Ask McFartnuggets: “Why Did SNL Make Such a Big Deal About Their 40th Anniversary?”

Dear McFartnuggets: Saturday Night Live just did a 40th anniversary spectacular where they had cast members and hosts from all forty years of their history perform to honor the show’s great history. My question is why would they do this for the 40th anniversary when they’re so close to the 50th anniversary? Isn’t 50 a much better milestone than 40? Forty is still impressive but it’s no fifty. Why wouldn’t they just save all this star power for the 50th? What are they going to do for the 50th now? This 40th anniversary show stole all of its thunder! -- Ludwig from Barcelona, Spain

Dear Ludwig:

I think it’s because no one really expects Saturday Night Live to be on the air for another ten years. It’s been going downhill for the past few decades, slower at times than others, but I don’t think anyone would argue it’s downgraded in quality. Obviously if the show gets cancelled in five years or so then they can’t have a 50th anniversary so maybe this was more like a big farewell to the legend of SNL. The other reason they did this now was because in another ten years what are the odds Chevy Chase will still be alive? We all know Betty White would be there, but many of the great SNL cast members, hosts, and musical acts are borderline elderly so in ten more years a lot of them probably wouldn’t be able to perform like they did for the 40th anniversary. They just couldn’t presume the show or its stars would survive for another ten years so they put extra emphasis on 40 years and regardless, it has been a great run.

You know it's a big deal when Ellen Cleghorne is in the house.

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