Pete Davidson says the star-filled crowd at Saturday Night Live’s 50th anniversary special was a “terrible” audience, arguing that rooms packed with celebrities tend to be less responsive to comedy. In a Late Night with Seth Meyers interview on August 6, the former cast member joked that “famous people only like themselves,” adding that even he doesn’t always care about sketches he isn’t in. Meyers, who performed at prior milestone shows, agreed with the assessment.
The special aired live from 30 Rockefeller Plaza on February 16 and gathered dozens of current and former players, alongside prominent guests. Davidson recalled being seated next to Meryl Streep, calling the experience surreal and praising her graciousness. He also returned on the night in a musical salute to New York and in a pre-taped piece that revived his “Chad” character opposite original cast member Laraine Newman.
Davidson framed his remarks as a practical point about audience dynamics at industry-heavy events, noting that the response in the room can feel subdued even when the broadcast plays well at home. His appearance doubled as a look back at his long-running “Chad” bit; he said the character’s origins came from writers channeling his deadpan responses during earlier seasons. Getty images and show materials list his Late Night taping as August 6.
The 50th anniversary program itself has continued to generate attention months after airing. NBC lists the special’s time and venue, and the Television Academy’s database shows multiple nominations for writing, directing and music direction tied to the broadcast, part of a wider awards tally for SNL’s anniversary programming. That recognition underscores how the televised celebration resonated with viewers even if the in-house crowd skewed reserved.
