Eddie Murphy Says Stand-up Comedy 'stopped Being Fun'

Eddie Murphy walked away from stand-up comedy because it ''stopped being fun''.

The 53-year-old entertainer is widely considered to be one of the best stand-ups of all time, but has shunned the genre in recent years because he became tired of comic wannabes.

He said: ''It stopped being fun, I started making movies. Then it felt like too much work going back there.

''Comedy's changed - when I started there were 100 comedians, now there's 100,000. How do you have your own voice?

''That's why I've always done music. I want to put it all together, to get all of me on stage - then I'd have fun every night.''

Eddie - who starred in the 'Beverly Hills Cop' franchise - revealed he would only appear in a film these days if the script was to his satisfaction.

Asked if he is going to be in 'Triplets', a sequel to Arnold Schwarzenegger and Danny DeVito's 'Twins', he told Shortlist magazine: ''A couple of years ago I met with Arnold and Danny and some writer.

''We had a meeting but I didn't hear anything. I tell you - I'm not doing anything unless the script's incredible.

''I did some movies where they offer you a bunch of money and you go, 'OK, I'll do it!' I've done enough of those - I don't have to do them anymore.

''If 'Triplets' comes together and it's hysterically funny, I'll do it. Same with 'Beverly Hills Cop 4' - the last couple of scripts weren't quite there.''