On Sunday, February 16, Saturday Night Live celebrated its 50th anniversary, with current and past cast members reuniting to recreate some of the show’s most iconic sketches. Of course, this included a variety of musical sketches, from “Lobster Les Mis” to a classic Lonely Island Digital Short. The best of musical comedy was laid out on the stage.
SNL 50 included several iconic musical moments—from Miley Cyrus and Brittany Howard performing a tribute to Sinead O’Connor, who was blacklisted after her iconic SNL performance in the 1990s, to Lil Wayne and The Roots and long-time friend of the show Paul McCartney. There was even a surprisingly emotional guitar tribute delivered by Adam Sandler. However, SNL is not known for being serious, so without further ado, here are the best musical sketches from the anniversary episode.
Former head writer John Mulaney did more than deliver the program’s opening monologue; he also got another iteration of his “New York Musical” approved for SNL 50. In 2019, the stand-up comedian hosted and introduced fans to a menagerie of kooky Broadway parodies about the very New York experience of using the bathroom in a bodega in “Bodega Musical”. The following year, Mulaney returned and added “Airport Sushi Musical,” which followed the same game as the original. In 2024, Mulaney returned with yet another iteration of the hilariously bizarre sketch, including a cameo from Pete Davidson to complete the trifecta with “Port Authority Duane Reade.”
The 50th celebration of SNL saw Mulaney and friends return with “New York Musical,” combining parodies of some of the city’s most iconic Broadway performances to describe the economic history of the iconic city. The sketch was random and full of inside jokes for New Yorkers, making it the perfect choice for an SNL 50 performance.
Of course, it wouldn’t be an SNL Anniversary special without a nod to The Lonely Island, the group of digital creators led by Andy Samberg who successfully led the sketch show into the age of the internet with catchy made-for-Youtube sketches. Featuring current cast member Bowen Yang, Samberg performed a 90s-style rap about anxiety – a condition the song claimed has afflicted everyone who has ever worked at SNL. Very tongue-in-cheek, the sketch felt like a nod to the cast and crew who have often spoken out over the years about the high-stress environment at SNL as well as an opportunity to destigmatize anxiety for viewers who could likely relate to the message, “At the end you just gotta take care of yourself.”
The Anniversary show did a fantastic job of giving flowers to each generation of SNL stars, and in a nod to the current cast, they added another chapter to the “Domingo” sketch, which went viral in 2024. Coming full circle, Sabrina Carpenter joined Domingo for a musical parody of her hit “Espresso,” as well as his brothers Ronaldo (Pedro Pascal) and Santiago (Bad Bunny). Screenshots of Sabrina Carpenter dancing alongside Pedro Pascal instantly went viral among Gen Z viewers, who dubbed them “Mother” and “Zaddy.”
The best musical sketch of SNL 50 was the very first to air after the monologue. Instantly, fans knew what was coming as Fred Armisen reprised his role as Lawrence Welk. Comedy legend Kristin Wiig reminded fans why she has become one of the most incredible cast members of all time as she entered the stage with her baby hands, ready to pop some bubbles like the hilarious Doonice. Wiig carried the song with her off-key ad-libs and had everyone trying their hardest to stifle their laughs as she demonstrated her incredible knack for physical comedy.
Some of SNL’s greatest hits have been musical numbers, parodies, and full-on Broadway-style productions. SNL 50 delivered the sketches audiences of all generations love, from the latest “Domingo” craze to “The Lawrence Welk Show.” The ability of SNL’s performers to combine musicality with comedic timing is one of the qualities that makes them some of the best comedians of all time.
