Saturday Night Live 40th Anniversary Special

Last updated

"Saturday Night Live 40th Anniversary Special"
Saturday Night Live episode
SNL 40th anniversary.jpg
Special's promo card
Episode no.Season 40
Directed by Don Roy King
Narrated by Darrell Hammond
Original air dateFebruary 15, 2015 (2015-02-15)
Running time211 minutes (with commercials)
List of episodes

"Saturday Night Live 40th Anniversary Special" (also billed as "SNL40") is a three-and-a-half-hour prime-time special that aired on February 15, 2015, on NBC, celebrating Saturday Night Live 's 40th year on the air, having premiered on October 11, 1975, under the original title NBC's Saturday Night. [1] [2] It is produced by Broadway Video. This special generated 23.1 million viewers, becoming NBC's most-watched prime-time, non-sports, entertainment telecast (excluding Super Bowl lead-outs) since the Friends series finale in 2004. [3] [4] [5] [6] It is the third such anniversary special to be broadcast, with celebratory episodes also held during the 15th and 25th seasons.

Contents

The special was preceded on NBC by an hour-long SNL 40th Red Carpet Live, hosted by Matt Lauer, Savannah Guthrie, Carson Daly and Al Roker, who interviewed past hosts, current and previous cast members, and musical legends who had previously performed on the show. [7]

Synopsis

The special followed the format of a typical Saturday Night Live episode, extended to 3½ hours instead of the usual 1½, and included a cold open, a monologue, sketches, a short film, commercial parodies, and musical performances. The sketches, most of which were revivals of sketches that appeared over the show's run, made reference to the show and its four decades on air, with the original cast members who appeared in those sketches reprising their roles along with numerous guest stars. A handful of commercial parodies, including "Colon Blow" and "Mom Jeans", reran as they originally appeared on the show. In order of appearance:

Sketches

SketchNotes
Cold Open number Jimmy Fallon and Justin Timberlake appeared in the cold open, performing a "History of Rap"-esque musical number referencing famous sketches from the show's history. Rachel Dratch and Molly Shannon appeared as Debbie Downer and Mary Katherine Gallagher, respectively.
Opening Monologue Steve Martin hosted with featured cameos from Tom Hanks, Alec Baldwin, Melissa McCarthy, Chris Rock, Peyton Manning, Miley Cyrus, Billy Crystal, Paul McCartney, and Paul Simon, with the latter two performing an abbreviated duet of "I've Just Seen a Face".
"Super Bass-O-Matic 2150" sketch Dan Aykroyd and Laraine Newman acted, referencing a sketch originally done during the show's first season
"Celebrity Jeopardy!" sketchPerformers included Will Ferrell (as Alex Trebek), Darrell Hammond (as Sean Connery), Kate McKinnon (as Justin Bieber), Alec Baldwin (as Tony Bennett), Norm Macdonald (as Burt Reynolds), Taran Killam (as Christoph Waltz), Jim Carrey (as Matthew McConaughey), and Kenan Thompson (as Bill Cosby). Eddie Murphy was asked to play Cosby but turned it down due to the 2014 allegations against Cosby. [8]
Audition montage Pete Davidson and Leslie Jones introduced a montage featuring the auditions of current and former cast members, along with a few celebrities who never made the cast, including Jim Carrey, Stephen Colbert, Zach Galifianakis, and Kevin Hart.
New York City clip montage Robert De Niro introduced vintage SNL clips dedicated to New York City. Alicia Keys performs "Empire State of Mind" during the montage.
Political humor clip montage Jack Nicholson introduced vintage SNL clips dedicated to the political humor and Presidential election sketches.
"The Californians/Total Bastard Airlines"Performers include Fred Armisen, Vanessa Bayer, Bradley Cooper, Bill Hader, Taran Killam, Laraine Newman (reprising her Sherry the Valley Girl character), David Spade, Cecily Strong, Taylor Swift, Kenan Thompson, Kerry Washington, Betty White, and Kristen Wiig
"Weekend Update" Jane Curtin, Tina Fey, and Amy Poehler served as anchors with appearances by Emma Stone (as Roseanne Roseannadanna), Edward Norton (as Stefon), Bill Hader (also as Stefon), Seth Meyers, Melissa McCarthy (as Matt Foley), and Bobby Moynihan (as the Land Shark)
A tribute to Chevy Chase Former Weekend Update hosts Norm Macdonald, Seth Meyers, Kevin Nealon, and Colin Quinn introduced and gave tribute to the first Weekend Update host Chevy Chase who gave brief comments. Garrett Morris also appears during the tribute.
Comedic musical medley Maya Rudolph (as Beyoncé) and Martin Short introduced a musical medley featuring appearances by Fred Armisen and Kristen Wiig (as Garth & Kat), Ana Gasteyer and Will Ferrell (as The Culps), Joe Piscopo (as Frank Sinatra), Dana Carvey (as Derek Stevens), Adam Sandler (as Opera Man), Kenan Thompson and Jason Sudeikis (as DeAndre Cole and Vance from the "What Up with That" sketches, alongside Cecily Strong and Sasheer Zamata as Poppy and Pippa), Steve Martin (as King Tut), Bill Murray (as Nick The Lounge Singer, alongside Paul Shaffer). Dan Aykroyd and Jim Belushi ended the medley as The Blues Brothers singing "Everybody Needs Somebody to Love" with all the performers onstage.
"Questions from the Audience" segment Jerry Seinfeld hosted with cameos from Michael Douglas, John Goodman, James Franco, Larry David, Ellen Cleghorne, Dakota Johnson, Tim Meadows, Bob Odenkirk, and Sarah Palin (whom Seinfeld jokingly mistook for Tina Fey).
"ESPN Classics" sketch Will Forte and Jason Sudeikis appeared reprising their roles as Pete Twinkle and Greg Stink
A tribute to Eddie Murphy Chris Rock introduced Murphy with a lengthy and loving tribute to him. The appearance by Murphy marked his first appearance on the show since departing as a cast member in 1984. [9] Many at the time were surprised that Murphy chose not to give a comedic monologue or reprise any of his characters. His remarks were described as being "brief" and "awkward" according to The Hollywood Reporter . [10]
Sports humor clip montage Derek Jeter and Peyton Manning introduced vintage SNL clips dedicated to sports humor.
A tribute to Tracy Morgan Tina Fey and Alec Baldwin (jokingly introduced as Mr. and Mrs. Alec Baldwin) gave tribute to Tracy Morgan who was unable to attend due to recently suffering injuries sustaining from his 2014 accidental traffic collision with a truck.
Pre-tapped sketches clip montage Louis C.K. made jokes before introducing the vintage SNL clips dedicated to pre-recorded sketches.
SNL Digital Short Zach Galifianakis introduced the SNL Digital short "That's When You Break" featuring Bill Hader, Chris Parnell, Andy Samberg, and Adam Sandler.
Wayne's World sketch Mike Myers and Dana Carvey reprised their roles as Wayne Campbell and Garth Algar with a cameo appearance from Kanye West.
SNL Goodbyes Steve Martin pulled Lorne Michaels up onstage as they began the famous SNL Goodbye to end the night with the rest of the entertainers.

Musical performances

The show included musical performances by:

In Memoriam

Bill Murray introduced an "In Memoriam" tribute to late SNL cast and crew members (which also included an obligatory mention of Francisco Franco).

The following were paid tribute to:

Guest appearances

This special assembled together a large list of current and former cast members, hosts, and musical acts from throughout the show's forty seasons. [2] [11] Show creator and executive producer Lorne Michaels stated that every host and most musical guests were invited, plus any cast member or writer who had been on the show more than a year. [12] Ultimately, over a hundred in all were then confirmed to appear. [13]

In the opening sequence, 81 performers were credited. Unlike a regular episode, all performers were credited as repertory: [14] [15]

Audience members

Also in attendance included numerous actors, musicians, comedians, media figures, politicians, and celebrities such as: [16] [17] [18] [19] [20]

Production

Of those former hosts, musical guests, former cast members and writers invited, the people who sent back an RSVP were then considered to be written for. [21] Dan Aykroyd was asked by Lorne Michaels about doing a "Bass-O-Matic" sketch, while Mike Myers and Dana Carvey requested to reprise Wayne's World. [22] Michaels stated that since different generations of former cast members were coming, they wanted to do sketches featuring mashups between different casts. [23]

Writer Jim Downey conceived the idea of Nick the Lounge Singer singing the theme to Jaws way back in the 1970s, but was never able to pull it off during Bill Murray's tenure on SNL. They were unsure if they could obtain the necessary copyright clearance to show footage of Jaws on a monitor in the background until they realized that, since NBC had already acquired the rights to Jaws with its purchase of Universal Pictures in 2002, they could just ask director Steven Spielberg, who was in attendance. [22]

Eddie Murphy was originally asked to play Bill Cosby in the "Celebrity Jeopardy!" sketch, but refused. [24]

Nora Dunn was asked to participate in the musical medley as Liz Sweeney, but refused because Jan Hooks (the other Sweeney Sister) had died. [25]

NSYNC were scheduled to appear in this special but their appearance was cancelled at the last minute.

