Cannonball with Wesley Morris: “I Love This Eddie Murphy Interview”

Date: November 27, 2025
Host: Wesley Morris (featuring David Marchese’s interview with Eddie Murphy)
Podcast: The New York Times

Episode Overview

This week, Cannonball host Wesley Morris shares a special episode cross-posted from The New York Times podcast The Interview, featuring a revealing and unexpectedly personal conversation with Eddie Murphy, conducted by David Marchese. The discussion coincides with the new Netflix documentary Being Eddie Murphy and the release of Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F, inviting listeners to explore Murphy’s cultural impact, creative process, and perspectives on stardom, comedy, and the realities of fame—particularly as a groundbreaking Black entertainer.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Eddie Murphy’s Meteoric Rise and His Perspective on Fame

• Taking Success for Granted (06:36–07:44):
  Murphy recounts the early days of his career, reflecting on his youth and the speed of his success, admitting that at the time he simply "went with it" and thought his meteoric rise was normal.

  • Quote:

    “Now I look back on those times and I trip about how young I was. But back then, I kind of took it for granted.”
    — Eddie Murphy (06:36)

• Manifesting Fame (07:44–08:42):
  Murphy claims he prophesied his own fame from his early teens, describing dinner at Marlon Brando's house post-48 Hours, which seemed remarkable only in hindsight.

2. Encounter with Hollywood Legends

• Stories about Marlon Brando (08:42–09:53):
  Murphy shares anecdotes of dining with Brando, noting Brando's indifference to The Godfather and dismissiveness of Clint Eastwood ("that kid with the gun").

  • Memorable moment: Murphy describes Brando waiting in the car for him due to a time mix-up.

• Becoming the Veteran (10:03–10:30):
  Now at Brando’s age from those meetings, Murphy jokes he’s too out of touch with new stars to feel compelled to “check out the next generation.”

3. Comedian, Artist, and Sensitivity

• Rejecting the “Comic” Label (10:45–12:24):
  Despite public perception, Murphy emphasizes he no longer sees himself as only a comedian, but a multifaceted artist:

  “That’s one aspect of who I am, that I’m a comedian, but I see myself as an artist. I’m a super sensitive artist, and I can dabble…I do a bunch of stuff. I don’t just go, ‘Oh, I’m a comedian.’ Comedian is one part of it.”
  — Eddie Murphy (10:58)

• On Energy and Award Shows (11:34–12:24):
  Murphy describes his heightened sensitivity, especially to “horrible energy” at celebrity events.

4. Stand-Up and Leaving the Stage

• No Desire to Return (12:44–14:09):
  Murphy likens being asked about returning to standup to asking a military general to go back to “the front lines," indicating contentment with his creative evolution and no interest in returning, especially post-pandemic.

5. Dream Projects and Creative Self-Doubt

• “Soul, Soul, Soul”—The Elusive Film (14:19–18:21; 52:06–53:50):
  Murphy describes (and plays) a mock trailer for his fake documentary about a forgotten soul legend, a project he loves but has hesitated to make due to fears of self-indulgence and limited audience appeal.
  • Sample dialogue from trailer:

    “I coined the phrase ‘I have a dream’ before Martin Luther King.”
    — Eddie Murphy as “Mary Murray” (16:55)

6. Daily Life & Finding Joy

• Favorite Ways to Spend Time (18:21–20:22):
  Despite his stardom, Murphy cherishes “doing nothing”—playing guitar at home, listening for his kids, or indulging in “unhip” TV like Family Feud and The Masked Singer:

  “I like a day where there’s nothing…and my kids, I can hear… where they at. It’s just quiet and I sit around and play guitar. The ideal day for me is nothing.”
  — Eddie Murphy (18:27)

7. On Laughter, Audience, and Neediness

• Not a “Needy” Comic (21:59–23:50):
  Murphy explains he never sought audience validation—he always had approval, never “bombed,” and doesn’t chase laughter:

  “The audience? I never even take the audience into consideration. I’m like, this is what I’m doing…If the audience likes it, great. If they don’t like it…everything isn’t for everybody.”
  — Eddie Murphy (21:59)

8. Lessons from Fame and the Cautionary Tales

• Navigating Hollywood as a Black Superstar (31:39–34:40):
  Murphy details the unique perils for young Black artists in a system not built for them, and how icons like Michael Jackson, Prince, and Elvis serve as "cautionary tales." He credits "providence" (or luck) for avoiding pitfalls:

  “When you get famous, really young, especially a black artist, I liken it to… living in a minefield at any moment you can step on a mine. At any moment, something could happen that can undo everything… Now [at] this age I can look back and be like, wow, I came through a minefield for 35 years in it.”
  — Eddie Murphy (33:02)

9. Artistic Process, Challenge, and Self-Assessment

• Gravitating Toward What Works (36:56–39:08):
  Murphy admits he seeks projects that play to his strengths and guarantee laughs, rather than those he finds “challenging."

  “I don’t gravitate towards things that I think would be challenging… I want to do something that I know works and something that I know I could be funny doing.”
  — Eddie Murphy (37:34)

• Flops and “Corny” Movies (39:08–40:02):
  Murphy humorously recalls his son’s blunt post-screening review of Pluto Nash: "Corny" (39:09).

