Fans were not surprised to see John Mulaney at the Saturday Night Live 50th anniversary celebration over the weekend. The actor and comedian served as a writer for the late-night show for years. However, when he came out to hilariously interrupt Steve Martin’s monologue during the tribute show, fans weren’t expecting his jokes to turn dark. Mulaney started off by making some comments about the difficult celebrity guest hosts. He then reminded viewers that two of those hosts “committed murder.”
John Mulaney gathered laughs and dropped jaws with his murder reminder comments. However, many fans didn’t know which hosts the comedian was referencing with his joke. So, they headed to the internet to figure it out.
“Over the course of 50 years, 894 people have hosted Saturday Night Live, and it amazes me that only two of them have committed murder,” Mulaney stated during the monologue.
The former SNL writer was seemingly referencing both OJ Simpson and Robert Blake, per People Magazine. Simpson hosted the show in 1978. Several years later in 1994, he was charged with the murders of his estranged wife, Nicole Brown Simpson, and her friend Ronald Goldman. Simpson’s trial became one of the most talked-about moments in pop culture history. However, the former football great was eventually found not guilty of the crimes. Years after the trial, many fans believed he was wrongfully acquitted.
Meanwhile, actor Robert Blake served as Saturday Night Live host in 1982. Two decades later he was arrested for the murder of his wife, Bonnie Lee Bakley. He was also found not guilty of the crime.
John Mulaney Reminds SNL Fans About The Show’s History With Murder
However, Simpson and Blake aren’t the only former SNL hosts who have major brushes with death. Actor Robert Wagner, who hosted the comedy show in 1989, has long been thought to be connected to the death of his wife Natalie Wood.
Meanwhile, 17-time host Alec Baldwin has recently had his legal battle. The actor was charged with manslaughter for the 2021 death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins. The Rust crew member died when a firearm used as a prop went off while in Baldwin’s hand and shot her. His case was later dismissed.
However, John Mulaney’s dark murder joke wasn’t the only time that Saturday Night Live‘s problematic past was called out. The show also poked fun at its own sketches that have aged poorly over the years. They also showed their other canceled guests like Sean “Diddy” Combs, Subway spokesperson Jared Fogle, and R. Kelly (via Entertainment Weekly).
In celebrating all the good aspects of Saturday Night Live over the years, it seems only fitting that the show would also mention the bad. John Mulaney is known for pushing the envelope with his comedy, so he seemed the right person for the job.
