He wasn’t in attendance at Saturday Night Live’s anniversary special Sunday (or at Friday night’s concert), but Dan Aykroyd says he was glued to his TV.
The original Not Ready For Primetime Player shared a new social media post Wednesday morning in which he reflected on the show’s celebratory weekend.
“All Heads up toasting triumphant SNL 50th,” he wrote. “Advantage of not attending – got to see every second of concert and show on TV. Quote from my children: ‘Look at daddy’s smile!’ Had it from start to finish. Congratulations Lorne. Well done as usual.”
Aykroyd, who was in the show’s original cast from 1975-1979, hasn’t appeared on SNL proper since 2013. He did, however, participate in the show’s 40th anniversary special, appearing in a “Super Bass-o-matic” revival sketch.
Although many were surprised by his absence this weekend (he was the only living original cast member not in attendance), he’d been telegraphing it for months.
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.”
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.
