Photo: Noam Galai/Getty Images for WSJ. Magazine Innovators Awards
If your brain got deep-fried watching the marvelous opening sequence to 50 Years of SNL Music, yes, it was a very intensive labor of love for Questlove, and the Emmys committee should already have a verdict. Speaking with Deadline about the method behind his creative madness, the director said that the seven-minute mash-up — which deftly remixed about a hundred SNL performances — took nearly a year to complete in the editing room. “I knew you got to gobsmack them right at the top,” he explained. “I had all this music, so I thought, I’m going to prepare this montage the way that I would prepare a DJ gig.” Questlove was asked by Lorne Michaels to direct the project in early 2021 and committed to watching every single SNL episode for research, which gave him about two and a half years to complete it before working with an editor on the montage. (Depending on the day, Quest watched between four to eight episodes.) However, he was disheartened that the editor relied on artificial intelligence to cultivate ideas.
“He kind of laughed at me said that he took the liberty of doing the same thing, but ‘I didn’t do your process, I just put a bunch of stuff in the computer and this is what it spit back to me,’” Questlove recalled about their first meeting. “I was laughing, so I didn’t have to sit through a year’s worth of SNL viewing? Then we just kind of went through my notes.” The final edit, of course, has his very human Roots crew touch all over it, because we’re doubtful ChatGPT could suggest a transition from “Hot in Herre” to “Take Me Out.” “That to me is the most important part of where we are right now in terms of technology,” Quest added. “Do we still trust humans to do this stuff or can we just type a command in and let AI do it for us?”
Questlove’s recent SNL music documentary montage took a year to make, and the result was well worth the wait. The montage, which aired during the show’s season finale, featured iconic musical moments from the show’s history spanning over four decades.
Questlove, the drummer for The Roots and music director for The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, curated the montage with painstaking detail and precision. He carefully selected clips from various musical performances on SNL, showcasing the incredible talent and diversity of artists who have graced the stage over the years.
The montage featured performances from legendary artists such as Prince, Aretha Franklin, Nirvana, and Beyoncé, as well as newer acts like Billie Eilish and Lizzo. Questlove’s keen eye for musical moments and his deep appreciation for the history of music on SNL made the montage a true celebration of the show’s musical legacy.
Fans and critics alike have praised Questlove’s montage for its creativity, nostalgia, and sheer entertainment value. It serves as a reminder of the power of music to unite and inspire, and the lasting impact that SNL has had on the music industry.
Overall, Questlove’s SNL music documentary montage is a testament to his skill as a curator and his passion for music. It took a year to make, but the end result is a masterpiece that will be remembered for years to come.
Reese Witherspoon and Will Ferrell starring in the wedding comedy “You’re Cordially Invited” and The Weeknd’s album “Hurry Up Tomorrow” are some of the new television, films, music and games headed to a device near you.
Also among the streaming offerings worth your time as selected by The Associated Press’ entertainment journalists: Director Robert Zemeckis’ “Here” with Tom Hanks, Sterling K. Brown returns to TV as a Secret Service agent and there’s a sequel to “Citizen Sleeper,” the surprise gaming hit of 2022.
NEW MOVIES TO STREAM JAN. 27-FEB. 2
– Rival weddings collide in “You’re Cordially Invited,” a comedy about double-booked destination nuptials starring Reese Witherspoon and Will Ferrell. The film, streaming Thursday on Prime Video, unites a pair of stars from different realms of comedy in Witherspoon, who’s planning a wedding for her sister (Meredith Hagner), and Ferrell, whose daughter (Geraldine Viswanathan) is getting married. In the Nicholas Stoller-directed movie, the two families share a Georgia island wedding venue.
— Nicole Kidman and Harris Dickinson star in Halina Reijn’s “Babygirl” (on premium video-on-demand beginning Tuesday), a kinky and darkly comic erotic thriller from A24. Kidman stars as a married Manhattan chief executive who falls under the intense sway of a new intern (Dickinson), leading to some memorable sex games of manipulation and control. In my review, I praised “Babygirl” as “a sometimes campy, frequently entertaining modern update to the erotically charged movies of the 1990s, like ‘Basic Instinct’ and ‘9 ½ Weeks.’”
— Robert Zemeckis’ “Here” has already lived many lives since opening in theaters last October. It was roundly dismissed by critics at release, only to continue to pick up defenders as the year came to a close. “Here” gets a second chance Thursday on Netflix. The film, starring Tom Hanks and Robin Wright, fixes the camera, for seemingly one long take, on one plot of land, from the time of dinosaurs up until modern day. In his review, AP’s Mark Kennedy wrote, “It’s not so strange after a while — so bursting with life is each shot and vignette — but there’s a gnawing feeling that we’re in some sort of film experiment, like testing an audience on how long they’ll watch old security camera footage.”
— Live from your Peacock subscription, it’s Saturday night! On Tuesday — and premiering the day before at 8 p.m. ET on NBC — is the release of a new “Saturday Night Live” special, “Ladies & Gentlemen… 50 Years of SNL Music.” The three-hour program, directed by Grammy and Academy Award-winner Questlove and Emmy Award winner Oz Rodriguez, will spotlight memorable “SNL” music performances across the the show’s incredible run. It will feature sketches, performances and over 50 interview subjects, including Bad Bunny, Miley Cyrus, Billie Eilish, Mick Jagger, Dua Lipa, Darryl DMC McDaniels, Tom Morello, Kacey Musgraves, Olivia Rodrigo, Paul Simon, Chris Stapleton and Justin Timberlake.
Questlove (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP, File)
Questlove (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP, File)
The cover of “Hurry Up Tomorrow” by The Weeknd. (The Weeknd XO, Inc./Republic Records via AP)
The cover of “Hurry Up Tomorrow” by The Weeknd. (The Weeknd XO, Inc./Republic Records via AP)
— It is the end of an era, and no doubt, one heck of a closer. On Friday, The Weeknd will release the final album in his record-breaking trilogy that began with 2020’s “After Hours” and 2022’s “Dawn FM.” It reaches its coda with “Hurry Up Tomorrow.” So, what can listeners expect from one of the biggest names in pop — and the only artist to have 25 songs with 1 billion streams on Spotify? The Weeknd, whose real name is Abel Tesfaye, is keeping the details close to his chest. But if this collection of songs comes close to something like “Blinding Lights,” well, expect them to stick around for a while.
