{{Short description|American stand-up comedian and actor}} {{Use American English|date=June 2019}}{{Use mdy dates|date=June 2019}} {{Infobox comedian | name = DJ Pryor | image =DJ Pryor (cropped).jpg | imagesize = | caption = | birth_name =Deztin J. Pryor | birth_date = | birth_place = Petersburg, Virginia, U.S. | medium = Actor/Stand-up comedian | genre = | subject = |website= |education= | active = 2012–present | influences = |spouse=Shanieke Pryor (m. 2015)|child=|children=3}} '''Deztin J. Pryor''', known professionally as '''D.J. Pryor,''' is an American actor and stand-up comedian. In January 2019, Pryor participated in the CBS Diversity Sketch Comedy Showcase. He has acted in short films.
== Early life == Deztin Pryor is originally from Petersburg, Virginia, slitting some time in Richmond and later moved to Clarksville, Tennessee due to his father's military service.<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":3">{{Cite web|url=https://www.christianpost.com/news/comedian-praises-god-viral-video-infant-son-change-narrative-fatherhood.html|title=Comedian praises God for using viral video of infant son to change narrative of fatherhood|last=Law|first=Jeannie|date=June 13, 2019|website=Christian Post|language=en|access-date=2019-06-18}}</ref> He is the oldest of 12 children. Pryor was born when his mother was 13 years old.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.apsu.edu/news/june-2019-austin-peay-dj-pryor-viral-day-video.php|title=APSU-TV interviewed DJ Pryor before viral dad-son video|date=June 7, 2019|website=Austin Peay State University|language=en|access-date=2019-06-11}}</ref> As a child, his grandmother would let him watch Bill Cosby and he would secretly watch Richard Pryor (no relation). He began doing stand-up comedy professionally at the age of 15 years.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web|url=http://www.clarksvilleonline.com/2012/07/24/d-j-pryor-coming-your-way/|title=D.J. Pryor Coming Your Way|last=Dugger III|first=A.J.|date=2012-07-24|website=Clarksville Online|access-date=2019-06-11}}</ref>
== Career == Pryor performs in a variety of venues from comedy clubs to churches and colleges. He has performed at the Virginia House of Comedy. Pryor was once the opening act for Corey Clark.<ref name=":1" /> In 2012, Pryor's promoter and manager was Kasey Carlton. In 2019, Mechelle Mason took over as Pryor's management team with Javier Salgado.
Pryor has trained under Kim Hardin and participated in improvisation classes with Chris Berube. He has performed in commercials for Allstate and Jack Daniel's. He hosted a radio show, ''The DJ Pryor Show'' in early 2014, that will soon become a watchable series. {{As of|2019|January|df=|alt=From 2013 to January 2019}}, he was represented by Dan Talent Group. As of February 2019, he is represented by APA Talent Agency and still based out of Clarksville, TN. In January 2019, Pryor participated in the CBS Diversity Sketch Comedy Showcase. He was one of 21 actors and comedians selected out of over 3,000 auditions. Pryor has acted in several short films.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|url=https://clarksvillenow.com/local/clarksville-comedian-dj-pryor-has-big-things-on-the-horizon-in-his-career/|title=Clarksville comedian DJ Pryor has big things on the horizon in his career|last=Boggs|first=Bonnie|date=March 4, 2019|website=Clarksville Now|language=en-US|access-date=2019-06-11}}</ref>
In June 2019, Pryor and his son, Kingston, were featured in a Denny's commercial for Father's Day.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://abc30.com/5350372/|title=Father-son duo in adorable viral video star in Denny's commercial|date=2019-06-18|website=ABC30 Fresno|language=en|access-date=2019-06-18}}</ref> The ''Wired'' recognized Pryor as a "dadfluencer."<ref>{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.wired.com/story/praise-of-dadfluencers/|title=In Praise of Dadfluencers|last=Dreyfuss|first=Emily|date=2019-06-16|magazine=Wired|access-date=2019-06-18|issn=1059-1028}}</ref>
At the close of 2019, DJ Pryor was a guest on Dateline NBC's: A Toast to 2019! and Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve 2020 to commemorate the highlights of 2019.<ref name=":4">{{Cite web|url=https://www.facebook.com/watch/?ref=external&v=564083607503918|title=NBC: A Toast to 2019!|last=NBC|first=Dateline|date=December 31, 2019|website=Facebook|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=2020-01-11}}</ref>
