Despite a famously rocky beginning, David Spade and Eddie Murphy have finally put the past behind them, proving that even long-running Hollywood tensions can fade with time.

The two Saturday Night Live alumni are now on good terms after decades of awkwardness stemming from an infamous joke Spade made on live television in the mid-1990s—a moment that left a lasting mark on both comedians. While Murphy has since clarified that his anger was directed more at SNL as an institution than at Spade personally, the fallout was undeniable.

“It was strange going from being a massive fan of his to feeling like he hated me overnight,” Spade admitted during a November episode of his Fly on the Wall podcast with Dana Carvey. “I spent the next 25 years trying to win him back.”

Spade’s comments followed renewed attention to the incident after Murphy revisited it in the Netflix documentary Being Eddie. Although Spade said he hadn’t yet watched the film, he was aware that their conflict was discussed and acknowledged that it reopened old memories.

“We definitely had some bumps in the road early on,” Spade said. “I was new on SNL, doing Weekend Update, making fun of celebrities, and I made fun of him. It didn’t go well. He called me, and we had words.”

Spade quickly clarified that Murphy did most of the talking during that confrontation. “He had it out,” Spade said. “I didn’t really push back. I felt guilty, honestly. What he said made sense—it just hurt more because he was one of my heroes.”

The joke that sparked the controversy aired on December 9, 1995, during Spade’s “Spade in America” segment. While mocking several public figures, Spade took aim at Murphy, whose film Vampire in Brooklyn had recently underperformed at the box office. Sitting beside a photo of Murphy, Spade quipped, “Look, children, it’s a falling star. Make a wish.”

The joke drew nervous laughter and audible shock from the audience. Spade followed it up by adding, “You make a Hollywood Minute omelet, you break some eggs.” What may have seemed like standard late-night satire to some was deeply hurtful to Murphy.

Murphy, whose early 1980s SNL run is widely credited with saving the show from cancellation, was so offended that he distanced himself from SNL for years. He later described the experience as feeling betrayed by his own creative home.

“It’s like your alma mater taking a shot at you,” Murphy said in Being Eddie. “They booed him in the audience, but I was still hurt. My feelings were hurt.”

Murphy also emphasized how personal the moment felt, noting that jokes on SNL go through multiple layers of approval. “If a joke like that were pitched today about a former cast member’s career being over, it would never make it to air,” he said. “Someone would shut it down.”

Over time, however, the tension eased. According to Spade, the two have crossed paths several times since, including at SNL’s 50th anniversary celebration. “We talked, everything was cool,” Spade shared. “They asked him about it later, and he said, ‘Yeah, we’re all good.’ And we are.”

Spade also recalled a brief but telling moment backstage at the anniversary special in February 2025. “I walked past him, and he playfully blocked me so I had to say hi,” Spade said. “We hugged. He was super cool.”

In hindsight, the joke itself hasn’t aged well—especially given Murphy’s massive resurgence. Following Vampire in Brooklyn, Murphy rebounded with box office hits like The Nutty Professor, Dr. Dolittle, Daddy Day Care, and the hugely successful Shrek franchise. His performance in Dreamgirls even earned him an Academy Award nomination in 2006.

The incident also had lasting consequences for SNL. Murphy skipped the show’s 25th anniversary special in 1999 and did not return until the 40th anniversary in 2015. He later hosted again in 2019, marking a full-circle moment.

Former SNL boss Lorne Michaels eventually acknowledged the misstep. “It was a mistake on our part,” he admitted in 2013. “I didn’t really think about it—but Eddie did.”

Now, with time, success, and perspective on both sides, the feud has finally faded into comedy history—serving as a reminder that even jokes can have long shadows, and reconciliation sometimes takes decades.