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Eddie Murphy Wins Comedy Excellence Award The ‘Mark Twain Prize’ And Makes Fun Of Bill Cosby In His Acceptance Speech

Eddie Murphy
Eddie Murphy

Comedy legend Eddie Murphy received America’s top prize for humour, the ‘Mark Twain prize’, on Sunday; and took the occasion to take some shots at the embattled comedy legend Bill Cosby.

Cosby, accused by over forty women of s*xual assault, won the award in 2009. Murphy’s joke was about how ‘you know you f**ked up when they want you to give your trophy back’; followed by an impersonation of Cosby refusing to hand back the trophy.

Eddie Murphy received the award from The Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, for decades of excellence in comedy and inspiring a whole generation of comics, some of whom were in that very hall.

Daily Show host Trevor Noah spoke in tribute of Murphy:

“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 realize that there was a level of excellence to try and attain, and I still think I’m working at that till this day.”

Also present was Tracy Morgan, recently back in the game himself after surviving a horrific car crash.

“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.

Other comedians at the ceremony included Chris Rock, Dave Chappelle, George Lopez, Kathy Griffin and Arsenio Hall; Murphy’s companion in the all time classic ‘Coming to America’.

The humour prize honours those who influence society in the tradition of Samuel Clemens, the writer and satirist known as Mark Twain. Past honorees 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 five box office performers overall, the Kennedy Center said.

Murphy’s films have been among Hollywood’s highest-grossing comedies, including 48 Hours, Trading Places, Dr Dolittle and Coming to America.

Watch video of the ceremony below:

 

 

h/t: The Guardian



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