [7 favorites]
By the way, this gun shop clip is taken from Pryor's short-lived show for NBC. It also brought us such things as The First Black President of the United States, some early skit work by Robin Williams, the rather surreal Black Death Metal skit, and his Q&A with the studio audience which was never broadcast for some very obvious reasons.
posted by ooga_booga at 12:29 PM on October 25, 2009 [7 favorites]
Ah, thanks for the explanation that it was a Walther P38, chambers. I stand corrected.
posted by ooga_booga at 12:30 PM on October 25, 2009
posted by ooga_booga at 12:30 PM on October 25, 2009
His "wildest dream" made me laugh out loud. Then, it made me want to cry a little.
Then, I laughed some more.
(His best stuff hurts so good)
posted by mer2113 at 1:08 PM on October 25, 2009
Then, I laughed some more.
(His best stuff hurts so good)
posted by mer2113 at 1:08 PM on October 25, 2009
(I was referring to the Q&A in ooga_booga's comment.)
posted by mer2113 at 1:51 PM on October 25, 2009
posted by mer2113 at 1:51 PM on October 25, 2009
Seems to me we'd work out a lot of arguments over gun rights for self defense if weapons companies started making single-use disposable tasers. They'd come with enough charge for a few shots, but after that, they'd be done.
It'd be a good compromise, as it gives people a way to defend themselves against an attacker with non-lethal force, but it's a weapon that'd be useless to a gang, as you can't fire it more than once.
Actually, the air taser (the one you see the police use that shoots the two darts on wires at someone) has a pretty good measure built in already that makes it a less than ideal offensive criminal weapon. The cartridges that propel the darts have little tiny tabs of paper with a serial numbers on it to help trace who bought the cartridge. The first time I fired one I was surprised to see a little cloud of 20 pieces of paper shoot out of the thing and all over the floor.
posted by ill3 at 2:28 PM on October 25, 2009
It'd be a good compromise, as it gives people a way to defend themselves against an attacker with non-lethal force, but it's a weapon that'd be useless to a gang, as you can't fire it more than once.
Actually, the air taser (the one you see the police use that shoots the two darts on wires at someone) has a pretty good measure built in already that makes it a less than ideal offensive criminal weapon. The cartridges that propel the darts have little tiny tabs of paper with a serial numbers on it to help trace who bought the cartridge. The first time I fired one I was surprised to see a little cloud of 20 pieces of paper shoot out of the thing and all over the floor.
posted by ill3 at 2:28 PM on October 25, 2009
Oh, after watching this clip, I ran into the very unfunny Star Wars Bar sketch. It's using the original masks from the SW cantina scene. And oh, in case you haven't seen it, there's a documentary about Bob Burn's legendary backyard halloween shows which feature a young Rick Baker that mentions (in part three) where the werewolf and devil masks came from. In the Star Wars Bar sketch you can see (at the end) a martian created for one of the shows... oh, and isn't that a jacket from Planet of the Apes?
posted by Catblack at 3:24 PM on October 25, 2009 [1 favorite]
posted by Catblack at 3:24 PM on October 25, 2009 [1 favorite]
Actually, the air taser (the one you see the police use that shoots the two darts on wires at someone) has a pretty good measure built in already that makes it a less than ideal offensive criminal weapon.
Of course, the disadvantage of the taser is that you have to make contact with the probes. If you have darts you can shoot them, but they won't pass through layers of heavy fabric. A mugger in cold weather will be bundled up already, most likely, to give one example of a difficult target. What you need is a taser, some mace spray, and one of these.
posted by krinklyfig at 4:21 PM on October 25, 2009
Of course, the disadvantage of the taser is that you have to make contact with the probes. If you have darts you can shoot them, but they won't pass through layers of heavy fabric. A mugger in cold weather will be bundled up already, most likely, to give one example of a difficult target. What you need is a taser, some mace spray, and one of these.
posted by krinklyfig at 4:21 PM on October 25, 2009
That was not funny at all.