— Since “This Is Us” aired its series finale in 2022, Sterling K. Brown has had voice roles in animated shows and has concentrated on film work. He is back on TV with a new series called “Paradise” also created by Dan Fogelman. Brown, also an executive producer, plays a Secret Service agent for the U.S. President (James Marsden) and discovers a murder that leads to shocking revelations. The first three episodes will debut on Hulu on Tuesday (with a linear rollout of the premiere on Hulu and FX). It will then drop weekly on the streaming service.
James Marsden, left, and Sterling K. Brown in a scene from “Paradise.” (Brian Roedel/Disney via AP)
James Marsden, left, and Sterling K. Brown in a scene from “Paradise.” (Brian Roedel/Disney via AP)
— Noah Centineo’s “The Recruit” returns to Netflix with a second season after a long delay due in part to the Hollywood strikes. The actor plays a lawyer with a new job at the CIA who quickly finds himself embroiled in international politics. The show is suspenseful, compelling and funny. Centineo still has the charisma that charmed viewers of the “To All the Boys” movies and it carries over for an older demo with this series. “The Recruit” season two premieres Thursday on Netflix.
— The true crime docuseries “Scamanda” unravels the web of lies of Amanda Riley, a woman who faked having cancer and collected sympathy, money and gifts while she did it. Journalist Charlie Webster first told Riley’s story in a podcast of the same name and has teamed up with ABC News to bring it to TV. The series begins airing Thursday on ABC and also streams on Hulu next day.
— Citizen Sleeper, a haunting survival adventure set aboard a decrepit space station, became a surprise hit in 2022 by mixing clever gameplay with a caustic take on very-late-stage capitalism. Designer Gareth Damian Martin is now expanding on that world with Citizen Sleeper 2: Starward Vector. Once again, you’re an android on the run from the corporation that built you, but now you have a rickety spaceship at your command. That gives you the freedom to bounce around the asteroids of the Starward Belt, where you can search for replacement parts, recruit crew members and take on high-risk contracts — as long as you can keep your own mechanical body from glitching out. Liftoff begins Friday on PlayStation 5, Xbox X/S, Nintendo Switch and PC.
Exciting news for music and comedy fans! As we kick off the new year, January 2025 brings a plethora of exciting streaming options to your screens.
First up, Canadian superstar The Weeknd is set to release his highly anticipated new album, promising to deliver his signature blend of R&B, pop, and soul. Fans can look forward to catchy hooks, smooth vocals, and infectious beats that are sure to dominate the charts.
In addition to new music releases, the indie film ‘Babygirl’ is set to premiere on streaming platforms this month. This coming-of-age story follows the journey of a young woman navigating love, family, and self-discovery in the vibrant streets of New York City. With a stellar cast and a heartfelt storyline, ‘Babygirl’ is sure to captivate audiences of all ages.
And for those in need of a good laugh, the latest episodes of ‘SNL’ will be available for streaming, featuring hilarious sketches, celebrity guest hosts, and live musical performances. From political satire to pop culture parodies, ‘SNL’ continues to be a must-watch for comedy fans around the world.
So grab your popcorn, cozy up on the couch, and get ready to indulge in a month of top-notch entertainment with these exciting streaming options. January 2025 is shaping up to be a fantastic start to the new year!
When word came out that Timothée Chalamet was pulling double duty as both the host and musical guest on Saturday Night Live, the obvious assumption was he’d perform a couple of familiar Bob Dylan songs that appear in A Complete Unknown and its soundtrack album. After all, this appearance was meant to both plug the movie and appeal to Academy Award voters deciding whether or not to give him a Best Actor trophy. But during the monologue at the top of the show, Chalamet offered a tantalizing tease of his plans. “You might not know the Bob Dylan songs I’m performing,” he said. “But they’re my personal favorites.”
At that point, it seemed more likely we’d hear deeper cuts from the movie, like “I Was Young When I Left Home” and “Song to Woody,” as opposed to more obvious picks like “Blowin’ in the Wind” and “Like a Rolling Stone.” It turns out Chalamet was planning something significantly more daring: three super deep cuts that only truly hardcore Dylan fans would recognize. Two of them are so obscure that Dylan has never sung them live. (There’s a slight asterisk next to one of those, but we’ll explain that in a bit.) Here’s a breakdown of the three songs he played on SNL.
“Outlaw Blues”
A Complete Unknown is largely the story of Dylan’s decision to abandon his folk roots and play electric music at the 1965 Newport Folk Festival. The public first saw him perform with a rock band that July at Newport, which is the climax of the movie. But his first electric studio session took place Jan. 14, 1965, during the Bringing It All Back Home sessions. He cut “Subterranean Homesick Blues,” “Love Minus Zero/No Limit,” “Outlaw Blues,” “She Belongs to Me,” “Bob Dylan’s 115th Dream,” and “On The Road Again” that day with a group of studio pros.
Chalamet kicked off his SNL set by playing “Outlaw Blues” while dressed up like Zoo TV-era Bono. The lyrics are quintessential mid-Sixties Dylan (“Well, I might look like Robert Ford/But I feel just like Jesse James”), but this is one of the most obscure tracks on Bringing It All Back Home. It’s also one of the two songs from that album that Dylan never sang live, along with “On the Road Again.”
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“Outlaw Blues” was occasionally played by the White Stripes, and when Jack White came out as a surprise guest at Dylan’s show in Nashville on Sept. 20, 2007, they did “Outlaw Blues” together. But White handled all the singing. The same thing happened the day before with “Meet Me in the Morning,” another song Dylan had never done before and hasn’t done since. These technically count as Dylan performances since he was onstage when they took place, but he didn’t sing a note of either of them. Oddly enough, Chalamet now has more experience singing “Outlaw Blues” to a live audience than Dylan does.
“Three Angels”
“Outlaw Blues” was a pretty big surprise, but it made sense since it was one of Dylan’s first electric songs, and it was recorded in the time period covered by the movie. But a little more than two minutes into the song, Chalamet ripped off the sunglasses and kicked into “Three Angels” with James Blake on the organ. This is the moment where hardcore Dylan fans all across the country went “What the fuck?” all at once. If given 100 guesses as to what song Chalamet was going to play on SNL, few would have picked this one.
That’s because “Three Angels” is so obscure that it makes “Outlaw Blues” feel like “Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door.” The gospel-tinged, largely spoken-word song appeared on 1970’s New Morning, and describes a trio of angels observing a typical day in New York City. “One U-Haul trailer, a truck with no wheels,” Dylan observes. “The Tenth Avenue bus going west/The dogs and pigeons fly up and they flutter around/A man with a badge skips by.”
