EXCLUSIVE: Richard Pryor’s Widow Slams Chris Rock For Pro-Michael Vick Comment
Nov. 17 2009, Published 5:20 a.m. ET
Chris Rock has built a lucrative career on pushing the envelope, but the comedian’s recent comment regarding Michael Vick and his treatment of dogs has enraged the widow of comic legend Richard Pryor who was an animal rights activist.
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Rock, who was reportedly interested in making a film of Pryor’s life, made a controversial joke during an October appearance on Jay Leno. “What the hell did Michael Vick do? Pitbulls ain't (sic) even real dogs! Dogs have never been good to black people!” he quipped on the late night show.
Jennifer Lee Pryor- Pryor’s widow and an animal activist- is seething that Rock has not picked up the phone to apologize. She reached out to Rock’s publicist but has not received a response.
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“Chris Rock is a moron as far as I’m concerned. I reached out to his publicist but the guy never had the balls to pick up the phone and apologize in person. Defending Michael Vick is bad enough but to say that pit bulls aren’t real dogs is totally ridiculous,” she told RadarOnline.com exclusively. “The reality is Chris knew Richard so you would think that he would have shown more respect than he did.”
Pryor started a dog rescue efforts called Pryor’s Planet. “Richard established Pryor’s Planet a non-profit group to rescue and rehabilitate homeless dogs. You would have though Chris would have known about that.”
Pryor claims she has received hundreds of calls of support since Rock’s comments.
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“There was talk that he wanted to play Richard in an upcoming movie about his life but that was never going to happen but he was supposed to be interested in producing the project,” she added. “My late husband was a great animal lover and he would have been appalled with what he said... a script has been written about Richard’s life but the production has still to be green-lighted but after what he said Chris Rock won’t be having any input now.”
Rock’s publicist had no comment.
Pryor passed away in 2005 from cardiac arrest at age sixty five. Vick was sentenced to 23 months in jail in December 2007 for running a “cruel and inhumane” dog fighting ring.
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