In the year 1980, our first guest changed comedy forever and did it while he was still living at his mother’s house. He is a living legend who finally tells his story in a new documentary Being Eddie premieres tomorrow on Netflix. Please welcome Eddie Murphy. >> [music] [applause and cheering] [music] [music] [cheering and applause] [music] >> Thank you.
[cheering] I’m very happy to have you here. Thank you for being here. >> Yeah, man. It’s really good to have you here, especially tonight. Yeah, man. You a boy, this documentary is so good. I mean, it is just absolutely fascinating. I think that one of the things that really hit me because I was, you know, going through the situation.
My friend is your your brother Charlie and how much you obviously loved him and how much he absolutely loved you and and just your idea of the afterlife of like what we experience after we die. And >> Yeah, we that’s what we all are part of connected but we’re all part of this bigger thing and I think that that thing that connects us, that never dies.
I think that’s just goes on and on and on. You know, the consciousness, conscious awareness that we all have. That’s what’s, you know, that’s how we’re all connected. I think We’re all that I like that. You know what else I like? Your house has a retractable roof which is awesome. Oh, yeah. >> [laughter] >> It’s like your own SoFi Stadium. It’s incredible.
Well, you know, I bought a house from Share in the ’80s and the house I bought from her that had that opening roof. So, when I built the house out here, I was like, “Oh, let that roof look like Share’s house.” >> [clears throat] [laughter] >> So, Share was the pioneer when it came to that. Yeah.
And Flavor heard about it. He was like, “Hey, yo, G. When you going to invite me to YOUR CONVERTIBLE HOUSE?” >> [laughter] >> HAVE YOU INVITED FLAVOR TO YOUR convertible house? >> Not yet. It seems like it’s time, right? >> I will make sure of >> about because I know you’re a very private guy. Were you Did you have to be convinced to let people into your home? Uh you know, the documentary started off.
I wasn’t even thinking it was Oh, people going to be coming in the house and stuff like that. The documentary when we started doing it, it was supposed to be like, “Okay, I’m going to go back and do stand-up and we’re going to we’re going to monitor we’re going to go and document all the steps getting back to the stage again.” And then it turned into this thing where people would come cuz the pandemic hit and it’s we stopped.
>> Oh. And then we people then we could only do interviews, you know, at the house with camera up. It was nobody around and it kind of happened like it We didn’t plan for it to happen the way it happened. Arsenio in the documentary, there’s a lot of wood paneling behind him at all times. Um Is it Yeah, did you notice that? >> Is that real though? Is that >> like he lives in a cabin or something.
>> [laughter] >> One of the things you talk about is like you were almost fired from 48 Hours like 2 weeks after filming began, right? Yeah, they were But I didn’t know why you were um why >> I just didn’t think I was I was cutting it. They didn’t think you were cutting it. Yeah, it was 2 weeks in.
They were like, “THIS IS >> [laughter] >> AND UH JEFF KATZENBERG, MY DEAR FRIEND JEFF KATZENBERG, he was the president of production at the time and and he didn’t let them fire me and I and the rest is history. >> Do you That’s just bananas to me and I means to believe that nobody knows anything. After that happens, are you now are you Did you Were you aware that they were uh thinking >> out this like a few years ago.
>> Oh, okay. Okay, cuz it would be hard to go on if that was the case. >> Yeah, I didn’t know. But actually it wouldn’t because that was when I did that movie, that was my first picture and I was just so happy to be in a movie that if they would have fired me, I’d be like, “Okay, it’s cool. Fine.” >> [laughter] >> You um Roxanne, the song you sing there.
How did you settle on that on that song? That was just in the moment. >> Just popped out in the moment? >> In the moment. >> Were you listening to it on the Walkman and it popped out or you were just thinking about it? >> it was just it just it just was like, “Oh, this would be a funny song to be singing.” Because I knew because he was going to hear me He was going to hear me before you saw me and it was like, “Okay, that’d be funny to hear that coming through the hall.
” So, you were kind of directing the movie as it was as you were acting in it, too. And did you ever talk to Sting about that? Because I think that your scene is more famous than the actual song. >> [laughter] >> I never talked to him >> about the song. I never talked to him about it. But I know he made some paper off it. Coming to America, I was interested to learn is >> [applause] >> You know, there are there are a lot of people who claim to be like Prince Akeem was based on me, but you said that that was based on the story was based on you. It was on your
personal life. >> Absolutely, yeah. Yeah, but that movie more than any picture I did got so many people came out that said that they were the real I got sued by all these different people. They were like, “I was the real king from Africa.” >> [laughter] >> I would be out and African people would come. “Eddie, that is my life.
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You stole it from me.” “That’s me, Eddie.” You said nobody had more fun than you did in the ’80s. >> Nobody. >> But you were not drinking or doing drugs. >> But no but they back then it was no crack yet. There was no AIDS. There was none of none of that was it was it was innocent like the the number one record was All Night Long by the That’s how innocent the times were, you know. And just nobody had more fun.