Marketing and promotion

A 15-second spot premiered during the Super Bowl XLIX broadcast and – along with two other 15-second clips – was uploaded on to the official Saturday Night Live YouTube page. [26] [27] [28] While the clips promoted appearances by Jon Hamm and Paul Rudd, neither of these occurred during the live show. [28] Numerous articles, features and interviews were published in the weeks prior to the broadcast.

VH1 Classic aired a 19-day marathon of SNL-related programming that ended on the day of the special, featuring notable episodes in a reverse chronological order (alongside theme blocks focusing on specific cast members, and films featuring them), concluding with the original series premiere. [29] [30]

Awards and nominations

YearAwardCategoryNominated workResultRef.
2015 Primetime Emmy Awards Outstanding Variety Special Saturday Night Live 40th Anniversary SpecialWon [31]
Outstanding Directing for a Variety Special Don Roy King Won
Outstanding Writing for a Variety Special James Anderson, Fred Armisen, Tina Fey,
Steve Higgins, Chris Kelly, Erik Kenward,
Rob Klein, Seth Meyers, Lorne Michaels,
John Mulaney, Paula Pell, Jeff Richmond,
Andy Samberg, Akiva Schaffer, Tom Schiller,
Sarah Schneider, Marc Shaiman, Michael Shoemaker,
Robert Smigel, Emily Spivey, Kent Sublette,
Jorma Taccone and Bryan Tucker		Nominated
Outstanding Technical Direction, Camerawork, Video Control for a Special Saturday Night Live 40th Anniversary SpecialNominated
Outstanding Lighting Design for a Variety SpecialPhil Hymes, Geoff Amoral, Richard "Rick" McGuinnessNominated
Outstanding Makeup For A Multi-Camera Series Or Special (Non-Prosthetic)Louie Zakarian, Amy Tagliamonti, Jason Milani,
Sarah Egan, Daniela Zivkovic, and Melanie Demitri		Won
Outstanding Sound Mixing For A Variety Series Or SpecialSaturday Night Live 40th Anniversary SpecialWon

Ratings

The special drew 23.1 million viewers, becoming NBC's most-watched prime-time, non-sports, entertainment telecast (excluding Super Bowl lead-outs) since the Friends series finale in 2004. [3] [4] [5] [6]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eddie Murphy</span> American actor and comedian (born 1961)

Edward Regan Murphy is an American actor, comedian, and singer. He had his breakthrough as a standup comic before gaining stardom as a movie star and he is widely recognized as one of the greatest comedians of all time. He has received several accolades including a Golden Globe Award, a Grammy Award, and an Emmy Award as well as nominations for an Academy Award and a BAFTA Award. He was honored with the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor in 2015 and the Cecil B. DeMille Award in 2023.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lorne Michaels</span> Canadian-American television producer, writer, and actor (born 1944)

Lorne Michaels is a Canadian-American television writer and film producer. He created and produces Saturday Night Live and produced the Late Night series, The Kids in the Hall and The Tonight Show.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Michael O'Donoghue</span> American actor and writer (1940–1994)

Michael O'Donoghue was an American writer and performer.

<i>Saturday Night Live</i> American late-night live TV sketch comedy and variety show

Saturday Night Live (SNL) is an American late-night live sketch comedy variety show created by Lorne Michaels and developed by Michaels and Dick Ebersol that airs on NBC. The show's premiere was hosted by George Carlin on NBC on October 11, 1975, under the original title NBC's Saturday Night. The show's comedy sketches, which often parody contemporary American culture and politics, are performed by a large and varying cast of repertory and newer cast members. Each episode is hosted by a celebrity guest, who usually delivers the opening monologue and performs in sketches with the cast, with featured performances by a musical guest. An episode normally begins with a cold open sketch that was usually based on political events and ends with someone breaking character and proclaiming, "Live from New York, it's Saturday Night!", properly beginning the show.

Jean Doumanian is an American stage, television and film producer.

<i>Saturday Night Live</i> season 21 Season of television series

The twenty-first season of Saturday Night Live, an American sketch comedy series, originally aired in the United States on NBC between September 30, 1995, and May 18, 1996.

<i>Saturday Night Live</i> season 18 Season of television series

The eighteenth season of Saturday Night Live, an American sketch comedy series, originally aired in the United States on NBC between September 26, 1992, and May 15, 1993.

