"Classic SNL"

TELEVISION Specific Shows
21

I think what was great about the original SNL was that you had such a great variety – there’d be some high-concept sketches, some broader, more slapsticky pieces, some political humor, and some that maybe weren’t laugh-out-loud funny but were incredibly well-crafted character pieces. Toss in some Mr. Bill and some Albert Brooks shorts, and you had a range of comedy not really seen before or since. Sure they tried to avoid but eventually embraced the catchphrase/breakout character, but at least their breakout characters evolved into that instead of being forced on us the way so many of them seem to be on the show today.

There’s a YouTube clip out there of the famous Chevy Chase/Richard Pryor word association sketch that’s a great example of how the show was topical, edgy, yet still funny.

Plus, I think with SNL, you always love the cast you saw first.

22

“Sounds like you’ve done a little orange sunshine there, Peter.”

23

It was later, but my favorite “before my time” SNL sketch has to be the presidential debate with Franken as Pat Robertson and Akroyd as Dole. “Heal my arm!”

24

I never thought the original cast was funny, short of some of the Chevy pratfalls and Steve Martin guest hostings.

My Dad sure loves that shit though.

25

Quote:
Originally Posted by RathBandu View Post It was later, but my favorite “before my time” SNL sketch has to be the presidential debate with Franken as Pat Robertson and Akroyd as Dole. “Heal my arm!”

I always liked the one with Franken as Paul Simon.

“Why…the bow tie?”

26

Quote:
Originally Posted by Trav McGee View Post Another favorite, Aykroyd as Carter opening up the White House phone lines for a call-in Ask The President show, and at one point talks a kid down off a bad acid trip.

Walter Cronkite: Thank you, Mr. President, ha ha! Our next call is Peter Elkin of Westbrook, Oregon, whom I am told is 17 years of age.

Peter (on phone): Hello? Hello?

President Jimmy Carter: Yes. Hello, Peter?

Peter (on phone): Is this the President?

President Jimmy Carter: Yes, it is.

Walter Cronkite: Do you have a question for the President?

Peter (on phone): Uh.. I, uh.. I took some acid.. I’m afraid to leave my apartment, and I can’t wear any clothes.. and the ceiling is dripping, and uh.. I, uh..

Walter Cronkite: Well, thank you very much for calling, sir..

President Jimmy Carter: Just a minute, Walter, this guy’s in trouble. I think I better try to talk him down. Peter?

Peter (on phone): Yeah..?

President Jimmy Carter: Peter, what did the acid look like?

Peter (on phone): They were these little orange pills.

President Jimmy Carter: Were they barrel shaped?

Peter (on phone): Uh.. yes.

President Jimmy Carter: Okay, right, you did some orange sunshine, Peter.

Peter (on phone): Very good of you to know that, sir.

President Jimmy Carter: How long ago did you take it, Peter?

Peter (on phone): Uh.. I don’t know. I can’t read my watch.

President Jimmy Carter: Alright, Peter, just listen. Everything is going to be fine. You’re very high right now. You will probably be that way for about five more hours. Try taking some vitamin B complex, vitamin C complex.. if you have a beer, go ahead and drink it..

Peter (on phone): Okay..

President Jimmy Carter: Just remember you’re a living organism on this planet, and you’re very safe. You’ve just taken a heavy drug. Relax, stay inside and listen to some music, Okay? Do you have any Allman Brothers?

Peter (on phone): Yes, I do, sir. Everything is okay, huh Jimmy?

President Jimmy Carter: It sure is, Peter. You know, I’m against drug use myself, but I’m not going to lay that on you right now. Just mellow out the best you can, okay?

Peter (on phone): Okay..!

President Jimmy Carter: Okay.

27

Quote:
Originally Posted by Timothy225 View Post All this flashbacking, not one mention of Mr. Bill? Oh, noooooo!!!

Mr. Bill was fucking awful.

