The “Saturday Night Live” 50th Anniversary Special was a star-studded celebration, but several legendary cast members were noticeably absent including Dana Carvey, Bill Hader, and Dan Aykroyd.
Carvey, who has been a regular guest on “SNL” this season, reprising roles like President Joe Biden and his iconic Church Lady, was expected to appear but was missing from the special. The reason? A “bad flu” left him too sick to attend. Meanwhile, his longtime friend and podcast co-host David Spade did make it to the event. Fans might get more details in the upcoming episode of their podcast, “Fly on the Wall With Dana Carvey and David Spade”, which drops on Wednesdays.
Bill Hader & Dan Aykroyd Had Conflicting Plans
Carvey wasn’t the only big name missing from the historic reunion. Bill Hader, a fan-favorite cast member from 2005 to 2013, had to skip the event due to a “longstanding scheduling conflict,” according to his rep.
As for Dan Aykroyd, one of the show’s original stars, his absence was due to “prior commitments.” The comedy legend addressed the milestone on X, posting:
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. Comedy stars of our age all gathered under the aegis of America’s greatest.
However, Aykroyd had hinted in a November interview with AV Club that his attendance was not guaranteed, stating:
It depends on how I can serve. Let me put it that way. How I can serve them best. How I can serve Lorne and the whole enterprise best. That’ll determine whether I go or not.
More ‘SNL’ Alums Who Didn’t Show
Two former “Weekend Update” hosts, Colin Quinn and Dennis Miller, were also missing from the lineup. Quinn revealed on X that he had a prior engagement, performing stand-up in Raleigh, North Carolina, on the night of the special.
While some big names were absent, the original Not Ready for Prime Time Players were well-represented. Garrett Morris took the stage, Laraine Newman appeared in a pre-taped sketch, and both Jane Curtin and Chevy Chase made appearances.
Even with a few legends unable to attend, the “SNL” 50th Anniversary Special was a night to remember, honoring five decades of groundbreaking comedy.
Source: Variety