S50.E13: SNL50: The Anniversary Special

[callmebetty]

Was Chris Redd there? I haven't heard him mentioned.

[peeayebee]

I'm sorry to say I forgot about him. I always enjoyed him on the show. He always added to even mediocre sketches.

[chediavolo]

On 2/17/2025 at 11:02 PM, DanaK said:

The Pauls definitely don’t sound as good as they used given their ages, but they are legends so I think most people just let them have their fun

That’s being very generous. I had to ff. 

[DanaK]

12 minutes ago, chediavolo said:

That’s being very generous. I had to ff. 

I was also reminded this morning that Paul Simon has lost a lot of his hearing so it's practically a miracle he can still sing halfway decently

[opus]

11 minutes ago, DanaK said:

I was also reminded this morning that Paul Simon has lost a lot of his hearing so it's practically a miracle he can still sing halfway decently

He just announced a new tour……

Paul Simon Un-Retires From Touring For North American Trek Of Smaller Venues

https://deadline.com/2025/02/paul-simon-tour-2025-1236293537/

 

Edited February 19 by opus

[lovinbob]

14 hours ago, EtheltoTillie said:

Taran Killam as Jebediah Atkinson was always hilarious!  

OMG, I was just thinking that. Jebediah was brilliance and hilarity. That bit had legs -- I wish Taran had been able to do more with him. (Taran's early exit from the show was mystifying to me.)

1 hour ago, callmebetty said:

Was Chris Redd there? I haven't heard him mentioned.

I missed him! He was always my favorite partner to Pete in the NYC musicals. Very under-appreciated cast member. 

[ebk57]

31 minutes ago, opus said:

He just announced a new tour……

Paul Simon Un-Retires From Touring For North American Trek Of Smaller Venues

https://deadline.com/2025/02/paul-simon-tour-2025-1236293537/

 

I am anxiously awaiting tickets going on sale here at the end of the month.  I just hope they won't cost a million dollars.

[DoctorAtomic]

I saw on an Entertainment Weekly article that Carvey got the flu. That's a downer, but he has had a sketch on with arguably his most famous character in the 50th season itself with other appearances. 

[Shanna Marie]

I really need a Pop-up Video version of this special, with little bubbles popping up on screen to give the name of the actor, tell when they were a cast member if it's a former cast member, and the name of the character if it was a recurring bit. Plus a caption for the name of the sketch if that was a recurring thing. Between some of the people having aged a lot since they were last on SNL and the wigs/makeup/costuming, I spent a lot of time wondering who was who and if I should be recognizing them. I watched pretty consistently in the late 80s and early 90s, then had a long gap when I might watch occasionally, then missed a lot of years entirely (because I'm not a night owl) until I discovered that they post the sketches on YouTube a few years ago and started catching up and then watching regularly again. So I caught some things and figured out some people, wasn't sure about others. I'll definitely need to rewatch the New York musical because there were a lot of people I didn't recognize in it. Who were the guys doing the Les Mis "Confrontation" part?

I laughed out loud for several minutes after the alien abduction sketch. That one has always struck my funny bone, both for the colorful descriptions of being pantsless and for the fun of seeing esteemed actors absolutely losing it while fighting not to. I think much of the point of that sketch was always to see if they could break the guest host. It was like a hazing ritual.

[chediavolo]

17 hours ago, opus said:

He just announced a new tour……

Paul Simon Un-Retires From Touring For North American Trek Of Smaller Venues

https://deadline.com/2025/02/paul-simon-tour-2025-1236293537/

 

Well, a waste of money for this. 

10 hours ago, Shanna Marie said:

I really need a Pop-up Video version of this special, with little bubbles popping up on screen to give the name of the actor, tell when they were a cast member if it's a former cast member, and the name of the character if it was a recurring bit. Plus a caption for the name of the sketch if that was a recurring thing. Between some of the people having aged a lot since they were last on SNL and the wigs/makeup/costuming, I spent a lot of time wondering who was who and if I should be recognizing them. I watched pretty consistently in the late 80s and early 90s, then had a long gap when I might watch occasionally, then missed a lot of years entirely (because I'm not a night owl) until I discovered that they post the sketches on YouTube a few years ago and started catching up and then watching regularly again. So I caught some things and figured out some people, wasn't sure about others. I'll definitely need to rewatch the New York musical because there were a lot of people I didn't recognize in it. Who were the guys doing the Les Mis "Confrontation" part?

I laughed out loud for several minutes after the alien abduction sketch. That one has always struck my funny bone, both for the colorful descriptions of being pantsless and for the fun of seeing esteemed actors absolutely losing it while fighting not to. I think much of the point of that sketch was always to see if they could break the guest host. It was like a hazing ritual.

Agree, they definitely should’ve had some captions giving some information

Just thought of this. No clip of Father Guido Sarducci.

[Browncoat]

My local channel opted to switch to the news with about 15 minutes left in this!  My DVR got 15 minutes of local news instead of the last 15 minutes of the special.  Thank you, @ebk57 for posting the YouTube link to Sir Paul's closing!  

As with most SNL, there were parts I really liked, and parts I really didn't.  Overall it was enjoyable, though I'm glad I didn't watch it live and could fast forward through all the commercials.  

