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Celebrating ‘Saturday Night Live’ at 50: Our Favorite Moments and Characters
A very subjective celebration of America’s longest-running comedy show
"SNL 50: The Anniversary Special" airs Feb. 16. Here's our homage to the long-running sketch comedy show.
Illustration by Sean McCabe
Lorne Michaels knows your favorite seasons of Saturday Night Live. They were the ones that aired when you were in high school, right before you got a driver’s license, when you were stuck at home, with no money. Staying up until 1 a.m. was exciting. Seeing adults saying things no one is supposed to say — it blew your mind.
Then you graduated and the SNL cast members did, too, and the new ones somehow weren’t quite as funny. This is why it’s a rite of passage to quote SNL catchphrases to high school friends. They become a generational secret handshake, each demo laughing at its own nonsensical “cheeseburger, cheeseburger, Pepsi, Pepsi,” “makin’ copies” or “More cowbell!”
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Michaels, 80, created the show in three weeks in 1975 (when it first aired; SNL 50:The Anniversary Special" airs Feb. 16) when Johnny Carson pulled weekend repeats of The Tonight Show so he could use them during the week to take days off. Since then — other than the five seasons Michaels left the show (1980–85) — he’s been in charge every week, leaving a bigger mark on American comedy than anyone since Mark Twain. SNL has not only won more Emmys (104) than any other show, it has also spun off 12 movies, three late-night TV hosts (Jimmy Fallon, Seth Meyers and Conan O’Brien) and many movie stars. Michaels has vowed to stay at SNL until the 50th anniversary, but he has talked about having his protégé, former head writer Tina Fey, take over when he leaves.
It’s hard to imagine the show without him. But it’s harder to imagine American culture without the show. To celebrate SNL’s big 5-Oh season, we’ve picked some of its best moments and characters. Feel free to tell us how wrong we were at facebook.com/aarp or in the comments section at the bottom of the page.
VIDEO: Don Roy King directed 16 seasons of "Saturday Night Live." That work earned him 11 Emmys and 16 nominations. His last show was Dec. 18, 2021.
Unforgettable Skits and Characters
We all have favorites. Here are five of ours
Blues Brothers (1978–82)
Before John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd sang on SNL, their soul revue opened shows for Steve Martin. Their first album, Briefcase Full of Blues, was No. 1 on the Billboard chart and went double platinum.
Martin Short's Ed Grimley character gave the show a shot of cartoonish surrealism.
Hanna-Barbera/Courtesy Everett Collection
Ed Grimley (1984–96)
Martin Short’s surreal creation, with his hiked pants, enormous cowlick, inability to play the triangle and love of Wheel of Fortune, was a human cartoon. He was completely mental, we must say.
Dana Carvey's Church Lady character generated a couple of memorable catchphrases.
Dana Edelson/Getty Images
Church Lady (1986–2016)
As the finger-wagging, judgy host of a Christian talk show, Dana Carvey displayed moral superiority by literally doing a “superiority dance” strut. Often she asked, “Could it be … Satan?” It really was special.
Mike Myers, left, and Dana Carvey turned their "Wayne's World" sketch into a film franchise.
Raymond Bonar/Getty Images
Wayne’s World (1989–2015)
The Illinois high school buddies with a public access show partied on in two movies, the first of which made the most money of the 12 films based on SNL sketches. Yes, including The Blues Brothers. Schwing indeed.
Kenan Thompson, left, Fred Armisen and Jason Sudeikis collectively bust a move during the "What's Up With That" sketch in October 2021. Sudeikis was the show's host that night.
Will Heath/Getty Images
What’s Up With That? (2009–19)
Kenan Thompson is brilliant as a singing talk show host who cuts off his guests with singsong questions as dancers (most unforgettably the tracksuited Jason Sudeikis) and performers pour onto the stage.
Honorable Mention: Matt Foley: Motivational Speaker, Mister Robinson’s Neighborhood, Deep Thoughts by Jack Handey, Dooneese, MacGruber
SNL By the Numbers
Who topped the Saturday Night Live Casting Charts?
Most years as a cast member
- Kenan Thompson (22)
- Darrell Hammond (14)
- Seth Meyers (13)
Most times hosting
- Alec Baldwin (17)
- Steve Martin (16)
- John Goodman (13)
Youngest when debuted as a cast member
- Anthony Michael Hall (17)
- Eddie Murphy (19)
- Robert Downey Jr. (20)
Memorable Musical Performances
By Rob Tannenbaum
Neil Young (1989)
Young and a tight three-piece band roared their way through “Rockin’ in the Free World,” a song about the environment, President George H.W. Bush, poverty and the nature of “freedom” in North America. No stunts, no gimmicks, just raw power.
