>> Stephen: MY FIRST GUEST TONIGHT IS A GIANT, A
LEGEND AND A LEGENDARY GIANT.
PLEASE WELCOME EDDIE MURPHY!
♪ ♪ ♪
( CHEERS AND APPLAUSE )
( APPLAUSE ) ( CHEERS AND APPLAUSE )
>> THANK YOU.
>> Stephen: THANKS FOR BEING ON.
NICE TO SEE YOU.
>> THAT'S A NICE, WARM, NEW YORK WELCOME.
>> Stephen: IT IS.
( APPLAUSE )
THE ED SULLIVAN THEATER.
I KNOW YOU HAVEN'T BEEN HERE IN ABOUT EIGHT YEARS.
>> AND IT'S STILL FREEZING HERE.
>> Stephen: COMEDY WEATHER.
COMEDY WEATHER.
>> SO COLD.
>> Stephen: WHAT WAS THE FIRST TALK SHOW YOU WERE ON BACK IN
THE DAY, WHEN YOU FIRST SORT OF HIT?
>> THE FIRST REAL, REAL TALK SHOW?
>> Stephen: LIKE A LATE-NIGHT TALK SHOW.
YOU WERE ON JOHNNY, I ASSUME.
>> "THE TONIGHT SHOW."
>> Stephen: WHAT WAS IT LIKE GOING ON THAT SHOW?
HOW OLD WERE YOU AT THE TIME?
>> I WAS 20.
>> Stephen: WOW!
>> YEAH.
( LAUGHTER )
YOUNG.
>> I WAS REALLY YOUNG.
BACK THEN, THAT WAS THE ULTIMATE TO GET ON "THE TONIGHT SHOW.
GLVMENT SURE.
>> YEAH, THAT WAS A GREAT MOMENT.
>> Stephen: YEAH.
HOW DID THEY MAKE YOU PREPARE?
WAS IT LIKE YOU HAVE TO HAVE THREE STORIES AND THEY WOULD BE
LOOKING OVER YOU LIKE HAWKS.
>> THEY JUST SAID, "DON'T WEAR ANYTHING WHITE."
BACK THEN YOU COULDN'T WEAR A WHITE SIEWPT BECAUSE IT WOULD DO
A WEIRD THING TO THE CAMERA, SOME KIND OF EFFECT, SO YOU
COULDN'T WEAR ANYTHING WHITE.
THAT'S WHAT THEY SAID.
>> Stephen: DO YOU REMEMBER WHAT YOU WORE?
>> I HAD A BLUE SUIT ON WITH A TIE AND WHITE SHIRT.
I WAS KIND OF-- ALMOST WHAT YOU HAVE ON.
( LAUGHTER )
YOUR FIRST APPEARANCE ON CARSON.
WE LOOKED IT UP.
( LAUGHTER )
WERE SAYING, 20 YEARS OLD, WHEN YOU HIT SUPER STARDOM.
19 WHEN YOU WERE HIRED FOR "S.N.L."
>> AUDITIONED AT 18.
>> Stephen: AND GOT THERE AT 19.
I THINK THEY'RE RETROACTIVELY REALLY HAPPY FOR YOUNG YOU TO
HAVE GOTTEN THAT GIG.
DID IT FREAK YOU OUT AT ALL BECAUSE THAT'S REALLY YOUNG?
YOU EXPLODED RIGHT AWAY.
YOU WERE THE BREAKOUT STAR, YOU AND PISCOPO IN THE CAST FROM
80-85?
>> NO, I WAS ONLY ON TWO AND A HALF, THREE YEARS.
>> Stephen: 80 TO 83.
DID THAT OVERWHELM YOU IN ANY WAY?
YOU BECAME ENORMOUS RIGHT AWAY?
>> I WAS YOUNG AND YOU KNOW WHEN YOU'RE YOUNG YOU TAKE EVERYTHING
FOR GRANTED.
NOW WHEN I LOOK BACK ON IT, I WAS LIKE WOW.
BACK THEN I WAS LIKE, YEAH, IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE LIKE THIS, RIGHT?
