Firing Line: Spontaneous Combustion of Black Entertainers - SNL

[@franktroise4386]

Robin Williams did a fantastic impression of William F. Buckley in this sketch and Eddie Murphy was great as always.

[@jerramaurice7836]

Robin did the same impression in Aladdin

[@bb1111116]

Two brilliant comedians.

[@TDog-ic7do]

Two of the greatest comedians ever. I watched this live and died rolling on the floor.

[@ryeis1]

Me too! I was 10 or 11, and it's so much more funny now than it was then. More relevant as well.

[@davegoodrum7928]

I think my favorite part of this is Williams’s use of “aks” at the beginning of the sketch. It perfectly captures Buckley’s propensity for trying to develop rapport with his interviewee by using their idiolect within the confines of his own and highlights the pretentious quality of that additional affectation.

[@therealxunil2]

Eschew obfuscation

[@TheloniousCube]

The way he captures the weird stutter and eye-roll is uncanny and hilarious

[@johnnotrealname8168]

​@@TheloniousCubeHe was a Spanish-Speaker.

[@TheloniousCube]

@@johnnotrealname8168 Huh?

[@johnnotrealname8168]

@@TheloniousCube "“Up until age six I spoke only Spanish,” William F. Buckley, Jr. told Brian Lamb, the founder of C-SPAN, in 1993. “Then, I went to my first school in Paris, where, of course, they spoke French. Then at age seven I went to London, and that’s where I learned English for the first time. Now what I ought to sound like? You tell me.”"

[@jacobcrayola9311]

"I should like to begin by axing" LOL

[@sabatino1977]

Good catch! I totally missed that.

[@iIliterati]

How have I never seen this? This is easily the best Buckley impression I've ever seen - it's spot on.

[@anythingafter10]

Norm MacDonald had good one. kzbin.inforonoTDhTiXI

[@alaza61]

Understand first...that this is one of the only, if not only, pieces of footage where Eddie Murphy and Robin Williams are performing together. That's kind of a big deal guys.

[@ForPetesake552]

I was literally JUST thinking the exact same thing.

[@jerrodbates8480]

Ok.... What about second? WHAT ABOUT SECOND?!?

[@scroopynooperz9051]

@J J Buckley Jr was a pompous sh!tbag - how could anyone have watched that guy? Lol Watch his debate with Chomsky and Baldwin - he literally tells them he'll punch them in the face if they step out of line lol

[@JoeCool-fb7uf]

It’s quite possible that this entire sketch was ad lib.

[@guyguyguy362]

No the rest of the February 11 1984 SNL episode includes Robin and Eddie as babies thinking about busting out of "Baby Pen."

[@mikejames8785]

First time seeing Eddie Murphy and Robin Williams in the same room talking, let alone doing a skit together... absolutely beautiful, two great comedies of all time. I wish they did movies together. Magic!!!

[@uncletiggermclaren7592]

I was thinking the same thing, I don't think I ever saw them do anything together.

[@TheySuckFatLongDonkeyLogs]

If Robin Williams and Eddie Murphy had done a movie together, it would have been lightening in a bottle. They were friends, what a missed opportunity.

[@Filmation77]

Williams and Murphy in Sketch?? WHAT???

[@averat84]

[Robin] Williams as William [F. Buckley Jr.] and he's more Buckley than the original!

[@ninja51ify]

Before this Robin was a regular on Richard Pryor Comedy Show in 1977

[@fhb3]

@Filmation77 My sentiments exactly.

[@huldu]

Lol I was just about to comment on that too. I'm shocked I never thought they did anything together.

[@PikeBishop65]

Williams hosted SNL at least twice that I can recall

[@blakemcnamara9105]

That's actually an excellent impression of William F Buckley and the weird sort of guests he'd have on the show. Not easy to capture the essence of Firing Line.

[@douglaslowe5]

as ald fart myself, i remember buckley....robin nailed it.

