--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: They're working their way down. Next…" description: "\"They're working their way down. Next year, Todd Bridges gets the award. When I was a kid I wanted to be Eddie Murphy and now I'm a rip-off of Eddie Mur..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a52/chris-rock-767_awards_they-re-working-their-way-down-next-year_1252886.jpg" --- # They're working their way down. Next year, Todd Bridges… ![“They're working their way down. Next year, Todd Bridges gets the award. When I was a kid I wanted to be Eddie Murphy and now I'm a rip-off of Eddie Murphy.” quote by Chris Rock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a52/chris-rock-767_awards_they-re-working-their-way-down-next-year_1252886.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a52/chris-rock-767_awards_they-re-working-their-way-down-next-year_1252886.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a52/chris-rock-767_awards_they-re-working-their-way-down-next-year_1252886.jpg) > “They're working their way down. Next year, Todd Bridges gets the award. When I was a kid I wanted to be Eddie Murphy and now I'm a rip-off of Eddie Murphy.” [Chris Rock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-rock/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He reflects on how early aspirations can become distorted by imitation, leading to a hollow version of one's idols. **In simple terms:** Dreams can become shallow copies of heroes. Key Takeaway Seek authenticity, not imitation. Themes identity celebrity authenticity Mood reflective humorous Type cautionary insightful When to use this quote - stand‑up routine - career reflection - personal growth Key Concepts imitation self‑esteem role models Questions to Reflect On - Do you admire yourself or a copy? - How can you honor influences without losing self? A Different Perspective Mimicking can erode self‑worth and originality. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Award Kid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/award-kid-3207560/) [Awards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/awards/) [Bridges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bridges/) [Eddie murphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/eddie-murphy/) [Funny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/funny/) [Gets Award](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gets-award-3955580/) [Humor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humor/) [Kids](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kids/) [Murphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/murphy/) [Murphy Rip](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/murphy-rip-3955579/) [Next](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/next/) [Next year](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/next-year/) [Rip](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rip/) [Wanted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wanted/) [Way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/way/) [Year Todd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/year-todd-3955581/) [Years](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/years/) ## Related quotes > [I never had the confidence to say I was going to be in front of the camera as a comedian until I saw Eddie…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-rock/i-never-had-the-confidence-to-say-i-was-going-to-be-in-front-of-the/) [Chris Rock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-rock/) > [My goal in life was to host the MTV Awards, because it's the awards show that Prince sang on, and that was the awards…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-rock/my-goal-in-life-was-to-host-the-mtv-awards-because-it-s-the-awards/) [Chris Rock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-rock/) > [Eddie Murphy is to comedians what Nicki Minaj is to Spanx.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-rock/eddie-murphy-is-to-comedians-what-nicki-minaj-is-to-spanx/) [Chris Rock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-rock/) > [I came from a very poor family. And I was able to rise up and actually win an Academy Award. And if I can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ross-williams/i-came-from-a-very-poor-family-and-i-was-able-to-rise-up-and-actually/) [Roger Ross Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ross-williams/) > [Art should be witty, like a good Eddie Murphy movie, to make your life a little easier and better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-quigley/art-should-be-witty-like-a-good-eddie-murphy-movie-to-make-your-life/) [William Quigley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-quigley/) > [Ice Cube went straight outta Compton to hearing, 'Are we there yet?' Eddie Murphy blew up striding across the stage in a red leather…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elvis-mitchell/ice-cube-went-straight-outta-compton-to-hearing-are-we-there-yet/) [Elvis Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elvis-mitchell/) > [As Richard Pryor was to Eddie Murphy, that's what Kurt Vonnegut was to me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-moore/as-richard-pryor-was-to-eddie-murphy-that-s-what-kurt-vonnegut-was-to/) [Christopher Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-moore/) > [Eddie Murphy was the Michael Jordan of comedy. He had a full range of