Former Saturday Night Live (SNL) castmates and friends Amy Poehler and Tina Fey brought the laughs during NBC’s 50th-anniversary special, but their jokes were overshadowed by a bitter controversy surrounding Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds’ defamation lawsuit against Justin Baldoni.
The Deadpool star posed the question to Poehler and Fey during a Q&A session in Studio 8H, which led to a series of witty responses from the duo about potential downsides to wearing headgear from SNL’s 1970s Coneheads skits. However, many viewers felt that the joke fell flat due to its seeming lack of connection to the ongoing lawsuit between Lively and Reynolds and Baldoni.
The controversy centers around allegations made by Baldoni against Lively and Reynolds in a $400 million defamation and extortion lawsuit, which claims they ruined his career and reputation. The two have responded with their own lawsuits, including one filed on New Year’s Eve.
As the drama unfolds, Poehler and Fey’s lighthearted joke may not have resonated with all viewers, who felt it was insensitive to the situation. Some even criticized Lively and Reynolds for “fake smiling” despite facing serious allegations.
The lawsuit is set to go to trial on March 29, 2026, near the end of SNL’s 51st season.
Source: https://deadline.com/2025/02/snl50-ryan-reynolds-blake-lively-gag-tina-fey-amy-poehler-1236292358