tom hanks

tom hanks

Thumbnail

Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson ‘walk out’ of SNL 50th anniversary concert

Is the ‘SNL’ 50th anniversary on tonight? Fans have to wait until Sunday.

Image

If you’re looking to celebrate the 50th anniversary of “Saturday Night Live” Saturday night, you’ll have to wait another day. NBC’s special anniversary episode airs Sunday night − not on Saturday, as one might expect.

The live, three-hour special comedy show airs one day after the late-night comedy show’s first 1975 episode re-aired on NBC Saturday night.

Featured show guests for the Feb. 16 show include Adam Driver, Ayo Edebiri, Bad Bunny, Dave Chappelle, John Mulaney, Kim Kardashian, Martin Short, Miley Cyrus, Paul McCartney, Paul Simon, Pedro Pascal, Peyton Manning, Quinta Brunson, Robert De Niro, Sabrina Carpenter, Scarlett Johansson, Steve Martin, Tom Hanks and Woody Harrelson.

Here’s what else to know about the highly-anticipated show and how to watch it.

On Feb. 10, NBC confirmed the following cast members will also appear on the special:

Need a break? Play the USA TODAY Daily Crossword Puzzle.

The “SNL” 50th anniversary special telecast from Studio 8H in Rockefeller Center is set for Sunday, Feb. 16. It will air at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT.

Viewers can watch it on NBC or stream the show on Peacock.

Natalie Neysa Alund is a senior reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at nalund@usatoday.com and follow her on X @nataliealund.

What celebrities will appear on ‘SNL’ 50th anniversary special?

What time is the ‘SNL50: The Anniversary Special’?

Tom Hanks & Rita Wilson Walk Out Of ‘SNL50’ Concert After Jimmy Fallon Said No Awards Would Be Given Out In Funny Bit

Image

By Armando Tinoco

Saturday Night Live is celebrating 50 years and got together a group of stars to commemorate the milestone. Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson were among the celebrities who attended SNL50: The Homecoming Concert and participated in a funny bit.

During the concert special, host Jimmy Fallon clarified that the three-hour show would only present musical guests and not hand out awards.

“Apparently, there’s been some confusion,” Fallon said. “This is just a concert. We’re not giving out any awards tonight. So, I just want to make sure that everyone knows that.”

As Fallon clarified the show’s purpose, Hanks and Wilson were seen in the background exiting Radio City Music Hall, causing laughter among the audience.

Watch the funny bit in the video below.

RELATED: Jimmy Fallon Opens ‘SNL50: The Homecoming Concert’ With Blues Brothers Tribute; Dings Himself & NBC Sketch Show In Monologue

SNL50: The Homecoming Concert celebrated the music of SNL with performances from artists like Arcade Fire, Backstreet Boys, Bad Bunny, Bonnie Raitt, Brandi Carlile, Brittany Howard, Chris Martin, David Byrne, DEVO, Eddie Vedder, Jack White, Jelly Roll, Lady Gaga, Miley Cyrus, Mumford & Sons, Post Malone, Preservation Hall Jazz Band, Robyn, and The B-52s.

RELATED: ‘SNL50’: Live From The Red Carpet For ‘Saturday Night Live’s Anniversary Weekend

Celebrating 50 years on TV, the festivities continue on Sunday, February 16, with SNL50: The Anniversary Special at 8 p.m. ET and 5 p.m. PT on NBC and streaming on Peacock.

RELATED: Lady Gaga Joins Andy Samberg For ‘D— In A Box’ Duet During ‘SNL50’ Concert’s Lonely Island Mashup

Get our Breaking News Alerts and Keep your inbox happy.

Comments On Deadline Hollywood are monitored. So don’t go off topic, don’t impersonate anyone, and don’t get your facts wrong.

Comment

Name

Email

Website

It was a joke!!!! My god, don’t make something out of nothing!!!

Right James?!

Mean-spirited comedy isn’t very funny, except to jealous non-winners. Most decent folks like to laugh at things that *don’t* come off as an act of bullying, meant to bring humiliation in some manner.

