"Saturday Night Live" Celebrates 50 Years with a Tributeto New York City’s Wild Ride

A Nostalgic Opening: The 1970s and the City’s Struggles

“Saturday Night Live’s” 50th-anniversary special kicked off with a bang, taking viewers on a tumultuous journey through five decades of New York City’s history. The star-studded event opened with a 10-minute skit that transported audiences back to the 1970s, a time when the city teetered on the edge of bankruptcy and grappled with skyrocketing crime rates. John Mulaney and Pete Davidson, two fan favorites from the SNL family, teamed up to deliver a series of hilarious and catchy musical numbers.

In the skit, Davidson and David Spade played two aspiring dreamers who had just moved to New York, eager to “make it big.” However, their enthusiasm was quickly dampened by Mulaney’s character, a jaded hotdog vendor who bluntly declared, “New York is dying.” Undeterred, the duo dove into the first musical number, featuring Adam Driver dressed as a giant hot dog and Maya Rudolph as a heroin needle. Rudolph’s character hilariously listed the countless dangers New Yorkers faced, setting the tone for the rest of the sketch.

The 1980s: A Decade of Excess and Transformation

As the skit transitioned into the 1980s, Mulaney introduced a new era of hope and excess. “A new diet is sweeping the city,” he quipped, referencing the decade’s obsession with fitness and slimming down. Nathan Lane then took center stage, delivering a comically over-the-top performance of a song that parodied “Hakuna Matata” from “The Lion King.” Instead of the original’s carefree lyrics, Lane sang about cocaine and vodka, encapsulating the decade’s reputation for decadence.

The transition to the 1990s brought with it a new set of challenges. Mulaney’s character pointed Davidson and Spade toward Times Square, which he described as transforming “from pimps and pornographers into something even filthier: Cartoon mascots.” This tongue-in-cheek commentary on the area’s gentrification was met with another quick musical number, showcasing the city’s ever-changing landscape.

A Parade of Parodies: New York’s Mayors Take Center Stage

The skit then shifted gears to highlight one of New York City’s most iconic institutions: its mayors. A lineup of SNL alumni and special guests appeared on stage, each portraying a different mayor with their own unique brand of humor. First up was Kate McKinnon as Rudy Giuliani, who belted out a parody of “My Shot” from the hit musical “Hamilton.” The song poked fun at Giuliani’s larger-than-life persona, his infamous attempts to overturn the 2020 presidential election, and his own self-proclaimed “drunk, corrupt, and crazy” reputation.

The sketch didn’t stop there. Michael Bloomberg was skewered for making the city unaffordable, while Bill de Blasio was mocked for introducing universal pre-K—and universal marijuana. Current Mayor Eric Adams, played by Devin Walker, was lampooned for the rise in shocking subway violence, with Walker’s character quipping, “Homeless dudes who want to push people onto the subway tracks? They got that swagger back, baby.” Even Scarlett Johansson made an appearance, her arm in a cast as she sang about the dangers of electric bikes terrorizing pedestrians across the five boroughs.

Resilience and Hope: The City’s Enduring Spirit

Despite the chaos and challenges, the skit ended on a high note. John Mulaney’s character urged Pete Davidson to “still believe in the power of New York,” reminding him—and the audience—of the city’s ability to persevere through even the darkest times. The moment was punctuated by Keenan Thompson, dressed as the diner lobster from SNL lore, who broke into a show-stopping rendition of “One Day More” from “Les Misérables.”

The grand finale saw a star-studded ensemble of actors and musicians joining in for a rousing chorus. The screen flashed with the headline “New York to Ford: Who’s Dead Now,” a cheeky nod to the infamous 1970s headline that summed up the city’s financial crisis under President Gerald Ford. The message was clear: no matter how tough things get, New York City always finds a way to bounce back.

A Love Letter to the Big Apple: The Final Act

Throughout the skit, SNL’s writers and cast delivered a masterclass in satire, blending humor with heartfelt nostalgia. The special served as a love letter to New York City, celebrating its grit, resilience, and unwavering spirit. From the highs of the 1980s to the lows of bankruptcy and crime, the skit captured the essence of a city that’s always been a little rough around the edges.

As the curtain closed, it was clear that the Big Apple’s story is far from over. Like the characters in the skit, New York continues to embrace its contradictions, thriving on chaos and reinventing itself with every passing decade. The 50th-anniversary special wasn’t just a tribute to SNL—it was a testament to the city that has always been at the heart of the show’s irreverent humor and enduring legacy.