Lin-Manuel Miranda Is Back in “Hamilton” as Nathan Lane Sings R-Rated “Lion King” in John Mulaney's Star-Studded “SNL” Broadway Skit
Pete Davidson, David Spade, Kate McKinnon and more also appeared in the ‘SNL50: The Anniversary Special’ sketch
Pete Davidson, David Spade, Kate McKinnon and more also appeared in the ‘SNL50: The Anniversary Special’ sketch:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():format(jpeg)/John-Mulaney-Lin-Manuel-Miranda-and-Nathan-Lane-during-SNL-50-021625-ad1ed69740d345f8bb9de5d3cfc77c33.jpg "(L to R) Lin-Manuel Miranda, John Mulaney, Pete Davidson and more in ‘SNL50: The Anniversary Special’ on Feb. 16")
John Mulaney rounded up a dazzling array of celebrities for the ultimate New York City tribute.
The comedian, 42, launched into one of his beloved musical sketches during the SNL50: The Anniversary Special on Feb. 16 — this time, a tribute to New York City’s storied past throughout the last 50 years.
The sketch begins with Mulaney selling hot dogs and heroin in 1975 New York, when he’s greeted by Pete Davidson and David Spade, playing two newcomers to the city with “dreams of making it big.” Mulaney, surprised at their decision, breaks into song to explain the harsh realities of living in the Big Apple.
Maya Rudolph and Adam Driver, dressed as a vial of heroin and a hot dog respectively, sing a parody of the song “Fame,” which warns of the dangers of taxis, the subway and more. Former SNL musical directors G.E. Smith and Paul Schaffer next perform a guitar and keytar solo.
Mulaney, Davidson and Spade then travel to the 1980s, to a restaurant on Wall Street. Mulaney explains that a “new diet” of cocaine has been taking over the city, as Nathan Lane and Chloe Fineman's characters indulge in the drug at a nearby table. Lane then breaks out into a parody of “Hakuna Matata,” which he famously sang in the 1994 Disney film The Lion King, switching out the lyrics to “cocaine and some vodka.”
“It means no sleeping for a couple of days,” Lane and Mulaney sing together.
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The comedian then whisks everyone to the 1990s, when cartoon mascots began to take over the city. Jason Sudeikis and Will Forte, who's dressed as Elmo, break out into a parody of “Look Down” from Les Misérables. Kristen Wiig also appears as the green M&M, parodying the musical’s song “I Dreamed a Dream” about the hardships of being a tourist attraction — with an uncomfy-looking Jenna Ortega and Kevin Costner sandwiched between the trio in the audience.
Kate McKinnon then reprises her role as former New York City mayor Rudy Giuliani as the sketch switches to post-9/11 America; she sings a parody of “My Shot” from Hamilton. The musical’s Tony-winning creator and star, Lin Manuel-Miranda, then joins the performance, along with former cast members Kyle Mooney and Beck Bennett. Mulaney also introduces some of the city’s other mayors over the years, including Michael Bloomberg (Sarah Sherman), Bill de Blasio and Eric Adams (Devon Walker).
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Mulaney then explains the woes of present-day New York, namely the rise of e-bikes, during a parody of “Suddenly Seymour” from the musical Little Shop of Horrors, with Scarlett Johansson playing Audrey, Paul Rudd as Seymour and James Austin Johnson as a bottle of whiskey.
Yet despite all of the darker aspects of the city, Mulaney is quick to remind Davidson to “believe in the power of New York” in the sketch’s final number. Kenan Thompson, dressed as the Diner Lobster from Mulaney's sketch of the same name, breaks out into “One Day More” from Les Mis, joined by Rudolph as the Statue of Liberty, Cecily Strong as a cook and Nick Jonas as Marius, a role he previously played during a concert performance of the musical. Taran Killam and Ana Gasteyer, dressed as a rat and pigeon respectively, also hop into the finale alongside the rest of the cast.
Mulaney, who has hosted SNL six times, has become known for his musical parodies on the show. Since his “Diner Lobster” sketch in 2018, the actor has developed a knack for sketches poking fun at life in New York City through Broadway music.
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During his most recent hosting gig in November 2024, Mulaney did a sketch called "Port Authority Duane Reade," with several musical references from famous plays, including The Lion King's "The Circle of Life," "Do-Re-Mi" from The Sound of Music, "Master of the House" from Les Misérables, "Willkommen" from Cabaret, "Prince Ali" from Aladdin, "Alexander Hamilton" from Hamilton and "We Go Together" from Grease.
The others, which the official SNL YouTube channel has dedicated a playlist to, include “Bodega Bathroom,” “Airport Sushi,” “New York Musical” and “Subway Churro.”
SNL50: The Anniversary Special airs Sunday, Feb. 16, at 8 p.m. ET on NBC and Peacock.
