First 5 Years of Saturday Night Live

I watched most of this last night. Really interesting stuff. I had no idea that Jane Curtain and Belushi really didn't like each other. It's funny how when they were really getting on each other's nerves, Lorne Michaels would make them do skits sitting side by side.

I loved Saturday Night Live as a kid and pretty much still do today. However, I never really liked the older stuff when I was growing up and haven't had a chance to revisit it. After watching last night, I'm going to have to do that. That Jimmy Carter talking a kid down from an acid trip is one of the funniest things I've ever seen.

TheFreak, if you're reading, what's the name of that SNL book you always hype?

 

Not sure if it's the same book, but 'Live From New York' is a behind the scenes personal account from many/most cast members. If you're a fan of SNL throughout the years this is a must read. Most memorable for me is how much everyone thought Chevy Chase was an ass. Farrell tells of when Chevy had a cameo in one show and said something disparaging about female actors on the show (in general), and Farrell made that same conclusion when he realized he wasn't really joking (although he tried to play if off). There's also nice stories on Belushi, Farley, Radner, Hartman, as well as crazy stories on their vampire work schedule and hard partying.

 

I've seen some of the early SNL stuff. Even though it has some comedy legends, I personally think that era is a little overrated. Nothing will ever top 88-95 with Phil Harman, Mike Myers, Dana Carvey, Dennis Miller, Chris Rock, Chris Farley, David Spade, and Adam Sandler. They should have just stopped the show right there...

 

I feel the exact opposite. I think those years are extremely overrated.

 

I totally agree with everything, its hard to argue steve martin's talent, and belushi's and akroyd's, but the 88-95 era is classic. even better than the murphy era, which without murph wouldn't be much.

 

I pretty much loved the show until Farrell left. It is so horribly bad to watch now. I try and end up turning it off after a few sketches. Do any of their writers know how to end a sketch on time? They drag on and on and on now.

 

I haven't watched SNL since the mid-90s. Seems like I always have something going on Saturday night, gig or otherwise, that prevents me from watching it.

 

Yeah, that's the book. Buh-bye.

 

I haven't watch SNL for a few years. It just doesn't do anything for me anymore.

I agree that the Phil Hartman/Chris Farley era was the best.

 

I remember watching this over a year ago when it first aired.. I agree with A-Train that 88ish-95ish were the best years, but I still think the current show is great and nothing can compare to SNL.. IMO SNL is still the greatest show in TV history and for me it will be hard to top it..

Also just to touch on what professorjay said, Chevy is by all account a total ass and a pill popper he also has been banned from from 30 Rock and SNL on Lornes orders..

 

Agreed, I'll follow the show through thick and thin. I didn't know Lornes put a ban on Chevy, sounds well deserved. In a totally random semi-related story, I read a story where Billy Corgan (Smashing Pumpkins) was on a flight w/ Chevy and he caused such a hassle and thought he was such a big shot the plane was delayed or turned around, or something to that effect.

As for casts, it's a close one between the first group and the Hartman, Sandler, etc group. I have to give the first group a lot of credit though for doing something that at the time was more risky, not just in format but in the humor they took on. Coming in third is the Farrell, Oteri, Shannon, Fallon, etc which was pretty solid.

 

I agree completely- 88-95 was awesome. SNL was revolutonary in it's infancy- America had never seen anything like it. It was a public darling. I've watched it since, and a lot of the humor just isn't relevant to me now, so it's not funny to me. I -get- the humor, but it doesn't have me laughing.

I think the current interation is pretty good, headed up by Andy Samburg.

 

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That was hilarious!

 

I forgot just how funny that original cast was. They had some miscues, but they invented the format, so it was bound to miss now and then.

But, no cast has ever been as groundbreaking or as edgy as that first one.

That scene with Chevy Chase and Richard Pryor was beyond hilarious. And Garret Morris doing the "Gonna get me a gun and shoot all the whiteys I see" song had me crying.

I like some of the other casts a lot. I found many of them hilarious. But that original cast was just magic.

 

I really enjoy the current cast of SNL. In my opinion SNL never became bad, but that it moved onto to a different style. With that being said I did enjoy the special last night.

SNL Rocks!