Unfortunate things frequently happen to those who have worked hard their whole existence. It may be due to ignorance, or it may be due to a stroke of ill-luck, but it is always terrible to see someone who has battled financially die penniless.
Redd Foxx, known for his raucous and scatological brand of comedy, was a comedian to watch in the 1980s and 1990s. However, due to a series of terrible events, Eddie Murphy ended up paying for Foxx’s burial.
Foxx and Murphy, according to Murphy, had a deep and beautiful friendship. In an interview with Vanity Fair, when asked about his relationship with his late friend, Eddie Murphy confessed that they were close and that he loved the late comedian, Foxx.
Murphy went on to say that he gave Foxx a shout-out in “Dolemite” because he admired him. He continued by saying:
“Redd Foxx, I had to physically pay for his funeral, and buy his headstone, and do all that stuff.”
Murphy went on to say that he did it because he had realized that some individuals in the industry don’t always have their lives together before they die, and he felt he had to do it for Foxx because he loved him.
Murphy adored his pal for a variety of reasons, and the two shared many hilarious moments before Foxx’s death, as well as a good friendship.
Foxx was a mentor to Murphy, and he made it a point to help the “Dolemite” star in his early career while also appearing in his film “Harlem Nights.”
Despite the fact that the two had a good friendship, Murphy was unable to attend Redd’s burial due to other commitments at the time; however, he sent in his tribute.
“At the time, his cast members had thought it was a prank since Foxx often incorporates heart attacks during his comedy routines.”
This duo was so close that they even talked about getting married now and then. Murphy stated in a 1989 interview that he had no intention of marrying. Murphy eventually married, and the public learned about it more than two decades later.
The comedian, on the other hand, was not ready to explore the topic of marriage at the time. Murphy’s attention was drawn to the fact that his friend had stated that he would get married in a year. Murphy replied:
“Eleven months, he says. He bet me $1,000. (in Foxx’s voice), ‘She ain’t even gonna be fine; she’s gonna be a big, fat, ugly woman..and you gonna love her.”
It was evident that Murphy and Foxx had a wonderful friendship in which they could joke about nearly anything, and many people were touched to see Murphy stand up for his friend after his death.
Foxx claimed he was a victim of racism in the entertainment world and had been exploited by some bad people. As he puts it:
“I’ve been cheated more than most people because I’m gullible and I’m a target, My heart is open and I listen to people and I believe their sob stories.”
The Internal Revenue Service searched Foxx’s home before his death in 1991, taking most of his belongings, including automobiles and furniture, to be auctioned off to pay his taxes.
Foxx stated that he was mistreated and treated inhumanely. He also said that the IRS was upset with him because of the money he earned from the film “Harlem Nights.”
The shine and glamour of Hollywood surrounded Foxx’s existence. He impacted a new generation of comedians with his crude comments and mature humor.
Although Foxx had an influence on Murphy’s career, it is noteworthy that without a doubt, he extended a hand to his late friend and mentor when it was needed the most.
