'SNL50' highlights: Steve Martin, Tina Fey, John Mulaney, Eddie Murphy and more celebrate show's legacy

Live from New York, it was a nostalgic three-and-a-half hour celebration of “Saturday Night Live." Here's a look at some of the night's biggest moments:

— Familiar faces from the show’s early years opened the special. They included folk star Paul Simon (joined by pop star Sabrina Carpenter) and comedian Steve Martin, a member of the "SNL" Five-Timers Club (aka the group of people who have hosted the show at least five times).

— John Mulaney manned a hot dog and heroin cart, telling Pete Davidson and David Spade about the city’s transformation across decades. Maya Rudolph and Adam Driver, dressed as heroin and a hot dog, respectively, took the stage to sing. Lin-Manuel Miranda satirized former Mayor Rudy Giuliani in a song inspired by his "Hamilton" performance on Broadway, except this time Giuliani, in legal trouble for defaming a pair of election workers, is "throwing away" his shot.

— Tom Hanks introduced an in memoriam segment dedicated to "SNL" sketches and characters that have "aged horribly."

— Jack Nicholson, whose public appearances have become rare in recent years, introduced Adam Sandler, who performed a song dedicated to all things "SNL."

— Davidson's clueless character Chad returned to share airtime with original cast member Laraine Newman.

"SNL50: The Anniversary Special" ended as all "SNL" regular episodes do: with a massive group of cast members and guests onstage bidding viewers a good night.

This time, however, the stage seemed even more packed, as everyone who participated in the milestone episode gathered behind Martin Short, who delivered closing remarks.

Short thanked the original cast members who "helped pave the way" for everyone in the years that followed. Among those behind Martin: Jane Curtin and Laraine Newman, who held up a picture of Gilda Radner.

Short ended the evening with a shoutout to "SNL" creator Lorne Michaels, “the reason we’re all here, the man who made our dreams come true."

Martin Short introduced a musical performance by Sir Paul McCartney, who opened with "Golden Slumbers."

During live shots of the audience, attendees were on their feet clapping along.

Garrett Morris said he that when he joined the first cast of "SNL," he had no idea he'd have to do so many reunion shows.

Morris, seated in a chair onstage, introduced "Don't Look Back in Anger," a classic short film written by Tom Schiller from season three in which John Belushi played an elderly version of himself eulogizing other cast members.

Among the bits the In Memoriam feature included as ready for the trash heap for “questionable taste” was a sketch still regularly listed as among “SNL’s” greatest ever: “Word Association” (sometimes called “Racist Word Association”), from the first season, in which Richard Pryor is being interviewed for a job by Chevy Chase. They exchange increasingly racially charged words and phrases in the interview process.

It culminates with Chase asking for Pryor’s reaction to a racial epithet, to which Pryor responds, “Honky!” After a pause, Chase says the N-word live on the air. Pryor’s response: “DEAD honky!”

The sketch is on dozens of lists of the best “SNL” sketches ever, as recently as October in The Guardian. Larry Wilmore, “The Daily Show’s” former “senior Black correspondent,” took issue with including it as an example of bad taste:

(Pryor's character gets the job as "the highest-paid janitor in America.")

Eddie Murphy and Kenan Thompson play two inmates who are trying to scare three juveniles, played by Marcello Hernandez, Mikey Day and Michael Longfellow out of a life of crime in this "Scared Straight" spoof.

Thompson and Murphy wore matching beige jumpsuits, with Thompson wearing a durag and Murphy with half-finished cornrows.

Will Ferrell made an appearance with hiked-up shorts and red hair, sharing with the juveniles about his life in jail.

Jimmy Fallon, Drew Barrymore and Ayo Edebiri are celebrating SNL 50 ... or at least trying to. Debbie Downer (played by Rachel Dratch) made a return, now as a bartender.

Robert De Niro also appeared in the sketch and was greeted with a very intimate hello from Barrymore.

Fallon, of course, briefly broke at one point during the sketch.

Debbie Downer made us feel concerned about everything from bird flu to dry eye. She ended the segment by mentioning her concern over feline AIDS, which she has especially worried about for many years.

It's not your typical in memoriam segment.

Tom Hanks introduced tonight a video montage of "SNL" sketches and characters that do not stand the test of time.

"Characters, accents and let’s just call them ‘ethnic wigs’ that were unquestionably in poor taste," Hanks said. "You all laughed at them. So if anyone should be canceled, shouldn’t it be you, the audience?"

Some of the sketches in the montage joked about sexual harassment, included problematic guests, or had the actors' wearing questionable makeup.

Comedian Dave Chappelle introduced Lil Wayne and The Roots as the next musical performers tonight.

