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Eddie Murphy is returning to “Saturday Night Live.” The comedian will participate in the upcoming “SNL” 40th anniversary special, he confirmed. It will mark Murphy’s first appearance on the show in 30 years. See the video below for the unexpected announcement.
Murphy broke the news during an interview on “NewsOneNow” with Roland Martin. Asked why he’s never returned to “SNL” since leaving in 1984, the star replied, “It’s just timing. It just never worked out where the timing was right for me to do [it].” He then revealed, “It’s part of my life, ‘Saturday Night Live.’ Actually, they are having a 40th anniversary, I think, in two weeks. I’m going to that. That will be the first time I’ve been back since I left.”
Murphy, who was actually talking to Martin to promote his new reggae song, was a regular cast member on “SNL” from 1980 to 1984, beginning when he was just 19 years old. He had a number of memorable bits on the sketch comedy show, and was beloved for characters like Gumby, Buckwheat, and Mr. Robinson. There are no details yet as to whether Murphy will be bringing back any of his personas. The special broadcast is slated to air on NBC on February 15.
In his chat with Martin, Murphy also openly spoke about leaving standup behind, and what he misses about performing live. “When you come from the stage, and you come from a show like ‘Saturday Night Live,’ I think you always have that feeling. There’s nothing like connecting with a live audience. That feeling is the best,” he said.
And, in discussing the state of comedy today, Murphy gave shout-outs to two stars who recently happened to host “SNL.” “I love Chris Rock, and I love Kevin Hart. I love them both,” he told Martin. “It’s a lot of funny dudes around; there’s a lot of people around that’s funny. Those two dudes are special.” Check out the video below for the full chat, and tell us what you think of Murphy returning to “SNL.”
