Hold on to your hats folks because things just got a little spicy between comedy legend Bill Murray and famed journalist Bob Woodward. Yes that Bob Woodward of Watergate fame. Turns out Murray has some serious beef with Woodward and it all blew up over a book about a mutual friend John Belushi.
Murray Unleashes on Woodward's Belushi Bio on Joe Rogan Podcast: Calls Book "Inaccurate" and "Cruel"
So where did this all start? It seems Bill Murray went on Joe Rogan's super popular podcast "The Joe Rogan Experience" and did not hold back when talking about Bob Woodward's 1984 biography "Wired: The Short Life & Fast Times of John Belushi." Murray and Belushi were super tight. They were both on "Saturday Night Live" and really close friends. So Murray's got some strong feelings here.
Murray straight up slammed Woodward's book as "completely inaccurate." He said he read just five pages of "Wired" and it made him think "Oh my God. They framed Nixon!" That's a pretty strong statement right there. He feels if Woodward got Belushi's story so wrong what about his famous Nixon reporting?
Murray argued that Woodward talked to people way outside Belushi's inner circle to write the book. He thinks these sources were not close enough to really know John Belushi. He called the whole thing "criminal" and "cruel." Strong words from Murray.
Murray even joked about jealousy being a factor. He pointed out that Belushi is the most famous person from their hometown of Wheaton Illinois. Then comes Harold "Red" Grange a football player. And then Bob Woodward is only third most famous. Was there some hometown rivalry fueling Woodward's take on Belushi? Murray seems to wonder.
Tense Face-Off at the Kennedy Center: Murray and Woodward Have "Words" After Podcast Rant
The story gets even more interesting. Just a day after Murray's podcast appearance he and Bob Woodward actually came face-to-face at the Kennedy Center. They were both there for a screening of a documentary about Katharine Graham the former publisher of The Washington Post where Woodward made his name.
According to reports things got "tense." One reporter Ben Terris tweeted that Murray and Woodward "had words" and it was "a little tense." We don't know exactly what was said but you can imagine it wasn't a friendly chat after Murray's podcast comments.
Murray had said on Rogan's show that Woodward would "have to answer for that sometime" regarding the Belushi book. Did that confrontation happen at the Kennedy Center? It sure sounds like it. Neither Murray nor Woodward's representatives have officially commented on the encounter but the reports and social media buzz suggest there was definitely a showdown.
Why Is Murray So Mad About "Wired"? Book Slammed by Belushi's Widow and Friends Since the 80s
This anger from Murray about "Wired" is not new. The book was released in 1984 just two years after Belushi's death from a drug overdose at age 33. And it has been controversial from the start. Belushi's widow Judy Belushi Pisano also criticized the book as inaccurate back in the 80s. She said "The man in Wired is not the man I knew."
Other friends of Belushi like Dan Aykroyd and director John Landis also slammed "Wired." They felt it was exploitative and did not truly capture the John Belushi they knew and loved. Murray on Rogan's podcast said he was asked to be interviewed for "Wired" himself but he refused because it "smelled funny from day one."
Murray praised Belushi on the podcast as a generous friend who helped many comedians get their start in New York. He said Belushi "made people's careers possible" including his own. He feels Woodward's book "tore down" his friend and that's why he is still upset about it all these years later. For Murray it is clearly personal.
Key Points of Bill Murray's Criticism of Bob Woodward's "Wired" Book:
- Inaccuracy: Murray believes the book is "completely inaccurate" in its portrayal of John Belushi.
- Poor Sources: Woodward relied on sources "far outside the inner circle" of Belushi's life.
- Cruel and Criminal: Murray called the book "cruel" and "criminal" in its depiction of his friend.
- Nixon Comparison: Murray joked that if Woodward got Belushi wrong his Nixon reporting is also "soiled."
- Jealousy Theory: Murray suggested jealousy might have motivated Woodward's negative portrayal of Belushi.
Will Woodward Respond? Feud Between Murray and Watergate Journalist Heats Up
So now the question is will Bob Woodward respond to Bill Murray's very public criticism ? As of now Woodward's team has not commented. But with Murray bringing this decades-old feud back into the spotlight and their tense encounter at the Kennedy Center things could escalate. Will Woodward defend his book? Will Murray keep speaking out? This celebrity spat is definitely one to watch. Stay tuned for more updates as this story develops!