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Fifty years, countless laughs, and one unforgettable night—Saturday Night Live has been the heartbeat of American comedy, giving audiences countless nights of laughter, moments we can’t imagine pop culture without, and launching comedic legends. On Sunday, SNL marked its 50th anniversary with an unforgettable three-hour special, blending nostalgia with humor that’ll make you cry from laughter, to celebrate its enduring legacy.
The night brought iconic faces—everyone from Garrett Morris, an original member of the SNL family, to Amy Poehler and Tina Fey, reminding viewers why so many of us have rarely ever missed a Saturday night filled with SNL since its debut in 1975.
A Star-Studded Celebration
Steve Martin set the stage for the SNL 50th anniversary special with a monologue where he cracked jokes about everything from his age to President Trump renaming the Gulf of Mexico.
After an opening performance by Sabrina Carpenter and Paul Simon & Garfunkel’s Homeward Bound, Martin was joined by John Mulaney, a former writer for the show, following Martin’s shout-out to the show’s writers.
“We writers really appreciated that tribute, but I believe that the heart and soul of this show is the celebrity hosts, many of whom are in this room tonight,” Mulaney said. “You know, as I look around, I see some of the most difficult people I have ever met in my entire life. Over the course of 50 years, 894 people have hosted Saturday Night Live, and it amazes me that only two of them have committed murder.”
Naturally, the classic jabs were part of the night, and Mulaney couldn’t resist throwing one in: “Each week, a new celebrity host strolls in with their own unique flair, throwing everything off-kilter—but not you, Steve, because you bring absolutely zero dynamics to the table!”
Martin Short (Only Murders in the Building) joined Martin on stage and couldn’t resist the chance to make a classic quip, claiming he was “the only Canadian who wasn’t in Schitt’s Creek.”
After both Martins bickered like an old married couple, Martin quipped, “Marty and I have worked together for so long, we can actually finish each other’s careers.” Then, Martin smoothly transitioned back to his solo monologue.
“I hope that you are enjoying my monologue tonight,” he said. “But if you aren’t enjoying it, maybe you should get up, take a good look at yourself in the mirror, and say to yourself, ‘What have I become? It can’t be Steve’s fault.’ Ask yourselves, ‘When did I abandon joy, and what can I bring to the monologue as an audience member?’”
No SNL celebration would be complete without a trip down memory lane to revisit some of the show’s most beloved sketches. So, of course, I’ll be diving into more of these delightfully outrageous yet hilarious moments.
Side note…how do they even come up with these sketches. I don’t think my brain could ever be that funny.
Anyways, back to the script—after his monologue, the show featured a Black Jeopardy! sketch in which Eddie Murphy delivered an uncanny parody of Tracy Morgan, who was playing a contestant named Darius.
Kenan Thompson returned to his role as the show’s host, with Leslie Jones playing another contestant.
Cracking a joke about Kendrick Lamar’s Super Bowl halftime show, Thompson said, “Welcome to Black Jeopardy!—the only Jeopardy where every single viewer fully understood Kendrick’s halftime performance.”
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More Surprises to Come
The celebration wasn’t just about comedy—it brought out SNL’s long-standing tradition of memorable musical surprise moments. Sabrina Carpenter took the stage for a quite interesting take of Defying Gravity, which quickly went off the rails as cast members Heidi Gardner, Ego Nwodim, and Sarah Sherman joined in, adding their exaggerated dramatics and off-key harmonies. The sketch took an unexpected turn when Pedro Pascal and Bad Bunny made an appearance, turning the number into an all-out comedic showcase. Okay, maybe the celebration was all comedy after all.
Other bits included Amy Poehler and Tina Fey doing a sketch where they took questions from audience members, including Ryan Reynolds, who made a reference to the legal drama involving his wife, Blake Lively, and Justin Baldoni.
