Jo Jo Dancer, You Life Is Calling (1986)

"Jo Jo Dancer, Your Life Is Calling" (1986) is a biographical drama written, directed, produced, and starring Richard Pryor. Paul Mooney and Rocco Urbisci co-wrote the film with Pryor. The movie features an excellent cast, including Debbie Allen, Paula Kelly, Art Evans, Carmen McRae, Barbara Williams, and Michael Ironside. Pryor loosely based this film on some of his life experiences, mainly when he burned himself while freebasing. In the movie, Pryor has an out-of-body experience as an alter ego while his life flashes before his eyes. 

This movie has a vibe comparable to another film Pryor appeared in, known as "Lady Sings the Blues." Both movies show the struggles of Black entertainers in the industry. "Jo Jo Dancer" was Pryor's first and only film he directed that earned a theatrical release. It was a movie close to him, and he wanted to show his audience the tribulations he faced in becoming a comedian. Since people mostly know Pryor as a comedian, many of his dramatic roles go unnoticed. "Jo Jo Dancer" is an excellent example of Pryor's acting range.

Director: Richard Pryor

Writers: Richard Pryor, Paul Mooney, Rocco Urbisci

Starring Richard Pryor, Debbie Allen, Art Evans, Fay Hauser, Barbara Williams, Carmen McRae, Paula Kelly, Diahnne Abbott, Scoey Mitchell, Billy Eckstine, Tanya Boyd, Wings Hauser, E'Lon Cox, Michael Ironside, J.J. Barry, Mike Genovese, Marlene Warfield, Virginia Capers, Dennis Farina, Frederick Coffin, Richard Grossman, Ken Foree

Storyline

As Dancer lies hospitalized in a coma, his spiritual alter ego revisits his life, from growing up in a brothel as a child and struggling to beat the long odds to become a top-rated comedian. However, his success leads to extensive drug use and womanizing that takes its toll on his life. It affects every relationship, including his marriages. Jo Jo's spirit watches and attempts to convince his past self to end the cycle of self-destruction.

Pootie Tang (2001)

"Pootie Tang" (2001) is a baddy daddy lamatai tebby chai. Originally titled "Pootie Tang in Sine Your Pitty on the Runny Kine," Paramount Pictures wanted to tipy ta on the panny sty and increase production. Pootie's main damies included Chris Rock, J.B. Smoove, Mario Joyner, and Wanda Sykes. Together, they got their dillies on a peppatain. Sa da tay.

Now for the people that don't know what just happened in the previous paragraph, "Pootie Tang" (2001) is a cult action comedy written and directed by Louis C.K. and stars Lance Crouther, Chris Rock, J.B. Smoove, Wanda Sykes, Jennifer Coolidge, Robert Vaughn, Mario Joyner, and Reg E. Cathey. Paramount Pictures was responsible for distribution. The soundtrack to the movie is a mixture of popular hip-hop and RnB songs, with the theme song "Pootie Tangin'" performed by 702. 

Pootie Tang first appeared on HBO's "The Chris Rock Show" in the late-90s. He was known to appear on the show speaking in an unknown language that the audience didn't know, but everyone around him understood. For example, he would say, "Sa da tay" or "Sine your pity on the runny kine. This dialect was popular in pop culture during the movie's release. "Pootie Tang" is a parody of blaxploitation films from the 1970s, which the genre saw some renewed interest in the early 2000s.

Lance Crouther first appeared in "Talking Dirty After Dark" in 1991. However, Crouther isn't known as an actor as much as he is a writer and producer. Before he appeared in "Pootie Tang," he was a regular writer and producer for "The Chris Rock Show," and wrote for the "Wayne Brady Show." He worked closely with Rock early in his career, continuing through the mid-2000s. In addition, Wanda Sykes was part of the same crew of individuals in the 1990s. She was also a writer and producer for "The Chris Rock Show." Before that, she was a writer for "The Keenen Ivory Wayans Show."

 "Pootie Tang" is a silly movie. You can not take it seriously, or you will not be able to enjoy all its glory. Instead, you will find yourself trying to talk like Pootie and getting great laughs because you'll somehow make sense of it all. Nevertheless, it's a fun film, and I recommend it to those wanting some mindless comedy to watch.

Director: Louis C.K.

Writer: Louis C.K.

Starring Lance Crouther, Chris Rock, J.B. Smoove, Wanda Sykes, Jennifer Coolidge, Robert Vaughn, Mario Joyner, Reg E. Cathey, Cathy Trien, Dave Attell, Christopher Wynkoop, J.D. Williams, Chuck Jeffreys, David Cross, Bob Costas

Storyline

Adapted from a comedy sketch on HBO's "The Chris Rock Show," Pootie Tang (Lance Crouther) is the ultimate superhero. A cool-walking, smooth-talking lady's man, Pootie is a hero and a role model to all the neighborhood kids. Everybody looks up to Pootie except evil Dick Lecter (Robert Vaughn), CEO of Lecter Corp., a company that makes cigarettes, alcohol, and fast food. Pootie shows extraordinary determination and strength to prevail over Lecter and his minions.