SNL 40: 23 Years of Beehive Gratitude

Written on the very early morning after SNL40…. I am so very overwhelmed with emotion and gratitude for the 23 years I've spent in Studio 8H....SNL is 40 Years young tonight, and so, so many friends were there. An amazing show held together by our amazing crew, as always, and by the brilliant editors who combed through 40 years of tape to build fast-moving montages. The band shots this evening went (rightly so) to past Musical Directors Cheryl Hardwick, Paul Shaffer, and my dear friend GE Smith.... but fear not! The after-party at the Plaza featured a jam orchestrated by Jimmy Fallon, who pulled me up on stage only to have the B52s sing backup for me on "Respect" (somehow, Ariana Grande had gotten up to sing it, but Fallon handed it to me mid-tune. My apologies, Ariana!), Fallon and Kate Pierson acted as my Ronettes on "Be My Baby", a fast-paced "Pump It Up" and "Twist and Shout" with Elvis Costello, and Joe Piscopo burning it up on "Pink Cadillac" (he's a good guitar picker!) while Marty Short and Mya Rudolph danced around the stage and BIll Murray shook a tambourine.... The broadcast itself was fabulous and poignant, and SO, so funny...and.... Paul Simon shouted out to my bandmates at the end of the show, and my heart just sang right out, too, as Lenny Pickett was given the spotlight he so richly deserves! Cherished the shout-out to the late, great T-Bone Wolk, our departed bandmate. Great to see photographic shout-outs to friends Tracy Morgan, visual designer Edie Baskin (who took the cover and back photos for "The Hard Way" and "Wicked Time" CDs) and the great filmographer Jimmy Signorelli. So cool to get hugs from former head writers Andrew Steele and Tina Fey, and too many former cast members to mention. Loved every minute!!! My great thanks to all of you who sent me good wishes. I cherish the day that GE Smith called me to sing at an "event" which turned out to be Lorne Michaels' wedding reception outdoors in the Hamptons, and all of the great work and marvelous friendships that have resulted. I am humbled and oh, so grateful for everything.