By Prince Hakeem
After nearly 35 years, comedic legend Eddie Murphy is coming back to host Saturday Night Live. Set for a December 21st show, this will be Murphy’s first time performing on the studio 8H stage since his departure in 1984.
The Nutty Professor actor first appeared on SNL back in 1980 and quickly became a breakout star. He is also widely credited with saving Saturday Night Live. He even famously stepped as a last minute host back in 1982 when another performer cancelled. It’s long been documented that Murphy kept the show afloat. Critics at the time were penning the show as ‘Saturday Night Dead’. Show creator Lorne Michael had left prior to the sixth season and much of the all star cast at the time had departed onto movie careers.
“Out of nowhere, Eddie saved ‘Saturday Night Live,’” comedian Chris Rock said during the NBC show’s 40th anniversary special. “If ‘Saturday Night Live’ hadn’t hired Eddie Murphy, this show wouldn’t have lasted half as long as ‘Baywatch.’”
While Eddie has had a long-held affiliation with the sketch show, much of it was wrought with supposed bad blood. Hence the shock that came when his return was announced. Much of his 35 year absence was Murphy staying away from the show.
Well now that he’s currently filming the sequel to Coming to America, along with negotiating a deal with Netflix for a rumored $70 million stand-up special deal, it appears that this is the right time for Murphy to bring it back to where it all started.
