Saturday Night Live star David Spade reflects on a long-running rift with Eddie Murphy after a 1990s SNL joke

David Spade addressed the long-running rift with Eddie Murphy stemming from a Saturday Night Live joke in the mid-1990s.

The dispute arose after Spade, during a 1995 “Spade in America” segment on SNL, joked about Murphy’s film Vampire in Brooklyn, referring to it as a "falling star" and telling viewers to make a wish.

Spade later explained the difficulty of moving from being a fan to having Murphy upset with him.

"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," he said on his Fly on the Wall podcast with Dana Carvey.

The joke generated audience reactions ranging from laughter to shock.

Saturday Night Live Joke sparks decades-long tension between David Spade and Eddie Murphy

The Origin of the Feud

The joke aired on the December 9, 1995, episode of SNL, where Spade also referenced Princess Diana, Antonio Banderas, and Heather Locklear.

Murphy, who had gained prominence on SNL in the 1980s, was offended by the segment. According to Spade, Murphy contacted him to address the joke directly, saying,

"Actually, he had it out. I didn't really fight back. 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 had previously described the incident as hurtful in the Netflix documentary Being Eddie, noting the layers of production the joke passed through before airing, and explaining that the audience "booed" and hissed at him, which caused him to feel hurt.

Attempts to reconcile

Over the next decades, Spade indicated he worked to repair the relationship with Murphy.

He recalled interactions that gradually improved their dynamic, including meetings during SNL anniversary events.

"I've seen him once or twice [since]. And then I saw him at the 50th and we talked a little bit and everything's fine," Spade said.

He went on to narrate a short meeting with Murphy at the entrance of the SNL 50th anniversary special in 2025, telling that Murphy pushed his arm back to hold him off, leading Spade to greet him and hug him.

He remarked that Murphy was "cool" at the moment and they had a friendly handshake.

Spade recognized the difficulties at the beginning in the process of trust restoration, stating that there were some "bumps" in the road while he was taking his new position on Weekend Update and making fun of stars, Murphy included.

He added that the situation did not go well initially and that Murphy confronted him directly. Murphy’s initial reaction contributed to his limited appearances on SNL after the 1990s.

Legacy of the Incident

Murphy’s career continued with box office successes after the 1995 joke, including The Nutty Professor (1996), Dr. Dolittle (1998), Daddy Day Care (2003), and the Shrek franchise, culminating in an Oscar-nominated performance in Dreamgirls (2006).

The fallout from the joke also influenced Murphy’s participation in SNL anniversaries. He did not attend the 25th anniversary special in 1999 and returned for the 40th in 2015.

SNL producer Lorne Michaels commented on the situation in 2013, explaining that he considered the joke a "clean" hit and had not fully considered its potential impact, though he acknowledged that Murphy did react.

Both Spade and Murphy now report that the dispute has been resolved. Spade explained that when Murphy was asked about their past conflict, he confirmed they were "all good," indicating the matter has been settled.

Stay tuned for more updates.