Noah Wyle Recalls Eddie Murphy's Blunt Brush-Off, and the Autograph He Never Forgot
Noah Wyle says Eddie Murphy once sent him packing when he asked for an autograph as a nine-year-old. Wyle told the story on Amy Poehler's podcast, Good Hang with Amy Poehler, in an episode posted to YouTube on October 27.
Wyle, who stars in The Pitt and ER, according to the episode description, said he had spotted Murphy and gone over with a pen. He told the comedian, "I really like you on SNL," a reference to Saturday Night Live, the sketch show where Murphy became a star. Murphy's reply was a question: "What are you doing up that late?"
The autograph request got a much harder answer. Wyle recalled Murphy's response as "F— off, man," as Variety reported on October 30. Entertainment Weekly and TMZ also carried Wyle's account of the exchange.
Wyle said the encounter stuck with him, and it shaped how he treats young fans now. "Whenever a 9-year-old needs an autograph from me, I sign that so fast," he said, as Variety quoted him.
The story has a lighter ending at home. Wyle said his 10-year-old daughter gave him a framed, fake Eddie Murphy autograph for his birthday. It reads: "Dear Noah, you're a great kid, Eddie Murphy."
The episode also covers other ground. The episode description notes a discussion of Wyle almost being killed by an emu. On Spotify, the episode runs 1 hour 14 minutes.
Wyle's account is his own recollection of an encounter from his childhood.
For anyone who has ever waited in a line with a notebook, the moral is simple. A kid asked a famous person for a signature, got a rough answer, and decades later decided what kind of grown-up he wanted to be. Wyle's version ends with a sign-off, not a grudge.