The Grammy-winning rapper opened his set with "Uproar." He followed with "Lollipop," "Mrs. Officer" and "A Milli."

Maya Rudolph and Amy Poehler revived their classic sketch "Bronx Beat."

The pair brought up actor Miles Teller before being joined by Mike Myers as Linda Richman from the classic sketch "Coffee Talk."

As Amy Poehler and Maya Rudolph took the stage for a reprisal of their "Bronx Beat" sketch, there appeared to have been some mic issues.

At one point, viewers at home could also see a shadow of what seems to be a boom mic.

Live television!

Tonight's special will now end at around 11:15 p.m. ET, about 15 minutes later than expected, according to LateNighter.

The outlet said NBC alerted its affiliates of the overtime.

John Mulaney and friends returned to the "SNL" stage to sing about New York City again, this time poking fun at everything from former Mayor Rudy Giuliani to "Pizza rat."

As he mans a hot dog and heroin cart, he tells Pete Davidson and David Spade about the city's transformation across decades.

Maya Rudolph and Adam Driver, dressed as heroin and hot dog, respectively, then took the stage to sing.

Next Nathan Lane, who sang a song about cocaine and vodka to the tune of the "Lion King" song "Hakuna Matata."

As Mulaney talked about the '90s in New York City, he noted how Times Square went from "pimps to cartoon mascots." Dressed as the aforementioned pimp, Jason Sudeikis began singing in the crowd, alongside Will Forte, who was dressed as Elmo. Kristen Wiig also appeared in a M&M costume, signing a rendition of "I Dreamed a Dream" from "Les Miserables" to a confused Larry David.

Actor Jack Nicholson was once known for his courtside appearances at Los Angeles Lakers games, but those have become rare lately.

The 87-year-old had a two-year gap in game appearances when he returned to see the Lakers play in October 2023. Then he disappeared again, until 34-year-old daughter Lorraine posted an Instagram photo of Nicholson relaxing at home last month.

If there's one thing that will bring the star of "Chinatown" out, however, it's the celebration of "SNL's" 50th season. He appeared in the audience and made an on-air introduction, welcoming a musical performance by Adam Sandler.

Adam Sandler graced the stage with a guitar to perform a song dedicated to 50 years of "SNL."

The song included many inside jokes, including ones about how cast members couldn't use Lorne Michael's "little bathroom in the office" and asking the interns to get their laundry without realizing the intern was "Martin Scorsese's kid or Nora Ephron's kid or Randy Newman’s kid or whoever Lorne had dinner with on Wednesday night’s kid."

He mentioned cast members past and present while also shouting out behind-the-scenes folks, including Nurse Theresa (who provided Pepto Bismol to Sandler and cast) and "drunk Wall,y" who holds up cue cards (sometimes backward).

“Fifty years of the best times of our lives,” Sandler said at the end of the song. "Thank you, Lorne."

Sandler was introduced by Jack Nicholson.

Laraine Newman, who was part of the original cast of "SNL," appeared in a digital short to meet Pete Davidson's "Chad."

Newman asked him to put a spotlight on her so she could feel what it's like to walk on the "SNL" stage one more time.

It didn't go great.

He eventually got it, and Newman made sure he knew how lucky he was to work there.

He offered his usual answer: "OK."

The Rev. Al Sharpton has been at the center of some serious matters of race and justice in the United States. He's also a longtime friend of one of the country's engines of laughter, "SNL."

He mentioned cameos he's made on "Saturday Night Live" during his show, "PoliticsNation with Al Sharpton," earlier today on MSNBC. (Sharpton has also been portrayed on "SNL" by Kenan Thompson.)

Tonight he's in the house for the celebration, and he posted a shot with former cast member Eddie Murphy to X, calling the star "my friend."

Kate McKinnon, Meryl Streep, Pedro Pascal and Woody Harrelson brought back the popular "Close Encounter" sketch.

The group tried really hard not to break while getting questioned by Aidy Bryant and Jon Hamm about being abducted by aliens.

Bill Murray, a "Weekend Update" alum, joined Che and Jost to list off the top 10 anchors from the show's history. On his list:

1. Brian Doyle-Murray (Bill Murray's brother)
2. Norm Macdonald
3. Jane Curtin and Dan Aykroyd
4. Chevy Chase
5. Tiny Fey & Amy Poehler

Notably absent (and very much part of the bit): Jost.

Murray mentioned Che on a separate list of top Black "Weekend Update" hosts. (He was the lone one on the list.)

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 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.

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."

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.

"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 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.

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 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."

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.

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."

Seth Meyers is saying what everyone at home is thinking.

When he asked Poehler and Fey about whether the Q&A sketch is really about just giving celebrities who are not in all the sketches some airtime, the two called on the Rev. Al Sharpton and Ray Romano in the crowd.

