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SNL 50th Anniversary: Looking Back at 10 Historical Events And How They Were Turned to Comedy Gold

  • February 15, 2025
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Late-night TV has seen plenty of comedy, but few shows have mastered the art of turning history into hilarity like Saturday Night Live

. For 50 years now, SNL

has taken some of the world’s biggest moments—scandals, elections, cultural changes and turned them into parodies that had audiences laughing and gasping! From political blunders to celebrity meltdowns, no event was ever too big, too serious, or too shocking to escape SNL

’s razor-sharp wit.  

How did they do it? Some of the sketches were instant classics, some caused outrage, and some became more famous than the event itself, like these unforgettable moments where SNL

took reality, and bent it just right, to get all the laughs!

The Bush-Gore election showdown

Only SNL

could turn an election crisis into a singalong! The 2000s presidential election between George W. Bush and Al Gore was pure chaos

—confusing vote counts, never-ending recounts, and a Supreme Court ruling that sealed the deal. While the nation stressed over Florida’s hanging chads, Saturday Night Live

turned the madness into satiric gold. 

Will Ferrell’s Bush played up his lovable cluelessness, while Darrell Hammond’s stiff, overly serious Gore

tried to negotiate a deal. But the real highlight? The two broke into a hilarious, petty version of ‘I Got You Babe’, turning political rivalry into a musical showdown. 

Read More: Lorne Michaels Reveals Taylor Swift’s Surprising Reaction to ‘SNL’ Spoofing Her Iconic Girl Squad

The Berlin wall collapse

In November 1989, the world watched in awe as the Berlin Wall, for so long an emblem of division, came crashing down under pressure from change. Two days later, SNL

seized the moment with Dana Carvey, donning his impeccable George H.W. Bush impression

standing in front of a screen behind him bearing the image of the celebrating crowd in Berlin. 

With classic Bush mannerisms, he humorously took credit for the wall’s demise, mimicking Reagan’s legendary call to “tear down that wall.”

Carvey’s performance not only edged out the political references but also added humor to a historic event that got everyone talking!

The 1991 Clarence Thomas hearings

Back in 1991, the

Senate subjected Judge Clarence Thomas to a confirmation process for a Supreme Court seat, replacing Justice Thurgood Marshall. The process took a dramatic turn when Anita Hill, a former colleague, accused Thomas of sexual harassment, leading to intense and widely publicized hearings

. Saturday Night Live

did not miss a beat, opening their October 12, 1991, episode with a sharp parody of the proceedings. 

Kevin Nealon played Senator Joe Biden, and Tim Meadows played Clarence Thomas

. The sketch playfully caricatured the all-male Senate committee was hilariously inept, focusing more on misguided advice and awkward banter than the serious allegations at hand.

The Clinton-Lewinsky debacle

President

Bill Clinton’s White House affair with intern Monica Lewinsky

in the late 1990s dominated headlines, leading to his impeachment in December 1998. SNL

did not hesitate to use this political drama as fodder for comedy. One of the sketches that stood out had John Goodman playing Linda Tripp

, Lewinsky’s friend who secretly taped her conversations. Goodman’s Tripp, cast as manipulative and opportunistic, humorously exaggerated her attempts to extract scandalous details from Lewinsky.  

In another notable act, Monica Lewinsky appeared on SNL

in 1999 alongside Darrell Hammond, who played President Clinton

– this combined real-life figures with their satirical doubles, transforming a national controversy into an unforgettable comedy.

The Three Mile Island accident

It was in March 1979 that the Three Mile Island nuclear power plant in Pennsylvania experienced a partial meltdown

, which raised collective public concern. Less than a week later, Saturday Night Live

 turned this extreme event into a vivid sketch called The Pepsi Syndrome.

In the skit, the character played by Bill Murray spills a soft drink on the control panel by mistake, causing a nuclear disaster. Dan Aykroyd plays President Jimmy Carter

, who comes to contain the crisis but ends up comically oversized due to radiation exposure.   

The 2000 census

In 2000, the US Census aimed to improve accuracy by introducing two forms: a short one with eight questions for most households and a long one with over 50 questions for about 17% of residents. This method tried to increase participation and minimize legal challenges. SNL

turned this bureaucratic task into a comedic sketch in which Christopher Walken plays Mr. Leonard and Tim Meadows plays a conscientious census worker

. 

In the sketch, Mr. Leonard gives ridiculous responses, listing candy bars and plants as roommates and describing his job in baffling terms. He even lists a bobcat as his wife and claims dual citizenship with the United States and Florida and such hilarious exchanges that had the audience rolling!

The Nancy Kerrigan Assault

Back in 1994, the world was in shock hearing about the attack on popular figure skater Nancy Kerrigan just weeks before the Olympics. The mastermind behind it all? Tonya Harding’s ex-husband, who reportedly had paid a hitman to take Kerrigan out of the competition. But instead of ending her career, the scandal made her even more famous—she bounced back strong taking home the silver in Lillehammer. 

SNL

wasted no time jumping into the chaos. Norm Macdonald roasted the drama on Weekend Update

, joking about the ridiculousness of figure skating in general. Then, in quite a bold move, SNL

had Kerrigan guest host the show

, showing that she could dish it out as well!

The O.J. Simpson trial

The O.J. Simpson trial was less like a courtroom drama and more like a reality TV show America could not turn off. With shocking twists, celebrity lawyers, and the famous “If it doesn’t fit, you must acquit”

defense, it was pure spectacle. Saturday Night Live

 jumped in, turning the chaos into pure comedic gold. 

Marisa Tomei’s My Cousin Vinny character hilariously took the stand, Damon Wayans brought his over-the-top antics, and Norm Macdonald’s Weekend Update

 delivered some of the sharpest burns, including his infamous post-verdict jab: “Well, it’s official: murder is legal in the state of California.”

The Desert Storm operation

Early in 1991, as the Gulf War began, the world witnessed coalition forces led by the United States launch a massive air assault on Iraq, followed by a swift ground invasion to free Kuwait. The conflict was a media sensation, with press briefings becoming daily events. Saturday Night Live

seized this moment with a sharp-witted sketch featuring Phil Hartman as Defense Secretary Dick Cheney and Kevin Nealon as Lieutenant Colonel William Pierson.

 

In the skit, eager reporters bombard Pierson with questions that, if answered, would expose sensitive military secrets. The reporters never let up even after Pierson repeatedly tells them no, pointedly showing how ridiculous their questions are.

The 9/11

Following the 9/11 attacks, SNL

returned just 18 days later with a cold open that will never be forgotten. Lorne Michaels New York mayor at the time with firefighters and police officers asks, “Can we be funny?”

Giuliani without missing a beat says, “Why start now?”

making it a perfect mix of heart and humor. Paul Simon played ‘The Boxer’

, setting a somber tone before the sketches rolled in. 

Will Ferrell later cranked up the absurdity with his now famous Patriotic Shorts

 skit

– wearing a wee American flag swimsuit poking fun at over-the-top patriotism. It was classic SNL

—bold, timely, and impossible to ignore. Saturday Night Liv

e has been making people laugh for 50

years, from political scandals to world headlines, no moment is too big for SNL’s

sharp humor. If you have not watched these iconic skits yet, you are seriously missing out—go check them out now!

Read More: Why Does Maya Hawke Think The Idea to Work Harder is “crazy” For A Nepo Baby?

Which historical SNL

moment is your favorite? Did we miss a classic sketch? Drop your picks in the comments below!

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