Mister Rogers Tells The Story of Meeting Eddie Murphy

In February 1982, a rather jovial Fred Rogers briefly appeared on Late Night With David Letterman bearing gifts and talking about the blooper scene that was played before his entrance. In sotto voce, Mister Rogers remarked “sometimes things don’t go right in the neighborhood”.

Mister Rogers also spoke about his history with NBC, his opinion of children’s programs at the time and his meeting with Eddie Murphy, who was at the time doing a hilarious urban parody of Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood on Saturday Night Live. Letterman pointed out that Mister Rogers had already commented about the irony of the situation.

Now it’s interesting I believe you pointed out the irony of the fact that in this building now where you started out your broadcasting career, there is now a show that occasionally has a performer doing an impression or an imitation of you.