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Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson of The Roots is one of the foremost minds in music knowledge and history today, using his platforms and connections to the industry to great effect. Questlove, an Academy Award-winning director, is set to hit the chair once more to helm the 50 Years of SNL Music documentary.
Questlove, 53, was tapped to direct the 50 Years of SNL Music documentary, looking back at the sketch comedy series’ special segment for its musical guests over the past five decades.
Joining in on the directing duties will be SNL director Oz Rodriguez and will feature more than 50 interviews from some of the past guests such as Darryl “DMC” McDaniels of Run-DMC fame, Miley Cyrus, Paul Simon, and more. The doc will also feature former and current SNL writers and crew members including onscreen albums Maya Rudolph and Bill Hader, and former writer Conan O’Brien.
“Everyone knows the most famous SNL appearances, whether it’s Elvis Costello, Prince or the Beastie Boys, but they’re the tip of a huge iceberg,” Questlove shared in a statement. “The process of going back through the incredible archival footage was like being in a time machine, DeLorean or other. I’m so happy I went on the trip and now get to share it with everyone.”
Questlove’s Summer of Soul documentary, which examines the 1969 Harlem Cultural Festival, won the Academy Award for Best Documentary in 2022.
Eddie Murphy, Al Franken, Justin Timberlake, Kenan Thompson, and a host of other significant SNL contributors and guests will also appear in 50 Years of SNL Music.
The documentary airs on Monday, January 27, on NBC at 8 p.m. ET/PT, streaming next day on Peacock.
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Photo: Getty
A local community theater director, accurately portrayed by Martin Short, comes in to critique a performance of A Charlie Brown Christmas in SNL‘s Peanuts Christmas sketch that aired Saturday night (Dec. 21).
The SNL ensemble is full of spot-on spoofs of Peanuts characters in the sketch (hats off to the wardrobe and props departments), and they’re bopping away to the classic theme song “Linus and Lucy.”
Drake Tuttle (Short, who hosted Saturday’s holiday episode of SNL) is joined by a self-proclaimed “genius” choreographer named Lestat (Bowen Yang). In full transparency, Tuttle discloses that they’ve been romantically involved. (They “used to date,” he says, “and our relationship is very weird.”)
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“Your principal hired me to direct your pageant,” he tells the Peanuts crew, to protests that Charlie Brown is their director.
“And I’m sorry to say he’s dead,” Tuttle announces, pausing for dramatic effect before adding, “to me.”
Tuttle tries to give notes. Lestat tries to incorporate modern hip-hip into the production. Nothing quite goes their way, until they discover their star: Snoopy (Kenan Thompson).
The sketch arrives while the soundtrack for A Charlie Brown Christmas from the Vince Guaraldi Trio, originally released in 1965, currently sits at No. 1 on the Billboard Kid Albums chart, thanks to the Christmastime popularity of the special.
Watch SNL‘s Peanuts Christmas below. For those watching with kids, be warned there’s some innuendo here, particularly when it comes to the jokes Short and Yang direct toward Schroeder — and unlike the actual animated Peanuts specials, what the grownups say can be heard on SNL‘s special.
For more holiday laughs, check out Saturday night’s Sábado Gigante Christmas Special sketch, and for a musical fix, don’t miss Hozier’s performance.
Sábado Gigante ended in 2015, but SNL brought the long-running variety show back to TV, at least via short-form comedy, this season.
Cast member Marcello Hernández plays Don Francisco in the Dec. 21 episode’s Sábado Gigante Christmas Special sketch, also starring guest Paul Rudd as a clueless audience member who doesn’t speak Spanish yet finds himself on the Sábado Gigante stage. It’s a reprisal of the role for Hernández, who first appeared as the Chilean TV star in an SNL sketch in October, when Nate Bargatze was the one who had no idea what was happening on Sábado Gigante.
Rudd, playing a man named Greg, is called to the stage as a contestant in Saturday night’s skit.
“Dónde está Greg?” Hernández announces, then waves “mi gringo favorito” over to the spotlight.
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“I’m not supposed to be here,” says Rudd, who looks lost. “I missed my flight out of Miami, and instead of a voucher, they gave me a ticket to this show.”Hernández, in a silly Santa hat, ignores him completely and instructs him to choose a number.
Rudd picks “uno.” This turns out to be an unfortunate choice: “Miami Frosty,” or Frosty the Snowman melting in the sun and crying, “Yo soy agua,” is unveiled, to Rudd’s discomfort. “Oh, Greg. Como se dice, ‘You killed him’?” Hernández asks with feigned horror.
Later in the segment, he realizes he’s being asked a question with a prize of $1 million and needs to give Hernández an answer — rápido. Unfortunately, this question proves to puzzle poor Greg.
Watch SNL‘s Sábado Gigante Christmas Special below. Elsewhere during Saturday’s holiday episode of SNL, which was hosted by Martin Short, Hozier performed his hit “Too Sweet” and a cover of The Pogues’ “Fairytale of New York.”