"Seems natural to us," Sharpton said.

"Don’t be so cynical, Seth, we’re having a nice time here," Romano added.

Sketch comedy is almost by definition what's on the page — the sketch. But "Saturday Night Live" learned early that pratfalls and spit takes generate laughter.

Emma Stone joined Molly Shannon, whose flexible 50-year-old character Sally O'Malley was a staple of the show in the 1990s, to introduce a montage of physical comedy on SNL through the years.

It started appropriately with 1970s cast member Chevy Chase, whose constantly tripping take on President Gerald Ford seems to have reshaped how people remember him.

The late Chris Farley smashed furniture and dominated every scene he was in, it seemed. Shannon got a movie out her portrayal of a Catholic schoolgirl who smelled her armpits.

In the crowd, "Veep" star Julia Louis-Dreyfus is seated next to her pup, whom she is narrating the special to.

Among the anecdotes she shared with her dog?

"The intense energy you feel to your left is Adam Driver," she said, who is seen stoically sitting next to the dog. "Right now, he’s acting like he’s not attracted to me."

The dog bumped "SNL" alum Jon Lovitz to the American Girl doll store across the street.

When Tina Fey and Amy Poehler asked the audience whether it had any questions for them, actor Ryan Reynolds posed one.

But before he did so, Poehler and Fey asked how he was doing.

"Good, why, what have you heard?" Reynolds said, seemingly referring to the ongoing headlines about Reynolds and his wife, Blake Lively, related to her "It Ends With Us" lawsuit.

Tina Fey and Amy Poehler take to the audience to answer questions about "SNL."

“Even after 50 years there are still things about ‘SNL’ that people don’t know,” Fey said before the two said they will answer “any questions.”

They took a question first from “Abbott Elementary” star Quinta Brunson, who identified herself as a “‘SNL’ superfan.”

Tim Meadows appeared to reveal what he whispered in a March 1993 episode to music artist Sade.

"Hey Sade, you want to drink from Zima with me in my dressing room? We can play Mortal Kombat 1 and watch the new Mendez trial."

The groomsmen of Andrew Dismukes' character performed at the wedding after Marcello's appearance.

The group, played by Andy Samberg, Beck Bennett, Kyle Mooney and Bowen Yang, did a rendition of Sabrina Carpenter's "Espresso."

Carpenter then joined them to sing about the groom's mysterious man Renaldo (played by Pedro Pascal).

Ronaldo and Domingo then hug, revealing they're brothers with each other and Santiago (played by Bad Bunny).

A '90s staple of "SNL" came back: Deep Thoughts ... by Jack Handey.

"Looking back over 50 years, we treasure the laughs, the friendship, the fond memories.

"But the real treasure was how much money we were making."

Marcello Hernandez's character Domingo, an internet favorite, joins Kelsey’s bridesmaids for a “You Belong With Me” by Taylor Swift parody.

"Come se dice ‘open relationship’?" Sabrina Carpenter and Domingo sang.

Martin Short and Molly Shannon crashed the popular recent "bridesmaids speech" sketch.

This time, Sabrina Carpenter joined current "SNL" cast members as they sang a rendition of "Defying Gravity" from "Wicked," swapping lyrics for the chorus to "this just in, she's going to try monogamy."

Eddie Murphy's portrayal of former cast member Tracy Morgan on the special is a reminder that Murphy is back with "SNL," where he honed his comedy in the 1980s.

Morgan was a celebrity contestant on "Black Jeopardy," and Murphy seemed to get his voice down pat as he portrayed him as a diva who eats only four-cheese lasagna, never compromising on just three cheeses.

The laughs weren't always there. It's said that after cast member David Spade took a shot on air at Murphy's Hollywood movie career, which was in the midst of box office challenges at the time, Murphy isolated himself from the show for many years.

In his 1995 “Hollywood Minute” sketch, a photo of Murphy appeared behind Spade as he delivered celebrity news and rumors with much snark. He said, “Look, children, it’s a falling star. Make a wish.”

Murphy has said the quip hurt because it referred to his entire career and because he believed executive producer Lorne Michaels most likely approved it.

Murphy returned to "SNL" for its 40th anniversary, and he and Spade have settled whatever beef they may have had.

"Who are you? What's your age and your name?" Stone says to Molly Shannon, who appeared onstage as her character Sally O'Malley.

The two introduced a video celebrating 50 years of physical comedy on "SNL."

Tom Hanks replaced Eddie Murphy at the podium of the Black Jeopardy sketch as Doug, a contestant sporting a red "Make America Great Again" hat.

Kenan Thompson shook Hanks' hand awkwardly as Hanks suggested that the next show be called "White Jeopardy."