[@CaptainSpalding72]

I remember this as a kid. Williams nailed it. The face.

[@EF-fc4du]

His guests were usually statesman and writers.

[@SonOfLaVey1966]

@@douglaslowe5 No one needs to remember him, almost all of his episodes are easily found online and dude has a point. I've been watching a bunch lately and just finished the documentary "Best of Enemies" which is about the 1968 Vidal/Buckley debates, not hard at all to find and watch comparisons.

[@volkerkalhoefer3973]

@@EF-fc4du and Tim Leary, and Groucho Marx 😁😁 a lot is on KZbin and I think it's a good instrument to get a sense of those times

[@ElwoodPDowd1970]

Robin Williams revisited the William F. Buckley, Jr. impression in Alladin.

[@Furrylittleproblem12]

Robin William + Eddie Murphy = amazing sketch!

[@superlex611]

very funny comination

[@artruhcasavon2162]

Cum-i-nation?!

[@mattyvarnas1736]

Mushu and the Genie in 1 skit.

[@robertwiles8106]

funkdafied

[@TheySuckFatLongDonkeyLogs]

If Robin Williams and Eddie Murphy had done a movie together, it would have been lightening in a bottle. They were friends, what a missed opportunity.

[@okiban1]

Hands down my favorite snl sketch of all time. I saw this as a child and never could forget all that smoke wafting out of Eddie.

[@tonygassphd2008]

@Jeff Whitman Never said it was the greatest of all time. Reading is fundamental. They said "MY favorite of all time."

[@yuljohnson5502]

Unfortunately these 2 great talents never did a movie together but at least they did do something together and this is it. Both showed their great comedic presence together and made for a very historic moment in comedy!!! Both classic and very polished stand-ups, Robin williams happens to have the funniest stand-up concert ive ever seen so far. Which was his blockbuster and side-splitting comedy concert from 1986 at the met!!! So good to see these 2 legends together!!!

[@stevyluv743]

True would a been great or it woulda been perfect if thay done a third Nutty professor it woulda got Eddie back as Sherman klump Buddy love & robin playing back his role as danny hillard it woulda got him back doing mrs doubtfire woulda been the Nutty professor meets mrs doubtfire Perfect

[@TheySuckFatLongDonkeyLogs]

If Robin Williams and Eddie Murphy had done a movie together, it would have been lightening in a bottle. They were friends, what a missed opportunity.

[@CanalPSG]

Robin Williams is perfect as Buckley. Eddie Murphy is perfect.

[@MicahCTheory]

Nah, Williams is too manic. Buckley was almost comatose

[@WintersWar]

He wasn't even close.

[@shelbyherring92]

@@MicahCTheory That's what I'd say, he's too fast. But besides that, he's got the basic mannerisms down.

[@ttacking_you]

Never saw the Thomas sowell one but the eldrige cleaver one was like some sort of white vs black "swagger off"

[@sirmount2636]

They have great chemistry.

[@christopherwdotson]

Priceless! Their mimicry is spot on! Never has Williams toned down his act yet still be so over the top. Eddie!!!!? What have you done for me lately? (masters, both!)

[@shelbyherring92]

Yes, we can see Robin is doing a frantic caricature of Buckley, but let's be real here, if Robin did a spot on impression the bit would've been 15 or 20 minutes long, SNL didn't have time for that.

[@100gnomes3]

The only thing he got wrong was that he didn't open with "I should like to begin by asking Doctor Holder... "

[@smaimth]

The Two Funniest People to Ever Live Robin Williams and Eddie Murphy, In The Same Sketch This Was The Golden Age.

[@WilliamFromPenn]

Possibly one of the best snl sketches ever made. I remember watching this on tv when I was 12

[@wadsworthaaron]

This was one of the best SNL episodes in the many years of the series... watching it first run, the Joe Piscopo/Robin Williams beer commercial literally had me fall off my sofa laughing

[@concretesoulrecords6830]

2 legends in the game. My two biggest inspirations

[@nigeh5326]

Two of the brightest comedic talents the world has been able to see. Men who have brought pleasure and laughter to millions worldwide.

