'SNL': Eddie Murphy's Gumby Crashes 'Weekend Update,' and the Reactions Are Pouring In
Eddie Murphy brought back one of his most beloved characters on Saturday Night Live this weekend: [...]
LOL-ing
If you didn’t see Eddie Murphy’s Gumby during Weekend Update last night don’t cheat yourself! I sat there laughing out loud through the whole bit, don’t know if I’ve ever laughed that hard at a TV show. 👏👏👏
— Hub Arkush (@Hub_Arkush) December 22, 2019
For many people, seeing Murphy get back into this character after all these years was the highlight of the whole show. Some tweeted that they had not laughed this hard at SNL in a long time — perhaps since Murphy left, for all they knew. Seeing his version of Gumby aged up and over the world was a delight.
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Weekend anchors couldn’t contain their laughter over #SNLEddieMurphy Gumby.
— Michael Ball (@Michael44004861) December 22, 2019
pic.twitter.com/dd8gt95PPy
The fact that "Weekend Update" hosts Colin Jost and Michael Che could not contain their laughter actually made the segment even better for many viewers. They tweeted that they lost it when the hosts did, revelling in the shared nostalgia.
"Gumby brought everyone right out of character," one person tweeted with laughing emojis. "Eddie the king."
Proving this point, Jost ended the segment by saying: "I never thought I'd have to follow Gumby."
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“I’m Gumby, DAMMIT!”
Thank you, Eddie, that was terrific. pic.twitter.com/EMUBOUMWXC
— Gary "Not Impeached” McLean (@garydmclean) December 22, 2019
While many people were hoping for Gumby from the start, others were not expecting him, and the sketch sent them into a tailspin of nostalgia. Before long, clips of Murphy's original Gumby sketches from the 1980s were circulating, and viewers were remembering how groundbreaking the character was at the time.
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He did the old classics: Mr. Robinson’s Neighborhood, Gumby, Buckwheat & Velvet Jones - and invented a couple new ones too: Dinner Table Dad, Crazy Elf, and all the performers fed off his energy. Big up to Lizzo too.
👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾 Eddie Murphy 👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾#SaturdayNightLive https://t.co/7TMhPPC6Mk
— Dionne Simmons (@QueenD113) December 22, 2019
Critics and fans did not focus on the performance particulars for sketches like Gumby on Saturday night, but instead on the "energy" that Murphy brought with him to the stage. They noted the power of his legacy, and how it seemed to fuel the other cast members and the broadcast as a whole. Even Lizzo seemed to get a boost from his presence, they thought.
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— Heather E (@engineer820) December 22, 2019
Naturally, there were critics out there, as no one can please everyone. Some decried this use of Gumby as "lazy" and "boring," as he did not do anything "new." These people were shouted down in most cases, as SNL fans — especially long-time aficionados — just wanted to enjoy this for what it was.
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I also loved when Eddie called Colin, Headshot!!!
— Berton Ridley (@berton1020) December 22, 2019
As Gumby, Murphy pulled no punches in insulting and criticizing Jost and Che. For many fans, that was the best part, as it allowed Gumby to be completely unfiltered without hurting any innocent bystanders. Che and Jost seemed to get a kick out of it as well.
"Jost & Che were visibly soaking it all in. Just brilliant," someone tweeted.
Jost and Che are not universally popular with SNL viewers these days, as both head writers and "Weekend Update" hosts. Mocking them was a smart choice for everyone involved.
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Just remembered this is not the first time that Eddie Murphy as Gumby and Larry David appeared on the same episode. #snl https://t.co/U0xcgBk8Gv
— Peter Avellino (@PeterAPeel) December 22, 2019
Finally, all the nostalgia had many people thinking back on SNL history, trivia and lasting cultural impact. For example, classic movie blogger Peter Avellino noted that this was not the first time Murphy's Gumby and Larry David had appeared in the same show, harkening back to an episode from the early 1980s.
SNL is off for the holidays after this, but it will return in the New Year. Murphy's next movie, Coming 2 America, is slated for released on Dec. 18, 2020.
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