Eddie Murphy Partially Blames SNL For ‘Racist’ David Spade Joke That Sparked Their Longtime Feud

Eddie Murphy, David Spade

Eddie Murphy Partially Blames SNL For ‘Racist’ David Spade Joke That Sparked Their Longtime Feud

Movie star Eddie Murphy recently opened up about his former beef with David Spade and SNL.

The actor recalled the joke that ignited lasting tensions between him, his colleague, and his former show, admitting that he felt the nature of the situation was racist.

Eddie Murphy

Reportedly, Eddie Murphy was doing an interview recently where he was asked about the “cheap shots” he’s encountered over the years. The 63-year-old unsurprisingly recounted one of his more famous feuds with David Spade, which he says was also the fault of SNL production. In case you’re unfamiliar, the situation unfolded following David Spade’s infamous 1995 SNL “Hollywood Minute” sketch where he showed an image of Eddie Murphy, who starred on the sketch-comedy series from 1980 – 1984, joking:

“Look, children, it’s a falling star. Make a wish.”

@_wil_roc_

#davidspade burns #eddiemurphy on #snl Spade in America: Hollywood Minute #saturdaynightlive

? Cena Engraçada e Inusitada – HarmonicoHCO

Murphy claimed that the quip was referring to his 1995 movie Vampire in Brooklyn bombing at the box office, and took issue with Spade and SNL considering all the work he put in to help make the show a success. He stated:

“It was like: ‘Yo, it’s in-house!…I’m one of the family, and you’re f-–-ing with me like that?’ It hurt my feelings like that.” 

Eddie Murphy, David Spade

“This is Saturday Night Live…I’m the biggest thing that ever came off that show. The show would’ve been off the air if I didn’t go back on the show, and now you have somebody from the cast making a crack about my career?” 

Murphy went on to note that the joke had to be approved and suggested that there were some underlying tensions from SNL production members towards him due to his skyrocketing career. He stated:

“I know that he can’t just say that — a joke has to go through these channels — so the producers thought it was okay to say that…All the people that have been on that show, you’ve never heard nobody make no joke about anybody’s career. Most people that get off that show, they don’t go on and have these amazing careers. It was personal.”

Taking into account the situation as a whole, Murphy went on to state that overall he felt the joke was inherently racist, adding:

“It was like, ‘Yo, how could you do that?’ My career? Really? A joke about my career? So I thought that was a cheap shot. And it was kind of racist, I thought — I felt it was racist.”

It appears things are good between the comedians these days. Elsewhere in the interview, Murphy confirmed that he’s since made amends with SNL, referencing his appearance at the show’s 40th anniversary back in 2015; and with Spade – who for a while refused to admit any fault over the matter. Spade reportedly spoke about the fallout from the situation in a 1997 interview, stating:

“Chris Rock told me, ‘Spade, Eddie’s got his biggest movie in 10 years, a beautiful wife, and he still can’t shake the fact that you took a swipe at him…I said, ‘Tell him three words that’ll change his life: Let it go.”

David Spade

 In his 2015 memoir, Almost Interesting, Spade appeared to have had a change of heart, however, writing:

“A jab like the one I had directed at Eddie can be the thing that starts to turn public opinion against someone…I try not to think of the casualties when I do rough jokes, but there are consequences sometimes. I know for a fact that I can’t take it when it comes my way. It’s horrible for all the same reasons. I’ve come to see Eddie’s point on this one. Everybody in showbiz wants people to like them. That’s how you get fans. But when you get reamed in a sketch or online or however, that s— staaaangs.”

It does not appear he’s commented on Murphy’s recent accusation that the situation was stemmed in racism, however.

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