Remember when Eddie Murphy was funny?

This subject is an extremely hard topic to discuss for me. After all, 48hrs. was the first rated R movie that I ever saw at the theater.  Axel F is my cell phone's ring tone. Now, watching an Eddie Murphy film is as painful as it was watching Michael Jordan play for the Washington Wizards.  If you would have asked me back in '85 who I would want to be for a day, Eddie Murphy probably would have been tops on my list--along with Superman, but, hey, I was 12 years old.

Eddie's resume at the onset of his career is remarkable: 48hrs., Eddie Murphy: Delirious, Trading Places, Beverly Hills Cop, The Golden Child, Eddie Murphy: Raw, Beverly Hills Cop II, Coming to America, Harlem Knights, Another 48hrs., and Boomerang.  Granted, The Golden Child was disappointing and not everyone liked Harlem Knights, but that's getting it done at a very high level, otherwise.

So, how does one go from this to that? 

Except for the two Nutty Professor movies (which were OK), the Shrek movies, and his great performance in Dreamgirls, my once great hero has made a string of horrendous flicks/choices, such as: Beverly Hills III, Vampire in Brooklyn, Metro, Holy Man, Bowfinger, Showtime, I Spy, Pluto Nash, and Meet Dave--and I thought his singing career was bad.

How did this happen?  How does one go from being a comedic genius to someone that when I see his movie trailers, I wince in pain?  The man almost needs an intervention.  In my opinion, here's what he should do.  First, stop making Shrek movies.  Secondly, actually read the scripts that he is given.  Thirdly, write some new stand-up material and re-launch that career.  He's been out of the game for a long time, but I'd still take him over any of the "Original Kings of Comedy" or George Lopez--don't even get me started on those idiots!  Lastly, scrap the Beverly Hills Cop IV idea (I'm still not over part III yet), and do some independent film roles--the man is a great actor, he's way too talented to be taking these god awful roles anymore.

 The world needs much more Billy Ray Valentine (Capricorn) and a lot less Donkey, don't you think?