Afleveringen
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Saturday Night Live Hall of Fame Podcast â Episode 14: Jon Lovitz
In this episode, jD and the crew dive into the SNL career of Saturday Night Live legend Jon Lovitz, a cast member known for his distinct comedic style and unforgettable characters. Join us as we revisit Lovitzâs classic SNL sketches, iconic moments, and enduring influence on both 1980s SNL cast highlights and beyond.
[5:00 - 10:00]: We kick things off by exploring some of Jon Lovitzâs most memorable SNL personas, including his roles as The Pathological Liar and Master Thespian. Lovitzâs comedic timing and unique character choices continue to resonate with fans today.
[15:00 - 20:00]: Discover what made Lovitz stand out among other SNL cast members and why his performances are remembered as some of the best of his era.
[25:00 - 30:00]: We delve into Lovitzâs top sketches, unpacking the reasons his characters, from the theatrical to the absurd, left an indelible mark on Saturday Night Live.
[35:00 - 40:00]: Thomas and Brad analyze how Lovitzâs influence spread beyond his SNL years, shaping future SNL generations and setting a bar for comedy within and outside of the show.
[45:00 - 50:00]: Reflecting on the late 80s and early 90s, we consider how Jon Lovitzâs work contributed to what many consider a âgolden eraâ for SNL. Lovitzâs bold character choices made him a fan favorite, and his legacy is still celebrated in todayâs comedy circles.
[55:00 - 1:00:00]: We wrap up the Jon Lovitzâs episiode with his post-SNL career and his impact on comedyâs evolution.
If you love reliving iconic SNL moments and exploring the legacies of SNL Hall of Fame legends like Jon Lovitz, subscribe, rate, and review the podcast on your favorite platform. Join our community on social media @snlhof, become part of the discussion in our Facebook group at facebook.com/groups/snlhof, and visit dewvre.com/snlhof for more insights and updates. Donât miss future episodes as we continue to celebrate the legends who defined Saturday Night Live!
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SNL Hall of Fame Water Cooler: Jack White and Musical Guests on SNL
Welcome to this weekâs SNL Hall of Fame Water Cooler! Host jD and co-hosts Joe and Shari dive into the world of Saturday Night Live musical guests, discussing Jack Whiteâs impressive five-time appearances and his unique contributions to SNLâs musical legacy. They break down Jackâs performances, his versatility, and why he should be considered for the Hall of Fame. Plus, hear their thoughts on this weekâs SNL episode hosted by John Mulaney, including favorite sketches and Hall of Shame moments.
Episode Highlights:
⢠Jack Whiteâs Path on SNL â From The White Stripes to his solo work, we discuss Jack Whiteâs evolution and impact on SNL, including his role as a last-minute replacement and his distinct live performances.
⢠Musical Guests and Hall of Fame Potential â Joe and Shari debate whether musical guests should be held to the same Hall of Fame standards as other SNL contributors.
⢠SNL Hall of Shame Picks â The team highlights sketches and moments that didnât quite hit the mark this week.
⢠John Mulaneyâs Hosting Return â The best and worst sketches from the latest Mulaney-hosted episode, and why the classic recurring sketches keep fans coming back.
Connect with Us
⢠Email: [email protected]
⢠Facebook Group: facebook.com/groups/snlhof
⢠Socials: @snlhof on all platforms
Thanks for tuning in to SNL Hall of Fame Water Cooler. Donât miss next weekâs episode as we discuss Bobby Moynihanâs potential for the Hall of Fame with special guest Sammy Kay!
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Zijn er afleveringen die ontbreken?
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Jack White
Welcome to another episode of The SNL Hall of Fame with your host, jD! This week, we explore Jack Whiteâs journey as a recurring Saturday Night Live musical guest, examining his unforgettable performances and their impact on SNLâs musical landscape. Join jD as he discusses Whiteâs iconic appearances, the role of musical guests in SNLâs history, and the debate over whether these guests deserve a place in the SNL Hall of Fame.
Episode Highlights
⢠[4:50] Introduction to Jack Whiteâs Legacy on SNL
jD introduces the episode and dives into Jack Whiteâs history with Saturday Night Live, from his early days with The White Stripes to his solo performances.
⢠[24:05] White Stripes to Solo Career: Jack Whiteâs Evolution
Explore how Jack Whiteâs performances evolved on SNL, including his transition from The White Stripes to his solo career and unique collaborations on stage.
⢠[43:17] Lorne Michaels and the Role of SNLâs Musical Guests
jD examines Lorne Michaelsâ influence in shaping SNLâs musical guest lineup and how Jack White exemplifies the qualities of an SNL Hall of Fame candidate.
⢠[1:07:09] The Debate: Should Musical Guests Be Inducted?
A thoughtful discussion on whether musical guests, including Jack White, should be recognized in the SNL Hall of Fame and the significance of their contributions to the show.
Connect with Us
⢠Email: [email protected]
⢠Website: dewvre.com/snlhof
⢠Facebook Group: facebook.com/groups/snlhof
⢠Socials: @snlhof on all platforms
In this episode of The SNL Hall of Fame, we explore SNL musical guests, best SNL sketches, and the history of Saturday Night Live with a focus on Jack Whiteâs impact. Join jD for discussions about SNL cast interviews, SNL guest hosts, and the iconic moments that continue to shape SNLâs legacy. Who will be elected into the hall this season? Stay tuned!
Support this podcast at â https://redcircle.com/snlhof/donations
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In this episode of the SNL Hall of Fame Water Cooler, jD, Joe, and Shari dive into the nomination of comedy icon Julia Louis-Dreyfus as an SNL host. Juliaâs illustrious career, from her early days as an SNL cast member to her legendary roles on Seinfeld and Veep, makes her a standout nominee. They explore her versatility in comedy sketches, her ability to play both straight and zany characters, and how her hosting episodes got better over time.
The team also ranks the latest nominees for the SNL Hall of Fame, comparing them to previous candidates and debating who might secure a spot. Special mention goes to John Mulaney, whose upcoming appearance as host could further solidify his Hall of Fame status, especially with his signature musical sketches.
Looking ahead, they also discuss what could make a strong pop culture podcast and reflect on past SNL episodes, including highlights from the first four episodes of the season. Tune in to see if your favorites are on their way to enshrinement!
Donât forget to subscribe, share, and leave a review. Stay connected with us on socials:
⢠Twitter: @SNLHOF
⢠Facebook: facebook.com/groups/snlhof
⢠Email: [email protected]
⢠Website: dewvre.com/snlhof
Join the conversation, cast your votes, and help decide who will be enshrined in the SNL Hall of Fame!
Support this podcast at â https://redcircle.com/snlhof/donations
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Julia Louis-Dreyfus - SNL Hall of Fame
Welcome back to another exciting episode of the SNL Hall of Fame podcast! Host jD is here to guide you through another deep dive into the career of a legendary Saturday Night Live alum. This week, weâre taking a closer look at Julia Louis-Dreyfus, a former cast member and celebrated SNL host. Known for her unforgettable roles on Seinfeld and Veep, Julia has a storied career that spans decades in the world of comedy.
Episode Highlights:
In this episode, jD and guest Kallena Steckle explore Julia Louis-Dreyfusâs journey from her time as an SNL cast member in the 1980s, where she worked alongside iconic names like Eddie Murphy, to her standout moments as an SNL host in later years. Youâll hear about her return to Studio 8H and her incredible versatility, whether playing quirky characters or delivering laugh-out-loud performances.
Key moments:
⢠Insightful discussion on Juliaâs Seinfeld days and how it shaped her career
⢠Memories from Juliaâs iconic Chad sketch with Pete Davidson
⢠How her success on Veep influenced her return to Saturday Night Live as a host
⢠What made Julia stand out as an SNL host and why she deserves a spot in the Hall of Fame
Do you think Julia Louis-Dreyfus deserves a place in the SNL Hall of Fame? Listen to the episode, and then let us know your thoughts! Be sure to rate, review, and subscribe to the podcast wherever you get your quality podcasts, and cast your vote to help determine who will be enshrined for perpetuity in the Hall.
Connect with us:
⢠Twitter: @SNLHOF
⢠Facebook: facebook.com/groups/snlhof
⢠Email: [email protected]
⢠Website: www.dewvre.com/snlhof
Thanks for tuning in! Remember to subscribe, and donât forget to rate and review to help spread the word. See you next week as we continue our journey through the SNL Hall of Fame!
Support this podcast at â https://redcircle.com/snlhof/donations
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Joe Piscopo
In this episode of the SNL Hall of Fame podcast, hosts jD, Joe, and Shari gather around the virtual water cooler to chat about all things Saturday Night Live. This week, the spotlight is on former cast member Joe Piscopo, nominated by none other than Robin Duke, another SNL alum. The hosts dive deep into Piscopoâs career, his unforgettable impersonations, and his important role in shaping the show during his tenure.
Tune in as jD, Joe, and Shari reminisce about the golden era of SNL, discuss behind-the-scenes moments from Robin Dukeâs improv career, and touch on memorable sketches featuring Michael Keaton. Whether youâre an SNL superfan or just discovering these classic episodes, thereâs plenty to enjoy in this trip down memory lane.
Episode Highlights:
⢠[3:29] â Robin Dukeâs nomination of Joe Piscopo and her reflections on their time together at SNL.
⢠[4:04] â Behind-the-scenes insight into how sketches are created at Saturday Night Live, featuring Dukeâs work with Piscopo.
⢠[7:22] â The impact of Piscopoâs impersonations of icons like Frank Sinatra, and how his performances helped transition SNL through a critical period.
⢠[16:52] â A heartfelt discussion about Piscopoâs versatility as a comedian and his quick wit.
⢠[25:56] â Shariâs Hall of Shame moment: Why the writing this week fell a little short despite Michael Keatonâs hosting potential.
Join the conversation! We want to hear from youâwhat are your favorite Joe Piscopo sketches? Do you think he deserves a spot in the SNL Hall of Fame? Connect with us on social media and share your thoughts!
đ˛ Follow us on Twitter: @SNLHOF
đ§ Email us at: [email protected]
đŹ Join our Facebook community: facebook.com/groups/snlhof
Donât forget to subscribe, rate, and review the show wherever you get your podcasts, and stay tuned for next weekâs episode where we explore Julia Louis-Dreyfusâs SNL legacy!
Support this podcast at â https://redcircle.com/snlhof/donations
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Joe Piscopo
In this episode of the SNL Hall of Fame Podcast, we dive into the illustrious career of Joe Piscopo, a key player in the 1980s SNL cast and a close collaborator with Eddie Murphy. From his iconic Frank Sinatra impression to the unforgettable Whiners sketch, Joeâs contributions to Saturday Night Live during the Ebersol era left a lasting impact on the showâs history. Our special guest, Robin Duke, another SNL alum and SCTV star, shares behind-the-scenes stories, offers insights into Joeâs SNL impersonations, and reminisces about their time together on the legendary show.