Hanks' Doug is a fan favorite among "SNL" viewers.

"SNL" actors laughing when they're not supposed to — also known as breaking — happens. It happens to the best of them.

And Leslie Jones has our first break of the evening during the "Black Jeopardy" sketch.

Kenan Thompson played host of "Black Jeopardy" once more, with Leslie Jones, Tracy Morgan and Eddie Murphy as contestants.

In a twist, Murphy impersonated Morgan.

Chris Rock later took over for Thompson as a guest host to ask a question related to "SNL" trivia.

Why Paul Simon, people might ask?

As one half of hit-making folk duo Simon & Garfunkel ("Bridge Over Troubled Water"), he was a significant figure in the counterculture that culminated in "SNL's" existence in the 1970s, so it's somewhat of a natural pairing, but there's more to it.

Simon is a longtime friend of SNL executive producer Lorne Michaels and, as such, he appeared in Episode 1, in part to tease a temporary reunion of Simon & Garfunkel in an upcoming episode.

Simon has hosted SNL at least four times, and he was one of the first stars to both host and perform as a musician on the show.

In November 1976, he famously appeared in a turkey costume to sing "Still Crazy After All These Years," which he halted when he realized how ridiculous he looked, though that was part of the script.

"Oh, my God, did they put LSD in my Caesar salad, or do I see three beautiful ladies hitchhiking my way?" Will Ferrel says in his signature Robert Goulet impression.

He then introduces "sisters" Janice, Holly and Margaret, played by Ana Gasteyer, Kim Kardashian and Scarlett Johansson.

Then, of course, Kristen Wiig's Dooneese character, the awkward sister with tiny hands, makes an appearance.

Martin Short briefly joined his longtime pal and "Only Murders In the Building" co-star Steve Martin onstage during the monologue.

"I thought we were hosting together," Short said.

“Do you have your passport on you?” Martin replied. 

“No,” Short replied

“ICE GET HIM” Martin replied, before Short was dragged offstage.

"We’ve been working together so long we could actually finish each other’s careers," Martin joked.

Opening the special, Steve Martin delivered a signature monologue packed with his trademark wit.

Describing himself as "SNL’s" newest “diversity hire,” Martin recalled his excitement when he first heard about the anniversary special:

“I literally wanted to leap into the air. ... The only reason I didn’t was at the time I was wearing a short skirt with no underwear.”

He also joked about how he found out he’d be opening the show:

“Lorne told me I was doing the monologue ... on a friend’s boat down on the Gulf of Steve Martin.”

During the monologue, Steve Martin asked everyone to give "SNL" "writers in the crowd" a hand. Only to have a shot of them all outside Studio 8H.

"By the way, that tribute to the writers was written by AI," Martin joked.

Tonight's 50th anniversary special will have a lot of guests, all of whom were teased in the opening montage, which featured photos of the previous casts.

On the red carpet, current “SNL” cast member Heidi Gardner described the surreal experience of being surrounded by her idols.

“Every single person that was on my bedroom walls when I was 16 has now crawled out of the walls and into the building — and is actually talking to me in real life," she said. "It’s insane. This is what my bedroom looked like.”

For its audience, "SNL" is a laugh-maker. But for some who toiled in the writers' room and played out sketches in an empty Studio 8H, this weekend's celebrations have amounted to a true homecoming — complete with the corresponding emotions.

"I find myself crying a lot," Kristin Wiig, a cast member from 2005 to 2012, said on tonight's red carpet. "Everyone's very emotional."

Behind the scenes, the work is hard and not always humorous, she indicated.

"We’ve been through what 'SNL' is," Wiig said. "Sometimes it can be very challenging." 

She added, "I’ve cried several times."

Sabrina Carpenter and Paul Simon are kicking off tonight's special.

Carpenter joked neither she nor her parents were born when Simon performed with George Harrison on "SNL" in 1976.

The two then began a duet of "Homeward Bound."

Will Forte said it's special to reflect on his time on "SNL."

"Because while you’re going through it, each week you’re a ball of stress. At least I was," he told NBC's Willie Geist. "And so a lot of the time you don’t. ...”

“Smell the roses. Smell the roses!" said Will Ferrell, who jumped in to complete the sentence.

Ferrell later said he has a “lot of butterflies right now" ahead of the special.

Speaking on the red carpet tonight, Ahmir K. Thompson of The Roots and director of "Ladies & Gentlemen: 50 Years of SNL Music," said he's happy the celebrations are almost a wrap.

"We cried because it was over," he said on the red carpet tonight, speaking of his work performing on "SNL 50: The Homecoming Concert."