SNL musical guest Hozier closed the season with his hit “Too Sweet” and a cover of The Pogues‘ “Fairytale of New York” on the Martin Short-hosted episode Saturday night (Dec. 21). Introduced by Short, Hozier performed “Too Sweet,” his 2024 chart-topper that took off 10 years after his breakthrough single “Take Me to Church,” which […]
Martin Short and Hozier have celebrated both the holiday season and their respective returns to Saturday Night Live in the latest promo clips released for this weekend’s episode. Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news The episode, which airs on Saturday (Dec. 21) will be the first musical appearance […]
Saturday Night Live is currently celebrating its 50th anniversary, and the festivities continue with a brand new documentary NBC announced on Thursday (Dec. 19).
Ladies & Gentlemen… 50 Years of SNL Music will feature interviews with artists, cast members, writers and producers who have contributed to SNL‘s iconic legacy. The three-hour documentary will also “feature untold stories behind the culture-defining, groundbreaking and newsmaking musical performances, sketches and cameos of the past 50 years,” per a press release description.
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The broadcast is directed by Questlove and Oz Rodriguez, and produced by Two One Five Entertainment, RadicalMedia and Broadway Video. Questlove also serves as executive producer alongside Lorne Michaels, Zarah Zohlman, Erin David, Dave Sirulnick, Jon Kamen, Meredith Bennett, Alexander H. Browne, Shawn Gee and Tariq Trotter. Rodriguez serves as producer.
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Bad Bunny, DJ Breakout, Elvis Costello, Miley Cyrus, Billie Eilish and Finneas, Dave Grohl, Debbie Harry and Chris Stein, Mick Jagger, Dua Lipa, Darryl DMC McDaniels, Tom Morello, Kacey Musgraves, Olivia Rodrigo, MC Sha-Rack, Paul Simon, Chris Stapleton, Justin Timberlake, Lee Ving and Jack White are all the musicians set to appear in the documentary. The show will also feature cast members including Jimmy Fallon, Bowen Yang, Fred Armisen, Conan O’Brien, Bill Hader, Eddie Murphy, Andy Samberg, Kenan Thompson, Maya Rudolph and many more.
“Everyone knows the most famous SNL appearances, whether it’s Elvis Costello, Prince or the Beastie Boys, but they’re the tip of a huge iceberg,” Questlove said in a press statement. “The process of going back through the incredible archival footage was like being in a time machine, DeLorean or other. I’m so happy I went on the trip and now get to share it with everyone.”
Ladies & Gentlemen… 50 Years of SNL Music will premiere Jan. 27 at 8 p.m. ET/PT on NBC and stream the next day on Peacock. The documentary is part of a collection of celebratory programming, including a four-part SNL50: Beyond Saturday Night Peacock docuseries on Jan. 16 and a live primetime special on Feb. 16 on NBC and Peacock.
Martin Short is set to host Saturday Night Live this weekend (Dec. 21), and he couldn’t help but throw playful jabs at his friends in a new promo for the upcoming episode. Explore Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news In the hilarious clip shared on Wednesday (Dec. 18), […]
Weekend Update had SNL‘s Jane Wickline singing a comedic song as Sabrina Carpenter Saturday night (Dec. 14) — one that named pop stars like Taylor Swift and Harry Styles, both of whom the internet has no problem gossiping about when it comes to sexuality. Carpenter apparently hasn’t been a big part of that particular rumor mill. In the sketch, Wickline portrays the “Taste” singer as feeling left out.
“A lot of people on the internet like to start these juicy rumors about whether pop stars are gay, and this is a new song that I, Sabrina Carpenter, wrote called ‘When Will Even One Person Do That About Me?’” the SNL cast member explained ahead of performing a parody based on what Carpenter might think of it all.
Of course, the song sounded nothing like an actual Carpenter hit. “I can’t look or sound like her. She’s completely perfect,” Wickline said, but added, “For the purposes of this song, I am her.”
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“Taylor Swift sings about a crush on her best friend/ And you all cry ‘lesbian’ because she didn’t phrase it ‘my boy best friend,’” she sang in front of a keyboard.
“In a music video, I make out with Jenna Ortega/ No one doubts me at all when I say this is a metaphor for one of my ex-boyfriends/ And that is all it was, but no one ever wondered,” Wickline’s Carpenter said. In the next verse she pointed out that making out with her female co-star in “Taste” merely resulted in online chatter like “I heard this song is about Shawn Mendes.”
“Help me/ Just tell me where I’m doing wrong/ Why am I the only straight pop star/ Taken at their word?/ It’s lonely/ I do gay stuff and you don’t get mad/ I just want the same treatment/ I want to have mystique/ Why don’t you think I’m either bi or pretending that I might be/ I’m not bi or pretending, but why does no one think I’m lying/ I just want you to think I might have secrets,” she sang.
Wickline went on to remind everyone that Carpenter also locked lips with a female alien during the MTV Video Music Awards stage in September, while performing a medley of her hits.