abilities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aries-spears/eddie-murphy-was-the-michael-jordan-of-comedy-he-had-a-full-range-of/) [Aries Spears](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aries-spears/) > [He's a very funny and very nice man. When you read the script, you want to stick with it. But when you're with Eddie…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raven-symone/he-s-a-very-funny-and-very-nice-man-when-you-read-the-script-you-want/) [Raven-Symone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raven-symone/) > [I used to watch 'Coming to America' every day after school. I have full-on long-running inside jokes with friends and family about different scenes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabourey-sidibe/i-used-to-watch-coming-to-america-every-day-after-school-i-have-full/) [Gabourey Sidibe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabourey-sidibe/) > [But you really - I always think that a director has got to adapt to whatever the needs of the actor are. You know,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-condon/but-you-really-i-always-think-that-a-director-has-got-to-adapt-to/) [Bill Condon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-condon/) > [I'm not sure if it's fair to call it a 'fairy tale,' but I really loved 'Mulan,' the Disney film. It was my favorite.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lily-cole/i-m-not-sure-if-it-s-fair-to-call-it-a-fairy-tale-but-i-really-loved/) [Lily Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lily-cole/) > [I'm not the comic innovator that Bill Murray and Eddie Murphy are. I can't just come out with an incredible line.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judge-reinhold/i-m-not-the-comic-innovator-that-bill-murray-and-eddie-murphy-are-i/) [Judge Reinhold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judge-reinhold/) > [Eddie Murphy was my guy for a long time. My first exposure to 'SNL' was his 'Best Of' VHS, and I would watch it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taran-killam/eddie-murphy-was-my-guy-for-a-long-time-my-first-exposure-to-snl-was/) [Taran Killam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taran-killam/) > [I like Louis C.K., Chris Rock. Old schools like Richard Pryor and Eddie Murphy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-devine/i-like-louis-c-k-chris-rock-old-schools-like-richard-pryor-and-eddie/) [Adam DeVine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-devine/) ## More by Chris Rock > [Ja Rule is not Tupac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-rock/ja-rule-is-not-tupac/) [Chris Rock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-rock/) > [Right now, my job is that I'm like an ambulance chaser. I've got to look for movies with white guys falling out of them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-rock/right-now-my-job-is-that-i-m-like-an-ambulance-chaser-i-ve-got-to/) [Chris Rock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-rock/) > [If you live with a single parent, you don't see compromise. 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'Hey daddy, it's easy to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-rock/nobody-ever-says-hey-daddy-thanks-for-knockin-out-this-rent-hey-daddy/) [Chris Rock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-rock/) > [You know the world is messed up when the tallest man in the NBA is Chinese, the best golfer is black, and the best…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-rock/you-know-the-world-is-messed-up-when-the-tallest-man-in-the-nba-is/) [Chris Rock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-rock/) > [You can't think the thoughts you want to think if you think you're being watched.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-rock/you-can-t-think-the-thoughts-you-want-to-think-if-you-think-you-re/) [Chris Rock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-rock/) > [There's not one reference in that thing that doesn't play. People deal with emotions in music all the time, but comedians are always talking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-rock/there-s-not-one-reference-in-that-thing-that-doesn-t-play-people-deal/) [Chris Rock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-rock/) > [My mother got sick when I was rich. And my mother, you know … I don’t really want to get into it, but my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-rock/my-mother-got-sick-when-i-was-rich-and-my-mother-you-know-i-don-t/) [Chris Rock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-rock/) > [I think anybody in front of a crowd is a comedian.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-rock/i-think-anybody-in-front-of-a-crowd-is-a-comedian/) [Chris Rock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-rock/) > [I see as white people finding loopholes in the slavery laws.