One wouldn't blame the musician, better known as Questlove, frontman for the hip-hop act that is the house band for "The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon." He's been working extremely hard. The mind-blowing, seven-minute montage of SNL music performances that opens the Peacock documentary alone took a year to complete, he has said.

And the weekend's "SNL" 50th anniversary celebrations weren't a time for him to kick back: Thompson performed with The Roots basically as the virtual house band for "SNL 50 The Homecoming Concert."

He experienced a moment making it well worth it, he said, performing with a hero, Pearl Jam's frontman, at the event Friday night. In his younger days, Thompson said, he worked at a record store.

"I was stocking Pearl Jam posters on the wall," he said, adding his weekend highlight was "playing with Eddie Vedder."

Without revealing too much, Kim Kardashian hinted that she's going to appear in a sketch tonight alongside people she's "obsessed with."

"It’s a full circle moment," Kardashian told red carpet host Leslie Jones of her sketch tonight.

Comedian Chris Rock briefly interrupted the interview to give Kardashian a shoutout, calling her “one of the all-time great SNL hosts.”

Kate McKinnon and Leslie Jones, who overlapped on the "SNL" cast from 2014 to 2019, caught up on the carpet before tonight's special.

"Isn’t this crazy? Can you even believe it?" McKinnon asked Jones.

"I’m surprised you’re not crying, you big old crybaby," Jones replied, adding, "She’s a big softie."

The two agreed they'd "cry together" tonight.

Amy Poehler is leaning into her "Inside Out" character, Joy, sharing that everyone involved with the special tonight is "having a lot of big feelings."

"We all grew up here," she told the NBC red carpet hosts, calling it a "family reunion."

Asked about tonight's special, she said, "Just like with 'SNL,' we’re really waiting until the last minute to figure it out."

"We don’t usually have a red carpet before our show," she added. "It’s not easy to get glam and then go back and get funny."

Actor Emma Stone came ready to snack.

The Oscar winner, who is married to former "SNL" writer Dave McCary, is holding popcorn while walking the carpet tonight and appears to be pocketing some for later.

In 2023, Stone became the sixth woman to join the coveted "Five-Timers Club" when she hosted for a fifth time.

Cecily Strong said the 40th anniversary special celebration 10 years ago was "so insane" that she "barely remembers it."

Tonight, she told NBC's red carpet hosts that she's most "excited to see everybody."

It may not seem like actor Adam Sandler would have any fear about anything related to comedy.

But during his five seasons as a cast member on "SNL," beginning in 1990, the he had plenty, he said.

"I’d always go ‘don’t choke, don’t stumble,'" he told red carpet host and fellow "SNL" alum Leslie Jones. "I would choke sometimes. ... I hated that feeling."

Tina Fey echoed other "SNL" alums in describing tonight's special as a "homecoming."

"It feels like a bunch of siblings and cousins," she told Leslie Jones and Willie Geist, who are hosting the NBC red carpet stream.

Fey also reflected on her first day at "SNL," recalling the surreal moment she told security, “I’m here to see Lorne Michaels,” only to sit across from him moments later, staring at the iconic nameplate on his desk.

More "SNL" alums have arrived at 30 Rock ahead of tonight's special.

Maya Rudolph, Amy Poehler, Molly Shannon, Jon Lovitz, Kate McKinnon and other celebs graced the red carpet already.

The red (black tonight) carpet is here and "SNL" royalty is walking the carpet and stopping for interviews.

Shortly before “NBC’s Saturday Night” lit up American TV sets on Oct. 11, 1975, producer Lorne Michaels and seven unknown actors and comedians appeared on “The Tomorrow Show,” a late-night talk show with Tom Snyder, to promote their new 90-minute variety series.

Now, 50 years later, the sketch comedy show has gone on to become the most Emmy-decorated television show in history, receiving countless nominations, awards and accolades. And, in 2017, those original cast members were inducted into the Television Academy Hall of Fame.

In honor of “SNL’s” golden anniversary, TODAY.com sat down with past and present cast members to learn what really goes on behind the scenes of the late night show — from the anxiety to the exhilaration — what viewers at home might be surprised to find out, along with their takes on the best character breaks and sketches that didn’t go quite as planned.

Read the full story here.

Next on "The Californians" ... Karina, Devin and Stuart reunite to navigate the streets of L.A. once more with their SoCal accents.

Kristin Wiig, Fred Armisen and Bill Hader reprised their roles from the famous "SNL" sketch for a Volkswagen commercial that aired ahead of tonight's special.

Volkswagen is an official sponsor of SNL50.

While Wiig and Armisen are confirmed guests as guests tonight, Hader gave a "polite decline" to the invitation, according to Puck.

"SNL" alum Jimmy Fallon appears to be feeling extra nostalgic as the anniversary special approaches.

