Hollywood comedy legend Bill Murray paid a fitting tribute to former collaborator and fellow comedian Chevy Chase duringSaturday Night Live’s Weekend Update, despite their infamous feud. Murray and Chase were two of the most prominent comedic performers of the 1970s and 1980s, starring onSaturday Night Live, as well asacting together inCaddyshack. Famously, the pair had a physical altercation during the taping of a 1978 episode ofSNL, where they came to blows backstage, and had to be separated by fellow actor and comedian John Belushi.
Sharing a clip from theSNL50th Anniversary Special on theSaturday Night Liveofficial X account, Murray returns to the Weekend Update desk to rank the Top 10 anchors inSNLhistory,placing Chase at #4 on the list. Murray also states, “Weekend Update simply would not exist without him.” Check out his full comments, and the clip below:
“Okay, next up, Cornelius Crane Chase, who we’ve all come to know as ‘Connie.’ Let’s face it, Weekend Update simply would not exist without him. So it would be wrong to have him listed at anywhere but number 4.”
What Murray’s Comments Mean For Chase’s SNL Legacy & Their Fractious Relationship
Murray Rightly Recognizes His Contemporary’s Impact As A Comedy Icon & SNL Legend
Being thatChase is credited as the creator ofSNL’s Weekend Update sketch, Murray is right that this aspect of the show would not exist without him. This has become one of the most defining parts of SNL and has influenced the rise of similar types of shows, such asThe Daily ShowandThe Colbert Report. With a long history in comedy andSNL, Murray is well-placed to make a ranking like this, and he gives a fitting and worthy tribute to Chase, while also poking fun at the fact he didn’t rank him higher than #4.
SNL’s 50th Anniversary Special: Every Returning Cast Member & Celebrity Guest Confirmed
SNL 50: The Anniversary Special airs Sunday, celebrating Saturday Night Live and the casts members, hosts, and musical guests over fifty years.
There is an argument to be made that Chase should have been ranked higher, but it also shows the respect Murray has for Chase, despite their falling out. The two men famously feuded for a number of years, before seemingly burying the hatchet after makingCaddyshacktogether, and are now on good terms. Whilst they may never be close friends, it is undoubtedly true that both men are heavyweights in the world of comedy, and Murray is happy to acknowledge this, despite their turbulent history.
Our Verdict On Chase’s Impact On SNL
Chase’sSNLlegacy continues to be felt, as Weekend Update is one of the best-known sketches on the show. In addition to creating the sketch, Chase is also considered as one of thebest Weekend Update hostsin the show’s history, and many well-known comedians have cut their teeth with this sketch, Murray included. Murray’s tribute to his former colleague suggests the two men have put the past behind them, and that Murray recognizes Chase’s influence onSNL, and the world of comedy in general.
Saturday Night Live
Cast
Saturday Night Live is a live television sketch comedy and variety show created by Lorne Michaels, premiering in 1975. It features comedy sketches parodying contemporary culture and politics, performed by a rotating cast. Each episode is hosted by a celebrity guest and includes musical performances.
