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OT: Eddie Murphy Hosts Saturday Night Live(December 2019)

posted 5 years ago by ecarle (14979)
8 replies | jump to latest

First, the "on topic" note that in the 45 years or so that SNL has been on the air, "Psycho" invaded the show twice:

In 1976, Anthony Perkins hosted the show, and did a famous skit called "The Norman Bates School of Motel Management."

In 1998, Vince Vaughn hosted the show to promote the "shot by shot remake of Psycho" -- and was confronted by the ghost of Hitchcock(Darrell Hammond), yelling "the what by what what of WHAT?!"

And I've always noted that it was during the first year of SNL -- during the 1975-1976 TV season -- that Hitchcock released his FINAL film, "Family Plot"(in April, near the end of the TV season.)

In short, SNL took the stage just as Hitchcock was giving it up. An era changed. (And eventually, Family Plot stars Karen Black and Bruce Dern hosted separate episodes of SNL.)

I'm one of those people for whom SNL has been a part of my whole adult life, always there, and of different importance at different times.

It sure was a big deal in the beginning, with folks like Bob Hope and Red Skelton ceding the stage to Chevy Chase, John Belushi, and Dan Ackroyd. (And, starting in the second season, Bill Murray, who remains the most durable of SNL movie stars today.)

Chase left the show for movies first, then Belushi and Ackroyd together, and finally, Murray left. And creator Lorne Michaels elected to quit the show with his first cast.

This left SNL in 1980 scrambling. A new producer(Jean Doumanian -- immediately under attack and didn't last long), followed by another new producer(Dick Ebersol). All en route to Lorne Michaels returning in the mid-80's(and he is still there today, as if Milton Berle producers were running SNL in 1975.)

Two things are famous about SNL in the early 80s: (1) It was almost cancelled for good and (2)a brash(yet suave) young black comedian named Eddie Murphy saved the show - turned it into "The Eddie Murphy Show" for a few years even as he got HIS giant superstar movie career(48 HRS as a debut, Trading Places with Dan Ackroyd as a solid hit; Beverly Hills Cop as his "Psycho"-like blockbuster.)

I recall, as a 30ish movie fan, watching as Eddie Murphy at Christmas 1984 with Beverly Hills Cop demolished a long-awaited pairing of 70's superstars Clint Eastwood and Burt Reynolds("City Heat"). It was a clear-cut wipe-out of FORMER big stars(Clint and Burt) by a NEW superstar. And it was devastating -- another movie era change(Burt's star career pretty much ended right then; he took the blame, not Clint.). After a few weeks, "Beverly Hills Cop" even stole the "City Heat" tagline: "The Heat is On"(Because BHC had that song.)

But modern movie careers are hard to maintain. People forget how, after the "triumvirate" of 48HRS(Eddie's best movie, IMHO), Trading Places, and Beverly Hills Cop...was never really matched by Eddie again. Came the late 80's and 90's, Eddie was already making pallid sequels to BHC and 48HRS(now with his and Nolte's billing reversed), and -- less a late 80's hit of middling quality called "Coming to America." the next three decades found Murphy as a star with declining power -- though, amazingly, he was allowed to make bomb movies, it felt, like for decades before studios stopped funding him. (Within those decades, his "Nutty Professor" remake and sequel and his Shrek vocals gave him the boost necessary to stay in the game; it wasn't ALL bombs.)

Somewhere during this time, SNL comedian David Spade made fun of Eddie Murphy's decline("Look...a falling star!") and Eddie Murphy went into a rage, cutting all ties to SNL and refusing to acknowledge the mutual debt. He refused to appear on the 30th(I think?) Anniversary, and became this weird "ghost" --- SNL"s biggest star(other than Bill Murray) with no willingness to acknowledge it at all.

But like a lot of stars(including Bill Murray) and like a lot of regular people, Eddie Murphy has mellowed with age, buried some hatchets. He appeared on the 40th(I think?) Anniversary program, very briefly and just saying some nice words and doing nothing else.

And he came back to host SNL last night.

For me, this was one of those rare "big deals" in entertainment history. SNL in general has been a part of my entire adult life; and I remember the Eddie Murphy years on TV and the movies as being very, very fun, in the beginning(I LOVE 48 HRS, it might be my second favorite 1982 movie after ET, or maybe Tootsie, well, I loved The Verdict -- it was a great year.) And the story of Eddie Murphy's decades-long estrangement from SNL is one of those "show biz legends" that got a final chapter last night. Eddie came back.

[–] ecarle (14979) 5 years ago

Like John Travolta before him(and Al Pacino from 1985-1989), Eddie seems to have figured out that by "going away" for a few years, he could becoming a "rare mineral"and creating a craving for a comeback. Eddie's trying that comeback: he has a Netflix movie("Dolemite") with some Oscar cred(and likely a big paycheck); he's sequelling "Coming to America." He may do some stand-up. And he returned to SNL, as if to say "all is forgiven."

It was a big deal. During his opening monologue, Eddie was joined on stage by black comedians who owed him a debt --two from SNL(Chris Rock and Tracy Morgan) and one superstar of a different stripe(Dave Chapell.) That was a lot of funny starpower on the stage, but they were All There for Eddie. Who started it all. And as Chris Rock said, "when I came on the show, Lorne told me I'd be the next Eddie Murphy. One year later, we all knew: I wasn't."

