“Saturday Night Live” is a staple in the world of sketch comedy, and it helped launch the careers of many, including Dan Akroyd. Earlier this year, the SNL 50 special aired on NBC, with many of the original cast members. Now, Dan is explaining why he skipped the anniversary celebration for the show that put him on the map.Â
Dan Akroyd joined “Saturday Night Live” in 1975 and was one of the original cast members for the hit NBC sketch comedy show. He departed the series in 1979, but made guest appearances after his departure.Â
Dan Akroyd Explains Why He Skipped the “Saturday Night Live” 50 Special
Dan Akroyd recently spoke to Entertainment Weekly. During the conversation, he addressed his absence from the SNL 50 celebration. He said, “I wanted to be at home and I wanted to watch the show beginning to end.”Â
Dan continued, “I knew if I was there, I’d be in a dressing room, Iâd be working. I wanted to see it live. Iâm a fan of the show today, and I watch it all the time. I love these new players; I think theyâre just great. I just wanted to see and live nostalgically with my family in my own home, eating my own popcorn.”
When asked what parts of the “Saturday Night Live” special made him emotional, Dan Akroyd said, “Lorraineâs piece definitely. That was beautiful. That was wonderful.”
The SNL 50 special, which aired in February, proved that the series remains a juggernaut after all these years. According to Variety, around 14.8 million people tuned in. This was more than 200 percent above the season average for the show. It’s also worth noting that the ratings for season 50 of the show were up from other recent seasons of the series. It averaged around 4.9 million per episode.
He’s Also Involved in A Blues Brothers Graphic Novel
In addition to having “Saturday Night Live” fame, fans also know Dan Akroyd for his role in “The Blues Brothers.” Of course, the beloved characters originated from SNL. Now, he’s involved in an upcoming graphic novel about the characters, “The Blues Brothers: The Escape of Joliet Jake.” The book will hit stores on October 7 with a forward written by Dan.Â
He spoke to Entertainment Weekly about the book, saying, “Jake and Elwood are still in jail in 1997, and now theyâre trophies and no one wants to let them go. And the story picks up from there.”
The post Why Dan Akroyd Skipped SNL’s 50th Anniversary Show appeared first on EntertainmentNow.