John Belushi and Richard Pryor had more in common than comedic brilliance. Each struggled with intense personal demons, detailed in the two-hour special, The Tragic Side of Comedy (Wednesday, 9 pm/ET). The BIO Channel show explores the troubled lives behind some of the most celebrated comedians of our time, including Chris Farley, Richard Jeni, Bernie Mac, and Andy Kaufman.
From SNL to Animal House, take a look back on the brilliant work of John Belushi and the struggle with drugs that led to his death-by-overdose at 33.
Watch a clip after the jump.
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Former Walt Disney Co. chief Michael Eisner will host Conversations with Michael Eisner, an hourlong interview program for CNBC, the network announced on Tuesday.... David Bowie, blues pioneer Robert Johnson and the late Richard Pryor will be honored with lifetime achievement awards at next month's Grammys.... FX has ponied up big bucks for the cable-TV rights to Superman Returns, six months before the film even hits theaters.... NBC's hot new game show, Deal or No Deal, is looking for contestants in Universal City (today), San Francisco (Jan. 14) and Philadelphia (Jan. 19). For places and times, visit NBC.com.
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Comedy legend Richard Pryor died of a heart attack Saturday morning at a Los Angeles hospital. He was 65. Pryor, who was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 1986, first gained fame as a profane stand-up performer whose edgy, freewheeling style and personal take on racial inequality influenced an entire generation of comedians, including Eddie Murphy, Chris Rock and Robin Williams. In the '70s and '80s, he starred in hit films such as Stir Crazy and Silver Streak in addition to writing for TV shows and movies like Sanford and Son and Blazing Saddles. In the early '80s, he also battled drug addiction, which he referenced onstage and in his autobiographical film, Jo Jo Dancer, Your Life Is Calling.
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Comedy legend Richard Pryor died of a heart attack Saturday morning at a Los Angeles hospital, the Associated Press reports. The ground-breaking comic and actor was 65 and had been ill with multiple sclerosis (MS), a degenerative disease of the nervous system, for years. Pryor first gained fame as a profane standup performer whose edgy, free-wheeling style and personal take on racial inequality was an influence on an entire generation of comedians, including Eddie Murphy, Chris Rock and Robin Williams. In the 1970s and '80s, he starred in hit films such as Stir Crazy and Silver Streak in addition to writing for TV shows and movies like Sanford and Son and Blazing Saddles. In the early 1980's, he also battled drug addiction, which he referenced on stage and in his autobiographical film, Jo Jo Dancer, Your Life Is Calling. He was diagnosed with MS in the 1990's
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The Wiezel is all grown up, and he means business. After spending the last few years on an involuntary hiatus, Pauly Shore makes his return to TV with Minding the Store, premiering Sunday at 9 pm/ET on TBS. Shore's latest stab at small-screen success is a reality show about revitalizing The Comedy Store, a Sunset Strip landmark owned by his mom Mitzi, where the likes of Richard Pryor, Robin Williams, Jim Carrey and many others honed their comic chops. TVGuide.com checks in with Pauly about his family, legendary comedians, and his issues with women.
TVGuide.com: Your family's at the heart of Minding the Store. Did you set out with that intention?Pauly Shore: Well, The Comedy Store is
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