What to know about the massive ‘Saturday Night Live’ 50th anniversary special
Live from New York, it’s a nostalgic celebration of “Saturday Night Live”!
“SNL50: The Anniversary Celebration,” which airs Sunday, will take viewers down memory lane in a three-hour star-studded event that will commemorate everything that made the NBC variety show such a pop culture staple.
Here’s what to know.
The special will air live at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT Sunday on NBC and Peacock.
Red carpet coverage will start at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT. On NBC, “SNL” alum Leslie Jones, “Sunday TODAY” host Willie Geist and comedian Matt Rogers will interview some of the biggest stars as they gear up for the special.
Amelia Dimoldenberg, the creator and host of the viral chat show “Chicken Shop Date,” will be the correspondent for the “SNL50: The Red Carpet” livestream, which will be available on all “SNL” social and digital platforms, including YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, X and TikTok.
The milestone event will bring together a blend of current cast members and legendary alumni.
Chevy Chase, Garrett Morris, Jane Curtin and Laraine Newman — four of the surviving original cast members — are expected to return.
They will be joined by other alums, including: Adam Sandler, Amy Poehler, Andy Samberg, Chris Rock, Eddie Murphy, Fred Armisen, Jason Sudeikis, Jimmy Fallon, Kate McKinnon, Kenan Thompson, Kristen Wiig, Maya Rudolph, Molly Shannon, Pete Davidson, Seth Meyers, Tina Fey, Tracy Morgan, Will Ferrell and Will Forte.
“It’s so exciting,” Shannon said of the special Thursday in an appearance on NBC’s “TODAY” show. “But I also forget I get nervous. There’s nothing like live performance. … I forget the adrenaline. So it’s so exciting. But it feels like coming home.”
And, of course, current cast members will also be part of the fun. Expect to also see: Michael Che, Mikey Day, Andrew Dismukes, Chloe Fineman, Heidi Gardner, Marcello Hernández, James Austin Johnson, Colin Jost, Michael Longfellow, Ego Nwodim, Sarah Sherman, Kenan Thompson, Devon Walker and Bowen Yang.
A roster of Hollywood’s biggest celebrities will also join the celebration, packing the special with even more star power.
Among the confirmed celebrities: 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.
“SNL50” has been years in the making, with Day having hinted at just how massive the celebration will be back in June 2023.
In an interview on “TODAY,” Day told hosts Hoda Kotb and Jenna Bush Hager that executive producer Lorne Michaels was already preparing.
“Oh, my gosh, it’s going to be insane,” Day said. “I haven’t heard that much, but I know Lorne’s slowly putting it together.”
Asked about potential guests, he joked: “I believe every famous person in the universe will be there. It’s wild.”
The last major “SNL” anniversary special aired in 2015, celebrating the show’s 40-year legacy with a mix of iconic sketches and several surprise appearances.
One of the most talked-about moments came in the iconic “The Californians” sketch, which Bradley Cooper and Betty White stole with an unexpected, passionate kiss. The sketch also featured pop superstar Taylor Swift and actor Kerry Washington.
This year, “SNL” has touted the next milestone special as “one night 50 years in the making.”
Sunday night’s special is the culmination of a weekend-long block of anniversary programming.
On Friday, Peacock will also air a special, “SNL50: The Homecoming Concert,” a live concert at Radio City Music Hall in New York City that is executive produced by Michaels and music producer Mark Ronson.
The show, hosted by Fallon, will include performances by Arcade Fire, Backstreet Boys, Bad Bunny, Bonnie Raitt, Brandi Carlile, Brittany Howard, Cher, Chris Martin, Dave Grohl, David Byrne, Devo, Eddie Vedder, Jack White, Jelly Roll, Lady Gaga, Miley Cyrus, Ms. Lauryn Hill, Mumford & Sons, Post Malone, the Preservation Hall Jazz Band, Robyn, Snoop Dogg, St. Vincent, the B-52s, the Roots and Wyclef Jean.
On Saturday, NBC will re-air the very first episode of “SNL.” The show, which was originally titled “NBC’s Saturday Night,” taped on Oct. 11, 1975. The behind-the-scenes production of the first episode recently got the Hollywood biopic treatment with the release of Jason Reitman’s “Saturday Night.”
On Peacock, fans can also stream documentaries that explore the show’s cultural influence.
“Ladies & Gentlemen… 50 Years of SNL Music,” co-directed by Oz Rodriguez and Questlove, looks back at the show’s extensive musical history. Featuring over 900 performances, the documentary examines how “SNL” has shaped the music industry.
“SNL50: Beyond Saturday Night” takes a broader look at the show’s five-decade run. The four-part series, executive produced by Academy and Emmy Award winner Morgan Neville, features interviews with more than 60 contributors to “SNL,” offering behind-the-scenes insights into its evolution and its enduring legacy in comedy and television.
Terry Dickerson is a news associate with NBC News Digital.
© 2025 NBCUniversal Media, LLC
How to watch
Which ‘SNL’ alums are returning?
A slew of celebrity guests will also appear
What to expect from the three-hour show
What else has been happening around the anniversary?