We was laughing all the time with between my me and Charlie and Mooney and my Uncle Ray and we just laughed constantly. >> like there’s laughter all the I feel like there’s more than just laughing though. I feel like All Night Long meant like all night long. You know what I’m saying? Oh, yeah, it was lots of girls around.
>> Yes, that’s kind of what I was thinking. Yeah. How many was the most? How many girls were around? No, I’m How many girls would I be with? Well, you know, I wouldn’t be I wasn’t into the whole, you know, get a group of chicks and stuff. I was You know what they used to call me? And this is true. The the gentleman’s gentleman.
Really? They would tease me. They would say, “You’re the gentleman.” >> [applause] >> I was a gentleman, you know, opening the door and tipping >> [laughter] >> They would tease me. They would say, “Do you know who you just tipped your hat to?” >> [laughter] >> You were friends with Todd Bridges who played Willis on Diff’rent Strokes.
I wasn’t friends with him. I knew him. You knew him, but you knew him enough to care about him. You knew him enough according to Todd anyway to say, “Hey, like this kid’s got a problem and we need to do something to help him.” And you know, I heard that story and I I don’t remember that. Well, Todd says that >> he says that I called I did an intervention and I had Rick James go to him. Yeah.
So, you had him Now, I I don’t doubt that that may have happened, but I would I would I knew what I would have never have sent Rick to >> send Rick Yeah. But that may have happened. Cuz he did He I know he said that I sent Rick, but I didn’t send Rick. Cuz he did say Rick came to his house and he said, “Hey, where are your drugs?” And he He brought out his drugs and then he did all his drugs.
He took his drugs and >> [laughter] >> And you went to home. And that’s hysterically funny. I I wish I would have sent him >> [laughter] >> That’s such a great story. All right, we’re going to take a break. Eddie Murphy is here with us, folks. Being Eddie is a documentary [cheering] that comes out tomorrow on Netflix. We’ll be right back.
Around 12 or 13, I started saying I was going to be famous. And then I started saying when I’m 18, I’m going to be famous. That was my mantra. And I really really really really believed it with every fiber. It was like the I What if you don’t get famous? It was like, “What the are you talking about? I I am getting I’m going to be famous.
” That’s Eddie Murphy in his documentary Being Eddie. >> [cheering] >> It premieres tomorrow on Netflix. Where do you think that Have you ever thought like where did that confidence come from? No, it wasn’t confidence. I I knew it. Yeah, it’s beyond confidence. >> confi- It was more clairvoyance than confidence. Yeah.
Yeah, it was like I just I just knew it deep down in my blood that I was going to be Do you think it happened because you knew it or you think you knew it and then it happened? >> it happened. I think it was just like that. You you know it and you put it out there. I think it’s how everything happens.
You put it out there and it happens. I put it out there. You said you wanted to be as funny as Richard Pryor as >> I did not achieve. If not, you got real close. Cool like Elvis. And I’m I think I’m cooler than Elvis. I think so, too. >> [applause] >> Not [cheering] Not early Elvis, but Elvis in those those jumpsuits and all that Elvis towards the end.
Elvis on the toilet. can’t with me. >> [laughter] >> And as big as the Beatles. And yeah, I mean, that’s those are those are pretty lofty goals. >> aspirations. You had an Elvis collection, right? You had like member memorabilia of Elvis stuff? I did. I had a a necklace. I had Elvis’s. And I had some Jimi Hendrix stuff, too.
I had a Jimi Hendrix carpet and one of his vests. I used to collect stuff like that. You don’t have that anymore? >> know what They it over the years. I don’t know where it is. >> [laughter] >> And I had a great thing written from Prince. He wrote this letter for me and it was and they stole that, too. Oh my god, who stole it? People broke in? I don’t know.
Who knows over the years? Um Over the years, yeah. You uh were talking about um Danny DeVito and Arnold Schwarzenegger when they made the movie Twins. Originally, it was supposed to be you as a triplet. It was triplets, right? >> No, they came and they were going to do a sequel to Twins and they were going to do triplets. And it just it didn’t come together.
We should have People are just giggling at the idea of it. Seems not too late, yeah. >> [laughter] >> Who pitched you on that? Arnold himself? >> Yeah, Arnold and yeah, Arnold was there. He go, “You’re going to do it It’s going to be funny. Going to be triplets. And it’s going to be the three of us and we’ll all look different and Danny’s little.
I’m big and you’re the black one, you know.” >> [applause] [cheering] >> I was like, “But wait a second, y’all a little older than me. How How are you going to be triplets if y’all, you know, 20 years older?” We’ll work it out. We’ll figure it out sometime later. >> [laughter] >> I love hearing you do impressions and I in the documentary, you do this bit with these puppets.
