Tracy Morgan isn’t joking, at least during a portion of an interview. Morgan has changed, which is common among those who lived through a near-death experience.
“I went to the other side and came back,” Morgan says during a call from Austin.
The former star of “30 Rock” and “Saturday Night Live” almost died on the New Jersey Turnpike in 2014. Morgan was being shuttled back from a performance when his limo was struck by a Wal-Mart freight truck. His future hung in the balance: Morgan was in a coma for nearly two weeks.
“I have a different perspective after going through that,” Morgan, 47, says. “I’ve been crying. The reason I cry now is that the world lacks love. Love is the strongest thing in the universe. When I came out of that coma, I knew what my duty was. I need to make people happy.”
Before the tragic accident, which claimed the life of Morgan’s friend and fellow comic James McNair, the lovable wise guy was loose and unpredictable. During a 2011 interview, Morgan proposed meeting at a Yankees game to discuss a potential book project. Morgan had six tickets, and when was asked what he would do with the other four, he had an immediate plan.
“We’re going to scalp the extra tickets and take the money and go to a strip club after the game,” Morgan had said.
Those were the days. “I remember that,” Morgan says. “We were kickin’ it.”
Morgan is more sedate off stage these days. “I have my wife and daughter to think about,” Morgan says.
But Morgan is still wild under the lights. “It’s my outlet. I’m not going to be up there being serious. I’m about making people laugh. I want to make people feel good.”
The Emmy-nominated humorist wasn’t sure if he would make it back onstage after the accident, in which he suffered a broken leg, broken nose and several broken ribs.
“It was hard and I’m not fully recovered yet,” Morgan revealed. “I still have a way to go.”
But Morgan didn’t have any doubts about returning to the set last year for “Fist Fight,” a comedy feature also starring Ice Cube and Charlie Day, which recently wrapped up.
“It was literally like getting back on a bike,” Morgan says. “I had no issues and I had a great time with everyone. Ice Cube and Charlie Day are very funny people, who made it easy for me to start this up again.”
The long-awaited Richard Pryor biopic “Richard Pryor: Is It Something I Said?” has finally received the green light. Comic-actor Mike Epps portrays the iconic comedian, while Morgan plays the legendary Redd Foxx.
“I just hope I can do Redd Foxx justice,” Morgan said. “He was one of the all-time greatest and he inspired me to try comedy. I want to do right by him.”
In the meantime, Morgan will be riffing about his life and delivering thoughts about a variety of subjects onstage. “I like to mix it up. That keeps things interesting.”
Little is as interesting as what Morgan experienced when he visited “the other side.” What is the other side like?
“You have to come to the show to find out,” Morgan says. “I can’t tell you that now but you will find out as long as you come out. You can bank on the most amazing story you’ll ever hear.”
Now that sounds like the old cocksure Morgan.
“I’m still here. It’s not like I became a completely different person after that happened. I just don’t take anything for granted. You never know what’s going to happen. I’m just happy to be alive doing what I love. How many people can say that?”
Tracy Morgan appears Saturday, March 19, at 8 p.m. at the Grand Theater at Foxwoods Resort Casino, 39 Norwich Westerly Road, Mashantucket. Tickets are $50. 800-200-2882 and foxwoods.com/shows.