I THOUGHT THAT'S HOW IT WAS.
>> Stephen: HOW LONG HAD YOU ALREADY BEEN GIGGING BEFORE YOU
DID THAT?
>> I STARTED WHEN I WAS 15.
>> Stephen: AND WHAT WERE THOSE CLUBS LIKE?
AT 15 WERE THEY SERVING LIQUOR IN THERE.
>> BAR S.
>> Stephen: DID YOU HAVE TO LIE ABOUT YOUR AGE SO THEY WOULD
LET YOU PERFORM?
>> YEAH, I WOULD SAY I WAS 18, TAKE MY MOTHER'S LITTLE MASCARA
THING, GIVE ME A LITTLE MUSTACHE.
>> Stephen: BRUSH IT IN.
>> AND I HAD MY SUNGLASSES ON, AND I SAID I WAS 18.
>> Stephen: BECAUSE OLDER PEOPLE WEAR SUNGLASS AT NIGHT?
>> THAT'S JUST THE WAY I WAS THINKING.
I WAS REALLY YOUNG.
LAW LAUGH.
>> Stephen: FROM YOUR VANTAGE POINT NOW IF YOU COULD GO BACK
AND TALK TO THAT 18-, 19-YEAR-OLD WHAT, ADVICE WOULD
YOU GIVE HIM?
>> THAT'S SO MUCH STUFF.
THAT PERSON BACK THEN WOULDN'T HAVE LISTENED TO ANYTHING I HAD
TO SAY.
>> Stephen: THAT'S ACTUALLY-- THAT'S PROBABLY TRUE.
>> HE DID NOT LISTEN TO ADVICE.
>> Stephen: THAT'S PROBABLY TRUE.
I HAVE A FRIEND, AN OLD PRIEST, A FRIEND OF MY FATHER'S, AND I
SAID, "HARRY, I WISH I COULD TALK TO MY DAD," BECAUSE I WAS
IN MY 20s, "GET SOME ADVICE SM.
AND HE SAID, WELL, IF IT MAKES YOU FEEL ANY BETTER, YOU
PROBABLY WOULDN'T LISTEN.
>> YEAH.
>> Stephen: WHAT WOULD YOU TELL HIM THAT YOU WOULDN'T
LISTEN TO?
YOU SEE YOU TRY TO AVOID THE QUESTION AND I JUST--
>> I DON'T DO A LOT OF -- >> Stephen: I'M DOING MY JOB
NOW.
>> I DON'T GIVE A LOT OF ADVICE.
EVERYBODY HAS A DIFFERENT PATH TO, YOU KNOW, TAKE.
SO I DON'T GIVE A LOT OF ADVICE.
TO THE YOUNG COMICS I WON'T BE GIVING ADVICE.
>> Stephen: HOW ABOUT OLD COMICS?
WOULD YOU GIVE OLD COMICS ADVICE?
>> JUST KEEP DOING WHAT YOU'RE DOING, STEPHEN.
>> Stephen: "YOU'RE A NATURAL KID."
>> NEWER A NATURAL BEST.
>> Stephen: HERE IS SOMEBODY WHO DID NOT HIT RIGHT AWAY, DID
NOT EXPLODE AT 19, RUDY RAY MOORE WHO YOU PLAY IN YOUR NEW
MOVIE "DOLEMITE IS MY NAME."
DID NOT GET FAMOUS UNTIL HE GOT OLDER.
I KNOW WHO RUDY RAY MOORE IS.
>> YOU DO?
>> I DO.
>> THAT'S GOOD.
>> Stephen: IT'S A LITTLE BIT COMPLICATED WHO HE SWHO DOLE
MIGHT IS AND WHAT HE DID WITH THE MOVIE.
EXPLAIN TO THE PEOPLE WHO RUDY RAY MOORE WAS.
>> RUDY RAY MOORE WAS THIS UNDERGROUND COMEDIAN BACK IN THE
70s AND HE DID A REALLY, REALLY, REALLY X-RATED ADULT
HUMOR.
AND HE-- LIKE I SAID HE WAS UNDERGROUND AND HE DEVELOPED
THIS CULT FOLLOWING OF PEOPLE.
