Saturday Night Live (SNL) has been known for profiting off of its secrecy. From having to camp outside in the cold just for a chance to see the show, to having surprise guests in sketches, it’s truly an experience you want to be a part of. Despite the exclusivity of the show, for their 50th anniversary, Saturday Night Live launched the SNL 50 Experience, which ran from Jan. 30 to Feb. 2, which was a free immersive walk-through of sets, the opportunity to “host the show for the night,” and that rare chance to experience what SNL actually is behind the scenes.Â
My friend was able to get two tickets through 1iota, the free ticketing and event website for all things entertainment, for 7 p.m. on Feb. 1 for me and her to attend the experience. When we arrived at Rockefeller Center to get in line, we had no idea where to go. We asked three different people for the location since it wasn’t listed on our mobile tickets, all sending us to different places in the large building, until one gentleman finally told us it was outside. We waited outside in the cold for only about 20 to 30 minutes before we were directed inside by a kind man, who proceeded to direct us for the duration of the wait before the event. Once inside, we were able to give our names and emails to SNL so they could send any and all content we were in directly to us, which I thought was very nice of them.Â
Next, we were waiting in the line that was created inside for about an hour. Although it was a while to wait, the walls were decorated with memorabilia and props from episodes ranging from the 80s to the present day, which sparked easy conversations around us. There were also TVs and speakers playing sketches and even clips from the new docuseries, titled SNL 50: Beyond Saturday Night, so there were forms of entertainment to keep us interested and occupied while waiting.Â
About ten minutes before my friend and I, along with our group, were invited in, we were able to write our names down on a sheet so that the announcers could announce them for us as we walked in. To enter the experience, we would be walking through a replica of the large double doors, just like how the host of each episode of the live taping would. My friend and I had practiced doing it separately but were told to do it together. When it was eventually our turn, we weren’t told the logistics of walking in. We were so confused about how long we were supposed to wave, when to stop our greeting, or even if we should do more than wave, so much so that there was a moment where we just looked lost in front of the camera. This was also a little awkward for us due to the lack of explanation and communication between us and the staff. Despite this, we were able to walk through the props and hair and makeup room, briefly speak to a cue card writer, take pictures, recreate the iconic “Wayne’s World: 1991 Summer Events” sketch with our group, and even read cue cards at the Weekend Update desk. My favorite moment had to have been getting a Polaroid taken of me and my friend after we recreated the skit, which we were able to keep.
After all these fun activities, we entered a room with a plethora of pictures of past and recent SNL sketches and behind-the-scenes moments between cast members all over the wall. The room was stunning, with a large couch, a bar with refreshments, and photo opportunities. I barely finished my ice water before being whisked out of the room and into the merchandise store. Although rushed, we were given a free tote bag that included a water bottle and pin that all said “SNL 50” on them. It was overall a fun and unique experience, but if you’re a fan of Saturday Night Live and the cast, or have ever seen the show live, you know that this was not the truth of what SNL really is.Â
As someone who has been to a dress rehearsal for SNL, specifically the Oct. 12 episode hosted by Ariana Grande along with musical guest Stevie Nicks, this experience was not authentic. Firstly, the sets we walked through and the photo opportunities in specific sets for sketches were all replicas. The set and entirety of the experience was built for this particular event. Although this is still really interesting and remarkable to be a part of, nonetheless, I really just expected a glimpse into the actual behind-the-scenes of the show. I also thought the experience was a little short and rushed at times. There were points where I felt like I needed to hurry doing the task at hand or that I shouldn’t dwell too much on looking at specific things because, in a matter of minutes, I was already in a different location or set. Finally, there were some points that were a little awkward due to a lack of communication, specifically during your entrance as “host.” It would’ve been nice to do it on your own and not just with the people in your party. While I was able to see some discrepancies between the SNL 50 Experience and the actual experience of attending the live show, I did think that this was a very fun and interesting, not to mention free, event to go to. If you have never been to SNL and wanted to know what it was similar to, this was a really great event to attend. While some may want to see the original backstage and behind-the-scenes of the real studio, the secrecy and idea of exclusivity is what keeps people trying to get tickets almost every Saturday; it’s a tradition in its confidentiality. From the staff being super kind and helpful, to the multiple types of interactive segments, including putting yourself in a host’s shoes and recreating sketches and beloved portions of the actual show, it’s a really entertaining experience SNL provided for their fans.