A whole bunch of ex-SNL cast members were in the "Democratic Debate sketch"(Maya Rudolph, Fred Armisen, Rachel Dratch, Jason Sudekis) along with the great Larry David as Bernie Sanders and current SNL star Kate MacKinnon doing double duty as Elizabeth Warren AND Nancy Pelosi. Alec Baldwin dropped by to do Trump. (Sudekis returned to play Joe Biden after a more movie starrish version had been done by Woody Harrelson a few times; this is bad news for Biden; Sudekis used to play Biden as the white putz blindly serving Obama.)

In short, Eddie Murphy was surrounded by "a galaxy of stars" for his return to SNL, befitting the prodigal son and royalty he is. (His bombed out and over movie career seemed entirely forgotten.)

And all Eddie really HAD to do was to bring back his most famous characters and it was 1982 all over again: "Mr. Robinson's Neighborhood,"Old Time Jewish Comic Gumby" "Buckwheat" and "Velvet Jones, celebrity pimp." All funny bits, all animated by Murphy's undeniable talent with a line and a look -- and the nostalgia factor was overwhelming.

[–] ecarle (14979) 5 years ago

Eddie did a few new bits, too -- best of all(I thought) was a panicked Santa's elf on a news report about a polar bear attacking and killing Santa's elves, screaming at the TV news reporter "It doesn't MATTER what my name is!" when asked(when finally revealed, it DID matter.)

Eddie mentioned that he has ten children -- another reason for needing to work more these days. He had a certain verbal poise in his opening monologue(complete with elegant hand gestures) that I VIVIDLY remember from his old stand-up. People forget Eddie's stand-up poise, I think(even when the material was controversial.)

And this: yep, it was apparent that in the almost four decades since his SNL debut, skinny Eddie Murphy has put on the pounds. But haven't we all. Still, its always MORE noticeable in a movie star. I think one of the reasons Cary Grant retired "young" at 62 is that(unlike skinny Jimmy Stewart), his muscular acrobat's body thickened and he got a bit plump -- suave plump, but plump. Cary bowed out to "leave them with that tan thin chap on the Late Show." Didn't seem to matter much to Eddie Murphy how he looks -- so much of his persona is all in his facial expressions and voice. Still -- it was a physical manifestation of all the years back to 48 HRS and a new young comic on SNL.

This was a great bit of "TV history." With some movie history on the side...

[–] swanstep (2715) 5 years ago

This was a great bit of "TV history." With some movie history on the side...

I've seen about half the ep. and have really enjoyed it. SNL clearly embraced Eddie's return as 'a really big deal' and lo-and-behold it was. Interestingly, I remember Dave Chappelle's 'return' ep. a few years ago having some of the same feeling: nostalgic but also legitimately very funny. Chappelle & Murphy can go for & get away with laughs that no one else can: 'I am Gumby you black b******' (said to Michael Che) for example.

I look forward to catching Murphy's Netflix 'Dolemite' movie - it's written by the ace team of Alexander & Karazewski who gave us Ed Wood, People vs Larry Flynt, & many other superior Hollywood semi-biopics.

Loved Eddie's monologue for the most part, esp. his comparison of his Life trajectory to Cosby's. Again, probably nobody else can make that joke.

[–] ecarle (14979) 5 years ago

'I am Gumby you black b******' (said to Michael Che) for example.

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Eddie Murphy's Gumby was one of his best creations, very much a "white man" and likely of New Jork Jewish persuasion(a coarse agent-type.)

Back in 1982, Nick Nolte was supposed to host SNL to help Eddie promote 48 HRS. But Nolte dropped out at almost the last second -- and Eddie got to HOST, even though he was "just" a cast member. (But everybody knew that wasn't going to last for long.)

Anyway, one of the 1982 sketches was a very funny "Gumby Christmas Show" with Murphy lording over Joe Piscopo's Frank Sinatra, and Julia Louis-Dreyfuss(years from Seinfeld) as the "Marie" in "Donny and Marie"(can't remember who played Donny, but the joke was that Donny and Marie launched into a way too passionate kiss and Gumby had to intercede: "No, no! DON-ny and mar-IE!")

I had hoped for the return of "Gumby Christmas" this week but...no. Just Gumby. Funny enough.

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I look forward to catching Murphy's Netflix 'Dolemite' movie - it's written by the ace team of Alexander & Karazewski who gave us Ed Wood, People vs Larry Flynt, & many other superior Hollywood semi-biopics.

--

Oh, yeah? I LOVE those guys. Ed Wood's their best, but they sure picked some other great figures to bio.

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[–] ecarle (14979) 5 years ago

Loved Eddie's monologue for the most part, esp. his comparison of his Life trajectory to Cosby's. Again, probably nobody else can make that joke.

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This allowed Eddie to pull out his ace Cosby impression(it was good then, its good now) and to hit the nail on the head. Interesting: Eddie Murphy refused to play Cosby in a mocking sketch on the 40th Anniversary special(Kenan Thompson did the skit instead). Interesting: Cosby's "team" has fired back hard at Murphy for the joke. Really furious.

