Latest news with #RichardPryor
New York Times
19-04-2025
- Entertainment
- New York Times
Nate Bargatze Doesn't Mind if You Think He's an Idiot
It's often the case that when stand-up comedians seize the public's attention, it's because they exude a sense of danger. They say what others don't have the nerve to say, about topics others won't raise, in language others never use. There's an aura of transgressive truth-telling around this type of comedy star, best exemplified by the likes of Richard Pryor, Chris Rock and Hannah Gadsby — people who met the moment fearlessly. In this moment, though, one so sorely in need of fearless truth-telling, Nate Bargatze has rocketed to stardom by doing pretty much the opposite. Low-key and G-rated, his comedy traffics in comfortably relatable stories about the foibles of family life, his confusion with modern living and being a bit of a dim bulb. He is hardly the first clean stand-up to achieve tremendous success (though stylistic antecedents like Jerry Seinfeld and Ray Romano were able to ride a bygone wave of smash network sitcoms), but he has done it with no hits to his comedic credibility. It's instructive, I think, that both my mother-in-law, hardly an aficionado of stand-up, and my best friend, a snob when it comes to the form, were excited to learn I was interviewing Bargatze. The gentle and inclusive approach of Bargatze, a 46-year-old Tennessee native, helped make his tour last year the highest-grossing one by a comedian. Two widely praised turns hosting 'Saturday Night Live' (you may have seen his viral sketch 'Washington's Dream') raised his profile outside the world of stand-up. Just this week, CBS announced that he has been tapped to host the Emmy Awards in September. And he is also branching out with a book, the self-deprecatingly titled 'Big Dumb Eyes: Stories From a Simpler Mind,' which will be published on May 6. Such self-deprecation is a Bargatze trademark, but, as I learned, it also conceals some bold ambitions. Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube | Amazon | iHeart | NYT Audio App It's interesting to read articles about you since your career has really taken off. The writers always try to explain why you've gotten so big. What's your hunch about that? Talking about relatable things and authenticity. Not that I'm going out for authenticity. But you're in a world where you have the 'Wicked's and these 'Avengers' movies — and that's great, but there's not a regular person on a screen anymore. Movies used to be like 'Planes, Trains and Automobiles' and 'Home Alone': That's a regular guy in this movie that you enjoy watching. It's easier to take in. And you don't always want to be thought-provoked. That's something I've tried to stay clear of because I'm trying to sell you something. I need you to be able to come and trust that you're going to get the entertainment that I am showing you that I am selling you. You said you're selling something, which is an interesting thing to hear. That's true for just about everyone in the entertainment business, but usually people aren't explicit in saying it. Why do you think there's hesitation on the part of some entertainers to say, 'I'm selling something'? It's got this weird self-importance: 'I have a platform, so I need to say something.' I'm anti-platform. If I want to give you my opinion and tell you what I think, that's about me. When I go onstage, I try to remind myself this night's not about me. If it becomes about me, it's too much. I can't handle it. But if I can make it for other people, now I'm an employee and I'm working. It's not about my self-importance. Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
Los Angeles Times
17-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Los Angeles Times
New Richard Pryor box set revives the comedy giant's classic albums
Stand-up legend Richard Pryor will always be considered a 1-of-1 talent in the world of comedy. As brilliant as he was blunt, his immortal jokes live on in an archive of comedy albums throughout his career. On Thursday, a handful of classics from the height of his fame are being repackaged by Rhino Records into a massive box set befitting one of the most influential comics to ever hold a microphone. 'I Hope I'm Funny: The Warner Albums (1974-1983),' showcases Pryor's unparalleled genius on his classic records, including 'That N—s Crazy,' '…Is It Something I Said?,' 'Bicentennial N—,' 'Wanted/Richard Pryor Live in Concert' (a double LP), 'Live on the Sunset Strip,' and 'Here and Now.' Scott Saul, who authored the 2014 book 'Becoming Richard Pryor,' wrote the liner notes of the box set. Winning five Grammys and an Emmy during his lifetime as a comedian and actor, Pryor's body of work was a master class of stand-up and acting that pushed the boundaries of discussion on race, class, drug addiction and sociopolitical commentary. 'What he was able to do with his body, with his mentality, was incredible,' the late comedian and civil rights activist Dick Gregory told The Times. He recalled getting to know Pryor in the late 1960s in New York. 'He could just walk across that stage while he was getting ready to transition — the movements of his body, people would just laugh.' Despite his stratospheric success, there was also much tragedy in Pryor's history, including self-inflicted burns while freebasing cocaine (1980), a heart attack at age 36 and hard drug and alcohol abuse until getting sober in the '90s. Miraculously, he continued on with comedy even after being diagnosed in 1986 with multiple sclerosis, which resulted in a loss of his trademark physical presence on stage. In 2005, Pryor died of a heart attack at age 65. Through this classic set of albums, the spark and soul of Pryor's comedy continues to reign supreme. 'The Age of Pryor has never ended,' Saul writes in the liner notes of the box set. 'Across the six albums collected here, Pryor blew open what a comedian could do onstage, and it's the rare comedian who is not somehow in his debt.'
