Saturday Night Live: Best of Eddie Murphy
#10: “Ebony & Ivory”
As a number of the skits on today’s list remind us, during his time on SNL, Murphy incorporated a lot of commentary on racism into his performances. “Ebony & Ivory” is a great example. With Murphy as Stevie Wonder and fellow cast member Joe Piscopo as Frank Sinatra, the two singers collaborate on a reworked version of “Ebony and Ivory”, a song originally recorded by Wonder and Paul McCartney. For this updated version, however, Sinatra wants to be a little blunter about the song’s message on racial diversity and equality. Murphy doesn’t have much dialogue in this skit, but his facial expressions speak volumes, and his ability to match Wonder’s vocals is truly something to behold.
#9: “Gumby’s Life Story”
Don’t you ever question him - he’s Gumby, dammit! While there have been several skits featuring Murphy as the stretchy green character, “Gumby’s Life Story” was arguably his piece de resistance - acknowledging the recurring character’s popularity by getting a little meta. The skit opens with a different Gumby being told he isn’t cut out for a role. After uttering the classic phrase “I’m Gumby, dammit”, he’s interrupted by Murphy’s Gumby, revealing the whole set to be a production on Gumby’s life. For every foul-up by the cast and crew, Gumby spews sass and venom, and it is downright hilarious.
#8: “The Stevie Wonder Impersonator”
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Speaking of meta… this has to be one of the greatest meta-skits SNL ever produced. Murphy had the pleasure of performing alongside Stevie Wonder as a casting agent while the famed musician played a terrible Stevie Wonder impersonator. Wonder plays the bit well with his intentionally terrible singing. But what makes this sketch so memorable is when Murphy belts out his impression, only for Wonder - after a little coaching - to turn around and show off his magnificent vocals. Very few SNL cast members have gotten to act alongside the people they impersonate, making this already excellent skit feel all the more historic.
#7: “Prose and Cons”
Taking the form of a mockumentary, this sketch focuses on a United States prison where the inmates spend most of their time in front of a typewriter. Absurd? Oh, absolutely, but one can’t ignore the commentary made about criminals becoming best-selling authors. It’s a solid premise, but the best part of this sketch is when Murphy’s character, Tyrone Green, makes his appearance behind the cold steel door of a maximum security cell. Between his dark thoughts and inability to spell, the delivery of his poem “Images” is morbidly hilarious.
#6: “Pudge & Solomon: Laid Off”
“Heartfelt” isn’t a word typically associated with SNL, but “Laid Off” is a unique sketch that really hits home. After the two recurring characters share a few laughs, Solomon tells Pudge that he’s been fired from his job. Pudge tries to give his friend money to help him out, but Solomon ends up sneakily returning the cash. Given America’s troubled history of racial division, this is an important reminder that, regardless of race, we’re all just human beings trying to make it in this world. At the end of the day, all we have is each other, and with some help from co-star Joe Piscopo, Murphy conveys this idea with heart and humor.
#5: “James Brown’s Celebrity Hot Tub Party”
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Part of what made Eddie Murphy such an SNL icon was how he made every show a party. That was certainly evident in this sketch, in which Murphy puts on a performance that would make any musician proud. His impersonation of James Brown is almost uncanny, perfectly replicating the Godfather of Soul’s mannerisms and speech. The comedian even strips down to a pair of golden undies which, to no one’s surprise, makes the audience go wild. With the ridiculous concept and song, it's a wonder Murphy managed to stay in character the whole time. Well...almost the whole time.
#4: “The Little Richard Simmons Show”
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There seems to be no shortage of celebrities that Eddie can impersonate, and this time, he’s taking on two at one time. “The Little Richard Simmons Show” sees Murphy blending musician Little Richard and fitness instructor Richard Simmons into one hyperactive character. While the bit itself is pretty funny, it ranks so highly on our list because of how it highlights Murphy’s showmanship; the way in which he manages to energize the crowd and turn the show into a dance party is astounding. What’s even more commendable is his vocal range, especially when we’ve just seen him sing like Stevie Wonder and James Brown.
#3: “White Like Me”
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As we mentioned earlier, Eddie Murphy never shied away from the subject of racism during his time on SNL, and "White Like Me" is one of his most creative bits in this regard. Murphy has the makeup department disguise him as a white man, and he spends the day observing how Caucasian people treat each other in various situations. He ends up getting a newspaper for free, watches in awe as his bus ride turns into a party, and successfully receives a bank loan without any necessary documents. These scenarios are all absurd, but together they really hammer the point home. Shocking, hilarious and poignant, this is some of Murphy’s best work on SNL.
#2: “The Death of Buckwheat”
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SNL tends to steer clear of controversial topics, but that’s part of what makes this sketch about the media coverage of murder stand out - even years later. As you’ll hear several times throughout the sketch, Buckwheat has been shot. Ted Koppel (played by Joe Piscopo) drags out the story as long as he can by taking a deep dive into the life of the killer, while intrusive ads for life insurance play throughout. It’s an extremely effective criticism of media sensationalism and the celebrity culture that surrounds violent criminals. Between Piscopo’s impersonation of Koppel and Murphy’s performance as both Buckwheat and his killer, “The Death of Buckwheat” has become something of an SNL legend - and it still feels relevant today. Before we unveil our top pick, here are some honorable mentions: “Rock & Roll & Then Some” “Velvet Jones’s I Wanna Be a Ho” “Raheem Abdul Muhammed” “Weekend Update: Holiday’s Hottest Dolls” “Losers’ Locker Room”
#1: The “Mister Robinson” Series
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Eddie Murphy certainly twisted our perception of Gumby, but his most influential parody of a beloved children’s television character was that of Mr. Rogers. Unlike the friendly and charming persona of Fred Rogers, “Mr. Robinson” had a knack for getting into trouble and presented lessons in a more direct matter. What better way to learn about entrepreneurship than by selling car radios? Or how about a quick lesson in tenant rights and responsibilities by watching him navigate a conflict with Mr. Landlord, the scum bucket? Creative and hilarious, Murphy’s twisted parody of Mr. Rogers has every right to be called some of the best SNL sketches in Murphy’s career. And can you believe Mr. Rogers himself loved the parody?
