Bill Murray’s Emotional Rollercoaster at SNL 50: Tears, Tributes, and Tri-times Crying
Bill Murray, an esteemed guest at the SNL 50 reunion, had anticipated an evening filled with laughter. However, the night took an unexpected turn, leaving the comedic legend overwhelmed with emotion.
It’s understandable, really. Who can attend a reunion with beloved friends without getting engulfed in a wave of sentimentality? Murray himself admitted to Sway Calloway on SiriusXM’s “Sway in the Morning,” as reported by Entertainment Weekly, that the experience was “surprisingly emotional.” He confessed, “I wept three times in the show. It really got to me.”
The Waterworks: What Triggered the Tears?
Initially, one might have assumed the failing sketches were the source of Murray’s distress, as he jokingly suggested. He quickly clarified, “No, I’m kidding.” The true triggers were the poignant video tributes dedicated to former castmates who had passed away. These segments resonated deeply with Murray, unearthing a wellspring of emotions.
“I was watching, and there’s a lot of video and history that they’re showing,” Murray explained. “And I didn’t see it coming, but there was Gilda up there dancing with Steve Martin.” Murray then explained “I remember being there watching them rehearse that dance number for days and days and days and days,I was crazy about Gilda, and I sort of came apart. I was sitting there in the dressing room with a bunch of people and I couldn’t stop it.”
Gilda Radner: A Love Story Unveiled
Murray’s profound connection with Gilda Radner wasn’t merely a fondness, it was described by Murray “Crazy about Gilda”. Their passionate romance had been anything but secret to fellow cast members.
Their intense connection, both beautiful and turbulent, was evident to everyone around them. Jane Curtin, in “Live From New York: The Complete, Uncensored History of Saturday Night Live,” recounted, “Billy and Gilda? When you’re changing clothes backstage right next to two people who are involved, oh yeah, you know what’s going on between those two people.”
Laraine Newman recalled instances of their passionate disagreements: “I can remember them coming to read-through and fighting. And she was furious with him and she’d just told him not to talk to her and he’d be begging her — and this would be acted out in front of all of us.”
Their dynamic even spilled onto the stage, as writer Rosie Schuster noted, the popular Nerds sketches became an outlet for their relationship struggles. “There was definitely some of that going on,” she said. “You could probably track what was going on by seeing how they related to each other on the air. … On the “Prom Night” sketch, they were really present. They were both really playing and they were both really good. And they just took off.”
John Belushi’s “Don’t Look Back in Anger”: Premonition and Pain
While Murray’s deep affection for Gilda Radner triggered the first wave of tears, the second emotional punch, the third tear, came from another poignant, painful source: “Don’t Look Back in Anger,” a short film featuring John Belushi. In the film, Belushi, portrayed as an elderly man, dances upon the graves of his former castmates, including Radner. Made before he passed away
To see the late John Belushi foreshadowing his own death, dancing upon the graves of his then-living castmates created a strong sense of sadness for Murray, and likely for all who had known and loved Belushi.
Years later,after Belushi passed away,watching the film hasn’t gotten any easier for Murray. “To see that, and to see (Belushi) — see, I could go cry now, just thinking about it — to see that sort of foreshadowing that (director Tom) Schiller sort of intuited to make that, and to miss him.” Murray explained to Calloway.
The Power of Remembrance: Emotions That Endure
Bill Murray’s experience at the SNL 50 reunion underscores the enduring power of memories and the profound impact of loss. The tributes to Gilda Radner and John Belushi, intertwined with Murray’s personal history, served as potent reminders of the love, laughter. The evening was a vivid testament to the bonds forged in the crucible of creativity and the lasting legacy of those who have graced the SNL stage. Murray, in his raw vulnerability, reminded everyone that even comedic icons are susceptible to the depth of human experience.