Saturday Night Live’s 50th season takes New York City by storm, featuring an impressive lineup of musical talent including Adele, Miley Cyrus, Brittany Howard, The Roots, Paul Simon, Sabrina Carpenter, Cher, Lady Gaga, Nirvana, Blackstreet Boys and many more.
Paul Simon and Sabrina Carpenter opened the show with a duet of Simon’s song “Homeward Bound.” The monologue was delivered by the iconic Steve Martin, a fixture of the past five decades of “Saturday Night Live.” Paul McCartney provided an epic closing to the 50th anniversary special, which celebrated the sketch institution and featured an abundance of famous former cast members, superstar hosts, and legendary guests.
At 83 years old, Simon has played a pivotal role in “SNL” since its inception in 1975, notably performing on the inaugural show following the 9/11 attacks. He was accompanied by the 25-year-old pop phenomenon currently capturing the spotlight. He informed her that he performed it on the show back in 1976.
“I wasn’t around at that time,” Carpenter remarked, eliciting laughter from the audience. “And neither were my parents,” she added, eliciting an even bigger laugh from the audience.
McCartney concluded the performance with the seldom-played song cycle of “Golden Slumbers/Carry That Weight/The End” from the Beatles’ final recorded album, “Abbey Road.”
“And in the end, the love you take is equal to the love you make,” he sang.
Lil Wayne and Miley Cyrus joined the lineup of musical guests for the evening, while the show’s musical heritage was celebrated with a concert at Radio City Music Hall on Friday.
“SNL50: The Anniversary Celebration” was broadcast live from New York on NBC and Peacock, as expected. The influential force in pop culture has propelled the careers of numerous comedians over the years, including Eddie Murphy, Kristen Wiig, and Will Ferrell, all of whom featured in early sketches.
The evening featured remarkable cameos from Meryl Streep, Jack Nicholson, and Keith Richards.
Steve Martin’s opening establishes the mood for ‘SNL50,’ while ‘Update’ maintains the momentum
Martin, a prominent figure among the show’s hosts and guests since its inception in 1975, endeavoured to maintain a contemporary feel in the monologue, even during a night focused on the past.
Martin recounted that when the show’s creator Lorne Michaels informed him he would be delivering the monologue, he was “actually vacationing on a friend’s boat down on the Gulf of Steve Martin.”
He was accompanied by former “SNL” icons and regular hosts Martin Short and John Mulaney, who surveyed the celebrity-filled audience comprised of past hosts in the iconic Studio 8H at 30 Rockefeller Plaza, the show’s enduring venue.
“As I survey my surroundings, I encounter some of the most challenging individuals I have ever encountered in my life,” Mulaney remarked. “In a span of five decades, 894 individuals have taken the stage on ‘Saturday Night Live,’ and it is astonishing that merely two of them have been involved in murder.”
During the evening’s segment of “Weekend Update,” anchor Colin Jost remarked on the overwhelming number of former hosts and musical guests eager to attend the show. He noted that many had to be accommodated in a nearby studio, while others were watching from “the Metropolitan Detention Centre in Brooklyn,” coinciding with a photo of Sean “Diddy” Combs being displayed.
Martin delivered a pointed remark about the notoriously challenging Bill Murray during his monologue
“Our intention was to ensure Bill’s presence this evening,” Martin remarked, “which is precisely why we chose not to extend an invitation to him.”
Murray made an appearance on “Weekend Update” to evaluate the show’s anchors, starting from Chevy Chase in 1975. He scrutinized the lack of diversity within the group by initially assessing its Black anchors, which amounted to a singular individual, current co-anchor Michael Che.
The grand event followed several months of festivities honoring “Saturday Night Live,” which debuted on October 11, 1975, featuring an original lineup that boasted talents like John Belushi, Chevy Chase, and Gilda Radner.
The program has evolved into a must-watch spectacle, expertly critiquing presidents, politics, and pop culture while serving as a stage for the most prominent musical talents of the time.
“It is an honor and a thrill to be hosting Weekend Update for the 50th, and if it were up to our president, the final season of SNL,” Jost said.
The show concluded as expected, with everyone present appearing both exhilarated and drained on the studio stage. Last night, the stage was packed with so many notable figures that it seemed on the verge of collapsing. Under Short’s leadership, they all clapped in honour of Michaels, the creator who has helmed the show for 45 of its 50 years.
Appearances and tributes
Alec Baldwin, who has hosted the show 17 times, took the stage to kick off an evening filled with commercial parodies seven months after his trial was paused and the involuntary manslaughter charge related to the shooting of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins was dismissed.
