Eddie Murphyhad a punchline about theWill SmithOscars slap.
Murphy, 61, was honored with theCecil B. DeMille Awardat the 80th annualGolden Globesceremony Tuesday night, and at the end of his speech, Murphy surprised the audience with a joke about last year’s Academy Awards and the moment when Smith hit Chris Rock onstage over a comment about Smith’s wife, Jada Pinkett Smith.
“I’ve been in show business for 46 years, and I’ve been in the movie business for 41 years, so this has been a long time in the making and greatly appreciated,” Murphy began his speech, thanking his partner Paige Butcher andhis 10 “amazing” children.
He added, “I’ve been doing this for a long time so I could literally stand up here and keep saying names until they play the piano, but I’m gonna wrap it up and just say something to all the new up-and-coming dreamers and artists that are in the room tonight. I wanna let you know that there is a definitive blueprint that you can follow to achieve success, prosperity, longevity and peace of mind.”
Eddie Murphy.Rich Polk/NBC via Getty
Murphy then shared that blueprint that he has followed his “whole career,” saying: “It’s very simple, just do these three things: Pay your taxes, mind your business — and keepWill Smith’s wife’s name out your f—ing mouth!”
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Atthe Oscarslast March, Rock, 57,made a joke aboutJada’s shaved head. (The actress, 51, has alopecia, and Will explained in a statement days later that the punchline was “too much for me to bear” and he “reacted emotionally.") Before he got onstage and hit Rock, Smith, 54, shouted from his front-row seat: “Keep my wife’s name out your f—ing mouth!”
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Eddie Murphy and Paige Butcher.
Smith apologized to Rock in avideo he released on his social mediain July. He furtheraddressed the moment onThe Daily Showin November. He also resigned from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and wasbanned from attending its ceremoniesfor the next 10 years.
In his July video, Smith said, “I’ve reached out to Chris and the message that came back is that he’s not ready to talk, and when he is he will reach out. So I will say to you, Chris, I apologize to you. My behavior was unacceptable, and I’m here whenever you’re ready to talk.”
He explained at the time that he is “trying to be remorseful without being ashamed of myself,” adding, “I’m human. I made a mistake and I’m trying not to think of myself as a piece of s—.”
Chris Rock; Will Smith.Getty (2)
The Hollywood Foreign Press Association — the nonprofit organization that votes for the Golden Globe Awards — announced thatMurphy would receive the Cecil B. DeMille Awardon Dec. 14. Tracy Morgan and Murphy’sTrading Placescostar Jamie Lee Curtis presented him with the award during the ceremony on Tuesday night.
“We’re honored to present this year’s Cecil B. DeMille Award to the iconic and highly esteemed Mr. Eddie Murphy,” HFPA President Helen Hoehne said in a press release. “We’re thrilled to be celebrating the lasting impact on film and television that his career — in front of and behind the camera — has had through the decades.”
source: people.com
