Questlove Shared His Take On People Who Trash SNL, And He Made A Point I Hadn’t Considered

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This year marked the 50th anniversary of Saturday Night Live on television, with another season set to air in the latter part of the 2025 broadcast schedule. Despite its esteemed reputation, Saturday Night Live still has its detractors who criticize the beloved NBC sketch comedy show. However, The Tonight Show’s drummer and Academy Award-winning artist Questlove recently shed light on why this may be the case – a perspective I hadn’t previously considered.

Why People Trash SNL, According To Questlove

Few SNL cast members stay for over a decade; I can list them all using one hand. Notably, Kenan Thompson has been on the show since 2003, holding the record for the longest tenure. Through each passing decade, there’s a significant influx of new talent and perspectives in comedy.

In relation to this topic, Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson carefully watched every season of Saturday Night Live to put together the music documentary and homecoming concert for SNL 50. In an interview with Today, he shared that such transitional phases aren’t typically met with open-mindedness, as he expressed:

To elaborate, Questlove scrutinized every episode of Saturday Night Live to compile the music documentary and homecoming show for SNL 50. In a conversation with Today, he admitted that transitionary periods are seldom welcomed with open minds, as he put it:

During a specific phase, criticizing Saturday Night Live (SNL) became quite common and even seemed expected. People often said things like “Saturday Night Dead” or commented that it wasn’t as amusing as it once was.

During its 11th season, there were doubts about whether NBC would continue airing the show, but somehow it managed to persist. While older viewers felt disconnected from the content, younger audiences found new humor in it. According to Questlove, this cyclical pattern is what has enabled Lorne Michaels’ long-running program to receive both criticism and acclaim for 50 years, maintaining a balance of admiration and critique throughout its history.

In simpler terms, during your late middle school or high school years, you might have discovered something that became significant in college for you. However, as you transitioned into adulthood, you stopped engaging with it. Yet, a new generation picked it up and made it their own. When I understood that this was the handover of a tradition from one generation to another, I realized that ‘SNL’ (Saturday Night Live) continues to resonate with people.

Reflecting upon it now, it all seems so clear. It’s not merely that some sketches appear dated, but rather a generational changeover shaping the narrative of pop culture. This evolution, in turn, has led to a noticeable shift in the tone of Saturday Night comedy.

After Considering Questlove’s Take, Here’s Why I Agree

Reflecting on the early era of SNL Digital Shorts, primarily driven by Andy Samberg and The Lonely Island during 2005-2010, it’s no surprise that this period coincided with YouTube’s rise and the popularization of viral online videos. Traditional Saturday Night Live fans, ranging from Boomers to Gen X, found this format a departure from their familiar live shows, as The Lonely Island style was characterized by its unconventional editing and content. However, it resonated strongly with younger audiences, and sketches like “Dick In A Box” and “Threw It On The Ground” have since become iconic SNL moments.

Saturday Night Live, or SNL, is always at the cutting edge of what’s happening in the world and popular culture. I strongly urge you to check out the docuseries titled “Beyond Saturday Night“. This series dedicates an episode to tracking the writers and cast as they navigate the demanding yet exhilarating process of creating a live, hour-and-a-half long sketch comedy show every week. It offers a fascinating look into their creative minds and the development of the show over time.

Currently, our approach places significant emphasis on the popular topics and trends circulating on social media platforms. It was through this strategy that we secured Maya Rudolph portraying Kamala Harris with the lines “Very demure, very mindful” for our cold open this season.

Notably, a spoof of Sabrina Carpenter’s popular song “Espresso” led an SNL cast member to dress up and attend the popstar’s concert. This event, though it may not have appealed to older SNL viewers who aren’t regularly on TikTok, became viral among Gen Z. The Domingo skits, in turn, attracted a fresh fan base that found these sketches relatable.

In much the same way as many others, my introduction to SNL came courtesy of my parents. Therefore, I hold a special place in my heart for the timeless skits such as “More Cowbell,” “Matt Foley: Van Down By The River,” and “Mary Catherine Gallagher.” Nostalgia often washes over me when reminiscing about the casts of Samberg, Kristen Wiig, and Maya Rudolph. Similarly to most members of Generation Z, I believe Seasons 49 and 50 were the standout seasons in the past decade.

Clearly, I hold a deep affection and respect for various eras of this show. Simultaneously, it effectively communicates Questlove’s message.

Eagerly anticipating Season 51 of Saturday Night Live! The speculation about cast members such as Mikey Day and Bowen Yang potentially leaving Studio 8H has me hoping that my favorites will stick around for another year. Yet, there’s a possibility I might bid farewell to SNL this season, as Questlove hinted at. Nonetheless, “Direct from Domingo” will forever linger in my thoughts.

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2025-07-06 03:09