Paul Simon and Sabrina Carpenter opened the 50th anniversary celebration of “Saturday Night Live" and Paul McCartney closed it down.

In a feast of special programming, NBC is celebrating the 50th anniversary of “Saturday Night Live” this weekend.

“Saturday Night Live” was intended for countercultural comedy.

The 50th anniversary celebration of “Saturday Night Live” is so big, it’s not even on Saturday.

For 50 years, music has been a big part of the history of “Saturday Night Live.”.

Nobody puts baby in a corner, but they’re putting her in the National Film Registry.

British prosecutors say they have been given a file of evidence from police about alleged sexual offenses by comedian Russell Brand and are considering whether to charge him.

Happy 50th “SNL!"

Fitness guru Richard Simmons has died.

This week’s new streaming entertainment releases include an album from country music star Zach Bryan, Eddie Murphy reprising his role as Axel Foley and Discovery Channel’s annual “Shark Week” hoping to bite off a chunk of primetime viewership.

British media report that comedian Russell Brand has been questioned for a second time by police investigating allegations of sexual offenses.

Eddie Murphy fondly remembers watching classic Christmas movies as a child with his family during the holidays.

The BBC says two more people have come forward to complain about Russell Brand since the broadcaster launched a review into the actor and comedian’s behavior.

The “Shrek” franchise is coming back with a fifth film in the works featuring the original cast of Mike Myers, Cameron Diaz and Eddie Murphy!

This week’s new entertainment releases include fresh albums from Sam Smith and Elle King, the return of Jennifer Lopez in the rom-com “Shotgun Wedding,” and the TV show “Poker Face,” starring Natasha Lyonne as a wise-cracking, friendly drifter who has an uncanny ability to immediately know if someone is lying.

Memorable moments at the Golden Globe Awards, back on TV after a year off, included a wrongly accused pianist.

The Golden Globes returned to the air Tuesday with a red carpet flush with celebrities and comedian Jerrod Carmichael as a hesitant emcee.

Eddie Murphy will receive the Cecil B.

Louie Anderson, whose four-decade career as a comedian and actor included his unlikely and Emmy-winning performance as mom to twin adult sons in the TV series “Baskets,” has died at age 68.

A spokesman for Louie Anderson says the actor and comedian is being treated for cancer in a Las Vegas hospital.

Megan Thee Stallion and DaBaby are the prom queen and king of the 2021 BET Awards.

FILE - In this Jan. 12, 2020, file photo, Eddie Murphy accepts the lifetime achievement award at the 25th annual Critics' Choice Awards in Santa Monica, Calif. Murphy will be inducted into the NAACP Image Awards Hall of Fame this month. The NAACP announced Thursday, March 11, 2021, that Murphy will be inducted during the March 27 ceremony, which will air on CBS. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello, File)LOS ANGELES – Eddie Murphy was inducted into the NAACP Image Awards Hall of Fame at the organization’s show that highlighted works by entertainers and athletes of color. I’m very moved.”Murphy went on to send a message to Hall about his famous red leather suit from his 1983 stand-up special “Delirious.”“My red suit was not that tight Arsenio,” Murphy said. “I get a lot of cracks about that red suit.

FILE - In this Jan. 12, 2020, file photo, Eddie Murphy accepts the lifetime achievement award at the 25th annual Critics' Choice Awards in Santa Monica, Calif. Murphy will be inducted into the NAACP Image Awards Hall of Fame this month. The NAACP announced Thursday, March 11, 2021, that Murphy will be inducted during the March 27 ceremony, which will air on CBS. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello, File)LOS ANGELES – Eddie Murphy will be inducted into the NAACP Image Awards Hall of Fame this month. The NAACP announced Thursday that Murphy will be inducted during the March 27 ceremony, which will air on CBS. The NAACP Image Awards honoring entertainers and writers of color will also simulcast on BET, MTV, VH1, MTV2, BET HER and LOGO.

NEW YORK – When Eddie Murphy made the original “Coming to America,” he was, almost indisputably, the funniest man in America. “Now I take nothing for granted and appreciate everything.”Thirty-three years after “Coming to America,” Murphy and Hall have returned to Zamunda. At the barbershop, where Murphy and Hall also reprise their characters, the conversation bounces from Teslas to transgender people. Before making “Black Panther,” Murphy has said Ryan Coogler approached him about a “Coming to America” sequel. Ruth E. Carter designed the costumes of both “Black Panther” and “Coming 2 America.” Both were shot in Atlanta.

FILE - In this Monday, Aug. 10, 2015 file photo, Tommy 'Tiny' Lister greets fans as he arrives at the Los Angeles premiere of "Straight Outta Compton" at the Microsoft Theater. Tommy Tiny Lister, a former wrestler who was known for his Deebo character in the Friday films, has died. (Photo by John Salangsang/Invision/AP, File)LOS ANGELES – Tommy “Tiny” Lister, a former professional wrestler who was known for his bullying Deebo character in the “Friday” films, has died. His character was known for his infamous line “Get knocked out like your father used to.”“RIP Tiny “Deebo” Lister,” Ice Cube said Thursday night on Instagram. “WWE is saddened to learn that Tom “Tiny” Lister, known as Zeus to the WWE Universe, passed away today,” the WWE said in a tweet.

Because live shows aren’t really a thing in 2020, she’s launching a holiday TV special on Apple TV+ on Friday. “Mariah Carey’s Magical Christmas Special” will includes a mix of musical performances and dancing with amination. — Shawn Mendes released his debut album in 2015 and he’s dropping his fourth effort Friday. Along with the album is the Netflix documentary called “Shawn Mendes: In Wonder,” which is available for streaming and follows Mendes’ rise and journey over the last few years. — Christmas came early when Carrie Underwood released her first holiday album in September, and on Thursday she’ll debut a musical TV special to accompany the album.

