Fred Rogers of Mister Rogers' Neighborhood was truly one of the friendliest men in the public eye and cemented his place as a PBS and children's television staple (as relayed in the semi-factual A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood). So much so, the kind-hearted host and his gentle ways have had plenty of spoofs parodying his long-running series (1968-2001). Among the bunch has been Saturday Night Live’s Mr. Robinson, created by Eddie Murphy. The Mister Rogers' star revealed that he was appreciative and amused by the sketch entitled "Mr. Robinson's Neighborhood," in a true but neighborly fashion.
As part of SNL’s big 50th reunion celebration on the 2025 TV schedule, the SNL team (via NBC Insider) recounted one of the funniest recurring characters, Eddie Murphy’s Mr. Robinson. Murphy’s comedic take on the kids' show personality was created during Season 6 and appeared throughout his tenure on the show (and one of the characters he revived for his 2019 episode). There were a few mirroring aspects, such as the way he spoke and his shoe-tying habits, but it essentially stopped there. Mr. Robinson’s existence humorously played off of the realistic juxtapositions of the two fictional worlds.
While on The Late Show with David Letterman in 1982, Fred Rogers got to weigh in on the myriad of others impersonating him, including the late-night sketch show’s iteration. The kids' show host and author shared a photo of him and Murphy together, taken earlier that day, saying it was great to meet the Raw comedian. He then got into how he felt about others’ renditions of him in the most Mister Rogers way, wryly responding with honesty and kindness (via People):
Well, some of them aren't very funny. But I think that a lot of them are done with real kindness in their hearts. Do you think that?
What an iconic and fun response! He also noted during the interview that the only take on him he didn’t like was someone on a radio show encouraging children to use hairspray and lighters together. Knowing just how kind the TV personality was, on the show and off, it’s great to hear that he found the 30 Rock version to be humorous.
I’m not surprised he enjoyed the spoofs, though; the Mr. Robinson sketches are some top-tier material. I wouldn’t expect the Fred Rogers I grew up watching to be anything but pleased and receptive of the great SNL take. If you haven’t caught the signature Eddie Murphy Mr. Rogers parodies, they all are streamable with your Peacock subscription.
And don’t forget the 50th season continues this weekend, March 29, with Mikey Madison and Morgan Wallen as their first returning upcoming hosts and musical acts, respectively. Tune in on the night at 11:30 p.m. EST, or stream it the following day with a Peacock account.
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