SNL Alum Norm Macdonald Says Eddie Murphy Declined Playing Bill Cosby for Anniversary Special

Updated Thursday, Feb. 19, 12:05 p.m. EST: “I am very appreciative of Eddie and I applaud his actions,” Bill Cosby said through a rep.

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Earlier:

Last Sunday, during Saturday Night Live’s 40th-anniversary special, Eddie Murphy made a brief and awkward appearance. Many people wondered if he would grace the stage again, but unfortunately he did not. Even more people were upset that they wafted through three hours of SNL’s show for only a 72-second speech by Murphy. However, initially Norm Macdonald, one of SNL’s most popular alums, had much more in store for Murphy’s return. Unfortunately, things didn’t go the way he wanted.

During the special, “Celebrity Jeopardy,” which was written by Macdonald, made a return. Macdonald said on Twitter that Murphy came really close to playing Bill Cosby in the segment but later declined. Read his tweets below:

And what we were left with was Keenan Thompson in a Coogi sweater and 72 seconds of a Murphy speech.