Samuel L. Jackson, Jamie Foxx and Adam Sandler were among the stars who turned out on Saturday (03Nov12) to pay tribute to Eddie Murphy during a Tv celebration of his career.
The Nutty Professor funnyman was the guest of honour at Spike Tv's Eddie Murphy: One Night Only special, which was kicked off by his Dreamgirls co-star Foxx.
He declared, "Not one comedian can tell you that they didn't look at Eddie Murphy and want to be like him."
Tracy Morgan then stepped out wearing Murphy's signature red leather suit from his 1983 special Delirious, before joking, "I'll tell you what Eddie's real legacy is - he made comedy sexy.
"Before Eddie, young men like me had to choose between being sexy and being funny. But when Eddie came out in his fine-a** leather suit in Delirious, that's when I realised, 'Eddie! I can be sexy and funny at the same time!' I don't have to choose anymore."
Sandler also referenced the stand-up Tv show, telling guests, "I'm here to talk about one of the most legendary comedy specials of all time, Eddie Murphy's Delirious. As I watched, I said to my father, 'I want to be that guy when I grow up.' My father said, 'You can't, you're not black.' My mother said to my father, 'As far as you know.'"
Jackson also showed off his funny side in his tribute, adding, "Eddie Murphy is the man that changed the course of American film history, and I don't exaggerate when I say that. He did it in 1987 when he gave me, Sam Jackson, my first big role in a major film (Eddie Murphy Raw), and thereby launched my career. If it weren't for Eddie, the world would not have all the wonderful films I have made."
Russell Brand, Chris Rock and Martin Lawrence also made appearances, but the highlight of the evening came when Stevie Wonder - who Murphy famously spoofed on U.S. comedy show Saturday Night Live - gave a surprise performance.
The star sang My Cherie Amour before Murphy joined him onstage to perform Higher Ground, leaving the crowd cheering and giving a standing ovation.
Opening up about the Tv honour, Murphy says, "When you get an honour like this, you feel like an old person. I am a very, very bitter man. I don't get touched easily, and I am really touched."
The show is set to air in the U.S. on 14 November (12).
Wildly energetic and so cool it hurts, this action movie has been put together in...
In remaking the 2011 French thriller Sleepless Night, the filmmakers have dumbed down both the...
Baby is a young man with a talent for driving and a love of music....
Vincent Downs and Derrick Griffin are two police detectives who don't play by the rules....
A solid cast bodes well for this unnecessary remake of the 1982 movie (based on...
Like The Hangover, Horrible Bosses was a movie no one really wanted to see a...
In a small New York orphanage, a group of children are united in their hatred...
In the wake of their struggle to murder their bosses in the first film, 'Horrible...
As with the too-early franchise reboot in 2012, this sequel struggles to balance the demands...
Annie is a young orphan living with her cruel foster mother Miss Hannigan at an...
After the snappy, clever 2011 original, this sequel feels rather lazy by comparison: it's still...
Peter Parker is facing a period of deep confusion in every aspect of his life....