[DEL901]

It was just announced Dana Carvey had the flu and not allowed to fly. 
https://ew.com/why-dana-carvey-bill-hader-colin-quinn-skipped-snl-50-11682806

[ABitOFluff]

On 2/17/2025 at 10:15 PM, ebk57 said:

@Galileo908and anyone else interested - here's Sir Paul's number, if you still need it.

 

It took me most of the week to realize why Paul played these songs. 

[lou ann b]

I've been reading a lot about the Two Pauls sounding the way they sounded.

They're past 80, still active and doing what they love. No, they don't sound the way they did 50 years ago, neither do I.. But that's okay...one day they will be gone and we will have these moments to look back on. So leave The Two Pauls alone.

Edited February 21 by lou ann b

[ABitOFluff]

5 hours ago, lou ann b said:

I've been reading a lot about the Two Pauls sounding the way they sounded.

They're past 80, still active and doing what they love. No, they don't sound the way they did 50 years ago, neither do I.. But that's okay...one day they will be gone and we will have these moments to look back on. So leave The Two Pauls alone.

I wish I had seen Paul Simon live, but I saw Sr Paul 10 years ago (and the ticket price was pretty reasonable). He played for 3+ hours and I can honestly say it was the best concert I've ever seen. I love that he's still carrying that weight. 

[lou ann b]

Quote

wish I had seen Paul Simon live, but I saw Sr Paul 10 years ago (and the ticket price was pretty reasonable). He played for 3+ hours and I can honestly say it was the best concert I've ever seen. I love that he's still carrying that weight. 

I saw Paul in 2011. Same here..three +hours. Best concert of my life.

 

[Carey]

Well put about the Paul's lou ann b.  It's really not a big deal.  Nobody in their profession is in the prime at their age.  Not to sound harsh, but several don't even get to their age.  If they're able to do something as long as possible, it's totally worth it!

[Arkay]

On 2/21/2025 at 9:52 PM, ABitOFluff said:

I wish I had seen Paul Simon live, but I saw Sr Paul 10 years ago (and the ticket price was pretty reasonable). He played for 3+ hours and I can honestly say it was the best concert I've ever seen. I love that he's still carrying that weight. 

I’ve seen each of them at Madison Square Garden. Paul Simon was on a reunion tour with Art Garfunkel at the time.

Both concerts were phenomenal. 
 

I actually think P. Simon was in better voice than Paul M. for this 50th. Still wonderful to have both around and still performing,

[possibilities]

Finally got around to watching this tonight. I really enjoyed it.

Eddie as Tracy was the best thing ever. Loved the musical. And Meryl as Kate's mom in the abduction sketch was a treat I didn't even know I needed.

Was Aidy Bryant there?

I'm a big fan of Brittany howard and Alabama Shakes. I owuldn't have thought of her as an SNL musician, but I'm always happy to see her. 

I don't know why,  but even when he's being funny and not actually doing anything wrong, I always get the feeling Steve Martin is an asshole. I hope I'm wrong. [I almost said "a jerk" but I really am not trying to make a joke/reference]

The one thing I really wish they had not done is bring back that grossly insulting Kristin Wiig character on the Lawrence Welk sketch. Put it in the "things that aged badly" section if you have to air it, but I would have been happy if they'd left all that stuff out, too.

Everything else, whether it was funny to me or not, I understood why they did it and don't really have any complaints.

I'm getting extremely nostalgic lately. So I was also having major waves of that, while watching. Time flies, and all that business. We're all gonna die, oh woe! I'm only 59 but I feel like eras are passing at a rapid rate lately.

 

[SomeTameGazelle]

6 minutes ago, possibilities said:

The one thing I really wish they had not done is bring back that grossly insulting Kristin Wiig character on the Lawrence Welk sketch. Put it in the "things that aged badly" section if you have to air it, but I would have been happy if they'd left all that stuff out, too.

Dooneese is a character whose popularity I have never understood. The only joke is that she's repellent. On the other hand I never disliked Wiig's Password game show actress character the way many people seem to.   

[possibilities]

18 minutes ago, SomeTameGazelle said:

Dooneese is a character whose popularity I have never understood. The only joke is that she's repellent.

Yes, it's mocking disabled people. NOt funny.

[Kel Varnsen]

1 minute ago, possibilities said:

Yes, it's mocking disabled people. NOt funny.

Is there a disability that gives people tiny plastic hands?

[possibilities]

No, but there are people who have arm "deformities" and small hands. It seems pretty clear that the joke is that she is "deformed". and "icky".

NOT FUNNY.

[Irlandesa]

17 hours ago, possibilities said:

Was Aidy Bryant there?

She was.  She and John Hamm were the questioners in the Kate and Meryl alien skit. 

Quote

I don't know why,  but even when he's being funny and not actually doing anything wrong, I always get the feeling Steve Martin is an asshole. I hope I'm wrong. [I almost said "a jerk" but I really am not trying to make a joke/reference]

As much as I think Martin Short is probably a delight to be around, I feel that Steve Martin isn't.  I don't know if he's a jerk but he's probably one of those comedians that are more serious in real life.  I do side eye the fact that when he got divorced in the 90s, he dated someone 24 years younger, in her 20s.  And his current wife is 26 years younger.  Like fine, everyone is an adult but still.

Edited 12 hours ago by Irlandesa