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Lorne Michaels once risked having bad blood with Taylor Swift, according to a new Vulture profile published Friday (Feb. 14) ahead of Saturday Night Live‘s 50th-anniversary special this weekend.
While looking back at the series creator’s legacy with SNL, the publication uncovered one moment from 2015 when the pop superstar apparently personally called Michaels to ask that he cut a sketch poking fun at her famous girl squad. Showrunners had initially reached out to Swift to ask if she would appear in the skit, according to the magazine; in addition to declining, the 14-time Grammy winner requested that the whole thing be cut.
Michaels’ response? “Taylor, I do not negotiate with terrorists,” he apparently told her over the phone, suavely tossing a piece of popcorn into the air and catching it in his mouth.
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Billboard has reached out to Swift’s rep for comment.
That year, SNL aired two sketches about the “Karma” artist’s friend group, which became a much-talked-about pop-culture staple thanks to Swift’s star-studded “Bad Blood” music video — in which she cast several of her famous pals — and her 1989 World Tour, where she often had her squad members walk out with her onstage. In one, the show imagined a post-apocalyptic reality where Swift and her buddies had taken over the whole world. (“First it was the models, then the athletes, then it was everybody,” cast member Kenan Thompson said dramatically in the spoof. “Police, the fire department, Matt LeBlanc.”)
Another sketch found Amy Poehler and Tina Fey re-creating Swift’s “Bad Blood” music video with their own version of the “squad” — featuring their nannies, gynecologist and friend Amy Schumer instead of the Eras Tour headliner’s troupe of models and actresses.
After the skit in question aired, however, Swift made sure Michaels knew that everything was cool in the end. The Monday after that week’s show, the SNL head honcho received flowers from the singer and a note reading, “I hope there’s no bad blood,” according to Vulture.
This weekend, the famed live show will air its highly anticipated SNL50 anniversary special, featuring performances from Paul McCartney, Sabrina Carpenter, Miley Cyrus and more famous guests. In its half-century on the air, Swift has appeared on the show multiple times. In 2009, she simultaneously made her hosting and musical guest debuts, after which she returned for performances in 2017, 2019 and 2021.
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Saturday Night Live premiered on Oct. 11, 1975, with host George Carlin, and ever since, the variety show has become a comedy and cultural TV institution over the past 50 years. In fact, the very first episode will re-air on Saturday (Feb. 15) at 11:30 p.m. ET/PT on NBC and Peacock.
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To celebrate its 50th anniversary, NBC has two events for SNL this weekend. The first is SNL50: The Homecoming Concert, a concert special that features the show’s legacy of musical performances on Friday (Feb. 14). It’s hosted by Jimmy Fallon. The second is SNL50: The Anniversary Special, a TV special that pays tribute to the show and its creator Lorne Michaels on Sunday (Feb. 16).
Old and new cast members, along with a number of celebrities, athletes, politicians, comedians and recording artists, come to Studio 8H in NBC Studios at 30 Rockefeller Plaza in New York City for SNL50: The Anniversary Special.
When Does ‘SNL50: The Homecoming Concert’ Start?
SNL50: The Homecoming Concert airs Friday, Feb. 14, at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT. It’s available on NBC and Peacock live.
When Does ‘SNL50: The Anniversary Special’ Start?
SNL50: The Anniversary Special broadcasts live on Sunday, Feb. 16, at 8 p.m. ET/PT. The TV special airs on NBC, while it’s also available to stream on Peacock at the same time.
Who Is Performing During ‘SNL50: The Homecoming Concert’?
The concert special SNL50: The Homecoming Concert features a number of recording artists performing throughout the evening. Here’s a complete of performers, below:
Arcade Fire
Backstreet Boys
Bad Bunny
Bonnie Raitt
Brandi Carlile
Brittany Howard
Cher
Chris Martin
Dave Grohl
David Byrne
DEVO
Eddie Vedder
Jack White
Jelly Roll
Lady Gaga
Lauryn Hill
Miley Cyrus
Mumford & Sons
Post Malone
Preservation Hall Jazz Band
Robyn
Snoop Dogg
St. Vincent
The B-52s
The Roots
Wyclef Jean
Who Appears on ‘SNL50: The Anniversary Special’?
Since SNL has been a pop-culture touchpoint over the last 50 years, and SNL50: The Anniversary Special will be a star-studded event with the biggest stars in attendance. Below, you’ll find a list of just a few of the celebrities who will be in appearance.
