Paul Mooney cancelled a scheduled standup comedy show appearance in Atlanta in the wake of sex assault allegations. The comedian and writer is accused of sexually assaulting Richard Pryor Jr., the eldest son of late comedian Richard Pryor, in the 1970s.
According to TMZ, Mooney, 78, was set to take the stage as host at the ATL Comedy Theater in Atlanta on Wednesday. But the club posted a sign advising patrons that the comedian was a no-show due to “health reasons”.
The sign reads, “ATTENTION!! Paul Mooney is NOT on show tonight due to health reasons. We will transfer purchase to Faizon Love or Donnell Rawlings. Let box office know.”
“Transfer purchase” likely means ticket holders can redeem their tickets for Faizon Love or Donnell Rawlings tickets at an upcoming show.
Richard Pryor Jr., who is openly ghey, confirmed a bombshell report that Mooney sexually assaulted him on his father’s movie set when he was a minor. The late comedian’s former bodyguard Rashon Khan first made the allegations in an interview with Comedy Hype.
TMZ caught up with Richard Jr, and asked him to comment on the allegations.
“Whatever happened in my life, it happened when I was young. Way before the eighties,” said Richard Jr, now 58. When asked if he was in a consensual relationship, Richard Jr. said, “How could any relationship be consensual if I was a teenager?”
Pryor’s ex-wife Jennifer Lee also confirmed the report in a string of expletive-filled posts on Twitter.com.
“RP Jr. is out as a gay man – he might want to shed light on this further and so should Rashon, since he is the one who tweeted original tweet,” she wrote in response to a follower’s questions.
Through his rep, Mooney vigorously denied the allegations in a statement to TMZ.
