51+ Richard Pryor Quotes From The Iconic Stand-Up Comedian
Gallery
Richard Pryor was an American stand-up comedian, actor, and writer known for his witty observations and storytelling style.
Pryor, Richard was born in 1940 in Illinois and served in the army before beginning to perform comedy in clubs. The comedian died on 10 October, 2005, after suffering a heart attack in Los Angeles.
Richard Pryor quotes are amazing as he is one of the most influential comics of all time. The comedian has won several awards including an Emmy Award, five Grammy awards, and two American Academy of Humor awards.
There are albums of his concert recordings which contain many iconic Richard Pryor quotes. This article has some of the best quotes by Richard Pryor, the iconic stand-up comedian.
If you like this article with the best Richard Pryor quotes, then check out these articles on Louis C.K. quotes and Dave Chappelle quotes.
Richard Pryor Funny Quotes
This subcategory has Richard Pryor quotes that show his strength as a comedian who told the funniest jokes. These Richard Pryor quotes reflect his talent on stage.
1. "When you're running down the street on fire, people get out of your way!"
- Richard Pryor.
2. "I love show business. I wake up every morning and kiss it."
- Richard Pryor.
3. "When I was young I used to think my people didn’t like me. Because they used to send me to the store for bread and then they’d move."
- Richard Pryor, 'Pryor Convictions'.
4. "I never met anybody who said when they were a kid, I wanna grow up and be a critic."
- Richard Pryor.
5. "Do you know how you felt when you would lean all the way back in a chair, and just before you were about to tip over, at the very last second, you'd catch yourself ? That's how I feel all the time."
- Richard Pryor.
6. "I never thought I had a self-destruct mechanism working inside of me, but considering the way things worked out, I see I caused most of the problems myself."
- Richard Pryor, 'Pryor Convictions'.
7. "Why get killed when you can run...your ego will heal much faster than a broken jaw."
- Richard Pryor.
8. "...I liked being the source of making people laugh."
- Richard Pryor, 'Pryor Convictions'.
8. "Marriage is really tough because you have to deal with feelings...and lawyers."
- Richard Pryor.
9. "The only person scarier than God was my mother."
- Richard Pryor, 'Pryor Convictions'.
10. "Someone called all the newspapers in New York and told them I'd died. I've been told by almost everyone it was an ex-wife - I've had a few so it's hard to pinpoint which one - but who knows for sure?"
- Richard Pryor.
11. "...the less people knew, the louder they got."
- Richard Pryor 'Pryor Convictions'.
12. "When you ain't got no money, you gotta get an attitude."
- Richard Pryor.
13. "I can't just say the words, do a lot of one-liners. I love each person I play; I have to be that person. I have to do him true."
- Richard Pryor.
14. "You lose your pride real quick in hospitals."
- Richard Pryor, 'Pryor Convictions'.
Hilarious Richard Pryor Quotes About America
This subcategory has Pryor Richard quotes about living in the USA. Pryor was a very astute comedian and commented on almost every aspect of American life. This subcategory also has Richard Pryor stand-up quotes including Richard Pryor Mudbone quotes from the comedian.
15. "See I've lived through hard times before...Hard times was way back. They didn't have a year for it, just called it hard times."
- Richard Pryor.
16. "I went to Zimbabwe. I know how white people feel in America now; relaxed! Cause when I heard the police car I knew they weren't coming after me!"
- Richard Pryor.
17. "Two things people throughout history have had in common are hatred and humor. I am proud that I have been able to use humor to lessen people's hatred."
- Richard Pryor.
18. "Movies are movies, and I don't think any of them are going to hurt the moral fiber of America and all that nonsense."
- Richard Pryor.
19. "What I am for is justice for everyone, just like it says in the Constitution."
- Richard Pryor.
20. "I'm for human lib, the liberation of all people, not just black people or female people or gay people."
- Richard Pryor.
21. "I see people as the nucleus of a great idea that hasn't come to be yet."
- Richard Pryor.
22. "You work your butt off and somebody says you can't have your record played because it offends them. Tyrants are made of such stuff."
- Richard Pryor.
Iconic Richard Pryor Quotes About Race
This subcategory has some of the best Richard Pryor quotes about racial discrimination and white people. These Richard Pryor quotes show the best of the comedian and his witty, sarcastic remarks.
23. "The black groups that boycott certain films would do better to get the money together to make the films they want to see, or stay in church and leave us to our work."
- Richard Pryor.
24. "I was a skinny little black kid, with big eyes that took in the whole world and a wide, bright smile that begged for more attention than anybody had time to give."
- Richard Pryor 'Pryor Convictions'.
25. "I live in racist America and I'm uneducated, yet a lot of people love me and like what I do, and I can make a living from it. You can't do much better than that."
- Richard Pryor.
26. "There's a lot more hypocrisy than before. Racism has gone back underground."
- Richard Pryor.
27. "I'm not for integration and I'm not against it."
- Richard Pryor.
28. "I tried to be a black cat with neat hair. I thought that was the problem—the hair."
- Richard Pryor, 'Pryor Convictions'.