As of September 2021, DJ Pryor performed in commercials for the Tennessee Titans. Pryor has also been featured as a guest on "Titans Blitz" showing Wednesdays on Nashville's MyTV 30 and Nashville's Fox 17. Pryor's segment "All Titan'd Up" on "Titans Blitz" will be featured falling on the week of Titans' home games.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Laughter is Universal - Congratulations are in order as DJ Pryor is All Titan'd Up this season With the Tennessee Titans Blitz. Read Laughter is Universal's latest blog entry for more details. Watch him #WORK! #TitanUp {{!}} Facebook|url=https://www.facebook.com/laughterisuniversal/photos/a.1741073886209271/3037390956577551/|access-date=2021-09-28|website=www.facebook.com|language=en}}</ref>
=== Artistry === Pryor cites Eddie Murphy, Martin Lawrence, Chris Tucker and Flip Wilson as early influences on his style.<ref name=":1" /> Pryor's stand-up routines are based on his real life.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.theleafchronicle.com/story/news/2019/06/06/clarksville-comic-dj-pryors-chat-young-son-goes-viral-social-media/1371793001/|title=Clarksville comic's 19-month-old son's opinion on TV finale is nuanced ... and gibberish|last=Babich|first=Jennifer|date=June 6, 2019|website=The Leaf Chronicle|language=en|access-date=2019-06-11}}</ref>
== Personal life == Pryor resides in Clarksville, Tennessee with his family.<ref name=":0" /> He has been married to Shanieke Pryor since 2015. Pryor has two sons, Jabari and Kingston, and a daughter, Zaria. Older son, Jabari was born in 2011 from a previous relationship. Kingston (born 2017) and Zaria (born 2020) with his wife, Shanieke.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://abcnews.go.com/GMA/Family/video-toddler-full-conversation-dad-racking-millions-likes/story?id=63526159|title=Millions are loving this toddler having a full-on conversation with dad|last=Pelletiere|first=Nicole|date=June 6, 2019|website=ABC News|language=en|access-date=2019-06-11}}</ref> Pryor is Christian.<ref name=":3" />
In 2019, a home video of him "conversing" with then 19-month old Kingston went viral.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.cnn.com/2019/06/07/us/baby-talk-dad-facebook-video-trnd/index.html|title=A father having a conversation with his babbling baby boy about the 'Empire' finale broke the internet|last=Vera|first=Amir|date=June 7, 2019|website=CNN|access-date=2019-06-11}}</ref> Author Jenny Anderson and Al Race of the Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University remark that Pryor's interaction with his son demonstrates a social-feedback loop called serve-and-return which contributes to child development.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://qz.com/1639907/the-viral-video-of-a-dad-talking-to-his-baby-demonstrates-a-crucial-parenting-skill/|title=The dad from that viral baby video is demonstrating a crucial parenting skill|last=Timsit|first=Annabelle|date=June 11, 2019|website=Quartz|language=en|access-date=2019-06-11}}</ref>
== Television ==
=== Television ===
*Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin Eve With Ryan Seacrest 2020''<ref name=":2">{{Cite web|url=https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/pryor-and-lucy-hale-attends-dick-clarks-new-years-rockin-news-photo/1196907813|title=Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin Eve With Ryan Seacrest 2020|last=Stawiarz|first=Astrid|date=2019-01-03|website=Getty|language=en|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200112002929/https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/pryor-and-lucy-hale-attends-dick-clarks-new-years-rockin-news-photo/1196907813 |archive-date=January 12, 2020 |access-date=2020-01-11}}</ref>'' *A Toast to 2019!<ref name=":4" />
== Filmography ==
=== Film ===
* ''Country Strong'' <ref name=":5">{{Cite web|url=https://heavy.com/entertainment/2019/06/dj-pryor/|title=DJ Pryor: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know|last=Pryor|first=DJ|date=June 8, 2019|website=Heavy|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190608232709/https://heavy.com/entertainment/2019/06/dj-pryor/ |archive-date=June 8, 2019 |access-date=2020-01-11}}</ref> * ''The Konichiwa Kid <ref name=":5" />'' * ''Message Read <ref name=":5" />''
== References == {{reflist}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Pryor, DJ}} Category:Living people Category:Year of birth missing (living people) Category:21st-century American comedians Category:21st-century African-American male actors Category:21st-century American male actors Category:Male actors from Tennessee Category:Comedians from Tennessee Category:People from Petersburg, Virginia Category:People from Clarksville, Tennessee Category:Male actors from Virginia Category:Comedians from Virginia Category:American male comedians Category:African-American male comedians Category:American stand-up comedians Category:African-American stand-up comedians