Celebrating ‘saturday night live’ at 50: our favorite moments and characters | members only

Lorne Michaels knows your favorite seasons of _Saturday Night Live_. They were the ones that aired when you were in high school, right before you got a driver’s license, when you were stuck

at home, with no money. Staying up until 1 a.m. was exciting. Seeing adults saying things no one is supposed to say — it blew your mind. Then you graduated and the _SNL_ cast members did,

too, and the new ones somehow weren’t quite as funny. This is why it’s a rite of passage to quote _SNL_ catchphrases to high school friends. They become a generational secret handshake, each

demo laughing at its own nonsensical “cheeseburger, cheeseburger, Pepsi, Pepsi,” “makin’ copies” or “More cowbell!” Michaels, 80, created the show in three weeks in 1975 (when it first

aired; _SNL 50:The Anniversary Special" _airs Feb. 16) when Johnny Carson pulled weekend repeats of _The Tonight Show_ so he could use them during the week to take days off. Since then

— other than the five seasons Michaels left the show (1980–85) — he’s been in charge every week, leaving a bigger mark on American comedy than anyone since Mark Twain. _SNL_ has not only

won more Emmys (104) than any other show, it has also spun off 12 movies, three late-night TV hosts (Jimmy Fallon, Seth Meyers and Conan O’Brien) and many movie stars. Michaels has vowed to

stay at _SNL_ until the 50th anniversary, but he has talked about having his protégé, former head writer Tina Fey, take over when he leaves. It’s hard to imagine the show without him. But

it’s harder to imagine American culture without the show. To celebrate _SNL_’s big 5-Oh season, we’ve picked some of its best moments and characters. Feel free to tell us how wrong we were

at FACEBOOK.COM/AARP OR IN THE COMMENTS SECTION at the bottom of the page. VIDEO: Don Roy King directed 16 seasons of "Saturday Night Live." That work earned him 11 Emmys and 16

nominations. His last show was Dec. 18, 2021. UNFORGETTABLE SKITS AND CHARACTERS _We all have favorites. Here are five of ours_ BLUES BROTHERS (1978–82) Before John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd

sang on _SNL_, their soul revue opened shows for Steve Martin. Their first album, _Briefcase Full of Blues_, was No. 1 on the Billboard chart and went double platinum. Martin Short's Ed

Grimley character gave the show a shot of cartoonish surrealism. Hanna-Barbera/Courtesy Everett Collection ED GRIMLEY (1984–96) Martin Short’s surreal creation, with his hiked pants,

enormous cowlick, inability to play the triangle and love of _Wheel of Fortune_, was a human cartoon. He was completely mental, we must say. Dana Carvey's Church Lady character

generated a couple of memorable catchphrases. Dana Edelson/Getty Images CHURCH LADY (1986–2016) As the finger-wagging, judgy host of a Christian talk show, Dana Carvey displayed moral

superiority by literally doing a “superiority dance” strut. Often she asked, “Could it be … Satan?” It really was special. Mike Myers, left, and Dana Carvey turned their "Wayne's

World" sketch into a film franchise. Raymond Bonar/Getty Images WAYNE’S WORLD (1989–2015) The Illinois high school buddies with a public access show partied on in two movies, the first

of which made the most money of the 12 films based on _SNL_ sketches. Yes, including _The Blues Brothers_. Schwing indeed. Kenan Thompson, left, Fred Armisen and Jason Sudeikis collectively

bust a move during the "What's Up With That" sketch in October 2021. Sudeikis was the show's host that night. Will Heath/Getty Images WHAT’S UP WITH THAT? (2009–19) Kenan

Thompson is brilliant as a singing talk show host who cuts off his guests with singsong questions as dancers (most unforgettably the tracksuited Jason Sudeikis) and performers pour onto the

stage. HONORABLE MENTION: Matt Foley: Motivational Speaker, Mister Robinson’s Neighborhood, Deep Thoughts by Jack Handey, Dooneese, MacGruber