David Spade says Eddie Murphy "hated" him for years after infamous SNL joke

Comedian David Spade has opened up about a long-running rift with fellow Saturday Night Live alum Eddie Murphy, revealing that a single joke in the mid-1990s caused years of tension between them.

The moment occurred during a 1995 Weekend Update segment, when Spade poked fun at the box office performance of Murphy’s film Vampire in Brooklyn.

Looking back, Spade admitted the joke had an immediate impact. “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,” Spade said, explaining how painful the fallout was given that Murphy had long been one of his comedy heroes.

Spade recalled that Murphy confronted him directly after the joke aired. “We had some bumps in the road along the way, early on. I was on ‘Weekend Update,’ on SNL, 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 shared.

The comedian acknowledged that he didn’t push back during that conversation. “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,” Spade added.

The joke itself — delivered as Murphy’s image appeared onscreen with the line, “Look, children, it’s a falling star. Make a wish,” — received laughs at the time but struck a nerve with Murphy. In later reflections, Murphy described the comment as “a cheap shot” and said it felt disrespectful, particularly coming from the show that had launched his career.

Despite the long-lasting tension, Murphy has since said there are no hard feelings. “In the long run, it’s all good. Worked out great. I’m cool with David Spade. Cool with Lorne Michaels. I went back to SNL. I’m cool with everybody. It’s all love,” Murphy said.

The two comedians ultimately reconciled, publicly signaling their repaired relationship when they reunited during Saturday Night Live’s 50th anniversary celebration.