Timestamps for Key Moments:
⢠[0:00] - Introduction to Joe Piscopoâs role in the SNL Hall of Fame discussion
⢠[2:25] - The importance of Joe Piscopo and his early SNL career
⢠[4:48] - Piscopoâs close relationship with Eddie Murphy: The âRobin to his Batmanâ
⢠[7:21] - The origins of the famous Whiners sketch and its success on SNL
⢠[9:43] - Robin Duke recalls working with Joe Piscopo and Eddie Murphy during the Ebersol era
⢠[17:11] - A deep dive into Piscopoâs iconic Frank Sinatra impression
⢠[24:04] - Joeâs commitment to his craft: mastering SNL impersonations
⢠[31:23] - Piscopoâs impact on SNL: Behind-the-scenes details from the cast
⢠[41:25] - Robin Duke on the challenges and thrills of performing live on Saturday Night Live
⢠[49:50] - Final thoughts: Why Joe Piscopo deserves a spot in the SNL Hall of Fame
Why Joe Piscopo Deserves Your Vote:
Joe Piscopoâs versatility, from his unforgettable impersonations like Frank Sinatra to the creation of timeless SNL recurring characters like the Whiners, made him a standout in the 1980s SNL cast. His collaborations with Eddie Murphy helped solidify that era as one of the most important in Saturday Night Live history. Join us as we advocate for Joe Piscopoâs well-deserved place in the SNL Hall of Fame.
Donât miss your chance to have a say! Vote now and help Joe Piscopo, a cornerstone of the Ebersol era, secure his place in the SNL Hall of Fame. Visit https://www.dewvre.com/snlhof to cast your vote and join the conversation!
Follow us on social media for the latest updates:
⢠Twitter: @SNLHOF
⢠Facebook: facebook.com/groups/snlhof
⢠Email us your thoughts at: [email protected]
Be sure to subscribe, rate, and review the podcast to help more SNL fans discover the show! Together, we can celebrate the legends of Saturday Night Live and honor the performers who shaped its legacy.
Support this podcast at â https://redcircle.com/snlhof/donations
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SNL Hall of Fame Water Cooler Podcast â Alan Zweibel
In this episode, hosts Joe, Shari, and jD take us on a nostalgic journey into Saturday Night Live (SNL) history, focusing on legendary comedy writer Alan Zweibel and his contributions to SNLâs early seasons. From the behind-the-scenes dynamics of writers like Zweibel to iconic characters like Gilda Radnerâs creations, the hosts delve deep into the essential pop culture moments of SNL.
Tune in as the hosts share their insights, sprinkle in celebrity encounters in podcasts, and rank some of the most memorable moments in SNL history.
[00:00] - Intro to the Show
jD, Joe, and Shari kick things off by introducing the premise of the SNL Hall of Fame podcast. They discuss how their rankings and segments will break down this episodeâs focus.
[02:15] - Alan Zweibelâs Career & Contributions
A deep dive into Alan Zweibelâs role as one of the original SNL writers. The hosts discuss his relationship with Gilda Radner, his work on classic sketches like the Weekend Update jokes, and his extensive influence on early SNL.
[04:38] - Classic SNL Sketches Featuring Alan Zweibel
jD highlights how Zweibel worked on some of the classic SNL sketches, including the Samurai and Emily Litella sketches. Shari reflects on Zweibelâs ability to collaborate across the writerâs room with people like Gilda Radner and Robert Smigel.
[07:52] - Ranking SNL Hall of Famers: Beck Bennett vs. Sherry OâTerry
The hosts engage in a lively debate over the rankings of various SNL Hall of Fame contenders, including Beck Bennett, Sherry OâTerry, and Bob Odenkirk. They also discuss the trajectory of SNL cast members and who deserves Hall of Fame status.
[15:02] - Celebrity Encounters in Podcasts
A fun discussion about podcast co-host Jeremy Doveâs story of meeting Pharrell, sparking a conversation about celebrity encounters in podcasts and how they add flavor to episodes.
[18:40] - SNL Hall of Shame Moments
The hosts critique some of the weaker sketches from a recent SNL episode featuring Ariana Grande and Stevie Nicks. They call out the misuse of cameos and how it limits airtime for regular cast members.
[23:02] - SNL Cast Dynamics & Cameos
Shari points out the challenges of balancing SNL cast dynamics with the regular appearance of cameos. They discuss how Heidi Gardner and Eggo Nwodim deserve more screen time.
[30:48] - Closing Thoughts on the Episode
The hosts wrap up by previewing next weekâs episode, featuring a discussion with Robin Duke about Joe Piscopo and his impact on SNL.
Listen and subscribe to the SNL Hall of Fame podcast for weekly discussions on the essential moments and key players in SNL history. Whether youâre a die-hard fan or a casual listener, our breakdowns of essential pop culture moments will keep you entertained.
Be sure to follow, rate, and review wherever you listen to podcasts!
Support this podcast at â https://redcircle.com/snlhof/donations
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Alan Zweibel
In this episode, we dive into the illustrious career of Alan Zweibel, one of the original writers for Saturday Night Live (SNL). Join us as we explore his pivotal role in shaping some of the showâs most iconic sketches, his close partnership with Gilda Radner, and his later collaborations with comedic legends like Larry David and Gary Shandling. Discover why Alan Zweibel deserves a spot in the SNL Hall of Fame. Listen now!
Show Notes:
⢠[0:41] Introduction to the episode by JD, kicking off at the SNL Hall of Fame podcast. Shoutout to Gary Seith from the Not Ready for Primetime Podcast, which covers early SNL seasons.
Listen to Gary Seithâs podcast here.
⢠[2:17] Mattâs Minutia Minute: Trivia on Alan Zweibelâone of the original SNL writers, his comedy roots in Brooklyn, and his friendship with Gilda Radner.
⢠[3:51] Overview of Zweibelâs impressive writing credits on Saturday Night Liveâfrom Weekend Update sketches to iconic characters like Roseanne Rosannadanna and Emily Litella.
⢠[6:53] Discussion on Zweibelâs collaboration with Gilda Radner on Emily Litella and Roseanne Rosannadannaâkey figures in early SNL seasons.
⢠[10:32] Analyzing the impact of SNLâs Samurai sketches and how Zweibel took the concept and turned it into a classic series for John Belushi.
⢠[13:34] Zweibelâs post-SNL career: Itâs Gary Shandlingâs Show and his work with Gary Shandling, including writing and producing for the show.
⢠[19:02] Zweibelâs close friendship with Larry David and his contributions to Curb Your Enthusiasm, including one of his memorable appearances on the show.
⢠[21:25] The deep connection between Zweibel and Gilda Radner, which led to some of SNLâs most beloved characters and a lifelong friendship.
⢠[28:38] Discussing the SNL Weekend Update format and Zweibelâs contributions alongside Herb Sargentâcrafting some of the earliest jokes for the segment, including the iconic âprostitution stampâ joke.
⢠[36:12] Special moments from the SNL Mardi Gras special where Zweibelâs quick thinking saved the show, as he hand-wrote jokes under the Weekend Update desk.
⢠[44:02] Zweibelâs impact beyond SNL, including his role in co-creating Itâs Gary Shandlingâs Show and working on the adaptation of Barry Sonnenfeld, Call Your Mother.
Key Takeaways:
⢠Alan Zweibel was a crucial part of SNLâs formative years, contributing to the success of the first five seasons.
⢠His collaboration with Gilda Radner on Weekend Update characters like Emily Litella and Roseanne Rosannadanna helped cement SNLâs reputation for groundbreaking comedy.
⢠Zweibelâs post-SNL career includes working on legendary shows like Curb Your Enthusiasm and co-creating Itâs Gary Shandlingâs Show.
Listen in as we celebrate Alan Zweibelâs lasting influence on comedy, from SNL to Curb Your Enthusiasm.
Connect with Us:
⢠Twitter & Instagram: @SNLHOF
⢠Facebook: SNL Hall of Fame Facebook Group
⢠YouTube: Dewvre1974 YouTube Channel
⢠Gary Seithâs Podcast: Not Ready for Primetime Podcast
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đ The SNL Hall of Fame Water Cooler â Danny DeVito
Hey there, SNL fans! đ In this episode of The SNL Hall of Fame Water Cooler, Joe and Shari take a deep dive into the legendary career of none other than Danny DeVito. đ From his first SNL appearance in 1982 to his iconic spot in the SNL five-timers club, weâre here to discuss it allâbecause who doesnât love Danny?
Versatility is the name of the game with Danny. Whether heâs making us laugh in the Boston Teens sketch alongside Jimmy Fallon and Rachel Dratch, or playing a Goodfellas-esque gangster in a pre-Sopranos parody, Danny brings his A-game every time. Plus, weâll chat about his other classic appearances in sketches like Simon and Delicious Dishâyes, the âsweaty ballsâ sketch, but not this time! đ
We also get into his multigenerational appeal, from his early days on Taxi and his roles in Batman Returns and Matilda, to keeping things fresh on Always Sunny in Philadelphia. Can we just agree that Danny DeVito is forever relevant? đĽ
Join us for this fun-filled episode as we chat everything from the SNL five-timers club to Dannyâs most memorable SNL sketches, including fan-favorites like Gap Girls and Stress Test. And donât miss out on our takes for the latest SNL seasonâwhoâs making Hall of Fame-worthy moves, and who might be in the Hall of Shame? đ
Stay tuned for next weekâs episode, where we break down the career of legendary SNL writer Alan Zweibel. See you at the water cooler, SNL geeks! đŚđŹ
Listen and subscribe to âThe SNL Hall of Fame Water Coolerâ wherever you get your podcasts!
Transcript:
Track 2:
[0:00] Hello, everybody.
Track 3:
[0:02] Hi, I'm Thomas Senna, co-host of the SNL Hall of Fame podcast. And I'm Deremy Dove.
Track 2:
[0:07] Co-host of the Lady in the Game podcast.
Track 3:
[0:09] Deremy and I have joined forces to create a new podcast called Pop Culture 5.
Track 1:
[0:14] To ask the question, what are the five essential things about any given pop culture topic?
Track 3:
[0:19] It could be five essential movies by an actor of our choice, or five essential songs by a musician of our choice. We're not making a list of our personal favorites. It's the essentials.
Track 2:
[0:28] And we better do a good job of justifying our essentials because one of us all right all right all right we're having fun all right all right actually why don't we give everyone an out of context peek at what we've been up for a couple episodes right next to me um and we looked at each other and we were kind of like bobbing our heads he wasn't wearing his hat nobody really kind of wearing he was kind of incognito but i had to do a double take that's for real They pumped us up as they have said 20 years ago.
Track 3:
[0:59] I was next to my man Pharrell. Oh, I never heard this, everyone.
Track 2:
[1:03] And today, we're going to be discussing a candidate for the SNL Hall of Fame.
Track 3:
[1:08] Listen and subscribe to Pop Culture 5 wherever you get your podcasts.
Track 2:
[1:12] Someone who has been very important to modern entertainment for the last 40 years, if not 45. He's a very versatile actor, and it's Danny DeVito. And just to give you a recap of who it is hey it's time to gather around the water cooler to talk the SNL show of fame relevant to every generation popping up, every 5 to 10 years and every generation has a specific memory of, This person, just like Catherine O'Hara. So you either have a memory of him from Taxi or Jewel Denial or Batman Returns, Matilda, Death to Smoochie or Sunny in Philadelphia. He's a very versatile actor and they discussed him in the other podcast. And Shari, would you mind recapping that for us?
Track 1:
[2:12] Not at all. It was an awesome episode with Thomas, of course, our fabulous SNL Hall of Fame conversationalist. And he was conversing with one of my favorite Saturday Night Network correspondents, the fabulous Bill Kenney, the fabulous Bill Kenney, who is super knowledgeable about every season of SNL and is a big fan of Danny DeVito. Though, and he and Thomas break down Danny's six SNL appearances. Bill gets a little annoyed because Danny says he's only hosted five when it was six, and that is a peeve of Bill's. He had it with Martin Short, who was one of his last nominee, because Martin never says the number of ups he's actually done. So Bill ranted about that a little, but he and Thomas really beautifully touched on Danny's six episodes, as well as a little about Danny's career. Joe broke that down quite well, and Danny's still relevant now, as Bill and Thomas discussed in depth. They discussed.