10. The Return of Axel Foley and Genre Legacy

• Making Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F (40:02–41:42):
  The long road to reviving Axel Foley required Jerry Bruckheimer’s touch and a return to the franchise’s core emotional engine.
  • On the influence of Beverly Hills Cop:

    “Before Beverly Hills Cop, Cops were really serious…there was no comedy with the cops. Beverly Hills Cop kind of pioneered that.”
    — Eddie Murphy (41:11)

11. Dealing with Criticism and “Cheap Shots”

• Press Hostility and Racism (46:09–48:10):
  Murphy describes how being a trailblazer in Hollywood drew relentless, sometimes racist media attacks, and unfair critiques even from Black media:

  “Back in the old days, they used to be relentless on me. And a lot of it was racist stuff. You know, it was a whole different…world.”
  — Eddie Murphy (47:04)

• Saturday Night Live and David Spade Incident (49:05–50:18):
  He recounts the “falling star” joke made on SNL after a flop film, which personally stung due to his pivotal role in the show’s survival—“it hurt my feelings like that” (49:05).

12. Philosophy on the Audience and Artistic Bet

• "The Audience Doesn’t Know What’s Funny" (51:10–52:01):
  Murphy insists his instincts are the best guide, not focus groups or trends.

  “The audience has no clue what’s funny. You gotta show them what’s funny. They don’t know. And if something is funny to me…I’ve never had…that made me laugh that…audience just sat there and looked at me.”
  — Eddie Murphy (51:25)

13. Curiosity, News, and the Importance of Presence

• Avoiding Information Overload (54:26–55:07):
  Murphy says he’ll binge on news occasionally, but avoids constant consumption for his own sanity:

  “If you watch that shit every day, you go fucking crazy…You can’t be in the present moment. I’m trying to be right here all the time. This moment, this is the only moment that’s real.”
  — Eddie Murphy (54:26)

14. Odd Tales: Government Bugs and Kevin Hart Dinners

• On finding a bug in his bedroom (57:20–57:53):
  Murphy recounts finding a microphone in his bedroom in the 1980s, with his typical comedic spin:

  “In the 80s, all they heard in my room was serious fucking going there. That’s all they heard in my room. They would listen to the bug saying, God damn, you be doing some serious fucking.”
  — Eddie Murphy (57:33)

• Dinner with Comedy Royalty (58:08–59:46):
  When Kevin Hart and others expressed awe at Murphy's trailblazing, Murphy humbly minimizes his role:

  “I didn’t lay down a path. They took their own path. What happened with me was…the comic can be the main attraction.”
  — Eddie Murphy (59:11)

15. Success, Blessings, and Legacy

• Blessed from the Beginning (60:34–61:26):
  Murphy maintains he always viewed his career as a blessing—crediting laughter and its power above all:

  “To make people laugh—that’s more than anything…All the good things that came in my life…came from making somebody laugh, that’s a beautiful feeling, man.”
  — Eddie Murphy (61:17)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments (with Timestamps)

• “When stuff worked and became hit movies, I was like, okay, yeah, that’s what it’s supposed to be, right? I realize now, I was like, wow, that was a trip.”
  — Eddie Murphy (06:36)

• “Comedian is one part of it…I see myself as a super sensitive artist.”
  — Eddie Murphy (10:58)

• “That’s why I hate going to award shows. The most horrible energy in the world is a room full of famous people…”
  — Eddie Murphy (11:38)

• “You ever think about going back to the front line, have bullets whiz past your ear again?…It’s much easier just doing this.”
  — Eddie Murphy on stand-up (13:24)

• “I coined the phrase ‘I have a dream’ before Martin Luther King.”
  — Eddie Murphy as Mary Murray in Soul, Soul, Soul (16:55)

• "Corny."
  — Eddie Murphy’s son Miles’ review of Pluto Nash (39:09)

• “Before Beverly Hills Cop…there was no comedy with the cops. Beverly Hills Cop kind of pioneered that.”
  — Eddie Murphy (41:11)

• “Back in the old days, they used to be relentless on me. And a lot of it was racist stuff.”
  — Eddie Murphy (47:04)

• “The audience has no clue what’s funny. You gotta show them what’s funny. They don’t know.”
  — Eddie Murphy (51:25)

• “If you watch [the news] every day, you go fucking crazy.…I’m trying to be right here all the time. This moment, this is the only moment that’s real.”
  — Eddie Murphy (54:26)

• “I always felt like it was a blessing. There’s no higher blessing. It would make people laugh.”
  — Eddie Murphy (61:17)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• 06:36 – Murphy on his youthful ascent and taking early success for granted
• 08:42 – Stories of meeting Marlon Brando
• 10:45 – Murphy rejects the "just a comedian" label
• 12:44 – Stand-up: why Murphy has no desire to return
• 14:19–18:21, 52:06–53:50 – “Soul, Soul, Soul”: dream project and creative hesitation
• 18:21 – Everyday life, homebody confessions, and TV habits
• 21:59 – Relationship to audience and not being needy for laughs
• 31:39 – On the dangers of being a young Black artist in Hollywood
• 39:09 – Candid feedback from his son on "Pluto Nash"
• 40:02 – The making and legacy of Beverly Hills Cop
• 47:04 – Experiences with racist media and “cheap shots”
• 49:05 – SNL/David Spade incident
• 51:10 – Philosophy on the audience and comedy instincts
• 54:26 – Managing (dis)engagement from news and online content
• 57:20 – Bedroom bug story
• 58:08 – Dinner with Hart, Chappelle, Rock, and others
• 60:34 – Recognizing his career as a lifelong blessing

Conclusion

This episode captures Eddie Murphy at his most reflective, weaving together sharp humor, industry insights, and surprising vulnerability. From his pioneering influence in stand-up and film to his ongoing struggle with creative self-doubt and his enduring sense of gratitude for making people laugh, Murphy emerges as both an icon and a deeply human artist reckoning with legacy, family, and the nature of his gifts.

(For full episodes and more, visit nytimes.com/theinterview)