Musical guest Taylor Swift performs in November 2021.
Will Heath/NBCU Photo Bank
Taylor Swift (2021)
In 2009, Swift hosted for the first time. Then in 2021, SNL broke with its usual format so that Swift could play a 10-minute version of “All Too Well,” about a painful breakup.
The Replacements' legendarily sloppy performance in January 1986 was unforgettable.
Alan Singer/Getty Images
The Replacements (1986)
On their only SNL appearance, guitarist Bob Stinson wore a unitard, singer Paul Westerberg dropped an F-bomb and for two sloppy, magnificent songs, they carried the torch for reckless carousing.
Elvis Costello & the Attractions (1977)
Four bars into “Less Than Zero,” which he was expected to play, Costello shouted “Stop!” and burst into the scathing “Radio Radio,” then sped through the song as if trying to finish before the police came. Costello was banned from SNL, but returned in 1989.
Musical guest Funky 4 + 1 help introduce the "SNL" audience to hip-hop in February 1981.
Al Levine/NBCU Photo Bank
The Funky 4+1 (1981)
When Debbie Harry of Blondie hosted SNL, she requested the rappers Funky 4+1 as her musical guest. The Bronx crew played their joyous single “That’s the Joint,” exposing the audience to hip-hop.
Honorable Mention: David Bowie (1979), B-52s (1980), Prince (1981), Sinead O’Connor (1992), Kendrick Lamar (2014)
Catchphrases That Caught On
Writers’ dreams came true when these sayings went viral
“It’s always something.” —Gilda Radner as Roseanne Roseannadanna
In 1978, Steve Martin and Dan Aykroyd brought the Czech-born Festrunk Brothers to life in their popular "Two Wild and Crazy Guys" sketch.
Ken Regan/Camera 5 via Contour by Getty Images
“We are two wild and crazy guys!” —Steve Martin and Dan Aykroyd as the Festrunk Brothers
Rob Schneider played Richard "Makin' Copies" Laymer, the most annoying coworker you've ever had, in a series of sketches during the 1990s.
Alan Singer/Getty Images
“Makin’ copies.” —Rob Schneider as Richmeister
“You look marvelous.” —Billy Crystal as Fernando Lamas
“Yeah, that’s the ticket.” —Jon Lovitz as the Pathological Liar
Hans (Dana Carvey, left) and Franz (Kevin Nealon) get pumped up in January 1988.
Alan Singer/Getty Images
“We just want to pump ... you up!” —Dana Carvey and Kevin Nealon as Hans & Franz
“More cowbell!” —Christopher Walken as Bruce Dickinson
“Cheeseburger, cheeseburger, Pepsi, Pepsi.” —John Belushi as Pete Dionasopolis
Honorable Mention: “Isn’t that special?” —Dana Carvey as Church Lady; “We are not worthy!” —Mike Myers and Carvey as Wayne and Garth
Weekend Updates That Killed
Interrupting the news with well-considered opinions
Comedian Don Novello played irreverent Catholic priest Father Guido Sarducci on and off from the 1970s to the 1990s.
NBC/Courtesy Everett Collection
Father Guido Sarducci (1978–95)
SNL writer Don Novello’s gossip columnist for the Vatican newspaper had already appeared on Laugh-In.
Kate McKinnon had several memorable turns as Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg on "Weekend Update."
Dana Edelson/Getty Images
Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg (2015–20)
The Supreme was 81 when Kate McKinnon first presented her as a hip-hopping, horny, insult-tossing badass.
Adam Sandler, right, with Kevin Nealon, turned Opera Man into a "Weekend Update" staple starting in the 1990s.
Al Levine/NBC/Courtesy Everett Collection
Opera Man (1992–2019)
Dressed more like Dracula than Pavarotti, Adam Sandler would sing about the news in fake Italian, mostly by adding “o” to the end of words.
Hollywood Minute (1992–98)
David Spade showed up during Weekend Update to roast celebrities in a way that he’s still apologizing to people about.
Bill Hader as Stefon, right, describes his latest nightlife adventure to Michael Che on "Weekend Update" in October 2014.
Dana Edelson/Getty Images
Stefon (2008–18)
Bill Hader played a New York City nightlife correspondent who describes the weirdest clubs to Weekend Update.
Honorable Mention: Point/Counterpoint (Dan Aykroyd, Jane Curtin), Garth and Kat (Fred Armisen, Kristen Wiig), Jacob the Bar Mitzvah Boy (Vanessa Bayer)
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