After His Publicist Said His Absence Was Due To A 'Scheduling Conflict,' Bill Hader Revealed Why He Actually Skipped 'SNL50'
Between the concert on Feb. 14 and the special episode on Feb. 16, pretty much everyone who's ever been on SNL or hosted it in its history showed up to celebrate. Guests included the likes of Robert De Niro, Kim Kardashian, Will Ferrell, Scarlett Johansson, Keke Palmer, Lady Gaga, Jimmy Fallon, Billy Crystal, Pedro Pascal, David Letterman, Sarah Jessica Parker, Drew Barrymore, Meryl Streep, Seth Meyers, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Bad Bunny, Chris Rock, Jon Hamm, Eddie Murphy, Mike Myers, Paul McCartney, and Tom Hanks. Like, I'm not sure more famous people have ever been in the same room, ever.
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And while there were A-listers in abundance, viewers couldn't help but notice the absence of a couple of the show's most beloved alumni, including Bill Hader, who was an SNL cast member from 2005 to 2013.
As even casual SNL viewers will know, Bill is behind some of the show's most iconic sketches, and so, fans were incredibly disappointed to see that he was one of the only former cast members not to make a comeback for the 50th anniversary.
'Ok not gonna lie, it feels wrong watching the SNL 50th anniversary without Bill Hader,' one X post read at the time.
'This show had everything. Except Bill Hader's Stefon,' added someone else, referring to his iconic recurring character on the show.
'Nah, how are you going to celebrate SNL 50 weekend update without Stefon. That's a crime. Where tf is Bill Hader,' echoed another user.
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At the time, the intrigue surrounding Bill's absence was so widespread that his representative spoke out, telling Variety he was unable to make it due to a 'longstanding scheduling conflict.' And now, Bill has addressed the matter himself, revealing that his lack of involvement was down to something a little more personal.
Appearing on Late Night with Seth Meyers on Tuesday, Bill explained to his fellow SNL alum that he was invited to take part in a short with Andy Samberg, but turned it down due to his struggles with anxiety — which was ironic, because the sketch was all about how 'everyone that ever worked at SNL had anxiety.'
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'Andy called me and was like, 'Hey, so we're doing this short about how, you know, everybody had anxiety.' And when he told me that, I was like, 'I don't know if I want to do that,'' he recalled. 'And he was like, 'Why?' and I was like, 'Because I'm anxious!''
Andy's 'Anxiety' short went ahead anyway with Bowen Yang in Bill's place, and it seems he has no regrets about how things played out. 'I was like, really shaky and everything,' he told Seth. 'I was really anxious.'
As you may know, Bill has talked openly in the past about his struggles with anxiety during his 8-year run on the show. 'The live aspect of SNL — I'm just not built for it,' he told The Hollywood Reporter in 2022. 'Before shows, I would go into a bathroom that was way down this hall, go into a stall and have a full-blown panic attack, crying, the whole thing. And then I go and get in a giant banana costume.'
He continued: 'This voice would come on in my head of like, 'You fucking asshole, do you know how many people would kill for this? Dude, get your shit together, come on.''
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Well, Bill, you were certainly missed! But this is a great reminder to always prioritize your well-being. You can find Bill's full interview with Seth Meyers here.
After Uproar From Fans, We Finally Have Answers As To Why Several Notable 'SNL' Alumni Skipped The Show's 50th Anniversary CelebrationsEllen Durney · Feb. 19, 2025
Here's How People With Chronic Conditions Feel About Bill Hader Being The Only Celebrity Wearing A Mask At The EmmysKatie Camero · Sept. 14, 2022
Here's What Everyone Wore To The "SNL50" Red CarpetMorgan Murrell · Feb. 17, 2025
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