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Eddie Murphy Delirious

Comedy history · 12 facts, each from at least two of 7 independent sources · last reviewed 2026-10-17

Eddie Murphy Delirious is a stand-up comedy film by Eddie Murphy, who was 22 years old when he performed it.1,2 The special combines character impersonations and celebrity impressions, and it also contains homophobic material.1,3,4,5

Performance

For the show, Murphy took the stage dressed in a tight-fitting suit made of red leather.3,6

Routines and Impressions

Among the characters Murphy portrays are an eager child thrilled by the arrival of an ice-cream truck and a mother who throws shoes.3,4 He also impersonates well-known figures, among them Stevie Wonder, Elvis Presley, James Brown, and Mr T.1,3,4,5 One segment makes reference to The Honeymooners.2,5,7

Homophobic Content

The homophobic material includes jokes asserting that straight men could contract AIDS when their girlfriends kiss gay men.1,2,3,8

Context and Later Work

Murphy was among the earliest comedians to mock Michael Jackson and the singer's mannerisms.4,5 Following Delirious, Raw was Murphy's next stand-up film.1,2

Sources

  1. Comedy gold: Eddie Murphy's Delirious | Comedy | The Guardian (theguardian.com)
  2. How Do Eddie Murphy’s Delirious and Raw Hold Up? (vulture.com)
  3. Divine Comedy: 25 Best Stand-Up Specials and Movies (rollingstone.com)
  4. His furious 'Delirious' days - Los Angeles Times (latimes.com)
  5. Eddie Murphy: Delirious (25th Anniversary Edition) DVD Review - IGN (ign.com)
  6. Eddie Murphy Delirious | EW.com (ew.com) · archived copy
  7. Eddie Murphy Delirious (ew.com)
  8. Eddie Murphy's anti-gay comedy special resurfaces on Netflix | PinkNews (thepinknews.com)

Updated November 12, 2026.

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