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Dylan didn’t tour behind New Morning, but he did play a few of the songs in the years that followed, including “The Man in Me” and “If Not for You.” “Three Angels” isn’t one of them. There isn’t even some random one-off where Jack White did all the singing. This is, far and away, the most attention it’s ever received.
“Tomorrow is a Long Time”
As A Complete Unknown shows, Dylan’s tumultuous relationship with girlfriend Suze Rotolo (renamed Sylvie Russo in the movie) inspired many of his early love songs. One of the most beautiful and tender is “Tomorrow Is a Long Time,” which he wrote in 1962. He played it live at several of his early shows, most notably at New York’s Town Hall on April 12, 1963.
It never appeared on a proper album, but the Town Hall recording was included on Bob Dylan’s Greatest Hits Vol. II in 1971. Five years before that, Elvis Presley cut a rendition of the song on the Spinout soundtrack. It’s also been covered by Rod Stewart, Judy Collins, Odetta, Sandy Denny, Nick Drake, and Chrissie Hynde.
Dylan himself occasionally played “Tomorrow Is a Long Time” on the Never Ending Tour, but he hasn’t touched it since his Nov. 21, 2008, concert at New York’s United Palace Theater. The sparse Chalamet rendition on SNL is faithful to the original.
Chalamet will appear at the Oscars on March 2, but the Academy has already announced that there won’t be any musical performances this year. That’s a bummer, since it could have been a platform for Chalamet to break out “See You Later Allen Ginsberg,” “Julius and Ethel,” “7 Deadly Sins,” or “Ain’t No Man Righteous, No Not One.” Those may sound like ludicrous proposals, but how many of you saw “Three Angels” coming?
Timothée Chalamet recently made headlines for his surprise appearance on Saturday Night Live, where he showed off his impressive musical talents by covering two iconic songs by Bob Dylan. Fans were shocked and delighted to see the actor take on these classic tunes, and many have been wondering about the stories behind his song choices.
Chalamet first wowed audiences with his rendition of Dylan’s “The Times They Are a-Changin’,” a powerful anthem of social change and revolution. The song’s lyrics, which address the turbulent political and cultural climate of the 1960s, resonated with many viewers in light of the current state of the world. Chalamet’s earnest delivery and emotional depth brought new life to the song, earning him praise from both fans and critics alike.
For his second performance, Chalamet tackled another Dylan classic, “Don’t Think Twice, It’s All Right.” This heartbreaking ballad about love and loss struck a chord with many listeners, especially coming from the young actor’s perspective. Chalamet’s soulful vocals and heartfelt performance captured the essence of the song’s bittersweet lyrics, showcasing his versatility as an artist.
Overall, Timothée Chalamet’s surprising SNL Dylan covers were a hit with audiences, showcasing his musical talent and emotional depth. Whether he’s acting on the big screen or singing on stage, it’s clear that Chalamet is a multi-talented star with a bright future ahead.
Musical performances have been part of Saturday Night Live since its very first episode in October 1975, and it’s time to dive deep into the SNL archives in a new documentary, Ladies & Gentlemen… 50 Years of SNL Music.
How to Watch
Watch Ladies & Gentlemen … 50 Years of SNL Music on Monday, January 27 at 8/7c on NBC and next day on Peacock.
Co-directed by Questlove and Oz Rodriguez, 50 Years of SNL Music features interviews with Musical Guests including Miley Cyrus, Bad Bunny, Paul Simon, Mick Jagger, Tom Morello, Kacey Musgraves, Jack White, Elvis Costello, Billie Eilish & Finneas, Dave Grohl, Debbie Harry & Chris Stein, Dua Lipa, Darryl DMC McDaniels, just to name a few.
It also features members of SNL‘s creative team from over the years, including Lorne Michaels, Eddie Murphy, Kenan Thompson, Maya Rudolph, and many more.
Questlove told Jimmy Fallon that he watched every single episode of SNL, in order to include all of the show’s greatest — and occasionally controversial — musical moments into the special.
“In the beginning, I think I was just going to compile like maybe the 50 best performances on the show, but around ’87, I realized there was way more iconic comedic moments musically on the show, like surpassing just the legendary performances. Music plays a major part on that show,” the Tonight Show bandleader and Academy Award-winning filmmaker told Fallon.
“And most of the iconic sketches that people remember, be it King Tut or anything Eddie Murphy’s done… The Lonely Island stuff, like it’s all music related,” Questlove added.
The three-hour special broadcast event includes a look back at the show’s 900-plus Musical Guests, and promises “untold stories behind the culture-defining, groundbreaking and news-making musical performances, sketches and cameos of the past 50 years.”
Leading up to the documentary’s premiere, Questlove posted the opening minutes of Ladies & Gentlemen… 50 Years of SNL Music to his Instagram on January 26, writing in the caption about his lifelong love for SNL.
“Doing this project was a NO BRAINER because I know this show like the back of my hand,” he wrote. “So every second of this doc is a love letter of sorts.”
All of the celebrities featured in SNL‘s music documentary, Ladies & Gentlemen
Check out the performers and celebrities you’ll see on Ladies & Gentlemen… 50 Years of SNL Music below:
Musicians:
Miley Cyrus
Bad Bunny
Paul Simon
Mick Jagger
Tom Morello
Kacey Musgraves
Jack White
DJ Breakout
Elvis Costello
Billie Eilish & Finneas
Dave Grohl
Debbie Harry & Chris Stein
Dua Lipa
Darryl “DMC” McDaniels
Olivia Rodrigo
MC Sha-Rack
Chris Stapleton
Justin Timberlake
Lee Ving
Current and former SNL cast and more creatives:
Lorne Michaels
Fred Armisen
Conan O’Brien
Eli Brueggemann
Jane Curtin
Jimmy Fallon
Al Franken
Josiah Gluck
Bill Hader
Steve Higgins
Marci Klein
Melanie Malone
Tom Malone
Mary Ellen Matthews
Eddie Murphy
Ego Nwodim
Liz Patrick
Leon Pendarvis
Lenny Pickett
Joe Piscopo
Andy Samberg
Brian Siedlecki
Akiva Schaffer
Paul Shaffer
Sarah Sherman
Howard Shore
Robert Smigel
Jorma Taccone
Kenan Thompson
Maya Rudolph
Hal Willner
Bowen Yang
Where and how to watch and stream Ladies & Gentlemen … 50 Years of SNL Music
Watch the three-hour event Monday, January 27, on NBC at 8 p.m. ET/PT. Ladies & Gentlemen … 50 Years of SNL Music will be streaming next-day on Peacock.
