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John Mulaney’s Off-The-Rails ‘SNL’ Musical Number Gets Hijacked By Basically Everyone

Comic John Mulaney returned to “Saturday Night Live” on Sunday for the show’s 50th anniversary, where he led what’s become one of his trademarks: a wild musical romp through New York.

Mulaney, who was once a writer on the show and has returned mutliple times to host (and sing), kicks things off as a vendor selling hot dogs and heroin in New York in 1975, when the city was more gritty and “SNL” was just starting out.

Ex-SNLers Pete Davidson and David Spade play two new arrivals to what Mulaney dismisses as a “bankrupt hellhole” as he urges them to leave.

But the “poets and dreamers” refuse to go, kicking off a musical journey through 50 years of New York history set to Broadway numbers. The segment includes Adam Driver as a dancing hot dog, Maya Rudolph as a needle full of heroin, Lin-Manuel Miranda reprising his role as Alexander Hamilton in “Hamilton” to roast Kate McKinnon’s return as Rudy Giuliani, Scarlett Johansson as Audrey from “Little Shop of Horrors,” and Nathan Lane with a not-at-all-subtle reference to his role as Timon in “The Lion King.” The segment also includes Paul Rudd, Kenan Thompson, Jason Sudeikis, Will Forte, Kristen Wiig, and more, ultimately concluding with their own take on “One More Day” from “Les Miserables.”

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John Mulaney’s Star-Studded ‘SNL50’ Musical Sketch Includes Hot Dog Adam Driver, Kate McKinnon’s Giuliani and Scarlett Johansson Joking About Colin Jost

By Michael Schneider

John Mulaney took the “Saturday Night Live” 50th anniversary special on a five-decade journey through the ups and downs of the show’s New York City home base. Starting with the 1975 birth of the series, Mulaney’s star-studded medley began with convincing former cast members Pete Davidson and David Spade that the grimy 1970s was still a glorious time to live in New York.

From there, it was a decade-by-decade look at the city, with Adam Driver dressed as a hot dog, Kate McKinnon showing up as a disgraced former mayor Rudy Giuliani and Scarlett Johansson dressed as Audrey from “Little Shop of Horrors,” joking about real-life husband Colin Jost. Also, Nathan Lane sang an ode to cocaine to the tune of “The Lion King’s” “Hakuna Matata” — a song he sang for the film as Timon.

Other guest spots included one-time “SNL” musical directors Paul Schaffer and G.E. Smith, while former cast members Jason Sudeikis and Will Forte sang from the stands, along with Kristen Wiig dressed as a green M&M — with audience members Jenna Ortega and Kevin Costner sandwiched in the middle.

As post 9/11 Giuliani, McKinnon sang of “throwing away my shot” to the tune of “Hamilton’s” “My Shot,” with Lin-Manuel Miranda in full Hamilton costume. Johansson and Paul Rudd sang “Suddenly eBikes” to the tune “Suddenly Seymour” from “Little Shop of Horrors,” while Kenan Thompson and Maya Rudolph sang “One Day More” along with Nick Jonas and Taran Killam dressed as Pizza Rat.

The sketch began with Mulaney in 1975, advising Davidson and Spade: “You’re moving to New York now? It’s 1975 New York is dying. It’s a bankrupt hell hole.” Spade is ready to go, but Davison wants to stay. “We’re poets and dreamers, and New York is where we belong. So one hot dog with heroin, please!”

Mulaney then asks Hot Dog (played by Adam Driver) and Heroin (Maya Rudolph) to describe what New York is all about. They sing to the tune of “Fame”: “Shame! You’re gonna get shot in a taxi! You’re gonna get stabbed on the train!”

From there, Mulaney takes the duo to 1980s New York. “We’re at a power lunch on Wall Street. Is New York fine now, they ask. “If you’re white, yes! It’s all thanks to the boom on the stock market and a new diet that’s been sweeping the city.” That’s when Lane exclaims, to the tune of “Hakuna Matata,” “Cocaine and some vodka, what a wonderful phase. Cocaine and some vodka. It’s how the Mets win their games!”

“I bet Disney’s gonna be psyched!” Mulaney says about the reworked lyrics.

By the 1990s, New York has become more expensive. “As we enter the ’90s, Times Square will be transformed from pimps and pornographers into something even filthier: cartoon mascots,” Mulaney notes. “But the old guard will not go quietly.”

Singing a version of “Look Down” from “Le Miz,” Sudeikis and Forte sang dressed as mascots, and then Kristen Wiig showed up as the green M&M — described by Mulaney as “the one who will unite them, the one character in Times Square who’s family friendly, but also a prostitute, the green M&M.” She then sang a version of “I Dreamed a Dream,” also from “Les Miz.”

Then came McKinnon as Giuliani. “Giuliani, here in post 9/11 New York, the city has rallied like never before,” Mulaney said. “Rudy, you’re America’s mayor. You’re beloved all across the country, this is your Big Shot. What are you going to do with it?”

Said McKinnon as Giuliani, to the tune of “My Shot” from “Hamilton”: “I am throwing away my shot. I am throwing away my shot. I’m just like my city, I’m drunk, corrupt and crazy, and I am throwing away my shot!”

From there, it was Michael Bloomberg to Bill de Blasio to Eric Adams, who “brought swagger back to New York.”

“Somehow New York today feels like it’s back in the ’70s, back on Skid Row,” Mulaney said.

