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Michael Che Calls Eddie Murphy’s 2019 SNL Return the Most Tense Show Start

A new Netflix documentary, Being Eddie, surfaces rare rehearsal footage and first‑person accounts that capture the pressure behind Murphy’s comeback.

Overview

  • Che says in the film that the Dec. 21, 2019 episode felt like it had to go well or they would be letting Murphy down.
  • The hosting gig was Murphy’s first time back at SNL in 35 years, following his 1980–84 cast run and a long estrangement after 1995.
  • Lorne Michaels pushed for a more personal opening monologue, with Murphy initially cautious about doing one.
  • To bolster the moment, Michaels brought Chris Rock, Tracy Morgan, and Dave Chappelle onstage, with Kenan Thompson later joining.
  • Rehearsal clips show Chappelle calling the experience one of his most exciting, and Chris Rock later told Michaels the episode was so good he should quit; Being Eddie is streaming on Netflix now.