Eddie Murphy Explains Refusal to Play Bill Cosby for SNL 40th

While the whole affair was nonstop hilarity, a few of the most fun moments came from past SNL greats.

If you’re thinking oh man, Chris Rock’s introduction to Eddie Murphy was better than seeing Eddie Murphy, well, you’d be correct. He said that he doesn’t think there is anything actually amusing about the situation itself, as over 40 women have accused Cosby of sexual assault. “There’s nothing amusing about it. If you get up there and you crack jokes about him, you’re just hurting people”. Eddie Murphy knows what would handle SNL quicker than anybody.

“You’re torturous him. You’re devastating his accusers”, he describes.

For his part, Murphy agreed that the sketch was hilarious. The return of SNLs version of Celebrity Jeopardy was one of the absolute highlights of Will Ferrell’s time on the show, and it was one of the most talked about sketches from the entire special. The sketch was during all the rape allegation rumors swirling around the former Cosby Show star – which, yes, is still happening – and the only explanation we had as to why Murphy declined was in Norm Macdonald’s Twitter rant. Eddie Murphys intended role as Bill Cosby in a Video Daily Double was taken on by current SNL cast member Kenan Thompson.

After hearing word that Murphy had decided not to perform as Cosby during the anniversary special, the beleaguered comedian spoke out in a statement obtained by NBC. As previously reported by the Inquisitr, the legendary funnyman later thanked Murphy for not mocking him at the SNL anniversary show.