The Pace Report: “Ready To Die, Nigger!” The Dick Gregory Interview

Описание: Dick Gregory is still on the front lines speaking out for human and social rights as well as empowering people of color to stand up be part of the solution and not the problem.

Born Richard Claxton Gregory on October 12, 1932, in St. Louis, Missouri, Mr. Gregory just celebrated his 84th birthday and is currently performing his stand-up show around the country to sold-out crowds. Also, actor Joe Morton produced, wrote, and performed in his one-man show titled "Turn Me Loose" on Broadway to rave and stellar reviews on the life of Mr. Gregory earlier this year.

Dick's career kicked off at the famed Playboy Club in Chicago in the early 1960's where patrons of the club began to speak on the young comic. Over time, fans would line-up for hours to see Gregory's show. He was the first performer of color to refuse to appear on The Tonight Show because the producers refused to allow blacks to sit on the stage after their performance to speak with the other guests. Host Jack Parr persuaded Dick to come on
the show and the show ended their rigid stance on allowing black performers to interact with the show host and other guests.

In addition to having a successful stand-up comedy career, he wrote his highly successful autobiography "Nigger" which explains his life as well as the racial dynamic of the turbulent 1960's as a performer and black man. He helped paved the way for other black comics like Richard Pryor, Bill Cosby, Nipsey Russell, and Godfrey Cambridge get their break on national television as well as some of the popular nightclubs that would never be allowed to perform in due to the racial climate during the 1960's.

Along with highly influential entertainers of the color of the 1950's and 60's like Harry Belafonte, Dick spent a lot of his own money and time helping with the Civil Rights Movement. Mr. Gregory was an advocate for the Voting Rights Act as well as spoke in Selma, Alabama on "Freedom Day." He was the first black person to run for President of the United States in 1968 as an independent write-in nominee.

I sat down with Mr. Gregory after his performance at the Black Spectrum Theater in Queens, New York about this past election and how Hollywood has continued to damage the scope of people of color on TV and screen.

For more info on Dick's upcoming lecture and comedy dates, please visit him online at dickgregory.com or facebook.com/dickgregorywellness.