Happy 52nd, Eddie!

Eddie Murphy hits the big five-two today.

In the early '80s, the then-shit-hot Murphy could do no wrong: he ruled Saturday Night Live (playing Gumby, Buckwheat, Mr. Robinson, James Brown and Stevie Wonder, among others), he starred in a few decent films (48 Hrs., Trading Places, Beverly Hills Cop), and he recorded the novelty classic "Boogie in Your Butt" (above). Pretty much everything since then sucked... What happened?

What made the biggest impression on me by far was his 1983 standup special Delirious. I first saw it at the relatively tender age of 14, after school one day at the home of a pal who taped it off HBO. I'd never heard anything so incredibly filthy in my young life, and despite its grossly homophobic moments, I'd never heard anything so incredibly hilarious either. I don't think I'd even seen a full standup performance before, and though I was too young (and sheltered) to get many of the 22-year-old's jokes, Delirious thoroughly blew my mind.

Watch the whole thing here...



Goonie goo goo.
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