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KANSAN.COM
ARTS & CULTURE
Rain Pryor, daughter of Richard Pryor, talks about her struggles with her biracial identity in her documentary, "That Daughter's Crazy"
RYAN WRIGHT
@ryanwaynewright
Growing up as a biracial person in the '70s and '80s was a struggle for Rain Pryor, the daughter of the renowned comedian Richard Pryor.
Even so, she said that growing up, she didn't see many people that looked like her.
"The era that I grew up there weren't a lot of kids like me," Pryor said. "Now there's tons of biracial kids but in my era — the 60s, 70s and 80s — there just weren't people like me." She often had struggles with her identity, which is the main theme of her documentary, "That Daughter's Crazy." The film was shown in Woodruff Auditorium in the Kansas
Union on Tuesday night.
"I was never black enough to be black, and I was never white enough to be white, so that felt awkward," Pryor said. "But then as I got older I got more comfortable in my own skin and comfortable in who I was."
To compensate, she'd do what she calls "code switching." She would act one way around her black friends, then switch her behavior around her white friends. Pryor, 46, said that she didn't truly begin to accept herself until she was in her 30s.
Pryor said she identifies more with the black side of her family, which is something that came naturally, she said.
"You stand on both sides of that aisle, but the truth is when it comes down to it, I live in a society as a woman of color,
period — even though I have lighter skin," Pryor said. "Trust me — if there's not a moment that goes by where I'm like, 'What's going to happen to me if I walk into a room with white people?'"
Her childhood was also different because her father was one of the most influential comedians in the country. But despite growing up with such a polarizing figure, Pryor said her childhood was fairly normal.
"It was normal for me." Pryor said. "Other than when [Richard Pryor] would lock himself away in a room to do whatever he's doing."
As the daughter of a celebrity, Pryor said people often approach her and want to discuss her father instead of trying to
get to know her, she said.
"It's good on one hand because that's who my dad was — he paved the way and was a pioneer. Then at the same time I wish people wouldn't assume things about me," Pryor said. "I'm not a diva, I'm really approachable. I didn't get left money, the hookers did. I worked for everything I have."
Pryor is an actress, musician and former stand-up comedian. She followed in her father's footsteps, also working in the entertainment industry. However, comparisons to her father are what ultimately drew her away from stand-up comedy.
"People loved him so much, and I look like him, and at points I sound like him, and at points my cadence is like his because he's my dad. It's
natural," Pryor said. "And then you reach a place where you're just like, 'I don't have to do this anymore, I can now be my own person."
In the documentary, Pryor acknowledges her father's legacy, but tells her own story.
"I don't live like Paris Hilton or how those heiresses live," Pryor said. "But, what I do have is my dad's integrity and truth and his ability to tell a story. Which is pretty dope."
"That Daughter's Crazy" tells her story through personal interviews with the actress, her mother and her grandmother. It's supplemented with clips from her solo show, "Fried Chicken and Latkes."
Pryor portrayed various important family members in the show, which impressed lulia
Glushneva, an international student from Moscow.
"It was very interesting when Rain tells about her experiences with her mother," Glushneva said. "It was fascinating to see how she conveyed images of her."
The film showed the first time that Pryor was called a racial slur, one of the pivotal moments of the film and in Pryor's life. This resonated with Paul Fowler, a graduate student from Lawrence.
"I thought it was an accurate representation of identity in an American context," Fowler said.
9 events in Lawrence leading up to Halloween
HARRISON HIPP
@harrisonhipp
Dia de los Muertos exhibit opening
@ Watkins Museum of History
Oct. 30 from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Free
Trick-or-treating
Join the Watkins Museum of History to celebrate the opening of their final Friday exhibit Shared Spirits: Exploring Dia de los Muertos. In partnership with the Spencer Museum of Art, Watkins Museum of History will highlight the traditions of the holiday and celebrate it with the community. The Day of the Dead exhibit will be open from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Friday as a part of Final Fridays. The event is free to the public.
@ Watkins Museum of Natural History Oct. 31, 4-7 p.m. Free
This event follows the Dia de los Muertos exhibit on Friday. Including treats, games and a scavenger hunt, participants can trick-or treat inside the museum.
Final Friday
@ Downtown, East and North Lawrence
Oct. 30 from 5-9 p.m.
