Posted on 02/17/2025 4:09:28 AM PST by dennisw
It shouldn’t come as a shock that the best parts of the “Saturday Night Live” 50th anniversary special last night on NBC were seeing iconic stars back in Studio 8H again.
Everybody got to watch at least one of their favorites. It was the rare event that was just as nostalgic for 30-year-olds as it was for nonagenarians.
After Paul Simon, 83, kicked things off dueting on “Homeward Bound” with Sabrina Carpenter, 25, Steve Martin, who was never a cast member but hosted the program 16 times, began with a terrific opening monologue.
“A person born during the first season of ‘Saturday Night Live’ could, today, be easily dead of natural causes,” Martin, 79, said dryly.
The wild-and-crazy guy went on: “This is the monologue — traditionally the weakest part of the show. The monologue is like a rent controlled tenant: it’s not going anywhere even though it stinks.”
It was also a thrill to see Bill Murray back. During “Weekend Update” with Colin Jost and Michael Che, Murray, who was behind the desk for two seasons in the 1980s, ranked the best “Update” hosts of all time. He named the late Norm Macdonald, who was eegregiously fired by NBC in 1997 for ruthlessly going after OJ Simpson, No. 2.
“He made me ask the question of myself: Could OJ possibly have done it?,” Murray said in what felt like a low-key apology to the stand-up great.
Eddie Murphy returned for the “Black Jeopardy” sketch to hilariously play none other than Tracy Morgan, who was standing right next to him.
“James Earl Jones was my biological father!,” Murphy shouted, Morgan-style.
Laraine Newman, who appeared during the first five seasons, had a funny video segment with Pete Davidson attempting to relive her glory days.
(Excerpt) Read more at nypost.com ...
“I have X-Ray vision.........He’s a Jew!”
“No, my parents were just very advanced in hygiene.”
There was Gilda.
I remember Steve Martin hosted the show right after she passed, he did a tribute to her to open the show, and it took everything for him to hold it together.
Imagine how the original SNL, as well as the late night talk shows of the era, would have responded to the Biden administration.
For me, SNL was good until windows 95 came out.
SNL started to suck during the 80s.
lol... the left would commit mass suicide over it!!
It was up and down in the 80s, but the years they had Phil Hartman and Dana Carvey were great.
It is nothing but a DNC propaganda tool.
Miley Hannah Montana was like broken nails on a chalkboard on acid. Had to change to racing.
I thought Eddie Murphy was spot on imitating that Morgan buffoon. Missed seeing Cherie Oterie (sp)
if she was on. Last night was basically like every SNL show ever. Some good stuff, some not so good. The Will Ferrell skit was horrible and I couldn’t believe they let him have all that time. He seemed to be playing Ron Burgundy playing Robert Goolay. Misspelled for sure.
No. Bill Murray rated the hosts, not that he was the highest rated. He rightly named Norm Macdonald the best.
You missed a lot then. All 3 were featured.
You can tell what age cohort one belongs to, by the cast of SNL they like. I do like watching YT shorts of Che and Jost doing their Christmas Weekend Update. They write jokes for the other person that they have not seen prior to the live read. Some funny stuff in there.
I remember a bit was when Chevy Chase was doing the news.
He reported that Professor Backwards was stabbed to death in his hotel room as his cries of “Pleh, Pleh” were ignored.
I still watch Eddie Murphy’s “Delirious” several times a year, and I still laugh as hard now as I did then.
He reported that Professor Backwards was stabbed to death in his hotel room as his cries of “Pleh, Pleh” were ignored.
Bet you a dollar Michael O’Donoghue wrote that one.
Actually, True story, norm was fired because he stood up for a writer that was fired. Not for O.J. jokes
More likely the least bad part...
Norm is sorely missed.
Nice.
I wouldn’t know; I haven’t watched SNL in so long that I almost forgot it exists.
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