Eddie Murphy Reflects on Decades-Old SNL Feud: "They Called Me a Falling Star"

In a new Netflix documentary, renowned comedian Eddie Murphy, 64, is reflecting on his longstanding feud with the iconic sketch comedy show Saturday Night Live. Murphy, who was a cast member on SNL from 1980 to 1984, felt betrayed by the series for mocking his career after he left the show.

"It's like your alma mater taking a shot at you. At my career, not how funny I was," Murphy said in the documentary. "Called me a falling star." He explained that during his time on SNL, any joke about a former cast member's career would be instantly rejected, but that policy seemed to change after he departed.

Years later, in 1995, fellow comedian David Spade made a joke about Murphy and his film "Vampire in Brooklyn," which was a box office bomb at the time but is now considered a cult classic. Spade held up a photo of Murphy on his "Spade in America" segment and said, "Look, children, it's a falling star. Make a wish." This jab deeply hurt Murphy's feelings.

"So I wasn't, like, f*** David Spade, I was like, f*** SNL. That's what y'all think of me?" Murphy said. "Oh, you dirty mother f***ers. And that's why I didn't go back for years."

However, the two have since reconciled, with Murphy returning to host SNL in 2019 and making an appearance at the show's 50th anniversary special earlier this year. He expressed feeling a sense of pride and nostalgia for being part of the "American institution" that is SNL.