Trashed part 2

As long as we're on this subject (see "Almost Famous," below), here's another story I'll never forget.

The Post sent me to Madison Square Garden to review Eddie Murphy. He didn't want to be reviewed. And that was fine with me, because it was my room-mate's birthday, and he was one of those people who took birthday parties seriously.

But the Post insisted, and a ticket was reserved for me. When I showed up the night of the show, I went to the gate and was told, "Eddie doesn't want to let you in."

"I have a ticket!" I insisted.

"Sorry. You don't."

So, what's a comedy reviewer to do? I went back onto the street and bought another ticket, from a scalper.

It was a crappy seat. I was in the boondocks somewhere, sitting next to a young married couple. We chit-chatted -- they were very friendly and in the mood for a fun show.

Eddie eventually came out onstage, did some sort of opening and said, "I know that guy from the Post got in here. And if you don't like show, you can [blank] my [blank]."

Uh, no thanks.

The entire Garden laughed and applauded, including the people sitting next to me, which then struck me as funny since they didn't know -- until I took out my notepad -- that I was the "guy" in question.

I think I gave the show a pretty good review. Murphy was never a favorite of mine onstage, although I've liked a lot of his other stuff. (And he think he got robbed for "Dreamgirls." The first thing I told people after attending a screening of that movie was, "Murphy is getting an Oscar nomination.")

When I was doing this in the 80s, I had the ability to really help out new comics. Murphy, meanwhile, was so big, nothing I could have said or done would have made any difference to his career, but I was given the assignment and certainly didn't mind getting the $125 for doing it.

Although I was never crazy about being heckled while I did it.

Comments

[lwt]

man bites dog?
i would have thanked eddie murphy for my '15 minutes of fame'
i learn early on, if you can find a way to thank someone when they expect you to get angry with them, it unnerves them completely.
this does not work with bringing up children.
good morning terri and tom.

[John]

was this Eddie Murphy "Raw" his comedy special.