Track 1:
[3:28] Danny's time in the 80s and 90s, his last appearance being in 99, his first being in 82, the fact that he brought new material to the game, as well as being on reoccurring sketches such as Delicious Dish, which is one I didn't get to watch, but I'm going to try and look up. And of course, one of my personal favorites, Simon. So Danny really has a breadth and depth of material, don't you agree, Joe?
Track 2:
[4:00] Yeah. I mean, I agree. He's worked with multiple casts. He's been in multiple reoccurring sketches. Everything from the Winers to the Boston teens with Jimmy Fallon and Rachel Dratch.
Track 2:
[4:25] And And he's, like I said, he is kind of like John Goodman or Alec Baldwin in the sense that both in movies and on Saturday Night Live, he could do whatever he wants. He could be sympathetic. He could be threatening.
Track 2:
[4:41] He could be, you know, childish. He could be, you know, he played a gangster. There so he like i think in the same episode he played a child in your favorite sketch simon and then uh he also yes yes it's very it's a very charming sketch uh but it really is so he played like a child in that and then uh then he played a very good fellas um it's like a pre-sopranos sketch and it's something that's stuck in my memory even before internet or youtube where uh he's playing a guy who obviously is a gangster and he gets a call to do a hit and bury the body and um he doesn't want to say that to his wife and he keeps telling her you know you mind your business i mind my business my business is my business and he keeps asking her for advice and you know she's like your guns in the sock drawer and he's like mind your business and he leaves the room and she's like your bullets are in there you know mind your and then he would ask for advice like or directions to like where to bury the body and one of my favorite moments of the whole this is uh she tells her mind your business and she's like well i need to know so i could give you directions i need to know and then he just kind of gives her a look like.
Track 2:
[6:06] All right, fine. You know, you just kind of think, and to me, it's almost like a, like they did the sketch, uh, like I would say early nineties and that's like eight, 10 years before Sopranos. And it's almost a parody of like Sopranos, um, you know, like Tony asking Carmela for advice and telling her at the same time, mind your business, you know? Um, but yeah, he was very versatile where he's able to play a child. He's able to like gangster he's able um there's a couple a bunch in the 80s uh where he um in the early 80s where he's the straight man you know and then uh both two other characters and just to the gimmick of the you know the plot or the sketch um and like for instance uh there's one that they mentioned in the podcast where, he's getting promoted and all these bad things are happening to him where he thinks his wife's having an affair or drug dealer.
Track 1:
[7:05] The stress test.
Track 2:
[7:05] Yeah, the stress test. And it's that where he's just an innocent man to all of this. And then he's also a victim to the whiners. Yeah, being a great actor just helps him be a great host and very versatile. That's just the keyword I'm going to keep coming back to is versatile. Just able to adapt.
Track 1:
[7:28] I, I totally, totally agree. He is totally an adaptable presence. And you already mentioned working with Lovitz. Thomas and Bill mentioned all the work he did with Hartman and Carvey. And you talked about that wonderful sketch with Julia Sweeney. And, of course, the great Jan Hooks. I mean, he really, and you talked about that, Joe, He really touched on so many eras just in that 80s and 90s span that he did. I know that Thomas and Bill talked about Danny hopefully returning. Do you think there's any chance that he might return in season?
Track 2:
[8:14] I'm going to say actually, yes, based on the hosts they've announced so far. It looks like they're kind of going all over the place. They're not just going for hosts to attract millennials. They're going for hosts that attract older viewers as well. And to me, Danny goes right in the middle of that, where older people might know him from older stuff. And then there's people a little bit younger, but still older, people my age, you know, in the 40s, who might know him from Matilda and Batman Returns. And then younger people who might know him from Sunny in Philadelphia. So, you know, the fact that they're going with all these different, you know, hosts like Michael Keaton and Ariana Grande, you know, who there is no rhythm, you know, and Danny fits right in the middle of that. You know, he worked with Michael Keaton twice.
Track 1:
[9:12] He's multiple. Right. He's he's multigenerational in his appeal. That is so true. And speaking of comparisons that there may be, and you talked about that. Is there anybody I know you sort of mentioned it. Is there anybody who's made it into the Hall of Fame that kind of had a similar path to Danny, do you think? I know you mentioned it already, but did you want to expand a little on that?
Track 2:
[9:39] Well, I want to see what you think. I want you to go first because I have a name in mind, but I want to see what you think first. I want to see if we agree.
Track 1:
[9:50] Well, I think we do because you kind of already mentioned John Goodman. And that's the host. And it took him, I believe, two or three ballots to get in. That's the host that I see Danny comparing to the most. but I think he has a little edge on John because John really didn't work with a vast array of eras the way that Danny did but John had a few more appearances so it's kind of he loses points in one area but he gains points in the other. What were you thinking?
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[10:23] He comes back he could you know it doesn't and he worked with multiple cast before, so there's no reason why he shouldn't come back and so you know the same way that Tom Hanks, John Goodman, and, you know, anyone else could come back. You know, I mean, Michael Keaton's coming back. Why not, you know, Danny DeVito?
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[10:42] Why not Danny DeVito? I completely, completely agree. So I know that we had started a new segment where we respond to the final plea of the guest, who was Bill Kenney.
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[10:58] So Bill, now's the time. You're talking to voters, fans, the folks at the water cooler. Why should they appreciate Danny's work as an SNL host? Well, there's so many good reasons, much of which we've talked about over the last 90 minutes. He covers multiple eras. We've seen him work with people all the way back to 1982. He always elevates his game. There's something about a Danny DeVito episode that is special. And he's only the eighth person to join the five-timers club that today it's almost again going back to the sports metaphor things that get watered down over the course of time and they're handing out five-timers jackets to everyone these days i'm looking at you woody and jonah but um yeah i mean this is he got his five-timers jacket before baldwin before goodman before bill murray before walking so he was established in the show before most of these people were and the fact that we haven't had him back should not be held against him because his six episodes still hold up to this day. Some of them over 40 years ago were made and they're still very funny. There's still something to see about Danny DeVito at every turn. Just to see him again would be fantastic. If you see him on Always Sunny on a weekly basis, you'd know that he could still do something like this. He elevates that show. He elevated SNL.
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[12:24] He was on six times. He got the five timers. Well, he didn't get the jacket. He got Mr. Peepers. But he was in the five timers club before Alec Baldwin, before John Goodman. And I think that's a really excellent point. So that's that's my reaction is I totally agree with Bill. It's like, yeah, the guy is he's been around. He's done it all. He's still relevant. Like you said, Joe, he appeals to so many generations. So, you know, I guess I guess it's in the hands of the voters. How do you feel about Bill's final thoughts?
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[13:07] I mean, I agree. I mean, it's yeah, it's just. Up to the vote, I mean, and they know who, and I feel like multiple people, generations, know who he is, and I'm sure they each have a memory of his connection to Saturday Night Live. You know, so, you know, he was in Gap Girls, he was in the Boston Teens. He wasn't in anything current. He hasn't hosted. He literally hosted, the last time he hosted was at the end of 99. So it's been almost 25 years since he's hosted. So that might hurt him a bit, I feel, you know, considering the competition. But I feel like they have memories of him.
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[13:58] I agree. And I need to apologize to Mr. DeVito. Because when we were talking about Charles Barkley a couple episodes ago, I talked about Charles', competition, and I mentioned Julia Louis-Dreyfus, and I mentioned Adam Driver, and I forgot about Danny, and I think he falls right in between those two. I definitely think he's going to edge out Charles, which brings me to the next question, Joe.
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[14:30] Mm-hmm.
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[14:31] Where are you putting Mr. DeVito in? In that lineup of Charles Barkley, U2, Sherry O'Terry, Garrett Morris, Adam Driver, Bob Odenkirk, and Beck Bennett. Where is Danny falling in there?
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[14:49] Okay, so I'm going to do what I did last week. Bottom up from eight to one.
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[14:54] Okay, Joe, so go ahead. Tell us your list.
Track 2:
[14:59] List but number eight at the bottom is you two who one of the best bands ever but never really interacted with the cast or the show you know like the way arrow smith or sting has um so you know they're number eight above them charles barkley great cast member uh however snl isn't really his forte he's a better basketball player you know tv personality than he is okay it's more fun seeing him as someone as a non-actor being a host you know than it is him actually being a good host above him is danny devito who is a great host but hasn't any hasn't really done anything in the past 25 years. If he kept it going, he would have been just as good as.
Track 2:
[15:54] Uh hanks or goodman or baldwin or walk-in he you know he just kind of did his whatever five six, questionable times you know five with an asterisk five six with an asterisk times and then you know yeah um uh and then you know stop i mean sammy sosa and mark reguire are gonna have asterisks you know so is danny devito uh and i always and and to be honest if they're gonna do this whole thing with Rhea Perlman, let's do the same thing with Martin short and Steve Martin. Cause, uh, Martin short hosted it twice by himself. And then two other times with Steve and or Chevy chase. Uh, so, you know, let's, if we're going to be fair, let's be fair. You know, same thing with Al Claude one, one time with Ken Basinger, same thing with Roseanne. So, you know, if we're going to do this whole thing with Danny DeVito, Let's go across the board and put Asterix next to all the other all-time great names. Just saying.
Track 2:
[16:58] So then above him is Adam Driver, who is in the middle of a good run. And it's just kind of cool to have this anticipation to see if it'll keep going. I think it really will. still uh he because uh let's say because they announced who's hosting all the way to november uh he you know so like the earliest he could host would be in november december anyway the point i'm getting at is he just had a movie that infamously bopped you know it was directed by francis ford coppola i almost said francis ford's per se which.
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[17:37] You know, it's the same. I mean, you know, the one that hosted, you know, the one that directed gangster movies with Robert De Niro, you know, that one. But no, he just had a movie that it would be so cool to have him reference that, you know, have a sense of humor about that. So anyway, so you two, Barkley, DeVito, Driver, and then above that, Sherry O'Terry, great cast member. But like you pointed out came and went above her Beck Bennett who had a longer run you know both being a great fall guy cast member game show host he did all the you know filled all the roles and then above him is my personal fave Bob Odenkirk legit great solid writer from a great age I mean he just it's, You know, like, yeah, I don't know. Just listen to that episode. And I just want to point out, I had a lot to say and I had even more to say. Let's just put it that way.
Track 2:
[18:43] So that's a little inside baseball on the podcast where we talk about the inside of a show. So it's inside, inside, you know, kind of an inception of trivia. Just so and then above him is Garrett Morris and that's because, you know he's done he deserves so much more than what he got I'm just going to keep saying that over and over again he's a you know he was there at the beginning which taking it from nothing to something and then he contributed what he could, and you know and you know they have great memorable sketches from the little that he did says a lot, And, yeah, so that's my topic. That's who I would pick. Now, Shari, so who do you think is going to get the vote?
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[19:37] All right, yes. I talk about it from the voters' perspective, the patterns I've been watching over the years that I've been listening. And I agree, Joe, and my predictions of the voters kind of line up at the bottom there. You two, if they get over 10% and can hang around for another season, I'll be amazed. Above them, Barkley, and I think he's going to just eke out maybe 15% to 20%. Morris, I know you love him, Joe, but I just think the typical voter, the casual voter, not going to be familiar. And Oteri, same reason. She's just going to be a bit above him. I think Danny is going to be right with Sherry, but he does have that little bit of a push because he's still in the zeitgeist where she's really not.
