Why Jamie Foxx told Eddie Murphy ‘you ain’t funny, bro’ and urged him to quit standup

Jamie Foxx and Eddie Murphy share a candid friendship.

During a roundtable with The Hollywood Reporter, they discussed comedy. Other participants included Chelsea Handler, Hasan Minhaj, Seth Meyers, Sarah Silverman, and Roy Wood Jr.

Foxx talked about how his success affected his comedy. This came after Meyers joked about wishing he had “almost died.” He referenced Foxx’s Netflix special, “Jamie Foxx: What Had Happened Was…” In it, Foxx shared his near-death experience after suffering a stroke.

“I had a special deal for a long time,” Foxx said. “But I had nothing to talk about.” He felt rich and isolated behind gates.

Foxx noted that Eddie Murphy faced similar challenges. He recalled visiting Murphy's house during the filming of "Coming 2 America." Murphy mentioned wanting to return to stand-up comedy.

Foxx advised him against it. “This ain’t funny,” he said. He pointed out that Murphy’s home was too nice.

He described the scent in Murphy's house as well. When he asked about it, Murphy replied it was pomegranate.

Foxx joked that knowing such details meant Murphy wasn’t funny anymore. “It was too perfect,” he said. Foxx felt similarly; living in luxury left him without material.

Then he suffered a stroke and saw it as an opportunity for comedy. “Oh, this is a platform,” he thought. However, he added that he didn’t want another stroke for material.

Handler humorously remarked that Foxx might need one if necessary.