Yahoo
14-02-2025
- Yahoo
$275 Million of Cocaine Seized in Pacific Ocean (Video)
Richard Pryor just rolled over in his grave. The United States Coast Guard offloaded over 37,000 pounds, amounting to an estimated $275 million, of cocaine from the Pacific Ocean in San Diego on Thursday. The crew had been stationed in the eastern Pacific since December, intercepting 'significant narcotics trafficking' operations. Check out the haul being offloaded below. 'The Waesche crew faced numerous challenges during this patrol, overcoming the hardest adversities and still had 11 successful drug interdictions,' said Capt. Tyson Scofield, commanding officer of the Coast Guard Cutter Waesche, in a press release. 'Their dedication, strength of character, and resilience ensured the success of our mission, preventing over $275 million worth of illicit narcotics from reaching the United States and protecting our communities from the devastating effects of transnational crime.'But the successful drug roundup didn't come without its casualties. One crewmember of the Waesche was unaccounted for during the operation. He was identified as 23-year-old Bryan K. Lee. 'Our most heartfelt condolences to the family and friends of Seaman Lee,' said Cmdr. David Stern, search and rescue mission coordinator for Coast Guard District Eleven, in a press release. 'Considering all pertinent factors and available information, we made the difficult decision to suspend the search. This case has been extraordinarily challenging, and the decision to suspend the search pending new information is not an easy choice. We're thankful for the support from our units and partners who searched a significant region of the Pacific Ocean.' Still, that's a whole lotta devil's dandruff.
Yahoo
06-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Movies to see this week: 'American Fiction,' 'Say Anything,' Fritz Lang
There's a lot of thematic weight in theaters this week. Even as Oscar hopefuls take up screens, Twin Cities theaters are showcasing anxious film noirs and a couple of films from a director working in exile after rebuffing the Nazi regime. Romantic comedies are arriving in anticipation of Valentine's Day, and there are plenty of films lined up as part of Black History Month celebrations. It's an embarrassment of riches, and movie lovers can reap the rewards. Here are the repertory films you'll find at Twin Cities movie theaters this week. Friday, Feb. 7–Sunday, Feb. 9 at The Trylon Cinema Paul Schrader's catalog is packed with movies that probably deserve another view. (Ok, maybe "dotted" is more appropriate than "packed.") His directorial debut, Blue Collar, released just two years after he wrote Taxi Driver, fits the bill. A trio of auto workers dealing with hard times — Richard Pryor, Harvey Keitel, and Yaphet Kotto — break into their union's safe and find something more than they bargained for. It's a thriller that will surprise anyone who hasn't seen Pryor in anything but comedies. 2820 E 33rd St., Minneapolis ($8) Thursday, Feb. 6 at The Heights Theater This one is screening as part of the 16th Film Noir Festival, which, this year, is highlighting noirs where cars and getaways play a big role. Henry Fonda stars as Eddie, a recently released convict who is looking to go straight and marry the woman of his dreams, the straight-laced Joan (Sylvia Sidney). However, it turns out that going straight is a lot harder than he thought, which is extra hard for his soon-to-be wife. There are more than a couple parallels with Bonnie and Clyde here (that one is playing Feb. 6 and 9 at the Grandview Theatre). Though, arguably, this one is even more tragic. 