This past Sunday, Saturday Night Live celebrated its 40th anniversary in a three and a half hour special. Celebrity actors like Tom Hanks, Steve Martin, Billy Crystal and Alec Baldwin made cameo appearances, musicians like Paul McCartney, Kanye West, Paul Simon, Miley Cyrus and others played songs, and veteran SNL cast members like Jimmy Fallon, Chris Rock, Tina Fey, Amy Poehler, Mike Myers, Dana Carvey, Maya Rudolph and many more performed in the show.
The show referenced some of the most-beloved sketches and catchphrases of the show’s history, from “Coneheads” and “Wayne’s World” to “The Californians.”
KCRW’s Steve Chiotakis spoke with Alison Castle, author of “Saturday Night Live: The Book,” about the writing process and how (or if) the show is still relevant.