Calling Paul Mooney controversial was, at one time, like saying water was wet. He was going to say what he wanted to and if a person didn’t like it then too bad. One thing about comedy is that it does hit the boundaries of good taste quite often and, depending on the comedian, can leap right over it on the way to the next joke. Mooney was by far and large someone that had things on his mind that he meant to say, and considering that he was a writer for a talent like Richard Pryor it’s very fair to say that he had a way of looking at the world that didn’t sit right with some folks and was bound to offend pretty much anyone and everyone if he had the inclination to do so. He was a talented man obviously, and someone that could turn a joke on just about anyone, but there were obviously moments when he wasn’t well-liked by various people in show business for various reasons.
That kind of goes with the territory to be fair, since being a public figure makes it easy for people to target those that say things that some people don’t agree with. Even if Mooney was a little caustic and rough at the times with his comedy he was saying what he felt and as the years passed by he did slow down a bit and adjust his act, but he was more or less still the guy that had to say something if it was on his mind. Sadly, Mooney passed away recently following a heart attack at his home in Oakland, CA. The comedian was 79 years old and had one impressive career behind him when he went, as well as a legacy that some folks might not know about but can look up pretty easily.
People like Mooney don’t always put the things they say into nice, neat boxes that allow society to dissect and pick and choose what they like from the things they say, since if it’s something they have to share with people then they’re going to do it. Mooney wasn’t always out to make people feel good but he was out to entertain and he was bound to say things that others might find a bit offensive at times. That was his job though, to get a reaction, to make people laugh, and to weed out those that didn’t think he was funny. Comedy isn’t something a person gets into in order to be nice and respectful at all times, at least not if it’s the type of comedy that’s unfettered and ready to explode in every direction at times.
This is the feeling that Mooney’s comedy managed to bring since it didn’t matter who was in the room when his mouth started working, someone was bound to feel as though he was crossing a line or two that he shouldn’t have been crossing, and someone was bound to be offended at some point. His ability to point out the double standards when stating that comedians of all color should be treated the same was well-received, but as one can guess, a lot of folks would go on to state that every comedian did things differently, and that Mooney was a little rough with his humor at times. That may or may not be true, but the fact is that comedy can be coarse or it can slick, but someone’s always going to find a reason to be offended, especially these days. Mooney did what he felt he needed to do when it came to comedy and he was good at it, which is something no one can take from him. He also worked with some of the most famous names to ever come out of the comedy circuit, which is another part of his legacy.
Being the writer for Richard Pryor was big enough, but he also worked with such comedians as Robin Williams, John Witherspoon, and many others in his time. He was also the head writer, for the first year at least, of In Living Color and inspired Homey D. Clown. Those facts alone make Mooney someone worth remembering since he helped to usher in talent and he did everything he could to help that talent continue to build. The kind of attention and inspiration is something that many people tend to look for since it means that the people like Mooney are in it for the love of what they do as well as the business aspect of it, and they’re going to do whatever it takes to excel, and when necessary to help others reach for their own level of fame as well. The positive note in this is that Paul did get to pass at home, and he will be remembered fondly by a lot of people in the days to come. Rest in peace sir.
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