How to watch 'SNL 50: The Anniversary Special': Time, performances, cast and more
S E E D E D C O N T E N T
By Terry Dickerson
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.
How to watch
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.
Which 'SNL' alums are returning?
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 Hernandez, James Austin Johnson, Colin Jost, Michael Longfellow, Ego Nwodim, Sarah Sherman, Kenan Thompson, Devon Walker and Bowen Yang.
A slew of celebrity guests will also appear
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.
What to expect from the three-hour show
"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."
From left: Bill Hader, Laraine Newman, Taran Killam, Kristen Wiig, Keenan Thompson, Taylor Swift, Fred Armisen, Kerry Washington and Betty White during "The Californians" "SNL" skit on Feb. 15, 2015.Dana Edelson / NBC
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."
What else has been happening around the anniversary?
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."
From left, Dan Aykroyd, Gilda Radner, Jane Curtin and John Belushi in a skit in the first season of "Saturday Night Live" in 1975. NBC
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.
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