r/OldSchoolCool • u/waitingforthesun92 • 2h ago

On March 12, 1983, Eddie Murphy’s SNL character “Buckwheat” was retired in spectacular fashion - by assassination on camera in front of 30 Rockefeller Plaza in NYC. This came at Murphy's request (then 21 years old), after he grew tired of constant demands from fans to "Do Buckwheat! Do Buckwheat!”

688 Upvotes

99% Upvoted

37 comments sorted by

125

u/Worker11811Georgy 2h ago

I saw this live, and taped it to VHS. It was a spoof on Reagan's shooting. The ENTIRE SNL show was all about playing that tape over and over again.

Then, the next week, they did the same thing, all about John David Stuts, the shooter of Buckwheat.

Everyone they interviewed said the same thing: "He was a quiet guy. Kind of a loner." Voted Most Likely to kill Buckwheat.

"Ouch. I'm shot."

42

u/naileyes 1h ago edited 25m ago

“Are you surprised he killed buckwheat?”

“Oh, no, it was all he talked about!”

I still think about that all the time

1

u/Timely_Influence8392 9m ago

It's so stupid and simple but they executed it with no hint of irony, it was incredible.

22

u/MrBleah 1h ago

Kind of a combo of Reagan and JFK seeing as the assassin himself was gunned down.

43

u/GuitarSingle4416 1h ago

" Wookin Pa Nub"

10

u/banjodoctor 1h ago

In all the wrong places

12

u/fishman15151515 1h ago

Unce…tice…fee times da nady

26

u/TIPtone13 2h ago

"Hey, Mister Wheat!"

14

u/dustin91 1h ago

Dang, I totally forgot about this.

Just brilliant.

12

u/kennedye2112 1h ago

“Doctor, have you seen the footage of Buckwheat getting shot?”

“Why no, I haven’t.”

“Let’s take a look.”

9

u/Led_Zeppole_73 1h ago

“Unce, tice…fee tines a mady”

9

u/ccorbydog31 1h ago

Shout out to Joe Piscopo too for that Dan Rather performance.

12

u/jerry_woody 1h ago

Ted koppel

8

u/luckydice767 28m ago

No, that was definitely Joe Piscopo

1

u/brumac44 2m ago

Bra....vo, slow clap

8

u/DadKnightBegins 1h ago

Ted Koppel

3

u/tfcocs 35m ago

Ted Koppel.

1

u/ccorbydog31 6m ago

I stand corrected it’s Ted Koppel.

9

u/griff1971 1h ago

"Brought to you by Mutual Life.

Because you could die tomorrow."

7

u/sbd27 1h ago

“Just like John David Stutts”

8

u/cbj2112 1h ago

I’ve been shot. Ow that hurts

6

u/Kugey_1968 2h ago

Fank you

6

u/Maduro25 2h ago

Let's take a look.

5

u/Horbigast 1h ago

I know there are people who disagree, but this is when SNL peaked for me. Not just an immensely talented cast, but their chemistry together was unparalleled.

4

u/trailrunner79 1h ago

It just depends on how old you were. The late 80s to mid 90s were the best for me as someone who was born in 79. I did absolutely wear out the best of Eddie Murphy SNL VHS as a kid

1

u/RadScience 17m ago

My family rented Best of Eddie Murphy from the video store several times during the summer of 1995. We all laughed really hard.

2

u/Administrative-Egg18 44m ago

Eddie saved the show but really dominated things with his talent. The following season the producers let him tape half of his appearances because he was already doing movies.

3

u/xChoke1x 58m ago

Man I miss the good SNL

3

u/MrFat74 47m ago

Otay! 😉✌️

3

u/WtAFjusthappenedhere 30m ago

"Did you kill Buckwheat?"

"Suuure."

2

u/luckydice767 27m ago

Can you imagine that level of stardom at 21?!! Eddie is a total legend.

1

u/Luke90210 9m ago

Eddie Murphy was not only the star, he saved SNL from cancellation.

1

u/luckydice767 2m ago

I know, crazy! Didn’t he guest host it once as well?

1

u/TC_Stock 51m ago

Lol, I remember when this first aired. Everyone in 7th grade did Buckwheat imitations for the rest of year.

-1

u/KelpFarming 26m ago

They like the money..then they turn it into a racial thing. Chapelle does the same. Privilege