Honestly, comedy is usually about finding the "thing" that makes a person tick. But when it's one of the greatest of all time doing it to another legend, it becomes something else entirely. Eddie Murphy impersonating Tracy Morgan isn't just a bit; it’s basically a passing of the torch that happened decades after both guys already owned the flame.
If you were watching the SNL50 anniversary special in early 2025, you saw it. The "Black Jeopardy" sketch. Kenan Thompson is hosting, looking like he hasn't aged a day since 2003, and there sits Tracy Morgan as "Darius." But then, right next to him, is Eddie Murphy.
He’s not playing a character. Well, he is—he’s playing Tracy Morgan.
Why the Eddie Murphy Tracy Morgan Impression Broke the Internet
It was the lasagna. Specifically, the four-cheese lasagna.
In the sketch, Eddie-as-Tracy goes on this wild, high-pitched rant about how he refuses to ingest three cheeses. "If it only got three cheeses, I ain't eating it!" he yells, perfectly capturing that frantic, unpredictable energy Tracy has spent thirty years perfecting. It was weirdly meta. You had the actual Tracy Morgan sitting three feet away, and Eddie was doing him better than Tracy was doing himself in that moment.
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Kenan Thompson even makes a joke about how they look like they might be related. Eddie’s response? A stone-faced, high-decibel declaration that James Earl Jones was his biological father. It’s classic Murphy. He doesn't just do a voice; he inhabits the soul of the person.
The History of the "Ballpark Franks" Story
This didn't just come out of nowhere for the 50th anniversary. Fans who have been following Eddie's press tours for years—especially around the release of Coming 2 America—have heard him slip into this voice before.
There’s this famous story Tracy tells about visiting Eddie’s house. Apparently, Eddie cooked him Ballpark Franks. Tracy, being Tracy, told everyone who would listen. Eddie eventually started telling the story in interviews, doing the voice perfectly. He nails the way Tracy repeats phrases for emphasis. "He made me Franks! Ballpark Franks!"
It’s a specific kind of love. Tracy actually calls Eddie one of his "comedic heroes" and says that being impersonated by him is like "Michael Jackson writing a song just for you." That’s a heavy compliment coming from a guy who’s usually the funniest person in any room he walks into.
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The Evolution of Eddie Murphy's Impressions
We forget how good Eddie is at this. People remember the 1980s. They remember the high-pitched "Eddie laugh" and the James Brown "Hot Tub" sketch. But the Eddie Murphy impersonating Tracy Morgan bit shows a different gear.
Most people don't realize that Eddie’s career literally started with impressions. When he was 15, he was doing Al Green at talent shows. By the time he hit Saturday Night Live at 19, he was saving the show with his versions of Stevie Wonder and Bill Cosby.
- Vocal Texture: He gets the gravelly, "about-to-shout" quality of Tracy’s voice.
- The "Pregnant" Bit: He often references Tracy’s old SNL lines about "getting everyone in this building pregnant."
- The Absurdity: He understands that Tracy Morgan isn't just about the voice; it's about the bizarre logic behind the words.
Why This Moment Mattered for SNL50
Let’s be real for a second. Eddie’s relationship with SNL was rocky for a long time. For decades, he stayed away. He felt burned by a David Spade joke in the 90s and didn't show up for the 40th anniversary in any real capacity—he just gave a short, somewhat awkward speech.
But the 2019 return changed everything. When he stood on that stage with Chris Rock, Dave Chappelle, and Tracy Morgan, it was a "Mount Rushmore" moment for Black comedy.
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Seeing him come back for SNL50 and actually get into the trenches with a sketch like "Black Jeopardy" felt like the circle was finally closed. It wasn't "Serious Actor" Eddie Murphy. It was "I’m gonna make you laugh until you cry" Eddie Murphy.
What Most People Get Wrong
People think it's a mockery. It’s not. In the comedy world, if a legend like Murphy does your voice, it means you’ve reached a level of cultural permanence where your "vibe" is a language everyone speaks.
Tracy admitted on Sherri that he suffers from imposter syndrome. He often feels like his friends—Eddie, Rock, Chappelle—are funnier than him. But watching Eddie do the impression actually helped him. It was a validation. "When somebody like Eddie does you, you won," Tracy said.
Actionable Takeaways for Comedy Fans
If you want to fully appreciate the craft behind this, you’ve gotta look at the technical side of what Eddie is doing.
- Watch the 2019 Monologue first. It sets the stage for the brotherhood between these guys.
- Compare the real Tracy to the "Black Jeopardy" version. Notice how Eddie exaggerates the "wide-eyed" look Tracy gets when he's about to say something insane.
- Look for the Ballpark Franks interview. It’s usually on YouTube or TikTok under "Eddie Murphy Tracy Morgan pitch." It explains the origin of the "refusing to eat" jokes.
The reality is that Eddie Murphy impersonating Tracy Morgan is a rare moment where we get to see a master of the craft pay homage to a peer. It’s not just a joke; it’s a piece of television history that reminds us why Saturday Night Live still exists after five decades. It’s about those specific, lightning-in-a-bottle moments where two eras of comedy collide.
Next time you’re watching a sketch, look for those small details—the way a comedian holds their hands or the specific rhythm of their breathing. That's where the genius lives. Eddie knows that better than anyone.