Jay Pharoah Reveals Why He Slammed Bill Murray on SNL Set
Jay Pharoah shares the wild story of his physical confrontation with Bill Murray backstage at Saturday Night Live, describing how he defended himself after Murray's repeated, unprovoked hits.
When Bill Murray walks into a room, unpredictability follows. For years, his offbeat behavior has sparked countless stories, and not everyone is willing to just laugh it off. From on-set spats to heated arguments, Murray’s reputation for stirring the pot is well-known in Hollywood. Whether it was clashing with Richard Dreyfuss during the filming of What About Bob? or facing Lucy Liu’s anger on the set of Charlie’s Angels, Murray has a long history of ruffling feathers. He’s even had run-ins with director McG, once responding to claims of nearly breaking the director’s nose with a shocking retort. And that’s not even mentioning his infamous disagreements with Chevy Chase, Anjelica Huston, and Harold Ramis.
Despite his celebrity status and the media frenzy that follows him, most people would never dream of physically confronting Murray, no matter how much he pushes their buttons. But Jay Pharoah did just that, and he doesn’t regret it. During an unscheduled visit to Saturday Night Live, Murray’s antics crossed a line for Pharoah, who decided enough was enough. When asked by Shannon Sharpe about the incident, Pharoah didn’t hesitate:
“He wouldn’t stop hitting me.”
Unplanned Encounter Turns Physical
Pharoah recounted how he walked into Lorne Michaels’ office to speak with the SNL boss, only to find Murray already there. Things escalated quickly.
“He’s like, ‘Come here, fat boy,’”
Pharoah remembered, a comment that immediately set the wrong tone. The situation deteriorated as Murray began repeatedly striking him in the same spot.
“He calls me ‘fat boy’, then he gets on me. He starts hitting me, in the same place, over and over again. Right. Now, I don’t give a damn who you are. If you hit somebody in the same place, eventually, it’s going to start getting a little sore.”
As the pain grew, Pharoah realized he had to act.
“When it started stinging, I said, ‘I gotta drop him, son.’”
Standing Up for Himself
Without hesitation, Pharoah lifted Murray onto his shoulders and slammed him down onto the couch in Michaels’ office. Even then, Murray didn’t back off.
“Drunk out of his mind,”
Pharoah speculated.
“No recollection, probably, of this. But I slammed him, and I had to hold him down. He was still trying to fight me! But he was just attacking me, and I got him.”
After restraining Murray, Pharoah left the room, leaving the comedy legend sprawled on the sofa to reflect on what had just happened.
Not Backing Down
When someone starts throwing punches for no reason, it’s only natural to stand up for yourself. Just because the person is a famous actor doesn’t mean they get a free pass. Many in the industry have probably dreamed of doing what Pharoah did, but he was the one who actually took a stand and put a stop to it.