‘SNL’ Greats Tease Lorne Michaels During 50th Anniversary Tribute at Emmys: ‘It Gets Better’

It’s almost hard to believe, but it’s been 50 years of Saturday Night Live, and so it’s no surprise that the 2024 Emmys honored that accomplishment with a reunion. (NBC will also air a special during Season 50.)

Before presenting Writing for a Variety Special, Saturday Night Live greats Maya Rudolph, Kristen Wiig, Bowen Yang, and Seth Meyers took the opportunity to, standing on the stage that was designed to look like Studio 8H, to recognize creator Lorne Michaels after hearing backstage that he had been nominated for and lost the Emmy 85 times. “It’s just wrong,” Yang said.

And so each took a moment to address the creator. “You do have value, you are worthy, and you are not and have never been a loser even though you lost a lot,” Wiig said.

“Each and every one of those 85 times you lost, you were robbed,” Rudolph added.

“It gets better,” Yang promised. “Just because SNL didn’t work doesn’t mean your next one won’t.”

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It was Meyers who pointed out that Michaels has won Emmys (21) as has Saturday Night Live (over 200). “That’s too much,” Wiig declared. “I can’t believe you’re complaining about this, Lorne,” Rudolph said. “Not to be rude, but grow up.”

Earlier in the night, Saturday Night Live lost the Emmy for Scripted Variety Series to Last Week Tonight With John Oliver.

Looking ahead to the milestone season, “The 50th will be a big event. We’ll bring everyone back from all 50 years and hosts and all of that. It will be a very emotional and very strong thing. There won’t be as many plus-ones, I can tell you that much,” Michaels told The New York Times.

What did you think of the SNL tribute? Let us know in the comments section below.