Saturday Night Live 25th Anniversary Special
| "Saturday Night Live 25th Anniversary Special" | |
|---|---|
| Saturday Night Live episode | |
| Directed by | Beth McCarthy-Miller |
| Narrated by | Don Pardo |
| Original air date | September 26, 1999 |
| Running time | 2 hr 41 minutes |
"Saturday Night Live 25th Anniversary Special" (also billed as "Saturday Night Live 25") is a three-hour prime-time special that aired on September 26, 1999, on NBC, celebrating Saturday Night Live's 25th year on the air, having premiered on October 11, 1975, under the original title NBC's Saturday Night. The New York Times wrote of the special, "In defiance of both time and show business convention, SNL is still the most pervasive influence on the art of comedy in contemporary culture."
This special was preceded by the 15th Anniversary Special (1989) and succeeded by the 40th Anniversary Special (2015). The 25th special received five Primetime Emmy Award nominations including a win for the Outstanding Variety, Music or Comedy Special and a Writers Guild of America Award for Television: Best Comedy/Variety – Specials.