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Eddie Murphy Comments on His Old Stand-Up Bits About Gay People: 'I Can't Believe I Said That'

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Comedian Eddie Murphy has been a household name since the early 1980s, and like many comedians, some of his stand-up jokes — which were once considered funny — are now considered offensive.

During a recent interview, he admitted that some of his old jokes make him cringe.

Following last week’s “Saturday Night Live,” which Murphy hosted, many reviewers called his performance “a comeback.”

“I guess, you know, they like to say comeback,” he said during an interview on CBS’ “Sunday Morning.” “I don’t know. Let’s make it easier. Yes, it’s my comeback. Yes, it’s my big comeback!

“Every 10 years or so I launch a big comeback. I’ve been doing that for the last 40 years. Every 10 years, I come back!”

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Murphy was only 19 years old when he joined the “SNL” cast in 1980, which quickly accelerated his comedic career.

No only did he record several stand-up specials, he also starred in films such as “Beverley Hills Cops” and “48 Hrs.”

As with many comedians whose careers have spanned over several decades, some of Murphy’s jokes may not have aged well.

In his 1983 special “Delirious” for example, Murphy said, “I have nightmares about gay people. … I kid the homosexuals a lot, ’cause they’re homosexuals.”

Do you think Eddie Murphy should regret his old jokes?

While he did receive some pushback for his comments then, it’s nothing like the reaction he would receive in today’s cancel culture and growing pressure for political correctness.

CBS’ Tracy Smith asked Murphy if he still considered jokes like the one made in “Delirious” funny.

“Some of it,” he responded. “Some of it, I cringe when I watch. I’m like, oh my God, I can’t believe I said that!”

Even though he finds some of it “cringey,” he said he still has no regrets over his past jokes.

“I’ve seen stuff that I’ll go, like, oh, that’s, ooh, yeah, you’ll get a joke that’s cringey,” he explained. “But that’s not to say that I don’t appreciate it. I still appreciate it.

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“And I’m looking at it within the context of the times, you know. And I’m going, okay, I’m a kid, saying that.”

Other cast members from Murphy’s latest movie, “My Name is Dolomite,” spoke against cancel culture toward comedians.

Keegan-Michael Key said that comedians can use their humor to illuminate difficult topics.

“Sometimes we’re offended, but other times, are you offended, or are you afraid to hear something that maybe needs to be said?” he told Yahoo.

Murphy said even though some worry cancel culture may pose a threat to stand-up comedy, he believes the art will continue to thrive.

“Every now and then somebody might say something that ruffles somebody’s feathers or steps on somebody’s toes or whatever, but for the most part it’s bigger and more global and more diverse than it’s ever been,” he said, referring to how much comedy has changed since he first began his career.

Despite the trying times his lifelong career has brought, Murphy said he has been able to continue to push forward because his identity is rooted in his faith.

“I’ve always been really comfortable in my skin. It’s ’cause I’ve always been grounded spiritually, you know? I believe in God and I believe in prayer,” he said on CBS’ “Sunday Morning.”

“A lot of of people in show business that get really successful at an early age, a lot of them go through a lot of stuff and have issues and drug problems, and all these are self-destructive,” he added. “And I never had that because I was grounded spiritually.”

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Kayla has been a staff writer for The Western Journal since 2018.
Kayla Kunkel began writing for The Western Journal in 2018.
Birthplace
Tennessee
Honors/Awards
Lifetime Member of the Girl Scouts
Location
Arizona
Languages Spoken
English
Topics of Expertise
News, Crime, Lifestyle & Human Interest




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