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While NBC has revealed some of the stars who are expected to appear, many of the special’s moments, cameos and music performances remain a surprise.
NEW YORK — Fifty seasons of “Saturday Night Live” sketches, songs and special guests will be celebrated Sunday as the variety show celebrates its landmark anniversary.
The pop culture juggernaut has launched the careers of generations of comedians, from Bill Murray to Eddie Murphy and Tina Fey to Kristen Wiig.
Many of those stars will be on hand for “SNL50: The Anniversary Celebration,” airing live from New York on Sunday beginning at 8 p.m. Eastern and 5 p.m. Pacific.
“I grew up with the show, you know, and I was born in 1971 and it’s lived with me my whole life,” Amy Poehler, who was a cast member from 2001 to 2008,” said on Sunday ahead of the show’s start. “We have a show to do in just under two hours, and being back is an amazing privilege.”
The three-hour extravaganza comes after months of celebrations of “Saturday Night Live,” which premiered Oct. 11, 1975, with an original cast that included John Belushi, Chevy Chase and Gilda Radner.
It’s become appointment television over the years as the show has skewered presidents, politics and pop culture and been a platform for the biggest musical stars of the moment. As streaming has altered television viewing, “SNL” sketches, host monologues and short comedy films remain popular on social media and routinely rack up millions of views on YouTube.
Each “SNL” episode holds at least some surprises, and Sunday’s special is no different. While NBC has revealed some of the stars who are expected to appear, many of the special’s moments, cameos and music performances remain a surprise.
On Sunday, NBC announced more guest appearances including Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Leslie Jones, Billy Crystal, Cher, Mike Myers and Alec Baldwin, who holds the title of the person who’s hosted “SNL” the most times. The network is still promising more surprises.
Here’s what to know ahead of “SNL50: The Anniversary Celebration.”
When does the ‘SNL’ 50th anniversary tribute show start?
NBC will air “SNL50: The Anniversary Celebration” on Sunday beginning at 8 p.m. Eastern and 5 p.m. Pacific. The anniversary show will also stream on Peacock.
A red carpet show hosted by “SNL” alumna Leslie Jones and NBC News’ Willie Geist will precede the special, beginning at 7 p.m. Eastern on NBC and Peacock.
Which ‘SNL’ alums are slated to appear?
Prepare for generations of “SNL” stars to return for Sunday’s special. NBC says in addition to Murphy, Poehler and Fey, you can expect: Adam Sandler, Andy Samberg, Chris Rock, Fred Armisen, Jason Sudeikis, Jimmy Fallon, Kate McKinnon, Kristen Wiig, Maya Rudolph, Molly Shannon, Pete Davidson, Seth Meyers, Tracy Morgan, Will Ferrell and Will Forte. Current cast member Kenan Thompson’s appearance was also touted.
Some members of the first “Saturday Night Live” cast, known as the Not Ready for Prime Time Players, will appear, including Chase, Laraine Newman, Garrett Morris and Jane Curtin. A publicist for Dan Aykroyd, the lone remaining surviving member, did not respond to a request for comment on whether he would attend.
Which former hosts will appear on ‘SNL50’?
Steve Martin, who has left an indelible comedic mark on “SNL” over the years, will be among the many successful hosts returning for the show’s 50th celebration.
Other prolific and returning hosts range from actors like Tom Hanks, Martin Short and Scarlett Johansson (who is married to current “SNL” cast member Colin Jost) to athletes like Peyton Manning. Former “SNL” writer John Mulaney will appear, as will Adam Driver, Ayo Edebiri, Kim Kardashian, Paul Simon, Pedro Pascal, Quinta Brunson, Robert De Niro and Woody Harrelson.
How will ‘SNL’ honor its musical legacy?
In some ways, it already has. Radio City Music Hall on Friday hosted the star-packed “SNL50: The Homecoming Concert” with a lineup that included Cher, Miley Cyrus, Arcade Fire, David Byrne, Post Malone and Nirvana.
Sunday’s special will include appearances by Paul McCartney, Sabrina Carpenter, Bad Bunny, Cyrus and other music stars, though the show hasn’t said whether all will perform. McCartney has used New York’s Bowery Ballroom as a warm-up spot, hosting three surprise shows this week.
The musical legacy of “SNL” is also explored in the documentary “Ladies and Gentlemen … 50 Years of SNL Music,” from the Oscar-winning Questlove. It’s currently streaming on Peacock.
Writer John Carucci contributed to this report.
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