Did You Know Eddie Murphy Was Once Caught With A Transgender Prostitute In His Car By The Police?(Photo Credit –YouTube)
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During his long film career, Eddie Murphy has not only made news for his remarkable performances but also for his fair share of controversies. One such scandal took place in 1997 that took a toll on his career.
At the time, Murphy was found with a transgender prostitute in his car, driving around West Hollywood. On being caught by the police, the Beverly Hills Cop star claimed that he was just being a good Samaritan by offering a ride to the prostitute. The incident ended up tarnishing Murphy’s image among the public.
When Eddie Murphy Picked Up a Transgender Prostitute in His Car
In the early morning of May 2nd, 1997, a 36-year-old Eddie Murphy picked up Atisone Seiuli, aka Shalimar, a transgender prostitute from an infamous homosexual prostitution around Santa Monica Boulevard in West Hollywood. As the two drove around in the actor’s Toyota Land Cruiser, they were stopped by the police, who observed a ‘known transsexual prostitute’ getting into the car.
The officers then carried out an interrogation and found no criminal or illegal activity had taken place. Murphy, who was married to Nicole Mitchell at the time, was let go without being charged. However, Seiuli was arrested by the police on an outstanding warrant for prostitution.
In his defense, Murphy’s spokesperson said that he was feeling restless at night, so he went for a ride. He spotted someone ‘having a problem’ along the way and stopped his car to check up on them. The person then asked the actor for a ride, and he agreed, being a ‘good Samaritan.’
The Scandal Tarnished Murphy’s Image
While Murphy was not arrested, and the police determined no wrongdoing on his part, the controversy did impact his perception among the fans, especially since the actor had just bounced back in his career after a string of flop films. The incident also made him a butt of jokes, and even a Saturday Night Live sketch was inspired by the scandal.
Murphy then opened up about the whole fiasco in an interview with People Magazine and said, “This is an act of kindness that got turned into a f***ing horror show,” adding, “I saw this Hawaiian-looking woman and said, ‘What are you doing out here?’ She said, ‘I’m working.’” The actor then recalled how he offered the prostitute a ride, and they accepted. “I said, ‘You shouldn’t be doing that [soliciting].’ And badda-bing…. I’m never giving anyone a lift again,” he concluded.
