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While John Lennon and Paul McCartney remained friends following The Beatles’ breakup, the two never worked together again. However, the pair was asked to reunite on Saturday Night Live after receiving an invitation from creator Lorne Michaels. It didn’t happen, but it was closer than people may think. 

Lorne Michaels asked The Beatles to appear on ‘Saturday Night Live’

Paul McCartney and John Lennon performing with The Beatles during their American tour
Paul McCartney and John Lennon | Mark and Colleen Hayward/Getty Images

On a 1976 episode of Saturday Night Live (known then as Saturday Night), creator and producer Michaels appeared onscreen to try and convince The Beatles to reunite on the show. Michaels jokingly offered the band a $3,000 check and even asked them to try and work out any personal conflicts between them. 

“Now, we’ve heard and read a lot about personality and legal conflicts that might prevent you guys from reuniting,” Michaels said. “That’s something which is none of my business. That’s a personal problem. You guys will have to handle that. But it’s also been said that no one has yet to come up with enough money to satisfy you. Well, if it’s money you want, there’s no problem here. The National Broadcasting Company has authorized me to offer you this check to be on our show. A certified check for $3,000.”

Paul McCartney and John Lennon were watching the invitation

Unknown to Michaels, Paul McCartney and John Lennon were only a short walk away, watching the Saturday Night episode together. McCartney was visiting Lennon the same night his album Speed of Sound hit No. 1 on the U.S. charts. While watching the episode, Lennon suggested going down to the studio as a joke. However, they wound up not going as both were too tired. 

“Paul and I were together watching that show,” Lennon told David Sheff in 1980. “He was visiting us at our place in the Dakota. We were watching it and almost went down to the studio, just as a gag. We nearly got into a cab, but we were actually too tired…He and Linda walked in, and he and I were just sitting there watching the show, and we went, Ha-ha, wouldn’t it be funny if we went down, but we didn’t.”

McCartney later confirmed the story via Ultimateclassicrock.com, saying, “John said, ‘We should go down, just you and me. There’s only two of us, so we’ll take half the money.’ And for a second. … But It would have been work, and we were having a night off, so we elected not to go. It was a nice idea – we nearly did it.”

George Harrison tried to capitalize on Michaels’ offer

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On a Nov. 20, 1976, episode of Saturday Night, George Harrison appeared as the musical guest. In the cold opening, Michaels appeared with Harrison, who was trying to collect the money for his appearance. Michaels denied his request, saying it had to be all four of them, to which Harrison responded by calling NBC “chintzy.”

“I thought that you would understand, you know, that it was $3,000 for four people, that it would just be $750 for each of you,” Michaels told Harrison. “I mean, as far as I’m concerned, I mean, you could have the full $3,000. But the network ….”

Since then, McCartney and Ringo Starr have appeared on the show individually. Lennon is the only Beatle who never appeared on Saturday Night Live. 

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