Celebrating ‘Saturday Night Live’ at 50: Our Favorite Moments and Characters

A very subjective celebration of America’s longest-running comedy show

Joel Stein,

AARP

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Published September 27, 2024

Characters from various skits on NBC's Saturday Night Live

The 50th season of "Saturday Night Live" begins Sept. 28. 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!”

Michaels, 79, created the show in three weeks in 1975 (when it first aired, though SNL’s 50th season starts this fall) 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 as Ed Grimley on Saturday Night Live

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 as the Church Lady on Saturday Night Live

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 and Dana Carvey during a Wayne's World skit on Saturday Night Live

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, Fred Armisen and Jason Sudeikis in the What's Up With That sketch on Saturday Night Live

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.

Taylor Swift playing the guitar during her performance on Saturday Night Live

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.

Musical guest The Replacements performing on Saturday Night Live

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 More performing on Saturday Night Live

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

Gilda Radner as Roseanne Roseannadanna during a Weekend Update sketch on Saturday Night Live

In the 1970s, Gilda Radner's Roseanne Roseannadanna was one of the first viral "SNL" characters.

Christopher Little/Everett Collection

“It’s always something.” —Gilda Radner as Roseanne Roseannadanna

Steve Martin and Dan Aykroyd as the Czech-born Festrunk Brothers on Saturday Night Live

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 as Richard Laymer during the Richmeister's Rival skit on Saturday Night Live

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

Dana Carvey as Hans and Kevin Nealon as Franz on Saturday Night Live

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 as Father Guido Sarducci on Saturday Night Live

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 as Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg during a Weekend Update sketch on Saturday Night Live

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.

Kevin Nealon and Adam Sandler as Opera Man during a Weekend Update sketch on Saturday Night Live

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.

Michael Che and Bill Hader as Stefon during a Weekend Update sketch on Saturday Night Live

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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