AND HE MADE THESE MOVIES.
HE FINANCED HIS MOVIES HIMSELF, AND HE DID THESE COMEDY RECORDS
AND FINANCED HIMSELF.
IT WAS LIKE HE COULDN'T GET IN-- IN THE 70s THERE WAS A LITTLE
PERIOD CALLED THE BLACK EXPLOREITATION AREA WHERE HE WAS
DOING DIFFERENT TIMES OF MOVIES.
AND HE COULDN'T GET IN WITH THEM.
THEY WERE LIKE, "WE DON'T WANT TO WORK WITH YOU."
AND HE HAD TO GO BACKDOOR AND GET HIS OWN STUFF MADE.
AND HE BECAME LIKE A LITTLE HERO OF MY.
HE WAS LIKE THIS GUERRILLA FILMMAKER FROM THE 70s.
>> Stephen: THIS IS A FAMOUS ALBUM COVER OF HIS.
I'M GOING TO SHOW THIS TO THE AUDIENCE--
>> YEAH, YOU CAN'T SHOW THAT ON TV.
( LAUGHTER ).
>> Stephen: THERE IS, LITERALLY, WE HAVE BEEN TOLD
THAT EVERY SINGLE BIT OF THIS IS GOING TO HAVE TO BE BLURRED.
LIKE, THE ENTIRE ALBUM HAS TO BE BLURRED.
>> YOU KNOW IT, BUT HE'S NOT -- >> Stephen: THAT'S WHAT I
SAID.
>> YEAH.
>> Stephen: LET'S SHOW THEM WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.
THIS IS WHAT-- THIS WAS HIS ALBUM.
( LAUGHTER )
ANYTHING OVER HERE, AND YOU CAN'T REALLY SEE ANYTHING OVER
HERE.
>> YOU KNOW WHAT?
THAT'S THE TAME ALBUM COVER.
HE HAS SOME ALBUM COVERS THAT WOULD MAKE ME BLUSH.
( LAUGHTER )
TO MAKE ME BLUSH.
>> Stephen: DID YOU EVER MEET HIM?
>> YEAH, I MET HIM A FEW TIMES.
I APPROACHED HIM.
I WENT UP TO HIM-- I SAW HIM AT-- I WENT TO SEE HIM A COUPLE
OF DIFFERENT TIMES.
I SAW HIM ON A PLACE ON VENTURA BOULEVARD WHERE I HAD AN IDEA TO
MAKE A MOVIE 15, 16 YEARS AGO, AND HE HAD NO INTEREST MAKING A
MOVIE.
"LET'S GO ON TOUR TOGETHER."
HE WANTED TO TOUR.
>> Stephen: WHY DID YOU WANT TO MAKE THIS FILM?
WHY DO YOU THINK PEOPLE-- WHAT DID YOU WANT TO TELL PEOPLE
ABOUT THIS GUY?
>> WELL, LIKE I SAID, HE'S AN INSPIRATION.
FIRST AND FOREMOST, HE'S VERY, VERY FUNNY.
HIS MOVIES STARTED OFF, LIKE-- IF YOU WATCH A RUDY RAY MOORE
MOVIE.
THEY STARTED OFF-- KIND OF STONER PICTURES.
THEY WERE THE KIND OF MOVIES PEOPLE WOULD SMOKE, AND THEN
THEY WOULD, "LIKE, LOOK, AND SAY, "HEY, LOOK WHAT HE JUST
SAID."
OR HE'D THROW A PUNCH AND MISS BY A LOT IN THE PUNCH, OR THE
MICROPHONE, AND YOU COULD SEE THE MICROPHONE COME IN THE SHOT.
SO IT WAS STUFF LIKE THAT.
AND THAT'S WHAT MADE EVERYBODY START WATCHING HIM INITIALLY.
THEN I STARTED DOING COMEDY MYSELF.
>> AND STARTED SEEING HIM A WHOLE DIFFERENT WAY.