The “Late Night” host, who helmed Friday's "SNL50: The Homecoming Concert," reflected on his career on the show by posting his audition video to social media.

The roughly 4:30 clip, dated July 13, 1998, shows a young Fallon doing celebrity impressions of stars including Adam Sandler and Jerry Seinfeld.

"I was so nervous. I want to thank Lorne Michaels for everything (And @adamsandler)," Fallon wrote in the post.

Lorne Michaels has presided over the “SNL” empire since the start, with the exception of a brief stretch in the 1980s.

But in recent years, he has been trailed by questions about when he might abdicate the throne. He told The Hollywood Reporter last year he has no immediate intentions to step down.

“Every year there are more and more people that I rely on for other things, but, in the end, you really need someone to say, ‘This is what we’re doing.’ So, I don’t really have an answer; I just know that this is kind of what I do and as long as I can keep doing it, I’ll keep doing it,” said Michaels, who turned 80 in November. “There’s no immediate plan.”

Studio 8H started as the home of the NBC Symphony Orchestra in the 1930s. Now, it has served as the legendary space for “SNL” for the last 50 years.

Tonight, it will be a packed house. “SNL” production designer Keith Raywood, who has worked on the show since 1985, told the New York Post that there will be 450 people in the studio tonight, "which is essentially about 200 people more than we would normally have.”

Many of those in the audience will be friends and family of tonight's special guests. “Imagine all the people who have been on the show — those cast members and hosts," Raywood told the publication. "It’s a lot of people [there to see them]. And, those seats don’t normally exist."

During a conversation about the upcoming 50th anniversary of “Saturday Night Live,” “TODAY’s” Jenna Bush Hager and "SNL" alum Amy Poehler rewatched Poehler’s impression of her in a sketch on the show.

“I’m totally sweating,” Poehler said.

Kenan Thompson, who has been an "SNL" cast member since 2003, posted the promotion for tonight's special on X with a special message of gratitude.

"Let’s gooooooo!!!!" he wrote in the post. "Congratulations to everyone involved with helping achieve this historic milestone!!! #SNL"

"SNL" returned for its 50th season in September, just in time to satirize the reshuffled fight for the White House. Alum Maya Rudolph reprised her Emmy-winning role as Vice President Kamala Harris. “SNL” cast member James Austin Johnson once again donned a red tie to play Donald Trump.

“SNL” has mined comedy gold in presidential politics since it debuted in 1975 and Chevy Chase caricatured President Gerald Ford as a pratfalling klutz. In the decades since, political parodies have been staples of the show, from Dana Carvey as President George H.W. Bush (“Thousand points of light”) to Tina Fey as GOP vice presidential contender Sarah Palin (“I can see Russia from my house!”) during the 2008 election.

“‘SNL’ has always helped us process the absurdities of the week in politics through sketch comedy. It can be a cathartic process for people, so the show plays an important role,” Jeffrey P. Jones, a professor of entertainment and media studies at the University of Georgia who has written scholarly essays about “SNL” and politics, told NBC News in September.

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"SNL" wouldn't be the measure of global pop culture it is without its heavy reliance on music.

The show arguably reached a post-"More Cowbell" peak of comedy mashup when former cast member Andy Samberg (2005-12) brought his Lonely Island comedy crew (Akiva Schaffer and Jorma Taccone) with him to make made-for-viral music videos that often aired on SNL.

On Friday night the trio reunited with the show to perform a medley of some of their most most popular songs for “SNL50: The Homecoming Concert.” They were joined by former cast member Chris Parnell (“Lazy Sunday”), Bad Bunny (“I Just Had Sex”) and T-Pain (“I’m on a Boat”) joining in.

It was Lady Gaga, however, who stole the show with her rendition of a song about a box, the title of which can't be mentioned here. Suffice it to say, Lady Gaga did so with composure and elegance as she played a black grand piano and urged Samberg not to sing her song, "Shallow," transitioning to that unmentionable track, instead.

By the time Cher sang “If I Could Turn Back Time,” it seemed as if time had indeed been turned back, and every single “Saturday Night Live” musical guest of 50 years had magically found their way to Radio City Music Hall.

Of course, it was only a smattering. But “SNL50: The Homecoming Concert” boasted an epic lineup. It was an evening of memorable solo performances and often fascinating, one-time-only collaborations: Bonnie Raitt and Chris Martin. Arcade Fire, David Byrne, St. Vincent and the Preservation Hall Jazz Band. Post Malone and Nirvana.

The concert, hosted by Jimmy Fallon, was only one element of what has become an enormous celebration of the show’s 50 years in existence, leading up to Sunday’s “SNL50: The Anniversary Special,” live from Studio 8H.