Saturday Night Live (SNL) has been a staple in American television for the past 50 years, and one of the most memorable aspects of the show has always been its musical performances. From iconic performances by legendary artists to surprise guest appearances, the music on SNL has always been a major draw for fans.
To celebrate 50 years of SNL music, a new documentary has been released that takes a deep dive into the show’s musical history. The documentary features interviews with past hosts, musical guests, and SNL cast members, as well as behind-the-scenes footage and performances.
Some of the celebrity guests featured in the documentary include Paul McCartney, Kanye West, Taylor Swift, and many more. The documentary also explores the impact that SNL has had on the music industry and how it has helped launch the careers of many artists.
If you’re a fan of SNL and its music, this documentary is a must-watch. You can catch it on streaming platforms such as Hulu, Amazon Prime Video, and NBC’s website. So grab some popcorn, sit back, and enjoy 50 years of SNL music history in this star-studded documentary.
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SNL Music, SNL Documentary, SNL Celebrity Guests, SNL 50 Years, SNL Music Special, SNL Anniversary, How to Watch SNL Music Documentary, SNL Music Guests, Saturday Night Live Music Special, SNL Music History, SNL Music Legends, SNL Music Performance
“Pretty much any Saturday that The Roots aren’t touring and they’re taping, I’m in the audience watching,” Questlove says of SNL.
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By his own account, Grammy-winning musician and The Roots bandleader Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson has been involved with Saturday Night Live in every possible role — except for the one that he wants most.
“I’ve been a punchline on ‘Weekend Update.’ I’ve been part of a Timothée Chalamet sketch. I’ve been mentioned in monologues,” he says. “I’m a part of that ecosystem almost in every way but the one way I want to be, which is musical guest. … The Roots are working on their 17th album right now, so I’m still hanging on to my dream.”
Now, as SNL marks its 50th anniversary, Questlove has a new documentary, highlighting the musical guests and music comedy sketches featured over the decades. Ladies & Gentlemen… 50 Years of SNL Music is the work of a storied musician and filmmaker who remembers watching the show when he was a kid growing up in Philly.
“I was there from the very, very beginning,” Questlove says. “[There] was nothing like it. I know that’s the cliché that you’re going to hear a lot about this 50th anniversary, but there was truly nothing like it on television.”
One change he’s noticed over the years, both on SNL and on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, where he’s bandleader, is that today’s musical guests are more likely to be lip-syncing than their predecessors were. He calls it the “post-Thriller effect,” whereby musicians feel pressure to dance and perform perfectly every time.
“The Thriller effect is, it must be perfect,” he says. “And I’m kind of from the school of warts and all. Like, I love seeing the warts. I love seeing the pimples, the mistakes. To me, that’s the human touch. And I think people need to trust that more. But, you know, things don’t have to be Instagram filter perfect 24/7.”
Part 2 of Fresh Air‘s interview with Questlove,about his other documentary on Hulu,SLY LIVES! (aka The Burden of Black Genius), will air in coming weeks.
Interview highlights
On the documentary portraying things going wrong or not as planned
That’s the thing about SNL is there’s a risk factor involved. And usually it starts with “no.” Like Eddie Murphy talks about, I did not want to do hot tub with James Brown. Justin Timberlake goes on and on about trying to convince Beyoncé to do this “Single Ladies” sketch. Like, everything starts [with] “no.” And it’s, like, “Wow, you almost talked yourself out of history.” And I’m trying to get people in the mind state that, oftentimes we get in our own heads about why something won’t work. And sometimes you just got to take a risk and you never know. This might be part of the American fiber, the history of it.
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On a 2004 incident in which Ashlee Simpson was shown to be lip syncing on SNL
Ashlee Simpson had a sore throat and was a little iffy about her singing, so she opted to lip-sync instead. And her drummer, who’s controlling on the music, accidentally plays the wrong song for the second song.
They could have just patiently just stopped the song and started all over again as if nothing happened. But she infamously does a weird dance and runs offstage, kind of humiliated, and they go to commercial. It just so happens that Oz Rodriguez, my co-director of this documentary, said that they also have the audio recording of the production room, like what was happening at the time. And for me, it was so hilarious to hear the producers and the directors inside of the control room. To me, it sounds like a bunch of teenagers that stole their parents’ car in San Francisco and the brakes just give out in a San Francisco hill going down 100 mph. Like, what do we do? Oh no! You get to see what’s under the trunk. And that, to me, is the most fascinating part of SNL, how it’s able to happen every week without fail.
On SNL introducing America to rap
Saturday Night Live is the first time that America and the world will get to see what hip-hop culture is. The very first rap performance on TV is when Deborah Harry hosts the show in 1981 and brings on Funky 4 + 1. … There were other popular groups at the time, like there was Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five and The Sugarhill Gang, both [with], like, platinum hits and really music- and culture-changing songs at the time. Butshe took a liking to this group because it was similar to Blondie, a band that had a woman in the lead of it. …
For me, that’s such an SNL move where those first 10 years, they weren’t about who’s the most popular person to bring ratings? And it was always like the cool factor, like, who’s the most popular person now? Who’s the person under that person that we could give a boost to? And that’s like a prime example of how SNL always had their finger in the pulse of who’s next. And as a result, come 20 years later, a lot of those first-time acts … like them getting Run-D.M.C. before Run-D.M.C. was Run-D.M.C or them getting Prince before Prince was Prince, or the Talking Heads or Devo, whoever. A lot of those risks that they took in the first 10 to 15 years, those guys will wind up being, like, the household names and the fiber of the mainstream once SNL becomes the mainstream, instead of the underground. So Deborah Harry using her power to bring attention to a culture that no one knew about like that is a prime moment of the SNL effect and how it builds American entertainment culture.
On the un-hummable SNL theme song
It’s the most iconic, nondescript theme song. Pretty much any Saturday that The Roots aren’t touring and they’re taping, I’m in the audience, watching, and that, to me, is one of the most humorous things ever. Like, you know it when you hear it, you know, that’s SNL. It’s a feeling. It’s almost like it’s the last theme that offers a feeling, but not any evidence of it. It’s like trying to put water in your pocket or something like that. It’s abundant, but it’s whatever you want it to be. … I admire the fact that SNL, for 50 years, has been able to provide a feeling without necessarily melodic evidence to it.
