‘Saturday Night Live’ Fans Confused By Kim Kardashian’s Inclusion on the 50th Anniversary Special
It’s only natural that Lorne Michaels would book comedy royalty to perform on Saturday Night Live’s 50th anniversary special — you know, comic geniuses, like the star of Disaster Movie.
On February 16th, roughly half of Hollywood’s A-list will convene at 30 Rockefeller Plaza to perform a rare Sunday night show as NBC assembles top-end talent for SNL50: The Anniversary Special. After a half-century of comedic cultural dominance, Michaels’ victory lap will feature performances from so many of his favorite people, including but not limited to Dave Chappelle, Paul McCartney, Steve Martin, Tom Hanks, Robert De Niro, John Mulaney, and, for reasons that currently elude the majority of the online Saturday Night Live fandom, reality TV star Kim Kardashian, whose lone hosting appearance on the show in 2021 enjoyed only slightly better reviews than the episode with Elon Musk that same year.
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When NBC announced the celebrity guest list for the SNL 50th anniversary special yesterday afternoon, one name stuck out among the lengthy scroll of comedy legends and five-timers — probably because we’re more used to seeing it tattooed on Pete Davidson’s neck.
In the replies to SNL’s official teaser tweet, one Twitter user asked simply, “Kim Kardashian? Why?”
“Kim Kardashian and Peyton Manning are two of my favourite SNL cast members,” another snarked.
“Look at all these talented people and Kim Kardashian,” one Saturday Night Live fan responded to an image of the official guest list for SNL50: The Anniversary Special.
In the Saturday Night Live-devoted subreddit, r/LiveFromNewYork, the list of celebrity guests for the anniversary special garnered vaguely positive reviews, with one glaring exception. “It’s a good list, but I’m sick to death of Kim Kardashian’s no-talent ass popping up everywhere like it’s 2015,” one user wrote under the top comment.
“I literally asked out loud when I saw her name: ‘What is her talent?’” a Redditor responded.
One more asked, “Why is a Kardashian involved? I’ll never understand that family and why anyone gives a care about them.”
The obvious answer is, of course attention. The Keeping Up with the Kardashians star and socialite is pretty good at getting it. “She generated more comments on this thread than any other name, that’s why,” a realistic SNL stan said of the most controversial anniversary guest. “She drives engagement, and the fact that it’s negative engagement doesn’t matter. It’s a reflection of our digital world, and it’s a sad reflection, but it’s accurate."
So when Bill Hader fans complain that Michaels left one of his show’s most acclaimed recent alumni off the guest list for SNL50: The Anniversary Special, they should try to appreciate that the SNL don knows more about social media than they ever will — even if he won’t get to hear about New York’s hottest club.