Back in 1982 when Murphy "hosted" SNL in Nolte's absence, he was given a lot of time for the opening monologue...and it was a great one, not only in the jokes, but in Murphy's suave, well-timed manner. I knew then he was going to be a star. He became a very big star but....its funny how it really didn't last (on the one hand) and how he kept getting cast in movies(on the other hand) well past his stardom expiration date. He'd pop up being funny with Steve Martin(Bowfinger), with Ben Stiller(Tower Heist) just sort of surprising us with continued bursts of his talent.

I expect that Eddie Murphy will always be a "name" in show biz, able to get cast and make money. I think what was special here was his willingness to finally go back and "explore his roots" at SNL. He really WAS that show for half of the 80's.

[–] ecarle (14979) 5 years ago

I look forward to catching Murphy's Netflix 'Dolemite' movie - it's written by the ace team of Alexander & Karazewski who gave us Ed Wood, People vs Larry Flynt, & many other superior Hollywood semi-biopics.

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I have just watched "Dolemite" -- and I sure am glad I read your post above, swanstep, before doing so.
Otherwise, I might not have known that Alexander & Karazewski wrote the script. Since I DID know that, it didn't take me long to figure out that "Dolemite" is a sweet and sassy companion piece to Ed Wood(my favorite Tim Burton movie and one of my favorites in a very favorite year: 1994.)

Both films are variations on the same story: an outsider with a dream(a very WEIRD dream) somehow gets through and around the Hollywood system to make some very weird movies. Ed Wood gave us a very evocative 1950s and Johnny Depp (back when he was new, good, and surprising as a star) as the anchor. Dolemite gives us a very evocative 1970's and Eddie Murphy(on the comeback trail) as the anchor. The two films share scenes of threadbare productions being filmed by crews running out of money(and in Dolemite, out of FILM.) I like the 70's additive of the "Blaxploitation movie" here using a very white, very nerdish UCLA film school grad as the DP (Says Murphy to the kid, "You look like one of those Alfred Hitchcock people" -- whether he means as a director, or as Norman Bates, isn't clear.)

But most of the cast is black. Wesley Snipes works on HIS comeback playing the real actor D'Urville(sp?) Martin, who, the movie points out, "worked with Roman Polanski." On Rosemary's Baby(the elevator operator in the apartment building.) That's two movies in one year with mention of Roman Polanski and Rosemary's Baby as "big deals."

[–] ecarle (14979) 5 years ago

While the PG(13?) Ed Wood roped in the "kinky" side of Wood's cross-dressing ways and Bill Murray's seeking of an early sex change operation, "Dolemite"(which would be a hard R in theaters) ladles on the more basic sex and cussing of 70's black comedy albums(Redd Foxx is heard - he was a notorious "blue" comedian on record albums before he became a sitcom star) and it is suggested that Rudy Ray Moore(who became "Dolemite" on the screen) found his calling first in a kind of X-rated sexual comedy(for African-American audiences) before parlaying it into cheapo deluxe movies(with plenty of nude women, just like on his comedy album covers). As in Ed Wood, a climactic premiere is a big deal -- but I think the "Dolemite" premiere is a real one, "Ed Wood" ended with a fantasy premiere.

"Ed Wood" and "Dolemite is My Name" share a lot of things -- fringe Hollywood mileau, shoestring movie production(with bad writing, bad fight scenes, and bad acting), the promise of money made versus losing everything - but what they ALSO share is an essential decency to the characters. Depp's Ed Wood and Murphy's Rudy Ray Moore are essentially good people, loyal to friends, watching out for the underdog -- underdogs themselves.

What a treat this new movie is if you are(like me) an Ed Wood fan.

[–] ecarle (14979) 5 years ago

And this: there is a scene early in the movie where Murphy takes his "gang of misfits" to see a new comedy(it is 1974.) The movie is Billy Wilder's The Front Page, starring Jack Lemmon and Walter Matthau -- and while it wasn't as bad as Billy Wilder's Buddy, Buddy of 1981 starring Lemmon and Matthau -- well, it did feel too old-fashioned(in a bad way, not the 20's source play, the bad new topical Nixon jokes) and...well Wilder was one of those stayed-too-long directors QT has warned us about.

Now I was and remain a huge Walter Matthau fan, and he "carried" The Front Page in '74(he was now a bigger star than Lemmon, who was by then not fun to watch or listen to on screen). But in this "Dolemite" scene, Murphy and company come out of the theater and Murphy says: "I don't get it. Why they putting old wrinkled people to star in these movies. That wasn't funny and there were no boobies in it. We can make a better movie than that."

Its a bittersweet scene -- The Front Page was problematic in '74(it was an Xmas release one year after the Xmas '73 release of The Sting, and meant to emulate the feeling, but without the box office.) But it wasn't THAT bad. Still...one gets what the "Dolemite" scene is saying: the times were changing(yet again) and a big budget Lemmon/Matthau picture was not going to cut it anymore. The thing was: "Dolemite" movies were no real replacement, either.