Adam Driver
Ayo Edebiri
Bad Bunny
Dave Chappelle
John Mulaney
Kim Kardashian
Martin Short
Miley Cyrus
Paul McCartney
Paul Simon
Pedro Pascal
Peyton Manning
Quinta Brunson
Robert De Niro
Sabrina Carpenter
Scarlett Johansson
Steve Martin
Tom Hanks
Woody Harrelson
Where to Watch ‘SNL50: The Homecoming Concert’ & ‘SNL50: The Anniversary Special’ for Free
If you’re a cord-cutter, you have a few ways to watch both SNL50: The Homecoming Concert and SNL50: The Anniversary Special online — especially if you want to watch for free. DirecTV Stream has a five-day free trial, while other streaming services — such as Hulu + Live TV — also offer a free trial so you can watch NBC for free.
Keep reading for more details on how to watch the TV special with Peacock, DirecTV Stream and Hulu + Live TV.
How to Watch ‘SNL50: The Homecoming Concert’ & ‘SNL50: The Anniversary Special’ With Peacock
Both TV specials broadcast on NBC and livestream on Peacock for Premium or Premium Plus subscribers only. If you don’t subscribe to the streaming service, you can get access with a Peacock monthly subscription, which starts at $7.99 per month for the ad-supported plan, or $13.99 per month for the ad-free plan.
And right now, every episode from every season of Saturday Night Live from that past 50 years is streaming on Peacock.
Along with SNL50: The Homecoming Concert and SNL50: The Anniversary Special, you can also watch the backlog of SNL starting with season 1 and going all the way through season 50 — that’s a whopping 50 seasons of TV with a subscription to Peacock. In addition, you’ll get access to original programming, such as Love Island USA, Laid, Bel-Air, The Traitors, Poker Face and others; hit movies, including The Wild Robot, Monkey Man, Abigail, The Holdovers, Oppenheimer and others; live sports from NBC Sports; live news from NBC News; and more than 50 streaming channels.
How to Watch ‘SNL50: The Homecoming Concert’ & ‘SNL50: The Anniversary Special’ With DirecTV Stream
A subscription to DirecTV Stream — which comes with NBC for SNL50: The Homecoming Concert and SNL50: The Anniversary Special — gets you access to live TV, local and cable channels, starting at $74.99 per month. The service even offers a five-day free trial to watch for free if you sign up now.
You can watch local networks such as CBS, ABC, Fox, and PBS, while you can also watch many cable networks, including FS1, Lifetime, FX, AMC, A&E, Bravo, BET, MTV, Paramount Network, Cartoon Network, VH1, Fuse, CNN, Food Network, CNBC and many others.
How to Watch ‘SNL50: The Homecoming Concert’ & ‘SNL50: The Anniversary Special’ with Fubo
To watch SNL50: The Homecoming Concert and SNL50: The Anniversary Special on NBC, Fubo starts at $59.99 for the first month, $84.99 per month afterwards (the streamer’s current deal) with more than 210 channels — including local and cable — that are streamable on smart TVs, smartphones, tablets and on web browsers.
The service even gets you live access to local broadcast networks including Fox, CBS and ABC, while it also has dozens of cable networks, such as ESPN, Bravo, CMT, ID, TV Land, VH1, TLC, E!, FS1, MTV, FX, Ion, OWN, Paramount Network and much more.
How to Watch ‘SNL50: The Homecoming Concert’ & ‘SNL50: The Anniversary Special’ With Hulu + Live TV
SNL50: The Homecoming Concert and SNL50: The Anniversary Special on NBC are available to watch with Hulu + Live TV too. Prices for the cable alternative start at $82.99 per month, while each plan comes with Hulu, Disney+ and ESPN+ at no additional cost.
Hulu + Live TV might be best for those who want all of these streaming services together in one bundle. It also features many other networks, including ABC, Hallmark Channel, BET, CMT, Disney Channel, NBC, Fox Sports and more.
Where to Buy SNL50 Funko Pop! Figures Online
For SNL’s 50th anniversary, Funko has dropped limited-edition SNL Pop! figures of some of the most popular characters from the variety show’s 50 years, including Matt Foley (Chris Farley), Gilly (Kristen Wiig), Direct from Domingo (Marcello Hernandez), Debbie Downer (Rachel Dratch) and much more. Figures start at $12 and can be found at Funko.com.
Funko
SNL Pop! Matt Foley
Funko
SNL Pop! Gilly
Funko
SNL Pop! Direct from Domingo
Funko
SNL Pop! GuapLord
SNL50: The Homecoming Concert and SNL50: The Anniversary Special are both available to watch on NBC via DirecTV Stream or Hulu + Live TV, to stream on Peacock on Friday, Feb. 14 and Sunday, Feb. 16, respectively.