<i>Saturday Night Live</i> season 15 Season of television series

The fifteenth season of Saturday Night Live, an American sketch comedy series, originally aired in the United States on NBC between September 30, 1989 and May 19, 1990.

<i>Saturday Night Live</i> season 12 Season of television series

The twelfth season of Saturday Night Live, an American sketch comedy series, originally aired in the United States on NBC between October 11, 1986 and May 23, 1987.

<i>Saturday Night Live</i> season 11 Season of television series

The eleventh season of Saturday Night Live, an American sketch comedy series, originally aired in the United States on NBC between November 9, 1985, and May 24, 1986.

<i>Saturday Night Live</i> season 6 Season of television series

The sixth season of Saturday Night Live, an American sketch comedy series, originally aired in the United States on NBC between November 15, 1980, and April 11, 1981. Jean Doumanian, who had been an associate producer for the first five seasons of SNL, was given executive producer responsibilities after Lorne Michaels went on an extended hiatus. Doumanian's first season in charge was plagued by difficulties, from a reduced budget to new cast members who were compared unfavorably to the Not Ready for Prime Time Players. Critical reception was strongly negative and ratings sank.

<i>Saturday Night Live</i> season 1 Season of television series

The first season of Saturday Night Live, an American sketch comedy series, originally aired in the United States on NBC from October 11, 1975, to July 31, 1976. The show served as a vehicle that launched to stardom the careers of a number of major comedians and actors, including Chevy Chase, John Belushi, and Dan Aykroyd.

<i>Saturday Night Live</i> season 40 Season 40 of the television series

Saturday Night Live premiered its fortieth season during the 2014–15 television season on NBC. The season premiered on September 27, 2014, with host Chris Pratt and musical guest Ariana Grande and came to a conclusion on May 16, 2015, with host Louis C.K. and musical guest Rihanna. Former cast member Darrell Hammond succeeded Don Pardo, who had died in August, as the show's new announcer. The premiere included an interstitial photograph of Pardo – SNL's announcer since it premiered in 1975.

"A Limo for a Lame-O" is a commentary delivered by Al Franken during Weekend Update on the May 10, 1980, episode of Saturday Night Live (SNL). Using the framework of his own desire to have a limousine drive him to and from his job at NBC, the network which broadcasts the program, Franken attacked network president Fred Silverman for NBC's poor showing in the Nielsen ratings during his tenure. It has been called "one of the meanest acts of character assassination in—well, the history of mean acts of character assassination."

"Saturday Night Live 15th Anniversary Special" is a 2 1/2 hour prime-time special that aired on September 24, 1989, on NBC, celebrating Saturday Night Live's 15th year on the air, having premiered on October 11, 1975, under the original title NBC's Saturday Night. SNL has since had two more specials celebrating its 25th Anniversary in 1998 and 40th Anniversary in 2014.

History of <i>Saturday Night Live</i>

Saturday Night Live (SNL) is a long-running American late-night live sketch comedy variety show that premiered on NBC on October 11, 1975. Created by Lorne Michaels, who is the original and current showrunner, the show features a regular cast of comedic actors, alongside guest hosts and musical performances, all broadcast live from Studio 8H at 30 Rockefeller Plaza in New York City. Initially called NBC’s Saturday Night, the program was developed as a replacement for reruns of The Tonight Show and quickly became a staple of late-night television. The early years of SNL introduced a cast of performers who became known as the "Not Ready for Prime Time Players", including Chevy Chase, John Belushi, Gilda Radner, and Dan Aykroyd. It became known for its mix of satirical humor, political commentary, and celebrity impersonations.

