HollywoodOn Productions: Janet Donovan & Brendan Kownacki
Photo credit: Margot Schulman for KenCen
Some things are irresistible, just ask Eddie Murphy. After 28 years off of stand-up comedy and after refusing to imitate Bill Cosby on Saturday Night Live’s 40th Anniversary (SNL) earlier this year, Murphy did just that – stand-up and a Cosby imitation at the 18th Annual Mark Twain Prize for American Humor at The Kennedy Center.
Murphy himself was gracious when he took the stage and said that when you get this type of award, “you’re very very old,” but he hoped that meant he was ahead of the game. Murphy then proceeded to show he is still at the top of his game by skewering former Twain Prize winner Bill Cosby and the national scandal surrounding him. “You know you fucked up when they try to make you give your trophies back,” he said of the Cosby scandal and public outcry to rescind some of Cosby’s awards.
He also commented on the prize: “Maybe we should call this the Mark Twain surprise,” Murphy quipped, “because there is no money in it.” He went on to say that he would have preferred an award rather than a prize….something that comes with money. “I love you. This is a wonderful night.” It was colorful comedy and colorful language throughout the evening; tough editing job ahead for the PBS WETA release on November 23rd at 9/8c. (Check local listings)
David Rubenstein and Eddie Murphy
David Rubenstein (Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the JFK Center for the Performing Arts) wished he had an award for every one of Murphy’s characters and thanked the audience for their generous contribution and said: “I would like to thank every one here and for the hard work of some extraordinary individuals. Because of that, The Kennedy Center has raised a record breaking 2.3 million dollars.” Maybe we heard him wrong…..2.3 million dollars? Could be….he sure was happy at the VIP After Party. “In addition to honoring this country’s greatest comedians, the Mark Twain Prize also serves as a major fundraising event—all contributions help support the Center’s year-round educational and artistic initiatives that reach millions of students, educators, and families throughout the nation,” according to the Mission Statement.
David Rubenstein (R) Photo credit: Janet Donovan
Some of the biggest names in comedy were in the lineup: Dave Chappelle, Kathy Griffin, Arsenio Hall, Sam Moore, Kevin Nealon, Trevor Noah, Jay Pharoah, Joe Piscopo, Chris Rock. Longtime talk show legend Arsenio Hall kicked off the evening and reckoned back to the film “Coming to America” that he starred in with Eddie. He began what would be the first of many comparisons of Murphy and another Mark Twain Prize winner, Richard Pryor.
Arsenio Hall
Some zingers:
“I am tonight’s diversity hire.” Kathy Griffin
Kathy Griffin
“Bruce Jenner wishes he could be a woman like Eddie Murphy.” Chris Rock referring to Murphy’s many female roles.
Dave Chappelle with wife Elaine and daughter Sonal
Dave Chappelle, who actually grew up in DC, said that Eddie Murphy represents the “master class” in the comedy world as he introduced Eddie’s first appearance on The Tonight Show. “If you didn’t know whose show it was, you would have wondered [after you saw Eddie.]”
Trevor Noah
Brand new Daily Show host Trevor Noah was another to cite “Coming to America” as a top influence from Murphy’s catalog of work. Noah recounted a friend bringing over a worn VHS tape while he was growing up in South Africa; “We watched it like a documentary.” Noah who recently took over for Jon Stewart said humbly to wrap up, ” I am part of your legacy.”
Kevin Nealon: “Eddie will save the Kennedy Center from becoming the Trump Center. You can almost hear the slot machines in the lobby.”
SNL’s Joe Piscopo swears he should get credit for the Eddie’s Red Leather suit.
George Lopez quickly followed up with a roast of material talking about the election and Donald Trump before ultimately sharing a warm-hearted story about photocopying a Time Magazine article when he was younger so that he could bring it home and read about the legendary Eddie Murphy.
Tracy Morgan and Megan Wollover
Tracy Morgan credited that “Richard Pryor inspired me to dream, but Eddie made it possible.” Morgan who hails from Brooklyn just like Eddie says they used to call him “fat Murphy” in the neighborhood, and the only reason it didn’t cause fights, was because of the comparison to the legend.
The Scene:
Hollywood on the Potomac caught up with a few guests at the VIP After Party sponsored by Capitol One, a main sponsor of the Mark Twain Prize and our host for the evening.
Photo credit: Brendan Kownacki
“This is a city that needs an opportunity to laugh at itself,” Mark Adelman told us. “It’s Washington, DC and that’s what’s so about The Mark Twain Prize. It brings the greatest comedians in the country to The Kennedy Center where everybody can laugh with them and at each other.”
Marc Adelman (L) Photo credit: Janet Donovan
“I loved George Lopez,” said Henry Munoz. “I don’t know what it was about the way he addressed the issues of racial tensions. I just thought he was so perfect for Eddie Murphy. It kind of cut across ethnic backgrounds. But most of all I want to know how they are going to bleep out all those F words.” Good Luck and Good Night with that.
DNC Finance Chair Henry Munoz III Photo credit: Brendan Kownacki
By far the funniest clip of the evening comes from Murphy’s appearance on The Johnny Carson Show: Courtesy of the Johnny Carson Channel:
