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Not Ready for Prime-Time follies Highlights and lowlights of 25 years at 'SNL' Friday, September 24, 1999 By Barbara Vancheri, Post-Gazette Staff Writer
THE FIRST TIME: Writer and featured performer Michael O'Donoghue, playing John Belushi's misguided English teacher, uttered the first words in the first "SNL" sketch.
MVHs (Most Valuable Hosts): Steve Martin holds the title with 13 times hosting or co-hosting. Other contenders: John Goodman and Buck Henry, 10 each; Chevy Chase, nine; Alec Baldwin, eight; Tom Hanks, seven.
DOUBLE DUTY: In the spirit of Shimmer ("It's a floor wax and a dessert topping!") a handful of musicians have doubled as host and performer: Paul Simon, Garth Brooks, the Rolling Stones, Ray Charles, Stevie Wonder, Dolly Parton and Sting.
CLASSIC EMILY LATELLA QUERIES: What's all this about violins on television? And what about "reinstating the deaf penalty" or "conserving natural race horses." Never mind.
RECYCLING: When George Carlin, the first host in the show's history, returned on Nov. 10, 1984, he delivered the same monologue.
DELAYING THE INEVITABLE:"SNL" used seven-second delays when Richard Pryor hosted in December 1975 and when Andrew Dice Clay did it May 12, 1990, a booking that prompted Nora Dunn's boycott.
PRESIDENTIAL SEAL OF APPROVAL: President Ford delivered the opening line, "Live from New York, it's Saturday Night!" on April 17, 1976, as White House Press Secretary Ron Nessen hosted. Years later, former President Bush would appear via satellite from Houston to critique Dana Carvey's impression of him.
WHAT A DEAL: In 1976, producer Lorne Michaels went on camera to offer the Beatles $3,000 to appear. A couple of weeks later, he bumped that to $3,200, plus free hotel accommodations.
SURPRISE! Monica Lewinsky popped up in a Bill Clinton (Darrell Hammond) dream sequence. From the audience, Ben Affleck interrupted Gwyneth Paltrow's English-accented monologue. Brad Pitt did a surprise turn as a therapist counseling David Spade, and the real Judge Judy stopped Cheri Oteri's jurist mid-sentence.
It was as good as it gets when Jack Nicholson showed up during Helen Hunt's hosting stint. Actors Joe Pesci and Robert De Niro confronted Jim Breuer and Colin Quinn about their portrayals in the recurring "Joe Pesci Show" sketch. Bernie Kopell reprised his character of Doc when host Patrick Stewart took the helm of "Love Boat: The Next Generation."
It was like "buttah" when Barbra Streisand appeared on "Coffee Talk." Danny Glover turned up when Mel Gibson was hosting to parody their hit "Lethal Weapon." Arnold Schwarzenegger joined Hans and Franz, who always wanted to pump us up.
A SMALL TOWN IN FRANCE: That was the Coneheads' cover story, and they were sticking to it. Beldar, Prymaat and Connie made their debut Jan. 15, 1977. The skit graduated to the big screen in the 1993 comedy "Coneheads," one of many movies spun off from the show.
MORE YOUNG ONES: Drew Barrymore, then a mere 7 years old and riding the wave of "E.T." stardom, became the youngest host in "SNL" history on Nov. 20, 1982. On Nov. 23, 1991, the host was 11-year-old Macaulay Culkin.
CAN YOU SAY FUNNY, BOYS AND GIRLS: On Feb. 21, 1981, "Mr. Robinson's Neighborhood" debuted with Eddie Murphy as a ghetto version of our favorite Pittsburgher.
RISQUE BUSINESS: Ron Reagan Jr. proved his parents weren't the only ones who could act. He hosted Feb. 8, 1986, and danced in his underwear like Tom Cruise in "Risky Business." Nicole Kidman, Cruise's wife, did likewise on Nov. 20, 1993.
FREAKS AND GEEKS: In December 1986, host William Shatner, addressing a "Star Trek" convention, urged the Trekkies to "Get a life ... it was just a TV show."
COVER YOUR EARS, CHURCH LADY: On Oct. 15, 1988, the show broke a record by saying and singing the word "penis" 43 times in a nude beach sketch.
COVER YOUR EYES, CHURCH LADY: On Oct. 3, 1992, the NBC switchboard was flooded with calls after Sinead O'Connor tore up a photo of Pope Paul II and shouted "Fight the real enemy." Complaint calls: 4,484. Support: 725.
SATURDAY NIGHTMARE LIVE: When "SNL" concluded on Feb. 11, 1995, host Bob Newhart awakened beside his original TV wife, Suzanne Pleshette, and realized his appearance had been a bad dream.
BABEWATCH: Host and former "Baywatch" star Pamela Anderson Lee did her monologue in the nude in April 1997. Teen-age boys flocked to the tube and so, we bet, did Joey and Chandler.
WORLDS COLLIDE: '70s Czech brothers (Steve Martin and Dan Aykroyd) met the '90s Roxbury guys (Will Ferrell and Chris Kattan) and competed for the attention of host Cameron Diaz a year ago.
A VERY BIG GUEST: Luciano Pavarotti became the first classical artist to perform Dec. 12, 1998.
WHOOPS: A number of players have been guilty of uttering the f-word. Featured player Paul Shaffer tried to say "flogging" but failed in March 1980. Charles Rocket said the taboo word in February 1981. Cheri Oteri inadvertently said the s-word in October 1995; she was seen contributing to the "swear jar" at the close of the episode. "Update" anchor Norm Macdonald unintentionally said the f-word in April 1997, prompting two viewer complaints and three calls of support.
DESK DUTY: On Dec. 20, 1975, Chevy Chase first said, "I'm Chevy Chase, and you're not" during "Weekend Update." He was one of 15 players to occupy the news desk. Other memorable taglines:
Jane Curtin: "Good night and have a pleasant tomorrow."
Charles Rocket: "I'm Charles Rocket. Good night and watch out."
Brian Doyle-Murray: "Good night and good news."
Dennis Miller: "That's the news and I am outta here."
Kevin Nealon: "I'm Kevin Nealon and that's news to me."
Norm Macdonald: "I'm Norm Macdonald and now, the fake news."
Colin Quinn: "I'm Colin Quinn, that's my story and I'm sticking to it."
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