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[20:32] Above DeVito, I have Driver because, as you said, Joe, he's happening right now. And for all we know, he's going to come back, a la Nate Bergazzi, and do a back-to-back.
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[20:48] We just saw it. So it could happen again. and he is very beloved. Right above Driver, I have Beck Bennett, and I think he's just going to be a bit ahead of Driver. Again, people remember him. He's very current. And finally, because of his huge contributions as a writer and the fact that he's so much still in the zeitgeist, I have Bob Odenkirk in the top slot, but this is going to start moving around as we are getting more and more into our nominee list. We're over halfway now, about halfway.
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[21:30] So, yeah, it's going to be interesting to see how it all shakes out. But now we're going to switch gears and we're going to go from the past to the present. We just had episode number two of season 50 with, as I mentioned, Nate Bregazzi. And we're going to talk about our Hall of Fame and Hall of Shame moments. Joe, do you want to kick us off? What do you think was a Hall of Fame moment on this past Nate Bregazzi episode? What moment do you think, like, could get this person, whether it's a cast member, host, writer of one of the sketches, where do you see some Hall of Fame potential?
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[22:19] I think... I'm going to say the golf sketch where Nate played an unlucky golfer. Now, here's why.
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[22:29] It seems like it was written by a new writer. It seemed like a new voice. Now, what I personally really liked about it, now, it was a pre-tape sketch, and they went the extra mile to make it look like a real, like this was really happening, like a real golf tournament, and a guy, I don't want to give it away, uh oh how about this spoilers i mean if you're listening to an snl podcast you probably watched saturday night live you're probably caught up um if not pause come back and then hit like and then listen to the other episodes and then listen to this again and then hit subscribe and then listen again anyway so but no in the golf sketch this is an uh unlucky golfer who accidentally hits a bird and then he accidentally hits a bird and he just it keeps going and it doesn't overstay its welcome and you know and because it doesn't overstay its welcome it feels like something that happened a couple times you know like it he was like this real unfortunate thing that happened and it was filmed like not from close-ups not from like as if it was a movie it was like filmed like almost like how you would film a real golf tournament from the distance. And, you know, the camera guy is just lucky to get these events, you know, on camera and such.
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[23:54] And they're going back and forth between him and another golfer. It just felt so real. And I'm like, this felt new and different. And I'm like, OK, you know, hopefully we get more of this, more of this, you know, type of filming and, you know, subtle. And yeah, so that really stood out to me as something that could be Hall of Fame worthy. Shari?
Track 1:
[24:20] Yes. Okay. I got to give it to, I know she's a Bill Kenny favorite and she's a Shari Fesco favorite. She, she's eked her way into my heart little by little. This episode, I just, Heidi Gardner. I mean eating that hamburger in that mile high sketch, mayonnaise all over her face and she's delivering the lines I'm not saying this was the best written sketch I personally just thought it was an okay sketch but Heidi is a hall of famer I do think that she's going to get in if we're still on the air and she's been gone a couple seasons I mean I don't know how long she's going to stay but, The woman is amazing. I can't believe how she got through the sketch. Everybody's cracking up around her. She's delivering lines with sandwich in her mouth. I mean, a total pro, a total pro. So definitely Hall of Fame bound to me. Now, we're going to talk about the Hall of Shame. What moment do you think just makes you shake your head and go, oh my goodness, SNL.
Track 2:
[25:37] Okay, but the shame. Now, I feel bad for saying this, but I just want to say it at this point in time so that in the future, hopefully, I look stupid. It anyway jane wickline uh this was her first episode that she was really featured on she was in a um sketch about a water slide where she was just playing a character kind of like a straight person character then she was featured on weekend update now here's what breaks my heart is she's seeing in both where she's playing a character and playing and then when she's on update playing herself either way she's felt very stiff and nervous you know when she was singing her song she wasn't looking at the camera she was looking at her hands you know she it's just very rookie stuff now i'm not saying that you know rubber stamp rejects back to the minors uh because conor o'brien when he first hosted late night had the same exact problems so i'm just saying If I had to pick a weak moment from last night's show, it's that. Now, she could change. I mean, you know, that could be her charm. That could be part of her brand. You know, and Sandler also had that very unassuming guy who is hilarious.
Track 2:
[26:59] So I just want to mention it, you know, because that's the answer to the question. And hopefully, you know, she'll change and get comfortable. So how about you.
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[27:11] Sherry? I see where you're coming from, Joe. She was a big, I tuned into the, I stayed up like a wacky person till like three in the morning and did the live chat on the hot take show with John Schneider over at the Saturday Night Network. And they were talking a lot about Jane. And it was very much what you're saying, Joe, that the jury was still out. She's brand new. So very good point. I know I'm going to get backlash here because this is the new golden boy and I like him I do like him but, I don't know that that Spanish game show sketch. I just Thomas was on last night, too. And he said, well, Shari, you kind of got to watch the show. It is like that. I kind of felt I love Nate in there. Nate did a great job, but I just felt like.
Track 1:
[28:11] I don't know, Marcelo was just a little bit too much, but I still adore him. I think he's great. But yeah, not my favorite of his outings so I guess again, time will tell Marcello's had some really strong.
Track 1:
[28:30] Material since he started that sketch just didn't hip for me, I know it hip for a lot of people, but it just didn't hip for me so that would be my Hall of Shame moment, so I'm very excited for next week's episode 3, which will have Ariana Rihanna Grande and Stevie Nicks, who I love. So looking forward to that. Also looking forward to next week's Hall of Fame episode. Thomas will be joined by Gary Seeth. They'll be talking about classic writer Ellen Zweibel. And we'll be right back here at the water cooler to break it all down for you. I know Thomas is going to do a great job. Looking forward to being introduced to Gary. Really looking forward to that. Looking forward to talking to you as always, Joe. And as J.D. always says, stay thirsty.
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This week on the pod we welcome back our friend Bill Kenney to discuss the CV of Mr. Danny DeVito.
Transcript:
Track 2:
[0:41] Thank you, Doug DeNance. My name falls off a cliff. And now, J.D. Welcome to the SNL Hall of Fame podcast. My name is J.D., and it is great to be here with you all. I am just fumbling with my keys to get into the Hall of Fame. While I'm doing that, I will wipe my feet. Do the same would you come on in as we prepare to go to a conversation with our friend thomas senna and our equally good friend bill kenny is back to join us and they are here to discuss danny devito now before we go any further i want to just make sure everyone is aware of our new you email address. It is the SNL hall of fame at gmail.com. That's correct. I chose the maximum number of letters I could choose for the prefix, the SNL hall of fame at gmail.com.
Track 2:
[1:44] It might seem trivial to you, but, uh, we love to hear from you. So send us those emails, review the pod and for heaven's sake listen to the snl water cooler it's our brand new show on the snl hall of fame and uh we have sherry fesco and joe gannon joining me once a week to discuss the week that was in the snl hall of fame and we touch upon the current episode of snl as well where we identify the Hall of Shame and the Hall of Fame moments of that particular episode. I am out of breath because I have been racing down the hall to catch up with our friend Matt Ardill, and we should probably do that.
Track 3:
[2:33] So I'm going to make a confession here. Even though the show has been on for coming up to 20 seasons, and this gentleman has been on most of those seasons, I haven't seen a single flippin' episode of It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia. And this week we're talking about one of its actors and somebody who's got a long resume dating back to Taxi, at least. I'm sure there's more before that. But let's go to our friend Matt Ardill and learn some more about this week's nominee, Denny DeVito. Hey, Denny. Thanks. I am shocked. i genuinely you can't jump in with the nightmare nightmare episode that would just be too much of a system shock but if you ever have the chance it's it's it is dark but it is funny so i highly recommend always sunny um but yeah so i'm looking forward danny is a great a great actor um, 4'10", born November 17th, 1944, who shares the birthday with Lorne Michaels. So same birthday.
Track 3:
[3:49] So he's born in Neptune, New Jersey, grew up in a family of five, and was raised in Ashbury Park, New Jersey. He would frequently eat at Jersey Mike's, which he grew up just down the street from the first location, which is why in 2022, he became the spokesperson for the subway chain, Jersey Mike's. He just loved it. And Danny is a person who follows his passions.
Track 3:
[4:17] He was sent to boarding school to keep him out of trouble. He graduated in 1962 and then took a job at his older sister's beautician salon. She paid for him to get his beautician certification, which led to him getting a certificate in makeup at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts. But to get that, the teacher said he had to sign up because she couldn't just teach him on the side. He had to be a student of the American Academy of Dramatic Arts, so he signed up and found his passion for acting after only a single semester at the school. Cool. Wildly enough, one of his sister's partners at the hair salon was a relative of a future colleague of his, Jack Nicholson, with whom he performed on One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest. That's right.
Track 3:
[5:23] This eventually became a prolific career, including 154 acting credits, 49 producer credits, 23 director credits, 16 soundtrack credits and four writing credits. I mean, how can we forget his performance of Troll Toll in the Dayman musical on Always Sunny? I mean, it's the weirdest one of his ever, his experience, his performances.
Track 3:
[5:52] But I do have to say, I was shocked to also see that he performed Put Down the Ducky on the Sesame Street Put Down the Ducky TV movie. His range is truly epic in scope um now after starting as an actor he actually shared a small apartment with michael douglas and they remain friends to this day um during his time uh in new york he actually met his now estranged wife rhea perlman well in the off-broadway play the shrinking bride uh they then went on to get a grant from the american film institute together and write the and produce minestrone a short film in 1975 which screened at con and has.
Track 3:
[6:42] Since been translated into five languages um he was the original casting choice for mario in the 1993 super mario's movie uh dropping out i'm guessing after seeing the script uh condemning bob hoskins to infamy um now he this is another one of those like i i'm kind of glad they didn't cast make this choice uh because i don't think it would have worked but he was almost george costanza what he almost he was in consideration for the role of george costanza it wouldn't have worked it would it's it's the wrong energy but it would have been wild to see Now he has been nominated for Best Picture for Aaron Brockovich.
Track 3:
[7:30] Along with NOMS for Batman Returns, American Comedy Writing Awards, Berlin International Film Festival Awards, Blockbuster Entertainment Awards, BAFTAs, Cable A's, Emmys.
Track 3:
[7:43] And more. He is so award-nominated, it's hard to keep track. But one of his earliest big wins was a 1981 Emmy for Taxi, which revolved around buying a pair of pants. About how he was so short and so round, he had to go to the Husky Boys section to get pants as an adult. And that was the plot in a Taxi episode that won him his first Emmy. Um, he commits, uh, like during his time as the penguin in those scenes where you see him like noshing on raw fish, that is actual raw fish that he is just tearing into, uh, not fake fish. Um, he is very famous, uh, on social media for his troll foot pictures where he will travel around the world and just take pictures of his great old big troll feet. Um, and in fact own, he is such a fan of Lemoncello. He has actually opened his own Lemoncello, uh, manufacturing plant simply named Lemoncello by Danny DeVito. Well, short and sweet, I suppose you might say.
Track 2:
[9:03] Of course you might not say as well. There's both options on the table. So let's get right to thomas and our friend bill kenny as they continue to talk about danny devito take it away thomas.
Track 4:
[9:48] Alright, JD and Matt, thank you so much for that. Hello and welcome to the conversation portion of this episode of the SNL Hall of Fame. Season 6 and we are rolling in this season. It's been a really good one. Talking about lots of great hosts, cast members, musical guests, etc.
