Included on this special are Chris Rock, Dave Chappelle, Robin Williams, D.L. Hughley, Colin Quinn, Cedric the Entertainer, Wanda Sykes, Jon Stewart, Eddie Griffin, Whoopi Goldberg, Robert Townsend, Steve Harvey, Dennis Leary, George Wallace, Mos Def, Jamie Foxx, George Lopez, Bernie Mac, Mario Cantone and Margaret Cho. While it's real obvious why black comics like Rock and Chappelle are included, the connection to guys like Cantone and Stewart is a bit questionable. But as the special shows, they are all fans of the man. After a bit begins, the celebs are right there with Pryor, telling the joke and delivering the punchline. If these are set-ups, they are good ones. These funny folk have listened to Pryor and know his routines cold. Such devotion is truly touching.

While hearing these comics joke about Pryor and his life is great, listening to his fourth, seventh and current wife Jennifer Lee Pryor is what makes this show special. Her personal insight into Pryor's life is an opening few rarely get when it comes to a celebrity, and she holds nothing back. At times, it seems like Jennifer is crazier than Richard. But when the stories become more emotional and less comedic, she's still right there, talking about her husband with truth and humor. She's the meat of the special, with the comics providing some flavor to the meal. Without her stories, this would be an empty effort.

Though it is a Comedy Central show, when Mos Def reads one of Pryor's poems, the show teeters on the edge of seriousness. Fortunately, Williams and Leary are able to pull the show back with a sense of who-gives-a-$#!+ that would make Pryor himself quite proud. It's a fast 42 minutes, but it's well worth watching.

The DVD
The full-screen TV broadcast is presented uncensored and without the commercials in a neat, quick package. A static menu gives access to the show, bonus features, Comedy Central Quickies and the previews that bothered you when you first put the disc in. There are no scene selections, but the segments break on chapter stops.

The Quality
I watched this special on TV, and it looks much brighter and crisper on DVD, as one would expect. The old clips from Pryor's TV shows and stand-up movies show their age, but don't look bad, especially those from "Live on the Sunset Strip." The new interviews are clear, though the green-screen effects behind them are made more obvious because of the clarity. The audio is standard TV 2.0 Stereo, and considering the source material, this is as good as it gets.

The Extras
A selection of extra footage is available, with a mix of behind-the-scenes b-roll, cut interviews and odd moments. Even if you don't check them all out, make sure to watch his wife Jennifer's clips. Pryor definitely had an influence on her and it shows here. The disc also includes four promo Comedy Central Quickies ("Reno 911," "Crank Yankers," "South Park" and "Chapelle's Show".) There are some DVD previews, but you're forced to chapter-skip through them at the beginning of the disc, so I doubt you'll check them out here.

The Bottom Line
The state of stand-up comedy today isn't very good, so it never hurts to take a look back at where the art came from. One of the biggest influences, Pryor deserves every tribute he has coming, now and when he's gone. Here, a quality line-up of comic stars brings the funny, while at the same time paying their respects to a man who paved the way for them. But while it's an excellent tribute, unless you're a hardcore Pryor fan, there's no real reason to own this disc and the 42-minute main feature. One viewing should be enough for just about anyone. I am going to recommend this film, but recommend it as a rental.

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*The Reviewer's Bias section is an attempt to help readers use the review to its best effect. By knowing where the reviewer's biases lie on the film's subject matter, one can read the review with the right mindset.