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Sometimes being a brother is even better than being a superhero. —Marc Brown
On Wednesday, April 12th, the world lost another great comedian, Charlie Murphy. Charlie is the older brother of Eddie Murphy who gained his fame with Dave Chappelle on the Chappelle Show.
Charlie is well-known for his skits, particularly those about his experiences with Rick James and Prince in the 1980’s and 90’s. It is rumored that he once played basketball with Prince who later whipped up a batch of pancakes for the players after he “whipped” up on Murphy and his crew on the court.
Charlie recently showcased his talents on The Comedy Get Down with Cedric the Entertainer, Eddie Griffin, George Lopez, and D.L. Hughley. He has collaborated with his brother on several films, including Norbit and Vampire in Brooklyn. He also starred in Are We There Yet?, Black Jesus, and The Boondocks.
Strangely enough, Charlie started out as a bodyguard for his comedic brother Eddie. He was relentless in his duties to the point where if anyone in the audience heckled his brother during his act, they had to deal with Charlie afterward. It got a bit out-of-hand, and Charlie was reluctantly retired from that gig.
Last September Variety did an interview with Eddie, and he gave the credit to Charlie for being the inspiration for his career in comedy. He states: “Charlie is actually my best impression… I’ve been doing him since I was two or three. He was my first impression. I wish he would get famous because people could see this great impression that I do.”
It takes the unconditional love of a “big brother” to sometimes propel a younger sibling to reach their fullest potential. Charlie Murphy was his brother’s superhero, and rightfully so because of his willingness to serve as a mentor, friend, and protector. When it comes to loving someone like that, it takes “ninja” strength to put aside your own personal agenda to support someone else’s success. It’s called brotherly love.
The family released a statement following the death of their beloved Charlie. It states, “Our hearts are heavy with the loss today of our son, brother, father, uncle and friend Charlie,” the statement reads. “Charlie filled our family with love and laughter, and there won’t be a day that goes by that his presence will not be missed. Thank you for the outpouring of condolences and prayers. We respectfully ask for privacy during this time of great loss for all of us.”
Charlie’s comedic genius will always be remembered by his fans, but the influence he had on his younger brother will never be forgotten. When you admire the greatness of Eddie Murphy, you can’t help but see Charlie’s handiwork.
Perhaps you’ve had a similar experience. We would love to have you share it in the comments below.
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