NEW STRIP :: “Everything’s Better As Comics: Eddie Murphy”
December 22nd, 2008 — 08:29 am
Now up in the STRIP section is a new installment of my exceptionally unfunny series “Everything’s Better As Comics.” This time I laser in on the 1983 concert film “Delirious,” by Eddie Murphy. It may just be nostalgia, but this movie is still monstrously impressive–Eddie was at the top of his game back then, with delivery and timing that just could not be improved on. What happened?
When I was in high school I had an audio tape of the concert, which I listened to constantly and can still recite from verbatim. I would listen to it on headphones and just cry laughing–I thought of stand-up comedy as a real art-form, largely because of Eddie Murphy. Today–well, not so much.
Although: maybe it was just the time, but “Delirious” is CHOCK full of all sorts of homophobic slurs, which kind of messes up the rhythm now. When you’re in high school the idea of Mr. T telling someone to–well, it involves his butt–is pretty funny, but now… I don’t know. And in the light of Murphy’s transvestite-prostitute troubles a few years ago, it’s even more suspicious.
And by “suspicious” I mean HILARIOUS. Enjoy the strip.
Category: BLOG 14 comments »
December 22nd, 2008 at 10:12 am
Awesome Dustin! Classic! And done well dude! I like the “SIKE” panel!
December 22nd, 2008 at 10:45 am
That strip was better than the movie. No offense to all the people who are obsessed with it but I tried to watch it recently (Zane was watching it) and I was really put off and didn’t think most of the stuff was very funny. Then again, although I was swearing in the 80s I was not male, so therefore I only met half your criteria anyway. I do like the strip you did though! Rock on!
(Except I think “sike” is actually “psych” like “I psyched you out.” I thought it was “sike” for years myself!)
December 22nd, 2008 at 11:45 am
Liz: you so crazy! SIKE is way cooler than PSYCH–ask anybody. Note that Rusty chose to pinpoint THAT VERY PANEL for praise.
I will say that, as someone who loves this movie and has trouble with some of the parts still, there are some amazing jokes in here, and more importantly, amazing rhythm. The way he tells the story about Aunt Bunny being a Bigfoot, or his mother hitting people with her quickdraw shoe, is great. Truly worthy of Richard Pryor, but a little bit out of his shadow by this point.
December 22nd, 2008 at 3:59 pm
Ah, c’mon, Dustin–stop being such a wet blanket! Those AIDS jokes are pure hilarity.
December 22nd, 2008 at 4:20 pm
You know Ben, in a weird way that’s one of the bits that really gets my brain computer working–when he describes the girl who kisses the gay guy and then “…goes home with that AIDS on her lips…” Beside the obvious ugly aspect, it’s almost like a time capsule, y’know? I mean, 1983–AIDS was still this silent mysterious menace that only struck gay people and (inexplicably) Rock Hudson.
December 23rd, 2008 at 2:15 pm
Bravo, Dharb– you outdid yourself on this one. Excellent characterization and coloring!
December 23rd, 2008 at 3:13 pm
Thanks Paul! Although I will say that as far as characterization, I was swiping all the actual body language from the movie itself–he moves like a cartoon already!
I will graciously accept your color compliment, however.
December 26th, 2008 at 3:59 pm
Excellent work, Dustin. It’s funny how iconic the red on blue of that movie has become. The strip wouldn’t have been the same in black and white.
I second Liz on believing that “sike” is actually “psych” but for some reason you’re like the third person in the past few weeks I’ve seen use that spelling of it so either I’m wrong or “sike” is catching on.
December 26th, 2008 at 4:21 pm
There’s something willfully childish about the “sike” spelling that I like. I’m working on a series of strips about famous Indians, and I struggled with calling them “Indians” or “Native Americans.” Beside even the whole racial sensitivity issue, “Indians” is just technically WRONG, which offends my OCD if nothing else.
But “Indians” is also the way a kid thinks of it. Something about the word puts you in that 8-year old boy state. Which “sike” also does for me.
December 29th, 2008 at 11:08 am
When I used to say the word on a daily basis, I was NEVER picturing “psych” in my head.
It was always, and will always be, “sike”.
December 29th, 2008 at 12:00 pm
See Liz? SIKE!
December 29th, 2008 at 4:12 pm
Dusty, I love this comic so much! Great job. I was anticipating it and wondering if you’d try and do it like the Godfather comic. I’m so glad you decided to cover just one joke and one of the best. My sister and I still say today. Great job man.
If you go back in time and look on everyones spiral notebook you will see that psych was spelled S-I-K-E. I also remember seeing is spelled “Psyke”.
Also, that Mr. T bit will always be funny. I don’t care what year it is. Except maybe if you didn’t know who Mr. T was or if it was a time before the Popularity of Mr. T. Basically it’s more of a goof on Mr. T than gays. I love Mr. T, but not like that. Can we stop talking about Mr. T now. Thank you.
December 29th, 2008 at 10:05 pm
Man, yes, the Mr. T. bit is funny. Hilarious. But I get squirmy thinking of being next to a gay friend of mine if that were on. Isn’t that a bad sign? I’m willing to admit that I think it is hilarious, but less willing to not feel a little guilty about it. And I LOVE Mr. T.
January 8th, 2009 at 4:26 pm
Love the strip. I’m with Liz that it should be psych….but maybe I was just too much of an OCD nerd to go with the casual spelling.
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