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You may not always be able to sing them at work in full voice, but over the past half century Saturday Night Live has given us some of the most hilarious, surprisingly tuneful (and often NSFW) musical shorts and original comedy tunes in TV history.
From second season cast member Bill Murray’s smarmy Nick the Lounge Singer’s groovy original Star Wars theme song to Eddie Murphy’s dead-on impersonation of soul legend James Brown and Adam Sandler’s seasonal classic “Hanukkah Song” and howling Opera Man bits, the sketches work because — as former cast member Maya Rudolph said in one of the recent anniversary specials — “when you can really sing, that’s when you’re the funniest.”
Plus, when you really, really love the music you’re spoofing, it shows, as in the legendary “More Cowbell” sketch and, of course, Justin Timberlake and Andy Samberg’s ribbon-rung new jack surprise, “D–k in a Box.” Whether they’re parody songs, topical tunes or just left-field jams about crypto currency or airport sushi, the show has always found a way to balance earworm singability with LOL lyrics.
In the recent Questlove-directed Ladies & Gentleman… 50 Years of SNL Music primetime special, Rudolph — an accomplished vocalist herself, and daughter of legendary soul singer Minnie Riperton — explained that Murphy’s eerily spot-on version of Stevie Wonder was so perfectly funny, “not because he’s dressed as Stevie Wonder… it’s funny because he’s pulling off the musicality of Stevie Wonder.”
Parody songs and original musical bits have been a part of the show’s fabric since the Not-Ready-For-Primetime-Players debuted on Oct. 11, 1975 with a cast including future legends Chevy Chase, Laraine Newman, Dan Akroyd, John Belushi, Jane Curtin, Garrett Morris, Gilda Radner and others. But the volume, quality and virality of the show’s for-laughs songs have rocketed to new heights over the past 20 years thanks to a string of stone cold killer tunes from the Samberg-led writing/producing trio The Lonely Island.
Their roster of must-pass-around bits are among the modern era’s most beloved, including such chart-worthy ditties as “Lazy Sunday” — the first SNL digital short to blow up on a then-nascent YouTube — to “Motherlover,” “Jizz in My Pants,” “I’m on a Boat” and “I Just Had Sex.”
The trio’s golden ear for musical comedy gold has continued to keep SNL buzzing in our ears as recent casts have added in such modern marvels as “Murder Show,” “Yolo” and “This is Not a Feminist Song,” as well as former writer and frequent guest host John Mulaney’s bonkers off-Broadway-worthy musical extravaganzas. And if you missed A Complete Unknown star Timothée Chalamet’s 2020 ode to his favorite miniature mount, “Tiny Horse,” the first time — saddle up, it’s a whole ride.
Though the list of our favorites is way longer — and you won’t find any of Belushi’s iconic Blues Brothers bits here, because they featured covers of classic blues songs, not originals — here are our 50 favorite SNL original songs/musical shorts ever, as we prepare for the all-star prime-time SNL 50 special on NBC airing this Sunday (Feb. 16).
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Featuring memorable show introductions from Taylor Swift, Ariana Grande and more.
With under two weeks to go until Saturday Night Live host their homecoming concert as part of their 50th-anniversary celebrations, the prolific Dave Grohl has been added to the lineup of performers.
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Hosted by Jimmy Fallon, the SNL 50: The Homecoming Concert will take place at 8 p.m. ET on Feb. 14 at Radio City Music Hall in New York City, with live streaming available on Peacock. It’s part of the iconic show’s ongoing birthday celebrations which have also included the premiere of the 50 Years of SNL Music documentary on Jan. 27, and the SNL50: Beyond Saturday Night documentary on Jan. 16.
On Thursday (Jan. 30), SNL announced the names which will feature in their upcoming concert, with previous show hosts and performers Bad Bunny, Lady Gaga and Miley Cyrus appearing atop the bill.
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Elsewhere, the likes Post Malone, Jelly Roll and the Backstreet Boys can also be found on the bill, in addition to Arcade Fire, Bonnie Raitt, Brandi Carlile, Chris Martin, David Byrne, DEVO, Eddie Vedder, Jack White, Mumford & Sons, The B-52s and The Roots.
At the time, it was noted that more performers would be announced leading up to the show, with Consequence now confirming that Dave Grohl will also be joining the lineup.
