Why was Chevy Chase excluded from the SNL 50th Anniversary Special?

Chevy Chase expressed feeling hurt and upset by his exclusion. Lorne Michaels cited concerns about his focus, while Chase questioned why other cast members were included but he was not.

Did Lorne Michaels invite Chevy Chase to SNL 50?

The article indicates Chevy Chase was not invited to be a prominent part of the SNL 50th Anniversary Special, causing him significant disappointment.

What was Chevy Chase's role on Saturday Night Live?

Chevy Chase was an original cast member from 1975 to 1976 and was the first anchor of the "Weekend Update" segment.

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Chevy Chase Feels Hurt by SNL 50th Anniversary Snub

23 Dec, 2025

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Summary

Chevy Chase expressed hurt over his exclusion from the SNL 50th anniversary special.
He questioned why he wasn't invited to appear on stage with other cast members.
Lorne Michaels cited concerns about Chase's focus as a reason for his limited involvement.

Chevy Chase Feels Hurt by SNL 50th Anniversary Snub

Chevy Chase, an original cast member of Saturday Night Live, has spoken out about feeling "upset" and "hurt" by his exclusion from the show's 50th-anniversary celebration. In a forthcoming documentary, Chase questioned why he was not invited to join fellow original cast members on stage. He specifically wondered why Bill Murray was present for a "Weekend Update" segment while he was not.

Chase's wife, Jayni Chase, shared that Chevy was informed of potential sketch roles leading up to the event, only for those to be ultimately canceled. SNL creator Lorne Michaels stated that while there were discussions about "Weekend Update" bits, a concern was raised by an unnamed individual that Chase "wasn't as focused."

The documentary details Chase's career trajectory, from his initial success on SNL to his later fall from grace. Michaels also acknowledged that the special had many cast members to accommodate, leading some, like Billy Crystal, to also have limited speaking parts.