SNL’s 50th Bash: The Not-So-Usual Suspects
The iconic *Saturday Night Live* celebrated its 50th-anniversary special in a major throwback fest filled with beloved skits, celebrity cameos, and musical performances, but the night wasn’t without its noticeable absences. Comedian Dana Carvey, known for his classic characters like the Church Lady, had a rather unfortunate excuse for missing the shindig—flu. This isn’t just a regular cold, folks; it’s a genuine bummer, especially given his recent resurgence as Biden on the show. Carvey will likely address his absence on an episode of his podcast, *Fly on the Wall*, alongside fellow SNL alum David Spade, who did make a guest appearance at the celebration.
Then there’s Bill Hader. You might remember him as one of SNL’s kings of absurdity—he graced the stage for eight glittering seasons, earning himself a couple of Emmy nominations in the process. This talented actor had to skip the gala due to, as his rep graciously put it, a “longstanding schedule conflict.” Given Hader’s previous confessions about battling panic attacks during his SNL tenure, you can’t help but wonder if the emotional toll played a role in his absence from the big celebration. Hader has openly discussed the pressures of SNL, revealing to *Variety* that he felt “like a basket case” while on the show. Yikes!
Also missing in action was Colin Quinn, who originally strutted his stuff as a writer before becoming the anchor of “Weekend Update.” Quinn was busy performing in North Carolina as part of his ongoing comedy tour. Talk about commitment!
Adding to the list of legends who sat this one out was Dan Aykroyd, the only original cast member absent from the event. Aykroyd had to decline due to “prior commitments,” but he still gave a nod to the momentous occasion on social media, affectionately declaring the anniversary as monumental as the next moon landing. Seriously, who needs to be there in person when one can share their proud dad moment on social media? Meanwhile, Dennis Miller was also M.I.A., although he managed to snag a cheeky shoutout from Bill Murray during the festivities.
In a nutshell, while the 50th anniversary was a star-studded event—filled with legends—it’s clear that some beloved faces were missing. But hey, there’s always the next milestone!
Sources: Celebrity Storm Wire and Entertainment Weekly, Variety, People Magazine
