Eddie Murphy has told a lot of memorable stories throughout his years and years of stand-up comedy, talk show interviews and other public appearances.
He remembered that one time when Prince had a party that turned into a roller-skating session and showed off his light-up roller skates, as well as when Prince lost his hubcap as he was driving past Murphy's house. He's shared several behind-the-scenes glimpses into his career as an SNL personality, including when he got his hubcaps stolen and stole somebody else's — what's with all the hubcap-related stories? And he'll probably never forget the time that Michael Jackson came out during his appearance on the Arsenio Hall Show and presented him with an MTV award.
But I'm baffled as to how Eddie Murphy doesn't frequently tell the story about the time he sat with Jim Leyritz — the Jim Leyritz — at a nightclub in New York City. Leyritz sat down with Rex Chapman on his "Charges with Rex Chapman" podcast and discussed, among a number of other topics ranging from the highs to the lows of his life, his first experience going to an NYC nightclub.
"...It was one of those situations, not playing every day, I had a lot of free time. And I was the kind of guy that, you know, I embraced New York," Leyritz recalled about certain vices he had during his career, one of which was partying. "I wore a cowboy hat, I had cowboy boots. I was known as 'Country Jim.'
"My first experience in a nightclub in New York was sitting at a table that they got for me because I was Jim Leyritz of the New York Yankees, the new rookie sensation, and I'm sitting there with my cowboy hat and my cowboy boots."
It was at that point that three bouncers arrived at his table and asked the young ballplayer if he'd mind a client of theirs joining him at his table. Of course, Leyritz obliged — heck, it was only "his" table because that's where the club had told him to sit.
"...I'm like, sure, it's not my table, they just put me here. All of a sudden, walking in [the China Club], Eddie Murphy sits down next to me," Leyritz recalled, much to his surprise. "...I'm like, 'Oh my God, this is so awesome! This is so great!' And then he sits down and he goes, 'Who would have thought this pairing would have happened, right?'
"But that was my first experience, and then I went to the China Club every Monday night because that was the time to go, and I really enjoyed the nightlife... I was a drinker and I liked to go out at night and have a good time and I really embraced New York City. And I think that's why a lot of fans liked me, because I was out and about. It wasn't just this standoffish guy; I was part of the community."
As the old joke goes: Eddie Murphy and Jim Leyritz walk into a bar... no, never heard that one? Of course, the only time Leyritz might have been a more recognized figure in New York by the general public was around the dates of October 4, 1995 or, more importantly, October 23, 1996.
But considering Eddie Murphy was all over the map thanks to the June 28, 1996 release of "The Nutty Professor" and was already very, very famous from his SNL appearances, we're going to have to say that Leyritz was the more starstruck celebrity at this encounter.
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