SNL, the longtime “not fit for primetime” comedy sketch show, just hit a major milestone: 50 years on the air. And it celebrated big time, with its “Saturday Night Live” 50th anniversary special, which surprisingly aired on primetime. The show finally made it to an earlier time slot! And it did not disappoint.
The SNL 50th anniversary special was packed with familiar faces, including comedy greats like Steve Martin, Will Ferrell, Tina Fey, and Amy Poehler. But let’s talk about what really made this night unforgettable for some of us viewers: the Latino representation. From Bad Bunny to Pedro Pascal to Marcello Hernandez, the anniversary celebrated SNL’s past and reminded us how far the show has come. It was a lot of nostalgia while making space for new voices. In this reporter’s humbe opinion, Bad Bunny, Pedro Pascal, and Marcello Hernández stole the show, and they made history too.
Bad Bunny Did What No One Else Has Done Before
First off, let’s discuss one of tne of the best moments of the night. For many of us, it was when Bad Bunny asked his question in Spanish during the live audience Q&A. Yep, that’s right. In a room filled with comedy’s biggest names, the Puerto Rican singer, rapper, and composer stood up, sin pena, and spoke Spanish. And guess what? Amy Poehler answered back in Spanish. Sure, it was a small moment, but it was a historic, and bilingual, moment nonetheless.
When Pedro & Bad Bunny & Marcello Stole the Show
And then there was the bridesmaids sketch, one of the best of the night. If you’ve been following SNL lately, then you already know about Marcello Hernández’s viral Domingo character from the viral sketch.
“The sketch became an instant hit, amassing more than 16 million views on SNL’s YouTube and 100 million views on its TikTok,” Entertainment Weekly explains.
RELATED POST: Domingo Has Gone Viral. Do you know Domingo?
Well, this time, the sketch went full telenovela. The setup? Pedro Pascal and Bad Bunny as Domingo’s ridiculously attractive brothers. Pedro played Renaldo, a heartbreaker with a past, and Bad Bunny? He was Santiago, the “hot brother” who seduced the bride’s mom, played by SNL alum Molly Shannon. The audience and viewers lost it. Everyone at my house was screaming and laughing. And just like that, another SNL classic was born.
Latinos on SNL: From Fred Armisen to Today
We can’t talk about Latino representation on SNL without mentioning Fred Armisen, who, for years, was the show’s only Latino cast member.
“Fereydun Robert Armisen, a Saturday Night Live cast member from 2002 to 2013 and star of Portlandia, is half Venezuelan, a quarter German and a quarter Korean,” AARP writes.” The first character he played on SNL, Fericito, was inspired by his mother and grandmother’s nickname for him.”
Now? The landscape is changing. Marcello Hernández is leading a new wave of Latino talent, Bad Bunny has hosted and performed. Plus, we have moments like Pascal and Bad Bunny owning the stage during one of SNL’s biggest nights ever.
Sure, the SNL 50th Anniversary Special was incredible for so many reasons. But, again, in this reporter’s humble opinion, what really took the show to the next level were the Latinos. Bad Bunny asking his question in Spanish? Iconic. Pedro Pascal showing up as a heartbreaker with a mysterious past? Legendary. And Marcello Hernández, holding his own with comedy giants? Epic.
Como se dice “cultural reset” in Spanish?