Track 4:
[10:07] Today we're dipping into the host category. A six-timer? If you, well, it depends. I'll ask Bill about this. But yeah, so there's maybe a little caveat to this, but he's at least a five-timer. We consider him a six-timer. It's Danny DeVito today on the SNL Hall of Fame. And with that, of course, Bill Kenney, just amazing SNL knowledge with the Saturday Night Network, a man who mingles with the stars, with Dan Aykroyd and Jim Belushi. So he, yeah, he's he. But he kind of stepped down in weight class a little bit, and he's appearing with me here on the SNL Hall of Fame. Bill, thanks for joining me. Thomas, thank you for having me back. This is always such a good time. Listen, I mean, you're a celebrity in your own right, so let's not bury the lead here.
Track 4:
[11:01] Dan Aykroyd is fine, but the conversation is going to be great with this. Always a good time to talk to you. I appreciate that, man. So you've done a host before, Martin Short. We had such a blast with that Marty Short episode. And I know you're a Danny DeVito fan, so I had to ask you. He's one of the names that I threw out, and you jumped on Danny right away. So before we get started in that, I'm curious, what's going on over at the Saturday Night Network? We just started celebrating Season 50 of Saturday Night Live, a couple episodes into it. What's going on there as far as continuing the celebration here? Yeah, if you haven't checked us out in a while, please do so.
Track 4:
[11:44] During show weeks, we have a lot of great content from our Hot Take show, which is right after SNL on Saturday night at 1.10 a.m. We also have our roundtables, which dive deeper into the sketches. And then By the Numbers is every Wednesday, and we talk about the statistics, which is where we made our bones at the beginning of our podcast so and then of course there's lots of other content we do in off weeks uh during the summer we just uh did the greatest host countdown of all time thomas you joined us for one of the last episodes of that we had a lot of fun uh breaking that down and uh i think that's where the danny devito uh stuff started right because he was on the very first episode of the host countdown that we did and uh we all agreed, that it was way too low, and I can't wait to talk about that as well.
Track 4:
[12:36] Yeah, 100%. And I heard how much love you had for Danny and his hosting gigs and stuff. So I had to kind of like throw his name out there for you in the off season. So I love the stuff that you do in the off weeks in the off season. That's where all of us like dorks can roll up our sleeves and get get into like brass tacks about SNL. So I love that you guys do different drafts. There's different like neat concept shows. That's when the dorks thrive, Bill.
Track 4:
[13:03] Oh, without a doubt. That's when we have, we've had a lot of great stuff like SNL stories, which we talked to alumni, you kind of referenced Dan Aykroyd. We did a Blues Brothers, we went to a Blues Brothers convention, James Stevens and I, another podcaster, and we got to talk to Jim Belushi and Dan Aykroyd there. So that was a lot of fun. But we've talked to Mary Gross and Gary Kroger, a whole host of people who have had some association with SNL through the years. So that's always a lot of fun, too. So check that out as well. And then, of course, everything you need to know about SNL. And this will be the final plug, Thomas. We don't want to bog it down too much. But John and James have been doing that every week. And it's kind of these 15-minute mini episodes of kind of a starter's guide to SNL. Starting with season one going through. So if you don't have the time, like Thomas and I do, to sit through 30 episodes of SNL in a week, you can go watch this for 15 minutes and kind of satiate your thirst for it.
Track 4:
[14:09] Now, recently, John was a guest of mine and Deremy's on our other podcast, Pop Culture 5. We did six essential SNL sketches. And I was telling John, like, the everything you need to know about SNL. Those videos are some of my favorite content on YouTube. Just in general. Like, the editing's immaculate. The content is great. It looks great. It sounds great. It's just, like, that's one of my favorite things on YouTube that I look forward to. Yeah, without a doubt. And even people like us who know so much about SNL, it's still good to go back and be able to watch these and remember, what season was that in? Oh, yeah, that's right. So it kind of gives you, you know, jumpstart your brain as far as SNL. If you're not doing it already, make sure to check out all the great content they have over at the Saturday Night Network. Today, we're going to get into Danny DeVito as a host. So a little brief background, Danny did a lot of acting throughout the 70s, mostly playing bit parts. He was in One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, a decent amount of screen time. He basically said nothing in that movie, but he was just kind of there smiling and grinning while Jack Nicholson did his thing. He got his big break, though, starring in Taxi from 1978 to 1983. Bill, how did you become acquainted with the peculiar and unique person that is Danny DeVito?
Track 4:
[15:37] Definitely Taxi. And there was a different time back then where we would watch more mature shows like Taxi as kids because we only had three channels. But it was on this killer Tuesday night ABC lineup with Happy Days and Laverna Shirley and shows like that. And it was, you know, if you've liked Cheers, it's kind of the Cheers that people have forgotten about. It was set in this cab company in New York. And Danny played this very kind of volatile role, you know, scoundrel with a heart of gold as the years went on and you got to see. But that was where I met him. And it's still a great show. It's something I like to go back and watch every now and then. And it still holds up after all these years. It's a stellar ensemble. Yeah, it's one that I keep meaning to go back and try to rewatch. I used to catch episodes every now and then on Nick at Night.
Track 4:
[16:32] And then maybe MASH would come on or something. I'd hear the music and then that was time for me to go to sleep. But I would catch Taxi sometimes on Nick at Night. Probably for me, watching Twins, Throw Mama from the Train, kind of things of that nature. I really started appreciating Danny and his quirks. And he had this presence about him that far exceeded his stature, you know what I'm saying? So the way he was able to command the screen, it was almost like a Joe Pesci in a way, even though Danny maybe was less menacing, but he was still that kind of intense guy who would just take over the screen, I think, Bill. Yeah, I wonder how people view him, younger people view him today, because, I mean, he was a legitimate movie star. You mentioned some of them. I mean, from starting around 84, 85, he's in a hit almost every year for the next 10 years. You know, Romancing the Stone, War of the Roses, gets into the 90s and he's in Hoffa and Batman Returns, gets shorty. So there's always something going on with Danny. He compensates his short stature with just a commanding performance, no matter what he's in.
Track 4:
[17:45] Well, I'm really happy. I think a lot of the younger folks still watch It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia. Philadelphia so they really like enjoy Danny DeVito from that so it's funny to talk to like my niece is a big uh it's always sunny fan and so it's funny I tell her like have you seen Danny in this have you watched this have you seen his SNL hosting gigs like you need to go check out Danny like pre it's always sunny but I'm glad that the younger generation is getting a little taste uh of DeVito on it's always sunny is that something that you've checked out Bill oh my One of my favorite shows outside of SNL. Yeah, still. I mean, that's something that if I just need to have something on in the background, I'm going to Always Sunny and throwing on an episode. Because it's been on for 18 years at this point, almost 19 years. Yeah. And it still holds up. I mean, it really, it's the dirtier friends or Seinfeld or however you want to look at it. people with no soul who just kind of found each other in this crazy world and don't give a shit what they do to anybody else. And Danny is a huge part of that. He probably saved that show because he wasn't in the first season of that and was able to kind of boost it up.
Track 4:
[18:57] Make it what it is. Yeah, absolutely. It definitely wouldn't be around without Danny. I think the other core guys like Rob and Glenn and Charlie and them, Caitlin, would tell you that Danny probably saved the show. So I'm really just happy that the younger folks, some of whom probably shouldn't be watching It's Always Sunny, but be that as it may, that they get to appreciate Danny. We talked about, obviously, some of his trademarks, like his stature, his offbeat personality. One thing, especially watching these episodes, and it relates back to something that I've noticed or talked about with other hosts who I consider great, is that Danny's a really good actor.
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[19:41] And that serves him well in committing to these sketches. We just talked about on the S&N host countdown and on the SNL Hall of Fame, Adam Driver, who's a good actor and that serves him well. Danny, you know, I think, like I said, his stature, his kind of weird personality sometimes, I think that kind of overshadows that he's a good actor, Bill, and it serves him well in these sketches.
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[20:07] Matches. Yeah, and it's very interesting to see when he came into SNL. You know, you can say a lot about the Ebersole years that didn't work. I think one of the things that definitely did work is that he found hosts that were kind of outside the box. There was no reason in 1982 to bring a Danny DeVito into the show. Now, this predates most of his movies. He is on Taxi, of course, but he's the the third or fourth or fifth lead on that show but ebersole saw something in him and decided to bring him in uh i mean it's one of those seasons in season seven where we get so many unique we get the smothers brothers we get olivia newton john right after this which is kind of outside of uh normal thinking as well uh and so he just kind of fits into this one of the wackiest seasons of snl we've ever had. And he just, he meshes immediately with the people he's working with. They feel comfortable putting him in recurring sketches immediately and some original pieces as well. So right out of the gate, we get to see what Dan does.
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[21:14] Yeah, so he first appeared season seven toward the end, episode 19. That was in May of 1982.
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[21:21] Interesting timing. And I think it's kind of funny. I almost wonder if Ebersole and NBC brought him on as like maybe to brag on ABC. A little bit, a little bit of a friendly competition there because Taxi had just been canceled, Bill. And that was what his monologue was all about, Taxi having been canceled by ABC. This afternoon, my little immigrant Italian mother, she gave me this letter. She said to me, Danny, I want you to read this on the national TV.
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[22:03] Son, you have been besmirched by men so shallow that they do not know the depths to which their deeds have taken them.
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[22:16] And funny enough, about a month after this aired, NBC picked up Taxi for one final season. So that's the funny side of it. But I find this monologue fascinating because you know i can't think of another monologue in the history of the show that's like this it's very very unique so he as you say you know they're kind of giving a swan song to to taxi and he brings out the entire cast now we've we've seen cameos when when tv stars have hosted before uh the most recent i can think of is like steve carell bringing in and Jenna Fisher, and a couple other people from the office, but to have the entire cast of a show from another network.
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[23:01] Come on to the stage to kind of take their final bow. And it's the only time in the history of the show that we see Judd Hirsch, Mary Lou Henner, Christopher Lloyd. These are big names. These are people who go on to do a lot of different things, and they never appear on SNL at any other point. So that is very, very intriguing to me, that they gave Danny the freedom to do this and find a way to make this one of the most unique monologues in the history of the show. Yeah, it totally is. And just seeing who they would become. People still know Judd Hirsch. He just recently appeared in The Fablemans not too long ago. Christopher Lloyd, obviously, who would go on to do Back to the Future. Who framed Roger Rabbit after that? Tony Danza. So Tony Danza did host SNL. Tony Danza does come back and host, yeah. A couple times.
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[23:52] Yeah yeah but he's really the only one he's the only one andy kaufman comes out uh in his neck brace he's still in the middle of the whole wrestling jerry lawler thing so he has to come out sporting the neck brace kind of keep kayfabe alive uh there but this was neat i love danny's calling out like abc the american broadcasting corporation is the one who canceled us and i'm sure nbc had i if they didn't already had signed the contracts they had ideas probably of like, we're bringing in Taxi into the family, so let's do this. No, I agree. It was just so cool to see all those people on stage. Mary Lou Henner. Yeah. Yeah, it was just so cool to see all those people on stage. I enjoyed it. It was simple, but I enjoyed getting to know Danny and seeing the rest of the cast of Taxi. Yeah, exactly. And it was such a great segue into the next piece where you get to see this pre-tape.
