MovieChat Forums > Richard Pryor: Live in Concert (1979) Discussion > Here, Pryor demonstrates how Eddie Murph...

Here, Pryor demonstrates how Eddie Murphy is an imitator at best

posted 12 years ago by dkgambler
3 replies | jump to latest

I've heard lots of people say with a straight face that Eddie Murphy's Raw was great, he's the new Pryor, etc. Nonsense. I will concede Raw had a few funny parts, most notably the Kramden/Norton "eff in the a bit", but for the most part Murphy saw Pryor and decided that profanity was funny in and of itself. Uhh, it's not. Profanity, which I wholeheartedly support and use in my daily life, is complimentary to the comedy. Pryor got it. George Carlin got it. Murphy didn't get it. Pryor cusses up a storm here but it's just icing on the cake of great social commentary. Carlin, again, same thing.

If you're a fan of Raw and haven't seen this, watch it and learn.

[–] koffeenkreame41-1 12 years ago

Murphy has said many times that he was a HUGE fan of Pryor & Redd Foxx, which was why Eddie Murphy did Harlem Nights with both legends. Pryor said his biggest idol & inspiration was Bill Cosby and he loved being in a movie with him. Both Cosby & Pryor were in Uptown Saturday Night.

"I am the ultimate badass, you do not wanna `*beep*` wit' me!" Hudson in Aliens.

[–] prettyD2368 12 years ago

The Eddie Murphy special your talking abut is Delirious not Raw. And yes Eddie imitates Pryor but hell most comics imitate. Chris Rock admits copying some material from Eddie Murphy early on in his career and Bill Hicks and Sam Kinison during his prime in the mid to late 90s. Pryor early in his career was basically a "Bill Cosby impersonator". He did get his own style but was still largely influenced by Lenny Bruce and Redd Foxx, who I feel are the two of most original comics of all time. I feel that way because their was no one like those two before they did their material.

[–] 12 years ago

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