Though absent from the initial announcement, a promotional video for the event has since mentioned Grohl’s presence. Notably, Grohl is the only artist featured in the video who was not named in last week’s lineup, though the clip also overlooks mention of confirmed performers Brittany Howard, Preservation Hall Jazz Band, and Robyn.
The Foo Fighters founder has been largely absent from the public eye since September 2024 when he announced he had become the father of a new baby born outside of his marriage to Jordyn Blum. “I love my wife and my children, and I am doing everything I can to regain their trust and earn their forgiveness,” a statement released by Grohl at the time read.
Grohl’s upcoming contribution to the SNL’s Homecoming Concert makes sense, however. To date, he holds the record for most musical appearances on the show, with 15 performances taking place between 1992 and 2023.
These include nine times with the Foo Fighters, twice with Nirvana, once as a drummer for Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, and once as a member of Them Crooked Vultures. The Foo Fighters have also appeared as a special guest with Mick Jagger in 2012, and Grohl also performed with his Nirvana bandmates alongside Paul McCartney later that same year.
More recently, Grohl also appeared in the 50 Years of SNL Music documentary, and on Thursday (Jan. 30), took part in a Nirvana reunion as part of the FireAid LA Benefit Concert. Appearing alongside bandmates Krist Novoselic and Pat Smear, the four-song set featured guest vocalists St. Vincent, Kim Gordon, and Joan Jett, with Grohl’s own daughter Violet closing out proceedings with a rendition of “All Apologies”.
Saturday Night Live‘s 50th-anniversary celebrations are in full swing, with the famed comedy program announcing a live homecoming concert with an all-star lineup Thursday (Jan. 30).
Hosted by Jimmy Fallon and featuring performances from Bad Bunny, Lady Gaga and Miley Cyrus — all three of whom have hosted and performed on Lorne Michaels’ iconic series — SNL 50: The Homecoming Concert will take place at 8 p.m. ET on Feb. 14 at Radio City Music Hall in New York City. It’ll also stream live on Peacock, with fan screening events scheduled for a handful of Regal Cinemas theaters across the U.S.
Post Malone, Jelly Roll and the Backstreet Boys are also on the lineup, as are Arcade Fire, Bonnie Raitt, Brandi Carlile, Brittany Howard, Chris Martin, David Byrne, DEVO, Eddie Vedder, Jack White, Mumford & Sons, Preservation Hall Jazz Band, Robyn, The B-52s and The Roots. Even more performers will be announced leading up to the show.
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The musical event is just one of several ways SNL is celebrating its milestone anniversary next month. Two days after the concert, SNL50: The Anniversary Special will air on NBC and Peacock.
NBC has also unveiled a “Live From New York: The SNL50 Experience” pop-up in New York City, which is only available to visit through Sunday (Feb. 2). Guests are treated as if they are hosting an episode of SNL and get to walk out to the show’s theme song on a re-creation of its famous set, sit at the “Weekend Update” guest, check out props from some of the most iconic sketches and more.
The celebrations come at the close of a notable 50th season for SNL, which has seen Ariana Grande, Charli XCX, Jean Smart, John Mulaney, Timothée Chalamet and more stars host. Chappell Roan, Stevie Nicks, Gracie Abrams, Hozier, Billie Eilish, Shaboozey and several other artists have also graced 30 Rock as musical guests this season.
In the 50-year history of Saturday Night Live, the show’s myriad musical highlights have been paired with plenty of controversies, but creator and producer Lorne Michaels has asserted that no musical guest has ever been barred from returning.
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Michaels’ claims emerged in the new three-hour documentary Ladies & Gentleman… 50 Years of SNL Music, which premiered on NBC on Monday (Jan. 27). Alongside notable revelations in regards to the show’s musical history (including the fact that no one seems to know the melody to the SNL theme song), Michaels pushed back at long-standing reports that numerous artists have been banned from the show for various reasons.
“I’ll read it sometimes in the Post, ‘So and so’s banned for life,’” Michaels explained. “We’ve never banned anyone. We’re way too crass and opportunistic. If something’s hot, we’re going to go for it and have it on.”
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Though it’s not exactly clear where the reports that artists have been banned from SNL have emerged from over the years, a number of controversial appearances make it easy to see why bans would be expected.
One of the earliest incidents of an apparently banned performer came from a December 1977 episode in which Elvis Costello stepped in for the Sex Pistols. Despite planning to perform “Less Than Zero”, Costello switched up his set at the last moment and instead performed “Radio Radio” – a track that was critical of commercial radio in his native U.K. Undeterred by the negative reaction his appearance generated from the show’s staff, Costello later returned to the show in 1989, 1991, and again in 1999 where he parodied his first performance alongside the Beastie Boys.