Aubrey Plaza recently stepped into the spotlight for one of her first public engagements following the January passing of her husband, where she took the stage to introduce the performance by Cyrus and Howard.
The 87-year-old Nicholson, who once frequented the front rows of the Oscars and Los Angeles Laker games, is now seldom spotted in public. He seemed to be introducing his co-star from “Anger Management,” Adam Sandler, who performed in his distinctive manner, reflecting on the show’s history. He listed the cast members, paying special tribute to those who have passed away, including his friends Chris Farley and MacDonald, as well as Radner, Jan Hooks, and Phil Hartman.
He sang, “We got five years of Jan Hooks and Gilda, and eight of Hartman the glue.” He concluded with six years of our boy Farley and five of our buddy Norm.
The program lacked an official “in memoriam” segment, yet it feigned one as ten-time host Tom Hanks appeared with a serious demeanor to lament “SNL characters and sketches that have aged horribly.”
A montage opened with the iconic “Samurai” character portrayed by the late Belushi. A sketch featuring Mike Myers and a young Macaulay Culkin in a bathtub showcased the word “Yikes” on screen. A label of “body shaming” was placed over the iconic sketch featuring Farley and the late Patrick Swayze as Chippendale’s dancers, while “slut shaming” was superimposed over one of the show’s earliest catchphrases, Dan Aykroyd’s remark, “Jane, you ignorant slut,” directed at Jane Curtin.
An 88-year-old Garrett Morris, the oldest former cast member, took the stage to introduce a film featuring the entire original cast.
“I had no idea, everyone, that I would be expected to participate in so many reunion shows,” he remarked.
Illustrations and snippets filled with past cast members and hosts
The initial sketch showcased a blend of past cast members and hosts. Fred Armisen took the helm of a parody rendition of “The Lawrence Welk Show,” showcasing Ferrell in the role of Robert Goulet.
Former hosts Kim Kardashian and Scarlett Johansson — Jost’s wife — delivered a refreshed rendition of the sophisticated Maharelle Sisters alongside former cast members Ana Gasteyer and Wiig, who contributed the classic punchline “And I’m Dooneese” while sporting a balding head and unsettlingly small doll arms.
Next came “Black Jeopardy,” led by the show’s longest-serving cast member, Kenan Thompson, who remarked that this game show was the only one “where every single viewer fully understood Kendrick’s halftime performance.”
The segment highlighted several of the show’s most notable Black cast members over the years, featuring Tracy Morgan and Murphy, who delivered a memorable impression of Morgan.
“The major player is set to rake in substantial profits!” Murphy, embodying Morgan, shouted.
Streep made her entrance as the mother of McKinnon’s ever-abducted character, Miss Rafferty, embodying the same wide stance and brash demeanour.
In a classic sketch, Streep’s esteemed colleague Robert De Niro teamed up with Rachel Dratch for a memorable “Debbie Downer” segment, complete with the signature trombone sound that fans have come to expect.
Amy Poehler, a former cast member, and Tina Fey, a former lead writer, who famously teamed up as anchors for “Weekend Update” and co-hosts of the Golden Globes, engaged in a Q-and-A session, fielding inquiries from an exceptionally star-studded audience.
Ryan Reynolds rose to his feet, and the question was posed to him about how things were progressing.
“Excellent, what’s the reason?” he responded with a defensive tone. “What information do you have?”
Reynolds, alongside his wife Blake Lively, has found themselves embroiled in an intense legal and media confrontation with Justin Baldoni, the director and co-star of her film “It Ends With Us.”
Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Adam Driver, Cher, Jon Hamm, Bad Bunny, Jason Momoa, Peyton Manning, and Keith Richards made appearances in the segment.
“I left a scarf here in 1988, and I’m curious if anyone has come across it,” the Rolling Stone inquired.
“Clearly, it’s just not present, alright?” Zach Galifianakis remarked, a scarf wrapped around his head.
Poehler teamed up with Rudolph once again for a revival of their satirical talk show “Bronx Beat,” which showcased Mike Myers in the role of his mother-in-law-inspired, Streisand-adoring character “Linda Richman.”
“Look at you, both of you; you look absolutely stunning,” Myers remarked.
While sometimes infused with a haphazard charm—characteristic of the “SNL” tradition—the program also evoked some of its most lasting nonperformance musical moments in the annals of pop culture.
Bill Murray made his comeback as “Nick Valentine,” the ruffle-shirted lounge singer, joined by Paul Shaffer and a trio of the show’s most musically talented cast members (Ana Gasteyer, Maya Rudolph, and Cecily Strong) performing “You’re All I Need to Get By.” Additionally, Rudolph collaborated with Fred Armisen for their remarkable impersonations of Beyoncé and Prince.
