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The 50th anniversary concert of Saturday Night Live (SNL) was a hit last Friday night, but not all attendees were satisfied.
The SNL50: Homecoming Concert, which also marked the show’s 50-year run on air, paid tribute to its rich musical history live from Radio City Music Hall, with Hollywood stars in attendance.
However, Tom Hanks and his wife Rita Wilson reportedly ‘stormed out’ of the venue during the event.
Host Jimmy Fallon announced that no awards would be presented that evening, which led to Tom and Rita’s unexpected reaction.
Fallon clarified, “Apparently, there’s been some confusion. This is just a concert. We’re not giving out any awards tonight, so I want to make sure that everyone knows that.”
Following this announcement, the camera captured Tom and Rita standing up and beginning to leave the theatre. Rita even shook her finger at Fallon.
Fallon called after them, exclaiming: “Tom? Rita? We lost Tom Hanks and Rita. Sorry. It wasn’t their fault.”
Tom and Rita’s dramatic exit was, in fact, part of a skit referencing Tom’s numerous appearances on the comedy show over the years.
Tom first hosted the sketch comedy series back in 1985 during its 11th season when he was just 29.
In Peacock’s recent docuseries SNL50: Beyond Saturday Night, Tom reflected on his time on the primetime TV show, describing it as “the single most exciting thing that has happened in my career”.
In the documentary, he shared how profoundly the writer’s room influenced him, revealing: “The fact that they just put their head down and plowed through it was actually a bit of a life lesson for me.”
“Don’t read the bad reviews because someone out there is just going to hate your guts.”
He continued, expressing his awe at the experience: “The cliche of saying it was a dream come true doesn’t do it justice. It’s a fantasy made real.”
Tom Hanks, who has graced several episodes of SNL, including a memorable sketch in last year’s Christmas special with host Martin Short, joined an ensemble of celebrities on Friday night to mark a celebration filled with star-studded performances from the likes of Backstreet Boys, Cher, Chris Martin, Dave Grohl, Ms. Lauryn Hill, Mumford and Sons, and Snoop Dogg.
The stage also welcomed acts by Bad Bunny, Robyn, The B-52s, Wyclef Jean, and Miley Cyrus.