Spike TV’s premiere of “Eddie Murphy: One Night Only” on November 14 (10:00pm-12:00am ET/PT) was the highest-rated and most-watched special event in channel history. The first-ever televised tribute to the comedic legend delivered 1.9 million viewers, 1.5 household rating and ranked #3 in all of cable television with Men 18-49 in its timeslot.
“Eddie Murphy is a modern icon and one of the greatest comedic storytellers of all time from stand-up, to sketch, to feature films, to animation,” said Casey Patterson, Executive Vice President, Event Production, Talent Development & Studio Relations – Viacom Entertainment Group. “He’s the king of it all and we’re thrilled his fans turned out in such a big and meaningful way for this incredible show.”
The star-studded event featured appearances by includes Chris Rock, Jamie Foxx, Adam Sandler, Tyler Perry, Keenen Ivory Wayans, Russell Brand, Samuel L. Jackson, Tracy Morgan, Brett Ratner, and Jeffrey Katzenberg. The night was punctuated with an unforgettable impromptu on-stage duet featuring Eddie and Stevie Wonder.
“‘Eddie Murphy: One Night Only’ marks Spike TV’s first foray into new broader specials for the network,” added Patterson.
Read more: Indie Wire