Charlie Murphy: I Will Not Apologize Live

Best known for Chappelle's Show, Eddie Murphy's older brother, Charlie, here performs a standup routine at Boston's Wilbur Theatre. Murphy, who has also appeared in (or voiced characters on) CB4, Harlem Nights, and The Boondocks, performs on a set that looks like a well-appointed living room, talking mainly about life on the road, the vicissitudes of the male ego, and the terror of the tabloids. Clad in a black jacket and jeans, Murphy talks about fans, the movie 300, and “high-functioning retards” like “that last president we had” and John McCain's “sexy running partner.” As befits a television entertainer, he also riffs on shows, such as Dog the Bounty Hunter. Other targets include O.J. Simpson, Johnny Cochran, Chris Brown, Rick James, Bernie Madoff, Mel Gibson, Isaiah Washington, and Michael Richards. About the latter trio, Murphy feels that rehabilitation is no cure for racism and homophobia, regardless of the chemical dependencies these men may have been grappling with at the time. None of his patter is particularly funny; in fact, it feels more like a mildly entertaining chat with a coworker at a bar where the alcoholic beverages and profanities flow freely. DVD extras include glimpses of other engagements on his 2008 tour. Optional, at best. Aud: P. (K. Fennessy)