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[24:45] With the opening credits to Taxi, basically, until it cuts to danny getting out of the taxi looking at the building at the abc building and kind of mulling in his mind now this is not something after 9-11 we would ever see again i'm sure right but at the time it was very very humorous and still very funny if you if you can look at it in the frame of where it's at and uh he's mulling what he should do and then decides to blow up abc and drives away like are you serious we're we're on a network television show granted at 11 30 at night and we have the star of another network show blowing up that network like absolutely bananas yeah yeah yeah i doubt that would happen today for for a few reasons i mean of course you mentioned the obvious one but yeah network on network crime doesn't seem to be happening much more they seem to be more buddies you had the uh the late night hosts on cbs nbc and abc doing a whole podcast together during during exactly yeah that wouldn't happen yeah yeah that's when there was competition and rivalry no that was great and we gave he they gave the people what they wanted he's coming from taxi he's familiar with taxi so right away let's do a test so let's do something taxi related that's what we saw with adam driver and first thing, in his first episode, he was Kylo Ren, doing a sketch as Kylo Ren. So we're kind of giving the people what we want, Bill. You like that as a viewer?
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[26:15] Sure, absolutely. And to put yourself in the mindset of a 1982 viewer, you know, the.
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[26:22] Network shows where you were attached to them in a way, I think that is not quite the same today. There are shows like that, obviously, that people still attach themselves to and things like that. But when popular shows that weren't quite getting the ratings that the networks wanted were canceled, people would petition, would not riot in the streets, but they would get to a point where they would do whatever they could to try to bring the show back. And I think this is a perfect example of that. And to have this kind of moment in time encapsulated on SNL is really, really interesting. Yeah, 100%. Just like a bygone era of network TV. It's like a really neat time capsule to see. I think he was kind of light, though, on sketches. I think he did really well this episode. Just a little light on sketches. Were there any highlights that you wanted to talk about from his first hosting gig here? Yeah. One of the interesting things, and this has come up on the host countdown on the SNN.
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[27:22] It's hard to explain to people who haven't gone back and watched pre-2000 that SNL didn't lean on its host as much as they do today. Today you'll get them in 10, 11 sketches sometimes or segments. They didn't always do that back then. And you're right. There isn't as much here. In fact, I think the last 20 minutes of the show we don't even see him. Right. He just kind of disappeared. Like, that's just crazy to think about. I don't know if his makeup from Pudge and Solomon was, like, hard to get off, so they just kind of, like, said, take the rest of the night off or something. Yeah, exactly. Like, how did that come to be? But, yeah, he just kind of completely disappears. But, yeah, Solomon and Pudge is a great one to talk about. That's one of my favorite recurring sketches from that era. I think it's just one of those quieter recurring things that we got. It really showcases Eddie and Joe. And when they bring somebody in like Danny to play off of them, I found that very interesting.
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[28:20] I disappeared last December when we had that big snowstorm I'm home I'm home in my room my cold I try to keep warm I drinking some wine get down I looked out at the bottom and it says on the label visit our visions in Sonoma Valley valley. Next thing you know, I'm walking around some valley.
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[28:50] I'm walking in the valley. It's all over.
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[28:54] I look up, I look up. The executive stress test, I think, is probably the best original sketch that we see. He's working for this company, and he's been promoted, but they kind of want to make sure that he's got the bones for it. So he calls his wife, and his wife is clearly having some kind of intimate affair with a gardener. And you know he's he's perplexed on what's happening eddie comes in as a drug dealer who's saying that he owes all this money for the drugs that he's been taking christine ebersol comes in and talks about uh the herpes that that he gave her so and then it just kind of wraps up with ah well we just wanted to make sure you were okay with uh with this job so um it's all an act and as we find out towards the end so i think that's one of the better acting moments that we get to see from danny in this episode yeah he played really aggravated confused like really well in that sketch that's where his acting ability really shines i completely agree with that that executive stress test sketch again light episode he was in a whiner sketch he played kind of like a somebody who was kind of annoyed but showed extra try to exercise some patience with the whiners.
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[30:21] Well, you have to plug them in here. Well, don't kick the china. All right, I won't kick the china. Just let me put... Here. Give me this. Plug it in. Oh, thank you. Let's be honest. That's good acting in and of itself because those whiners are a little hard to take. Yeah, yeah. Yeah, I imagine... In the sketch and out of the sketch. On an airplane, I imagine, for sure. So, yeah, that was awesome acting by Danny. But I think even though he was only in a handful of sketches that night, his screen presence was really felt. And it's not a surprise that the show brought him back just barely under two years later, two seasons later. But you could really feel Danny's screen presence in this first episode, even given the light work. Yeah, exactly. Exactly. It's rare to see somebody come back that quickly at this point in the show. After we get out of the original era, Ebersole doesn't seem to like to have a lot of recurring hosts.
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[31:24] So, yeah, to have him come back, as you said, quickly in season nine, pretty much, I think, is it the second episode of that season? It's episode two, yeah. Yeah, and talk of another strange thing, you know, talked about Danny not really fitting the mold of what you would think an SNL host would be at that point because he didn't have any movies coming out and things like that. Well, now he's hosting with his wife, Rhea Permit. And you say, oh, well, she's on Cheers.
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[31:53] Cheers was 77th in the rankings, Nielsen rankings, the year before. It was not a hit. It was almost canceled. So here it is. They're just starting their second season. Danny's not on any show, but they're hosting the show together. So that's really funny to me to see how that matched up. And the episodes where we get married couples, I mean, take it with a grain of salt. Your mileage may vary with Kim Basinger's and Alec Baldwin's of the world but I think this one works pretty good we get them together a lot which is something that is great to see they're not kind of separated, so I enjoyed this episode a lot yeah I thought it was good the monologue was a little flat it seemed like neither of them they were kind of like we're not sure what to do we have some sort of kernel of a thing.
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[32:49] Yeah but it was It sort of fell flat a little bit. I'll give them a pass, though, because Vicky said this is a fun episode. It really shined a light on a reason why I love Danny DeVito. He plays weird. He has such weird energy that he can convey. The two sketches from this episode that I was drawn most toward had that weird quality about Danny. That's what stood out to me for this episode. Which sketches stood out for you? So the Autograph Hounds one, I kind of got a kick out of. And they reminded me of, you've seen The King of Comedy?
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[33:30] So they totally reminded me of, like, Sandra Bernhardt and Robert De Niro's characters from The King of Comedy. Hey, Denise! You screwball! I said you were going to miss it, and you missed it! Yes, you did! You missed it! I struck gold! No, you didn't! You couldn't! I did, I could, and I would even if I couldn't! You know, as Cole Porter said, it's delightful, it's delicious, it's DeWitt! No! Yeah, yeah, yeah, Joyce DeWitt. I saw her coming out of the Burger King, and I nailed her. Look at this. It says, to Herbie, with love, Joyce DeWitt. I don't believe it. Yeah, yeah, what a woman. They're out there waiting. Dick Cavett comes out, and it was really funny. I think there was an ad lib that Dick Cavett made that kind of caught Danny off guard a little bit. He referenced his hat or something.
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[34:21] Yes, yeah. And Danny was like, ah, so he kind of tried to play it off. Danny's obsessed with Ed McMahon. man that's like his white whale of autographs so but the way they they talk about it there's just like he and uh and uh rio perlman's in that sketch as well and tim kazarensky and the way they're playing that is something of the king of comedy it just like he plays weird so well yeah and i wonder if i i think this is about the time that movie was coming out so it might be a kind of an homage to that yeah that's great i had not thought of that yeah i think because i've recently seen the king of comedy so i'm like oh yeah they exactly remind me of he reminds me of rupert pubkin for me uh one of my favorite and i think we get to see uh as you said the wacky side of danny is uh the small world sketch which just really cracks me up and i know you'll get this reference uh you know it's about 12 years later that we get to wake up and smile with david allen Alan Greer and Will Ferrell and, you know, one of the all-time greats. This gets forgotten. I think this is along that lines and is almost like the ancestor to what that would be, where they get stuck on the small world ride in Disney and they're playing that infectious and annoying song over and over and over again. And, you know, cut to three hours later and now Kazerinsky's dead.
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[35:45] And they're trying to figure out how they're going to get him off this, you know, this ride that anybody could easily just jump off of and, you know, jump on the stairs and get out of there. But I love the wackiness of this and the darkness that's kind of under the cover of, of it's a small world after all. So we get to see Danny really shine here with real.
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[36:19] Try and get us out of here you're gonna have to swim for hell don't be crazy Doris the boat's gonna start up any second come on there's no need to panic it is that darkness and I love when uh and wake up and smile is like a great example and I think uh Andrew Dismukes is somebody current who kind of like does things that are similar is when something just like some little thing that happens in life or some little inconvenience that just seems so innocuous and so small at the time just like freaks people out and and it gets built up and like you like you said like tim kazarensky like dies in the sketch and will and wake up and smile will ferrell kills david allen career and the because the teleprompter's been off the weatherman is dead the teleprompter's been off for like 30 seconds and they start freaking out so i love when something's so simple that hat that just like a minor inconvenience or gets escalated to 11 so quickly. Those are some of my favorite sketches, Bill. A hundred percent. Yeah. This is one of those great moments that, again, I think is just forgotten because it's so long ago and it's in this kind of wishy-washy season of SNL.
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[37:31] Yeah, that was a good one. Small World from, yeah, season nine, episode two. Danny also played a weirdo, a stalker in a book beat. He wrote books about stalking a woman named Deborah Rapoport. And he's just like so right at home with these types of weird characters as we've seen for a long time and it's always sunny but kids danny was doing this in the 80s 70s and 80s yes exactly and i love the way that one ends where he ends up getting shot by the woman he was talking to begin with uh yeah he you know it would be very easy to kind of put him in this uh box of of the character that he played on taxi but he finds a different angle to the smarmyness and the and the real like weirdness of all the different ways he can play that he doesn't just do a caricature of another character that he's.
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[38:28] So I think, again, this is just a perfect example of what we get to see from Danny. Yeah, 100%. It's also cool that he was able to do a sketch with Eddie, with the Dion Dion. It's neat, as comedy nerds, to be able to look it back. That's what's so darn cool about SNL, is we have these pieces where you could go back and say, oh, Danny DeVito did something with Eddie Murphy. They're just doing a scene together. and we're out what other show does that happen where we have this treasure trove of material with these two famous actors and this this might be i don't i can't remember honestly unless i'm blanking of the danny devito and eddie murphy doing any movies together but i think i can think of no but but we have this on snl like that's a part of why i love this show see if you can answer this one look at the screen all right frank is talking on the phone to his good friend Then Ronald Reagan, the president of the United States. Suddenly, the president puts him on hold. What would Frank do?
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[39:28] Well, let me see. Back in the 60s, the candidates lightened him and he switched to Republican party. Now, he's a different Frank now, so I think he let it slide, but he let them know not to let it happen again. Maybe so, Dion. All right, for 50 points and a lot of prizes, let's see what Frank would do. Even though it's a less than great game show concept uh danny really ratchets it up again as the game show host you know they don't just go with the obvious person uh in the host role and uh the the whole point is that they're cutting to scenes of piscopo as sinatra and apparently i i don't know if you knew this um i had not heard this before.
