@@Hallands. Oh thats convenient. I suppose its impossible for blacks and whites to understand each other.....so therefore we have to fight, accuse each other of being evil, burn buildings and tear down statues. Right?
Anthony Christopher Wtf do you mean "convenient"?! No, it's not at all "impossible" for men of different colors to understand each other. What may be needed is to become aware of ones own unconscious, inbred racial prejudices, and that's not an issue solely for whites, but it surely was for Dick...
@@Hallands. I mean that its convenient to assume that everyone is prejudicial and biased...if you want to stir up distrust and division. And many people want that because they are resentful people who want to cause chaos and/or possibly capitalise on chaos. I'm not accusing you of wanting that....but it does seem as though you are going along with a worldview which has been created by badly motivated people who want that. I think that focussing on getting people to question their own psyche is an enormously destructive approach. Instead, we should hold everyone to two fundamental standards: 1. listen to each other, 2. demand to yourself and everyone else that they articulate their perceptions with clarity and with evidence.
Anthony Christopher So you're essentially accusing me of wanting to stir up division? Where's the evidence for that evil assumption? But oh, no, that's not what you meant, only what it sounded like? Well, that seems to be pre-judice and unconscious bias in a nutshell, doesn't it? Just like the host, you presume instead of listening - and out comes all your repressed prejudices, given extra potential by all the years of you suppressing "wrong" thoughts, attempting to be "nice"... Couldn't that be it? To me, nothing can be divined from skin color. Therefore any favoritism or suppression based on such criteria will forever be an extension of racism imo. Basing any debate on color is therefore inherently counterproductive, i think.
This first question was actually an interesting one and Pryor has some pointed answers, but then Cavett ruined it all when he tried to show proof that he wasn’t like those other white writers. Basically he went on to represent exactly the same thing Pryor was talking, white liberals who think since they “associate” with black people they know how black people talk, but end up sounding patronizing and stereotypical when they try to. To Pryor’s and Cavett’s credit, Pryor was very patient with him and Cavett meant no real harm, but crazy Pryor in the early 70’s would have ripped him to shreds for talking like that.
This wasn't that awkward. I think Pryor probably already respected Cavett enough to let him "dig his own hole," but not beat him over the head with it. And Cavett's initial question was a good one. Pryor was also very clear-headed. If you want to see awkward, watch the time he (Pryor) and Chevy Chase were guests on Johnny Carson. Chevy Chase was just being a tool and NOT funny, and Pryor got real pissed and showed it. This thing with Cavett was very tame by comparison.
Awesome tip bro! I’m typing that vid right now!…Pryor was one of the greatest and literally changed the game! Chevy was a good writer , charming back in the day but never funny……charming….but not funny……watch his films…..6 are watchable and the other 70 are not!…lol....I’m sure u seen that disaster, his first talk show episode……..I mean it’s hard to watch how bad it was and how bad he was ……worst idea in television history………I don’t blame Chevy…..I blame the producer and his agent…Chevy was just a product…… I feel bad for him….then there was an extremely awkward moment when he had Dan Akroyd who is extremely intelligent and funny…….watching them two on that show, personally, I think they purposely bombed in a very unusual way ,so he can see his old buddy Chevy get released from the contract from that God awful show……….and it worked……..that’s a true friend………
This was awesome, and not nearly as awkward as it could have been. Funny and well intentioned. I don’t think either of them are wrong. I totally get where each is coming from. I think Dick Cavett knew what he was trying to say, but couldn’t word it right. And heck, maybe he could write something for a “black” character. But Richard is right too in that anyone could write a script for someone where race isn’t an overriding issue, but if they try to write a “black” character, he may not like how it comes off. Great clip!
You idiots apparently missed the last 30 seconds of this clip where Pryor confirms what Cavett is saying. But, keep on with your racist "identity politics" that sees *race* as the main factor of a human's identity. In fact, it's all many of you see. I'll take your downvotes now. With pleasure.