But Friday night was all about music.

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One of the more remarkable aspects of the first episode of the "SNL50: Beyond Saturday Night" docuseries on Peacock is how embarrassed some of the show's brightest stars are watching video of their first auditions.

Multiple former "SNL" cast members were amazed at the relatively low quality of their first auditions for the show as seen on the episode, titled "Five Minutes." It was named for the time prospective cast members were given to wow executives.

Former cast member Pete Davidson (2014-22), who auditioned in 2014, set the scene in an appearance on "Late Night with Seth Meyers."

"There's no one in there," he said. "You're on the stage, the 'SNL' stage, and [creator] Lorne [Michaels] is there, [Executive Producer Steve] Higgins and maybe one or two other people, but they're blacked out. You can't see them. So you're doing your whole act to no one. And once in a while, you'll hear like, 'Heh!'"

"SNL" alum Rachel Dratch joined NBC’s “TODAY” show to talk about some of her most iconic characters, including Debbie Downer.

The character, known for her signature negative comments, became an instant hit with audiences in 2004. At times, even Dratch broke character to laugh, prompting audiences to laugh even more.

"Before I was ever on the show, I used to like that, too," she said, of "SNL" cast members breaking character. "As an audience member you love that, but as a cast member you try not to break. It's kind of a cheap trick, because you know the audience is going to go nuts."

"SNL's" star-making muscle is on display in its famed and accomplished cast: Gilda Radner, Garrett Morris, Dan Aykroyd, John Belushi and Chevy Chase.

And that was just season one.

The future would welcome aboard Eddie Murphy, Mike Myers, Dana Carvey, Adam Sandler, Tina Fey, Will Ferrell, Kristen Wiig and Pete Davidson.

But fans of the show's illustrious rejects — would-be cast members who auditioned but didn't get invited to join the cast — could make an argument their team has had just as much success, maybe more. The first episode of the "SNL50: Beyond Saturday Night" docuseries on Peacock lays out a star map of cast wannabes who eventually conquered Hollywood.

The X account for "SNL" shared a behind-the-scenes sneak peek of the read-through Thursday.

Among those spotted in the image: current “Weekend Update” co-host Colin Jost and former “Weekend Update” host Seth Meyers.

“SNL50” has been years in the making, with cast member Mikey Day having hinted at just how massive the celebration will be back in June 2023. In an interview on “TODAY,” Day said that executive producer Lorne Michaels was already preparing.

“Oh, my gosh, it’s going to be insane,” Day said. “I haven’t heard that much, but I know Lorne’s slowly putting it together.” Asked about potential guests, he joked: “I believe every famous person in the universe will be there. It’s wild.”

The last major “SNL” anniversary special aired in 2015, celebrating the show’s 40-year legacy with a mix of iconic sketches and several surprise appearances.

One of the most talked-about moments came in the iconic “The Californians” sketch, which Bradley Cooper and Betty White stole with an unexpected, passionate kiss. The sketch also featured pop superstar Taylor Swift and actor Kerry Washington.

Stars have started to arrive at the "SNL50" carpet (which is black, not red!).

Among the list of early arrivals: "SNL" original cast member Garrett Morris and fellow "SNL" alums Tina Fey and Sasheer Zamata.

The official red carpet show, which will air on NBC, doesn’t begin until 7 p.m. ET.

"SNL" is so firmly installed in the cultural consciousness that even the behind-the-scenes production of the first episode received the Hollywood biopic treatment.

“Saturday Night,” a film from director Jason Reitman (“Juno”), chronicles the frantic lead-up to the broadcast of the Oct. 11, 1975, debut.

The film, released in September, stars Gabriel LaBelle as Lorne Michaels, Cory Michael Smith as Chevy Chase, Matt Wood as John Belushi, Ella Hunt as Gilda Radner, Dylan O’Brien as Dan Aykroyd, Lamorne Morris as Garrett Morris, Kim Matula as Jane Curtin, Emily Fairn as Laraine Newman, Rachel Sennott as Rosie Shuster and Cooper Hoffman as Dick Ebersol.

Last night, as part of its 50th anniversary celebration weekend, NBC re-aired the very first episode of “SNL," which was originally titled “NBC’s Saturday Night."

For "SNL" alum Molly Shannon, this weekend has felt like a homecoming.

“It’s so exciting,” Shannon said of the special during an appearance on NBC’s “TODAY” on Thursday. “But I also forget I get nervous. There’s nothing like live performance. ... I forget the adrenaline. So it’s so exciting. But it feels like coming home.”

The comedian also shared a photo of herself posing in the snow in front of NBC Studios to Instagram on Wednesday, writing "Home sweet home" with a heart emoji.

We're looking forward to seeing if Shannon reprises her role as the notorious schoolgirl Mary Katherine Gallagher or joyologist Helen Madden.

Despite its nearly 2,800-mile distance from Hollywood, "SNL" remains a core entertainment industry machine that develops marquee-worthy talent and helps inspire studio projects ("The Blues Brothers," "Wayne's World," "Austin Powers," "A Night at the Roxbury," "MacGruber").

It's fitting, then, that the growing roster of special guests expected for the three-hour special tonight feels like an awards season VIP list that's heavy on comedians and musicians. (There is, in fact, an hour's worth of red carpet arrival coverage starting at 7 p.m. ET).

So far, the network says, the lineup of guests includes Adam Driver, Adam Sandler, Amy Poehler, Andy Samberg, Ayo Edebiri, Bad Bunny, Chevy Chase, Chris Rock, Dave Chappelle, Eddie Murphy, Fred Armisen, Garrett Morris, Jane Curtin, John Mulaney, Kate McKinnon, Kenan Thompson, Kim Kardashian, Kristin Wiig, Laraine Newman, Martin Short, Maya Rudolph, Pete Davidson, Pedro Pascal, Peyton Manning, Quinta Brunson, Robert De Niro, Scarlett Johansson, Steve Martin, Tom Hanks, Will Ferrell and Woody Harrelson.

Like every big event, the "SNL" special will have a big red carpet that kicks off at 7 p.m. ET.

Viewers at home can tune in to NBC and Peacock to watch "SNL" alum Leslie Jones, “Sunday TODAY” host Willie Geist and comedian Matt Rogers interview some of the biggest names expected to attend tonight.

Meanwhile, Amelia Dimoldenberg, the creator and host of the viral chat show "Chicken Shop Date," will serve as the correspondent for the SNL50: Red Carpet Livestream, which will be available across all "SNL" social and digital platforms, including YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, X and TikTok.

Despite beginnings so humble its original cast members were known as the “Not Ready for Prime Time Players,” “Saturday Night Live” has become a cultural institution, a platform for new stars and trending topics.

When Lorne Michaels launched “SNL” in 1975, he desperately wanted a show that would speak to younger Americans truthfully, according to a Smithsonian Magazine look at the show’s history. He largely got what he was asking for, but “SNL” didn’t really find success until its third season, in part because its target audience had long soured on television, according to the article.

The show seemed to repackage the sounds of Woodstock, the laughs of comedy clubs and young Americans’ irreverence for politicians in a way that was fresh, especially for medium that still aired “The Lawrence Welk Show,” which featured big band music, big silver hair and the big accordions of polka.

The formula — George Carlin’s visionary political humor was on display when he hosted the first episode, and the debut had two musical guests — has endured throughout the years, as new generations of talent have been plugged in to the format.

On Friday, Peacock aired a special, “SNL50: The Homecoming Concert,” a live concert at Radio City Music Hall in New York City. The show, hosted by Fallon, included performances by Arcade Fire, Backstreet Boys, Bad Bunny, Bonnie Raitt, Brandi Carlile, Brittany Howard, Cher, Chris Martin, Dave Grohl, David Byrne, Devo, Eddie Vedder, Jack White, Jelly Roll, Lady Gaga, Miley Cyrus, Ms. Lauryn Hill, Mumford & Sons, Post Malone, the Preservation Hall Jazz Band, Robyn, Snoop Dogg, St. Vincent, the B-52s, the Roots and Wyclef Jean.

On Saturday, NBC re-aired the very first episode of “SNL.” The show, which was originally titled “NBC’s Saturday Night,” taped on Oct. 11, 1975.

On Peacock, fans can also stream two documentaries that explore the show’s cultural influence. “Ladies & Gentlemen... 50 Years of SNL Music,” co-directed by Oz Rodriguez and Questlove, looks back at the show’s extensive musical history. Featuring over 900 performances, the documentary examines how “SNL” has shaped the music industry. “SNL50: Beyond Saturday Night” takes a broader look at the show’s five-decade run. The four-part series, executive produced by Academy and Emmy Award winner Morgan Neville, features interviews with more than 60 contributors to “SNL,” offering behind-the-scenes insights into its evolution and its enduring legacy in comedy and television.

NBC News combed through the archives to bring the story of the creation of "Saturday Night Live," as told in part by the original cast.

The special will air live at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT Sunday on NBC and stream on Peacock.

NBC News will also be providing live updates here, so follow along all night.

Tonight's special is the culmination of a weekendlong block of anniversary programming.

Besides the special, on Friday Peacock also aired "SNL50: The Homecoming Concert,” a live concert hosted by Jimmy Fallon at Radio City Music Hall in New York City.