Will Heath/NBC(NEW YORK) — Eddie Murphy used his first appearance on Saturday Night Live in 35 years to roast disgraced comedian Bill Cosby, and, on Sunday Cosby’s family clapped back.
During the opening monologue, Murphy, who welcomed his 10th child almost a year ago, said, “If you told me 30 years ago that I’d be this boring stay-at-home house dad and Bill Cosby would be in jail, even I wouldn’t have took that bet.”
Then, mimicking Cosby’s voice, the Dolemite Is My Name star added, “Who is America’s dad now?”
In a statement obtained by ABC, Andrew V. Wyatt, a rep for Cosby noted in part that “Mr. Cosby broke color barriers in the Entertainment Industry, so that Blacks like Eddie Murphy, Dave Chappell, Kevin Hart and et al., could have an opportunity to showcase their talents for many generations to come. It is sad that Mr. Murphy would take this glorious moment of returning to SNL and make disparaging remarks against Mr. Cosby.”
“Remember, Mr. Murphy, that Bill Cosby became legendary because he used comedy to humanize all races, religions and genders; but your attacking Mr. Cosby helps you embark on just becoming click bait,” the statement continued.
Added Wyatt, “Hopefully, you will be amenable to having a meeting of the minds conversation, in order to discuss how we can use our collective platforms to enhance Black people rather than bringing all of us down together.”
Murphy, in his 1987 standup film Raw, mentioned getting a call from Cosby in which Cosby berated him for cursing on stage, criticized his parenting skills and called him a bad role model to his kids.
Murphy was joined on stage by Chappell, along with SNL alums Chris Rock and Tracy Morgan, and current SNL cast member Kenan Thompson.
Copyright © 2019, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.