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[40:12] But the entire concept of this sketch was that Piscopo would shoot down ideas about Sinatra for sketches because he'd say Frank wouldn't do that. So he was so embodied in what Frank Sinatra would be okay with that they decided to make an entire sketch about what would Frank do. So that's how the entire point of this sketch is to kind of stick it to Piscopo. Yeah kind of like that yeah that's it that's a that's a fun little nugget for snl fans just kind of them ribbing piscopo for his like adoration of frank and not wanting to like go certain places with uh right right i love it so i think yeah especially as far when you said like as far as uh two people hosting together married couple hosting together uh i think this came off really well. Danny came off great. He's looking like a mainstay on SNL. And the next one, we get to see him play with an entirely different cast. So this is awesome. We see what he can do with another era of the show. So it was season 13, episode 6, December of 87. He's promoting Throw Mama from the Train. Bill, SNL nerd here.
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[41:30] I love it when the host is in a cold open. I'm a sucker for that. Oh, yes, absolutely. I do have a trivia question for you. I'm going to put you on the spot. Oh, boy. I know you like trivia as much as I do. So I went back and kind of culled through the archives of it all. Do you know there's only 10 hosts from the Ebersole era that came into the next Lorne era? Now, we're not counting people like Lily or who were on the original era and then went into Ebersole. I'm talking Ebersole to Lorne, only 10 times in the history of the show in the 35 years since that's happened. And Danny is one of those people. How many do you think you could name? Oh, three? I completely... Did Robin Williams? Robin Williams, yep. He was one of them. A couple of obvious ones with former cast. Oh, like Bill Murray. Yeah. Bill and Chetty. Yep.
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[42:26] I think, I swear like Michael Keaton, but I don't know if he hosted under Lorne. Very good. Okay. That's one of the ones I had forgotten. Really? Yeah, I remember Michael hosting during the Ebersole era. Okay, so he did come back for Lorne. I guess I named four. Yeah, that's... So there's also Drew Barrymore, Eddie, Rick Moranis, another one I had forgotten about because he had hosted with Dave Thomas in the Ebersole era, Jeff Bridges, and Kathleen Lane Turner. Okay. Jeff Bridges is one that, that would have somewhat. Yeah. It took, it took a long time for him to come back. I think it was 2010, but yeah, I mean, it's just kind of because Lauren kind of, it felt like he had decided that that era didn't exist in a lot of ways. He obviously couldn't ignore the Eddie of it all. He must have thought an awful lot of Danny DeVito and what he had done the two times he had hosted previous to Lorne coming back to have him come into this new golden era in season 13. So I found it very, very interesting to see this is one of the few people that Lorne was like, okay, we'll give him a pass. He's too good not to bring back. No kidding. Yeah, that's a really cool stat. I love it. Thanks. Thanks for putting me on the spot. Love to do that. You've done that to me. So, you know, I'm just paying it forward.
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[43:47] Yeah, like to my earlier point in excitement, like they must have really, like Lorne must have really seen something and trusted him and the writers must have trusted him. Again, he's in this cold open and you don't often see that with hosts. And I love, like, that's one of those little SNL things that like I love seeing. Well and again to not to keep going back to the host countdown but that's something that we've seen with the people who are really really good being hosts that they trust him so much that they could put them in a cold open and uh you know often i think the reason that we don't see it a lot is because cold open is one of the last things they do most weeks because it's often topical so there's usually a political slant especially these days um so it's not like the game show that they can write on a tuesday night so the host if they're not comfortable or they're having a hard time adjusting to all the stress of doing the show they don't want to add to that stress by putting the code open and as you said like having somebody like danny who you know you can trust and putting him in there with somebody like phil hartman uh in a topical sketch at the time you know, Reagan versus Gorbachev, was really a tip of the cap to what they were able to.
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[45:01] I think it's also too, I mean, obviously the quick turnaround between the live from New York and the monologue and the host has to be ready for the monologue. And usually, I mean, the host is required to be in the monologue. Cast members may or may not be in the monologue. So they have time to dress and stuff, but the host has to change and then go do the monologue. So unless it's a pre-tape, unless it's something like that, I can see logistically why that might not happen. But Danny was so good here. like it's Gorbachev, like getting annoyed at Reagan's little Hollywood anecdotes and babbling, all of that. So just a really fun characterization by Danny. Really inspired casting. But he could have gotten Lovitz or something to play Gorbachev here. It is important that we do not expect too much from this summit, but it is first step. And from first step, many.
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[45:57] Please, Ron, stop staring at my forehead. Oh, I'm sorry I did it again, didn't I? I'm trying so hard not to, but I've got kind of a mental thing about it. Please continue. Never mind. It wasn't important. Anyway, here we are in Washington, D.C. Please give me the grand tour. And Phil's Reagan is so fantastic, probably the best that we've gotten on the show. And to see the two of them play off of each other, and reagan just keeps getting distracted as he's showing them the washington dc monuments and instead of talking about you know the historical value it's you know where jimmy stewart made a movie or where so-and-so stood on the steps and gave this monologue in a movie back in 1940 and gorbachev wants nothing to do with it and i think danny really plays off of phil so well, So cool to see Danny in the cold open. A light little monologue. He's saying that he went to school with Bruce Springsteen from Asbury Park. So he's showing probably doctored yearbook photos of them. But just a fun, just a quirky little Danny thing.
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[47:10] It highlights Bill from this, his third hosting gig. Gig yeah well i mean we have to talk about church chat right because this is uh you know one of those few instances in the church chat history where the host has done it twice now technically he was not the host the first time he did church chat he was a special guest with uh willie nelson's episode in the season before uh kind of like a crutch because they weren't sure how much willie could do uh so they you know they they picked up the bat phone literally and said you know danny can you do and he came in and did two or three sketches is willie's not an actor and how high is he gonna be well yeah exactly yeah i mean it is the 80s and it is willie so so uh so they do the first church chat in this one but this is the one that's more remembered because this was in christmas specials probably until the early 2010s when you'd see these best of christmas snls um where he's you know ends up singing i think santa claus is coming to town correct yeah here here comes santa claus i think yeah so yeah but yeah this was something that everybody even if they hadn't watched this era of the show was really familiar with because you get to see daddy singing with the church lady, church ladies playing the drums. I'm sure that if you have a kid who was watching this in the early 2000s, you'd have to explain who Jessica Hahn was.
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[48:39] But other than that, you've got this great chemistry, again, with another cast member and Danny, with Dana and Danny. I think they were really good together. So church chat has always been one of those things. It's one of the first recurring sketches that really spoke to me.
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[48:55] So I love going back and watching any church chat I can. and this is one of the best ones that they do. All righty. Now, Daniel, you've been very, very busy. I understand you have a new motion picture out, Throw Mama from the Train. That's right. Wow, that's a charming little title, Daniel. And what is our little film about? Well, in the movie, I want Billy Crystal to do away with my mother, knock her off, because she's a pain in the... Oh so it's a family picture we've done a little film about murdering our mother just in time for christmas how convenient.
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[49:34] Come on loosen up church lady i mean it's a comedy yeah i always remember loving this one even when i was a kid like if you're a child of the 80s you were bombarded with jim baker Baker and Tammy Faye Baker, Jessica Hahn, like, uh, all, all those, like all those people, all this, like, so, so if you're an SNL fan as a kid watching the news as a kid, you knew who these people were. I have vivid memories of like Jan hooks is Jessica Hahn. Uh, so, so this was like, yeah, this is like a, something that's etched in my SNL brain and Danny just like playing himself um it's a good vehicle of course for for uh the church lady to shame him and then show obviously she has like sexual repression deep down in there scolding danny about the title of his movie he's promoting throw mama from the train uh so this yeah this is one of the uh very like memorable i think this one and like the sean penn one the rob lowe one those are like the handful of church lady ones that I'll always remember.
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[50:36] Absolutely. Yes. Yeah, that stands out. Another one that I really like from this episode is Mona Lisa. And it's Danny and our girl Jan are this redneck couple living in this trailer. And they've somehow decided to call in this appraiser who's played by Phil Hartman because they're not sure that their Mona Lisa is the real thing. And of course, it's not. But, you know, it's an easy mistake to make for something like that. It's a reprint, you know, it's a blah, blah, blah. And it just escalates. And it gets into, there's Stradivarius, but it actually turns out to be a little kid's plastic ukulele. Right. And Phil just keeps, you know, dashing their dreams, the amount of money. They spent 50 bucks on this. Gold doubloon, which turns out to be, of course, a chocolate candy. Yeah. The gold wrapper on it, until they get to the Orlov diamond, and it is the actual diamond. And Phil sees an opportunity to fool these supposedly dumb people. No, this is just glass. You are a liar. You get out of here. You're a liar, man. That is the Orlov diamond, mister. We had it appraised at the American Gemological Society. It's a certified stone. Serious. Perhaps I can take another look. No, no, no. Get out of here. Get out of here, mister. We don't need those city folks around here. Go on, get out. Get out. Bam. Woo, woo. Out.
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[52:00] You scared me for a minute there. That phony had me thinking we'd been ripped off right and left. I know it. You know what? We shouldn't have let him eat that gold doubloon, though. That's all right. We've got plenty more where that came from. It's just such a great, great work with Jan again. It's never not good to see somebody with Jan, but I think Danny plays really well with that. That Phil playing the smarmy role is kind of a strange kind of turn of the head because he's always not really in that role a lot, but I think he plays it really well. And getting to see the way that they all play off each other is really, really great. Yeah. And seeing Danny play like a Southern, like a Redneck character, like that's like kind of against type of what Danny will usually play. So that was so fun. Yeah, you're right. Like anybody paired with Jan, it's going gonna make for good watching but it just really struck me is how Danny was playing this like southern character he wasn't playing an angry boss or he wasn't you know he just fell right into this like good acting chops man that's like really those acting chops really definitely helped the sketch.
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[53:08] Yeah, and I mean, listen, we're talking about season 13, and you can argue that this is maybe the greatest season of SNL, one of the greatest, for sure, 13, 14.
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[53:21] And when people ask me about this, like, well, how, why, what makes it so special? I think what you see is, and we'll talk about this sketch now a little bit, the doorman, which kind of wraps up the night. Um you know every it's a buzzword especially within the snl community slice of life slice of life but this is actual slice of life and and there's not it's not played for laughs uh danny's a doorman at an expensive uh hotel and uh you know he's talking to nora who comes in and you know none of the people in the building really seem to know each other because you know coming and going and they're all rich and this and that. But obviously Danny is the doorman does. And Phil is moving out of the building that day. And they start to realize that they had never really gotten to talk to each other in a meaningful way. And this kind of really touches Phil. You know, it's funny. It just hit me. I have seen you every day for years. And I don't know anything about you. I mean, I don't know anything about your life or where you're from or your family. It's no big deal. You know, the building is a big chunk of my life, so I'm here. But still, it hits me like that. Well, you know, I live in Long Island City. I commute. I got three kids. Little one, Amy, is still in high school.
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[54:45] The big one, my son's in engineering school. Oh, he's so smart. My Susan, she's at Queens College. And I love this. Like this, you would not see this in modern SNL, for better or worse, and I think for worse, because there's not a lot of laughs here. It's just three people and then two people having a conversation, figuring out, you know, human way to be. And it's just, I don't know, this is something that always gets to me. I love this. And again, getting to see Danny and Phil work together so much this week is fantastic. And this was kind of the cherry on top.