On musical guests at The Tonight Show being consumed with nerves
I’m really big on micro meditation and just sitting in a quiet room for, like, 10 minutes before I go on, because sometimes you have to just calm yourself down so that you can really focus on what you have to do. But a lot of times, artists are in their own heads and they often talk themselves out of the magic, because when you’re worrying, you’re almost praying for something bad to happen — that’s my definition of worrying. “I hope I don’t mess up.” You’re basically saying, “Hey, I would like to mess up,” just subconsciously. So as a result, most artists will stall, take their time, be an hour late, be two hours late, not show up at all, hijack their career in the name of fear. And as always, once you do it, then it’s, like, that’s all it was? No big deal. But I’m used to it, because I’ve been doing this for a couple of decades. Oftentimes, I’ll pull an artist to the side and just be, like, “OK, I want you to listen to my voice. I want you to inhale. Exhale.” I do that a lot to them, especially the new artists that are nervous and scared.
Ann Marie Baldonado and Anna Bauman produced and edited this interview for broadcast. Bridget Bentz, Molly Seavy-Nesper and Beth Novey adapted it for the web.
In his latest book, “Ladies & Gentlemen: A History of Music on Saturday Night Live,” Questlove takes readers on a journey through 50 years of iconic musical performances on the legendary sketch comedy show. From the early days of SNL with acts like Paul Simon and George Harrison to modern-day performances by artists like Adele and Kanye West, Questlove explores the impact and evolution of music on the show.
Through interviews with SNL cast members, musical guests, and behind-the-scenes staff, Questlove provides a comprehensive look at the role music has played in shaping the show’s cultural significance. From memorable moments like Prince’s surprise performance in 2014 to controversial bookings like Kanye West’s pro-Trump rant in 2018, “Ladies & Gentlemen” delves into the highs and lows of SNL’s musical history.
As a musician and member of The Roots, Questlove brings a unique perspective to the book, offering insights into the creative process behind SNL’s musical performances. With a foreword by Lorne Michaels, the creator of SNL, “Ladies & Gentlemen” is a must-read for any fan of the show or music lover looking to explore the intersection of comedy and music on television.
Pick up a copy of “Ladies & Gentlemen: A History of Music on Saturday Night Live” today and dive into the fascinating world of SNL’s musical legacy with Questlove as your guide.
It’s early January, and six legendary comics from the most legendary sketch comedy show in television history are together in Manhattan studio. And they are celebrating the birthday of Saturday Night Live.
Once Leslie Jones, Kate McKinnon, Seth Meyers, Molly Shannon, Kenan Thompson, and Bowen Yang finish their photo shoot and impromptu dance party, they assemble, and two topics quickly emerge: Lorne Michaels, the creator and executive producer of SNL (Michaels’s mantra, “The show doesn’t go on because it’s ready, it goes on because it’s 11:30,” is remembered) and, well, love. “We all did this because it’s the greatest job in television,” Shannon says. “Underneath it all is love.”
‘Saturday Night Live’ cast members Kate McKinnon, Bowen Yang, Kenan Thompson, Leslie Jones, Molly Shannon and Seth Meyers on January 13, 2025.
SNL premiered on NBC in October 1975 and was boundary-breaking and FCC censor-skirting from the start. It also, without question, became a star factory, launching the careers of Bill Murray, Eddie Murphy, Adam Sandler, Tina Fey, Kristen Wiig . . . and, of course, the six sitting down with PEOPLE. Now the show is turning 50, and celebrations and retrospectives are underway: Docs SNL50: Beyond Saturday Night and NBC’s Ladies & Gentlemen . . . 50 Years of SNL Musicare now streaming on Peacock; a live music event takes over Radio City Music Hall on Feb. 14, streaming live on Peacock; and SNL’s three-hour anniversary special will be live from Studio 8H on Feb. 16 on NBC and Peacock.
As the six begin chatting, the love is palpable, the laughs are well-earned, and the up-all-night, swing-hard, fail-big pressure of sketch comedy before a live studio audience — and millions of screens—is recognized as only a very rare group of people can. Here they reflect on their journeys to 30 Rock and the moments, players and characters that paved the way.
You all began, like many, as SNL fans. What cast members first inspired you?
BOWEN YANG My first exposure to the show was Molly and Will [Ferrell] and [Chris] Kattan. And then graduating college, it was Kate and Leslie, Seth and then Kenan being this perfect, constant thing. It’s amazing to have the continuum in this tableau. I’m using so many obnoxious words.
KENAN THOMPSON “Continuum in this tableau.” Well said.
LESLIE JONES [Gilda Radner as] Roseanne Roseannadanna. Chevy Chase falling down the stairs. Garrett Morris. Yeah. I’m old.
KATE MCKINNON I started watching when I was 12. Watching Molly’s characters taught me what I wanted to do, which was to be this full wacky, amazing, joyful odd man out.
Auditions for the show are famously scary — and quiet. What do you remember from yours?
SETH MEYERS I would’ve told you nobody laughs at auditions because nobody laughed at mine, but I was there for Leslie’s.
JONES I was cocky as f—. I walked in there, I was like, “Y’all in the back, move to the front. I don’t perform like that.” And then when I finished I was like, “My name is Leslie Jones. Peace.”
SHANNON I spent all my waitressing money making a five-minute VHS tape. I hired an editor and a guy to shoot it in my little dumpy apartment. I was on a payphone when they said, “Sorry, they passed on your tape.” Then I picked myself back up and worked really hard on my characters. They came back around five years later and asked for a tape again. I was like, “You have to come see my live show.”
YANG At one of my auditions, I was in a silver metallic onesie and Kate was there. She gave me a hug and was like, “You should be so proud of this audition, no matter what happens.”
Let’s talk about hosts. Who came in surprisingly prepared?
THOMPSON Melissa McCarthy came in with a lot of ideas and she was just like, “I just want to throw this out there real quick.“ And they were all hilarious.
SHANNON I felt that way with Jim Carrey. I was like, “God, he just elevates every sketch.”
YANG It’s a live show. When things go wrong, it’s an error in stimulus. You laugh because something is not landing normally.
JONES Or something is landing.
MEYERS But also sometimes we get to witness something the audience doesn’t. I guess it was the Betty White show, and Molly, you did Sally O’Malley. You were pulling your pants up, and Amy [Poehler] and I were at the Weekend Update desk. The audacity and the joy. We were so lucky to have that vantage point. That was one of my favorite moments.
THOMPSON Molly, you eat it up every single time. And my favorite is when you say, “Stretch.” Because it’s like the “kick” is intense. You’re having such a good time doing the dance of your gift.
MEYERS I turned 50 last year, and 15 different SNL people texted me that it was time to “kick and stretch.”
