As the celebration of the 50th anniversary of Saturday Night Live continues, NBC has announced a new documentary celebrating the musical guests that have been a critical part of the show’s journey throughout half a century. Titled Ladies & Gentlemen…50 Years of SNL Music, the feature was directed by Questlove and is set to premiere on NBC on January 27th.
The Roots member, who took home an Oscar for his direction on the Summer of Soul documentary about the Harlem Cultural Festival of 1969, has teamed up with Emmy Award-winner Oz Rodriguez for the upcoming project. The film is said to include “untold stories behind the culture-defining, groundbreaking and news-making musical performances, sketches and cameos of the past 50 years,” and will feature more than 50 interviews.
Made up of insights from dozens of artists, Ladies & Gentlemen…50 Years of SNL Music teases appearances from Dave Grohl, Mick Jagger, Elvis Costello, Dua Lipa, Kacey Musgraves, Olivia Rodrigo, Bad Bunny, Jack White, and more.
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In addition to series creator Lorne Michaels, the doc will also see a number of comedians and cast members offer insights and memories: Conan O’Brien, Fred Armisen, Andy Samberg, Eddie Murphy, Kenan Thompson, Maya Rudolph, Bowen Yang, and original cast member Jane Curtin will all be involved.
“Everyone knows the most famous SNL appearances, whether it’s Elvis Costello or 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 happy I now get to share it with everyone.”
After the documentary’s premiere on NBC on January 27th, it will be available to stream on Peacock beginning the following day, January 28th.
This marks the second major look into the iconic show’s 50-year run slated for 2025 — the history of SNL will also be unpacked in a forthcoming docuseries, titled SNL50: Beyond Saturday Night, which kicks off on NBC on January 16th. The four-episode program will take a closer look at the show’s infamous audition process, bring viewers into the legendary writers room, and offer the perspective of more than 60 contributors from over the years. The closing episode, “Season 11: The Weird Year,” will focus on the show’s game-changing 11th season.
Last month, pop star Charli XCX visited SNL and crushed her hosting debut. The ongoing 50th season also featured the breakout “Domingo” sketch starring Marcello Hernández, which Liz Shannon Miller unpacked here. This coming Saturday, Martin Short is set to host the show’s Christmas episode with musical guest Hozier.
