The Washington Post had a couple of articles last week on the Mark Twain
award to Richard Pryor. They're well worth seeking out: maybe they're still
at washpost.com.

There are some good comments in one of the articles from those who organized
the prize. Also included is something I had forgotten, Pauline Kael's review
of the Pryor concert movie from (?) around 1980. In that review, Kael
claimed that Pryor was the only working comedian who rose to the level of
art. (I think she said poetry; but I don't think she compared him to Mark
Twain.)

I'm already on record as believing that Pryor was an inspired choice. I like
Baker, Keillor, Vonnegut, et. al., but let's face it, they're establishment
figures. Their humor is comfortably provocative. They don't threaten
fundraising week (after week after week) on PBS.  Mark Twain's humor
could always be dangerous, and I think that's the sense in which Pryor is his true
heir.

Those who haven't seen the Pryor concert film, I recommend it. Just send the
kids out of earshot. And probably grandma and granddad too. Also hope you
don't run into Reverend Jones when you're checking it out of the video
store.

Glen Johnson