Enter Johansson as a bruised Audrey from “Little Shop.” “Oh, my God, who hit you? Colin?” Mulaney asked.

“No, not this time. You see there’s a new menace on the streets of our city,” she said, before singing “Suddenly eBikes.”

At that point, Davidson is not impressed. “I mean, then why even live in New York anymore? It’s too loud, it’s too dangerous. They give rats free birth control, but not human women. I mean, if this is what New York is, I’m out.”

Said Mulaney: “Pete, please, before you turn your back on New York, remember what this city gave you.”

Davidson: “Herpes?”

“This city didn’t give you that,” Mulaney responded. “I meant, remember how this city inspired you just because the art scene and the music scene are dead and the city is a bunch of TD Banks and Le Pain Quotidiens. You can’t just give up. I’m just asking you, nay, all of us here, to still believe in the power of New York and to give the city we love… One Day More.”

From there, the entire sketch cast came together to sing their version of “One Day More” from “Les Miz.”

Watch below:

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Lin-Manuel Miranda Is Back in Hamilton as Nathan Lane Sings R-Rated Lion King in John Mulaney’s Star-Studded SNL Broadway Skit

Pete Davidson, David Spade, Kate McKinnon and more also appeared in the ‘SNL50: The Anniversary Special’ sketch

John Mulaney rounded up a dazzling array of celebrities for the ultimate New York City tribute.

The comedian, 42, launched into one of his beloved musical sketches during the SNL50: The Anniversary Special on Feb. 16 — this time, a tribute to New York City’s storied past throughout the last 50 years.

The sketch begins with Mulaney selling hot dogs and heroin in 1975 New York, when he’s greeted by Pete Davidson and David Spade, playing two newcomers to the city with “dreams of making it big.” Mulaney, surprised at their decision, breaks into song to explain the harsh realities of living in the Big Apple.

Maya Rudolph and Adam Driver, dressed as a vial of heroin and a hot dog respectively, sing a parody of the song “Fame,” which warns of the dangers of taxis, the subway and more. Former SNL musical directors G.E. Smith and Paul Schaffer next perform a guitar and keytar solo.

Mulaney, Davidson and Spade then travel to the 1980s, to a restaurant on Wall Street. Mulaney explains that a “new diet” of cocaine has been taking over the city, as Nathan Lane and Chloe Fineman’s characters indulge in the drug at a nearby table. Lane then breaks out into a parody of “Hakuna Matata,” which he famously sang in the 1994 Disney film The Lion King, switching out the lyrics to “cocaine and some vodka.”

“It means no sleeping for a couple of days,” Lane and Mulaney sing together.

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The comedian then whisks everyone to the 1990s, when cartoon mascots began to take over the city. Jason Sudeikis and Will Forte, who’s dressed as Elmo, break out into a parody of “Look Down” from Les Misérables. Kristen Wiig also appears as the green M&M, parodying the musical’s song “I Dreamed a Dream” about the hardships of being a tourist attraction — with an uncomfy-looking Jenna Ortega and Kevin Costner sandwiched between the trio in the audience.

Kate McKinnon then reprises her role as former New York City mayor Rudy Giuliani as the sketch switches to post-9/11 America; she sings a parody of “My Shot” from Hamilton. The musical’s Tony-winning creator and star, Lin Manuel-Miranda, then joins the performance, along with former cast members Kyle Mooney and Beck Bennett. Mulaney also introduces some of the city’s other mayors over the years, including Michael Bloomberg (Sarah Sherman), Bill de Blasio and Eric Adams (Devon Walker).

Mulaney then explains the woes of present-day New York, namely the rise of e-bikes, during a parody of “Suddenly Seymour” from the musical Little Shop of Horrors, with Scarlett Johansson playing Audrey, Paul Rudd as Seymour and James Austin Johnson as a bottle of whiskey.

Yet despite all of the darker aspects of the city, Mulaney is quick to remind Davidson to “believe in the power of New York” in the sketch’s final number. Kenan Thompson, dressed as the Diner Lobster from Mulaney’s sketch of the same name, breaks out into “One Day More” from Les Mis, joined by Rudolph as the Statue of Liberty, Cecily Strong as a cook and Nick Jonas as Marius, a role he previously played during a concert performance of the musical. Taran Killam and Ana Gasteyer, dressed as a rat and pigeon respectively, also hop into the finale alongside the rest of the cast.

Mulaney, who has hosted SNL six times, has become known for his musical parodies on the show. Since his “Diner Lobster” sketch in 2018, the actor has developed a knack for sketches poking fun at life in New York City through Broadway music.

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During his most recent hosting gig in November 2024, Mulaney did a sketch called “Port Authority Duane Reade,” with several musical references from famous plays, including The Lion King’s “The Circle of Life,” “Do-Re-Mi” from The Sound of Music, “Master of the House” from Les Misérables, “Willkommen” from Cabaret, “Prince Ali” from Aladdin, “Alexander Hamilton” from Hamilton and “We Go Together” from Grease.

The others, which the official SNL YouTube channel has dedicated a playlist to, include “Bodega Bathroom,” “Airport Sushi,” “New York Musical” and “Subway Churro.”

SNL50: The Anniversary Special airs Sunday, Feb. 16, at 8 p.m. ET on NBC and Peacock.

John Mulaney’s Off-The-Rails ‘SNL’ Musical Number Gets Hijacked By Basically Everyone

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