Watching Saturday Night Live’s 50th anniversary special during the early days of the 2025 TV schedule was so fun. Mostly, that was because of all the amazing sketches. However, it was also very entertaining to pause and look at the audience to spot people like Kevin Costner and Jenna Ortega sitting in the same section, because where else would you see something like that? However, apparently, there’s a downside to having a stacked crowd, as Pete Davidson explained why they had a “terrible audience” at SNL 50.
This note came up when Seth Meyers asked Davidson on an episode of Late Night if it was more nerve-wracking to be in a live sketch or watch a pre-taped sketch with an audience. His immediate response to that question was:
Well, as you know from SNL40, [it’s a] terrible audience…. It’s a terrible audience. It’s just famous people, and famous people only like themselves. It’s true. I’m guilty of this.
Throughout this explanation, and as you can see above, Meyers was agreeing with Davidson. He also cracked a wicked joke afterward, saying that his guest was the only person laughing at his Chad sketch from SNL 50.
Now, in the pre-tape sketch for “Chad in 8H,” which also features OG cast member Laraine Newman, you can hear laughter:
You can also hear laughter and applause throughout the “New York 50th Musical” from the 50th anniversary special, which you can watch in full with a Peacock subscription.
However, we viewers weren’t in the room. So, really, we don’t know what the vibe was like live.
While we don’t really know what it was like to play in that room, we do know how down to clown various A-listers were throughout both this special and the Homecoming Concert. Sabrina Carpenter was at SNL 50, and she took part in the viral Domingo sketch with a bunch of alums from the show, including Andy Samberg, Beck Bennett and Maya Rudolph, and beloved hosts and guests like Pedro Pascal and Bad Bunny.
Speaking of Bad Bunny, he was one of many major celebs who also took part in the homage to some of The Lonely Island’s most iconic digital shorts during the Homecoming Concert. While he sang an operatic version of “I Just Had Sex,” Lady Gaga belted a rendition of “Dick in a Box.”
Oh! And Meryl Streep made her SNL debut during the 50th anniversary. She was part of the “Close Encounter 50th” sketch alongside Jon Hamm, Woody Harrelson, Pedro Pascal, Kate McKinnon and Aidy Bryant.
Speaking of Streep, while Davidson wasn’t the biggest fan of performing to that crowd at SNL 50, he did enjoy sitting next to the legendary actress. He explained:
Meryl rules. You know, in typical SNL fashion, they don’t tell you anything. You don’t even know what’s going on. And I get to my seat, and I just look, and I’m like, ‘This can’t be right.’ And it was Meryl Streep. And I just sat there, and I was like, ‘I’m so sorry.’ ‘I’m so sorry that I’m sitting next to you. You’re the best.’ And she was very nice.
Well, while he may not have been the biggest fan of performing for this crowd, I’m happy Pete Davidson had fun sitting in it. Personally, I can’t even imagine sitting in the same room as Meryl Streep, so the notion of randomly being placed next to her is truly wild. However, it also sounds wonderful.
To that point, I’d imagine a room like SNL 50 is hard to play because it’s intimidating too. It’s full of comedians who made the show what it is, along with a ton of the biggest actors, performers and celebrities working.
However, they handled it all very well, and this show was a massive success. Now, we’re making our way toward SNL Season 51, and hopefully those audiences can be Pete Davidson-approved.
