Ouch! Eddie Murphy’s earnest Golden Globes acceptance speech took a sharp turn near the end of Tuesday night’s ceremony. After thanking friends, family, and colleagues for his Cecil B. DeMille lifetime achievement award, the Beverly Hills Cop star, 61, offered young talents some choice advice. Among his words of wisdom? “Keep Will Smith’s wife’s name out of your f***** mouth.”
After a hilarious introduction by Tracy Morgan and Jamie Lee Curtis, the Golden Globe winner and six-time nominee took the stage with sincere thanks. “I’ve been in show business for 46 years, and I’ve been in the movie business for 41 years so this has been a long time in the making,” he said, then thanking his girlfriend Paige Butcher, and filmmakers he’s worked with over the years.
But Eddie wasn’t ending the speech without a joke. “There is a definitive blueprint that you can follow to achieve success, prosperity, longevity, and peace of mind… and I followed it my whole career,” he said, “Pay your taxes, mind your business and keep Will Smith’s wife’s name out your mouth.” The joke — a reference to the Fresh Prince star’s unscripted slap of Chris Rock at the 2022 Oscars.
Will wasn’t the only one who ended up at the butt of a joke. In fact, Tracy roasted Eddie for having 10 kids, telling the comic, “Your pullout game is weak!” The star shares eldest son Eric with ex-girlfriend Paulette McNeely, has five children with ex-wife Nicole Mitchell, a daughter with Mel B of the Spice Girls, and son Christian with ex Tamara Hood. He and Paige share daughter Izzy, 6, and son Max, 4.
Eddie now ranks among Hollywood’s legendary talents as the recipient of the Cecil B. DeMille Award. The honor has been handed out since 1952, given to a “talented individual for their outstanding contributions to the world of entertainment.” Last year was an exception, as the show was boycotted by actors and artists in Hollywood. Prior honorees include Jane Fonda (2021), Tom Hanks (2020), Jeff Bridges (2019), Oprah Winfrey (2018), Meryl Streep (2017), and Denzel Washington (2016).
Eddie has a strong history with the Globes. He won a Golden Globe in 2007 for Dreamgirls, and was nominated for The Nutty Professor (1997), Beverly Hills Cop (1985), Trading Places (1984), and 48 Hrs. (1983). He’s also been the recipient of a Grammy and a Primetime Emmy, in addition to an Oscar nomination for Dreamgirls.