We see Eddie from 100 yards away. Rock says, "There he is. Like Ali in Zaire." Eddie, Bomaye. It's my job to talk him in to doing Jeopardy. We talk in his dressing room a good hour. When it's over, I'm convinced he'll do it. He doesn't. He knew the laughs would bring the house down. Eddie Murphy knows what will work on SNL better than any one. Eddie decides the laughs are not worth it. He will not kick a man when he is down. Eddie Murphy, I realize, is not like the rest of us. Eddie does not need the laughs. Eddie Murphy is the coolest, a rock star even in a room with actual rock stars.Problem is, Eddie Murphy is not a rock star any more. On "SNL40," Chris Rock gave Murphy a huge buildup, the crowd gave him a standing ovation as he entered, and then Murphy did nothing. Absolutely nothing. Not a single funny remark. This was not the Eddie Murphy who once saved the show. This was not the Eddie Murphy who owned the box office in the 1980s with breakout hits like "48 Hours," "Trading Places," and "Beverly Hills Cop." This was the Eddie Murphy whose only quality work in the last 15 years was "Dreamgirls" in 2006 (except for voice work for the umpteenth "Shrek" spinoff project).
Labels: television