December 12, 2007 @ 1:03 pm

The Perfect Holiday: Charlie Murphy

Natalie Guevara

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Charlie Murphy talks about his role as a puffed-up, bad boy rap impresario.

Playing a puffed-up hip hop maestro who may or may not be based on a certain Bad Boy, Charlie Murphy first won audiences over by pranking a different superstar - Rick James – on his legendary "Chappelle's Show" sketches. Always offering an amusing take on the fame game, Murphy talks about identifying with J-Jizzy and his ultimate holiday wish: a well-deserved break.

How do you view Christmas?
I view it as "I spend a lot of money." (Laughs)

What is the perfect New Year's for you?
I haven't done this except once. One New Year's, instead of going out and drinking, I went to a church, and that's the best New Year's Eve I could remember in my life. It had nothing to do with partying. It was all spiritual and it was a great experience.

Will you be doing that again this year?
I'm not promising I'm going to do that again this year (laughs), but that year we did it, it was fun. Not fun - inspiring!

In the film, you play a rap mogul, J-Jizzy, who releases funny Christmas songs and videos in time for the holiday season. If you had the opportunity to remix any classic Christmas song, what would it be?
Now you're asking me to name some titles of songs!? (Laughs) I know a lot of songs, but I don't know the names of them. The song that I know the name of, "Merry Christmas," is not the one I want to remix.

There's "Jingle Bells," "Let It Snow"...
Name another one, but not "Let It Snow"! There's one that goes something like... (Begins humming a familiar tune.) What's that one?

That's "Let It Snow"!
"Let It Snow"? Okay, I'll remix that one! I'd hum it out! (Laughs)

What are the ways in which you do and do not identify with J-Jizzy?
I totally identify with my character. There's no not identifying. I totally identify with him. I have a job where I'm away from home four days out of the week whether I'm doing a movie or not, you know what I'm saying? And I'm also someone who was raised by a step-parent and also raised a stepson, so I was able to identify not just with my character, but also Morris' character, with my sons' characters, with the dynamic between three men – all that was real life to me.

What about J-Jizzy's attitude towards women?
That also was real life to me because, you know, I've been around a lot of celebrities over the years, you know what I'm saying? I've seen the other side of being a celebrity, how celebrities are treated by women, how women go after celebrities, and that creates a certain behavior, you know? So that was all realistic to me.

What was the best part about filming The Perfect Holiday?
Being a part of the cast! Everybody that was in the movie, man, I have mad respect for all their talent and, you know, just to be a part of that cast was a huge honor for me, you know what I'm saying? To be in the mix with those players... You have to respect their skills, you know?

Speaking of which, the film features another comedian, Katt Williams. Can you talk about how you guys flowed onset?
It was beautiful! Katt had his assignment and I had my assignment. We had two totally different assignments as far as our function in the film. So it was really easy for us to blend together 'cuz there was no areas where our characters would clash. He was doing something totally different from what I was doing, and it worked out beautiful. I'm real proud of what he did. He showed the world a whole new Katt Williams that you've never seen before.

What got you excited about being in The Perfect Holiday and what makes you see it as a new and different kind of Christmas movie?
Of course, [though] the movie takes place during Christmas, it's not so much about Santa Claus, you know what I'm saying? It's the story of a family dealing with healing during the holidays.

Is there anything you want for Christmas?
Uh... one day off. (Laughs) I just want to see my kids and enjoy the day.

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