In a pair of Facebook posts, Richard Pryor’s daughter Rain Pryor denies allegations made by Quincy Jones that Richard Pryor was sexually linked to film and stage legend Marlon Brando.
In the explosive interview with “Vulture,” Jones claimed that Brando was bisexual and linked him to James Baldwin, Marvin Gaye and Pryor.
“[Marlon] Brando used to go cha-cha dancing with us. He could dance his [expletive] off. He was the most charming [expletive] you ever met. He’d [expletive]anything,” Jones told Vulture. “Anything! He’d [expletive] a mailbox. James Baldwin. Richard Pryor. Marvin Gaye.”
In an interview with celebrity news and gossip site TMZ.com, Pryor’s widow claims there is truth to Jones’ allegations.
“It was the ’70s! Drugs were still good, especially Quaaludes,” Jennifer Pryor told TMZ. “If you did enough cocaine, you’d [expletive] a radiator and send it flowers in the morning.”
Rain Pryor took to Facebook to deny Jones’ allegations.
“Q was once a brilliant music producer who is losing his mind – and decided to garner publicity for himself with a sensationalized interview,” Pryor said. “Then on top of it all, my dad’s so-called widow validated it, because she needs to keep legitimizing herself and tarnish our dad even after he’s dead. She hated Q and Daddy.”
In a follow up post, Rain Pryor vehemently denies that her father was sexually involved with Brando.
Rain Pryor’s Facebook post reads as follows:
“My dad was very open with his life, so much so that news of his relationship with a trans woman in the early 70s and 80s wasn’t really newsworthy nor notable. As a child I knew her, not as the trans person in our home, but the lady whom everyone accepted. So much acceptance I did not know she was trans until recently.
There were no murmurs, nor was it tabloid news or execution by public opinion. It was just another day in our lives. It was just another identity I can assess our father was trying to navigate and process.
It’s funny how during a time of huge inequality, it would have seemed to matter more, and, now it’s sensationalized news, but the characters are wrong, and it’s all done to elevate the egos of sad empty people whose money is proving it doesn’t buy happiness.
However, Daddy did NOT have relations with Brando. There were no trips to his South Pacific Oasis, no flowers or love notes between. Not even a film role.
Why this sudden need to drag Daddy through the Hollywood mud? I find it tasteless and infuriating. At least get the details right, but of course we live in the age of faux news is real unless we disagree for our own agendas, and people need to stay relevant by dishing dirt.
As one of his children, I should not have to defend my brilliant and bruised father to anyone. I should be commenting on his genius comedy and the fact that he not only wrote, directed and produced … he had an office at Columbia Pictures and was once one of the Richest men. I should be sharing prolific anecdotes because he was an activist and so brutally honest. But instead I am sharing much vulnerability with some mean-spirited gossip rag readers who believe anyone with money and fame.
Bottom line. This man Richard Pryor, is not your Hollyweird scandal performance. He is our Daddy. He is our perfect imperfection. He is our legacy and we are most certainly his. So, get a life and focus back on what’s really going on in the world.”
