'SNL' stars recall fight between Bill Murray and Chevy Chase: 'Very sad and painful and awful'
Jane Curtin and Laraine Newman, stars of Saturday Night Live when the show was in its infancy, appeared on Watch What Happens Live With Andy Cohen Thursday, where they spoke about the fight between Bill Murray and Chevy Chase in 1978. After leaving the show, Chase had returned to host. Murray and Chase exchanged some deeply hurtful words following dress rehearsal, which soon resulted in a physical altercation just minutes before Chase took the stage to deliver the monologue.
“I think Jane and I, and Gilda both witnessed it,” Newman said. “But, ya know, it was very sad and painful and awful.”
“It was that sad kind of tension that you would get in a family,” Curtin added, “and everybody goes to their corners because they don't want to have to deal with the tension, and it was uncomfortable. You could understand, you know, there were these two bull mooses (sic) going at each other, so the testosterone was surging and stuff happens.”
Video Transcript
LARAINE NEWMAN: I think Jane and I and Gilda both witnessed it. But you know, it was very sad and painful and awful.
KYLIE MAR: "Saturday Night Live" alums Jane Curtin and Laraine Newman appeared on "Watch What Happens Live" with Andy Cohen Thursday, where they spoke about witnessing the backstage brawl between Bill Murray and Chevy Chase at SNL in 1978.
JANE CURTIN: It was that same kind of tension that you would get in a family. And everybody goes to their corners because they don't want to have to deal with the tension. And it was uncomfortable. You could understand, you know, there were these two bullmooses is going at each other.
KYLIE MAR: Newman touched on the harsh words between the two that sparked the fight, with Murray making a remark about Chase's rocky marriage and Chase commenting on Murray's appearance.
But as Cohen pointed out, the bad blood didn't stop the two from making an American classic.
LARAINE NEWMAN: I think they both knew the one thing that they could say to one another that would hurt the most. And that's what I think incited it.
ANDY COHEN: And by the way, and then they went and filmed "Caddyshack" right after. So you know, what can I tell you? Everything worked out.
