After years of near-silence, Eddie Murphy gives a rare extensive print interview in the new issue of Rolling Stone, and he opens up about the ups and downs of his long career, his possible return to stand-up, his Oscar hosting plans and much more. Murphy is baffled by his reputation as a near-recluse: “I leave my house all the time,” he says. “But I’m not at all the Hollywood parties. I’m grown, and where else am I supposed to be? I’m supposed to be home . . . If I were out in the clubs every night, they’d be saying, ‘That’s a shame, look at him, 50 years old, he’s still out at these clubs.’ Recluses are nasty, with long nails, don’t wash their ass. . . . I’m too vain to be a recluse. But homebody, absolutely. I’m 50 years old, beautiful house, I’m supposed to be home, chilling.”
