Stand-Up Comedy: Richard Pryor and Eddie Murphy Essay Example

performances included race, social commentary, and an element of self-deprecating humor.

In addition, there was a great amount of shock value when it comes to the language he used and the stories he would tell, considering many of his acts took place in the 1970s. Regardless of how controversial his standup may have been, there is one particular reason why audiences responded so positively—everything he said was accurate. Several critics have stated that Pryor was able to reflect how many Black people think and live, which is why his material was so relatable for many of his fans (Carter 10). His punch lines and descriptions may have been shocking, but he was simply stating what many others were thinking.

One of the most popular clips from his standup shows is when Pryor is talking about Chinese people and what his experiences were like when he went to eat at a Chinese restaurant. He discusses how Chinese people tend to get angry when a customer does not eat all of their food, and how they suddenly become polite when they are trying to explain a bill that appears too high. Although the entire act is based on stereotypes, it is also observational as he is telling the audience about his own experiences and social encounters (Cooper 224).

The highlight of this part of the act, is when Pryor does one of his famous imitations—a Chinese waiter who stutters. Not only is this particular story original, but his outlandish imitation of the stuttering Chinese man is so visually hilarious, that it adds to the impact of his act. He also uses the same techniques of imitation when he is telling

the audience how kids try to tell lies.

During his impression, he is pretending to be a kid whose parent just asked them how they broke a lamp, to which he responds “Okay… Ima tell you, okay... You know that thing was already broke? Uh huh, that was broke before I was born”. This particular scene added dimension to his act, because it did not contain any controversial or adult themes or language; and it proves that Pryor’s material did not depend solely on shock value and inappropriate humor. The laughter and applause from the audience indicates that this scenario of a lying child is so accurate and applicable to everyday life, which is why Pryor’s observational approach to any topic was so successful.

Like Pryor, Eddie Murphy’s comedy touched on similar topics of race, and could be categorized as using observation, social commentary, and controversy within his acts. Based in the 1980s, Murphy’s standup continued the trend of black comedians breaking out from their previously censored and regulated roles in show business (Hughes 136). Controversy and contradiction played roles in both his comedy and his personal life; and Murphy chose to capitalize on his publicity and emphasize it within his acts, whether it was positive or negative.

The way in which he visually branded himself was much different from Pryor, as Murphy would wear much more flashy outfits on stage. In Raw, for example, he is wearing a purple leather suit with a jacket and an extremely tight pair of pants with chaps-like detailing. He categorized himself as more of a rock star of a comedian rather than Pryor’s more casual approach. Using an ample amount of profanity,

Murphy would discuss anything from gold-digging black women to what it was like growing up in a family with limited financial means (Beer 56).

He also focused on the differences between different ethnic groups, playing on stereotypes and discussing his opinion based on the general views of the African American population. When making fun of white people, for example, he would make fun of the way they dance in clubs, asking “White people, do y’all even hear the music? ” He also poked fun at Italians and made fun of how popular the movie Rocky was amongst the Italian community, discussing how the movie led them to believe that a white man could possibly beat a black man in a boxing ring. The accuracy of his different accents and impersonations also added to the hilarity of his acts.

One of the most well-known parts of Murphy’s Raw was his lengthy discussion about women who are gold-diggers. His intended message was that women marry men for money, and then they take half of his assets when they get divorced—especially when a man is rich and famous. While this is not a true statement that applies to all women, it is a part of society of which the audience was well aware. In order to avoid gold-diggers, Murphy said he would go find a tribal woman in Africa who has owns nothing, not even clothing, and marry her because she would have no concept of money.

He then acts out a scene between his African wife, “Umfufu”, and a Black American woman who tells her that she is entitled to half his money. His version of a native African accent

was particularly enjoyed by the audience. This is an example of Murphy’s use of social commentary, ethnicity, and stereotypes within his standup comedy acts. Like Pryor, Murphy also included a section within Raw that did not consist of profanity or adult themes—his story about his mother’s homemade hamburger. He told a story about how he wanted a McDonald’s hamburger, but his mother insisted that she could make a burger that was even better.

Her version, however, contained sliced bread, enormous chunks of green bell peppers, and ketchup that, when mixed with the grease from the burger, turned the bread pink. Murphy then described how he was made fun of on the playground, because all of the other kids had McDonalds, while he showed up with what he called a “welfare burger”. Although there was no real political incorrectness or shock value in this story, the audience’s response indicated that it was thought to be just as funny as any other part of his act that discusses cheating men or racial differences.

Both, Pryor and Murphy, build their standup acts upon comedy ideals that were different than how they were before the 1970s. Jokes did not necessarily have to consist of one single punch line. Instead, an entire story could be one solid joke, with funny imitations emphasizing the comedic highlights. In addition, their comedy was virtually uncensored and nothing was considered too risque to be in their act. With a combination of ethnic, social, controversial, and observational humor, the two comedians helped pioneer new trends in comedy and shape the industry into what it has become today.