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Saturday Night Live’s landmark 50th season has already given fans some standout sketches — Ariana Grande introduced Marcello Hernandez’s “Domingo” and Bowen Yang made Chappell Roan’s complaints about fame hilariously relate to Moo Deng’s own meteoric rise — but there’s never a bad time to take a trip down memory lane and revisit some of the crazy characters who have gone down in comedy history.
From Eddie Murphy and Steve Martin to Kristen Wiig and Bill Hader, here are 15 hilarious sketches, characters and moments from the last 50 years of SNL.
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Blues fans Dan Aykroyd and John Belushi dressed in fedoras and Wayfarers and debuted a sketch in 1976 that began as a pet project and spawned a No. 1 album and film.
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Gilda Radner first grossed out Jane Curtin with her iconic Weekend Update reporter with a geometric wig in 1977.
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Steve Martin and Aykroyd first played Czech immigrants eyeing their American neighbors played by Radner and Laraine Newman — and really any woman they saw — in 1977, and went on to reprise the Festrunk brothers several times, always defending their ridiculousness with: “We are two wild and crazy guys!”
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Eddie Murphy spoofed Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood in sketches where he contended with the police and eviction notices starting in 1981.
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Mike Myers played Wayne and Dana Carvey played Garth in a 1989 sketch about their public access TV show filmed in Wayne’s basement, which spawned two films and a bevy of catchphrases.
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Chris Farley played motivational speaker Matt Foley — who memorably lived in a van down by the river. He was tasked to instill the fear of God into teenagers David Spade and Christina Applegate, by their parents Phil Hartman and Julia Sweeney.
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Adam Sandler played his original holiday tune celebrating the season and listing his favorite Jewish stars for the first time on “Weekend Update” in 1994.
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Will Ferrell and Cheri Oteri played wannabe cheerleaders Craig and Arianna as they wiggled their spirit fingers in a 1995 sketch.
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In 1998, host Alec Baldwin played Pete Schweddy alongside Ana Gasteyer and Molly Shannon for a racy holiday edition of the recurring sketch and NPR spoof.
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Molly Shannon first introduced Sally O’Malley, the energetic and eager 50-year-old who likes to “kick and stretch and kick!” in 1999 — and she’s jumped back on screens in her signature red onesie many times since (pictured in 2007).
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Lorne Michaels asked Andy Samberg for a holiday musical sketch in 2006 — the result was a gift that keeps on giving: a ’90s era R&B duo (with Justin Timberlake) singing about, well, you know.
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Bill Hader introduced the world to Stefon in 2008, and the New York City caricature, who he created with John Mulaney, was a Weekend Update staple between 2010 and 2013.
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The soap opera sketch with Kristen Wiig, Fred Armisen and Bill Hader lampooned incoherent Valley accents and labyrinthine freeway directions in L.A.
WILL HEATH/NBCU PHOTO BANK/NBCUNIVERSAL VIA GETTY
Tom Hanks played the haunted house star with a penchant for butt-slapping for the first time in 2016 and has reprised it several times since — and even earned the character his own NBC Halloween TV special in 2017.
WILL HEATH/NBC/NBCU PHOTO BANK VIA GETTY
Maya Rudolph has played Beyoncé more than 10 times on SNL, but she tested her spice limits in 2021 (with Mikey Day as Hot Ones hot Sean Evans and Kenan Thompson as Beyoncé’s hairdresser) — and a new level of spoof was unleashed.
Yang made a splash with his Weekend Update characters, the iceberg that sank the Titanic in 2021.
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One of McKinnon’s most iconic characters is playing Colleen Rafferty in “Close Encounter” sketches, whose alien experiences are always much different than her fellow abductees.
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Saturday Night Live’s 50th anniversary special airs Sunday, Feb. 16 at 8 p.m. ET on NBC and Peacock.
The Blues Brothers (1976)
Roseanne Roseannadanna (1977)
‘2 Wild and Crazy Guys’ (1977)
Mr. Robinson’s Neighborhood (1981)
Wayne’s World (1989)
‘Van Down by the River’ (1993)
‘The Hanukkah Song’ (1994)
The Spartans (1995)
Delicious Dish (1998)
Sally O’Malley (1999)
‘D— in a Box’ (2006)
Bill Hader as Stefon (2008)
The Californians (2013)
Tom Hanks as David S. Pumpkins (2016)
Hot Ones with Beyoncé (2021)
The Iceberg That Hit the Titanic (2021)
Close Encounters (2022)
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‘SNL50’ concert blitzes New York with Cher, Lady Gaga, Nirvana in musical celebration
NEW YORK – If you’re going to throw a musical party to celebrate a half-century of existence, why not enlist Lady Gaga? And Cher. And Ms. Lauryn Hill. And Jack White. And Miley Cyrus. And Backstreet Boys. And so very many more stars.
Such was the wealth of talent that paraded into Radio City Music Hall Friday night for “SNL50: The Homecoming Concert,” a nearly 3 ½-hour extravaganza that played to, as host Jimmy Fallon cracked, “thousands here (in New York) and hundreds at home.” That would be on Peacock, which streamed the concert commemorating five decades of “Saturday Night Live,” well, live.
