Overview

• Michaels told Puck that, if she were alive, he would have asked O’Connor to perform her signature cover on the 50th anniversary special.
• The February SNL50 broadcast featured Miley Cyrus and Brittany Howard delivering “Nothing Compares 2 U” in tribute.
• O’Connor’s 1992 SNL performance included tearing a photo of Pope John Paul II during Bob Marley’s “War” to protest abuse in the Catholic Church.
• She was never invited back to the show, fueling perceptions of a ban, though Michaels has said SNL has never officially banned performers.
• After calling the act “inappropriate” and “dishonest” in 1993, Michaels later said in a 2025 music documentary that he admired O’Connor’s bravery and sincerity.