[@sammavacaist]

A lot of people probably don't know who William Buckley was, but this is a great impression. And Murphy is kind of doing Thomas Sowell who is a black Conservative who is still with us today.

[@shelbyherring92]

@Adam Modrak I get that he's more manic in his mannerisms, but also remember it's a caricature more so than an impression... If he wanted to nail Buckley, he should have slowed it down the delivery to the pace of a funeral march and do that grimace/grin Buckley often did especially when looking around or when he was agitated. It probably wouldn't have been as engaging, but who knows.

[@naysayer1238]

@@shelbyherring92 ? He didn't speak particularly slowly.

[@popemon7608]

​​​@@naysayer1238 well, he was quite a bit slower than in this sketch, albeit not really slow over all; Williams is just going much too fast. Buckley did have a kind of see-saw talking speed though, where he would speed up and slow down in a kind of rythmic pattern. The slow parts of that are pretty slow

[@blackmore4]

@@shelbyherring92 Agree, the Buckley grimace/grin was definitely an omission in this impersonation but he also missed the one-eyed eye flutter while in the process of grimace/grinning ;)

[@anthonygordon9483]

That definitely was not a Thomas Sowell impression. Thomas Sowell is a libertarian. Yes he is conservative but black conservatives do not refer to other black men as brotha's. Also the sketch clearly stated his views were left wing conspiracies which was in line to the time when black men blamed the system for keeping black men down. What conservatives at the time would refer to as the angry black man symptom. Black conservatives usually blame the black community itself and black culture for slowing progress for black society, black liberals blame the society around them . The joke was to take an absurd accusation for why black men can't succeed in entertainment based on society circumstances and make it actually true. If anything he was reflecting more of a Cornell West or Jesse Jackson.

[@YolandaAnneBrown95726]

"Help! Tito!" 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@Noid111]

"I'd like to begin by aksing you a question.." LOL!!

[@maxwellsmart4422]

Beautiful rendition of Buckley. Perfectly done.

[@mwmingram]

Genius impression by Robin Williams. Nails a number of Buckley's mannersims.

[@redadamearth]

Not smarmy and sleazy enough - he misses the slowness and condescension.

[@thomasbarker2888]

I can't believe this - but this is probably the only time that Robin Williams' impression was LESS of a caricature than it's subject.

[@thedolphin5428]

Yeah, real shit impersonation. Way too fast, trying to be funny.

[@Banana_Split_Cream_Buns]

Buckley was indeed a ridiculous character.

[@thedolphin5428]

@@Banana_Split_Cream_Buns Well, despite not always agreeing with his political leanings, Buckley certainly had some odd mannerisms -- but that is all they were. Mannerisms. We all have them. And actually, he was not a ridiculous character, meaning open to ridicule. His character as a human was quite solid. A razor sharp intellect, well read, a deep thinker, good debater, confident, usually polite, very witty, able to give ground and be swayed by argument, inviting contrarian positions only his show. How many talk hosts do that nowadays? In those days, respectable people did not make fun of odd mannerisms. They engaged with the substance of the mind. And whereas Buckley added much to the social debate of his times and was always true to his own nature, Williams made a career out of cheap imitative humour and entertainment, thinly veiling what an insecure and messed up human he really was. Never found him funny or clever. Just a ham.

