Comedy legend Bill Murray gatecrashed a CNBC interview to mock Kevin Hassett, director of the National Economic Council, and question why he is always smiling.
Murray was in the Squawk Box studios on Monday morning to promote his new golf travel show, A Course Called Ireland.
However, he arrived early and wandered into shot just as hosts Joe Kernen and Becky Quick were about to interview Hassett about the state of the U.S. economy.
At one point, Murray, standing behind the anchor deskasked, “Why is that man always smiling?” referring to Hassett’s constant chirpy demeanor. “I’m a little concerned. Not worried, concerned,” Murray added.
Later, as Hassett tried to keep the interview on track, Murray got to ask another question of one of Donald Trump’s top economic goons.
“I would regret it if I didn’t take this opportunity. Could you just say the words ‘My dog just died’? I want to see what happens to your smile,” Murray asked.
Hassett kept a straight face as he complied with the request, after asking whether it was his dog or Murray’s that had just died.
Kernen then asked which of Murray’s films Hassett liked best, prompting Murray to wryly suggest Scrooged, the 1988 dark comedy in which he plays a modern-day version of Ebenezer Scrooge, the central character in Charles Dickens’ classic A Christmas Carol.
“Obviously there’s so many great Bill movies, but no, I think Groundhog Day,” Hassett responded. “Groundhog Day is one of the top five movies ever made. It’s just a fantastic movie.”
Murray said that “top political people” often praise the classic film, in which his TV weatherman character is forced to relive the same day over and over again in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania.
Murray also recalled meeting former Attorney General Janet Reno at an airport. “I went [over], but she was busy,” he said. “And then two guys came and got me and dragged me back to her. And she said, ‘Bill, the first thing I do to everyone at Justice is I show them that movie, and I say, ‘This is what your job’s going to be: Groundhog Day.’”