This combination photo shows Gal Gadot in a scene from the Warner Bros. Pictures film "Wonder Woman 1984," left, and Yifei Liu in a scene from Disney's "Mulan." A century later, during another pandemic, movies — quotes no longer necessary — are again facing a critical juncture. By streaming service, video-on-demand, virtual theater or actual theater, a steady diet of films have been released under COVID-19 every week. Yet until recently — with only a few exceptions — those haven’t been the big-budget spectacles Hollywood runs on. “Wonder Woman 1984” and “Soul” are essentially very expensive advertisements for those streaming services.

“Coming 2 America,” the sequel to the 1988 Eddie Murphy comedy, has landed on a date to come to audiences. The film which reunites Murphy and Arsenio Hall will debut on Amazon Prime Video on March 5, 2021, Amazon Studios said Friday. Originally a Paramount Pictures theatrical release, the studio sold the film to the streamer last month but had yet to finalize a date. “Coming to America was a cultural phenomenon that is one of the most loved and celebrated comedies of all time,” said Jennifer Salke, head of Amazon Studios, in a statement. “We know audiences around the world will fall in love with this hilarious, joyful movie that will surely become a timeless favorite.”James Earl Jones, Shari Headley and John Amos will also be reprising their roles alongside new additions like Wesley Snipes, Leslie Jones, Tracy Morgan and KiKi Layne.

“Saturday Night Live” scored its biggest season premiere audience in four years and second best in 12 years, emphasizing the importance of presidential election time for the NBC comedy show. During a busy week for news and sports, “Saturday Night Live” was the most-watched entertainment show, despite starting at 11:35 p.m. on the East Coast, the Nielsen company said. With 8.24 million viewers, it was the second most-watched “SNL” episode since May 2017, with the exception being last December's triumphant return of Eddie Murphy. “We needed ‘Saturday Night Live’ to rise to the occasion for this moment, and it didn't,” agreed Eric Deggans, critic for National Public Radio. “Debate Analysis,” NBC, 6.94 million.

(The Television Academy via AP)LOS ANGELES – In a virtual Emmys version of the wrong-winner Oscars gaffe, Ron Cephas Jones’ guest actor award for “This Is Us” was announced for another nominee, Jason Bateman. In a voice-over announcement, Bateman was declared the winner for his guest appearance on HBO's “The Outsider,” while the screen displayed Jones' name. He expressed delight when learning that the pair made Emmy history as the first father and daughter to win in the same year. More than 100 cameras are being deployed to nominees at home and elsewhere so winners can accept their award in real time. Other winners Saturday included Eddie Murphy, whose return to “Saturday Night Live” after more than three decades earned the star his first Emmy Award, for guest comedy series actor.

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Dave Chappelle accepted the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor Sunday. The award is considered the highest accolade in comedy and recognizes individuals who have had an impact on American society in the vein of 19th-century novelist and essayist Samuel Clemens, or pseudonym, Mark Twain. Actor and comedian Eddie Murphy said in a video tribute Chappelle is the type of person who is "so much smarter than everyone." "Dave is one of the most, maybe the most, intellectual comedian ever," Murphy said. Previous recipients of the Mark Twain award include Richard Pryor, Jonathan Winters, Carl Reiner, Whoopi Goldberg, Lily Tomlin, Lorne Michaels, Steve Martin, George Carlin, Tina Fey, Will Ferrell, Ellen DeGeneres, Carol Burnett, Bill Murray, David Letterman, and Julia Louis-Dreyfus.

BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. - Eddie Murphy has multiple upcoming projects and a standup tour sounds like one of them. "Next year I am going to tour, do some standup," Murphy revealed while speaking on the "Present Company with Krista Smith" Netflix podcast. No dates, no cites, no official tour announced, but he will be on stage working out material for a potential comedy special with Netflix. Murphy's 1987 comedy special "Raw" earned more that $50 million. In 2011, Murphy said he had no interest in making family movies any more, and basically disappeared from public eye.

Taylor Swift's "Lover" sets records on its first day, "Lawrence of Arabia" is back in theaters, and Eddie Murphy will be back on SNL! The-CNN-Wire & 2019 Cable News Network, Inc., a Time Warner Company. All rights reserved.

New faces include Phoebe Waller-Bridge, the Emmy-nominated star and creator of Amazon's "Fleabag," and David Harbour, who is known for roles such as Netflix's "Stranger Things" and the upcoming Marvel film "Black Widow." She will host the October 5 episode, featuring musical guest Taylor Swift. "SNL" kicks off what will be its 45th season on September 28 with host Woody Harrelson and musical guest Billie Eilish. Kristen Stewart will host the November 2 episode, with a musical guest who has yet to be announced. The "SNL" lineup so far:Sept. 28 -- host Woody Harrelson / musical guest Billie EilishOct. 5 -- host Phoebe Waller-Bridge / musical guest Taylor SwiftOct. 12 -- host David Harbour / musical guest Camila CabelloNov. 2 -- host Kristen Stewart / musical guest TBADec. 21 -- host Eddie Murphy / musical guest TBAThe-CNN-Wire & 2019 Cable News Network, Inc., a Time Warner Company.

Arsenio Hall will be back for the "Coming to America" sequel. - The Prince of Zamunda will not be alone in the "Coming to America" sequel. Actor and comedian Arsenio Hall tweeted on Monday that he'd be in the sequel to the 1988 film with Eddie Murphy. In the original, African Prince Akeem comes to Queens, New York, to avoid an arranged marriage. The as-yet untitled "Coming to America" sequel is scheduled to hit theaters on August 7, 2020.