Eddie Murphy’s Awkward ‘SNL 40’ Appearance Leaves Fans Confused

Eddie Murphy’s triumphant return to the Saturday Night Live stage left many wanting more, with the comedian appearing on SNL 40 for barely one minute.

Eddie Murphy Returns To SNL After 30 Years

Murphy made his SNL return 30 years after ending his time as a cast member in 1984. He is one of the most popular cast members, and one of the most famous alums who has never before returned to Studio 8H. When Murphy confirmed his appearance on the anniversary special SNL 40, fans went crazy. So, it was disappointing to many when Murphy showed up only to wave at the audience and say a few words before passing it on to the next performer.

The tribute to Eddie Murphy lasted 5 minutes, but a majority of that time was spent on an introduction by Chris Rock. Rock praised Murphy’s comedic skills and classic characters displayed during his years as a cast member in the early ‘80s. In fact, Murphy is considered the man who “saved SNL” when it was in danger of being cancelled.

“You know, every couple of years, the critics try to name someone the next Eddie Murphy: ‘Martin Lawrence was the next Eddie Murphy, Chris Rock’s the next Eddie Murphy, Kevein Heart’s the next Eddie Murphy.’ There is no ‘next Eddie Murphy.’ Ladies and gentlemen, here’s the one and only Eddie Murphy,” Rock said.

The audience stood to give Murphy a standing ovation, which Murphy gracefully accepted before launching into a short speech in which he compared returning to SNL like going back to your old high school. “This show is such a big part of who I am and my life…I’m really happy that so many people here that value the stuff that I did 35 years ago on this show, it makes me really happy. It’s been a blessing to be a part of this show,” Murphy said before awkwardly throwing it to commercial.

Twitter Reacts To Eddie Murphy On SNL 40

The lackluster appearance left many fans at home scratching their heads, wondering if Murphy’s absence from any sketches or bits was a result of the behind-the-scenes drama that kept him away from the show for all these years.

Despite Murphy’s disappointing 70-second appearance, many of his sketches from the past – “Mr. Robinson’s Neighborhood” and “Tyrone Goes Reggae” – were included in montages that aired throughout the night.

Article by Olivia Truffaut-Wong

Olivia Truffaut-Wong was born and raised in Berkeley, California, where she developed her love of all things entertainment. After moving to New York City to earn her degree in Film Studies, she stayed on the East Coast to follow her passion and become an entertainment writer. She lives on a diet of television, movies and food.