Noah Wyle has recalled being told to “f*** off” by Eddie Murphy when he was nine years old and asked the comedian for an autograph.
The actor shared the story during an appearance on Good Hang with Amy Poehler, saying he had approached Murphy after watching him on Saturday Night Live and told him how much he enjoyed the programme.
Murphy initially asked, “What are you doing up that late?” Wyle said that, when he then requested an autograph, Murphy responded: “F*** off, man.”
The encounter stayed with Wyle, who said it was the reason he never refuses when a young fan asks him for his signature.
His daughter Frances later attempted to make amends for the long-ago incident. The 10-year-old surprised Wyle with an autograph for his birthday last year, although it was not quite what he had been hoping for.
Frances had printed a photograph of Murphy and written a message pretending it came from the comedian. She also misspelled his name as “Eddy”.
Wyle was reportedly so fond of the gift that he framed it and put it in his office. Poehler joked about the gesture, suggesting that people may have become “a little too nice to kids these days”.
