Eddie Murphy Slams David Spade’s SNL Joke as ‘Racist’
Eddie Murphy has spoken out against fellow “Saturday Night Live” alum David Spade, expressing anger and suggesting racial undertones in a joke Spade made about his career nearly three decades ago.
In an in-depth interview with the *New York Times* published on Saturday, June 29, Murphy reflected on a “Weekend Update” segment from December 1995, where Spade mocked Murphy’s career downturn.
During the segment, Spade showed a picture of Murphy and made a quip about a “falling star,” a jab that coincided with the box office failure of Murphy’s film *Vampire in Brooklyn*.
Murphy revealed to the *NYT* that the joke stung deeply, particularly because of his pivotal role in SNL’s history.
He suggested that the show might not have endured without his significant contributions. He also highlighted that the joke was approved by more than just Spade, noting that SNL producers review all content before it airs. This made him feel as though the entire institution was complicit in targeting him.
“I thought that was a cheap shot. And it was kind of, I thought—I felt it was racist,” Murphy stated, though he did not elaborate on why he perceived the joke as racist.
The incident was so impactful that Murphy distanced himself from SNL for decades, not returning until the show’s 40th anniversary celebration in 2015.
Despite the long-standing hurt, Murphy shared that he has since reconciled with both SNL’s creator Lorne Michaels and David Spade. Murphy made a triumphant return to host SNL in 2019, receiving rave reviews for his performance.
Eddie Murphy Slams David Spade’s SNL Joke as ‘Racist’
