The tension betweenDavid SpadeandEddie Murphywasn't always a punchline—in fact, it lingered for decades after one ill-receivedjokeonSaturday Night Live.
Spade, 61, recently revisited the awkward fallout during an episode of theFly on the Wallpodcast withDana Carvey,recalling how a 1995Weekend Updatejab about Murphy's filmVampire in Brooklynunexpectedly damaged their relationship.
"I do love Eddie Murphy, and we had some bumps in the road along the way," Spade started off. "It was weird going from being a super fan to having him hate me overnight, and to try to win him back for the last 25 years… I was on Weekend Update onSNL, new to the show, making fun of all the celebrities and I made fun of him and it didn't go well. And he called me and we had it out."
Spade admitted he didn't push back much during that call. "I didn't really fight back," he explained. "Because I did feel a little guilty about it. And he did make some sense, I just didn't like that because he was a hero."
Murphy, 64, later clarified in hisNetflixdocumentaryBeing Eddiethat his frustration was aimed more at the institution than the individual. "I was hurt," Murphy shared, perUSA Today. "It's like your alma mater taking a shot at you." He added, "The joke had went through all of those channels that the joke has to go through…And that's why I didn't go back for years."
Still, time softened the edges. Murphy returned to hostSNLin 2019, explaining, "I don't have no smoke with no David Spade." Spade confirmed the détente, noting they reconnected again at theSNL50thanniversarycelebration. "We talked a little bit and everything's fine," he said. "So yeah, we're all good."
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The timing feels fitting as Murphy continues to be celebrated for his legacy. Earlier this year, theAmerican Film Institute announcedhe'll receive the AFI Life Achievement Award in April 2026. AFI ChairKathleen Kennedycalled him "an American icon."
Murphy joinedSNLat just 19 years old and quickly became one of the show's defining stars before launching a blockbuster film career with hits like48 Hrs.,Trading Places,Beverly Hills Cop, andComing to America. His influence later extended tofamilyfilms likeDr. Dolittleand animation through his iconic voice role as Donkey inShrek.
This story was originally published byParadeon Dec 28, 2025, where it first appeared in theNewssection. Add Parade as aPreferred Source by clicking here.
