Richard Pryor Sets Himself on Fire

June 9, 1980

The award-winning comedian Richard Pryor pours 151-proof rum on himself and lights himself on fire while on a freebasing binge. He then ran down the street ablaze until subdued by police. He was taken to a hospital, where he was treated for second and third degree burns covering more than half of his body. He incorporated this incident into his comedy show Richard Pryor: Live on the Sunset Strip (1982), which won a Grammy for best comedy recording. The cause of the fire is still debated, with theories including: accident; suicide attempt; drug-induced psychosis. In any case, cocaine, a butane torch, and highly flammable 151-proof rum don’t mix well.