Back at the tail end of last year, Eddie Murphy was honoured for his genre-defining contributions to comedy with a Mark Twain Prize for American Humor.
While that nod was pretty spesh in its own right, Tracy Morgan also delivered a personal account during the ceremony, outlining Murphy’s support in the aftermath of Morgan’s horrific car accident.
At the time, Morgan said “when I first came out of my coma, I spoke to Eddie on the phone, and he was the first one to make me laugh – and that’s why I love you.
He’s the reason why I’m in comedy, he’s the reason why I have a job, he’s the reason why I have a career.”
It’s that emotional backdrop that makes the following nugget of pure joy so damn meaningful. In his latest appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live!, just the host’s mention of the 30 Rock icon was enough for Murphy to invoke his mate’s spirit:
And if that ain’t the most spot-on Morgan you’ve seen this side of Alec Baldwin, we don’t know what to tell you.
Somehow, Murphy’s appearance on the show continued to deliver the goods. Going back to the awards night, which saw Murphy emulate the, uh, less-respected comedy luminary Bill Cosby, Murphy said he “might” consider heading back to stand-up himself.
As it stands, the next time you’ll see the guy in any official capacity will probs be in the decidedly not-“haha”-funny Mr. Church, but goddamn. Even one appearance on a late-night talk show is enough to prove the bloke still has it.
Source and photo: Jimmy Kimmel Live! / YouTube.
