“Live From New York It’s Saturday Night”
If you didn’t tune in to the special that showcased 40 years in sketches and performers in the legendary studio 8h, you missed out. The show gave many comedians, like Steve Martin, Andy Samberg, Tina Fey, Kristen Wiig, and Will Ferrell just to name a few, their starts. As Robert De Niro said, “Saturday Night Live broke all the rules of comedy and 40 years later, they’re still at it.”
The night started with Jimmy Fallon and Justin Timberlake rapping the history of SNL, making it the best opening act ever. Can they have their own show yet?
“Le tit now” and “I’ll take whore ads for $200” were some of categories in Celebrity Jeopardy led by Will Ferrell as Alex Trebeck. With him was Kate McKinnon as Justin Bieber, Darrell Hammond as Sean Connery, Kenan Thompson as Bill Cosby, Taran Killam as Christoph Waltz, Norm MacDonald as Burt Reynolds, Alec Baldwin ad Tony Bennett and Jim Carrey as Matthew McConaughey (which was spot on.)
Then came the screen tests of some of the SNL legends. This couldn’t help but give you the chills and make you realize how much talent you lack. Seriously without props or costumes, each audition was hilarious. Did you even recognize Zach Galifianakis? Apparently he was rejected…who knew.
“The Californians” had a reunion I hope you RSVpah, and then a blond jorts wearing Bradley Cooper appeared as the pool boy. Kerry Washington and Taylor Swift, who couldn’t seem to stop eating her hair, were also in the skit. Even though the skit seemed to go on forever, the big moment was when Cooper and Betty White starting making out, and I wasn’t mad about that.
On the “Weekend Update,” Amy Poehler, Tina Fey, and Jane Curtin took over with actress Emma Stone popping in to play tribute to Gilda Radner’s Roseanne Roseannadanna. Bill Hader tried to teach Edward Norton to “make a teepee for your secrets” and Melissa McCarthy brought down the house, or the Weekend Update desk, when she paid homage to Chris Farley’s character Matt Foley.
Queen Bey also had to make an appearance on the special, but you may ask: what’s stronger than Beyoncé herself? That would be the wind, which blew Martin Short away. Fan favorites like “what’s up with that” and “Colon Blow” were shown, and you can’t forget to put on your mom jeans.
http://www.nbc.com/saturday-night-live/video/mom-jeans/n11727
But Bill Murray stole the spotlight from the other segments when he sang the love theme from Jaws as none other than the lounge singer Nick Ocean. “JAAAWWWWWSSSSS!!!!! Get away from me, Jaws! You God damn Jaws! Won’t you leave me as I am?….. You bastard Jaaawwwssss!!!” Not even King Tut could compete with that.
Eddie Murphy returned on the stage for a little over a minute offering very few words and Chevy Chase looked like he just turned 160 years old.
Mike Myers and Dana Carvey returned in Wayne’s World where they shared an SNL themed Top 10 list that included thanks to producer Lorne Michaels and the crew. They also joked, “I think Beck was one of the best, even better than Beyoncé” cutting to Kayne West who was playing along with the puns.
Saturday Night Live changed the way people see comedy and helped the creative minds that have started on this show. It was an amazing celebration of 40 years and many more to come. So yes, those 3.5 hours were worth it, and “That’s when you break.”