But it was moving and fascinating. It's not like Pryor was a gun control advocate or anything, so I don't see this as propaganda. He had his own history with firearms, like the time he shot up his car with a .357.
posted by chrchr at 4:31 PM on October 25, 2009
But it was moving and fascinating. It's not like Pryor was a gun control advocate or anything, so I don't see this as propaganda. He had his own history with firearms, like the time he shot up his car with a .357.
posted by chrchr at 4:31 PM on October 25, 2009
That was not funny at all. But it was moving and fascinating.
Yeah, he could get away with it, too, or at least except by trying to create a show on prime time network tv. He could be much more than just a comedian, and it was only because he was so good at it that he was able to inject some very human moments that would leave you thinking, but he never got preachy. He was more of a storyteller like Cosby, but he was utterly fearless in his performance and material, and man that fucker was funny so much of the time that people just went right along and hung on his every word. His sitcom was about 20-25 years too soon, unfortunately, and Chappelle quit before he really got going with his own show, but he came pretty close to what Pryor was trying to do with this.
posted by krinklyfig at 4:40 PM on October 25, 2009
Yeah, he could get away with it, too, or at least except by trying to create a show on prime time network tv. He could be much more than just a comedian, and it was only because he was so good at it that he was able to inject some very human moments that would leave you thinking, but he never got preachy. He was more of a storyteller like Cosby, but he was utterly fearless in his performance and material, and man that fucker was funny so much of the time that people just went right along and hung on his every word. His sitcom was about 20-25 years too soon, unfortunately, and Chappelle quit before he really got going with his own show, but he came pretty close to what Pryor was trying to do with this.
posted by krinklyfig at 4:40 PM on October 25, 2009
His sitcom was about 20-25 years too soon
Sorry, misspoke. Not sitcom, variety show ...
posted by krinklyfig at 4:42 PM on October 25, 2009
Sorry, misspoke. Not sitcom, variety show ...
posted by krinklyfig at 4:42 PM on October 25, 2009
It's worth watching a couple of the original shows in full, just to get an idea of what Pryor was trying to do, but honestly, they're a little disappointing, even considering the era. It's not that Pryor's ideas aren't good, but they come few and far between and pretty much all of the sketches feel padded and have long, unfunny, predictable stretches. Still, if you like the man you should check them out. They're an interesting moment in his career. But you'll probably come away thinking it wasn't solely the challenging content that got the show dropped. Something about the execution doesn't work well at all.
posted by mediareport at 8:22 AM on October 26, 2009
posted by mediareport at 8:22 AM on October 26, 2009
It's not that Pryor's ideas aren't good, but they come few and far between and pretty much all of the sketches feel padded and have long, unfunny, predictable stretches.
I think that's a perfect description of Saturday Night Live. A few of their clips are perfect, but for the most part their segments would be a lot better if they were shorter.
posted by zarq at 3:35 PM on October 26, 2009
I think that's a perfect description of Saturday Night Live. A few of their clips are perfect, but for the most part their segments would be a lot better if they were shorter.
posted by zarq at 3:35 PM on October 26, 2009
mediareport: It's worth watching a couple of the original shows in full
Consider it done. There is nothing I won't watch by this guy and I'm not joking when I say I think he was to storytelling and comedy what Einstein was to quantum physics, what Michaelangelo was to sculpture, what Gandhi was to the idea of world peace....
If only he'd been better able to temper his demons without sustained and epic episodes of self-hurt.
The world would be a better place I think, But I wonder also if it would've turned him into something he couldn''t be anyway in a million years, maybe: a happy and successful human being with a sense of self preservation.
posted by Skygazer at 4:17 PM on October 26, 2009
Consider it done. There is nothing I won't watch by this guy and I'm not joking when I say I think he was to storytelling and comedy what Einstein was to quantum physics, what Michaelangelo was to sculpture, what Gandhi was to the idea of world peace....
If only he'd been better able to temper his demons without sustained and epic episodes of self-hurt.
The world would be a better place I think, But I wonder also if it would've turned him into something he couldn''t be anyway in a million years, maybe: a happy and successful human being with a sense of self preservation.
posted by Skygazer at 4:17 PM on October 26, 2009
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posted by Not Supplied at 9:26 AM on October 25, 2009