5 Moments From the SNL Anniversary Show

Including Meryl Streep's first appearance and another by Jack Nicholson
By John Johnson,  Newser Staff
Posted Feb 17, 2025 6:19 AM CST

Saturday Night Live celebrated its 50th anniversary with a three-hour live show Sunday night. Some of the moments generating the most buzz:

  • Jack Nicholson made his first public appearance in years—the 87-year-old introduced Adam Sandler from the audience. Sandler then performed a musical homage to Lorne Michaels, reports Variety. Watch both moments here.
  • Meryl Streep made her very first appearance on the show—as the mother of Kate McKinnon's alien abductee character, per CNN. Watch it here.

  • Paul Simon and Sabrina Carpenter performed a duet of "Homeward Bound" by Simon & Garfunkel, notes the Hollywood Reporter. Watch it here.
  • Eddie Murphy appeared in a "Black Jeopardy" sketch in which he did a dead-on impersonation of Tracy Morgan, per Deadline. The sketch featured a cameo by Tom Hanks' MAGA character. Watch it here.
  • Steve Martin delivered the opening monologue, informing the audience he learned he got the gig while vacationing on a boat in the "Gulf of Steve Martin," per Axios. He was joined by John Mulaney (surprised that only two of the nearly 900 often-difficult hosts had committed murder) and Martin Short (the native of Canada was taken away by ICE agents). Watch it here.
  • Aubrey Plaza made her first public appearance since her husband's death.
(More Saturday Night Live stories.)

Get the news faster.
Tap to install our app.
X
Install the Newser News app
in two easy steps:
1. Tap in your navigation bar.
2. Tap to Add to Home Screen.

X