The real pity is that there was actually a very interesting and legitimate conversation here, waiting to happen. Pryor was a master at doing "voices," "accents," and "dialects" in his act -- all those routines he did about how "white folks" and "Black folks" say things differently, how they act and interact, how they move, etc. He had a true gift for mimicry and mime. It would have been iwonderul to hear a good, honest converation about the craft, the "ear," and the empathy for one's fellow human beings that it takes to pull off routines like that in such a way that everyone "gets it" and no one is offended, but the point still comes through clearly. Pryor could make us look at ourselves, laugh at ourselves, and maybe understand one another a ltitle better in the end. That's the conversation he and Cavell should have been having here.
I don’t think that was awkward , and you’ll notice how he said he didn’t understand any of it, most people think they understand each other, that’s the problem, the people giving him that script thought they knew just what he would want, they were wrong. I’m Irish, we find it the height of ignorance when people refer to us as part of Britain, it’s total bullshit.
What Cavett was trying to ask in a non-offensive way was; are you offended when white writers send you a script that is supposed to sound like what they think black people sound like when they are only in a group of other black people? But in reality those writers don't have a clue. And there doesn't have to be anything offensive about that question. I'm a white Jazz musician (for forty years) and I can tell you for sure that if I'm performing with four other black musicians they often speak differently to one another than they do if I happen to be around. No big deal, there is nothing wrong or offensive about any of that...is just a fact of life that you "may" at times use words or a vernacular among people with whom you have more in common than you do with others whom you don't have the same kind of relationship. Pryor was indeed a very bright guy, but in this case I think he was "milking" it to make a point and Cavett wasn't able to pull himself out of the nose dive. My .02.
I love both of these guys. Cavett very articulately represents what befuddles White Liberals, and Pryor articulately takes over the interview role and simply asks "What do you mean?"
Very well worded analysis by you, especially of Cavett and his role here. Unfortuneatly he momentarily was REPRESENTATIVE of the untenable attitude of racism, not PRESENTATIVE, as spoken or written word artists traditionally are, in order to stimulate social discourse.
@@swedetex Indeed- BUT Cavett generally concedes that point and shows a genuine curiosity as to how to address the matter on “his side of the aisle.” He was very willing to have the host/guest roles flipped for the sake of the discussion. Pryor was as sharp a social critic as there was, but I’m sure he was very rarely just conceded the platform like that, and was probably surprised. Cavett and Pryor are both among the best at what they did, and this SUCH a rare, outstanding discussion... sadly you’d have to dig real hard to find something like this on social media lol
@@GrassValleyGreg I agree, good discussion for them then, and timely for us as well. BTW, slight change of subject; have you heard Richard Pryor sing?? I stumbled upon this clip, and yet again, he blew my socks right off! m.ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-AiP5rGCm9pE.html
I don’t think it was ignorant. Dick was trying to say he thinks he could write an un-ironic black person. Pryor was gaslighting him slightly and acting like he doesn’t know what he is saying. As if Pryor drops his skin or persona at every comedy show or acting role. Even though he’s more than capable of understanding that while he detests being given a stereotype, a white writer is capable of writing that character. Pryor just feels it’s unnecessary cause if there is any portrayal of blacks/blackness in a role he’s given, he’ll make it so. Somewhat not by choice either since he WILL be seen as black due to him BEING black. Although I’m sure he’d prefer to be a scientist or athlete or father or “input role” character that HAPPENS to be black. The whole convo had some relevance but between Dick being a bad interviewer at the moment and Pryor gaslighting, the convo went no where.
I think Richard was in a mood in which he wanted to just be a person... Dick was asking a question from a time when Richard probably didn't feel as accepted as he was later...but it's understandable, since I've seen Richard insulted on shows, by Chevy Chase for instance, and I think Dick was trying to understand, mainly... and Richard was indeed hanging his ass out there... and in saying that I think Dick probably won back the respect of his interviewee... maybe... there are few in the world that I think had the class both of these men possess... maybe Richard was just chafed by the question.
The platform where you can only fight with your tongue and body language is the hardest fight of all. Gift of the gab and keeping cool like the Fonze. Richard Pryor showed both at its highest level of professional usage here.
We all Know Cavett didn't mean any harm at all, Richard that day just got all serious on him , pulling his chain, watching him squirm, I bet he found it very entertaining. Especially on LIVE TV!
