Eddie Murphy, King of Comedy, Finally -The iPINIONS Journal

Comedian Larry David debuted his impersonation of Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders on last weekend’s edition Saturday Night Live (SNL). I’ve seen the viral clip of his performance. He was hysterical. But the media worship was such that he could be forgiven for feeling like the king of comedy.

Never mind that David sounded more like his curmudgeonly self on Curb Your Enthusiasm than Sanders on the campaign trail.

As it happens, though, Eddie Murphy had just cause to feel like the king of comedy after receiving this year’s Mark Twain Prize at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts on Sunday night.

The Kennedy Center awards the prize annually to social critics who best emulate Twain’s searing wit in comedic writing and/or performances. Accordingly, Kennedy Center chief Deborah F. Rutter said that Murphy is receiving it:

For being a fearless observer of society, who startled many while delighting and informing many more with his uncompromising perspective on social injustice and personal folly.

(Deadline Hollywood, October 19, 2015)

Sure enough, during his acceptance (or coronation) speech, Murphy upstaged David’s impersonation of Bernie Sanders with a far edgier impersonation of Bill Cosby. And the greater was his humor because, unlike David’s riff on Sanders owning just one pair of underwear, everything Murphy said about Cosby rang true.

This speech constituted the celebrated movie star’s first stand-up routine in 28 years.

Obviously, I cannot do it justice in this forum, even if I were something of a mimic myself. But here, in part, is what he said, alluding to fallout from the scandal that has now seen over 50 women accuse Cosby of rape:

You know you’ve fu*ked up when they want you to give your trophies back.

[Then, bringing down the house with his spot-on Cosby (Jell-O pudding) voice, he blared:]

I’d like to talk to some of the people who feel … that I should give my motherf**king trophies back!

(Rolling Stone, October 19, 2015)

Mind you, after a good belly laugh, I could not help wondering if this bit said more about Murphy’s situational ethics than Cosby’s terminal demise. After all, just last February, Murphy reportedly bailed at the last minute on doing Cosby for the SNL 40^th anniversary show, claiming that he did not want to join other comics in kicking this alleged serial rapist when he’s down.

Never mind that the SNL stage is where he honed his comedic skills, including mimicking Richard Pryor not only when he was down, but all burnt up from freebasing cocaine.

Frankly, you’d think Murphy would have shown a little more deference to the show that launched his movie career. After all, but for SNL, he would not be ranked ranked today among the top-five box office earners of all time, having starred in such blockbusters as 48 Hrs., Beverly Hills Cop, and Shrek.

But this imperious streak might explain why the comics who showed up on Sunday to honor him were more protégés, like Dave Chappelle, Tracy Morgan, and Chris Rock, than peers, like fellow Mark Twain Prize-winners Steve Martin, Billy Crystal, and Tina Fey – with all due respect to attendee Joe Piscopo.