SNL 50 was a gargantuan event this weekend, calling in a whole bunch of special guests, musical performers, and iconic figures from the comedy staple’s past. But they also acknowledged just how long that 50-year history is, and how much the world has changed since then. Following a brief Tom Hanks introduction, Saturday Night Live hosted an “In Memoriam” segment, but not in the way you’d think. They “paid tribute” to their controversial past, whether that was offensive sketches or their invites to Diddy and R Kelly to be on the show. Other celebrities they called “problematic guests” included the late OJ Simpson and former Subway spokesman Jared Fogle.
However, jokes about Diddy and R. Kelly were not the only things that ruffled some feathers on SNL 50. For example, Reginae Carter recently defended her father Lil Wayne’s performance for the event amid a lot of fans hating on it. That’s mostly due to the Super Bowl debate that started a few months ago, but it was still an overreaction on trolls’ behalf. After all, how can you hate on a The Roots-assisted rendition of “Mrs. Officer”?
When Were Diddy & R Kelly On SNL?
Nevertheless, people overall seemed to really enjoy SNL 50. These jokes about Diddy and R. Kelly are sadly easy to make these days given their controversies involving sexual misconduct. For those unaware, Sean Combs appeared in 1998 and in 2010, whereas the R&B singer performed with Lady Gaga in 2013. Combs faces a slew of allegations of sex trafficking, abuse, assault, and much more that still haven’t been ruled on in court at press time. Kelly, on the other hand, is currently behind bars for racketeering, trafficking, and abuse of minors.
Meanwhile, other SNL 50 highlights include a hilarious “Not Like Us” cover, your favorite comedians and sketches, and amazing musical performances from the likes of Bad Bunny and more. Hopefully jokes about Diddy and R. Kelly don’t come at the expense of minimizing the very serious pain and suffering they allegedly inflicted. After all, Saturday Night Live knows the fine line between comedy and complacency, which is always crucial for viewers to understand.
