Eddie Murphy had a decade like no other back in the 1980s. He single-handedly saved Saturday Night Live from cancellation, launched a massively successful film career that continues to this day, and recorded two of the most iconic stand-up specials of all time. Delirious premiered on HBO in 1983 to critical acclaim and was highly influential; Keenen Ivory Wayans later called it “a defining moment in comedy.” For 1987’s Raw, Murphy went even bigger, filming it at Madison Square Garden and releasing the footage in theaters—it even had its own theme song.

The leather outfits were unforgettable, and the jokes were endlessly quotable. When Murphy walked out on stage, he got a reception usually only reserved for rock stars. Other comedians were undoubtedly watching his specials, wondering how t

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