SHANNON This is not funny at all, but my dad was very badly injured in an automobile accident and he had to learn to walk again. The character is based on his limp. That’s me imitating my dad. She’s like, “I can’t,” but then she fools people. She’s got power. She can f— you all.
Lorne has told cast members that it takes three to four years to get comfortable on the show.
YANG I think it takes three to four years to get over the fear of getting fired. But I’m still a wreck every Saturday.
THOMPSON Comfortable is subjective because we’re always presenting something new. We never really have a relaxed moment until after it’s done.
Saturday Night Live airs Saturdays at 11:30 p.m. ET on NBC.
In a recent interview with Entertainment Weekly, Saturday Night Live veterans Seth Meyers, Kenan Thompson, and Kate McKinnon opened up about some behind-the-scenes secrets from the long-running sketch comedy show.
Meyers, who served as head writer and “Weekend Update” anchor before leaving SNL in 2014, revealed that one of the most challenging aspects of the show was the high-pressure environment of live television. “You never know what’s going to happen when you’re live on air, and that’s part of the thrill of it,” he said.
Thompson, who holds the record for the longest-tenured cast member in SNL history, shared that the camaraderie among cast members is what keeps him coming back year after year. “We’re like a family here, and that bond is what makes the show so special,” he explained.
McKinnon, known for her spot-on impressions and hilarious characters, revealed that the most memorable moments for her are when a sketch unexpectedly takes off with the audience. “It’s always a great feeling when you can feel the energy in the room and know that you’re connecting with the viewers at home,” she said.
Fans of SNL can catch Meyers, Thompson, and McKinnon in action on the upcoming season of the show, which is set to premiere this fall. Until then, we’ll just have to wait and see what other secrets they have up their sleeves.
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Seth Meyers, Kenan Thompson, Kate McKinnon, SNL, Saturday Night Live, comedy, sketch comedy, late night TV, behind the scenes, exclusive interview, SNL secrets, cast members, NBC, television, comedy legends, entertainment industry
Elvis Costello’s controversial 1977 appearance on Saturday Night Live has been a part of late night lore for almost 50 years.
How to Watch
Watch Ladies & Gentlemen … 50 Years of SNL Music on Monday, January 27 at 8/7c on NBC and next day on Peacock.
The performance went down in the SNL history books as one of the most surprising since the show’s 1975 debut. Costello made the unexpected decision to switch songs mid-performance to play “Radio, Radio” during the live show, stunning the cast and crew with the sudden move. Despite his popularity as a singer and songwriter, Costello didn’t return to Studio 8H for 12 years, leading many to incorrectly believe he was banned from the sketch comedy series.
Why did Elvis Costello play “Radio, Radio” on SNL?
Just three seasons into SNL’sepic 50-year run, Costello was set to appear as the Musical Guest with his band The Attractions on December 17, 1977.
“I had never seen SNL until I was on it,” Costello admitted in the documentary.
He and his band were expected to perform two of their hit songs, “Watching the Detectives” and “Less Than Zero,” which is exactly what happened during the dress rehearsal that night.
“In the dress rehearsal, we did a song that was on my first album. But I thought it sounded a little too slow,” Costello said in the documentary of “Less Than Zero.” “It was a medium-tempo song, and I didn’t think it was enough.”
That’s when Costello said he realized “this show is live. We can do anything we want.”
When the live show began, Costello played several bars of “Less Than Zero” before stopping his band and saying to the camera, “I’m sorry ladies and gentleman, there’s no reason to do this song here.”
Costello then launched into “Radio, Radio.”
What was the reaction to Elvis Costello’s SNL performance?
The new song choice also came as a shock to SNL creator and showrunner Lorne Michaels.
“I was sitting with Dan Aykroyd on home base, just watching him. And I go, ‘Oh, I think we’re being hijacked,” Michaels recalled in the documentary.
Jane Curtin, an original cast member from the show’s debut in 1975 until 1980, said the buzz was unmistakeable.
“When he stopped, the hubbub in the studio was like, ‘Oh my god. Oh my god, what’s happening?’ You could hear it,” she said.
For Costello, the initial surprise of the live pivot gave way to some myth-making in the aftermath.
“All of this stuff, it gets built up as legend in the retelling. But I didn’t come out there to give a political lecture,” he explained in Ladies & Gentlemen. “I came out there to sort of shake it up. As we finished the song, the initial reaction in the moment was, ‘I think we better get out of here.’”
Despite the enduring myth around his performance, Costello was never banned from SNL.
“Somewhere in it, somebody said in anger, ‘You’ll never work in American television again.’ But the idea that I was banned from television was nonsense,” he said.
In fact, Costello returned to Saturday Night Live twice, first in 1989. He performed “Veronica” in a March 25, 1989 episode hosted by Mary Tyler Moore, and came back two years later to perform in the May 18, 1991 episode when George Wendt was the Host.
Costello also reenacted the moment for Saturday Night Live’s 25th Anniversary special in 1999 during the Beastie Boys’ “Sabotage” performance, proving once and for all there were no lingering hard feelings.
Elvis Costello’s controversial performance on Saturday Night Live in 1977 left audiences puzzled and intrigued. The British singer-songwriter was originally scheduled to perform his hit single “Less Than Zero,” but instead, he abruptly stopped the band and launched into a rendition of “Radio, Radio,” a song critical of the commercialization of the music industry.
So, why did Elvis Costello choose to deviate from the planned setlist and play “Radio, Radio” on SNL? Some believe it was a bold and rebellious move on Costello’s part to make a statement against the corporate control of the music industry. Others speculate that Costello was inspired by his punk rock roots and wanted to challenge the status quo of mainstream television.
Regardless of the motive, Costello’s performance on SNL that night was a defining moment in his career and solidified his reputation as a fearless and uncompromising artist. The incident may have ruffled a few feathers, but it also cemented Costello’s place in music history as a true pioneer and provocateur.
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Elvis Costello, Radio Radio, SNL 1977, Punk Rock, Music History, Television Performance, Controversial Performance, Live TV, Saturday Night Live, Music Icon, Protest Song, Popular Music, Rock and Roll
Timothée Chalamet hosted SNL for a third time and starred in six sketches that made it to air Saturday night (Jan. 25) in an episode that also had him on the bill as musical guest.
Pulling double duty as host and music act, Chalamet seamlessly shifted between being himself in his monologue and embracing his Bob Dylan side in his music performances — and portraying SNL sketch characters including a bungee class icon, a barista who thinks he’s a stand-up comedian, an AI creation, a small dog, an animated version of God and a gassy cardiologist. (Fans in the live rehearsal audience report there were sketches cut for time, like a Grammys roundtable skit that had Chalamet bringing back his SNL personality SmokeCheddaDaAssGetta. Fingers crossed it surfaces on SNL‘s YouTube channel later.)
