‘SNL 50’: Tom Hanks Delivers “In Memoriam” Semi-Tribute To “Characters And Sketches That Have Aged Horribly”

deadline.com:

On its 50th anniversary special, Saturday Night Live wanted to have its nostalgic cake and eat it, too, owning up to the stereotypes it has perpetuated while also coaxing laughs out of the passage of time.

In a send-up of awards-show “in memoriam” segments, a tuxedoed Tom Hanks soberly took the darkly lit stage during Sunday’s SNL50: The Anniversary Special. “As we celebrate the achievements of the past 50 years,” he intoned, “we must also take a moment to remember those who we’ve lost.

Countless members of the SNL family taken from us way too soon. I’m speaking, of course, about SNL characters and sketches that have aged horribly.” As the audience chuckled, he went on, “Even though these accents and characters and … let’s just call them ethnic wigs … were unquestionably in poor taste, you all laughed at them.

So, if anyone should be canceled, shouldn’t it be you, the audience? Something to think about.” He then tossed to a montage of characters with problematic qualities, starting with John Belushi’s samurai and proceeding with a number of cringe-y successors.