Steve Martin opens ‘SNL’ 50th special with hilarious monologue featuring Canadian Martin Short dragged away by ICE

nypost.com:

celebrated 50 years on the air with a three-hour special called “SNL50: The Anniversary Special,” Feb. 16 (8 p.m. on NBC and Peacock) – and it was fitting that Steve Martin came out to do the monologue, since the actor and comedian has been a frequent host through the years.

Martin opened by first making a political jab (about how he was in a boat in “The Gulf of Steve Martin”) before making jokes about aging, explaining that as “Saturday Night Live” turns 50, he’s turning 79. “But I feel like I’m 65 – which is also not good,” he quipped.

The “Only Murders in the Building” star added, “Seriously, I do not mind getting older, do you think these hearing aids make my ass looks smaller?” He joked that a person who was born when “SNL” first premiered in 1975 could today “easily be dead of natural causes.” Martin then took aim at some “SNL” cast members and audience members. “Bill Murray is here, we wanted to be sure that Bill would be here tonight so we didn’t invite him,” he joked.

Murray, now 74, was part of the “SNL” cast in its first few years, from 1977 to 1980. “David Letterman is here,” Martin said, as the camera panned to Letterman, 77, sitting in the crowd with his trademark bushy beard. “Dave, thanks for leaving the sheep at home,” Martin took a jab at his facial hair.