Eddie Murphy says he is finally ready to host Saturday Night Live after holding a grudge against the show that launched his career.
Many former cast members of Saturday Night Live have returned over the years as hosts, but one has been noticeably absent: Eddie Murphy. Strange for such a wildly successful performer to snub the stage that launched his career — but now the actor says he is ready to return, and sheds a little light on why he stayed away for so long.
Murphy sat down with Ellen Degeneres and explained the deal.
“Is there something going on that you have not been back for a while on SNL? Will you go back and host?” Degeneres asked.
“Not anymore. Now, I’m cool. I would go back if it was the right stuff, situation,” Murphy said.
“It was couple … Over the years … they did little [expletive] stuff where I was like, hey, [expletive] y’all,” he explained, apparently forgetting that Ellen is a family show. “I’m not trippin’. It was years ago. I don’t have any bad blood with that show. And that show is such a big part of my past. I love being part of it. Yeah, I wanna go back.”
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What specifically could have caused Murphy to get so ticked off? He’s not spilling, but David Spade once ripped Murphy during his Hollywood Minute segment on Saturday Night Live‘s Weekend Update. Spade showed a pic of Murphy and said, “Look children, a falling star… quick, make a wish!”
Spade later dissed Murphy’s particular brand of comedy. When asked what he used to think was funny but wasn’t anymore in a 2003 interview with IGN, Spade said, “A good example would be Eddie Murphy… couldn’t be funnier in Beverly Hills Cop. And that fast-talking kind of [character] isn’t the same anymore. I mean, it’s had its run.”
Ouch.
Now that Spade is out of the picture and Murphy has had, oh, years to cool down, he’s ready for his big Saturday Night Live comeback. It doesn’t hurt that he has two big movies to promote: Tower Heist with Ben Stiller, currently in theaters, and A Thousand Words, due in March 2012.
Watch Eddie Murphy on Ellen:
Image courtesy HRC/ WENN.com
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