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Charlie Murphy Sells Out Before He Stands Up at D.C. Improv

Gone are the days when promoters and fans underestimated Charlie Murphy. An accomplished comedian long before his recurring roles on “Chappelle’s Show,” Murphy is now a headliner, playing to sold-out audiences around the globe.

Starting Thursday, the 51-year-old comedian, actor and writer will perform his critically acclaimed stand-up act in front of District audiences at the D.C. Improv Comedy Club through Sunday. Every show is now sold out.

Murphy, older brother of comedic actor Eddie Murphy, has most recently been on screen and behind the scenes for movies such as “Family Wedding,” “The Cookout 2” and “Lottery Ticket” with Bow Wow.

His other projects have included the 2007 feature film “Norbit”; a series of sketch comedy Webisodes for Crackle.com; his autobiography, “The Making of a Stand Up Guy”; and his first live stand-up special and DVD, “Charlie Murphy: I Will Not Apologize,” which debuted on Comedy Central last February.

Murphy’s second DVD, “Charlie Murphy’s Acid Trip,” is already in pre-production and he has returned to television with a role in the TBS hit show “Are We There Yet?” He is also currently writing a film with his brother, whose success sometimes overshadows Charlie Murphy’s accomplishments.

When Murphy visited the D.C. Improv Comedy Club in 2008, he complained that promoters often perceived him as being much like the variety of characters he portrays. Maybe this time around, he’ll get the respect that he deserves.