Questlove says upcoming ‘SNL' special is ‘love letter' to show's 50 years of musical performances
NBC's celebration of 'Saturday Night Live's' 50-year history will continues this week with a new 3-hour documentary titled 'Ladies & Gentlemen… 50 Years of SNL Music.'
Nearly 1,000 artists have performed on the Studio 8H stage since 'SNL' debuted on October 11, 1975, according to the show, with the first being funk and soul musician Billy Preston.
'I remember when we come on the air, we're following Watergate, the last helicopter out of Vietnam, the city is broke, the church is being questioned and so everything seemed to be, if not crumbling, at least open to question,' the show's creator Lorne Michael said in a trailer for the doc, speaking of the series' debut.
At that moment in time, Michaels added, 'we just came on and did a show that we would want to see and music was a big part of that.'
According to an official synopsis, 'Ladies & Gentleman' will look back at the hundreds of performers who've taken the stage at 'SNL' and will reveal 'untold stories behind the culture-defining, groundbreaking, and news-making musical performances, sketches, and cameos of the past 50 years.'
'Ladies & Gentlemen' was co-produced by Oz Rodriguez and Roots drummer and Oscar-winning filmmaker Questlove, who wrote in an Instagram post over the weekend that 'every second of this doc is a love letter of sorts.'
The doc will feature commentary from artists including Miley Cyrus, Mick Jagger, Dave Grohl, Billie Eilish and Paul Simon, among others, plus actors who've graced the 'SNL' stage like Maya Rudolph, Eddie Murphy, Bill Hader and more.
'SNL's' 50th anniversary will culminate with a special on February 16, airing on NBC.
'Ladies & Gentleman… 50 Years of SNL Music' will air on NBC on Monday at 8 p.m. EDT/PDT.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
38 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Trump to attend 'Les Misérables' premiere as protests persist across the country
President Donald Trump is set to attend the opening night of 'Les Misérables,' a musical set against a background of revolution and protest, at Washington, D.C.'s John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts on Wednesday. 'I love the songs, I love the play,' Trump told Fox News Digital last week. 'I think it's great.' The opening night of a monthlong run of the Tony Award-winning show comes amid widespread protests against the president's immigration policies and his decision to deploy members of the military in response. Protesting against power is a major theme in the show, which is centered around student-led demonstrations against the French monarchy. 'Set against the backdrop of 19th-century France, the musical tells an enthralling story of broken dreams and unrequited love, passion, sacrifice, and redemption — a timeless testament to the survival of the human spirit,' reads the official summary on the Kennedy Center's website. Songs from the musical have been used in protests against governments around the world since the show debuted in 1980, including by pro-democracy demonstrators in Hong Kong in 2019. Protesters sang one of the show's most popular and recognizable hits, 'Do You Hear the People Sing?' which includes the lyrics, 'Do you hear the people sing? Singing a song of angry men?' The show will be the first production Trump has attended as head of the Kennedy Center. He did not attend any performances during his first term in office, and in February he replaced the entire board of trustees and had himself named chairman of the board. The shake-up resulted in some concerts being canceled — including a performance by the Gay Men's Chorus in honor of Pride Month — and other artists and productions pulling out of planned shows to protest the changes, including actor Issa Rae and a production of 'Hamilton.' 'Our show simply cannot, in good conscience, participate and be a part of this new culture that is being imposed on the Kennedy Center,' 'Hamilton' producer Jeffrey Seller said in a statement in March. A spokesperson for "Les Miz" said Wednesday, 'We are looking forward to performing for DC audiences beginning tonight and throughout the engagement at the Kennedy Center, where the US first saw the original production in 1986.' The performance Wednesday is serving as a fundraiser for the Kennedy Center. First lady Melania Trump, Vice President JD Vance and his wife, Usha Vance, are expected to attend as well. Security will be tightened around the venue for the performance, the Kennedy Center said. 'Please be advised the Kennedy Center will be closed to non-ticket holders on Wednesday, June 11, 2025, due to enhanced security protocols,' the venue's website said. This article was originally published on
