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Home • Celebrity

Eddie Murphy Calls His Previous Homophobic Comments 'Ignorant'

But not all the comedian's fans are happy with his remorse.
Eddie Murphy Calls His Previous Homophobic Comments 'Ignorant'
Emma McIntyre/Getty Images for Netflix
By Paula Rogo · Updated October 23, 2020

Eddie Murphy has expressed remorse over homophobic content that appeared in his early standup—and some are not happy with it!

The comedian, whose film Dolemite Is My Name is out on Netflix in October, sat down for an interview with The New York Times recently and he called his past material on AIDS and the LGBTQ community “ignorant.”

Murphy “wasn’t concerned about new scrutiny of his comedy,” the Times wrote. “He has been criticized for jokes on his specials that talked about fear of contracting AIDS from kissing gay men and used homophobic slurs…”

“He pointed out that he had been picketed and had apologized for material about AIDS that he now calls ‘ignorant’ beforeing adding, on the subject of anxiety by comics today: ‘All this stuff they are talking about: Hey, welcome to the club.’”

But not everyone on social media was happy that he apologized.

https://twitter.com/DrunkenRed6/status/1178199093929218050

I’m taking back the apology for Eddie Murphy https://t.co/SqaEL2NEOD

— Lekan Orimogunje 🏁 (@longlivelekan) September 27, 2019

if you’re true fan of comedy you wouldn’t expect an apology from Eddie Murphy; “Raw” & “Delirious” are still by far some of the best stand up comedies and, he’s one of the best. https://t.co/KuSluklKLF

— SMILEY SMILES (@SmileyNthahood) September 29, 2019

I wish the people who reject Eddie Murphy’s apology or have an issue with his growth as a person would just be real: You just wish you could dehumanize and laugh at the LGBTQ community without retribution or criticism. If you’re still staying the same shit you did at 25, yikes. https://t.co/4h3Xm74CRS

— Jemele Hill (@jemelehill) September 28, 2019

During a recent episode of Netflix podcast Present Company With Krista Smith, Murphy revealed he’d be hitting the road: “Next year, in 2020, I’m going to go on the road and do some stand-up.”

We can’t wait to sample his new material!

TOPICS:  dolemite is my name Eddie Murphy