The legendary Richard Pryor is still stirring up controversy over 25 years after he redefined modern comedy in the immortal stand-up film 'Live In Concert’. Yesterday, from his home in California, the comedian chose American/ Egyptian comic Ahmed Ahmed as the first ever winner of the Richard Pryor Award for Ethnic Comedy. Pryor was unable to travel to the ceremony due to ill health, but watched video recordings of the four nominees to make the final decision. Announced at midnight on Wednesday 25th August during an award ceremony held at Edinburgh’s Opal Lounge - Jennifer Lee Pryor, the comedian’s wife and manager, presented the award at an event hosted by popular stand-up Junior Simpson.

Although welcomed by many comics as a huge step forward in bringing a more diverse range of multi-cultural humour to the Edinburgh Fringe, the award was also criticised by one black comedian as 'racist’. However, earlier today US stand-up Dennis Leary, commented “Richard Pryor is the funniest man who ever lived. He can call his award whatever the fuck he wants to call it”.

Richard Pryor said “Jenny and I are really excited about this - cause they (The Fringe) got to mix it up a bit - I mean, you are all too white over there! I like that this is opening things up.” He went on to say about Ahmed Ahmed, “dangerous motherfucker! He will only grow and get better, he makes people confront their own racism and small minds – I see genius in this man.”

Winner Ahmed Ahmed is an Egyptian-American comic whose many TV appearances include MTV, Comedy Central, ABC and PBS. He recently said, “I only attract white women who want to piss off their parents. When I fly? I have to get to the airport a month and a half early, and all the meals always come pre-cut”. Richard Pryor described the other three nominees as “also brilliant”.

Revolver Entertainment, one of Britain’s leading entertainment distributors, were responsible for staging this year’s event. They initiated the award with Richard and Jennifer Pryor to encourage a more diverse range of humour at the festival. In addition the award hopes to encourage audiences to cast their nets a bit wider when coming up to the festival and to encourage more
multi-cultural comedians and audiences to attend too. Commenting on the Award, Fringe Director Paul Gudgin said: "We're delighted to welcome this new award to the Fringe. It celebrates the diversity of the festival and
it's an honour to be associated with Richard Pryor."

This is also the first time that an ethnic comedian has won an award at the Edinburgh Fringe festival. Jennifer Lee Pryor promised at the ceremony that the award would be back next year, with a new category allowing a broader range of comedians to enter.

The shortlist of nominees was chosen by a panel of UK judges, who were Lucy Lumsden – BBC Commissioning Executive for comedy, Stephen Armstrong – Sunday Times Comedy Critic and Mina Anwar – actress.