You got a Richard Pryor puppet, you got a Bill Cosby puppet and it is >> Yeah, it’s funny. absolutely magical. >> And a Paul Mooney puppet. >> Paul Mooney puppet, also uh I had the Paul Mooney puppet before the documentary. They made the the uh the Richard Pryor and the Bill >> Oh, they made those for the documentary? >> During the docu- documentary, at one time I said, “I If I ever do stand-up again, I’m going to get a Richard Pryor puppet and a Bill Cosby puppet and I’m going to be in the middle and have a conversation.” So, then the director,
Angus, he went out and bought those puppets and popped them up on me and I was like, “Oh.” And then they made it into the documentary. I love the idea of you your big return is as a ventriloquist. >> [laughter] >> We made you a little gift here. So, here’s your >> Hey. >> [cheering] >> It’s a national Foley puppet.
>> [applause] >> Hey, man. Hey. Who made it? That That don’t even look like me. >> [laughter] >> You got your own like Can I look at it? Can I see it? Yeah, there you are. Of course, it’s yours. Sure. This is mine to keep? That’s yours to keep, absolutely. >> All right. But is it >> [laughter] >> It don’t look like me.
I guess when you put it on, it’s not that >> [applause] >> If you give him the glasses, it might you might look more like each other, possibly. Yeah, that’s kind of creepy. Yeah. Let’s do the rest of the interview like >> [laughter] >> One other A couple other things I want to mention. First of all, First, I don’t know which one to talk to.
Um You guys >> Jimmy Kimmel. >> [laughter] >> YOU GUYS YOU THAT’S HILARIOUS. >> [laughter] >> I WAS A >> NO, THAT’S the I’m not going to I don’t want to sit here the whole time with this cuz Can we put it on the side? Can you put it on the side and I’ll take it later cuz >> yes, we will. Take him home. Come home Take home little Eddie, will you? Yeah.
Yes, get him a I’ll take it with me. Get him a car. Now, Eddie >> [applause] >> You know what? Y’all gave me a really strong chin. Yeah. [laughter] Y’all gave >> you might appreciate that, yeah. >> like a LIONEL RICHIE CHIN. >> [laughter] >> IS THERE A HELLO? >> [laughter] >> There are two things I wanted to mention.
Number one, your piano playing is phenomenal. I didn’t even realize it was you because you were like kind of had some like makeup on and a hoodie I didn’t have on any makeup. >> Or with a hoodie or Whatever it was. Listen, I was a little high, but I I was confused because the playing was so good. I didn’t know you Are you practicing a lot? No, I’ve played piano since SNL.
Joe Piscopo taught me how to play uh Let It Be and that’s where I started playing piano. So, that’s 40 years ago. >> He used to teach me, too. He came over every Wednesday for an hour. [laughter] Um Oh, Joe could play multiple instruments and stuff. He taught me a little progression on the piano and I just kept playing.
And here’s the thing that really knocked me out and I I never thought about it before. Your whistling is fantastic. Yeah, you know the Murphy the Murphy family can whistle. >> family’s good at >> All most of the most most of the men in the family can be whistlers. >> You have different notes coming out of your mouth like multiple notes coming out simultaneously.
>> whistler. Like when you did The Good, the Bad and the Ugly theme, I had never listened to it with really with >> Oh, the Clint Eastwood thing, yeah. But right now, I couldn’t whistle cuz my mouth is dry. >> [laughter] >> It’s [cheering] not going to be good. No, that it won’t be good. Well, people will have to watch >> be all the way relaxed.
People will have to watch the documentary to Like if I did it now, it would [clears throat] sound all pshh And people would be sitting there going, “He don’t whistle good, huh?” >> [laughter] >> To fully appreciate I mean, a man who’s done it all. He’s a musician, he’s an actor, he’s a comedian, he’s You name it. He’s a whistler.
And he’s also America’s finest whistler. America’s finest whistler. >> [laughter] >> Well, it’s very And then a ventriloquist. And of course, don’t forget um Eddie >> Hello. Hello. >> [laughter] >> Eddie touring with Jeff Dunham and Peanut. Um What’s the dude’s name? Terry Fat Fat >> Terry Fator. >> Yeah, that’s the big one, yeah.
Yeah, that’s yeah, that You get on with him, you know? I’m sure you can get a little residency going in there. Yeah, [laughter] yeah. The crowd like to crash his stage. People would lose their minds if it becomes of night a night of Eddie Murphy and puppets. >> Can you imagine how mad the audience would be? No.
Like if they came to TV to do stand-up, it would just be at puppets. They’d be like, [laughter] “GET THE BE THOSE PUPPETS!” >> [laughter] >> THE NAME OF THE DOCUMENTARY is Being Eddie. It premieres tomorrow on Netflix. The great Eddie Murphy, everybody. Thanks for >> [cheering] >> I’ll be back tomorrow with Morgan Freeman.
