OT: Must-See TV: SNL 40th Anniversary Special
As today is a slow day in sports (and the 2nd consecutive slow day on the MGoBoard) I thought I'd go OT on y'all.
I have been looking forward all week to watching NBC tonight for the Saturday Night Live 40th Anniversary Special, which, of course, will be telivised live. The SNL Red Carpet Special at 7pm should be interesting as an appetizer, but the main course will be served for 3 hours starting at 8pm. I believe 40 cast members will be featured, including 5 of the original cast members from back in 1975, and also including most of the biggest stars of the show spanning all four decades.
I have myself spent time watching, all week long, the 'countdown' back to Episode #1 on VH1 Classic (Channel 337 on DirecTV). I wasn't aware of it until this week, but I found out that VH1 Classic started their countdown about 3 weeks ago. Yesterday was an all-day Steve Martin Lovefest, as they showed several episodes that he hosted, mainly from the 70's. Today, they're concentrating on Year One (1975-76) episodes culminating in the very first show, with George Carlin as guest host, from 5:30-7pm.
The other two of the final 3 episodes yet to be rebroadcast have Richard Pryor, and then Paul Simon/Art Garfunkel as guest hosts; I'm particularly looking forward to seeing featured Musical Guest Gil Scott-Heron (you may remember him for "The Revolution Will Not Be Televised") on the upcoming 2:30 pm episode.
I've had a great time watching all the Gerald-Ford bashing today, in particular the episode showing right now with Ford's Press Secretary Ron Nessan as the guest host. I love Ford the Michigan Man and President, but this stuff is hilarious. Plus other classic skits, such as "Bass-O-Matic", which was shown about a half-hour ago.
Enough of my blathering, though. Time to get back to watching.
February 15th, 2015 at 2:19 PM ^
I'm old enough to have watched the first season. It was pretty radical at the time, hence it being on late on a Saturday night.
February 15th, 2015 at 3:09 PM ^
that in one of the episodes shown earlier today (and I only caught a small part of the particular skit), Chevy Chase was standing strategically in front of a nude Playboy-type photo of a fully naked model, with his hands carefully placed over the breasts. Intentionally or not, he moved one of his hands for just a second, revealing on then-live TV the "naughty" part.
Funny thing is, I never had heard of this happening back then, but there's no doubt what I saw at that moment this morning. Maybe they had just enough of a delay built in to the show back in those days that it didn't hit the airwaves?
February 15th, 2015 at 2:19 PM ^
I remember when SNL first started and we would have huge parties every Sat. night to watch it. We did this for years.Those were great times and great parties. Will be tuning in tonight for sure.
February 15th, 2015 at 3:16 PM ^
that everything else came to a halt when SNL came on. I recall being at parties several times where everyone jockeyed for position nearest the TV each Saturday night just before 11:30. Most other activities, other than drinking and/or passing along the bong/joint/pipe, came to a temporary stop for an hour and a half.
And a 28" TV was considered big back then...
February 15th, 2015 at 3:22 PM ^
February 15th, 2015 at 7:39 PM ^
we had to watch shows when they were broadcast, or wait months for the rerun.
VCRs, DVRs and on-demand streaming had not yet been invented. Nor had the plethora of cable stations distrubuted by satellite feed.
Needless to say, networks were quite profitable.
February 15th, 2015 at 2:20 PM ^
I've been excited for this as long as I remember them announcing. The simple cast of characters coming back to SNL, along with classic hosts and musical guests will make this one of the biggest TV events of the year. Eddie Murphy coming back alone is worth watching, but seeing Steve Martin, Chevy Chase, Mike Myers, Jimmy Fallon, etc all on the same stage in one night is unreal. Going to be a great night.
February 15th, 2015 at 2:24 PM ^
February 15th, 2015 at 2:25 PM ^
Yes, this should be some high quality tv...a great alternative to the "all-star" game. I'm really hoping for some Jeopardy.
February 15th, 2015 at 2:35 PM ^
I'm really excited for this. The 25th anniversary special was fantastic, but this is supposedly going to be on a completely different level.
February 15th, 2015 at 2:39 PM ^
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February 15th, 2015 at 2:41 PM ^
E-Online has the guest list here - very impressive indeed - LINK
VH1 ran a documentary this morning on the first five years of SNL specifically, and as someone who remembers watching in the 80s and so on into the 90s and beyond, having caught up with the early years in syndication, I enjoyed seeing the backstory (another take on it anyway - several books and specials exist as it is) and the story of the development of the show initially (which this particular one focused on).
The best story out of that, I thought, came from a NBC talent coordinator who was in Lorne Michaels' office the Monday after the show premiered. He said Michaels had reviews from all over the country hanging on the wall, having highlighted words like "purile", "sophomoric" and "tedious" among others, and mentioned that it became something of a motivational tool.
February 15th, 2015 at 2:42 PM ^
And what was the title and topic of the VERY FIRST SKIT ever performed on Saturday Night Live? "The Wolverines"!
February 15th, 2015 at 2:54 PM ^
February 15th, 2015 at 3:01 PM ^
(and disagreed) with that as well. Don't get me wrong---I like Amy Poehler---but maybe top 20, NOT numero uno !
John Belushi really set the bar so high that nobody has been quite up to the task of surpassing him. Many have come fairly close over the years, but Belushi is clearly #1 in my book, too.
February 15th, 2015 at 3:04 PM ^
Kenan at 10 is pretty much a joke, and no Bill Murray is incredibly odd. For the most part, though, those other nine are pretty much interchangeable at any of those slots. There are pretty much about fifteen cast members who could be reasonably considered #1; the rest of the list is pretty much all personal preference out of the second-tier folks.