3951 Central Ave. NE, Columbia Heights ($12-$12.75) Thursday, Feb. 6 at Capri Theater The Oscar-nominated debut feature film from Cord Jefferson is a winding, sometimes weird, frequently funny movie starring Jeffrey Wright as a struggling novelist who can't stomach the way businesses profit from entertainment that traffics in Black stereotypes. To show what he's talking about, he writes a book that does just that, and it winds up being a hit, thrusting him into the heart of the hypocrisy he claims to detest. 2027 W Broadway, Minneapolis ($7; free for northside residents) Sunday, Feb. 9–Tuesday, Feb. 11 at The Trylon Cinema Two Fritz Lang classics in one week? Luck us. In addition to You Only Live Once, the Trylon is bringing in the film about a man (Ray Milland) who is accused of assisting in his wife's suicide. When he's released, he gets caught up in a Nazi spy ring, an apt subject for Lang. The director was in exile at the time he made both of the films playing this week, having rejected an offer from Joseph Goebbels and Adolf Hitler to take the helm of the Nazi's propaganda films. 2820 E 33rd St., Minneapolis ($8) Thursday, Feb. 6 at The Parkway Theater Valentine's Day won't arrive until next week, but the Parkway has an iconic, often parodied, romantic comedy ready to get things rolling. John Cusack and Ione Skye are star-crossed lovers kept apart by her possessive father, played by the great John Mahoney. But before you get to see Cusack don the trench coat and lift a boombox over his head, there will be a live set from Adam Bohanan. 4814 Chicago Ave., Minneapolis ($9/$12)Movies screening this week: Feb. 5–6: Hellraiser (1987) - Remastered at St. Michael Cinema, Emagine Willow Creek, Oakdale Cinema, Parkwood Cinema, AMC Southdale, Champlin 14, AMC Eden Prairie Mall, and AMC Rosedale Feb. 5: Tape Freaks at The Trylon Cinema (sold out) Feb. 5 and 9: Nope (2022) at West End Cinema and Oakdale Cinema Feb. 5 and 9: Get Out (2017) at West End Cinema and Oakdale Cinema Feb. 5–6 and 9: Cowboy Bebop: The Movie (2001) at Emagine Willow Creek, CMX Odyssey IMAX, Oakdale Cinema (Feb. 5 only), AMC Southdale, AMC Eden Prairie Mall, and AMC Rosedale Feb. 5: Gone With the Wind (1939) at Emagine Willow Creek Feb. 5: In the Mood for Love (2000) at Edina Theatre Feb. 5–6: The Flintstones (1994) at Emagine Willow Creek Feb. 5 and 8–10: Se7en (1995) at Alamo Drafthouse Feb. 5–6, 7–8, 10, and 16: The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003) extended edition at Alamo Drafthouse Feb. 6–7 and 9–11: Parasite (2019) at AMC Southdale, AMC Rosedale (not Feb. 6), and AMC Eden Prairie Mall (Feb. 11 only) Feb. 6: Eraserhead (1977) at Emagine Willow Creek Feb. 6 and 9: Bonnie and Clyde (1967) at Grandview Theatre Feb. 7: Scream It Off Screen at The Parkway Theater Feb. 7–9: If (2024) at Oakdale Cinema, Parkwood Cinema, Rosemount Cinema, Southbridge Crossing Cinema, and West End Cinema Feb. 7–13: The Cat in the Hat (2003) at Emagine Willow Creek Feb. 7–14: Black Panthers of WWII (2024) at The Trylon Cinema Feb. 8: Silents Synced: Buster Keaton's Sherlock Jr. (1924) with the music of R.E.M. at Emagine Willow Creek Feb. 8: Twilight movie marathon at Oakdale Cinema, Parkwood Cinema, Rosemount Cinema, Southbridge Crossing Cinema, West End Cinema, and Bloomington 13 at MoA Feb. 8: The Golden Child (1986) at Alamo Drafthouse Feb. 9: About Time (2013) at Alamo Drafthouse Feb. 9: Anomalisa (2015) at Alamo Drafthouse Feb. 9: Mississippi Park Connection presents Wild & Scenic Film Festival: 'Wild Child' at The Main Cinema Feb. 9: Mississippi Park Connection presents Wild & Scenic Film Festival: 'Water Tales' at The Main Cinema Feb. 9: Mississippi Park Connection presents Discover Your River at The Main Cinema Feb. 9: Casablanca (1942) at Emagine Willow Creek Feb. 10: Bram Stoker's Dracula (1992) at Emagine Willow Creek Feb. 10: B&B Mystery Movie at Bloomington 13 at MoA Feb. 10: Love & Basketball (2000) at Bloomington 13 at MoA
