Eddie Murphy has accused David Spade of making a “racist joke” at his expense during a Saturday Night Live episode from the mid-1990s.
During a recent interview with the New York Times, Murphy mentioned an incident in which Spade mocked the disappointing success of his 1995 picture Vampire in Brooklyn. “Look, children, it’s a falling star,” Spade said, standing next to a portrait of Murphy and deadpanning, “Make a wish.”
The joke, delivered during a section of Spade’s “Hollywood Minute” show that aired that same year, implied that Murphy’s fame had suffered as a result of the film, a move Murphy believes was malicious on Spade’s side.
The New York native claims that his status as one of the most accomplished alums to appear on the renowned sketch comedy show exacerbates Spade’s jab. “I was like, ‘Yo, it’s in-house!’ I am part of the family, and you are f**king with me like that? Murphy told the publication, “It hurt my feelings like that.”
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The Hollywood veteran went on to call Spade’s bit a “cheap shot” and racially motivated, claiming that no other former SNL cast member had been insulted in that way. “This is ‘Saturday Night Live.’ “I’m the biggest thing that ever came off that show,” Murphy stated.
“The program would have gone off the air if I hadn’t returned, and now you’ve got a cast member making fun of my career? And I understand that he cannot just say that. A joke needs to travel through these channels. So the producers decided it was okay to say that. And none of the folks who have appeared on the show have ever made a joke about anyone’s profession. Most people who leave the program do not go on to have such successful careers.”
The 63-year-old insisted that Spade’s actions were intended to cause hurt, adding that the snub was “personal” in nature. “I was like, ‘Yo, how could you do that?’ What about my career? Really? Is there a joke about my career? So I considered that a cheap shot. And I felt it was racist.”
Murphy, on the other hand, said that he and Spade have now reconciled and are now friendly. “In the long run, it’s all good,” he told The Times. “It worked out great. I’m okay with David Spade. Cool with Lorne Michaels. I returned to ‘SNL.’ I’m fine with everyone. “It’s all love.”
Spade has also addressed the sketch aimed at Murphy, recalling being approached by the actor over the prank, which Spade now sees as “stupid.”
However, his recall included no indication of his intent, as he appeared to blame Murphy’s distress to the amount of mockery he had gotten during that time period.
“I’ve come to see Eddie’s point on this one,” Spade wrote in Almost Intersting, his book from 2015. “Everyone in show business wants people to like them. That’s how you gain fans. But whether you’re reamed in a skit, online, or elsewhere, that shit sticks. “And it can add up quickly.”
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