Eddie Murphy won one of the most prestigious awards in American comedy this weekend.Comedians hailed Murphy as a “hero” and an “American icon” at The Kennedy Center for The Performing Arts in Washington, D.C. on Sunday, where he received the Mark Twain Prize for Humor.
According to The Hollywood Reporter , Murphy returned to stand-up for the first time in more than 25 years with a short performance at the ceremony, which included a few jokes about the recent controversy surrounding one of his “heroes,” fellow Mark Twain Prize winner Bill Cosby.
“Did you all make him give his back?” Murphy asked. “…You know you fucked up when they want you to give your trophies back.”
He also returned to his famous impression of Cosby.
“If I ever see or meet this Hannibal Buress in person I am going to try and kill this man!” Murphy said in his Cosby voice.
Meanwhile, many of the comedians who succeeded Murphy on SNL were there to cheer him on, including Kevin Nealon, Jay Pharoah and the show’s host this weekend, Tracy Morgan.
“He’s the reason I’m in comedy. He’s the reason I have a job. He’s the reason I have a career,” Morgan said.
You can watch Murphy’s remarks and performance below. (Skip to 2:30 to go straight to the stand-up.)