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Although his early-'60s career as a comedian echoed the easygoing routines of Bill Cosby, Richard Pryor found his true voice after 1969 by incorporating angry and often profane social commentary into his act. This move translated to a surprising popularity with both Black and white audiences, and he would soon embark on a highly lucrative film career. Pryor's comedy had a biting edge, addressing topics of racism and inequity head on, and he delivered it with honesty and intensity, as well as an uncanny knack for mimicry. In an infamous incident in 1980, Pryor lit himself on fire (either while freebasing cocaine, trying to commit suicide, or both), but he turned the dark material into brilliant comedy. In 1986, it became known that Pryor suffered from multiple sclerosis, and his appearances became less frequent until his death in 2005. Wikipedia