Paul Mooney on Michael Richards: He Cured Me of Using the N-Word

Paul Mooney - a legendary and controversial comedian known for a raunchy brand of humor - has vowed to stop using the N-word in Mooney's act after Michael Richards' infamous tirade.

Born in Louisiana and reared in Oakland, Calif., Paul Mooney's Wikipedia page states "that Mooney ran away from home as a youth, and became a ringmaster with the Charles Gody Circus." It also says that Paul Mooney "considers himself the first black ringmaster." 

A regular guest on Dave Chappelle'sThe Chappelle Show, Paul Mooney seemed an odd inclusion in Jesse Jackson's press conference held yesterday. Mooney first graced the Comedy Central show in sketches called Ask a Black Dude and Mooney on Movies. 

Later, Mooney replaced those characters with Negrodamus, the African American version of Nostradamus, as whom Mooney provided impromptu "answers to life's most unsolvable mysteries" such as "Why do white people love Wayne Brady?" which Mooney posited: "Because Wayne Brady makes Bryant Gumbel look like Malcolm X." 

Paul Mooney planned to return to Dave Chappelle's show and resurrect his role as Negrodamus during the Chappelle's Show third season, before Dave pulled up stakes and left the show. 

But yesterday, Paul Mooney was right alongside Jesse Jackson and other black leaders as Jackson urged all entertainers of any ethnicity and culture - including rappers - to stop using the N-word altogether. 

"I've used it and abused it, and I never thought I'd say this…" Paul Mooney was quoted as saying, calling Michael Richards his "Dr. Phil," going on to say that Richards' rant "cured" Paul Mooney of uttering the N-word. 

Quite the 180 degree turnaround for Paul Mooney, who wrote in his promotional material: "Well, white folks, you shouldn't have ever made up the word...I say nigga 100 times every morning; it makes my teeth white."