SNL alums Jane Curtin and Laraine Newman remember 'painful and awful' backstage fight between Bill Murray and Chevy Chase

Every family has its ups and downs, including Saturday Night Live. Former SNL cast members Jane Curtin and Laraine Newman recently joined Andy Cohen for a segment on Watch What Happens Live. And when a listener called in to ask the two alums about witnessing the backstage fight between Bill Murray and Chevy Chase, they got candid in their response.

"I think Jane and I - and Gilda [Radner] - both witnessed it," said Newman. "But, you know, it was very sad and painful and awful."

"It was that same kind of tension that you would get in a family, and everybody goes to their corners because they don't want to have to deal with the tension, and it was uncomfortable," said Curtin. "You could understand, you know, there were these two bull mooses going at each other, so the testosterone was surging and stuff happens."

The famously referenced fight occurred in 1978 when Chase returned to host the show after his departure, and Murray made a comment about Chase's marriage troubles. Chase responded by insulting Murray, leading to a physical altercation that took place in John Belushi's dressing room.

Although as Cohen pointed out, the two would eventually bury the hatchet and reunite after SNL to work together on 1980's Caddyshack, the incident s one that hasn't been forgotten.

"I think they both knew the one thing that they could say to one another that would hurt the most. And that's what I think incited it," reflected Newman.

Reps for SNL, Murray, and Chase did not immediately respond to EW's request for comment.

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