SNL tried to get Eddie Murphy to poke fun at Bill Cosby in their 40^th Anniversary special, but the 53-year old comedian refused saying that he "will not kick a man when he is down." Bill Cosby has been in the middle of a serious crisis as accusations of him sexually assaulting women and drugging them keep on surfacing.

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Norm Macdonald, an SNL cast in the 1990s who helped coordinate the star-studded show, revealed through a series of tweets the sketch that was supposed to be centered around Murphy, who will be dressed in one of Cosby's trademark sweaters while mixing a drink.

Macdonald shared that it was filmmaker Brett Ratner who was asked to pitch the sketch to Murphy, who they later revealed was uncomfortable with the sketch and wondered if it was acceptable to perform it.

On the anniversary itself, Macdonald tried to persuade Murphy again but he tenaciously refused.

Macdonald tweeted that despite Murphy knowing that the sketch will bring big laughs, he decided that they aren't worth it. He added that "Eddie Murphy is the coolest, a rock star even in a room with actual rock stars."

After the news of Murphy's refusal, Cosby, who is going through a difficult time in his life, spoke out and said that he is grateful to Murphy that he rejected the offer to impersonate him. "I applaud his actions," he said.

With Murphy turning down the sketch, it was later tasked on to current SNL cast member Kenan Thompson.

Other comedians have not shied away from joking about the scandals Cosby is involved in. At the recently concluded Golden Globes, Amy Poehler and Tina Fey poked fun at Cosby, saying "Sleeping Beauty just thought she was getting coffee with Bill Cosby," and followed it up by doing impressions of him while discussing drugging women.

Tagseddie murphy, SNL 40th Anniversary Special, Bill Cosby