THE BACK ROW: The Mystery of Eddie Murphy's Downfall
Remember when Eddie Murphy used to be funny? It seems like eons ago, but for most of the ‘80s and early ‘90s, the guy stood atop the comedy world, producing certified classics like Trading Places and Coming to America and presiding over two blockbuster franchises, 48 Hours and Beverly Hills Cop. His raucous concert films from the era, 1983’s Delirious and 1987’s Raw, are the stuff of legend.
But beginning in the late ‘90s, the laughs became increasingly scarce for Murphy. Finally, shortly after midnight on July 11th of last year, they disappeared entirely when the opening credits of Meet Dave first unspooled in theaters. How could such a prodigiously talented performer fall so far?
On the eve of the release of Murphy’s latest film, the family comedy Imagine That (which, in all fairness, could very well be brilliant – I haven’t seen it), let’s examine some potential theories behind the legendary funnyman’s suspiciously precipitous decline:
Cult Abduction
In Steve Martin’s 1999 comedy Bowfinger, Murphy played an A-list actor under the spell of the new-age charlatans at Mind Head, a not-so-subtle reference to the controversial “church” of Scientology. Scientologists are a famously touchy lot and don’t take kindly to public ridicule. Did a group of chastened L. Ron Hubbard fanatics kidnap Murphy and reprogram him to churn out contrived, unfunny schlock?
He Got Shrek’d
Murphy starred with Mike Myers in the 2001 animated hit Shrek, lending his voice to the titular character’s wacky sidekick, Donkey. It’s possible that during long hours of working in close proximity with Myers, he may have contracted the same talent-sapping virus that gradually robbed the Austin Powers star of his once-potent comedic powers.
The K-Pax Effect
Once they reach superstar status, many talented actors become victims of their own success. Awash in opportunities, they fall prey to the siren’s call of lucrative tentpole flicks and Oscar-baiting vanity projects and stray from the kind of roles that made their initial success possible. Examples include Kevin Spacey (K-Pax, Pay It Forward), Halle Berry (Gothika, Catwoman), Hilary Swank (The Reaping, P.S. I Love You) and Nicolas Cage (Too many titles to mention). Murphy, who drew a loyal following with his expletive-laden, politically incorrect stand-up act, has not made an R-rated comedy since 1999's Life.
The Curse of the Fat Suit
Some argue that Murphy sold his comedic soul by donning a fat suit and going for easy laughs in his 1996 remake of The Nutty Professor, but I disagree. It wasn’t until he wore it again for the 2000 sequel Nutty Professor II: The Klumps that the actual pact with Satan was sealed.
The Trannie Did It
No, I’m not referring to Murphy’s former girlfriend, Melanie “Scary Spice” Brown, but rather his May 1997 arrest for allegedly picking up a transsexual prostitute in West Hollywood. Did a newly image-conscious Murphy feel compelled to make tepid, family-friendly flicks like Daddy Day Care and Dr. Dolittle as a result? Since the arrest, Bowfinger is the only live-action comedy he’s made that hasn’t been trounced by critics.
Old Age
The most plausible theory is that Murphy, now 48, has simply suffered the same fate that befell other once-funny SNL alums like Chevy Chase, Dan Aykroyd and Billy Crystal (though there is still some debate as to whether Crystal was ever funny in the first place). But veterans Bill Murray, Steve Martin and Chris Rock have thus far managed to avoid the same downward spiral. Nor does the problem appear to be hereditary: Eddie’s older brother Charlie is still funny, as his work on Chappelle’s Show will attest.
So what do you think? Did Murphy's comedic skills simply evaporate or were there other, more insidious forces at work?
Imagine That opens this Friday.
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