If you have ever been looking for some comic relief, or have had a friend send you a YouTube link of this “really funny video” they saw from a show, chances are you’ve stumbled upon Saturday Night Live before. SNL, the famous sketch comedy show, just turned fifty years old.
To mark the celebration of the show being on air for so long, Studio 8H pumped out a grand SNL 50th special this past February, filled with a star-studded line-up, and including performances from Paul Simon, Sabrina Carpenter, Paul McCartney, and Lil Wayne. We here at The Pilot thought it would be fun to highlight some of the most memorable moments of the very long, very live, late-night show.
The opening monologue, one of the most important parts of any SNL show, is usually delivered by that week’s host, setting the tone for how the rest of the show is going to go. There have been many controversial opening monologues, which SNL was not shy to point out, although they commemorated times in which all different kinds of hosts took that main stage and gave it their best shot. This time, beloved comedian and actor Steve Martin rang in the show along with comedian and former SNL writer, John Mulaney. With their witty banter about how hard it is to write comedy for a show like SNL, they also made time to poke fun at many celebrities and former hosts sitting in the audience. The crowd work of former SNL cast members Amy Poehler and Maya Rudolph allowed for plenty of amusing moments with former hosts and cast members of the show.
Many of SNL’s sketches have become iconic and instantly recognizable over the years. For this particular special, SNL did not hold back on their greatest hits. Sketches like “Debbie Downer,” “Chad,” “Close Encounter,” and so many others brought a wonderful taste of both old and new SNL. One of the sketches that stood out was the New York 50th Musical, a recurring sketch that has always left room for the many talents of the SNL cast, which honored the comedic energy behind SNL and its relationship with the great city of New York. It makes you notice how well SNL fits into the hustle and bustle of Manhattan and how being a New Yorker gives you a leg up on understanding many of the jokes made throughout the show’s history.
Weekend Update, a satirical news segment hosted by Colin Jost and Michael Che, remains one of my personal favorite parts of watching SNL. This time they were accompanied by Bill Murray, former Weekend Update news anchor, and Bobby Monyhan, playing the famous character “Drunk Uncle.” Also joining the desk was “The Girl You Wish You Hadn’t Started A Conversation With,” played by Cecily Strong, who came in with her usual obnoxious flare, compulsively repeating the word “like” and groaning about how everyone should “like, read a phone, Michael!”
The most nostalgic and heartwarming of the night’s performances had to be “The 50 Year” song, performed by Adam Sandler — a funny yet emotional song about how long the show has been running and how many people it has brought together over those 50 years. Sandler made funny references to former cast members and the creator of the show, Lorne Michaels. The part of the song that really struck me was the memorial for all the cast members of SNL whose jokes made millions of Americans laugh every Saturday night for years. This anniversary event celebrates 50 years of laughs, embarrassment, awkwardness, and joy; 50 years of comedians, movie stars, politicians, athletes, and musicians; and 50 years of “Live from New York: it’s Saturday night!”
