Watch Eddie Murphy tell his first public joke in 28 years — and rip Bill Cosby


On Sunday, the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., awarded comedian Eddie Murphy its 18th annual Mark Twain Prize for American Humor. On hand to honor Murphy, and entertain the audience with jokes, were an impressive roster of comics, including Arsenio Hall, Chris Rock, Joe Piscopo, Tracy Morgan, Trevor Noah, and George Lopez. The most remarkable jokes of the night, though, were from Murphy, who hadn't told a live joke on stage since 1987.
He had decided to break his long live joke spell on Saturday night, The Washington Post reports, in a hotel room with Hall and Rock, and in his roughly seven minutes onstage he poked fun at the prize itself — "It's an award, because usually when it's a prize there's money involved.... If you don't want to call it an award, maybe you can call it the Mark Twain Sur-prise. The 'surprise' is you don't get any money!" — and, more notably, Bill Cosby, the 2009 recipient of the prize.
He began by wondering aloud if Kennedy Center had asked for the prize back from Cosby, accused by dozens of women of drug-assisted sexual assault. "You know you've f—ed up when they want you to give your trophy back," Murphy said before suggesting Cosby just take to the stage and say crazy stuff and then slipping into the Bill Cosby impersonation he perfected in 1987's Raw, only then he was talking about Jello Pudding Pops. "You may have heard recently that I allegedly put the pill in the people's stomach," Murphy said, channeling Cosby. You can watch part of Murphy's Cosby bit, and some love from his fellow comedians, in the Associated Press clip below. Peter Weber
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Create an account with the same email registered to your subscription to unlock access.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.
-
Book reviews: ‘Red Scare: Blacklists, McCarthyism, and the Making of Modern America’ and ‘How to End a Story: Collected Diaries, 1978–1998’
Feature A political ‘witch hunt’ and Helen Garner’s journal entries
By The Week US Published
-
The backlash against ChatGPT's Studio Ghibli filter
The Explainer The studio's charming style has become part of a nebulous social media trend
By Theara Coleman, The Week US Published
-
Why are student loan borrowers falling behind on payments?
Today's Big Question Delinquencies surge as the Trump administration upends the program
By Joel Mathis, The Week US Published
-
New Mexico to investigate death of Gene Hackman, wife
speed read The Oscar-winning actor and his wife Betsy Arakawa were found dead in their home with no signs of foul play
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Giant schnauzer wins top prize at Westminster show
Speed Read Monty won best in show at the 149th Westminster Kennel Club dog show
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Beyoncé, Kendrick Lamar take top Grammys
Speed Read Beyoncé took home album of the year for 'Cowboy Carter' and Kendrick Lamar's diss track 'Not Like Us' won five awards
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
The Louvre is giving 'Mona Lisa' her own room
Speed Read The world's most-visited art museum is getting a major renovation
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Honda and Nissan in merger talks
Speed Read The companies are currently Japan's second and third-biggest automakers, respectively
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Taylor Swift wraps up record-shattering Eras tour
Speed Read The pop star finally ended her long-running tour in Vancouver, Canada
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Drake claims illegal boosting, defamation
Speed Read The rapper accused Universal Music of boosting Kendrick Lamar's diss track and said UMG allowed him to be falsely accused of pedophilia
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
'Wicked' and 'Gladiator II' ignite holiday box office
Speed Read The combination of the two movies revitalized a struggling box office
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published