Outside the venerated venue, fans lined the surrounding blocks, screaming at every black SUV that stopped to deliver another star (Amy Schumer was greeted with cheers).
The packed theater of about 6,000 included “SNL” legends (Chevy Chase, Adam Sandler, Tina Fey, Amy Poehler) and a sleigh full of celebrities, some with ties to the show (Paul Rudd, Jon Hamm, Tom Hanks, Martin Short, Meryl Streep) and some there for the entertainment (Jerry Seinfeld, Ray Romano).
The musical marathon raced through genres from rock, reggaeton, hip-hop, country and pop thanks to Arcade Fire, Bad Bunny, Snoop Dogg, Jelly Roll and Robyn.
Need a break? Play the USA TODAY Daily Crossword Puzzle.
Though occasionally imbued with a ramshackle spirit – as is the “SNL” way – the show also recalled some of its most enduring non-performance musical entries in the pop culture encyclopedia.
Bill Murray returned as “Nick Valentine,” the ruffle-shirted lounge singer, accompanied by Paul Shaffer and a trio of the show’s most musically gifted cast members (Ana Gasteyer, Maya Rudolph and Cecily Strong) singing “You’re All I Need to Get By.” Plus, Rudolph teamed with Fred Armisen for their spot-on impersonations of Beyoncé and Prince.
But the most welcome homecomings were Andy Samberg and a needling Lady Gaga jousting on the faux-boy-band masterpiece “D— in a Box” and Gasteyer and Will Ferrell resurrecting puritanical music teachers Bobbi and Marty Culp. The endearing couple shared their special renditions of Sam Smith’s “Unholy,” Cardi B’s “WAP,” and most brilliantly, Kendrick Lamar’s “Not Like Us,” stretching out the “A minor” line with exaggerated, innocent glee.
The blitz of performances rotated among three stages: a central one boasting the impressively chameleonic Roots, who backed the majority of performers; and two small stages crafted to mimic the arced train station entries as seen on the “SNL” set.
As for the performances, here are some highlights:
More:Iconic ‘SNL’ musical performances: Adele, Taylor Swift, Beyoncé and Nirvana
A few artists opted to pay tribute to deceased musicians who had performed on “SNL,” and Vedder was the first to conjure an homage. He credibly inhabited Tom Petty’s distinctive nasal tone on “The Waiting,” but it was his remembrance of show cast members who have died – Gilda Radner, Phil Hartman, Chris Farley and John Belushi among them – that resonated.
If the response to the fivesome stepping out of stage doors and onto the set is an indicator, expect to see their newly announced Sphere residency continue far beyond this summer. In their black outfits tailored to suit their personalities – a cowboy hat for AJ McLean, backward baseball cap for Brian Littrell, trench coat for Kevin Richardson, leather-ish jacket for Nick Carter and streamlined look for Howie Dorough – the guys barely had to nudge before a full singalong of “I Want it That Way” erupted.
Following a personalized (and, of course, hilarious) introduction from Kate McKinnon, Carlile and her band strummed the recognizable chords of “The Joke” amid sparkly aqua lighting. This is Carlile’s most potent song and her visceral vocals complemented by the background sounds of SistaStrings, brought pathos to the show. Her final note elicited a deserved roar from the crowd as Carlile humbly smiled.
Following a rollicking performance of “I Will Wait,” the band welcomed veteran lap steel guitarist Jerry Douglas to join them on a reverent rendition of Simon & Garfunkel’s “The Boxer.” The very New York song has a history with the show: Simon & Garfunkel played the ballad on the third episode of “SNL” and Simon chose it to open the show’s return after 9/11 in 2001. Marcus Mumford and the band captured its smoky beauty with grace.
This unusual but inspired pair turned the lights down low for the song Raitt dedicated to “anyone with a hurting heart.” Over Martin’s delicate playing, her aching rasp resonated to the rafters, a melancholy shudder that still sounded comforting. As they exited the stage, Martin wrapped Raitt in a warm embrace.
Even though Nirvana reunited a couple of weeks ago at the FireAid benefit concert in Los Angeles with gutsy female rockers handling lead vocals, it was still smile-worthy to hear them introduced as Post Nirvana. Yes, that would be Post Malone, who convincingly simulated Kurt Cobain’s phlegmy yowls, rocking the mic as Dave Grohl, Pat Smear and Krist Novoselic thrashed and crashed around him.
We would really like to see any other 78-year-old don mesh tights and a high-cut leotard, stutter step across a stage and belt an anthem with the same cheeky confidence as when it was recorded more than 35 years ago. Go ahead, we’re waiting. That’s what we thought. There is only one Cher. End of discussion.
As soon as this sleek award-winning ballad begins, audience members start craning their necks to see which male singer or actor might stroll out for Bradley Cooper’s part. Lady Gaga demonstrated, yet again, she is perfectly capable of a heavy lift all by herself. In her black gown and headdress, Gaga played her black baby grand piano, her stunning voice ringing pure. As she exited the stage, she quickly touched hands with nearly every audience member situated in the pits flanking the main stage, a star until the end.