Yahoo
38 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Harvey Weinstein found guilty of sexual assault
Disgraced Hollywood titan Harvey Weinstein was found guilty of one sexual assault at his retrial Wednesday and not guilty of another, with jurors still considering a rape charge after hearing graphic testimony from his alleged victims. Weinstein was retried for offenses against two women, Jessica Mann whom he is alleged to have raped, and Miriam Haley whom he was found to have sexually assaulted, alongside new charges of assaulting ex-model Kaja Sokola. He was found not guilty of those new charges at the tense proceeding in a Manhattan court on Wednesday. Delivering the verdict of the seven women and five men of the jury on the Haley count, the foreman said: "Guilty." He shook his head when he was asked for a verdict on the rape of Mann, and said "not guilty" on the Sokola count. Weinstein looked on impassively, seated in a wheelchair and wearing a dark suit as he has done throughout the six weeks of hearings. But later, the 73-year-old appeared to mutter "Not true" as he was wheeled out of court. Following the verdict, Haley told reporters that the defense's "victim shaming and deliberate attempts to distort the truth was exhausting and at times dehumanizing." "But today's verdict gives me hope, hope that there is new awareness around sexual violence and that the myth of the 'perfect victim' is fading." - Threats - The verdicts came after a dramatic morning in which tensions in the jury deliberation room spilled into the open. The foreman had told the judge Curtis Farber he could not continue after facing threats. "One other juror made comments to the effect 'I'll meet you outside one day'," the judge said quoting the foreman, adding there was yelling between jurors. After Weinstein's lawyer Arthur Aidala heatedly demanded a mistrial over the jury rupture, Weinstein himself addressed the court, deploying a commanding voice reminiscent of the heyday of his Hollywood power. "We've heard threats, violence, intimidation -- this is not right for me... the person who is on trial here," he said. "My lawyers, the District Attorney's lawyers can fight all they want, (but) this is my life that's on the line and it's not fair." "It's time, it's time, it's time your honor, to say this trial is over," Weinstein added. The judge responded that while unusual, disputes between jurors were not unheard of, before pressing on to hear the jury's partial verdict. - Genesis of 'MeToo' - The Oscar-winner's conviction is a vindication for Haley, whose complaint in part led to the initial guilty verdict in 2020, and helped spur the "MeToo" movement that saw an outpouring of allegations from prominent women who were abused by men. Weinstein underwent a spectacular fall from his position astride the world of Hollywood and show business in 2017 when the first allegations against him exploded into public view. The movement upended the film industry, exposing the systemic exploitation of young women seeking to work in entertainment, and provoking a reckoning on how to end the toxic culture. More than 80 women accused Weinstein of sexual misconduct in the wake of the global backlash against men abusing positions of power. Weinstein's original 2020 conviction, and the resulting 23-year prison term, was thrown out last year after an appeals court found irregularities in the way witnesses were presented. Throughout the trial that began on April 15, Weinstein's sharp-suited attorney argued that the context had shifted since the first proceedings. While the "MeToo" movement was "the most important thing in society" back them, "I think people's heads are in a different place right now," Aidala said. Any sentence will be in addition to the 16-year term Winstein is already serving after being convicted in California of raping a European actress over a decade ago. Weinstein, the producer of box office hits like "Pulp Fiction" and "Shakespeare in Love," did not take the stand during his retrial, but did acknowledge in an interview he acted "immorally." The retrial played out with far less public attention than the initial proceedings, when daily protests against sexual violence were staged outside the court. This time, the case was eclipsed by the blockbuster trial of hip-hop mogul Sean "Diddy" Combs taking place at an adjacent courthouse. gw/nl