However, the most delightful returns featured Andy Samberg alongside a playful Lady Gaga engaging in a spirited rendition of the faux-boy-band classic “D— in a Box,” while Gasteyer and Will Ferrell brought back the strict music educators Bobbi and Marty Culp. The charming duo delivered their unique takes on Sam Smith’s “Unholy,” Cardi B’s “WAP,” and notably, Kendrick Lamar’s “Not Like Us,” playfully elongating the “A minor” line with a delightful, childlike enthusiasm.
The series of performances unfolded across three distinct stages: a central platform featuring the remarkably versatile Roots, who supported most of the acts; alongside two smaller stages designed to replicate the curved train station entrances reminiscent of the “SNL” set.
Regarding the performances, here are a few notable moments:
Eddie Vedder, ‘The Waiting’
Several artists chose to honour the memory of musicians who had graced the “SNL” stage, with Vedder being the first to evoke a heartfelt tribute. He convincingly captured Tom Petty’s unique nasal tone on “The Waiting,” but it was his tribute to cast members who have passed away – Gilda Radner, Phil Hartman, Chris Farley, and John Belushi, to name a few – that struck a chord.
Backstreet Boys, ‘I Want it That Way’
Should the reaction to the fivesome emerging from stage doors and onto the set serve as a gauge, anticipate that their recently announced Sphere residency will extend well beyond this summer. Their black outfits, each meticulously crafted to reflect their unique styles – AJ McLean donned a cowboy hat, Brian Littrell sported a backward baseball cap, Kevin Richardson opted for a trench coat, Nick Carter chose a leather-ish jacket, and Howie Dorough presented a streamlined look – set the stage for an instant singalong of “I Want it That Way.”
Brandi Carlile’s poignant track, ‘The Joke’
After a tailored and undeniably amusing introduction by Kate McKinnon, Carlile and her band played the familiar chords of “The Joke” under shimmering aqua lights. Carlile delivers her most powerful performance in this song, with her raw vocals enhanced by the evocative sounds of SistaStrings, adding a deep emotional layer to the show. Her concluding remark drew a well-earned cheer from the audience, prompting a modest smile from Carlile.
Mumford & Sons, ‘The Boxer’
After an energetic rendition of “I Will Wait,” the band invited seasoned lap steel guitarist Jerry Douglas to collaborate on a heartfelt interpretation of Simon & Garfunkel’s “The Boxer.” The iconic New York song carries a rich history with the program: Simon & Garfunkel performed the ballad during the third episode of “SNL,” and Simon selected it to kick off the show’s return following the events of 9/11 in 2001. Marcus Mumford and the band elegantly encapsulated its smoky allure.
Bonnie Raitt and Chris Martin deliver a poignant rendition of ‘I Can’t Make You Love Me’
This unexpected yet creative duo dimmed the lights for the song Raitt dedicated to “anyone with a hurting heart.” Amidst Martin’s tender performance, her poignant rasp echoed through the venue, a sorrowful tremor that retained an element of solace. As they stepped off the stage, Martin enveloped Raitt in a heartfelt embrace.
Nirvana and Post Malone, ‘Smells Like Teen Spirit’
Despite Nirvana’s recent reunion at the FireAid benefit concert in Los Angeles, where bold female rockers took the lead vocals, it was still delightful to hear them referred to as Post Nirvana. Indeed, that was Post Malone, who adeptly mimicked Kurt Cobain’s raspy wails, commanding the stage while Dave Grohl, Pat Smear, and Krist Novoselic energetically thrashed and crashed around him.
Cher, ‘If I Could Turn Back Time’
It would be fascinating to witness any other 78-year-old donning mesh tights and a high-cut leotard, stutter-stepping across a stage and belting an anthem with the same audacious confidence as when it was recorded over 35 years ago. Please proceed; we are here, awaiting your response. That was our assumption. There exists but a singular Cher. That concludes our conversation.
Lady Gaga, “Shallow”
With the onset of this polished, award-winning ballad, spectators begin to stretch their necks, eager to catch a glimpse of which male vocalist or actor may emerge to take on Bradley Cooper’s role. Lady Gaga showcased, once more, her remarkable ability to handle significant challenges independently. In her elegant black gown and headdress, Gaga sat at her black baby grand piano, her breathtaking voice resonating with clarity. Upon leaving the stage, she swiftly reached out to connect with almost every audience member positioned in the pits beside the main stage, embodying the essence of a star until the very last moment.
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