29. "Rosa Parks showed us all that one little person can make a whole bunch of noise without so much as a whisper."
- Richard Pryor.
Best Quotes By Pryor Richard
This subcategory has some of the best Richard Pryor quotes including his material on stage. Some of these Richard Pryor quotes are also from his insightful autobiography.
30. "Everyone carries around his own monsters."
- Richard Pryor.
31. " I’ve never taken the easy way. Even when it seemed easy, it wasn’t easy..."
- Richard Pryor, 'Pryor Convictions'.
32. "Art is the ability to tell the truth."
- Richard Pryor.
33. "Keep some sunshine on your face."
- Richard Pryor, 'Pryor Convictions'.
34. "Have you ever noticed how quiet you get when you go in the woods? It's almost like you know that God's there."
- Richard Pryor.
35. "I told him comedy—real comedy—wasn’t only tellin’ jokes. It was about telling the truth..."
- Richard Pryor, 'Pryor Convictions'.
36. "Comedy rules! Don't let anybody tell you otherwise, and there are no rules in stand-up comedy, which I really like. You can do anything you want and you can say anything that comes to mind, just so long as it's funny."
- Richard Pryor.
37. "Sometimes survival depends on blindness."
- Richard Pryor, 'Pryor Convictions'.
38. "To everyone from fans to wives, I would always be a dark comic genius, the Bard of Self-Destruction..."
- Richard Pryor, 'Pryor Convictions'.
39. "Imagine people calling you to find out if you're dead."
- Richard Pryor.
40. "I lived big for a time, but never appreciated life. I never realized that people really liked me."
- Richard Pryor, 'Pryor Convictions'.
41. "There was a time in my life when I thought I had everything...Now I struggle for peace."
- Richard Pryor.
42. "I believe in the institution of marriage, and I intend to keep trying till I get it right."
- Richard Pryor.
43. "From my earliest days, I learned that expectations had to be balanced against reality."
- Richard Pryor, 'Pryor Convictions'.
44. "I had some great things and I had some bad things. The best and the worst...In other words, I had a life."
- Richard Pryor.
45. "The big struggle is to keep your head clear enough to think."
- Richard Pryor.
46. "All humor is rooted in pain."
- Richard Pryor.
47. "It's easy to love somebody...sit with them a little bit and talk to them a while."
- Richard Pryor.
48. "Family is a mixed blessing. You’re glad to have one, but it’s also like receiving a life sentence for a crime you didn’t commit."
- Richard Pryor, 'Pryor Convictions'.
49. "As much as I wanted love and attention, I couldn’t help but feel that I was a source of hardship for my parents, something they’d as soon forget as let me intrude on their lives."
- Richard Pryor, 'Pryor Convictions'.
50. "I became a performer because it was what I enjoyed doing."
- Richard Pryor.
51. "There's a thin line between to laugh with and to laugh at."
- Richard Pryor.
52. "I've always been generous with my friends and family, with money, but selfish with the important stuff like love."
- Richard Pryor.
53. "If I thought about it, I could be bitter, but I don't feel like being bitter. Being bitter makes you immobile, and there's too much that I still want to do."
- Richard Pryor.
Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly quotesfor everyone to enjoy! If you liked our suggestions for Richard Pryor quotes from the stand-up comedian, then why not take a look at best comedian quotes and [Rodney Dangerfield quotes].
Main Image Editorial credit: Kathy Hutchins / Shutterstock.com
We Want Your Photos!
More for You
See All
Bachelor of Science specializing in Microbiology
Oluwatosin MichaelBachelor of Science specializing in Microbiology
With a Bachelor's in Microbiology from the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Ogun State, Oluwatosin has honed his skills as an SEO content writer, editor, and growth manager. He has written articles, conducted extensive research, and optimized content for search engines. His expertise extends to leading link-building efforts and revising onboarding strategies.
Disclaimer
1) Kidadl is independent and to make our service free to you the reader we are supported by advertising. We hope you love our recommendations for products and services! What we suggest is selected independently by the Kidadl team. If you purchase using the Buy Now button we may earn a small commission. This does not influence our choices. Prices are correct and items are available at the time the article was published but we cannot guarantee that on the time of reading. Please note that Kidadl is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon. We also link to other websites, but are not responsible for their content.
2) At Kidadl, we strive to recommend the very best activities and events. We will always aim to give you accurate information at the date of publication - however, information does change, so it’s important you do your own research, double-check and make the decision that is right for your family. We recognise that not all activities and ideas are appropriate for all children and families or in all circumstances. Our recommended activities are based on age but these are a guide. We recommend that these ideas are used as inspiration, that ideas are undertaken with appropriate adult supervision, and that each adult uses their own discretion and knowledge of their children to consider the safety and suitability. Kidadl cannot accept liability for the execution of these ideas, and parental supervision is advised at all times, as safety is paramount. Anyone using the information provided by Kidadl does so at their own risk and we can not accept liability if things go wrong.
3) Because we are an educational resource, we have quotes and facts about a range of historical and modern figures. We do not endorse the actions of or rhetoric of all the people included in these collections, but we think they are important for growing minds to learn about under the guidance of parents or guardians.