[@thedolphin5428]

@@sd67b Well yes ... you and I and many others may "pull apart" Buckley's various opinions, views, statements about his own and his shared political positions, but this thread started -- and my posts have only been about -- the matter of his mannerisms and Robin William's portray of them. Then I commented on matters of character. But I sure ain't gunna buy into YOUR agenda of disagreements with Buckley's views on any topic. If you are American, and if you believe in so called free speech, then you, me, us all, must allow all voices to be heard, including the Limbaughs and Buckleys of this world. You cannot take away from Firing Line the massive platform he chose to give to viewpoints differing with his, such that YOUR BIGOTRY shows more clearly than his own. So many pundits today ONLY HAVE on their shows like-minded bigots. Their positions are so weak they cannot invite challenge. Hats off to Firing Line for not being so closed minded.

[@thedolphin5428]

@@sd67b You badly confuse and conflate mannerisms, manners, character, opinions, and morals. Please study a dictionary on these terms before you comment on these topics again. And, you obviously do not read very carefully. "A ridiculous character" -- as Joseph McDermot posted -- is not the same as a having a character open to ridicule.

[@afreedman4361]

That's a spot on Buckley. LMAO!

[@Need_better_handle]

You know. I just thought to myself for some reason that if I googled “William f Buckley SNL” there had to be at least one sketch. Hahaha

[@JoeRyMi]

I love that he did a William F. Buckley as genie impression

[@aivokallo77]

After this aired, Michael Jackson became less and less flammable each year

[@JachAnen]

His blackness burned away

[@breaknbeat]

You fucking tried it😂

[@lookbovine]

Yet there was the Pepsi commercial.

[@johnstriker480]

I'm the 100th to LIKE your comment xD

[@GHC3]

@@lookbovine the same year as this too

[@NeonhunterCM]

Both legends in: Comedy Acting Disney

[@ClownCarCoup]

😂 So SNL didn’t always read their lines (poorly) from cue cards

[@OneTwo1989]

its immitating the buckley interview with Tom Sowell, someone I dearly respect and admire

[@joelperez4811]

How minorities are entertaining rather than educated into more formal jobs.

[@laxjs]

Cringe

[@289rory]

Gunther Malessom 🤔

[@bgamb224]

I remember watching this live when I was a kid. Despite not having rewatched it in over 40 years, I can still quote it verbatim

[@MrD5914]

Two all time greats in the same sketch...like the Mega Powers of comedians. Amazing.

[@Shindai]

This makes me think of something Hugh Laurie and Stephen Fry would do, brilliant setup and writing :)

[@huongtranthanh5608]

this feels like british comedy

[@Pheer777]

Definitely has that vibe

[@BeazleyStudios]

I have never seen this sketch before. Those two should have done more stuff together.

[@tannerps2004]

Eddie is a genius. Lol The best of SNL

[@alanm5090]

Two legends robin Williams, and Eddie Murphy together in a skit. Rest in peace.👍🤣

[@thelionheart7178]

Eddie Murphy and Robin Williams just WOW

[@bhunt799]

Donkey and the Genie performing together.

[@freddyrichards878]

Oh man this sketch! Anyone else have Robin Williams' recent autobiography? Well it mentioned this rare team up sketch and even had a photo of it in the gallery section.

[@kari7403]

Whats the biography called? Im gonna have to get it. Yes, I could just google it, but I prefer interaction with people if possible.

[@freddyrichards878]

@@kari7403 Robin.

[@kari7403]

@@freddyrichards878 Thank you! Love that guy. I'll be reading that for sure. Thanks for mentioning it.

[@manuginobilisbaldspot424]

The fact that Eddie Murphy's character looks like a younger Clarence Thomas here and comes off a like a Black conservative agreeing with buckley is ironic AF.

[@john.premose]

No he doesn’t 🙄

[@blackspider1405]

Robin Williams and Eddie Murphy... goodness, I wish there could've been more of this.

[@Bigfrank88]

Williams Buckley impression is fire

[@AbsurdlyGeeky]

🔥 😂

[@refrikiller]

Brutal! One of the best sketches ever made! Bold, cunning, funny, fresh and politically striking!

