Dan Aykroyd Skipped SNL’s 50th Anniversary to Watch from Home
Jaden Patel here, reporting for duty from my couch, where the day’s finest plot twist is Dan Aykroyd’s no-show at the SNL50 Anniversary Special. This one’s got everything: nostalgia, popcorn, and an actor who’d rather lounge than limelight.
Dan Aykroyd, now 73, was conspicuous by his absence at NBC’s SNL50 Anniversary Special in February. While fellow original “Not Ready for Prime Time Players” Chevy Chase, Jane Curtin, Laraine Newman and Garrett Morris all turned up at the star-studded taping, Aykroyd opted for a very relatable alternative—staying at home. His decision wasn’t prompted by health concerns or backstage grudges. Instead, the Ghostbusters star simply wanted to watch the spectacle unfold live, from his own living room.
Speaking to Entertainment Weekly at Comic-Con 2025, Aykroyd confessed, “I wanted to be at home, and I wanted to watch the show beginning to end.” The former improv partner of Lorne Michaels emphasized that had he attended in person, he’d spend the night gearing up in a dressing room rather than enjoying the anniversary with his family. What he really craved was the simple pleasure of old-school TV viewing: his own sofa, his own popcorn, and no commercial breaks in his own head.
Before the February broadcast, Aykroyd even chimed in with a shout-out on X. On February 14th he wrote, “Cracking a Head with pride at having been a co-founder of SNL along with everyone we were together with in those four years, five decades ago. This telecast is as historical as the next moon landing.” His post paid homage to the show’s half-century milestone and reaffirmed his status as both co-founder and devoted viewer.
Long after his own SNL run ended in 1979, Aykroyd has repeatedly affirmed his status as an avid fan. In an August 2024 interview with ABC Audio ahead of Jason Reitman’s Saturday Night, he applauded the current writing team, calling it “spectacular.” True to form, he added that staying up past 11:30 p.m. to catch the show live has become his weekly challenge—though he admits he sometimes trades late-night laughs for an early lights-out.
So there you have it. The man who helped build Saturday Night Live decided the ultimate way to celebrate its 50th anniversary was to kick back at home and hit “play” alongside his family. No backstage glitz, no red carpet, just pure, unfiltered live TV—proof that even comedy legends know the best seats in the house can be your own.
Next time you hear about a missing star at a big broadcast, remember: they might just be in their pajamas, bowl of popcorn in hand, enjoying the show as much as you are.
Sources: Celebrity Storm and Entertainment Weekly, ABC Audio, E! Online, X (formerly Twitter)
Attribution: APEGA (Creative Commons)