References

  1. ↑ Bradley, Bill (April 18, 2014). "'Saturday Night Live' Will Celebrate Its 40th Anniversary With A Three and a Half Hour Live Broadcast". The Huffington Post . Retrieved May 18, 2014.
  2. 1 2 "NBC's 'Saturday Night Live' 40th Anniversary Special Set". Deadline. April 18, 2014. Retrieved May 18, 2014.
  3. 1 2 Hibberd, James (February 16, 2015). "SNL anniversary breaks NBC ratings records". Entertainment Weekly . Retrieved February 16, 2015.
  4. 1 2 "Live from the Red Carpet: SNL 40th Anniversary Special - Saturday Night Live - NBC". NBC.
  5. 1 2 "'Saturday Night Live' 40th Anniversary Ratings: Show Dominates Night - Variety". Variety. February 16, 2015.
  6. 1 2 "Ratings - "Saturday Night Live 40th Anniversary Special" Is NBC's Most-Watched Primetime Entertainment Telecast, Excluding Post-Super Bowl Programs, In More Than 10 Years - TheFutonCritic.com". thefutoncritic.com.
  7. ↑ "Saturday Night Live listings" . Retrieved February 2, 2015.
  8. ↑ "Why Eddie Murphy Didn't Play Bill Cosby on 'SNL 40'". Variety. Retrieved April 7, 2024.
  9. ↑ Eddie Murphy returns to host SNL for first time in over 30 years. "In the decades since his departure, Murphy curiously stayed away from SNL, appearing only once — in 2015 — as part of SNL’s 40th anniversary special."
  10. ↑ "'SNL' 40th Anniversary: Eddie Murphy's Brief Return Features Awkward Pause, No Character Reprisals". The Hollywood Reporter . Retrieved April 7, 2024.
  11. ↑ Bradley, Bill (April 18, 2014). "'Saturday Night Live' Will Celebrate Its 40th Anniversary With A Three-Hour Live Broadcast". The Huffington Post . Retrieved May 18, 2014.
  12. ↑ Rorke, Robert (February 14, 2015). "'Comedy is so clear': Lorne Michaels on 40 years of 'SNL'". New York Post.
  13. ↑ "Saturday Night Live 40th Anniversary Special Guest List Is Insane—Check Out Everyone Appearing!". E! Online. February 13, 2015.
  14. ↑ Bacle, Ariana (February 15, 2015). "Here's the full list of who showed up on the SNL 40th anniversary special". Entertainment Weekly . Retrieved February 16, 2015.
  15. ↑ "Imaginary Forces - Saturday Night Live 40th Anniversary Special - Opening Sequence". Vimeo . February 16, 2015. Retrieved April 22, 2017.
  16. ↑ Zuckerman, Esther (February 14, 2015). "Here's who will be at the SNL 40th anniversary". Entertainment Weekly . Retrieved February 14, 2015.
  17. ↑ "SNL Audience: A Who's Who For The Record Books". Inside Edition. February 16, 2015. Retrieved February 16, 2015.
  18. ↑ "A Lot of Famous People Went to See SNL 40". Vulture. February 16, 2015. Retrieved February 16, 2015.
  19. ↑ "Everyone you didn't see on stage at the 'SNL' 40th anniversary". Mashable. February 17, 2015. Retrieved March 16, 2015.
  20. ↑ "'SNL' 40 Red Carpet: Past Stars, Current Cast Recall Favorite Moments, Working With "Childhood Heroes"". The Hollywood Reporter. February 15, 2015. Retrieved February 13, 2016.
  21. ↑ Rose, Lacey (February 4, 2015). "Lorne Michaels on 40 Years of 'SNL': Being "'Feared' Was Never My Goal"". The Hollywood Reporter . Retrieved February 6, 2015.
  22. 1 2 Rowles, Dustin (February 19, 2015). "The Amazing Story Behind Bill Murrays Lost Theme From 'Jaws' On 'SNL 40'". Uproxx. Retrieved February 21, 2015.
  23. ↑ Steinberg, Brian (February 9, 2015). "Lorne Michaels on 40 Years of 'Saturday Night Live' and What the Future Holds". Variety. Retrieved February 28, 2015.
  24. ↑ "Eddie Murphy Rejected 'SNL40' Bill Cosby Skit: Norm Macdonald". NBC News. February 19, 2015. Retrieved February 21, 2015.
  25. ↑ "Nora Dunn: "SNL is a traumatic experience. It's something you have to survive"". Salon. April 7, 2015. Retrieved April 7, 2015.
  26. ↑ SNL 40th Anniversary Special (1 of 3). February 1, 2015. Retrieved February 6, 2015.
  27. ↑ SNL 40th Anniversary Special (2 of 3). February 1, 2015. Retrieved February 6, 2015.
  28. 1 2 SNL 40th Anniversary Special (3 of 3). February 1, 2015. Retrieved February 6, 2015.
  29. ↑ Steinberg, Brian. "VH1 Classic To Run 433-Hour 'Saturday Night Live' Marathon". Variety. Retrieved November 19, 2016.
  30. ↑ Petski, Denise (January 14, 2015). "'Saturday Night Live' Mega-Marathon Set To Air On VH1". Deadline. Retrieved July 31, 2017.
  31. ↑ "The Saturday Night Live 40th Anniversary Special". Emmy Awards. Retrieved April 7, 2024.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.