[@1olddirtroad]

I would loved to have had William F Buckley interview Robin for real. Robin did lean way left most of the time and it would have been entertaining to say the least Buckley did interview Groucho Marx and is a must see Great performance from 2 of my favorites

[@johnytwotimes4072]

How did I not know this existed, Robin+Eddie=🤣🤣🤣

[@tcg75]

When SNL was truly fantastic. Original, cool, amazing cast. (Before you get your high horse and spurs out, no I am not shitting on the current cast. They do what they can.)

[@virgilstarkwell8383]

Brilliant WFB by WIlliams

[@jonm2522]

I hope they were great friends, 2 legends.

[@footballpredictions-g2y]

I can't believe Robin is the same age here I am now.

[@TheSecurityCamChannel]

I haven't seen this sketch in ages. "Help! Tito!"

[@luckyswine]

Robin Williams' Buckley imitation is on point.

[@Vcolema81]

They could have explored more sketches with Robin Williams and Eddie Murphy but I believe they were scared. They were extremely talented and would have taken over SNL as well as became huge Stars overnight.

[@mikejohnson3338]

wait, what?

[@realguitarshredder]

This is just amazing.. legends

[@archaicsoul4597]

So they did one thing together, which was to impersonate a program that was already obscure by the 70’s? 10/10

[@EsaRuoho]

I had no idea they did sketches together. How can I just drop the ball like this?

[@freddyrichards878]

At least sketches in shows that Robin guest hosted

[@Tomblappy]

The Genie is interviewing Mushu.

[@griffinholahan123]

And Donkey

[@scott.lensmire4347]

Yep its a shame they never made a movie together

[@ImaginationBlue]

I would have mentioned Little Richard. Absolutely incandescent performer. At risk of spontaneous combustion for sure.

[@georgejones5158]

Woulda been great to see them both in a movie tho

[@tommyhaynes9157]

OMG , I've never seen this till now...it's fantastic

[@Neeko_Z]

Robin Williams so good at doing Buckley

[@t-saucy1942]

This is funny as shiet😭 Eddie Murphy being James Baldwin and Robin being William F. Buckley Jr. genius , need to know who wrote this skit😂😂😂

[@youngThrashbarg]

They say that Eddie Murphys character is "Philip Holder", but it seems he is doing abit of a Thomas Sowell impression there.

[@magneticqubzian6902]

KQQNWELL is nothing special

[@shelbyherring92]

@wings of a butterfly He's definitely got a better sense of humor. No disrespect to Sowell, I'm sure he's a fine economist, but he (Sowell) comes off as having a preset notion of the world before he explains the data, which as a social scientist you'd think it'd be the other way around: research first, extrapolate all the data, and then make an observation based on the data. But then again, you don't sell too many books by them being just an endless list of figures and a simple conclusionary statement. That said, Sowell is a fairly interesting character as a person, especially when you delve into how he thinks of the world.

[@marmotsrulepwned]

@@shelbyherring92 Sowell actually does have a pretty good sense of humor, though of course Murphy is something special in that respect. Obviously you write the book stating your thesis at the outset; that need not correspond to how you originally came to the idea of the book. Sowell is far more empirical and data-driven than most social scientists and political economists, including those who criticize him.

[@marmotsrulepwned]

Also, this isn't remotely close to a Sowell impression, either in speech or in mannerism. Whether that interview was the inspiration for this sketch, though, I couldn't say.

[@DiogenesOfDelaware]

I really see no characteristics shared between Eddie's character and Thomas Sowell other than they're both black and wear glasses.

[@harryantino]

Robin Williams, Eddie Murphy and William F Buckley. The Cream of America on display.

[@romeshabeyawardena9978]

Man, nowadays you won't get away with such humour, media social groups way too tight. Far too quick to judge timepieces like these and about anything about bringing colour, creed, gender and gender preference into the equation, it will bring damnation to its creators and those involved. Damn I miss the 90's! We need them back yo!

