On February 16, *Saturday Night Live* (SNL) marked its 50th anniversary with a special tribute that not only celebrated the iconic show’s history 

but also acknowledged some of its more problematic moments. 

Hosted by Tom Hanks, who has been a frequent guest host over the years, the anniversary special took a candid look at past sketches and characters that have aged poorly. 

The segment was introduced with Hanks’ playful yet pointed commentary, setting the tone for the introspective moment that followed.

Hanks began by acknowledging the importance of celebrating SNL’s legacy while also addressing the more contentious elements of its history. 

“As we celebrate the achievements of the past 50 years, 

we must also take a moment to honor those who we’ve lost, countless members of the SNL family, taken from us too soon,” Hanks said. “I’m speaking, of course, about SNL characters and sketches that have aged horribly.” He continued, poking fun at the audience by suggesting that if anyone should be “canceled,” it might be them for laughing at these outdated jokes in the past. “Something to think about,” he added, setting the stage for the in-memoriam segment that followed.

The first segment highlighted the show’s use of “ethnic stereotypes,” showcasing sketches that featured offensive portrayals of various ethnicities. One example was Rob Schneider’s “Mexican Stereotype” from 1993, which has since been criticized for its insensitive depiction of Mexican culture. Another was the 1991 “Il Cantore Restaurant” sketch, where Dana Carvey played an Italian restaurant host who behaves inappropriately toward a customer, played by Kirstie Alley. This sketch was followed by a flash of the words “sexual harassment,” drawing attention to how humor in these sketches was often crossed with inappropriate behavior.

Other problematic moments included a 2004 skit with Lindsay Lohan called “Harry Potter: Hermione Growth Spurt,” in which men seem to focus only on her physical appearance. This was categorized as “underage sexual harassment,” underscoring the problematic nature of the humor in retrospect. The show didn’t hold back on addressing the cringe-worthy moments, with one segment labeled “woah,” featuring Adrien Brody doing a Jamaican accent while wearing dreadlocks and a tank top, a display of cultural appropriation and racial insensitivity.

There was also a portion of the special dedicated to “yikes” moments, where Mike Myers was shown in a bathtub with a young Macaulay Culkin, making an inappropriate remark. The sketch with Lucy Liu, who hosted SNL in 2000, was included under the title “didn’t air as long ago as you’d think.” In this sketch, Liu introduces her family’s recipe for “cocker spaniel,” where she presents a dog as a dish, touching on disturbing themes of animal cruelty.

SNL’s history is also marked by instances of body shaming, as seen in the famous “Chippendales” sketch with Chris Farley and Patrick Swayze. Another segment, from 1979, showcased Dan Aykroyd calling Jane Curtin an “ignorant slut” during a “Weekend Update” segment, addressing the issue of slut-shaming in early sketches. 

The special also examined themes like “gay panic,” with a controversial clip of Chris Kattan’s “Gay Hitler” sketch, and included moments of ableism, sexism, and other problematic portrayals. One sketch that stood out was Fred Armisen’s portrayal of Governor David Paterson, which was followed by Bill Hader’s character, Stefon, and Bobby Moynihan’s take on Snooki, all marked by the tag “couple of problems here.”

A particularly difficult moment to watch was a reference to child molestation, with Adam Sandler’s “Canteen Boy” sketch included as a part of the special. The clip highlighted how certain humor, especially involving children, simply did not hold up over time. Additionally, the segment mentioned some of the controversial guests SNL invited over the years, such as O.J. Simpson and Robert Blake, both of whom were embroiled in high-profile legal issues.

The segment closed with a powerful reflection on the use of racial slurs in comedy, including the infamous 1975 “Word Association” sketch featuring Chevy Chase and Richard Pryor. In this moment, Chase uses a racial slur toward Pryor, a scene that now serves as an example of how comedy’s boundaries have evolved over the years.

This self-aware moment during the *SNL* 50th Anniversary Special was a necessary reminder of how much the world of comedy has changed. While *SNL* has undoubtedly shaped modern television and comedy, this reflection on its problematic past shows that the show, like many others, has had to evolve along with society’s growing awareness of the impact of certain jokes and stereotypes. It was a moment of both celebration and reckoning, acknowledging the strides made while recognizing the need for continued growth and sensitivity in the world of comedy.

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