SNL's 50th Anniversary Draws NBC's Largest Audience in Years

Star-studded event surpasses viewership records with surprise cameos

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Posted Feb 18, 2025 12:15 AM CST

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SNL 's 50th Anniversary Draws NBC's Largest Audience in Years — Amy Poehler attends "SNL50: The Anniversary Special" at Rockefeller Plaza on Sunday, Feb. 16, 2025, in New York. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)

NBC's Saturday Night Live 50th anniversary special aired on Sunday night, becoming NBC's most-watched prime-time entertainment telecast in five years. The event attracted nearly 15 million viewers. It was a 3½-hour program filled with comedy sketches and musical performances. The show featured numerous cameos, including Aubrey Plaza, Meryl Streep, and Jack Nicholson.

Paul Simon and Sabrina Carpenter sang a duet to open the show and Steve Martin delivered the opening monologue. Paul McCartney performed the closing musical number. The viewership totals include live streaming figures from Peacock, NBC's streaming service. Only the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade has been a larger viewership draw for NBC's entertainment in recent years. (This story was generated by Newser's AI chatbot. Source: the AP)