Lorne Michaels seems to be very invested in the ongoing legal battle between Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni.
Ryan Reynolds made a joke out of the drama at SNL50: The Anniversary Special on Feb. 16, noting how things are going âgreatâ when Tina Fey and Amy Poehler asked, then said, âWhy, what have you heard?â â and even after the show ended, Michaels still had the joke on his mind.
Dana Carvey revealed on the Feb. 20 episode of his and David Spadeâs Fly on the Wall podcast that Michaels, 80, kept texting him about the legal battle â which began in December when the actress sued Baldoni, the director and her costar in It Ends With Us, over sexual harassment allegations.
Carvey, who was on SNL from 1986 to 1993, said he texted the showâs co-creator to congratulate him, and âinstead of talking about the show, he just goes, âBaldoni will now countersue. I think that Lively will probably get a new attorney.'â
It wasnât clear whether Carvey was reciting exactly what Michaels had said or a version of it.
When Carvey specifically highlighted how great he thought Tom Hanksâ sketch was and Steve Martinâs monologue, he said that Michaels mentioned the lawsuit once again. âI donât know where Ryan Reynolds is on this but certainly they have deep pockets,â Carvey said while seemingly impersonating Michaels.
Reynoldsâ quip caught the attention of many during and after the show, including Baldoniâs lawyer, who said on Billy Bushâs Hot Mics podcast, âIâm unaware of anybody, frankly, whose wife has been sexually harassed and has made jokes about that hype of situation.â
It also prompted interest in the jokeâs origin. Wally Feresten, a longtime SNL crew member, said that Reynolds âhad a different line in rehearsal and he pitched that [joke insteadâ on an Australian radio show, but a spokesperson for SNL denied that to PEOPLE.
However, a source close to the Deadpool actor said: âThe opening joke was pitched by SNL and never changed.â
Reynoldsâ nod at his wifeâs ongoing legal battle was not the only moment that made headlines from the star-studded show.
The show got off to a fun start as John Mulaney and Steve Martin delivered the opening monologue â and Mulaney, 42, poked fun at how it âamazesâ him that âonly twoâ previous SNL hosts âhave committed murder,â presumably referring to O.J. Simpson and Robert Blake.
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A rare appearance by Jack Nicholson, Aubrey Plazaâs first public appearance since her husband Jeff Baenaâs death and Meryl Streep making her SNL debut â and breaking character â were other major moments of the night.
Adam Sandlerâs touching musical tribute to the many cast members and alums of the show also brought out some tears as he gave a special mention to the late alumni Chris Farley and Norm Macdonald.
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