LOS ANGELES -- "I am very appreciative of Eddie and I applaud his actions."
A nice note from Bill Cosby probably isn't what Eddie Murphy was after when he apparently declined to impersonate the disgraced comedian on the 40th anniversary special of Saturday Night Live, but he got one anyway.
Former "Weekend Update" host Norm Macdonald spun a 110-tweet yarn on Wednesday night about his experience on the reunion show, a wide-ranging tale that centered on the "Celebrity Jeopardy" sketch -- easily the highlight of the night. The bit's climax involved a video Daily Double that featured Cosby mixing drinks at a bar.
Macdonald, who created the sketch and co-wrote Sunday night's version, said he wrote it with Murphy in mind -- and almost got him to participate. But at the last second, Murphy declined, Macdonald said:
Eddie decides the laughs are not worth it. He will not kick a man when he is down.— Norm Macdonald (@normmacdonald) February 19, 2015
Cosby issued the short statement through his publicist on Thursday. Reps for Murphy and Macdonald did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Had Murphy gone through with it, it wouldn't have been the first time the Beverly Hills Cop star sent up the Cos: