Dan Aykroyd surprised Saturday Night Live fans with his absence from the anniversary special last night, but the founding cast member has been suggesting that he was planning to skip the festivities for months now.
Despite being one of the original Not Ready for Primetime Players, Aykroyd expressed his hesitance in a pair of interviews conducted last year.
In conversation with LateNighter’s podcast partner The Saturday Night Network back in August, Aykroyd said he’d rather watch the show on TV than actually participate in it. “For me it’s going to be a great night of television, because I think it starts at 8:30,” Aykroyd said. I personally would like to be at home watching it, because if I was there, I’m gonna miss a great night of television.”
“I would get a viewing party together wherever I am in the world and watch it,” Aykroyd added. “That’s really what I think I’m probably gonna be doing.”
Aykroyd expressed a similar sentiment to Will Harris at The A.V. Club several months later when asked if he’d be attending SNL50. “Well, it depends. On how and when I’m invited, I guess,” he said. “It depends on how I can serve. Let me put it that way. How I can serve them best. How I can serve Lorne and the whole enterprise best. That’ll determine whether I go or not.”
Despite not attending, Aykroyd made his support for the show clear in the lead-up to Sunday’s spectacular with a series of posts on X hyping the event. “I’m so proud of being associated with my comedy alma mater and its Dean Lorne Michaels,” he wrote in one.
Aykroyd’s absence also didn’t mean his presence wasn’t felt from the start of the weekend. Friday night’s Homecoming Concert began with a tribute to The Blues Brothers led by Jimmy Fallon, and Aykroyd’s daughter, Belle Aykroyd, was photographed with inaugural cast member Laraine Newman at Friday’s event.
The decision by Dan Ackroyd not to attend the 50th Anniversary Special was extremely selfish and ridiculous! He has the very distinct honor and privilege of being one of the original and best cast members. He’s someone his colleagues and fans respect and hold in the highest regard! It would have meant the world to them to have him join the celebration and be part of history svcs to help honor the show and Lorne. I am very disappointed that he didn’t feel it was important enough or worth his time to attend!
Reposting to correct a typo caused by auto correct because there is no edit feature!
The decision by Dan Ackroyd not to attend the 50th Anniversary Special was extremely selfish and ridiculous! He has the very distinct honor and privilege of being one of the original and best cast members. He’s someone his colleagues and fans respect and hold in the highest regard! It would have meant the world to us to have him join the celebration and be a part of history and help honor the show and Lorne. I am very disappointed that he didn’t feel it was important enough or worth his time to attend!
He can do what he likes – you’ve no idea what he said to Michaels or anyone else behind the scenes. Bit weird to presume to know what his motivation was.
Spell his name right.