New York Post
an hour ago
- New York Post
Zoe Saldaña says her 'Emilia Pérez' Oscar is 'trans'
Zoe Saldaña has some surprising news about her 'Emilia Pérez' Oscar trophy. The 46-year-old actress opened up about the golden statuette at the Los Angeles premiere of her newest movie, 'Elio.' 'We have it in my office,' Saldaña told People during the red carpet event on Tuesday. 'And my Oscar is gender fluid.' Advertisement 7 Zoe Saldaña opened up about her 'Emilia Pérez' Oscar trophy on Tuesday during the Los Angeles premiere of her newest movie, 'Elio.' WireImage 7 'We have it in my office,' Saldaña said, 'and my Oscar is gender fluid.' Getty Images She added that the award is 'trans' and 'goes by they/them.' Advertisement The 'Avatar' actress received her 'gender fluid' trophy at the 2025 Academy Awards in March when she won Best Supporting Actress for 'Emilia Pérez.' Directed by Jacques Audiard and also starring Karla Sofía Gascón, 53, and Selena Gomez, 32, the 2024 Netflix film follows an overworked lawyer named Rita Castro (Saldaña) as she helps the musical's titular character (Gascón) undergo gender-affirming surgery to escape her dangerous life as a cartel boss. 7 Saldaña played overworked lawyer Rita Castro in 'Emilia Pérez.' PAGE 114 – WHY NOT PRODUCTIONS – PATHí FILMS – FRANCE 2 CINíMA 'I am floored by this honor,' Saldaña said during her acceptance speech. 'Thank you to the academy for recognizing the quiet heroism and the power in a woman like Rita.' Advertisement 'And talking about powerful women, my fellow nominees, the love and community that you have offered me is a true gift, and I will pay it forward,' she added. 'Thank you so much.' The 'Guardians of the Galaxy' star also celebrated immigrants during her speech. 7 'I am floored by this honor,' Saldaña said during her acceptance speech at the 2025 Academy Awards. 'Thank you to the academy for recognizing the quiet heroism and the power in a woman like Rita.' Getty Images 'I am a proud child of immigrant parents, with dreams and dignity and hardworking hands,' she said through tears. 'And I am the first American of Dominican origin to accept an Academy Award, and I know I will not be the last.' Advertisement But Saldaña's victory tour did not last long, because the actress found herself apologizing for the Spanish-language crime drama shortly after winning Best Supporting Actress for her role in the film. 'First of all, I'm very, very sorry that many Mexicans felt offended. That was never our intention. We spoke from a place of love,' Saldaña said after a journalist claimed that the movie was 'hurtful for us Mexicans.' 7 Saldaña later found herself apologizing for 'Emilia Pérez' after a journalist said the film was was 'hurtful for us Mexicans.' Getty Images 'I don't share your opinion,' she added, according to Variety. 'For me, the heart of this movie was not Mexico. We were making a film about friendship. We were making a film about four women.' 'Emilia Pérez' was already facing backlash ahead of the ceremony due to several controversial social media posts Gascón posted in the past. Gascón, who became the first openly transgender actress to be considered for Best Actress when she was nominated in January, later apologized. 7 Karla Sofía Gascón portrayed the titular character in 'Emilia Pérez.' PAGE 114 – WHY NOT PRODUCTIONS – PATHí FILMS – FRANCE 2 CINíMA 7 Gascón faced backlash ahead of the 2025 Oscars because several controversial social media posts from her past resurfaced during awards season. Getty Images for Netflix Advertisement 'I want to acknowledge the conversation around my past social media posts that have caused hurt,' she said after the tweets came to light. 'As someone in a marginalized community, I know this suffering all too well and I am deeply sorry to those I have caused pain.' 'All my life I have fought for a better world,' Gascón added. 'I believe light will always triumph over darkness.' The 'Emilia Pérez' actress ultimately lost out on the 2025 Academy Award for Best Actress to Mikey Madison for her role in 'Anora.'