And I really like the way they did it. Because this board is how my mind works with SNL folks.
Now, Rolling Stone's ranking of all 141 cast members... Some serious goofs in there.
February 15th, 2015 at 3:16 PM ^
was and will always be #1 in my book.
She was a former WCBN weather girl, fergawdsakes!
February 15th, 2015 at 7:39 PM ^
Had me falling out of my chair, only surpassed by Monty Python skits.
February 15th, 2015 at 3:30 PM ^
and, shockingly , every name you mention is a male. Then you suggest that TDN staff must all be female and thereby biased. Glass house--though you may get support on a 99% male site. I, for example, believe Ferrell is over-rated. Amy is Top 5. And Gilda, Maya and Jan Hooks are all possibly Top Ten.
February 15th, 2015 at 3:42 PM ^
I actually wanted to add GIlda, She was amazing in everything and considered Tina Fey, but more for her writing.
Honestly though, the show is predominanty male. Not sure what the ratio is, but at least 2 to 1 male to female? Just more male options.
But your point is taken, GIlda was as talented as any male. I also liked Cheri Oteri, but she was not top 10
BTW Farley is top 10 too.
February 15th, 2015 at 4:11 PM ^
but besides gilda, the others you mention were good, solid supporting cast members but not stars on that show.
February 15th, 2015 at 4:40 PM ^
February 15th, 2015 at 4:54 PM ^
Braggart!
/s
But seriously---cool story, bro!
February 15th, 2015 at 6:07 PM ^
February 15th, 2015 at 6:34 PM ^
is the classic training ground of the comedian.
Nice to have proof of her cred.
February 15th, 2015 at 6:43 PM ^
for (my assumption, of course) having met Gilda. She's no doubt one of the all-time top five from SNL, she played so many characters so well, whether they were recurring personas such as Roseanne Roseannadanna or Emily Litella, or 'one-offs' such her hilarious characterization of Olga Korbut. I sure hope---and would expect---that they will have some clips of Gilda tonight.
February 15th, 2015 at 7:04 PM ^
February 15th, 2015 at 2:54 PM ^
February 15th, 2015 at 2:55 PM ^
laugh during most of the episodes. Without the laugh and applause signs in the theater most of the gags would generate little if any laughter.
That said, the show did produce some real good satire.
February 15th, 2015 at 3:16 PM ^
February 15th, 2015 at 3:41 PM ^
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February 15th, 2015 at 3:42 PM ^
February 15th, 2015 at 4:09 PM ^
it took priority on saturday nights if we weren't very, very occupied being young people. so many classic skits.
February 15th, 2015 at 4:21 PM ^
Ron Nessen came to my PoliSci class a few years ago to talk about Gerald Ford. He took questions after a short presentation and the first question he got was "What was it like hosting SNL?"
February 15th, 2015 at 5:33 PM ^
February 15th, 2015 at 5:41 PM ^
If your'e suggesting he should be on these "Best of" lists, he wasn't a cast member.
If you're talking about the thing tonight, he isn't actually dead, so maybe he will show up.
February 15th, 2015 at 6:12 PM ^
February 15th, 2015 at 10:40 PM ^
February 15th, 2015 at 6:01 PM ^
February 15th, 2015 at 6:19 PM ^
There's going to be a lot of skits---just not quite enough to satisfy the wishes of many of them to have their own skit to star in. But I don't think they could pull a show like this off, either, without showing some of the very best skits of the past. I know I'm looking forward to seeing again some of those classic moments along with the new.
February 15th, 2015 at 6:28 PM ^
Any music clips?
Every time they do one of these retrospectives, you are stunned with the depth and breadth of musical talent that played on that stage . . . most of it before people really knew who the acts were.
The music alone that was played on SNL would make it an all-time classic show.
February 15th, 2015 at 6:48 PM ^
as that's been one of the things I've really enjoyed seeing over the last several days of taking in those shows on VH1 Classic. Just watched Janis Ian a short while ago, a very talented folk singer/guitarist who, IMO, was very underrated and underapreciated .
February 15th, 2015 at 7:00 PM ^
episode with George Carlin a shost and Janis Ian and Billy Preston as musical guests. She was a revelation, singing "Seventeen." Beautiful. Billy Preston was with his band, and wearing a disco-sequined wide-lapel black suit. Nice contrast to Ian's simple folk look. What a great combination. I assumed they always had only one musical guest, but there was no studio band for this episode, so maybe this wasn't so unusual in the early days?
February 15th, 2015 at 6:20 PM ^
Gilda R was underrated and a comic on par with the male headliners. Who could forget Rosanne-Rosanna-Danna or baba wawa. Jane Curtain played more the, excuse the expression, straight-man role but also very funny. I was only 5 when it started but I remember! Haha
February 15th, 2015 at 6:45 PM ^
...maaaaaale prostitute!"
Epic...
February 15th, 2015 at 6:54 PM ^
February 15th, 2015 at 7:27 PM ^
Just posted about it above. (Out of the loop myself, but I noticed it in the TV listings. Don't usually watch it these days, so would have missed it.)
February 15th, 2015 at 6:56 PM ^
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February 15th, 2015 at 7:05 PM ^
Stumbling and bumbling out of the gate with two consecutive terrible interviews.
February 15th, 2015 at 7:09 PM ^
was actually live, and included up-and-coming bands as opposed to who was on top at the moment.
A favorite obscure moment: John Belushi was playing a Hispanic juvenile deliquent Killer Bee; Buck Henry was interviewing him and asked him "What about your social worker?" Belushi responds, "Social Worker? All we ever get from her is chit.....(audience gasp)....and chat." I am still amazed they got that past the censors....