Agreed. At the end of last season, several cast members left it up in the air as to whether they'd be returning. Just before this season began in the fall, I recall reading articles stating that the contracts for the various SNL performers would be going out soon at that point, as Lorne had just returned from his annual jaunt here, and his annual extended vacation there. While the work on SNL is very intense throughout the season, especially for the writers and scenic/props people, Michaels certainly doesn't have the pace of schedule he himself had to keep in the 70s and early 80s, and has plenty of time off according to those close to the show.
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Lorne Michaels Considering ‘SNL’ Retirement: “A Really Good Time to Leave”
- Thread starter Y2kTheNewOldies
- Start date
Me too. When I was in high school people talked about it all the time, but I never stayed up and it all sounded too offensive to me. I watched specials that aired in prime time and started liking them, but it wasn't until they had a condensed rerun of the previous week's episode each week in prime time in 2013 that I began watching reguarly. It didn't take long for me to realize I could just record the full episode that aired later.
Humor will stay with of most of us boomers. We understand that funny is funny despite generational differences. Why should an older person not appreciate younger humor? SNL still cracks me up even though I was born before the Kennedy Presidency!
Seems like all I hear from my boomer group is "SNL hasn't been funny since the 80s".
Just takes an open mind. Funny is funny. Perhaps I have a different brain chemistry but I still find SNL as rather good satire and chemistry, at social security age. If they can win with people like me then they will continue to win with the target audience. Brilliant programming to reach a mass audience.
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Yep, that's usually what one hears.. "SNL hasn't been funny since the original cast" or "SNL hasn't been funny since XYZ era or XYZ cast". In reality, Lorne and company have somehow always kept the show going even when major players who no one thought the show could survive without, have left. Also, when one looks back at the full shows from the first few seasons, there were quite a few "dud" sketches back then as well, but as with many things, people tend to only remember the best parts when looking back. Also, most times when they show an older SNL episode in syndication it's usually edited down to 30 minutes or an hour, so they can edit out the sketches that were crap or that haven't aged well, so only the best ones remain.
I once read an article where someone broke it down pretty well. SNL has 1.5 hours of airtime to fill. Take out commercial breaks and that gives even less. According to the NYT, after all the pre-recorded bits, Weekend Update and the live performances from musical guests are accounted for, there are about 8 live sketches per show. Considering the wide range of demographics they need to try and humor, the fact that younger viewers might not get some references while older viewers might not get others, most episodes might have 2 or 3 excellent sketches that generate buzz, another 2 or 3 that are crap, and the rest are funny but not necessarily notable or outstanding. Others may simply not be fully understood by all viewers depending on age and demographic. Occasionally a sketch will go viral, while others might become recurring if they get a good reaction from the crowd and can be built upon.
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Saturday Night Live has been declared dead annually since Jimmy Carter was President. I think it's gonna keep going after Lorne retires.
It almost really died in 1985 but it was revived.
When Dick Ebersole was involved. He and wife Susan (Saint James) were friendly with Vince McMahon. That likely was how the occasional episode of "Saturday Night's Main Event" (WWE) came to fill in a few times.
As for the near-cancellation in 1985... wasn't Jon Lovitz part of that year's cast?
Every cast has their bright spots. A current example is Ego Nwodim's impression of Dionne Warwick. Also, the new guy voicing Donald Trump! Doesn't really look like him...but the VOICE is spot-on perfect!
As for the near-cancellation in 1985... wasn't Jon Lovitz part of that year's cast?
Every cast has their bright spots. A current example is Ego Nwodim's impression of Dionne Warwick. Also, the new guy voicing Donald Trump! Doesn't really look like him...but the VOICE is spot-on perfect!
- Jim Belushi
- Billy Crystal
- Mary Gross
- Christopher Guest
- Rich Hall
- Gary Kroeger
- Julia Louis-Dreyfus
- Harry Shearer (final episode: January 12, 1985)
- Martin Short
- Pamela Stephenson
- Status