I’m actually sort of with Ripoll in that most of the famous sketches, like Samurai and the Coneheads, aren’t very funny. They’re remembered because they were repeated the most. But there was so much other good stuff, like The Thing that Wouldn’t Leave, or the auditions for the jailhouse musical ("Here’s a song I wrote myself… IIIII’m gonnaaaa… get me a shotgun and kill all the whiteys I see! Gonna get me a shotgun and kill all the whiteys I see!"Wink and and the entire episode hosted by Richard Pryor (though granted, that’s mostly Pryor’s doing). Trust me, there’s plenty of hilarious, groundbreaking stuff done in those years that a lot of people overlook.

28

I think most of them would probably admit that stuff like the Coneheads and the Bees were the least of what they did during their run.

29

Quote:
Originally Posted by Richard Dickson View Post There’s a YouTube clip out there of the famous Chevy Chase/Richard Pryor word association sketch that’s a great example of how the show was topical, edgy, yet still funny.

Dead honky

30

Off the top of my head, I always enjoyed the Steve Martin episode that featured the medieval doctor sketch and Bill Murray’s Nick the Lounge Singer doing the theme to Star Wars.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nick_the_Lounge_Singer

31

That clip gets me every time. Pryor was a god.

32

Quote:
Originally Posted by BobClark View Post Mr. Bill doesn’t hold up to repeated viewings. Or perhaps I don’t find it as funny now that I’m not eight years old anymore.

Well… I liked Mr. Bill ( mopes, kicks can).

Steve Martin was gold everytime he showed up. Theodoric of York was fantastic, JPL.

33

Quote:
Originally Posted by Diva View Post Dead honky

Ok, this is hilarious.

“Spade”
“Honkey Honkey”

34

Quote:
Originally Posted by Richard Dickson View Post There’s a YouTube clip out there of the famous Chevy Chase/Richard Pryor word association sketch that’s a great example of how the show was topical, edgy, yet still funny. Plus, I think with SNL, you always love the cast you saw first.

I disagree with that - I started the show in the Farley/Sandler generation and while I dug it to a point I ALWAYS preferred the originals once I was exposed to them. Whomever mentioned the English Language coach sketch is right - that shit kills. As well as the “Cheeseburger cheeseburger” sketch. Landshark, the one where Radner and Murray are the nerdy high school kids, Hot Tub Party, and of course the aforementioned word association skit - all glorious, not to mention countless sketches I can’t remember. There was one with Candace Bergen and Gilda Radner where Bergen flubs a line and Radner runs with it - making Bergen just lose her shit on camera. Love that, too.

My favorite sketch of all time, and I wish I could find it on YouTube or find my old Best of Steve Martin VHS somewhere, has Martin and Murray walk onto the stage, stare at the camera and say “What the hell is that?” over and over and over. I’ve seen it a thousand times and I love it no less than the first time I saw it.

35

Quote:
Originally Posted by JGButler View Post My favorite sketch of all time, and I wish I could find it on YouTube or find my old Best of Steve Martin VHS somewhere, has Martin and Murray walk onto the stage, stare at the camera and say “What the hell is that?” over and over and over. I’ve seen it a thousand times and I love it no less than the first time I saw it.

Oh hell yes. YES. Ruins me. “Oh, I know! That’s a.. uh… What the hell is that?”

36

Still looking for some proof somewhere that John Belushi and/or Gilda Radner is funny.

37

Any of the Irwin Mainway stuff kills me. “Johnny Human Torch” indeed or even “Bag of Glass”

The Julia Child sketch is also killer.

38

Quote:
Originally Posted by Patrick Ripoll View Post Ok, this is hilarious. “Spade” “Honkey Honkey”

“Nigger”
“Dead Honkey”

And Lisa is right, Little Chocolate Donuts was great. They truly are the breakfast of champions.

39

It’s not quite SNL, but I saw Neighbors for the first time a few months back on tv, and thought it was a pretty funny little black comedy.

It stars Belushi & Akroyd, with Belushi putting in a hilarious ‘straight’ performance. That’s as close as I can tie this into a SNL discussion.

40

Oh wow, that Chase/Pryor sketch was awesome.