Chris Rock talks classic showbiz rivalries with Dave Chappelle and Arsenio Hall in a clip from the new “remix” edition of Rock’s 2018 special, Tamborine, out Tuesday, January 12th.
In the clip, Chappelle, Rock, and Hall are sharing their mutual admiration for each other backstage, which prompts Hall to remark that he would’ve loved to have seen such camaraderie back in the day. He mentions the legendary feud between Prince and Michael Jackson, while Rock adds that there was always some tension between Eddie Murphy and Richard Pryor.
That prompts Hall to relay the story of the one time he saw Pryor and Murphy in a room together. Hall recalls that Pryor was on stage performing when he received a note that Murphy was in the room; Pryor interrupted his set and essentially challenged Murphy to take the stage and prove his mettle. Murphy accepted and Pryor proceeded to sit on the steps leading up to the stage rather than leaving it completely.
“For Eddie, it’s like, Richard’s sitting here, and Eddie turns the motherfucker out,” Hall says. “And Richard stands at the end, Eddie comes to the steps and they walk away together. It was the greatest fucking moment.”
Rock originally released Tamborine in 2018. The new edition, Chris Rock Total Blackout: The Tamborine Extended Cut, boasts a mix of new jokes, interviews, and other behind-the-scenes moments.