“Saturday Night Live” didn’t pull any punches during its 40th anniversary special.
If you missed this event, just imagine watching a TV show play the “stop hitting yourself” game with itself. There were constant riffs on basically all of the quirks and shortcomings of the legendary program.
Louis C.K. said a bit about how the show’s recorded shorts are what people like best, and yet “SNL” still insists on being primarily live.
Andy Samberg and Adam Sandler starred in an excellent song looking back at the show’s long history of performers breaking character during sketches.
Jerry Seinfeld led a Q&A with the star-studded audience in which he explained to an indignant Michael Douglas that being asked to host numerous times is less an honor and more a sign that you just don’t have much going on.
During the Weekend Update segment featuring Jane Curtain, Tina Fey and Amy Poehler, Poehler announced the 40th anniversary special “won an Emmy in the first 10 minutes and then lost it somewhere in the middle.”
For the love of Lorne, “SNL” finished its In Memoriam with Jon Lovitz, who isn’t even dead.
What all of this proves is that even with its decades of talented writers and cast members, it is the show’s acute sense of awareness and humility that is its biggest strength.
“SNL” will always be able to beat its critics to the punch and then turn it into a ?punch line.
This show has known exactly what it is for all 40 years and has found success in that comfort of self-awareness. It has allowed the program to maintain a dedicated audience throughout its many bumps in the road.
“SNL” has garnered 40 Primetime Emmy awards and a record 175 Emmy nominations. The variety show has united viewers across generations and leaves the greats of pop culture lining up to get involved, as evident by all of the lovable celebrities and Kanye West making appearances at the anniversary special.
At the end of the day, “SNL” is a staple of TV history with incredible highlights just like any other quality show. It has delivered so many characters, quips and nuggets of cultural critique during its 40-year run and will probably continue to do so for as long as television still exists.
Party on, “SNL.”
