Real reason why Bill Hader mysteriously avoided SNL50 Anniversary Special: No Stefon? 'That’s a crime'

Fans were not happy about Bill Hader, an eight-year veteran of the iconic sketch show, skipping the SNL50 Anniversary Special event on Sunday.

Saturday Night Live enthusiasts had their eyes peeled for Bill Hader on the iconic sketch show’s 50th Anniversary Special event on Sunday, February 16, 2025. Fans were desperately hanging by the thread for the beloved comic actor’s legendary standout character Stefon’s cameo during SNL’s milestone night.

Bill Hader missed out on this year's SNL anniversary event in NYC. (Getty Images via AFP)

However, their wishes ultimately washed down the drain as Hader was nowhere in sight. His absence became a hot topic hours before the actual SNL50 anniversary event as fans were quick to notice that the 46-year-old star was missing from the three-hour event’s promos.

Sad fans react to Bill Hader's SNL50 absence

Bill Hader’s name again picked up traction on social media trends once the show finally kicked off at Studio 8H. Heartbroken viewers tuning in from the comfort of their homes couldn’t help but react to his mysterious absence at SNL's big night.

“Watching the snl special just though I was gonna see bill hader as Stefon but no it’s just another sunday,” vented a sad fan on X/Twitter. “Nah, how are you going to celebrate SNL 50 weekend update without Stefon. That’s a crime. Where tf is Bill Hader,” wrote another user. More “No Stefon” tweets poured in as the audience felt they were “robbed.”

Why Bill Hader missed out on the SNL Anniversary Special event

Answering the big question of the night, The US Sun revealed why the eight-year veteran of the show couldn’t make it. A source close to the fan-favourite SNL star told the outlet, “Bill has a long-standing scheduling conflict.” However, it remains unclear what the “conflict” is.

The insider’s statement seemingly shut down claims of Hader’s beef with show creator Lorne Michaels. In addition to the chatter surrounding their potential falling out, Bill’s previous revelation of his time on the show took fans by surprise.

SNL veteran's struggle with anxiety over the years

“When I was on SNL, I was a bit of a basket case. It could not have been easy on my wife at the time. I was so consumed with work and anxiety. Sometimes I felt like people thought, ‘Oh, he’s just wanting attention or something.’ It was like, ‘No, man, I’m legit. I’m freaking out right now,’” he shared with Variety in 2019.

In January, The New Yorker published a lengthy excerpt of Susan Morrison’s biography “Lorne: The Man Who Invented Saturday Night Live,” revealing how the SNL creator reacted to Hader’s crisis. The book is out due on February 18, 2025.

“Bill Hader, who is prone to anxiety attacks, remembers Michaels coming to his dressing room when he hosted and snapping, ‘Calm the fuck down. Just have fun. Jesus Christ,’” the book reveals. Whether the advice worked on Hader, who’s long been vocal about his battle with anxiety during his SNL stint, is a whole another conversation.

Despite Hader's absence, the Sunday show is packed with SNL's talent brigade through the years. Fred Armisen, Chevy Chase, Pete Davidson, Jimmy Fallon, Tina Fey, Kate McKinnon, Seth Meyers, Amy Poehler, Maya Rudolph, Andy Samberg, Jason Sudeikis, Kenan Thompson, Chris Rock, Kristen Wiig and others were named as SNL50 headliners ahead of the show.