Eddie Murphy was back on “Saturday Night Live” in “Mr. Robinson’s Neighborhood” — a spoof on Mr. Rogers’ program in a different section of town. This time, the issue of the day was gentrification.
Mr. Robinson explained to the “boys and girls” that gentrification is “like a magic trick: White people pay a lot of money and all then — poof — all the black people are gone.”
His white neighbors paid $1.2 million for an apartment “where Mr. Robinson’s friend Frankie used to cook crack,” he pointed out.
Murphy managed to cram all of his favorite characters from his days on the cast of “SNL” into his return to the program. Buckwheat — Murphy’s over-the-top version of the character in “Little Rascals” — popped up as the surprise guest in “The Masked Singer.” Of course he was wearing a giant corncob disguise. Buckwheat reassured the audience that he’ll always be “otay.”
Murphy’s thoroughly dislikable Gumby turned up on “Weekend Update” to scald hosts Michael Che and Colin Jost for not having him on immediately. “You know why you two are behind this desk? Because your jokes don’t have legs, you schmucks,” he snapped. “I passed kidney stones with more personality than the two of you.”
Velvet Jones was featured in a “Black Jeopardy” sketch in which he repeatedly plugged his book “I Wanna Be A Ho” — or some variation. When he was asked if he was aware of the “Me Too” movement, Jones responded: “Of course. You like ‘hoes’? Me, too,” he replied.
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