Haadiza OgwudeCincinnati Enquirer
NBC's"Saturday Night Live"celebrated its 50th anniversary Sunday night after bringing laughs to television screens nationwide for five decades.
The live, three-hour special aired one day after the late-night comedy show'sfirst episode from 1975 re-aired Saturday night on NBC. The anniversary episode featured several special guests and former cast members, including John Mulaney, Kim Kardashian, Ohio native Dave Chappelle, Miley Cyrus, Adam Sandler, Tina Fey, Paul McCartney, Robert De Niro, Will Ferrell, Pete Davidson, Chris Rock, Eddie Murphy and more.
Did you miss the big show Sunday night? Here's how you can watch and stream the anniversary special.
How to watch the 'SNL' 50th anniversary special
The "Saturday Night Live" 50th anniversary special is available tostream on Peacock.
Who appeared on the 'SNL' 50th anniversary special?
Paul McCartney, Sabrina Carpenter, Miley Cyrus, Brittany Howard, and Lil Wayne and the Roots performed for the anniversary special Sunday.
Other celebrities who made appearances included John Mulaney, Tom Hanks, Adam Driver, Ohio native Dave Chappelle, Steve Martin, Robert De Niro, Payton Manning and more.
Who started 'SNL'?
"Saturday Night Live" is alivelate-night sketch comedy show created byCanadian-American television producer and writer Lorne Michaels. The NBC show was also developed by Michaels andDick Ebersol, a television executive and senior adviser for NBC Universal Sports & Olympics.
The show first premiered Oct. 11, 1975, on NBC and was hosted by comedian George Carlin. Original cast members include comedians Dan Aykroyd,John Belushi,Chevy Chase,Jane Curtin,Garrett Morris,Laraine Newman,Gilda Radner andGeorge Coe.
Who hosted 'SNL' the most?
Alec Baldwin has hosted "Saturday Night Live" 17 times, which is more than any other celebrity.
Which 'SNL' cast members have died?
Throughout its 50-year run, "Saturday Night Live"has featured more than 100 cast members. Here are some of the former cast members we've lost over the years, according to People magazine.
- John Belushi.
- Peter Aykroyd.
- George Coe.
- Tom Davis.
- Chris Farley.
- Gilbert Gottfried.
- Phil Hartman.
- Jan Hooks.
- Norm Macdonald.
- Michael O’Donoghue.
- Gilda Radner.
- Charles Rocket.
- Tony Rosato.
- Danitra Vance.
- Dan Vitale.
- Don Pardo.
Which 'SNL' cast members committed murder?
During Steve Martin's opening monologue, John Mulaney joked that two"Saturday Night Live"hosts have committed murder.
"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,” he said.
According to Screen Rant, one of the hosts in question was former NFL legend O.J. Simpson, who was arrested in 1994 and charged with the murders of his wife, Nicole Brown, and her friend Ron Goldman. Simpson hosted the variety show in 1978. Actor Robert Blake also hosted "SNL" in 1982 and was charged with the murder of Bonnie Lee Bakley in 2002.
Both hosts were acquitted of all charges, but the public's opinions on the verdicts remain controversial.
Paul McCartney 'SNL 50' performance
Who played with Miley Cyrus on 'SNL'?
Singer-songwriter and actor Miley Cyrustook the stage Sunday night with Brittany Howard, the lead singer, guitarist, and primary songwriter for the Grammy award-winning band Alabama Shakes. The duo performed a duet of "Nothing Compares 2 U" by Sinèad O'Connor, who died in 2023 from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, per Billboard.
O'Connor was the featured musical guest on"SNL"in October 1992. She performed an a cappella cover of Bob Marley's "War."
According to Time magazine, the Irish singer replaced some of the lyrics with the words "child abuse." She also tore up a photo of Pope John Paul II, stating, "Fight the real enemy," in what was a protest against child sex abuse in the Catholic Church.
Time magazine reported that NBC banned O'Connor from"SNL" for life following her controversial performance.
Who sings 'Nothing Compares to You'?
According to People magazine, "Nothing Compares 2 U" was originally written by Prince in 1985 and was part of O'Connor's 1990 album"I Do Not Want What I Haven’t Got."
Why wasn't Dan Aykroyd at the 'SNL' 50th anniversary?
During the three-hour "SNL" special, fans noticed a prominent former cast member was absent from Sunday's festivities:Dan Aykroyd.
People magazine reports that Aykroydposted about the anniversary on X leading up to the event, but didn’t state that he would be absent from the show.
However, Aykroyd wasn't the only cast member not in attendance.
People magazine added that Bill Hader, who was on the show for eight years, reportedly replied to his invitation with “a polite decline.” Co-creator Dick Ebersol was also absent due to health issues.
Former cast members Dana Carvey and Colin Quinn were also missing Sunday night.
(This story was updated to add more information about Sinèad O'Connor's history with "SNL.")
