The American sketch-comedy show Saturday Night Live paid a moving tribute to the victims of the Paris attacks over the weekend by changing the episode’s iconic opening skit to one of the show’s castmembers delivering a message of support from the people of New York to the people of Paris.
Comedienne Cecily Strong, dressed in black, relayed the following message is both English and French:
“Paris is the city of lights. And here in New York City, we know that light will never go out. Our love and support is with everyone there tonight. We stand with you.”
We stand with you, Paris. https://t.co/hqUX4oqWMj
— Saturday Night Live (@nbcsnl) November 15, 2015
Strong then recited the line that has opened the show for its more-than-40-year run on NBC, saying: “And now, live from New York, it’s Saturday Night...”
The comedy show’s tribute came just a day after the coordinated series of terrorist attacks in the French capital claimed the lives of 132 people and wounded more than 350 others across the city.
Saturday Night Live has a history of changing its opening to reflect its condolences in the wake of tragic events; in December 2012, after the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting in Newtown, Connecticut, the show opened with a children’s choir singing Silent Night.
And in the show immediately following the events of 9/11, New York’s then mayor Rudi Giuliani started the show flanked by a number of the city’s police officers and fire fighters.
The show’s procuder Lorne Michaels turned to Giuliani asking, “Can we be funny now?”
“Why start now?” Giuliani replied.
