Comics have always been able to get away with saying what other public people can't, because it's under the guise of comedy. They can give raw social commentary. Lenny Bruce became one of the symbols of free speech, in that he pushed boundaries and took heat. They've always been able to mine subjects of race and sex without repercussion because it's entertainment. Before he got married and started having kids, Eddie Murphy was part of the great tradition. Now that he's been through the marriage wars and his kids are old enough, I love to see him put together some new material and hit the stage again.
"The best kind of pride is that which compels a man to do his best when no one is watching."