Why did Eddie Murphy stop being funny?

[flvegan]

Beverly Hills Cop is on, and even for 20+ years old, it's pretty doggone funny. He was, IMO, consistently funny, too. Harlem Nights, Coming to America, Distinguished Gentleman...then, suckage.

Ok, his Shrek character is pretty funny.

[fishwax]

1. it's been years since he did anything funny that wasn't animated

Bowfinger was 1999, and that still makes me laugh :rofl:

he has certainly made more than his share of bad movies ...

[Starbucks Anarchist]

2. He's depressed because Umfufu took half his shit.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ts4sEBb2K3s&feature=related

[ScreamingMeemie]

3. I liked his standup, but not his movies.

[Flaxbee]

4. I was wondering that, too -- saw the rerun of BHCop last weekend

and it was indeed pretty funny (not as funny as I remember, or perhaps times have just changed or I have). But he really has gone way, waaaayyyy downhill the past decade or so. The first Dr. Doolittle he did was relatively sweet and had some laughs, but he seems to have lost the ability to edit. No more Trading Places, that's for sure. Or maybe he just doesn't give a shit anymore and is in it for the paycheck.

Robin Williams isn't funny to me anymore, either. Perhaps it is just because now all I see is someone who is a major attention hog who can't shut the hell up and is continually grandstanding. If he was that way 20 years ago, I didn't see it.

[Prisoner_Number_Six]

5. He became WAY too full of himself.

The only role he ever played was that of Eddie Murphy pretending to act. That's okay for a comedian, but it's pure death for a serious actor.

[Amerigo Vespucci]

8. That was my first choice

He basically accomplished what he set out to do...carve a reputation in stand-up as "The New Richard Pryor," and then...also like Pryor...break into movies. Once that happened, he had trucks pulling up to his front door and dumping money, and an unlimited supply of people kissing his ass and telling him how wonderful he was.

Some people transcend that, others don't. He kept getting paid and kept showing up for movies...just like Elvis did when he was pissing his own life away and squandering his talent.

[jobycom]

6. Who can tell if he's funny. He takes the crappiest scripts.

Ever since he tried to "clean up" his act, he's gotten garbage scripts that even Robin Williams couldn't save. Comes with being older and less in-demand, so the cool scripts go to someone more trendy, and willing to be more raunchy.

Maybe. It's a theory. He was hilarious in Mulan, and even managed to pull off the annoying and hate-inspiring Donkey in Shrek, so he's got some skills. So I'm not sure it's his talent that's gone.

[PassingFair]

7. He is a misogynist asshole.

He let it show, and he stopped being well regarded.

[Crazy Dave]

9. The first Nutty Professor was funny

But after that one I haven't been impressed with his comedy either. At least we all still know who he is though :thumbsup:

[Orsino]

10. He got rich.

Funny is work. The rich don't work.

[leeroysphitz]

11. For the same reason Billy Joel doesn't make good music anymore.

I guess that not even geniuses are immune to the bell curve. Everyone has their peak.