Paul Gladney was an American comic, writer, and actor who was born on August 4, 1941, and died on May 19, 2021. He was better known by his stage name, Paul Mooney.
He worked with Redd Foxx, Eddie Murphy, and Dave Chappelle. He also wrote for comedian Richard Pryor and the TV shows Sanford and Son, In Living Color, and Chappelle’s Show. He acted in The Buddy Holly Story (1978), Spike Lee’s satirical film Bamboozled (2000), and Chappelle’s Show.
Early life
Mooney was born in Shreveport, Louisiana, in 1941. Seven years later, he and his family moved to Oakland, California. His father was George Gladney and his mother was LaVoya Ealy. Mooney was mostly raised by his grandmother, Aimay Ealy, who was called “Mama” by the family.
Gladney came up with the name “Mooney” in honour of Paul Muni, who played Scarface in the original version of the movie in 1932.
Career
Mooney joined the Gatti-Charles Circus as a ringmaster. During his time as ringmaster, he was always writing and telling jokes. This helped him get his first job as a professional writer for Richard Pryor.
Mooney wrote some of Pryor’s routines for his appearances on Saturday Night Live and co-wrote material for his albums Live on the Sunset Strip, Bicentennial Nigger, and Is It Something I Said, as well as the movie Jo Jo Dancer, Your Life Is Calling.
As the head writer for The Richard Pryor Show, he gave many young comedians their first break into show business, including Robin Williams, Sandra Bernhard, Marsha Warfield, John Witherspoon, and Tim Reid.
Mooney also wrote for Redd Foxx’s shows Sanford and Son and Good Times. He also acted in cult classics like the Richard Pryor comedies Which Way Is Up?, Bustin’ Loose, and the cult satirical comedy Hollywood Shuffle. In The Buddy Holly Story, he played singer/songwriter Sam Cooke.
He was the show’s head writer for the first year, which is how Damon Wayans got the role of Homey D. Clown on Fox’s In Living Color. Later, Mooney played Wayans’s father, Junebug, in the Spike Lee movie Bamboozled.
Mooney first showed up on Chappelle’s Show on Comedy Central in the sketches “Ask a Black Dude” and “Mooney at the Movies.” Later, he played an African American version of Nostradamus named Negrodamus. As Negrodamus, Mooney made up the “answers to life’s most unsolvable mysteries,” such as “Why do white people love Wayne Brady?” (Answer: “Because Bryant Gumbel looks like Malcolm X when compared to Wayne Brady.”)
Mooney was going to play Negrodamus again in the third season of Chappelle’s Show, but Dave Chappelle left the show because he didn’t like the direction or the contract.
In 2006, for Black History Month, Mooney hosted a BET show called “25 Most @#%! Moments in Black History.” In this show, he talked about the worst things that have happened to African Americans since 1980. Marion Barry, Terrell Owens, Wilson Goode, Michael Jackson, Flavor Flav, Whitney Houston, and Tupac Shakur were all involved in some of the top 25 moments.
Mooney’s first book, a memoir called “Black Is the New White,” came out in 2007. Paul’s brother told everyone in November 2014 that Mooney had prostate cancer. Mooney kept going on tour and doing his stand-up act.
What was Paul Mooney’s cause of death?
Multiple sources say that Paul Mooney’s death was sudden and that he died in his home of a heart attack.
On May 19, journalist Roland Martin tweeted, “Paul Mooney, a comedy legend, has died.” “Rudy Ealy, his cousin, just called me from Paul’s phone to tell me that he died two hours ago at his home in Oakland after having a heart attack. He was 79. Tonight on #RolandMartinUnfiltered, we will remember him.”
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Paul Mooney is survived by four children.
Paul and Yvonne Mooney got married in 1973, but they later split up. (Paul was last linked to Shaka Khan in a romantic way in 2018.) Paul and Yvonne have four kids: Shane, Dwayne and Daryl, who are twins, and Spring, who is their only daughter.
Paul had a fifth child, a son named Symeon. He was killed in 2001, and police said it was a murder. His twin sons Dwayne and Darryl also went into comedy like their father. Paul wrote in a 2019 tweet, “My four children are my best friends.”
When the news came out that Paul had died, people in the entertainment business and fans alike took to social media to pay touching tributes to him.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Did Paul Mooney Pass Away From?
His health was bad in his last years, and his growing blindness made things worse. He didn’t do much before he died on August 25, 1967, at his home in Santa Barbara, California, from a heart problem. He was 71 years old. Bella, the woman he had been married to for 46 years, lived on after him.
How Old Was Paul Mooney at His Death?
His age at death was 79 years.
Who is Pryor’s Son?
Richard Pryor is his Son.
Conclusion
Paul Mooney was born in Shreveport, Louisiana, in 1941. He acted in The Buddy Holly Story (1978), Spike Lee’s satirical film Bamboozled (2000), and Chappelle’s Show. He also wrote for comedian Richard Pryor and Redd Foxx’s shows Sanford and Son and Good Times.
He played an African American version of Nostradamus named Negrodamus. In 2006, for Black History Month, he hosted a BET show called “25 Most @#%! Moments in Black History”. One of his children, Symeon, was killed in 2001. He died on August 25, 1967, from a heart attack at the age of 71.
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