SNL 50: The Anniversary Special has been filled to the brim with meme-worthy moments and online chit-chat fodder. However, the one joke that really got tongues wagging was Ryan Reynolds‘ cheeky punchline referencing his wife Blake Lively‘s legal spat with Justin Baldoni.
In case you missed it, on Monday (local time) a heap of celebrities and SNL icons came together to celebrate the long-running comedy show’s 50th anniversary. From the presenters to the crowd, it was a completely star-studded event.
During the show, former cast members Tina Fey and Amy Pohler greeted the audience with a monologue and singled out Ryan Reynolds.
“How’s it going?”
“Great! Why, what have you heard?” Reynolds responded anxiously before the audience erupted in laughter as Fey and Pohler waved off any further reference to the legally precarious waters.
Although the subtle jest was mostly a hit — well, aside from Blake Lively and Kevin Costner who both grimaced at the joke — apparently it created a bit of an awkward atmosphere for the Deadpool and Gossip Girl star afterwards.
According to an insider, some SNL producers were worried that the quip would be interpreted as the show endorsing the celebrity couple instead of Justin Baldoni.
“People were apprehensive about speaking and talking to them because of the situation, but everyone was friendly enough,” an insider spilled to the Daily Mail.
“Some producers were concerned that the show was being used to ‘endorse’ Blake and Ryan because they seem desperate to prove that they’re still in with the Hollywood crowd.
“Their team worked with SNL to create the joke but the truth is, people there weren’t really feeling it. To many, it felt like cheap damage control but it was included as the network knew the appearance would grab ratings and make headlines.”
According to the source, a few audience members felt that Reynold’s joke made Lively uncomfortable.
“Some people thought it was weird that they were so eager to crack jokes about it because the accusations were serious,” they said.
“It felt like Ryan was desperate to stick with the funny guy act which was almost at the expense of Blake. She seemed on edge backstage.”
Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni have been embroiled in a legal battle over events which began during filming for their latest movie It Ends With Us. From what started as allegations of sexual harassment and misconduct on set, has expanded to include claims of orchestrated smear public relations campaigns and two multi-million dollar lawsuits from Baldoni and Lively.
A trial date in the US federal court has now reportedly been set for March 2026. While there seem to be updates on their legal squabble every week, you can find a full explainer on the big notes of their beef below.
Juicy, isn’t it?
While Reynold’s joke seems to make light of the situation, I wouldn’t be surprised if Justin Baldoni hits back in the press about the stunt. Only time will tell!
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