“I’m so grateful Saturday Night Live is still doing weird stuff like this 50 years in,” Chalamet, who stars as Dylan in the biopic A Complete Unknown, joked to the audience during his monologue. “They’re either really nice for letting me do this or incredibly mean, and this is all a big prank. I sincerely can’t tell. We’ll find out.”
Chalamet seemed to overcome any nerves that accompany leading and performing on the SNL, which tapes in front of a live audience in New York. There are pre-taped sketches, as well, but all of the actor’s parts broadcast this weekend were live, other than his voiceover role as God. Perhaps Chalamet has his performing arts high school alter ego, the show-stealing rapper Timmy Tim, to thank for preparing him for this very moment.
One highlight of Saturday night’s episode not listed here is the cold open, which unfortunately didn’t feature Chalamet. It did have a surprise cameo by Lin-Manuel Miranda, who reprised his Hamilton role in a post-Trump inauguration sketch about America’s founding fathers.
Here’s a ranking of every sketch Chalamet was in Saturday night, when SNL‘s Jan. 25 episode aired. Watch all six sketches below.
“Dog Run”
This sketch, which has Chalamet and Mikey Day having a typical day at the park as “dumb little dogs” who happen to talk like people, starts off slow with a little too much talk. Topics include peeing on mailboxes and humping shoes. The laughs come with the physical comedy — especially Bowen Yang’s dog, who runs in circles with a case of the “zoomies.” Watch out, Cats.
“Grandma’s Birthday”
Move over, McDreamy and McSteamy. We’ll call this handsome, promising young heart doctor played by Chalamet … “McGassy.” You’ll have to watch his groundbreaking new CPR technique to see why “the youngest head of cardiology in the history of Johns Hopkins” deserves an early-era Grey’s Anatomy nickname. “Just doing my job. Someone get this woman a glass of water and an Altoid,” he says with a cocky gaze after saving Grandma in this ensemble sketch.
“AI Software”
Add Bowen Yang into a sketch, and hopes are high that it’ll be hilarious. Chalamet and Yang star as AI podcasters who state random educational facts, but call each other “bae” and drop in relationship drama, for students too distracted by their phones to pay attention to their human teacher in class. As with all things AI, the voices sound suspiciously robotic and glitches follow. Keep an eye out for Chalamet’s extra finger and watch all the way through the dance break.
“Bungee”
With neon yellow and luscious locks, Chalamet transforms into a fitness instructor ladies love. The self-professed “Bungee Queen” hypes his class up, literally, as they’re lifted with bungee cords and do whatever movements he calls out: fly, swim, froggy, troll walk, jumping jacks, Jimmy Carter. “This workout is not for the faint of heart,” he warns a newbie (Michael Longfellow), the only male to join the bungee class. Chalamet hurls a couple zingers Longfellow’s way about his sexual performance to keep the women entertained, and rewards them with a frosted Cinnabon cake after burning a collective five calories.
“God”
Props to the creators of this animated short about the “Creator,” voiced by Chalamet. The cartoon parodies a group of angels (Mikey Day, Heidi Gardner, Michael Longfellow, Emil Wakim and Jane Wickline) tasked with helping God create the world. Chalamet’s God assigns them to tasks like making “exploding mountains,” aka volcanoes — “It’s gonna be like, fire and s—. It’s sick,” he says — and kicks them out in reaction to the first kangaroo. Chalamet gets the comedic timing just right as he orders humans “straight to Hell, forever” after making their bodies capable of self-pleasure, and is in tears when the angels’ carefully constructed model of the solar system isn’t as weird as he wanted it to be. Leigh McG and Studio Showoff get onscreen credit as animators, and Streeter Seidell and Mikey Day as writers.
“New Barista Training”
Chalamet gets to put his impressionist and comedic skills to work in this sketch about training new hires that might leave you hoping your employees never quit — because who knows what you’ll be dealing with when you try to fill the role. Looking for a new barista? You just might wind up with this guy, who impersonates Chris Rock’s delivery and turns the café into his own personal comedy club. See what happens, and how quickly things escalate, when his supervisors (Mikey Day and Heidi Gardner) encourage him to come up with a “quippy joke” for the chalkboard out front.
"The Grabbies" – This sketch was a hilarious parody of award shows like the Oscars, but instead of celebrating achievements in film, they were giving out awards for the best grabs. Timothee Chalamet played a pretentious actor who won the award for "Best Grab of an Inanimate Object" and his acceptance speech had the audience in stitches.
"The Locker Room" – In this sketch, Chalamet played a high school jock who gets caught up in a scandal when his teammates discover that he’s been using a fake ID to buy beer. The awkward interactions and Chalamet’s comedic timing made this sketch a standout.
"The Dating Game" – Chalamet played a contestant on a dating game show who is completely clueless about how the game works. His awkward attempts at flirting and answering questions had the audience laughing out loud.
"The Haunted House" – Chalamet played a terrified teenager who gets more than he bargained for when he agrees to spend the night in a haunted house. His reactions to the spooky events were both hilarious and endearing.
Overall, Chalamet’s performances in these sketches showcased his versatility as an actor and his comedic chops. It’s clear that he’s not just a dramatic actor, but also has a knack for comedy.
The remark, made just weeks after Jimmy Carter’s passing at age 100, sparked gasps from the studio audience and Timothée Chalamet is now facing a wave of criticism online.
Controversial Jimmy Carter Joke By Timothée Chalamet Leaves ‘SNL’ Fans Furious
The incident occurred during the “Bungee” skit, where Chalamet played an instructor at a workout class. At one point, he told participants to perform “The Jimmy Carter,” leading everyone to hang limp in their harnesses, mimicking death.
The audience reaction was immediate, with audible gasps filling the studio. Viewers at home were equally taken aback, expressing their disapproval on social media.
Social Media Backlash
ZUMAPRESS.com / MEGA
One viewer criticized the joke for being “totally disrespectful and out of line,” adding, “And yes, I have a sense of humor and love the show, but that was just horrible and too soon. I hope his family didn’t see that.”
“Too soon and not funny! The whole skit was crap,” another shared.
“Someone’s going to hell for that one,” one person commented on the clip of the sketch shared on YouTube.
