Watch Richard Pryor Open Up About His Sobriety

VIDEO – A LITTLE TOO LATE –

Oct. 11, 2022 – In an interview with Johnny Carson, Pryor spoke about his sobriety. He said: “I haven’t had drugs in a long time now. And it’s the first time that I’m really trying to do something about it to stay off it now. I’ve been off a long time now, and it’s wearing off. Do you know how your body builds up a residue? Well, I got about thirty years of residue. So I’ll be high another two years.”

Asked whether he felt better sober, Pryor replied: “I do. I feel great, man. But I feel scared. I got a lot of those moments when I used to feel nervous, and I used to go get a drink or something. Now, I don’t do anything about that.”

Whilst Pryor’s misadventures of drug and alcohol abuse made for a fascinatingly chaotic life without a moment of boredom – not to mention exposing him to all manner of anecdotes that would make for great comedic material – it would ultimately be his downfall. Not only did his wife, Jennifer Lee, move out of the house when discovering him freebasing, but Pryor also suffered three heart attacks, the third of which would claim his life in 2005.

Pryor said: “I guess I had to stop drinking. I just got tired of waking up on the freeway driving 90mph. Do you ever do that? That’ll sober you up quick. ‘Where is everybody!?’ ‘Why’d they leave me here?’ I don’t remember people. I see people I don’t remember. ‘Richard, you remember the time you kissed that elephant?’ ‘No, I don’t even remember you.’”