Despite the buzz surrounding Sunday night's star-studded SNL50: The Anniversary Special since its debut, a disproportionate share of the chatter has revolved around the notable alumni who were conspicuously absent from the festivities. Now, we are unraveling the mystery behind one of the most glaring no-shows.
Mike Schneider of Variety reveals that Dana Carvey was sidelined from the event due to a severe bout of flu. Carvey, who had been a frequent fixture on the show this season, portraying Joe Biden through the elections and reprising roles such as The Church Lady, Elon Musk, and Al Pacino, was sorely missed. It is anticipated that Carvey will address his absence in a new episode of his Fly on the Wall Podcast, where he catches up with David Spade, who was present at the special, featuring prominently in the John Mulaney-led "New York Musical" sketch.
As previously reported, Bill Hader and Dan Aykroyd were also missing from the celebration. Aykroyd had expressed his preference to watch the show from the comfort of his home as early as last August, while Hader's representatives cited a long-standing scheduling conflict.
Although the absence of these three former cast members was keenly felt, the event was attended by hundreds of others, with the overflow crowd of former cast members, writers, and show associates being seated in Studio 8G – the home of Late Night with Seth Meyers. Here, attendees enjoyed refreshments while watching the proceedings in the adjacent studio on monitors, creating a unique viewing experience that echoed the show's legendary status.