Among the most notable examples of controversial musical guests was that of Sinéad O’Connor, who tore up an image of Pope John Paul II during an a cappella performance of Bob Marley’s “War” in 1992. Protesting sexual abuse within the Roman Catholic Church, O’Connor’s urging for viewers to “fight the real enemy” became one of the most infamous moments on the show’s history.
Other instances also include Los Angeles punk outfit Fear appearing on the show at the insistence of John Belushi in 1981, with their rowdy set reportedly causing $500,000 in damage. A 2004 performance from Ashlee Simpson also gained international notoriety after she was revealed to be lip-syncing due to illness, though she would later return the following year without incident.
The nascent documentary also featured further information about Rage Against the Machine’s 1996 performance, in which they appeared alongside then-presidential candidate Steve Forbes.
Following a version of “Bulls on Parade” (which was planned to feature upside-down American flags hung from their amps until stagehands intervened), bassist Tim Commerford vented his frustration by throwing one of the flags into Forbes’ empty dressing room. The incident caused the Secret Service to respond on behalf of the billionaire, locking the band down in their dressing room until the completion of the show.
The 50 Years of SNL Music documentary – which is co-directed by Oscar-winning Roots drummer Questlove – is part of SNL’s 50th anniversary programming, and arrived following the premiere of SNL50: Beyond Saturday Night on Jan. 16.
Timothée Chalamet playfully poked fun at himself during his Saturday Night Live monologue on Jan. 25.
The 29-year-old actor, who stars as Bob Dylan in the new film A Complete Unknown, took on dual roles as both host and musical guest for the night. Returning for his third time as host, the New York native opened his nearly five-minute monologue by joking about his frequent losses at major award shows and his struggle with facial hair.
“This is my third time hosting Saturday Night Live, but the first time hosting it with a little stache and a little goatee,” Chalamet quipped, referencing a Golden Globes joke. “That’s 37 hairs right there,” he added, as the camera zoomed in on his goatee.
Chalamet also reflected on his role as the folk icon, which follows his 2023 film Wonka.
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“I will say, it was a little weird playing Bob Dylan right after I played Willy Wonka,” he said. “But I actually discovered that the two men have a lot in common. They’re both eccentric, they’re both innovators, and they both captured and enslaved hundreds of Oompa-Loompas.”
Chalamet then shifted to his repeated losses at awards shows, showing a montage of his disappointed reactions when winners were announced.
“It’s an enormous honor going to these award shows,” he said before setting up the video. “It’s a great experience but I just keep losing. And each time, it gets harder to pretend it doesn’t sting. Let’s take a look. Oh man, just another lonely night with my Dune popcorn bucket.”
A Complete Unknown, directed by James Mangold, has earned eight Academy Award nominations, including best picture. After the compilation video, Chalamet was set to practice an acceptance speech — only to be interrupted by SNL cast member Kenan Thompson, who humorously took the faux award for himself.
Chalamet wrapped up his monologue by teasing the Dylan songs he would perform later in the show.
“You might not know the Bob Dylan songs I’m performing, but they’re my personal favorites,” he told the audience. “And I’m so grateful Saturday Night Live is still doing weird stuff life this 50 years in.”
He added with a grin, “They’re either really nice for letting me do this or incredibly mean, and this is all a big prank. I sincerely can’t tell. We’ll find out.”
Introduced by SNL alum Adam Sandler, Chalamet began his musical guest spot with a high-energy performance of “Outlaw Blues,” which smoothly transitioned into a more intimate, spoken-word version of “Three Angels,” with surprise guest James Blake on keyboards and backing vocals. He later returned with an acoustic guitar for a heartfelt cover of “Tomorrow Is a Long Time,” again accompanied by Blake on keys and vocals.
Watch Chalamet’s full SNL monologue below. For those without cable, the broadcast streams on Peacock, which you can sign up for at the link here. Having a Peacock account also gives fans access to previous SNL episodes.
01/17/2025
From Paul Simon to Charli XCX, dozens of artists have etched their name into 30 Rock history since 1975.
01/17/2025
Timothée Chalamet has hosted Saturday Night Live before, but for him, the musical guest slot has remained a complete unknown — until now. As announced Friday (Jan. 10), the actor will return to 30 Rock on Jan. 25 for his third time hosting the NBC comedy series, this time serving as his own musical guest. […]