“I also made out with a girl alien at the VMAs/ Nothing!” she lamented in her song.
Carpenter hasn’t commented on the bit.
Watch the “Weekend Update” that pokes fun at Carpenter in the clip below. Elsewhere during the Chris Rock-hosted episode, musical guest Gracie Abrams played “That’s So True” and “I Love You, I’m Sorry.”
Gracie Abrams made her first-ever appearance on Saturday Night Live.
During the Dec. 14 episode hosted by Chris Rock, the 25-year-old pop star performed two tracks from her sophomore album The Secret of Us and its deluxe edition, both released in 2024.
Setting a cozy, intimate scene with a candlelit backdrop, a crackling fireplace and soft Christmas lights, Abrams opened with “That’s So True,” a bonus track from the deluxe version. The song, which hit No. 6 on the Billboard Hot 100 in November, was delivered with passion as Abrams — dressed in a white shirt and matching bowtie — was accompanied by her backing band.
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Later in the show, Abrams returned to perform “I Love You, I’m Sorry,” a lilting track that peaked at No. 19 on the Hot 100 in October. For the second performance, she switched to a long black gown, while her band members sported black-and-white tuxedos.
Her SNL debut caps an extraordinary year for Abrams, who wrapped up her run opening for Taylor Swift’s The Eras Tour on Dec. 6. She is also nominated for best pop/duo group performance at the 2025 Grammy Awards for her collaboration with Swift on the song “Us.”
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Last week, Abrams announced a new set of North American tour dates for 2025 in support of The Secret of Us deluxe edition. The six-date tour will take her through Canada, the U.S. and Mexico starting July 24 in Boston and ending Aug. 26 in Mexico City. The dates follow her previously announced European and Asian legs in the spring of 2025.
Abrams previously toured North America this fall in support of the original The Secret of Us album, which debuted at No. 2 on the Billboard 200 after its June release.
SNL is currently celebrating its 50th anniversary season, which began in September and will culminate in a special weekend and live primetime event on Feb. 16. So far this season, Charli XCX has pulled double duty as both host and musical guest, while other notable hosts like Ariana Grande, John Mulaney, and Bill Burr have shared the spotlight with musical guests including Billie Eilish, Mk.gee, Chappell Roan and Jelly Roll.
Watch Abrams’ SNL performances 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.
Saturday Night Live is taking a playful jab at Timothée Chalamet at the premiere of his upcoming film A Complete Unknown.
In a sketch during the Dec. 7 episode, hosted by Paul Mescal, SNL cast member Heidi Gardner plays a fictional BuzzFeed reporter on the red carpet for the debut of the new Bob Dylan biopic, which stars Chalamet as the legendary folk musician. The sketch opens with Chalamet (played by Chloe Fineman) admitting he had a “Brat summer,” a reference to the Charli XCX-inspired trend.
“Oh, man, it was crazy. Nuts,” Fineman’s Chalamet says.
As the two continue their conversation, Dylan (portrayed by SNL’s James Austin Johnson) strolls up and is asked if he too had a Brat summer. “What?” the iconic musician replies. “A Brat summer,” Gardner’s reporter repeats. “Did you have a Brat summer?” Dylan, clearly thinking about food, mistakes the question, thinking he’s being asked about bratwurst.
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“All this sausage talk has awoken my hunger,” Johnson’s Dylan says, in the artist’s signature gravelly voice. “I hear there’s a hot bar at the end of this, so if you’ll excuse me.”
The red carpet conversation continues as Bruce Springsteen (played by Andrew Dismukes) joins the group. “Baby, I was born to watch this movie,” the Boss declares. When Dylan asks if Springsteen hit the hot bar, Dismukes’ Springsteen responds, “Sure did, Bob. The vibes might be small but the flavor’s big.”
Next up, U2 frontman Bono (played by Gladiator II star Paul Mescal) steps in. When asked about his own Brat summer, Bono answers, “I didn’t have a Brat summer. Could not possibly. Because of the sweltering heat brought on by climate change. We must act now.” Mescal’s Bono continues, “I just saw a documentary about the devastating effects of global warming. It was called Hot Frosty,” referencing a new holiday Netflix movie.
A Complete Unknown, which hits theaters on Christmas Day, also stars Elle Fanning, Monica Barbaro and Edward Norton. The biographical drama is inspired by Elijah Wald’s 2015 book Dylan Goes Electric. Director James Mangold has revealed that Dylan himself gave feedback on the script.
Fans first spotted Chalamet filming in New York earlier this year. Mangold confirmed that Chalamet will do his own singing in the film, and to prepare, the actor sifted through 12 hours of unreleased Dylan tracks sent to him by the musician’s longtime manager and producer Jeff Rosen.
The SNL episode also featured breakout country star Shaboozey, who made his debut as musical guest on the long-running sketch comedy show, performing his 19-week Billboard Hot 100 chart-topper “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” alongside his new ballad “Good News.”
Watch SNL‘s “A Complete Unknown Red Carpet” sketch 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.