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-rock/i-see-as-white-people-finding-loopholes-in-the-slavery-laws/) [Chris Rock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-rock/) > [Here's the thing. When we talk about race relations in America or racial progress, it's all nonsense. There are no race relations. White people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-rock/here-s-the-thing-when-we-talk-about-race-relations-in-america-or/) [Chris Rock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-rock/) > [I was raised to believe that you had to do things better than white people in order to succeed. The old black shows were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-rock/i-was-raised-to-believe-that-you-had-to-do-things-better-than-white/) [Chris Rock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-rock/) > [Men lie the most, women tell the biggest lies... a man's lie is, "I'm at Tony house, I was at Kenny house!" A woman…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-rock/men-lie-the-most-women-tell-the-biggest-lies-a-man-s-lie-is-i-m-at/) [Chris Rock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-rock/) > [You can't fake comedy - it's not like a movie, where a director can just cast a pretty face.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-rock/you-can-t-fake-comedy-it-s-not-like-a-movie-where-a-director-can-just/) [Chris Rock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-rock/) > [All people naturally hate. My kid bites people now. I didn't teach my kid to bite anybody. Kids say mean stuff. Only through love…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-rock/all-people-naturally-hate-my-kid-bites-people-now-i-didn-t-teach-my/) [Chris Rock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-rock/) [Explore all 376 Chris Rock quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-rock/) ## More Awards quotes > [My friend made me a leather dress for the MTV awards. It gives you confidence, wearing something you love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cat-deeley/my-friend-made-me-a-leather-dress-for-the-mtv-awards-it-gives-you/) [Cat Deeley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cat-deeley/) > [It was a conscious decision on my part to take up fewer films. And if you're not seen that often on screen, nobody calls…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-lever/it-was-a-conscious-decision-on-my-part-to-take-up-fewer-films-and-if/) [Johnny Lever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-lever/) > [I love awards, especially if I get them. It's up to the courage of the filmmakers to make art in cinema, not just business.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-gazzara/i-love-awards-especially-if-i-get-them-it-s-up-to-the-courage-of-the/) [Ben Gazzara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-gazzara/) > [I'm not a great believer in awards-of course the fact that I've never won one has nothing to do with it at all!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iain-banks/i-m-not-a-great-believer-in-awards-of-course-the-fact-that-i-ve-never/) [Iain Banks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/iain-banks/) > [“Stop spending money to be nominated for worthless awards with no substance and no worth to your career. If you have to spend money…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/loren-weisman/stop-spending-money-to-be-nominated-for-worthless-awards-with-no/) [Loren Weisman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/loren-weisman/) > [I'm process-orientated. Awards, by their nature, are results-orientated.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-jenkins/i-m-process-orientated-awards-by-their-nature-are-results-orientated/) [Barry Jenkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-jenkins/) > [I can't imagine anyone thinking, 'Oh good, it's awards season!'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-morgan/i-can-t-imagine-anyone-thinking-oh-good-it-s-awards-season/) [Peter Morgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-morgan/) > [It feels fantastic, I never thought I would get anything, I've won awards and things but I never thought I would get an OBE…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-marsh/it-feels-fantastic-i-never-thought-i-would-get-anything-i-ve-won/) [Jean Marsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-marsh/) > [Well, I met Sandy Bullock at an awards thing a couple years ago, and she said to me, “If I were gay, you’d be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-thompson/well-i-met-sandy-bullock-at-an-awards-thing-a-couple-years-ago-and/) [Emma Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-thompson/) > [Thi is the malady onf the humans, that they can hold on to that which is fleeting and of little consequence and call it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-fabry/thi-is-the-malady-onf-the-humans-that-they-can-hold-on-to-that-which/) [Chris Fabry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-fabry/) > [I remember when I first won the Academy Award and how much I loved it. I just wish there was an award around that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joanne-woodward/i-remember-when-i-first-won-the-academy-award-and-how-much-i-loved-it/) [Joanne Woodward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joanne-woodward/) > [The three of us just try put our heads down and stay creative. The awards truly are just cake. 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We worship our work, we worship our clients and we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shailender-singh/i-don-t-care-about-awards-and-public-image-we-know-the-business-of/) [Shailender Singh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shailender-singh/) [Browse all 1,232 Awards quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/awards/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "They're working their way down. Next year, Todd Bridges gets the award. 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