Remembering Paul Mooney: Friendship, Laughter and Legacy
It’s Sunday and my friend Paul Mooney is involved in a photo mystery: In this photo Sammy Davis, Jr., Paul Mooney, Richard Pryor, And Bill Cosby are identified (three giants in comedy and other genere, and one giant in most every genre, although Bill Cosby’s crossover into television impacted the nation as well). Who is the 5th person in the background? Some say it’s Richard Roundtree, others say it Eddie Kendrick (of Temptations fame) or perhaps Quincy Jones. Others say it’s Mooney’s cousin Rudy Ealy who managed and cared for Mooney in his last years. IMHO it is Quincy Jones (Q was 5’6″ so he could be standing on a box or something). Only Bill Cosby, the only living identifiable person in the photo could possibly identify who number five is. It has been fun to read the online speculations.
Mooney was a loyal and generous friend. I miss his calls in the middle of the night after a performance at the Comedy Club in LA or the former B.B. King Blues Club & Grill in Times Square, NY. I miss his advice “Darling you should never cry; you are quite ugly when you cry.” So, I try not to cry around others.
I met Mooney when attending Contra Costa College in the early 60’s when Mooney was beginning to establish himself as a comedian. In a Natural Science class, I believe, our last names started with the same letter, so rollcall connected us. Mooney began sitting next to me in class and eventually asked to copy my homework saying he was busy in the evenings working at Bay Area comedy clubs and other venues as he experimented and tweaked his comedy act. Oh, the parties he gave or organized. He could dance his a$$ off. I was recently divorced at that time with two young children. I was unlike most others in his circle at CCC who were a little younger, single and looking toward marriage and children. Mooney already had the twins (Mooney Brothers); however, he was not married. At the time I believed the only reason I was included in the gang (the IR’s) was because I did his homework. That’s really not fair to say; because I remained his friend until he died. Oh, the parties we had. Everyone at CCC wanted to know where the party was going to be that weekend. Mooney admonished us all to be secretive and keep the location a secret. The location was decided by Mooney. He even talked me into having a party at my small one bedroom. I reluctantly agreed. That was the day the inspectors decided to drop in on me in deciding whether to approve my application to move into low- cost housing. Of course, when the two gentlemen and one lady approached, the loud sounds of Gary US Bonds singing “I danced till a quarter to three last night, my baby and me” and at least fifteen to twenty people of all races singing, screaming and laughing at 4 o’clock in the afternoon, I knew my chances were over for getting into that low-cost housing unit. Mooney told me not to cry.
During the last few years of his life, he asked me to accompany him on a comedy tour back east, I think Atlanta, GA. He was touring with the great comedian and social commentator, Dick Gregory at that time. I sat with him in first class on the flight back to the Bay. The adventure of being picked up and dropped off from and to my home was amazing. His cousin Carolyn and I worked the souvenir purchase table before and after the performances. What fun!
His charm, grace and biting observations of life will remain with me forever. I miss you Mooney.
That’s me on the far left with Mooney and his two lovely cousins Alice and Carolyn as we celebrated his 75th birthday in August 2014