BY RODIN ECKENROTH/GETTY IMAGES

Eddie Murphy Wins His First Emmy Award

Comedian Eddie Murphy has been making audiences laugh on the small and big screen for 40 years. After four decades and five nominations later, Eddie Murphy can finally an put Emmy Award trophy on his mantle.

Murphy was award the Emmy for best Guest Actor in a Comedy Series last night for his return to Saturday Night Livein late December 2019. It has been 35 years since Eddie Murphy hosted SNL. The episode featured star-powered cameos from Dave Chappelle, Chris Rock, and Tracy Morgan. His reprised his famous characters including Gumby, Mr. Robinson, Velvet Jones, and Buckwheat.

Murphy used his opening monologue to take aim at his fellow comedian Bill Cosby.

Murphy compared his current situation to Cosby’s, who’s serving three to 10 years in prison after being found guilty in April 2018 on three counts of aggravated indecent assault for drugging and sexually assaulting a woman at his home in 2004.

“But if you would have told me 30 years ago that I would be this boring, stay-at-home … house dad and Bill Cosby would be in jail,” Murphy said to laughter, “even I would have took that bet.” “Who is America’s Dad now?” Murphy added, impersonating Cosby’s Cliff Huxtable, the sitcom character who was once often referred to as America’s Dad.

The2020 Emmys are being held virtually due to COVID-19. Murphy thanked the Academy in a home-recorded speech. “This was a very, very special thing for me to come back and have the show turn out the way it did. I’m still floating from it.”

SNL alum Maya Rudolph was finally awarded a first (and second!) Emmy for her role inBig Mouthand a guest impersonation of Vice Presidential nominee, Kamala Harris, onSaturday Night Live.

Check out Eddie Murphy's #Emmy acceptance speech for Outstanding Guest Actor In A Comedy Series for @nbcsnl. Congrats again, Eddie! pic.twitter.com/o2Tuptr8HV

— Television Academy (@TelevisionAcad) September 20, 2020