- - David Spade Admits He’s Spent 25 Years Trying to ‘Win Back’ Fellow Comedy Legend

Jane LaCroixDecember 28, 2025 at 1:41 AM

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Photo by Bryan Steffy/Getty Images

The tension between David Spade and Eddie Murphywasn’t always a punchline—in fact, it lingered for decades after one ill-received joke on Saturday Night Live.

Spade, 61, recently revisited the awkward fallout during an episode of the Fly on the Wall podcast with Dana Carvey, recalling how a 1995 Weekend Update jab about Murphy’s film Vampire in Brooklyn unexpectedly damaged their relationship.

“I do love Eddie Murphy, and we had some bumps in the road along the way,” Spade started off. “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… 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 admitted he didn’t push back much during that call. “I didn't really fight back,” he explained. “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.”

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Murphy, 64, later clarified in his Netflix documentary Being Eddie that his frustration was aimed more at the institution than the individual. “I was hurt,” Murphy shared, per USA Today. “It’s like your alma mater taking a shot at you.” He added, “The joke had went through all of those channels that the joke has to go through…And that’s why I didn’t go back for years.”

Still, time softened the edges. Murphy returned to host SNL in 2019, explaining, “I don’t have no smoke with no David Spade.” Spade confirmed the détente, noting they reconnected again at the SNL 50th anniversary celebration. “We talked a little bit and everything’s fine,” he said. “So yeah, we’re all good.”

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The timing feels fitting as Murphy continues to be celebrated for his legacy. Earlier this year, the American Film Institute announced he’ll receive the AFI Life Achievement Award in April 2026. AFI Chair Kathleen Kennedy called him “an American icon.”

Murphy joined SNL at just 19 years old and quickly became one of the show’s defining stars before launching a blockbuster film career with hits like 48 Hrs., Trading Places, Beverly Hills Cop, and Coming to America. His influence later extended to family films like Dr. Dolittle and animation through his iconic voice role as Donkey in Shrek.

This story was originally published by Parade on Dec 28, 2025, where it first appeared in the News section. Add Parade as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

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Source: “AOL Entertainment”