Eddie Murphy Says He Regrets “Ignorant” Jokes In Classic Stand-Ups

Eddie Murphy says he regrets the “ignorant” jokes he made in his iconic stand-up comedy specials “Raw” and “Delirious.”

Murphy is a legend in the comedy and acting game, but the 58-year-old said there were some jokes he made in his career that he wishes he could take back. In an interview with the New York Times, Murphy discussed his comedic career through the years as he steps back on set for his new role as Rudy Ray Moore in “Dolemite is My Name!” In addition, Murphy will be hosting “Saturday Night Live!” for the first time in 35 years and will star in the sequel to “Coming to America.”

The comedian will also be blessing the world with a comedy special for Netflix. While discussing his long list of accolades, he was questioned about his classic works. Murphy revealed that he cringes at his old material, and said he was getting over a breakup at the time. “I was a young guy processing a broken heart, you know, kind of an asshole,” he said. Murphy referenced being picketed due to the homophobic material in his specials (which he now recognizes as “ignorant”) as recently as 1996. With that considered, he said there’s no anxiety about returning to the stage in 2019.

Murphy said his new stand-up will be greatly influenced by his life as a father of 10 and his current life experiences. “I now have a whole lifetime of experiences to draw upon,” Murphy said. “There was a time when I was at the center of everything, what I was doing, and how funny I was and how popular…I’m not at the center. Now my kids are and everything revolves around them.”