Bobby Moynihan, as his character Drunk Uncle, showed up discussing current events, including the new Marvel movie, Captain America: Brave New World. “Oh great, we’re in a brave new world!” he said. “Not my Captain America!”
During the Weekend Update segment, Bill Murray spoke about current co-anchor Michael Che being the only Black anchor in the show’s history and then continued to rank the white anchors, with his brother Brian Doyle-Murray coming in tops and current co-anchor Colin Jost not making the cut.
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Adam Sandler’s Tribute to 50 Years
Jack Nicholson returned to SNL, proving once again that this show has the kind of pull that only 50 years of comedy greatness can bring. But the real gem? Adam Sandler, acoustic guitar in hand, delivering a tribute song that was equally hilarious, nostalgic, and filled with inside jokes that every SNL fan could appreciate.
Sandler effortlessly delivered sharp-witted jabs about amusing behind-the-scenes moments, like “30 years of Drunk Wally holding the cue cards upside down”—directed at SNL’s most powerful man himself: “Everyone in this room has something in common… none of us were allowed to use the little bathroom in Lorne’s office.”
But in true SNL fashion, the comedy was balanced with heart. As he spoke about legends like Chris Farley, Eddie Murphy, Norm Macdonald, and Jan Hooks, you could feel the weight of just how much this show has meant to generations of comedians and fans alike.
And just when it seemed like the song couldn’t get any better, Sandler wrapped it all up with the line that has defined late-night comedy for half a century:
“50 years of one of us getting to say… ‘Live from New York, it’s Saturday Night!'”
Cue the standing ovation. Because whether you’ve been here since the start or just discovered SNL through TikTok clips, one thing’s for sure—this show isn’t going anywhere.
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Thank You, Saturday Night Live
As the night came to an end, Paul McCartney concluded the star-studded episode with classics from Abbey Road, performing Carry That Weight and Golden Slumbers.
“And in the end, the love you take is equal to the love you make,” McCartney beautifully sang.
The SNL 50: The Anniversary Special wasn’t just a tribute to the past—it was proof of why the show has kept generations of fans coming back for so many years. From its biting political satire to its one-of-a-kind character-driven skits, SNL has always found a way to stay culturally relevant while keeping the audience laughing.
So… with that being said, here’s to the next fifty years of comedy, chaos, unforgettable moments, and the magic of live television.
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Original Cast Members (1975-1980):
- Gilda Radner
- Dan Aykroyd
- John Belushi
- Chevy Chase
- Laraine Newman
- Jane Curtin
- Garrett Morris
Iconic Cast Members Across Decades:
- Eddie Murphy
- Phil Hartman
- Mike Myers
- Dana Carvey
- Amy Poehler
- Tina Fey
- Kristen Wiig
- Bill Hader
- Bowen Yang
- Chloe Fineman
Legendary Hosts:
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Emma Gladstone is an entertainment journalist dedicated to offering a fresh perspective in today’s media landscape. As a content writer for The Hollywood Insider, her goal is to serve as a break from negativity by focusing on positive, human-centered angles that uplift and inspire. Writing reviews and feature stories for The Hollywood Insider, Emma celebrates the transformative and authentic power of reporting, to promote meaningful change and substance in media. Her passion for global entertainment fuels her writing, creating stories that educate, empower, and resonate deeply with readers. Emma is truly thrilled to be writing for The Hollywood Insider, as their values align closely with hers.
Emma Gladstone is an entertainment journalist dedicated to offering a fresh perspective in today’s media landscape. As a content writer for The Hollywood Insider, her goal is to serve as a break from negativity by focusing on positive, human-centered angles that uplift and inspire. Writing reviews and feature stories for The Hollywood Insider, Emma celebrates the transformative and authentic power of reporting, to promote meaningful change and substance in media. Her passion for global entertainment fuels her writing, creating stories that educate, empower, and resonate deeply with readers. Emma is truly thrilled to be writing for The Hollywood Insider, as their values align closely with hers.
