Legendary Comedian And ‘Chappelle’s Show’ Regular Paul Mooney Has Died At 79

Paul Mooney, the pioneering comedian and actor who wrote with Richard Pryor and made frequent appearances on Chappelle’s Show, has died at 79 years old after suffering a heart attack. The news was first reported by his cousin Rudy Ealy to CNN contributor Roland Martin and later confirmed by Deadline.

“I remember, as a little kid, my dad showing me Paul Mooney’s stand up for the first time and I was just blown away. My dad said, ‘Now THIS is comedy.’ and he was right,” A Black Lady Sketch Show star Ashley Nicole tweeted following news of Mooney’s death, while Desus & Mero host The Kid Mero wrote, “PAUL MOONEY IS A COMEDY GOD B.”

Born in Louisiana as Paul Gladney, Mooney moved to California as a child and lived a fascinating life. He was a ringmaster for the Charles Gody Circus; performed in an anti-Vietnam War road show alongside Jane Fonda; wrote material for Pryor, including as the head writer on The Richard Pryor Show; and appeared in The Buddy Holly Story as Sam Cooke and Spike Lee’s Bamboozled.

Mooney’s greatest influence, though, was as a writer, at first for sitcoms such as Sanford and Son and Good Times, but more significantly with and for Pryor. He co-wrote much of the material on Pryor’s comedy albums (including the breakout Live on the Sunset Strip) and even was recruited by Pryor to provide material for Pryor’s hosting gig on SNL… Mooney was head writer for the first year of Fox’s In Living Color, and is said to have inspired Damon Wayans’ signature character Homey D. Clown.

Mooney is also known for his work on Chappelle’s Show, where he played “Negrodamus.” He also delivered one of the show’s most iconic lines: “White people like Wayne Brady because he makes Brian Gumbel look like Malcolm X.”

(Via Deadline)