Lorne Michaels Honored at the 44th Kennedy Center Honors! Steve Martin, Kristin Wiig, Kate McKinnon, President Joe Biden, and More Come Out to Celebrate!

By Carly Polistina

The 44th Kennedy Center Honors aired on Paramount+ last night. The honorees included Bette Middler, Berry Gordy, and none other than the prolific Lorne Michaels.

A lion's share of cast and crew memebers from Michaels's iconic creation, Saturday Night Live came out to the Kennedy Center to honor the man behind it all. Steve Martin gave a hilarious speech to pay tribute to Michaels. He joked, "When I was just a little kid, I used to get dressed up and play 'Honoring Lorne Michaels at the Kennedy Center.'"

SNL icons Kristin Wiig and Kate McKinnon similarly came together to celebrate Lorne Michael's life and career. McKinnon said:

"We just both wanted to take this opportunity to thank you, Lorne, for everything you've done for us as Americans, as comedians, as twelve-year-old misfits, and as friends. And I think it's safe to say that, without you, Lorne, there's a good chance we would be living in a van down by the river."

Leave it to these hilarious superstars to say something sentimental while also working in a call-back!

Even the President of the United States, Joe Biden, came out to say a few words about this staple in the entertainment community. The President commented:

"All kidding aside, after 40 years of turning Saturday Night Live into an American institution, Lorne has proven that laughter is good for the soul. If you can't laugh at yourself we're in real trouble."

These powerful words come after the President quipped that Lorne is, "trying out seven guys to play me!"

Especially in these past two years plauged by pandemic, these lessons of laughter are critical to take with us.