SNL 50th anniversary, anyone following it?
10Anyone besides me keeping up with the Saturday Night Live 50th anniversary shows? I did watch all the documentaries. The music one was really good and it didn’t shy away from the controversies like the Sinead O’Connor episode. The show gave so many artists their start and exposure. The big gala on Sunday night was about an hour longer than it should have been. But there were some nice tributes to those that have passed on and surprisingly some former cast members were absent or not mentioned at all.
When it first came on the air, SNL was a big part of my TV watching. I was usually babysitting on Saturday nights so I would watch it after the kids went to sleep. I loved Gilda Radner! Playing around with my friends, I would brush out my hair until it was all poofy and imitate Roseanne Roseanna Danna 
Anyone else have good SNL memories?
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Was a very regular watcher when it began. Once the original cast (of the first few seasons) had been pretty much cycled out, i just never really got into the later seasons with their personnel. With but few exceptions, they just were not as good, imho. Chevy Chase, (Samurai) John Belushi, Dan Akroyd (You slut, Jane), Bill Murray, Jane Curtin, Laraine Newman, Garrett Morris, and yes Gilda Radner! (Why are people against violins in the streets? Never mind.)
@phendrick Jane you ignorant slut.
@dontwantaname @phendrick
“I remember when I called her that back stage, but Danny said that in front of the cameras. And meant it.” -Bill
I realized I was exactly 16 when it aired! It was the only show that could keep you laughing from beginning to end. Music groups then were the best.
/showme a colorful church lady
/showme a Saturday Night Live church lady
On Black Jeopardy, Eddie Murphy playing Tracy Jordan while Tracy Jordan was standing right next to him was the funniest thing I’ve seen in a long time.
I worked at 30 Rock when it started! I actually yelled out Gilda’s name when I saw her in the hallway one day. OMG, you don’t do that as a native NYer! You really don’t do that when you work in the building! In uniform! She stopped. Turned toward me smiled and said Hi! I apologized saying sorry I never saw you before and you are my favorite person in the show. She didn’t look upset.
@dontwantaname that’s a awesome memory! In the finale of the show on sunday, Loraine Newman and Jane Curtin were holding up her photo. She left us far too soon.
MEALS! DEALS! EELS! AWESOME!
@dontwantaname @ironcheftoni
She was supposedly in private life as big a sweetheart as she seemed to be to the public.
Never got into it. Never understood the hype.
@Cerridwyn It’s the longest running variety show. So while not every sketch is going to be an instant classic, there is usually something for everyone. Not to mention the fact that it’s live, so surprises (and funny accidents) can happen. That’s the hype. Doesn’t mean you’ll like it, but that’s what people like about the show.
@Cerridwyn for the first half of those 50 years it was not always great but was pretty much always very important culturally.
For the last 10 - 20 years I don’t think it’s been as big of a cultural impact because we have YouTube and TikTok.
“Remember when the founding members of SNL were all fired by year 4… And then Kennan Thompson joined?”
Two early favs.
Star Trek
Julia Child (The French Chef)
Now I mostly only watch on YouTube if I hear some section was good.
Do you happen to have the name of that one that focused on the music? I might like to see that one.
@Doooood “Ladies & Gentlemen 50 Years of SNL Music”
It’s available on Peacock.
@Kyeh Thx!
@Doooood You’re welcome!
In 1984, Joe Piscopo got into a slapping match with Don Rickles, the barbs continued through out the show, and it’s rumored that the two ended up in a brawl backstage after the show, with the old man kicking Joes ass.
Shortly afterwards Joe went on a bodybuilding campaign