Nah man. Pryor knows that he is being watched like a hawk because this is a button so many people love to push because of the guilt and shame it can cause someone just by assumption. Assuming all black people are the same is like assuming all white people are the same which most people know isn't true. There are poor whites and rich whites, whites who are hippies, whites who are heavy metallers and punks. Whites who are sportspeople and whites who are nerds... Just like black people....
@@cynthialowery1063 The "We" only implies those with the same mind set . Like Gene Wilder and Richard Pryor both had the same mind set and understand of comedy, human reactions , culture etc. Instead of saying all of that? Many just say We , as an all inclusive term. Like We mechanics, or Us Technicians , We Doctors.. etc. So maybe its not the we your asking? its the Group? In this instance, We is an all inclusive group , not one specific.
Wow if Richard would've lived a little longer would have played a very good villian or mob boss like other comedians did...scary... Since they are redoing Superman 1978 comic book I hope they come up with this idea for an updated Superman 3.
'Well, I think the subtleties of vernacular and shibboleths, along with other sub-cultural colloquialisms, renders me uniquely qualified to utilize your subculture in such a way as to be believable. You can tell by my high-jiving that this is self-evidently clear.'
He really made Cavett look like a fool here. Decades before anyone was talking about the concept of white privilege on TV, Pryor was able to address it calmly and coolly without even getting defensive. He just let Cavett dig his own grave. Brilliant guy
This had nothing to do with white privilege. Pryor was insecure about cavett's question and Cavett saw this so he tried to diffuse the situation. If anything Pryor was a triggered snowflake before the term existed.
I think people who don't understand it label it 'white privilege', but it should be called 'work ethic'. To erase hundreds or maybe thousands of years of cultural evolution in terms of education, invention, engineering, philosophy and sheer hard work and labelling all that as a privilege is disingenuous and smacks of the worst type of racism.
He did it with Eddie Murphy too, he's a racist , but he thinks he isn't . That's the issue here , he is trying his best to prove he's not racist by asking what he deems a brave question, but he does it like he's speaking to someone who he feels he's better than. I'm white and this was highly offensive to me.
@@CheckmateRidRot502 I don't think he's racist. But talking about race isn't easy in any context especially if you're the person who brings it up in conversation. You're basically trying not to tread on eggshells because it's such a sensitive topic. That's why he kept tripping over himself and slurring.
I’m white and think that sometimes Dick Cavett was a “Dick.” There was no point in even bringing this up. Be respectful to your guests. Don’t make them and everyone else uncomfortable for no good reason. He did this with other guests as well...
Great conversation to hear.Really Says a lot about what some think of others just because of their skin color.Dick is the perfect example of ignorance.
Of the moments that seem to encapsulate assumed white privilege, this is one of the most delicately spoken, I'll say that. Cavett has made it clear he thinks he's above all race and color. And if anyone on the planet could put him in his real position in the universe it certainly is Richard Pryor. Imagine the hubris to say this on television?! It's a stunning display of self importance and condescension.
My how times have changed. Cavett would be too afraid of being cancelled to ever ask anything that was on his mind and no lesson would be learned or progress made. People assume that, because he asked the question, it was something he personally supported. The entire concept is lost as people today seem to *only* see race, first, foremost, and to the exclusion of most everything else. Something that Pryor here expressly condemns.
And Don Rickles and Robin Williams did a black voice in their routines. That's not what Pryor is talking about. The point is about film scripts where white writers write exaggerated and inaccurate black vernacular for Pryor. I doubt white actors have to content with black writers writing exaggerated white vernacular for them.
@Millennial Falcon There's vernacular for every group. Nearly everyone speaks and the way they speak is their vernacular even if it's the majority in the country.
This ass should have apologised and moved on with a new line of questioning as he was only stumbling because of his own racial predjucdices. Not wrong. He's just shown for what he was, which was problematic.
Was Pryor ignorant? I don't think so. A lot of his jokes were impersonating white people. Why was he interested in that? Because it was funny and especially appropriate if the other person did the same thing or were there to see that. Getting the double standard yet?
