Brian Williams would have loved to be a part of tonight’s SNL 40th anniversary special. He was there, however, in name only.
The “Today” show team hosted a red carpet special for the live show. At the end of an interview with Tina Fey and Jim Carrey, Carrey said to Matt Lauer and Savannah Guthrie: “Can I just ask you a question guys, Where are you hiding Brian Williams? Where is he?” “Oh, look at the time,” Lauer said as he looked at his watch.
About 15 minutes later, Carson Daly was interviewing Rudy Giuliani, about the first post-9/11 episode of the show:
Lorne gave me a great line. He came up and said, ‘Is it all right if we are funny?’ I said ‘I guess you could try to start now.’ But it was his line — I want to make sure, Brian Williams, and all this stuff — I want you to understand that was his line. He wrote it. I read it. I was not smart enough to have that line.”
Daly hastily wrapped up the interview. Williams, the sidelined NBC Newsman, hosted “Saturday Night Live” in 2007.