1984 was the last time Eddie Murphy showed up at Saturday Night Live. It was his final episode as a regular. Since then there has been no return at all even for a two second cameo. I know when Eddie was filming Bowfinger with Steve Martin that Steve asked Eddie to do it and to go back on the show and Eddie came very very close. Now though it looks like he is set to return this Saturday. The NY Post is reporting that Eddie will make a surprise appearance while his current co-star, Ben Stiller is hosting the episode this week. I would love to see him return and would love to see him host again. He kept that show going for the early part of the 80's. The only one missing from above that I loved is Velvet Jones.
I think I was just reading that Stiller and Murphy are doing a show/movie called the Tower or something? Perhaps the point is to slip in a promo.
ReplyDeleteI saw Eddie in concert around 1984 and never laughed so hard in my life.
ReplyDeleteThat said, since then he's just become Creepy Eddie Who Takes Himself Waaaaay Too Seriously.
Wow, it's been that long...
ReplyDeletei almost wish i didn't read this to be surprised on Saturday.
ReplyDeleteit is hard to believe that Eddie was only on SNL for 1.5 seasons.
I am glad he is burying the hatchet with Lorne over David Spade's Hollywood minute joke of a picture of Eddie and him going "look kids its a falling star" after Eddie did some bomb movies in the late 90's.
there is a great book called "Live From New York: An Uncensored History of Saturday Night Live, as Told By Its Stars, Writers and Guests" by Tom Shales
That gives a lot of history to the show and inside stories. Read it years ago, loved it.
Unless Tina returns as Head Writer -- or a resurrected Gilda joins the cast -- I personally couldn't care less about who comes back to SNL.
ReplyDeleteEddie is an incredible talent, but he needs plenty of humility or he's obnoxious.
ReplyDeleteEddie must need some cash money he's working very very hard to resurrect his career right now.
ReplyDeleteOOOOOWWWW!!! TOO HOT IN THE HOT TUB!!!
ReplyDeleteIsn't Eddie supposed to be hosting the Oscars? I'll watch that!
James BROOWWWN. In the Hot TUb. Owww!!
ReplyDeleteEddie was the best. Evah.
Mr. Robinson's neighborhood. =)
ReplyDelete@timebob - That's an interesting tidbit about why Eddie was mad at Lorne. I remember that David Spade joke! (I loved the Hollywood Minute).
ReplyDeleteI had tapes of Eddie Murphy on SNL that my dad's friend made for him and I would watch them over and over again (probably not appropriate for a young girl, but hey, mom was watching them with me). He was hysterical.
I loved David Spade's Hollywood Minute. He was always spot. on.
ReplyDeleteThe photo to the right of Eddie undercover as a white man ... that was one of the funniest skits ever.
People seem to forget that Eddie Murphy was not on SNL with Lorne Michaels! He was on during the time Lorne was away from SNL. It was Jean Doumanian who found him with Dick Ebersol keeping him, AND it was Eddie who kept the fort down until Lorne's return. SNL was on the verge of being canceled after Eddie left.
ReplyDeleteI don't buy the rumor that it was David Spade's joke that caused Eddie Murphy to not go back to SNL. I believe what Eddie has said, and is true, "SNL is just not funny anymore."
I have that book timebob. As a fan, I thought it was very interesting. I didn't realize that Eddie had nothing to do with SNL after he left and I never knew why. I kinda wish the Post wouldn't have leaked this and it would have been a surprise like when Barbra Streisand showed up during coffee talk and Madonna in Wayne's World.
ReplyDeletenever too early to start that slow burn of promo for the Oscars I guess.
ReplyDeleteDulcinea - that was my favourite of his sketches, too :)
ReplyDelete"Who is it?!"
I was always under the impression that Eddie fell off the face of the earth because he hated having to deal with the fans and paps, (with an undertone of being too good for it all). I guess its tough to keep the lifestyle in this economy and hes forced to work a little.
ReplyDeleteI'd also read the books "The Chris Farley Show" and Jay Mohrs "Gasping For Airtime" to learn more about what goes on at SNL.
ReplyDeleteMurphy was mad at Spade because of a 1992 "Hollywood Minute" segment in which Spade said something about Murphy. At a party thrown by Chris Rock shortly after that incident Spade was in attendance and was asked to leave because Murphy didn't want to be anywhere near Spade.
The Jean Doumanian years are considered the worst years in the show's history.
Oh, God. I will always love this man for his Little Richard Simmons skit.
ReplyDeleteFrom the moment I saw it, I was on the floor.
Only one more month until Tower Heist, woo hoo! I know there are lots of Stiller haters here, but that movie looks so funny! Plus, Alan Freakin' Alda!!!
ReplyDeleteOh, and I think Gabourey Sidibe is going to steal the show.
ReplyDeleteI think it's ridiculous to state that Eddie should still be the cussing and ish-talking guy that he first came to fame as. He's a dad now, he's grown as a man and he has changed.
ReplyDeletePeople reach a point in life where they won't keep doing the same stuff if they feel they've grown. I find it funny that he's expected to not try to grow and to feel that he should have stayed the same as before.
He's a real person that changes. Get over it.
Eddie Murphy was hysterical in his earlier days. He has been very busy with the Shrek movies, so I don't think he is hurting for money.
ReplyDeleteI went back and watched either Raw or the other big stand up show he did back in the 80s? Anyway, I was HORRIFIED at how sexist and homophobic it was. I know it was a different time, but I haven't been able to like him again, ever since.
ReplyDeleteMy boyfriend of the time and I were so eager to see Raw, because we'd just about worn out his previous standup album, but I hated it -- I actually fell asleep in the theater, it was so bad and so boring. Tried watching it again last year with my husband, and we ended up shutting it off -- still awful! He was fantastic in Bowfinger, though ...
ReplyDeleteJesus this makes me feel really, really old. Admittedly I was a kid but I remember watching (taped on VCR and snuck from my parents!) eps with all the best skits.... Velvet Jones/How to Be a Ho, Buckwheat, Gumby, James Brown/Hot Tub!... he was so good on SNL in a time where basically nothing else was.
ReplyDeleteHowever- I'm sorry- I really think anyone who thinks the current cast is not funny hasn't watched in a while. The season finale last yr w Justin Timberlake and Lady Gaga was hilarious. Kristin Wiig, Keenan Thompson, Bill Hader, Seth Meyers (who I think is head writer) are all really really funny. Seriously. The opening skit for that show about Dominique Strauss-Kahn in prison is something my friends and I can't stop laughing at.
Everyone says SNL was funnier back when. When Spade/Farley/Sandler/ Rock were all on, people said it was horrible and funnier with Phil Hartman and Mike Myers (and when they were on, people had the same complaints that it wasn't as good as the Eddie Murphy era or of course the original cast). When it was the Will Ferrell era, people said it was funnier with Adam Sandler. When Ferrell left people thought the show couldn't go on but then Tina and Jimmy stepped up. Same things being said now in a post-Tina and Amy Poehler environment. I don't understand why, but people don't seem to appreciate how funny SNL is at the time, ever.
just following up and sad to say the story was a bust. Eddie never showed up. The surprise guest was Hugh Jackman and Kenny G showed up with the musical guest Foster the People.
ReplyDeletePlus the show was awful. Ben Stiller just phoned it in and the skits were all rehased skits and the worst ones possible.
I guess Eddie is still pissed.