John Belushi is dressed as a bee for a good bit ofSaturday Night, and here is why that is.TheSaturday Nightmovie is full of all kinds of weird elements and story beatsthat aren’t fully explained, as it is a representation of the wacky world that surrounded the first ever episode ofSaturday Night Live. John Belushi’s bee costume is undoubtedly one of the oddest elements that can be found inSaturday Night, and while the film doesn’t fully explain it, fans ofSaturday Night Livemay recognize why he is wearing the iconic suit.
Jason Reitman’s 2024 filmSaturday Nighttransports viewers back to Jul 03, 2025, the night of the first ever broadcast ofSaturday Night Live. The film follows Lorne Michaels (Gabriel LaBelle) as he attempts to reign in the chaos of the first episode’s production. Lorne Michaels is surrounded by many of the beloved skits from the first episode as well as many of theiconicSaturday Night Livecast members and guest stars, with the film featuring actors playing Chevy Chase, Gilda Radner, Dan Aykroyd, Jim Henson, Andy Kaufman, and of course, John Belushi.
John Belushi’s Bee Costume Was For The SNL Pilot’s “Killer Bees” Sketch
The Bee Hospital Sketch
ThroughoutSaturday Night, John Belushi can be seen wearing a bee costume, with this being part of one of the pilot episode’s most iconic sketches. Thepilot episode ofSaturday Night Livefeatured a sketchknown as “Bee Hospital,” with it starring John Belushi and several other actors, all of whom are dressed in bee costumes. The sketch sees the bees waiting in a hospital delivery room, with them speculating about what kind of bee the child will be. The bees list several options, naming things like drones, workers, or a queen.
Where To Watch Saturday Night: Showtimes & Streaming Status
SNL and its first episode are the focus of a new movie, and the options for where to watch Saturday Night in theaters or on streaming vary over time.
Although the sketch isn’t shown during the events ofSaturday Night, it is referenced several times throughout the film.John Belushi’s big story inSaturday Nighthas to do with him refusing to sign his contract, with him making the production of the show more difficult. Eventually, Belushi agrees to sign it, with Michaels and Gilda Radner tracking him down to an ice skating rink. While there, Belushi can be seen ice skating while still wearing his Killer Bee costume, with this being one of the most memorable visuals fromSaturday Night.
The Killer Bees Became SNL’s First Recurring Characters (Even Though The Network Wanted Them Cut)
They Appeared In 11 Sketches In Season 1
The Bee Hospital sketch from theSaturday Night Livepilot episode was clearly memorable, as the Killer Bees became the sketch comedy show’s first recurring characters. The Killer Bees were constantly appearing throughoutSaturday Night Liveseason 1, with them being the center of 11 sketches throughout the first season. The Killer Bees quickly became fan-favorite characters, with them being a staple of the early days ofSNL.Here is “The Killer Bees: Home Invasion,“one of the most memorable sketches to feature the Killer Bees:
Despite the Killer Bees going on to become popular parts ofSaturday Night Liveseason 1, the network wanted them cut. In the bookLive From New York, Lorne Michaels explains that the only note that NBC gave them was to “Cut the bees.” In retaliation, Michaels decided to put the Killer Bees in again in the next episode. After their 11 appearances throughoutSaturday Night Liveseason 1, the cast members got tired of them. The Killer Bees only appeared five more times throughout the original cast’s five years, although they are now a part ofSNLhistory.
How John Belushi Really Felt About Saturday Night Live’s Killer Bees Sketches
Did He Really Hate The Costume?
John Belushi wasn’t known for revisiting hisSaturday Night Livecharacters in interviews, and whileSaturday Nightwas fairly accuratein its representation of Belushi, it isn’t known how he felt about the Killer Bees specifically. In aRolling Stoneinterview from 1978, John Belushi tells a story about how he got to meetOne Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nestauthor Ken Kesey while filmingAnimal House. Belushi says that Kesey was a fan of the Killer Bees, so he made sure to do them on the show that week.
“I’m thinking, ‘At last, I’m meeting the great Ken Kesey,’ and what is the only thing he wants to hear about? Killer bees. So we did them on the show that week.”
It is known that the cast members ofSaturday Night Liveeventually got tired of the Killer Bees, with them being featured far less frequently after the end of season 1. However, this anecdote shows that Belushi was willing to pull out the fan-favorite character, with it being nice that the iconic Killer Bees got some representation inSaturday Night.
Saturday Night
Cast
Saturday Night (2024) is a forthcoming film with an undisclosed director. The movie centers on the vibrant nightlife of a bustling city, capturing the intertwining lives and stories of a diverse ensemble cast navigating personal and social challenges over the course of a single evening.