This is the October edition of Final Fridays. This month's event will feature exhibits from local artists Jerod Barker at Essential Goods at 825 Massachusetts St starting at 5 p.m., and Deborah Bettinger at The Brewhaus at 625 N. 2nd St. starting at 6 p.m.
KU Symphony Orchestra Halloween concert
@ Lied Center
Oct, 30 at 7:30 p.m.
S8
Presented by the School of Music, the Lied Center will host the KU Symphony Orchestra Halloween Concert. The School of Music will also be streaming the concert live online.
Gnarly Davidson with Major Games, Young Bull, Baiowolf
Hy-Tekk Halloween: Black Tiger Sex Machine with Dabin
@ The Replay Lounge, do p.m. and show at 10 p.m.
Oct. 31
$3 if you're 21 or older
If your idea of a good Halloween night is a metal show, then look no further. Gnarly Davidson will be joined by Major Games, Young Bull and Baiowolf.
@ The Granada Theater Oct 30 at 8 p.m. 511-625-9871
Oct; 30 at 8 p.m.
$15 in advance and $18 day of show
If you're looking for pre-Halloween music late Friday might, The Granada is your venue with electronic music from Montreal DJ/producer Black Tiger Sex Machine. More opening acts will be announced leading up to the show.
Time Warp Against Suicide:
"The Rocky Horror Picture Show"
@ The Granada, 7 p.m. and 10 p.m.
showings
Oct. 29
$10
Presented by Headquarters Counseling Center, the Granada Theater will host two separate film screenings of "The Rocky Horror Picture Show" on Friday. Each individual screening requires a $10 ticket and proceeds benefit Headquarters Counseling Center.
KANSAN COUPONS
3 BOWLERS OR LESS HALF AN HOUR FREE
4 BOWLERS OR LESS ONE HOUR FREE
Royal Great Burges
Coupon must be presented at the time of service
* One coupon per group per day
* Part paid with other coupons or offers
FREE BOWLING!
@ The Bottleneck featuring Cowgirl's Train Set, Sugar Britches, and Arthur @ The Neanderthals Oct. 31 at 9 p.m.
$5
(785) 842-1234
HOMECOMING SPECIAL BUY A FOOT LONG GET ANY 6" SUB FOR A DOLLAR
Concert and costume contest
The Bottleneck will have a costume contest with prizes and live music. Performances are from local acts including Cowgirl's Train Set, Sugar Britches, and Arthur & The Neanderthals.
Yello Sub
1814 W 23rd St, Lawrence, KS 66046
(785) 843-6000
Lawrence ghost tour
@ The Eldridge Hotel Oct. 30 and 31 from 8-10 p.m.
The tours are roughly two hours and will take visitors to popular "haunted" spots like Pioneer Cemetery, Haskell Cemetery, Sigma Nu and the Eldridge. (No ghost sightings are guaranteed.)
THIS WEEKEND
THURSDAY, OCT 29
JON
MCLAUGHLIN
TESS HENLEY
THE ROTTLEBLOCK
FRIDAY, OCT 30
MANIC
FOCUS
ARTIFAKTS
SATURDAY, OCT 21
COSTUME CONTEST!
WITH BIG PRIZES!
COWGIRL'S TRAIN SET
SUGAR BRITCHES
SUNDAY, NOV 1
SMACKDOWN
TRIVIA
FREE POOL
AND $1 DOMESTIC MUGS
FROM 3-8PM ONLY!
UFCOMING SHOWS
OCTOBER 28
OCTOBER 28
BASS HERTZ
OFFICIAL
TAKEOVER
NOVEMBER 8
VANBESSA
CARLTON
NOVEMBER 2
PROF
NACHO
NOVEMBER 7
RUSTED
ROOT
DEVON ALLMAN
BAND
NOVEMBER 9
HEARTLESS
BASTARDS
SLOTHRUST
NOVEMBER 10
THATIGUY
NOVEMBER 11
PARQUET
COURTS
LAZY
NOVEMBER 13
SOUL REBEL
AND THE
BEAST
NOVEMBER 14
MOVITS
NOVEMBER 19
ANDREA
GIBSON
SHRA
FULL CALENDAR AVAILABLE AT
WWW.THEBOTTLENECKLIVE.COM
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