THEN WHEN I GOT INTO MOVIES, IT WAS LIKE-- THEN I FOUND OUT HOW
HE MADE HIS MOVIES, HE BECAME AN INSPIRATIONAL FIGURE TO ME.
LIKE I SAID, HE'S A GUERRILLA FILMMAKER.
>> Stephen: WE HAVE A CLIP RIGHT HERE.
YOU CAN EXPLAIN WHAT'S GOING ON IN THIS CLIP?
IT'S AND YOU KEEGAN-MICHAEL KEY.
WHO I THINK IS THE WRITER OF THE MOVIE?
>> YES.
IN THE MOVIE.
>> Stephen: IN THE MOVIE HE'S THE WRITER OF DOLEMITE'S MOVIE.
>> WE'RE SEEING WHERE RIGHT NOW, I CAN CHOP ME.
>> Stephen: OKAY.
( LAUGHTER )
JIM.
>> WE WANT THIS THING TO BE RAW, TELL IT LIKE IT IS ON THE
STREETS.
LOTS OF PIMPS AND CUSSING AND KUNG FU, KARATE.
BROTHERS LOVE ALL THE KUNG FU AND KARATE.
>> YOU KNOW KARATE?
>> NO, BUT I CAN LEARN.
YOU KNOW WHAT WE SHOULD HAVE?
A ALL-GIRL KUNG FU ARMY.
>> YOU KNOW, THERE'S PLENTY OF STORY OPPORTUNITY, RUDY.
ACROSS THIS NATION, INNER CITIES ARE BEING PLAGUED BY VIOLENT
CRIME.
I FEEL GOVERNMENT HASN'T STEPPED UP.
>> THAT'S IT, IT'S WHITEY'S FAULT.
THE MAYOR IS CORRUPT, AND THERE'S AN EXORICISM.
>> DAMN IT, AN EXORICISM.
>> I DON'T KNOW HOW THAT FITS INTO OUR URBAN MOTIF.
( LAUGHTER ) ( APPLAUSE )
>> Stephen: HE SEEMS LIKE A GOOD PRODUCER.
HE'S GOT HIS FING OARPT PULSE OF THE AUDIENCE THERE.
>> HE IS A DUDE THAT BELIEVED IN HIMSELF, YOU KNOW.
AND WHEN HE COULDN'T GET IN, HE WENT THE BACK DOOR, AND HE,
LIKE-- LIKE HE WENT AND GOT SOMEBODY TO WRITE IT, AND HE
WENT AND PAID OUT OF HIS OWN POCKET AND HE GOT IT MADE.
AND WE'RE MAKING A MOVIE ABOUT HIS LIFE NOW.
AND IT JUST-- HE'S A GUY-- HIS STORY IS INSPIRATIONAL.
BECAUSE HE DIDN'T HAVE ALL THE STUFF THAT-- USUALLY YOU'RE
DREAMING ABOUT SHOW BUSINESS YOU'VE GOT SOME SPECIAL TALENT
OR LOOK OR SOMETHING.
HE DIDN'T HAVE ANY OF THOSE THINGS.
HE'S THIS REGULAR-LOOKING GUY.
HIS COMEDY IS SUPER CRUDE.
HIS RECORDS ARE SUPER CRUDE.
IT'S LIKE, "YOU BELIEVE IN THIS?"
"YEAH, I BELIEVE IN THIS."
THAT'S WHAT HIS TALENT WAS.
THAT'S THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IS BELIEVING IN YOUR STUFF.
IF YOU BELIEVE IN IT, WHATEVER IT IS, THAT'S THE MOST IMPORTANT
INGREDIENT.
>> Stephen: MAYBE THAT'S THE ADVICE YOU COULD GIVE TO THE
19-YEAR-OLD SELF BECAUSE YOU JUST GAVE ADVICE TO EVERYBODY.
YOU JUST GAVE ADVICE.
>> THAT'S WHAT I WOULD SAY TO ME.
>> Stephen: WE HAVE TO TAKE A BREAK, BUT DON'T GO ANYWHERE,
WE'LL BE RIGHT BACK WITH MORE MR. EDDIE MURPHY, EVERYBODY.
STICK AROUND.