Timothée Chalamet Gets Blasted For ‘SNL’ Joke
Others were harsher in their judgment. “Wow, ‘SNL,’ a Jimmy Carter is dead joke? Not funny, not appropriate,” said one user.
Another declared the remark could even cost Chalamet his Oscar chances for his portrayal of Bob Dylan in “A Complete Unknown.”
“If I were a betting man, I would’ve bet on Timothée Chalamet winning an Oscar for his Dylan portrayal, but his dead Jimmy Carter joke on ‘SNL’ a full month before voting ends changes that. Insensitive and really immature. Just unnecessary,” the fan wrote.
“Was funny until that Jimmy Carter line. Totally disrespectful and out of line,” someone else expressed. “And yes I have a sense of humor and love the show but that was just horrible and too soon … I hope his family didn’t see that.”
Chalamet and “SNL” have yet to respond to the controversy, but the backlash highlights the fine line between humor and insensitivity. While “Saturday Night Live” has long been known for its edgy comedic takes, this moment has left many questioning the show’s judgment in tackling such a recent loss.
Jimmy Carter Passes Away
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Carter, who passed away on December 29, 2024, after nearly two years in hospice care, was the longest-living president in U.S. history. A tireless advocate for peace and human rights, his family and admirers celebrated his legacy in statements and tributes.
“My father was a hero, not only to me but to everyone who believes in peace, human rights, and unselfish love,” his son, Chip Carter, said in a statement. “The world is our family because of the way he brought people together, and we thank you for honoring his memory by continuing to live these shared beliefs.”
Carter’s funeral service, held on January 9 at the Washington National Cathedral, was attended by prominent world leaders, including presidents Trump, Biden, Obama, Bush, and Clinton.
Jimmy Carter’s Legacy
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During his presidency, Carter achieved several significant milestones that continue to define his legacy. One of his most notable accomplishments was the Camp David Accords in 1978, where he brokered a historic peace agreement between Egypt and Israel. This landmark achievement in Middle East diplomacy earned widespread praise and demonstrated his unwavering commitment to peace.
Amid an energy crisis, Carter prioritized energy conservation and reducing America’s dependence on foreign oil. He established the Department of Energy and championed renewable energy initiatives, encouraging environmental stewardship to address the nation’s growing energy concerns.
Carter also made human rights a cornerstone of U.S. foreign policy, emphasizing the importance of holding nations accountable for their treatment of citizens. His focus on human rights influenced U.S. relations with the Soviet Union and other countries during his tenure, setting a new standard for diplomatic engagement.
In addition to these achievements, Carter expanded environmental protections by designating millions of acres of wilderness in Alaska and increasing the scope of national parks.
In a recent episode of “Saturday Night Live,” actor Timothée Chalamet caused controversy with a joke about former President Jimmy Carter. During his monologue, Chalamet quipped, “I heard Jimmy Carter is the only president who can still fit into his inauguration suit. That’s because he was so skinny back then, not because he’s dead or anything.”
The joke immediately drew backlash from viewers, who accused Chalamet of being insensitive and disrespectful towards the 39th president. Many took to social media to express their outrage, with some calling for an apology from the actor.
Chalamet has yet to address the controversy, but it serves as a reminder that even seemingly harmless jokes can have unintended consequences. It’s important to be mindful of the impact of our words, especially when it comes to public figures and sensitive topics.
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Timothée Chalamet, SNL, Jimmy Carter joke, outrage, comedy, Saturday Night Live, celebrity news
Timothee Chalamet drew some audience gasps with a joke about the late Jimmy Carter on “SNL.” NBC / SNLJimmy Carter passed away on December 29, 2024 at the age of 100. Getty Images
The incident happened during the “Bungee” skit featuring Chalamet playing an instructor at a workout class.
Chalamet tells the group to do the “Jimmy Carter” — as everyone pretends to hang dead in their harness from the ceiling.
The studio audience could be heard gasping in response to the off-color joke.
Viewers at home similarly found Chalamet’s remark troubling and called out both the actor and the show on social media.
During the “Bungee” skit, Chalamet played an instructor at a workout class. NBC / SNLViewers called out the joke from the skit on social media. NBC / SNLChalamet’s character tells the cast to hang dead in their harness and do the “Jimmy Carter.” NBC / SNL
“Very bad taste…. very!” one fan said on X (formerly Twitter).
“Very unnecessary. Imagine being a writer coming up with that,” someone else wrote.
Jimmy Carter at his wife Rosalynn Carter’s funeral in Nov. 2023. POOL/AFP via Getty Images
Another fan tweeted, “Too soon and not funny! The whole skit was crap.”
A different viewer said the skit was funny until the line about Carter. “Totally disrespectful and out of line,” they wrote, adding, “And yes I have a sense of humor and love the show but that was just horrible and too soon. I don’t think there would have ever been a right time for that. I hope his family didn’t see that.”
“I agree so disrespectful!” another fan wrote in response. “I don’t care how old a person was or if you liked them or not just a disgrace!!!!”
“That Jimmy Carter line on #SNL was just cringe,” another tweet read.
“Wow snl a jimmy carter is dead joke? Not funny, not appropriate,” said a different fan.
Jimmy Carter at an NBA game in 2019. USA TODAY Sports
One viewer even declared Chalamet’s joke will cost him the Oscar in March. The actor is nominated for Best Actor for his acclaimed role as Bob Dylan in “A Complete Unknown.”
“If I were a betting man I would’ve bet on Timothee Chalamet winning an Oscar for his Dylan portrayal, but his dead Jimmy Carter joke on SNL a full month before voting ends changes that. Insensitive & really immature. Just unnecessary,” they said.
The Post has reached out to reps for Chalamet and “SNL” for comment.
Timothee Chalamet at the 36th Annual Palm Springs International Film Awards on Jan. 3, 2025. Tammie Arroyo / AFF-USA.com / MEGA
“My father was a hero, not only to me but to everyone who believes in peace, human rights, and unselfish love,” Chip Carter, the former president’s son, said in a statement after his death.
A horse-drawn caisson carries Jimmy Carter’s remains to the US Capitol on Jan. 7. James Keivom
“My brothers, sister, and I shared him with the rest of the world through these common beliefs. The world is our family because of the way he brought people together, and we thank you for honoring his memory by continuing to live these shared beliefs,” added Chip.
Carter’s funeral service was held at the Washington National Cathedral in DC on Jan. 9. World leaders including presidents Trump, Biden, Obama, Bush and Clinton were in attendance.
Timothee Chalamet Faces Backlash for Insensitive Jimmy Carter Joke on ‘SNL’
