A star-studded line-up of comedians including Chris Rock, Dave Chappelle, George Lopez, Kathy Griffin and Arsenio Hall honoured Eddie Murphy as an “American icon.”
The Kennedy Centre for the Performing Arts presented the comedian Sunday with the Mark Twain Prize, the nation’s top prize for humour.
The evening’s most emotional tribute came from Saturday Night Live (SNL) alum Tracy Morgan, who received a standing ovation from the audience. He called Murphy his “comedic hero.”
Morgan survived a serious car crash last year that left him in a coma. Morgan said Murphy was the first person to call him on the phone and make him laugh after the tragic accident that killed a passenger in the limo and seriously injured two others
“He’s the reason I’m in comedy. He’s the reason I have a job. He’s the reason I have a career,” Morgan said.
Among the other SNL alumni who paid tribute to Murphy were Jay Pharoah, Kevin Nealon and Joe Piscopo.
“Some people are just blessed with talent, and with Eddie, it was just luck,” Nealon ribbed.
Nealon said Murphy saved SNL from slumping ratings in the 1980s, and he hoped he could also save the Kennedy Centre from becoming the Trump Center.
“I can see the slot machines in the lobby,” joked Nealon, who starred with Murphy in Daddy Day Care.
Trevor Noah, who took over hosting The Daily Show in September, said he was introduced to the comedian after viewing of Coming to America.
“Eddie Murphy’s influenced almost every single comedian- especially of my generation. He did everything brilliantly,” Noah said. “He showed me a benchmark to aim for. He made me realise that there was a level of excellence to try and attain, and I still think I’m working at that ‘til this day.”
Murphy called the prize a “tremendous honour,” but asked the centre to clear up any confusion over the prize for future recipients.
“Actually, it’s an award, but they call it a prize,” he said. “Usually when there’s a prize, there’s money.”
Murphy also took jabs at one his “heroes” — previous Mark Twain honouree Bill Cosby. Murphy joked, you know you’ve messed up “when they want you to give your trophy back.” Murphy did an impersonation of Cosby refusing to give back his award.
Cosby, who received the award in 2009, has been accused by more than two dozen women of sexual misconduct, including allegations by many that he drugged and raped them.
The humour prize honours those who influence society in the tradition of Samuel Clemens, the writer and satirist known as Mark Twain. Past honourees include Jay Leno, Carol Burnett, Tina Fey, Whoopi Goldberg, Ellen DeGeneres, Will Ferrell and Richard Pryor.
Murphy gained national attention when he joined the SNL cast in 1980 at the age of 19. He went on to become the most commercially successful African-American actor in film history and one of the industry’s Top 5 box office performers overall, the Kennedy Centre said. Murphy’s films have been among Hollywood’s highest-grossing comedies, including 48 Hours, Trading Places, Dr. Dolittle and Coming to America.
The tribute will be broadcast November 23 on PBS.
