Paul Mooney, comedian and Richard Pryor Show writer, dies at 79


Tributes are pouring in for Paul Mooney, who's being remembered as a "giant" of comedy.
The comedian and writer died on Wednesday at his home in Oakland, California, after suffering a heart attack, his representative confirmed to Variety.
Mooney is perhaps best known for his work with Richard Pryor, as he was head writer on The Richard Pryor Show and worked on several of Pryor's albums and Saturday Night Live sketches, Variety notes. He also wrote for Chappelle's Show and had a recurring role on the Dave Chappelle sketch series as Negrodamus, and he wrote for numerous other shows including In Living Color, Good Times, and Sanford and Son.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Speaking to TMZ, Chappelle honored Mooney as "one of the best that ever did it," adding that his "his legacy will live forever."
Viola Davis also paid tribute to Mooney as a "comedy legend," writing that he was "both funny and poignant" and that she was "so happy to have witnessed [his] genius live," while filmmaker Ava DuVernay reflected on how the "comedy giant" spoke "freely and fearlessly about feelings and experiences others found difficult to express" on his album Race. Comedian and CNN host W. Kamau Bell shared his memories of opening for Mooney, writing that doing so "was a master class" and honoring him as "one of the greats," and comedian Ron Funches also wrote that he "learned so much" from Mooney, a "legend."
A tweet from Mooney's official Twitter account on Wednesday thanked fans "from the bottom of all of our hearts," adding, "To all in love with this great man .. many thanks."
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Brendan worked as a culture writer at The Week from 2018 to 2023, covering the entertainment industry, including film reviews, television recaps, awards season, the box office, major movie franchises and Hollywood gossip. He has written about film and television for outlets including Bloody Disgusting, Showbiz Cheat Sheet, Heavy and The Celebrity Cafe.
-
Crossword: August 27, 2025
The Week's daily crossword
-
August 27 editorial cartoons
Cartoons Wednesday’s political cartoons include a KKK rebrand, Donald Trump vs. Gavin Newsom, and Ghislaine Maxwell as the new Celebrity Apprentice
-
The mission to demine Ukraine
The Explainer An estimated quarter of the nation – an area the size of England – is contaminated with landmines and unexploded shells from the war
-
Florida erases rainbow crosswalk at Pulse nightclub
Speed Read The colorful crosswalk was outside the former LGBTQ nightclub where 49 people were killed in a 2016 shooting
-
Trump says Smithsonian too focused on slavery's ills
Speed Read The president would prefer the museum to highlight 'success,' 'brightness' and 'the future'
-
Trump to host Kennedy Honors for Kiss, Stallone
Speed Read Actor Sylvester Stallone and the glam-rock band Kiss were among those named as this year's inductees
-
White House seeks to bend Smithsonian to Trump's view
Speed Read The Smithsonian Institution's 21 museums are under review to ensure their content aligns with the president's interpretation of American history
-
Charlamagne Tha God irks Trump with Epstein talk
Speed Read The radio host said the Jeffrey Epstein scandal could help 'traditional conservatives' take back the Republican Party
-
CBS cancels Colbert's 'Late Show'
Speed Read 'The Late Show with Stephen Colbert' is ending next year
-
Shakespeare not an absent spouse, study proposes
speed read A letter fragment suggests that the Shakespeares lived together all along, says scholar Matthew Steggle
-
New Mexico to investigate death of Gene Hackman, wife
speed read The Oscar-winning actor and his wife Betsy Arakawa were found dead in their home with no signs of foul play