I’ll assume that Mr. & Mrs. Hanks simply had somewhere else to be. Perhaps they’d simply made a brief appearance at SNL’s musical celebration to enjoy one of their favorite performers. That seems reasonable. Here’s betting that favorite *wasn’t* Fallon.

Wanda, you’re hilarious! Thank you for your priceless comments on this funny bit. Please keep posting!

Hint: They were in on the joke.

Or it was a completely staged bit. Stfu already

Hun… they were IN on the gag. It was scripted. Good Lord.

Come here many times, made an account just to reply to this comment… good lord is right, I don’t know how it could be any more obvious from the LITERAL CUED PAN OVER TO THEM it was a choreographed bit.

Fantastically comical how some people can’t tell something clearly clearly fake is fake anymore.

MAGA!

It. was. a. joke…

Whoosh…

Where is Shari Oteri ? Billy Crystal ? G E Smith and Paul Schafer , Mike Meyers and Martin Short ?

As it says in the article it was a concert NOT the show.

So tired of Jimmy Fallon constantly trying to push that he’s a musician. Look, Jimmy, we already know you’re a mediocre comedian; you don’t need to prove you’re also a mediocre musician.

Ooh! Mean girl.

Fallon is an as$-kissing suck up, but his talent as a comic and cover musician can’t be denied. You’re just nasty.

AMEN. He is not even mediocre at each. Sub-par is more like it.

👍

Sick to death of Fallon bragging about who he hangs out with and his stupid Broadway crapola and holiday albums.Phoney enthusiasm on the tonight show makes me wanna puke.

Run Forrest Run…

Signup for Breaking News Alerts & Newsletters

By providing your information, you agree to our Terms of Use and our Privacy Policy. We use vendors that may also process your information to help provide our services. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA Enterprise and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Get our latest storiesin the feed of your favorite networks

We want to hear from you! Send us a tip using our annonymous form.

Sign up for our breaking news alerts

By providing your information, you agree to our Terms of Use and our Privacy Policy. We use vendors that may also process your information to help provide our services. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA Enterprise and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Deadline is a part of Penske Media Corporation. © 2025 Deadline Hollywood, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

FOLLOW US:

site categories

BREAKING NEWS

Services to share this page.

Must Read Stories

READ MORE ABOUT:

Subscribe to Deadline

21 Comments

Sidebar

Newswire

Site

Related Stories

Tracy Morgan Playfully Calls Out Lorne Michaels For Not Letting Him Sing At ‘SNL50’ Concert: “You Have Disrespected Me B*tch”

‘SNL50’: Live From The Red Carpet For ‘Saturday Night Live’s Anniversary Weekend

Watch on Deadline

Red Carpet Photo Gallery; How To Watch Tonight’s Anniversary Special

Winners List + Hammond Analysis; ‘Sing Sing’ Stars Denied UK Entry

‘Captain America’ $100M 4-day, $192M+ WW Opening

Deadline Journalist & Film Sales Agent Attacked During Berlin Film Festival

Submit a comment

Trending on Deadline

Latest TV News

‘SNL50’ Introduces Domingo’s Brothers In Another Bridesmaid Sketch Featuring Sabrina Carpenter, Bad Bunny, Pedro Pascal & More

Eddie Murphy Steals ‘SNL50’ ‘Black Jeopardy’ Sketch, Imitating Tracy Morgan While Standing Next To Tracy Morgan; Chris Rock And Tom Hanks Also Join In

‘Tracker’ Season 2 Return Finally Solves Colter Shaw’s Decade-Long Cold Case

Blake Lively, Ryan Reynolds Make Red Carpet Appearance At ‘SNL50’ Anniversary Special Amid Justin Baldoni Dispute

Marketplace

Deadline

Legal

Sitemap

Connect with Us

Have a Tip?

Stay in the Know

Comments

No comments yet. Why don’t you start the discussion?

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *