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Saturday Night Live actor Bowen Yang was accused by an extra who's worked on the NBC series of getting Shane Gillis fired back in 2019. However, Yang has spoken out on the allegation to note how that's not the case.

Six years ago, Yang and Gillis had both been hired to join SNL as new performers. Problematic jokes Gillis had made about Asians on his comedy podcast resurfaced soon after his casting was announced, boosting a social media movement for SNL to cut ties with the risqué comedian. The SNL team ultimately acquiesced by firing Gillis, though the bridges have been rebuilt, with Gillis having since appeared on the show as guest host. Ahead of his second guest-hosting stint on March 1, comic and SNL extra Michelle Best posted a comment on an Instagram video shared by NBC to "acknowledge" that Yang was allegedly responsible for Gillis' firing.

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Can a joke be considered in poor taste if you – well, mostly your spouse – are going through a massive public legal battle? That's the position that Ryan Reynolds found himself in during a headline-making moment during Saturday Night Live's 50th anniversary special. Reynolds' wife, Blake Lively, is currently embroiled in a lawsuit with Justin Baldoni over It Ends With Us, but that didn't stop the couple from being all smiles in the audience at SNL50. While that has been met with its own criticism, it was a joke obviously referencing the legal fight that has garnered the most attention. As it turns out, the joke was (unsurprisingly) all Reynolds' idea.

During an appearance on the Fifi, Fev & Nick podcast, Chris "Wally" Feresten, also known as SNL's Cue Card Wally, revealed that Reynolds changed the original line they rehearsed for the moment. In the sketch that aired, Tina Fey asked the actor,...

Pete Davidson became a regular fixture of Saturday Night Live with an eight-year long run on the show, becoming the series’ youngest cast member at the age of 20 and an instant hit thanks to his “Weekend Update” appearances, among other sketches. However, his return for the show’s 50th anniversary celebration had fans talking for a reason other than his comedic talents – the reducing number of his trademark collection of tattoos.

Davidson, who is currently starring as one of the many big-name voices in the animated hit movie Dog Man, has become well-known as a walking scrapbook of inked designs with around 200 tattoos adorning his body. Almost all the actor’s pieces of body art have some kind of personal significance to either his life or his career, but while appearing on SNL50 many fans noticed that he is not as tatted up as he used to be.

During a...

Saturday Night Live's50th Anniversary celebration recently culminated in a special event, bringing back hosts and stars from the show's past. It was a significant ratings success for the network, bringing in close to 15 million viewers for the spectacle. However, as the adage says, the show must go on, and a new batch of hosts has been announced for the next two episodes of the series. Not only does the newly announced lineup include a pop music superstar, but it also features a former host who was fired a few years ago.

According to Variety, the recently announced lineup includes formerly fired cast member Shane Gillis and singer/actress Lady Gaga. The decision to include Gillis comes less than a year after he made his return to the sketch comedy series as a host. He was previously fired prior to his 2019 debut after a slew of controversial comments and past jokes resurfaced.

Saturday Night Live celebrated its fiftieth anniversary with a star-studded special on Sunday night. One segment spoofed the "In Memoriam" videos featured at major awards shows which acknowledge the show's most "problematic guests" and sketches that have "aged horribly," according to guest star Tom Hanks at the SNL50 show.

In the faux "In Memoriam" segment, several characters are highlighted from controversial sketches, ranging from ethnic stereotypes to sexual harassment in the workplace. Several guests who are now seen as problematic given their subsequent controversies were also included in the video, including footage of accused murderers like O.J. Simpson and Robert Blake. Sean "Diddy" Combs, Jared Fogle, and R. Kelly were also highlighted together in the video, as viewers may feel differently about these appearances given the criminal charges against these celebrities in subsequent years. Per TMZ, Kelly's attorney, Jennifer Bonjean, has slammed SNL for including Kelly in the segment.

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The stars really did come out for the 50th anniversary special for Saturday Night Live. Introducing Adam Sandler, who performed an incredible SNL50 tribute song, was none other than the legendary Jack Nicholson.

When the camera cut to Nicholson, the applause rained down. The actor kept it simple, saying, "Ladies and gentlemen, Adam Sandler!" From there, Sandler gave a shout-out to Jack and began his song, singing, "Everyone in this room has something in common. All of our lives were changed by the show."

Sandler is known for his songs and mashups, and this one was perfect for the occasion. He sang about the cast, funny moments (including those behind the scenes), the crew, Lorne Michaels, and paid a very heartfelt tribute to fellow SNL vet and friend, the late Chris Farley, who passed away in 1997, and Norm Macdonald, who died in 2021. You can watch the entire performance, and Jack's introduction,...

Eddie Murphy's impression of Tracy Morgan on Saturday Night Live stole the show in a recent sketch celebrating the show's 50th anniversary. Murphy did his Morgan impression during the show's 'Black Jeopardy' sketch.

Murphy was joined for the SNL skit by fellow Black comedians, with Kenan Thompson playing host Darnell Hayes (aka Alex Treblack), and the other contestants being Leslie Jones and Tracy Morgan himself. During 'Black Jeopardy', Murphy did a hilarious impression of Morgan -- while Morgan stood right beside him and played a man named Darius. From his very introduction, Murphy was fully in-character as Tracy, calling out "Big Dog gonna make some big money!" in an over-the-top impression that had the rest of the cast struggling to keep a straight face.

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Quick LinksThe "Original" 'Saturday Night Live'One 'SNL's Failure and Another's Success

Live from New York, it's Saturday Night! Speaking of that iconic opening line, have you ever wondered why it's phrased that way? Why does it say just "Saturday Night" and not "Saturday Night Live?" Having two "lives" might be redundant, but isn't Saturday Night Live the name of the show? It is now, but that wasn't always the case.

Casual viewers may not know that the original name of the series was actually NBC's Saturday Night. That's why the opener is phrased that way. Even though it was always live, it didn't add that word to the title until Season 3. Believe it or not, this was because there was already a series titled Saturday Night Live on the air when the then-nbc's Saturday Night debuted in 1975. This "other" SNL was Saturday Night Live with Howard Cosell,...

A star-studded crowd gathered to celebrate the legacy of the iconic comedy and musical series Saturday Night Live. As part of the 50th anniversary of the show, SNL50: The Homecoming Concert saw many familiar faces from the last 50 years of the series' history both watching and performing at the event, which was hosted by Jimmy Fallon. As the night kicked off, however, no one expected to see Oscar-winner Tom Hanks and his wife Rita Wilson storm out of the auditorium after Fallon explained that the night would not include any awards presentations. Fallon said:

“Apparently, there’s been some confusion. This is just a concert. We’re not giving out any awards tonight. So, I just want to make sure that everyone knows that.”

At that point, Hanks and his wife stood up out of their seats and stomped up the central aisle and out of the venue. Of course,...

With the 50th Anniversary of Saturday Night Live looming on the horizon, many of the show's former stars and guest hosts have opened up about their experiences on the series. While stories from writers about letting polarizing figures like Donald Trump host have taken center stage, a new anecdote has emerged from a 2013 host. Jesse Eisenberg, known for roles like Lex Luthor and Mark Zuckerberg, opened up about hosting the long-running sketch comedy series, and sadly, he doesn't look back fondly on the experience.

During a recent appearance on the newly revamped fourth hour of Today, Jenna & Friends (via Variety), he expressed regret about his lifelong dream being far more sour than sweet:

"I only have bad memories because I did such a dumb thing. My dream when I was 17 was to write for ‘SNL.’ I made a packet and everything and I got an agent. And then, when I got asked to host,...

In celebration of the 50th anniversary of Saturday Night Live, NBC will re-air its very first episode on Feb 15, 2025 at 11:30 p.m. Et/Pt. The landmark sketch comedy variety show premiered on Oct. 11, 1975, then titled NBC's Saturday Night. Created by Lorne Michaels, the show was imagined as a hip, late-night comedy hour for young people. 2024's film Saturday Night, directed by Jason Reitman, covers the chaotic minutes leading up to the historic premiere, and would make a great complementary watch with the re-aired premiere. The series would officially be named Saturday Night Live in September 1977 after the network acquired the rights, which were previously owned by ABC for Saturday Night Live with Howard Cosell.

The series would star an ensemble cast of up-and-coming writers and performers from the comedy scene, known for the first three seasons as the "Not Ready for Prime Time Players." The first performers in the show included head writer,...

Saturday Night Live is celebrating its 50th year on television this year, and with this milestone comes a plethora of new insights and anecdotes regarding the show's storied history – some of which are collected in a new book, which reveals that former SNL writer and star Tim Robinson had a pretty strong reaction when Lorne Michaels invited Donald Trump to host an episode during his first presidential election campaign.

Before becoming President of the United States, Donald Trump was a mainstay on NBC, with his competition series The Apprentice serving as a pivotal part of the primetime lineup. Shortly after announcing his run for president, the network dumped Trump as host of the series due to derogatory comments he made about Mexican immigrants, but that didn't squash his involvement with NBC. Instead, to the shock and awe of many, Lorne Michaels invited Trump to host an episode of the long-running sketch series.

For the last several decades, Saturday Night Live has been faced with questions of its future. While so many people claim not to watch or call it unfunny, everyone still talks about it and sketches still go viral. Some feel the show has run its course, the sketches need work, or members of the cast need to go. Nothing ever comes of it because Saturday Night Live is engrained as part of the fabric of late-night television that no one really ever expects to end. But there’s one point in time when Saturday Night Live almost did get canceled, and arguably should have been. The show was hanging by a thread, and instead of a complete cast shake-up saving the show, it led to a year that has become known as the “weird season.”

This was in 1985 during season 11, a bizarre season that the new Peacock docuseries SNL50: Beyond Saturday Night...

Recently, comedy legend Damon Wayans talked about his brief and contentious appearance on Saturday Night Live (SNL) in Season 11 of 1985.

Wayans discussed the reasons behind his intentional acts that resulted in his termination from the renowned sketch comedy show in an interview with the Peacock documentary SNL50: Beyond Saturday Night.

Wayans Explains His Exit From SNL

Wayans, who had limited on-screen experience apart from a small role in Beverly Hills Cop, said he felt destined to be on SNL.

“I was born to be on Saturday Night Live,” he stated, adding that he had been preparing characters well before his audition. While working on Beverly Hills Cop, Eddie Murphy, a former SNL cast member, offered him a piece of advice that proved prophetic: “Write your own sketches. Otherwise, they’re gonna give you some Black people shit to do, and you ain’t gonna like it.”

Wayans followed Murphy’s...

From the moment Morgan Neville was approached about making a documentary tied to the 50th anniversary of “Saturday Night Live,” he knew that he didn’t want to capture this comedy staple in a traditional way.

“The idea of doing 50 years of ‘SNL’ in 90 minutes, it’s going to be a greatest hits clip show, which is not interesting to me,” Neville, the executive producer behind Peacock’s ‘SNL50: Beyond Saturday Night,” told TheWrap. “I always feel like the fool’s errand of a lot of storytelling is trying to be completist. Everything is reductive, but filmmaking is particularly reductive.”

Instead of the predictable, Neville opted for a format that was “more irreverent and risk-taking,” an ethos that has always defined NBC’s crown jewel. To do that, Neville recruited four of his favorite directors — Robert Alexander, Neil Berkeley, Marshall Curry and Jason Zeldes — to each direct their own distinct episode.

Damon Wayans is opening up about his reason for “purposefully” getting himself fired from Saturday Night Live following his short run on the NBC show in the ’80s.

The actor and comedian appeared on the Peacock docuseries SNL50: Beyond Saturday Night, where he looked back at his time on the sketch comedy series as well as his departure. He was a castmember on SNL during season 11 in 1985.

Wayans said he had already been working on characters ahead of his audition, as he felt he was “born to be on Saturday Night Live.” He also recalled getting some advice from Eddie Murphy (who was also on SNL in the early ’80s) while appearing in Beverly Hills Cop in 1984.

“Eddie’s advice to me was, ‘Write your own sketches. Otherwise, they’re gonna give you some Black people shit to do, and you ain’t gonna like it,” Wayans said.

Once he was cast,...

Damon Wayans has revealed how he “purposely” got himself fired from “Saturday Night Live” by going off script.

Wayans was a cast member for Season 11 of the sketch comedy series, which has been deemed “the weird year,” as it marked Lorne Michaels’ return after a brief hiatus. Instead of adding up-and-comers from the comedy clubs, Michaels decided to hire an all-new cast of already-established stars. With poor reviews and low ratings, the series was on the verge of being canceled.

Wayans explained in the new Peacock docuseries “SNL50: Beyond Saturday Night” that he was not nervous about auditioning for the show, and that he had a handful of characters he had been working on. “I felt like I was born to be on ‘Saturday Night Live,'” he said.

He had former “SNL” star Eddie Murphy’s advice in the back of his head: “Eddie’s advice to me was,...

The 50th anniversary of “SNL” is about to kick off.

Acclaimed Academy and Emmy award-winning documentarian Morgan Neville is honoring the 50th anniversary of “Saturday Night Live” with docuseries “SNL50: Beyond Saturday Night,” which he executive produces. The four-part series offers a behind-the-scenes look at the history of the beloved sketch series, with each episode taking a different perspective on how the show began.

More than 60 SNL alums are interviewed onscreen, including Amy Poehler, Andy Samberg, Bill Hader, Jason Sudeikis, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Molly Shannon, Pete Davidson, Stephen Colbert, Tracy Morgan, Bob Odenkirk, Tina Fey, Seth Meyers, John Mulaney, Larry David, Will Ferrell, Rachel Dratch, and Fred Armisen.

The first installment, “Five Minutes,” is about the audition process. Emmy Award winner Robert Alexander directs the first episode, which includes never-before-seen audition footage and firsthand accounts from alums as they reflect on their preparation and journey to the “SNL” stage.

The second episode,...

Wild and crazy guys, the van down by the river, and, of course, more cowbell – just some of the classic sketches shown in the new trailer released today for Peacock‘s four-part docuseries SNL50: Beyond Saturday Night.

“Anybody can do comedy,” former cast member Tracy Morgan says at the start of the trailer before delivering the punchline – “But are you funny?”

The upcoming docuseries promises lots of funny moments from the history of Saturday Night Live. In the trailer, Tina Fey, Jimmy Fallon, Will Ferrell, Dana Carvey and Amy Poehler are among the famous faces speaking about the venerable NBC late-night series. Andy Samberg reveals he threw up after auditioning.

The docuseries, Peacock says, will offer a behind-the-scenes look “at some of the American late-night comedy institution’s most iconic elements and rich history.”

The docuseries, executive produced by Morgan Neville, includes four episodes, each taking “a different creative approach...

Peacock has released a first look at SNL50: Beyond Saturday Night, a new documentary series that offers a behind-the-scenes look at some of the American late-night comedy institution’s most iconic elements and rich history.

Executive produced by Academy and Emmy Award winner Morgan Neville, SNL50: Beyond Saturday Night streams exclusively on Peacock beginning January 16.

SNL50: Beyond Saturday Night is a four-part docuseries honoring the legacy of SNL, with over 60 contributors, including SNL alumni, and covering decades of SNL history. Spotlighting some of the show’s most iconic elements, each episode delves into the rich history of SNL and pulls back the curtain on the audition process, the writers’ room, the fan favorite “More Cowbell” sketch and the pivotal Season 11.

Each episode of the docuseries takes a different creative approach to the tapestry of Saturday Night Live and embraces the unique vision of their award-winning directors: Emmy Award winner Robert Alexander...

As tonight’s episode of Saturday Night Live wound down, the show paid tribute to its former writer John Bowman, who died suddenly at home in California on New Year’s Eve, aged 64.

Bowman wrote on the series from1988-1989 and won an Emmy for his efforts across 20 episodes, sharing the honor with Mike Myers, Al Franken, Conan O’Brien, Bob Odenkirk, Lorne Michaels, Phil Hartman, James Downey, A. Whitney Brown, Greg Daniels, Tom Davis, Shannon Gaughan, Jack Handey, Herbert Sargent, Tom Schiller, Robert Smigel, Bonnie Turner, Terry Turner, Christine Zander and George Meyer.

Bowman also made uncredited appearances in a pair of 1988 episodes hosted by actors Danny DeVito and John Lithgow.

He was otherwise best known for co-creating and producing the ’90s sitcom Martin, writing on series including In Living Color, and leading the WGA’s negotiating committee during the 2007-08 strike.

SNL‘s photo tribute to Bowman from tonight’s show,...

The first episode of The Daily Show aired July 22, 1996, meaning the milestone 25th anniversary is just weeks away. Co-creators Madeleine Smithberg and Lizz Winstead will mark the anniversary on July 19 with a virtual benefit for the latter’s nonprofit Abortion Access Front that will feature the pair and some original correspondents dishing on their early experiences on the Comedy Central show.

Confirmed to attend are A. Whitney Brown, Beth Littleford and Brian Unger, with other surprise guests expected and a program that will also include a Q&a. “Back in the 1990s, cable was the Wild West....

The first episode of The Daily Show aired on July 22, 1996, meaning the milestone 25th anniversary is just weeks away. Co-creators Madeleine Smithberg and Lizz Winstead will mark the anniversary on July 19 with a virtual benefit for the latter’s nonprofit Abortion Access Front that will feature the pair and some original correspondents dishing on their early experiences on the Comedy Central show.

Confirmed to attend are A. Whitney Brown, Beth Littleford and Brian Unger with other surprise guests expected and a program that will also include a Q&a. “Back in the 1990s, cable was the Wild ...

Rick Ludwin, an NBC stalwart of three decades who proved his value to the network both as a trusted liaison to Johnny Carson and an early champion of Jerry Seinfeld, died Sunday in Los Angeles, according to the network. He was 71.

Ludwin launched his show-biz odyssey with one legendary funnyman — the future executive did some joke-writing for Bob Hope — and later cemented his legacy with another comedy icon by supporting the game-changing Seinfeld when other executives at NBC were skeptical of airing a show that was infamously “about nothing.”

Seinfled (1989-1998) became one of the most lucrative primetime ventures in television history but Ludwin’s primary focus at NBC was guiding the network’s specials and late-night programming. Taking over the speciality in 1989, Ludwin held the high-profile post through 2011. That 22-year tenure made him a linchpin figure for Saturday Night Live — it also put him in the crossfire of the...

John Oliver leaving The Daily Show on December 19 for his own HBO show feels like a big deal: He's been on the show for seven years, and his style of righteous frustration gives the show some of its bite. As fill-in host over the summer, he proved he could anchor the show, too, making his absence all the greater. But Oliver is hardly the first person to move on from The Daily Show. Let's look back at every Daily Show contributor and correspondent who appeared on at least ten episodes during Jon Stewart's reign (hence no A. Whitney Brown and Brian Unger) but is no longer with the show. There are a lot of them!Dan Bakkedahl, 2005–07: Bakkedahl's one of those correspondents who seems much more familiar from his non–Tds work than his time on the show. You recognize him now from Veep, Community, and The Heat,...

"Saturday Night Live." It's a comedy franchise unparalleled, launching the careers of dozens of legends of the industry. As it heads into its 36th year, there are so many stars of this show that have become comedy staples and heroes to comics everywhere that it's hard to contain them all in a list. Stalwart geniuses like Dan Aykroyd, Phil Hartman, Jan Hooks and many more have their esteemed place among the beloved, reliable and versatile cast members, but here's a quick list focusing on the most innovative talents in the show's history - the people who changed how things were done.

1. John Belushi (1975 -1979)

We should really put the entire original Not Ready For Prime Time Players on this list (plus Bill Murray, who replaced Chevy Chase after the first year) for starting it all, but that would crowd everybody out. So we'll go with Belushi, star of the first ever sketch,...

Hey there, Hope everyone’s healthy and stained green today. Filled out your brackets yet? I’ve got Memphis taking out North Carolina in the finals. In other good, totally unrelated news...you can stream Mastodon’s new opus, Crack the Skye at their Mysapce page. Epic. Onward to the links… Where does he get those wonderful toys? Kruse International Auction House, apparently. /Film lets us know that the kickass Batmobile from the 1989 classic is up for sale. Just ‘cause he’s got the coolest name in TV - a revealing Caprica interview with Esai Morales, via IO9. I warned you yesterday. And today, TV by the Numbers confirms that the NBC mega-show Kings will likely be canceled after it’s piss-poor ratings showing. Don’t worry folks, you can go back to your mindless episodic cop/doctor/lawyer crap soon. Something you may or may not know...Lesbians are big nerds.