[@Almostthere1234]

this skit is from 84

[@GrandPoobahRoc]

For those who didn't get the Rodney Allen Rippey reference, during the mid-to-late 1970s he played basically every Black kid on TV. If he had a grandfather, that role was played by Scatman Crothers. Eventually Gary Coleman and later Emmanuel Lewis replaced him in those "Love Boat" or "Fantasy Island" type guest spots.

[@mrmonty86]

Eddie looks more like Thurgood Stubbs from The PJs.

[@MA-naconitor]

So that’s why Robin included Buckley in Aladdin

[@HolyCross9]

Robin Williams impersonated this character as the Genie on Disney's Aladdin!

[@gbonkers666]

Excellent William F Buckley imitation.

[@lucu01]

Comic legends, what a hot topic ! If I may say so...

[@funny3272]

William F.Buckley Jr. interviewing a young Clarence Thomas 🤣😂🤣😂

[@jamiedona402]

Down in Florida, at least one brother catch fire a week. LOL 🤣

[@elusivejahnell]

I don't mean to sound rosey about the past - the 80s were just as messed up, maybe even more so. But I do miss this kind of dialogue, the level of humour and goodwill in public media discourse

[@9000ck]

I agree, it was good humoured, not nasty, and presumed intelligence of its viewers in order to get the joke.

[@filosofenvacker1226]

Not even f close.

[@cynthiasmith4130]

The best comedian's, ever!!!!!! ❤❤❤❤❤👍👍👍👍💯💯💯💯....

[@JasonL77]

I wish Robin & Eddie would have done a movie together. It would have been hilarious.

[@johndanielson3777]

Holy shit, Robin Williams sounds exactly like William F. Buckley!

[@rhiannonrede]

Robin Williams was perfect. RIP

[@matthewgelfer4955]

The Genie from "Aladdin" is talking to Mushu from "Mulan".

[@skippythealien9627]

when I was a kid, i had no idea who Robin Williams was impersonating when the Genie went over the 3 rules in Aladdin then I watched this sketch literally decades later lmfao

[@realguitarshredder]

This should be in a museum

[@ismailfarah4852]

wow robin williams with Eddie Murphy n Martin short on snl were the best.

[@jerramaurice7836]

Ismail Farah Robin and Eddie should’ve done a movie together

[@georgejones5158]

@@jerramaurice7836 Exactly thaat's what im been saying 2

[@averyroscoe91]

I'm not sure I've seen this one before. Hilarious!

[@PeterZeeke]

not the funniest but love seeing them on the same stage

[@Badruborg]

Oh it's Robin Williams :( and Eddie Murphy missing Robin but missing Eddie in Saturday Night Live

[@anaghashyam9845]

SPOT ON!

[@Badruborg]

This is a classic :D

[@ceilingsandfloors]

lol they even nailed the old videotape look...

[@JachAnen]

It's from 84 according to the description, so I think it was the newest look they could do

[@ceilingsandfloors]

@@JachAnen I do not remember ever watching this video before, leaving this comment or why I didn't notice this was made in the 80s at the time. I just saw my comment here and...it is strange what you remember and forget after 4 years.

[@flisko123]

Aired 02/11/84

[@moxica93]

This skit was a response to the incident when Michael Jackson caught on fire during the filming of a Pepsi commercial with the the Jacksons.

[@therealxunil2]

Disco Inferno is a banging song.

[@krlm2280]

Well ill be damn Eddie Murphy and Robin Williams did a sketch

[@averat84]

You ever hear John Witherspoon talk about Robin Williams doing all his coke? It's a terrible podcast interview: John Witherspoon LEAVES Jaime Fox SPEECHLESS […]

[@theluckiesteh9058]

Genie & Mushu.

[@jerramaurice7836]

The L.O.E. Yes indeed! Oh I miss robin so much z😭😭😭😭

[@jamesfarrington9030]

Robin killed it.

[@LukeLovesRose]

We miss you, Robin