Over the course of four decades and 800 episodes, Saturday Night Live has been among the most
influential comedy shows in the history of American TV.
It's produced countless catchphrases and iconic characters; dozens of stars like Bill Murray,
Amy Poehler, Eddie Murphy, Tina Fey, Will Ferrell and Leslie Jones — and even one
real-life senator.
"Al Franken"
But what do you really know about the iconic sketch show?
Here's the untold truth of SNL.
Johnny Carson forced NBC to create it
In the '70s, Johnny Carson's Tonight Show was the biggest show on television.
That gave him all the leverage he needed to renegotiate his contract, and shorten his
commitment from five shows a week to four.
That meant that NBC couldn't broadcast Tonight Show reruns on Saturdays anymore, since they'd
need them for Fridays.
The network's solution?
To create a late night variety show geared to a young, hip audience.
Executives tapped 30-year-old Canadian comedy writer Lorne Michaels, best known for his
work on an Emmy-winning Lily Tomlin special.
By October 1975, the show was ready...though, not-ready for primetime.
"And the not ready for prime time players."
The name game
"Live from New York, it's Saturday night."
During the first season, the show was originally called, simply, NBC's Saturday Night.
That's because the name "Saturday Night Live" was already in use.
Sportscaster Howard Cosell hosted an ABC primetime variety show with that name.
"Lee Majors, he will be with us tonight on Saturday Night live."
Considering that most people today don't even remember it existed, it goes without saying
that ABC's Saturday Night Live wasn't a hit.
But when that show was canceled, NBC snapped up the title.
Muppet madness
In its early years, SNL was a true variety show.
Jim Henson's Muppets were frequent guests on the late night circuit in the mid-'70s,
so it only made sense to include them.
But we're not talking about Kermit, Fozzie, and Miss Piggy here.
Instead, Henson and his crew created new, monstrous, adult-oriented creatures for a
segment called "The Land of Gorch."
"What's the matter privy breath?"
"Scrin, our fair land of Gorch is on the brink of default."
Unfortunately, the segment tended to grind each show to a halt, as it wasn't considered
as fresh as the show's traditional sketches.
The Muppets were gone after the first season.
That's okay, since we got The Muppet Show in 1976.
The audition process
Comedy hotbeds like the GroundLings in Los Angeles or the Upright Citizens Brigade in
New York often arrange showcases for top talent who might be a good fit for the show, and
SNL Talent scouts attend.
"So, I just gonna tell you our specials.
Uh, we have the, uh, roasted portobello ragu, it is savory and sweet.
I should tell you uh, the first time I had this dish I got a little backed up."
If they like what they see, they invite the performers to an audition on the SNL stage.
Hopefuls have 10 minutes to do stand-up or present at least two original characters and
celebrity impressions.
"It's a bus-a-thon, we're raising money, while we're on the bus."
"It's been really cool, like , getting to hang out with my dad and like, go out on the
road and stuff like that"
Among some famous faces who auditioned but didn't make the cut: Jim Carrey, 13-time host
John Goodman, Kevin Hart, Stephen Colbert, Aubrey Plaza, Louis C.K.,Lisa Kudrow, Donald
Glover, Kel Mitchell, and Zach Galifianakis, to name just a few.
"I have a new headshot it's a scratch and sniff and it smells like failure and onions."
Entertainment Weekly reports Jennifer Aniston was offered a slot on the show in the mid-'90s,
but opted to do Friends instead.
Probably a smart move.
Things got weird with Francis Ford Coppola
For decades, each episode of SNL has basically followed the same format: a bunch of standalone
sketches, a couple of musical performances, and "Weekend Update."
In 1986, that all went out the window–but just once.
Acclaimed director Francis Ford Coppola was the host, and the through-line of the episode
was that Coppola was "directing" the show.
"Mr. Coppola I presume."
"It's Coppola."
"Don't give me line readings."
As far as experiments go, it was kind of interesting.
Too bad it wasn't very funny:
"This pathetic troop of upstart of crows is the final remnant of live television hanging
by a thread."
"It's very sad, it's very sad, isn't it.?
Yup
Short films
Sure, SNL's main draw is the fact that it's live, but pre-taped segments like fake commercials
and animated shorts have been a show staple from the beginning.
"The X presidents, George Bush."
"Read my lips, you're toast."
"Ronald Reagan."
"Just say no.
To pissing me off."
In the '70s, Albert Brooks rejected Lorne Michaels' offer to be the show's permanent
host and instead offered to create short films.
"At best I'd say you have a year to live."
"I know I overheard you tell doctor Franklin."
"You already knew and you made me go through the agony of telling you this.
You are an inconsiderate and thoughtless woman."
Mockumentary master Christopher Guest also contributed short features as a cast member
in the '80s.
And The Lonely Island brought more than just Andy Samberg to SNL: they also brought comic
rap videos like 2005's viral "Lazy Sunday."
"BAKERS DOZEN!"
"I told you that I'm crazy for these cupcakes, cousin!"
"Yo where's the movie playin?
"Upper Westside dude"
"Well let's hit up Yahoo Maps to find the dopest route!"
Legacy
After 40 years of television, it's impossible to ignore the effect SNL has had on pop culture,
and even America at large.
For one recent example, there's Tina Fey's show 30 Rock, which was loosely based on her
time as the first female head writer of SNL.
It ran on NBC for seven seasons, racked up 11 Emmy nominations, and provided us with
some of the most memorable television characters in recent years.
"Uh, Tracy you do know that Googling yourself means looking yourself up on the internet."
"I did not know that.
That explains why Liz Lemon was so cool the other day."
"Liz Lemon, you mind if I google myself in your office?"
"Sure Tracy"
"Can I use your computer?"
"How else you gonna do it?"
Not only that, but in 2008, Fey came back to SNL as a guest to take on the role of Vice
Presidential nominee Sarah Palin.
"You went to the UN for the first time.
How was that experience?"
"Oh you know it was just amazing.
So many interesting people.
Though, I have to say I was disheartened by how many of them were foreigners.
I promise that when Senator McCain and I are elected we are going to get those jobs back
in American hands."
In addition to earning the show some great ratings, a study after the fact showed that
Fey's impression of Palin actually had an impact on the candidate's image among Americans,
and possibly contributed to her and running mate John McCain's loss of the 2008 election.
That's a pretty huge impact for a weekly comedy show to have, isn't it?
"Oh hey, ya know, sure."
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