Miley Cyrus, Brittany Howard perform 'Nothing Compares 2 U'
Miley Cyrus and Brittany Howard performed "Nothing Compares 2 U," a song with some tangential history at "SNL" and beyond.
Penned by the late pop icon Prince, it became a staple for the late Irish singer Sinead O'Connor, but she would never again appear on the show after she ripped up a photo of the pope as she covered Bob Marley's "War" on the show in 1992.
Cyrus later got into a beef with O'Connor after she praised her in a 2013 Rolling Stone interview in which she said her latest video, the one for "Wrecking Ball," is a modern version of O'Connor's one for "Nothing Compares 2 U."
O'Connor was not flattered — she wrote online that she didn't like Cyrus' video and suggested Cyrus was "allowing yourself to be pimped" by the music industry — and the two had a back-and-forth that included the threat of a lawsuit by O'Connor. O'Connor died in 2023 of natural causes.
Seth Meyers returns to 'Weekend Update'
Seth Meyers joins the "Weekend Update" news desk to interview Lorne Michael's "best friends from growing up."
Played by Vanessa Bayer and Fred Armisen, the best friends described what Michaels was like growing up.
“I will say sometimes he can be a little rude,” Armisen said, with Bayer joking about how they went to help Michaels move a month ago.
“Nothing was packed," Bayer said.
Cecily Strong returns with 'Girl You Wish You Hadn’t Started a Conversation With at a Party'
A pregnant Cecily Strong reprised her "Weekend Update" role as "Girl You Wish You Hadn’t Started a Conversation With at a Party."
"Is it nice to be on the verge of apocalypse?" she said. "It’s a constipational crisis? Literally for me ... I was like do I even want to bring a baby in this world, or should I keep her in here for another 3½ years?"
When Michael Che said he doesn't think that's possible, Strong replied "I guess you know more than my Oh b g n y."
'Weekend Update' hosts remember Norm Macdonald
Norm Macdonald, who passed away in 2021, got a shoutout from co-host Michael Che.
Macdonald hosted "Weekend Update" for four years before he was cut from the show amid a dispute with the show's bosses over his jokes about O.J. Simpson.
Che said Macdonald was one of his heroes, quipping: "If you're watching up there, I just want to say: we love you, O.J."
Later on Bill Murray put Macdonald at No. 2 in his rankings of Update anchors.
Michael Che gives 'SNL' crew a shoutout
"Weekend Update" co-host Michael Che shared a picture of the "SNL" crew members who are hard at work behind the scenes.
"I’d like to congratulate them all on their Jan. 6 pardons," he joked.
Colin Jost and Michael Che host' Weekend Update'
Colin Jost and Michael Che take to the "Weekend Update" news desk.
Jost opened the show saying, “It is an honor and a thrill to be hosting 'Weekend Update' for the 50th, and, if it were up to our president, final season of 'SNL.'”
“There are so many famous hosts and musical guests here tonight that some huge names have to watch from studio 8G next door, as well as from the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn,” he added as a picture of Sean "Diddy" Combs was shown.
Jim Belushi blesses the celebration
Actor Jim Belushi blessed the celebration in a post on X.
"Happy 50 SNL!" he wrote in his post, which was accompanied by a video of the scene at Studio 8H tonight.
Belushi's brother, the late John Belushi, was a member of the first-season cast and went on to become a Hollywood juggernaut with "Animal House" and "The Blues Brothers" before his drug overdose death in 1982.
Aubrey Plaza introduces Miley Cyrus and Brittany Howard
Aubrey Plaza introduced a musical performance from Miley Cyrus and Brittany Howard.
The artists also performed during Friday's "SNL50: The Homecoming Concert."
Tonight they sang a cover of Sinéad O’Connor's "Nothing Compares 2 U."
New digital short debuts (and it's about 'SNL' cast members' anxiety)
Andy Samberg, arguably the king of the "SNL" digital short, and current cast member Bowen Yang teamed up for a new digital short dedicated to the anxiety of "SNL" cast members, past and present.
“Everyone who ever worked at SNL had anxiety," the two sang, as the video included shots of people who work on the show clapping along.
Peyton Manning tells 'SNL' head Lorne Michaels not to retire
Former NFL quarterback Peyton Manning asked Poehler and Fey whether Lorne Michaels was planning to retire. When they said no, Manning suggested that's a good call.
"It’s brutal out here,” Maning said of retirement, telling Michaels to avoid it. “I hate being retired. No, seriously, Lorne, getting old sucks."