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[55:25] You said it perfectly. Like this is one of those things that I love that touches on shared human experiences is we've all been in that situation where we kind of get one on one with somebody, the co worker, maybe a family member, like some cousin that maybe we should know better, but we haven't. So we get up one on one and it's like, what are we talking about? And then so they're reminiscing about like, because they only know each other's doorman and tenant. It so they're like remember when that package was delivered and it fell back here like so that's the their only common ground that they're establishing right away is that like a one of tenant and doorman so i think that's like funny and it's like it's inherently funny but it's not like played for like comedic heights necessarily it's very relatable but i just i just love that but there's humanity there because you're right like feel like they want to get to know each other but they're just struggling to figure out the common ground that they have outside of the obvious tenant-doorman thing. Yeah, I mean, they're from two walks of life. You imagine this to be probably a fairly low-paying job, and Phil is the rich person who's leaving this building probably for an even nicer place.
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[56:37] So yeah, as you said, the common ground is really, really interesting. Great season. I'm so glad that Danny came back to play with this cast. He's back the next season 14 episode 7 December of 88 he and Arnold did Twins they're out there promoting that movie Arnold makes an appearance here in this episode they had to do Hans and Franz cold open again Danny's in the cold open Bill two episodes in a row Danny's in the cold open with Hans and Franz which by this point was getting a little stale but he injects life into it as an even more more extreme workout partner with Hans and Franz, Victor, I believe his name was. He's taking it past the pump you up into, you should be dead if you're not working out.
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[57:27] Yeah, and then, as you said, Arnold, I think only the one of two times we ever see him on SNL as well. I think he does a filmed cameo at some other point. But yeah, he's sitting in the audience with Maria Shriver. And this, to me, talk about this monologue. We've talked about a couple of monologues that are kind of, eh, okay. We get to see literally behind the door Thomas. And other than Melissa McCarthy on that Mother's Day episode, do we ever really see this? Like, I can't think of another time. Not on the show. Like, the SNL's released videos and we get to see, like, the host waiting. Yes. Or the James Franco documentary, we got to see John Malkovich waiting. But you're right. Like, in an actual episode, we don't see that. Yeah. And it's all because he had such a rush coming out for the first time.
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[58:24] So he wants to do it again, and that's how they get Arnold involved. He gets to see it live from New York, and they're playing the montage, and Danny's just back there, and you can see him getting riled up. I mean, it's such a tiny space, and it's so funny to think about it, because I think in your mind, especially then, when you didn't have as many behind-the-scenes things to see, you're like, this has to be a huge space. They're walking out onto 8-8. No, it's smaller than a closet in your house, like and you know could barely fit two people as they're standing back there but it's just fascinating and i know i know when i was watching this in 1988 that i just i it blew my mind like it's just one of those moments that you're like oh my god did we really see behind the door so.
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[59:11] It's just fantastic it's just such a great way to open probably his best episode arguably not yeah i think it might be and and that's perfectly for for snl geeks like us yeah seeing that backstage i love danny mouthing when like don pardo's like uh because they do the whole intro and i have forgotten that they did that when i watch this again i'm like oh they might just say danny's name and he's gonna know they did like the whole intro i guess back then there were many cast members so so but you could see a mouth like yeah nora dunn and then he i love how the look on his face when he was able to mouth Danny DeVito, he looked all excited. And then the, you can see the, the, the stage director is like, okay, go, go, go, go, go. And then he, and then, then I love it. He's tired. So he does the rest of the monologue laying down.
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[59:59] Exactly. So, so unique. Even at this point, they had done probably 300, 400 episodes of SNL. So to find a new twist on it was really, really great. And again, to this day, we don't really see something like this. So a lot of fun. This episode has in the running for maybe the best sketch that Danny was in throughout his six episodes. I don't know if we're doing parallel thinking as far as what stood out, but I want to hear from you. There's so much from this one. I assume you're talking about You Shot Me? Yes, absolutely. Yes, I mean, oh my goodness. How great is this? How about you, senor? Do you know how to dance?
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[1:00:48] Ow, ow, ow, ow! Why did you shot me? Oh no, I shot you! Did I hit you? Where did I hit you? Where did I hit you? I shot you in the foot. Oh, no, let me see. Oh, no. Oh, no. Are you all right? I'm sorry. I didn't mean to hit you. Get away from me. Are you okay? You shot me. It doesn't hurt. I'm so sorry. I don't mean let me help you. Get away. A nothing concept. A nothing concept. And talk about where host matters. He finds a way to make, and Lovitz too, but basically to set it up, he's a Mexican bandolier in this old west town, and he walks in and they do the whole stereotypical thing with shoot at his feet to make the guy dance, and they don't usually hit them, even in the movies, but somehow Danny hits Lovitz, and.
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[1:01:48] It's into, you shot me. You shot me. Over and over. Over and over and over again. And there's so many other people in this sketch, but who the hell knows that? Because it's just Lovitz and Danny going back and forth. Lovitz is clearly trying to make Danny break, especially towards the end when he's in the bed. You shot me again. Yeah, this is one of those, I mean, all-time moment with Lovitz. But again, if you had an off week and this was, I don't know, Chris Everett, this doesn't work. You need an all-time classic host coming in here to carry a one-note sketch like this and make it into an all-time classic. It is one note, but it's also clever. To me, I don't know what the writing credit on it is, but it has Conan O'Brien's fingerprints on this or Smigel or somebody like that. I don't know if your close personal friend, Robert Smigel, mentioned this sketch to you. I don't know.
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[1:02:50] He has not, but I can ask him next time we have coffee. Yeah, ask him. It feels like Conan or Jack Handy or just that whole writing stable.
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[1:03:00] The cliche of, now dance for me.
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[1:03:03] You see the cowboy shooting. But what if the cowboy actually shot him in the foot? And also what if the cat the guy still maybe felt a little bad about shooting him so that goes to his house the next day yeah exactly that's like one of the things he's like it's almost like i didn't mean to shoot him i was just trying to literally get him to dance so that's like another just like layer to this and then i love how danny tries to convince him that maybe we're both at fault if you really think about it that's right and that's when you see love it's turn and really start to hammer Danny with the shot. And you almost see Danny break. I think, I think he does a pretty good job of, of turning his head. So you can't really see it, but you know, what's happening. We know what's happening there. Yeah.
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[1:03:51] Danny seems like somebody who's just always wanting to stay in the scene as goofy as he can be. He seems like somebody who's like, here's the scene I'm staying in this because it's going to make it better. So yeah, to me, that's like a forgotten classic kind of hard to watch nowadays. Days you kind of have to know where to be a sleuth and know where to look but this was one when i was a kid and the you shot me is like hearing lubbitt say that's just all burned into my snl brain again yeah and it's only done this one time but it is one of those things that you would say with your friends and uh yeah it it held up the test of time for a long time to me that's the highlight of the episode but again you're right like what else like good episode what what else.
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[1:04:35] Yeah, you know, it's funny because you wonder why some of the Christmas sketches haven't carried through. And I think, talk about underrated and forgotten, I think the Scrooge sketch in this is really phenomenal.
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[1:04:50] I mean, last Christmas I gave away so much money and forgave so many loons. I mean, I just barely got my head above water this year. Boy, you gave everyone some great Christmas presents. Ah, tell me about it. Yeah, and then you got New Year's Eve presents for everybody. Yeah, I know. I didn't even realize that you're not supposed to give New Year's Eve presents. They were nice, though. Tell me about it. They were good. Well, sir, maybe you shouldn't have given me that raise. No, no, no, no, no, no, no. The raise was good. But I think I should have just concentrated on you and a little less on the rest of the world. You know, it's been done to death. We've seen it as recently as Steve and Marty. You know scrooge is just kind of hammered into the zeitgeist as far as christmas stuff but yeah they basically it's it's danny as scrooge and uh dana as marley and it's the next year so we've moved a year past you know his realization about the world and and how he's been a.
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[1:05:52] So mean to everyone and he's still nice but he's trying to cut back and that's that's really the genius of this concept to me he's paying for tiny tim's medical bills but he's moving him to a you know a smaller a cheaper hospital still gonna get great care and you know dana's kind of a dick in this like he's just like well okay you know and and like he he offers to get him a turkey and he's He's like, well, last year, you know, he got me the biggest goose in town. So he's being kind of, he's being overextended by this. And he spent so much the year before that he's, again, still being nice, but he needs to. And then it escalates where we get Victoria in one of her better roles, I think, who's trying to collect for drunken sailors who want to stay drunk.
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[1:06:44] You know you donated all this money to them last year mr scrooge like why why can't and he eventually is talked into it but it's it's so smartly written and it's one of those things again that just kind of could have been overplayed it's not it's perfectly done a quieter piece as far as christmas pieces go but yeah this this is something that sticks out to me and something that I've almost forgotten over the years because we don't see it in the specials. So yeah, a couple of like really cool, smart pieces with the Scrooge and the, you shot me. Uh, uh, and, uh, another thing, anything else that kind of sticks out for you? Um, I mean, I think, uh, you know, it's another Christmas piece and it's not as good as the Scrooge one we just talked about, but they, they doubled down on wonderful life here too, where Kevin's, uh, in the Jimmy Stewart role and, and looks like he's going to kill himself and, and Danny shows up as his angel. But he wasn't going to kill himself. He was actually admiring life and kind of just contemplating all the good in the world.
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[1:07:48] Dandy's just never going to get his wings because he can't find anybody who's ready to jump off a bridge and uh you know then we get phil and dana in there as well so that's another one that's that's kind of something that sticks out to me that i think i will put into my christmas rotation along with the scrooge one because i i think uh they just really hold up yeah i like that one little parade of ghosts there right yeah and that all the angels waiting for their wings yeah absolutely so a really great appearance that was his fourth gig season 14 episode 7 january of 93 his uh fifth time though according to danny and the show this might be his fourth time bill i don't know we'll get to that uh here in probably in a few minutes but but this is his fifth time damn it and uh what i'm gonna call unofficially the amy fisher episode of snl.
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[1:08:43] Gather the kids around and explain why the hell an entire episode of snl is dedicated to this one story like almost an entire episode of us oh my goodness like but you know i mean you're younger than me thomas this was everywhere and this was yeah i mean completely this is accurate to the time that it's in and you would never see this we talked about alec baldwin on the episode that you were on with us on the John Goodman episode for the host and how they leaned into the Monica Lewinsky thing. And it was an entire episode dedicated to that controversy. And you wouldn't see this in SNL today because it's more of the YouTube bits. What can we put up online and as a five minute thing to have a runner like this.
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[1:09:37] Uh danny playing multiple roles he's playing butafuco a couple of times uh if if you don't know what we're talking about kids go look it up we're not going to explain it to you uh amy fisher joey butafuco it's a real thing but um yeah and and they do this like what four or five times we get this runner throughout the episode and then they do other sketches dedicated to it as well So the runner is like, they start off with Aaron Spelling's Amy Fisher. It's like a takeoff on Beverly Hills 90210. So they play it like that. Danny's playing Joey Buttafuoco. Amy, you really did it this time. You really banged up your car. Yeah. I'll bet that's not all you could bang. Yeah. The only Amy Fisher story told from Tori Spelling's point of view. You know, I've been with the same woman for 17 years. That's crazy.
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[1:10:42] You don't want to get involved with an old guy like me. And then they do a Masterpiece Theater version of it that Danny was in again. Again, my favorite one, Danny wasn't in it, but it was the BET version with Ellen, Clay Horn and Tim Meadows. So good. Yeah. Yeah, that was really good. And the whole concept of this was, you know, we were talking earlier about the networks, you know, fighting each other and how they only had each other. I mean, cable was prevalent at this point in the early 90s, but there was a competing movie of the week for this Amy Fisher controversy. And three different networks were putting on a movie within weeks of each other so that's where this whole concept came from and why they were doing things like the bbc and bet and then eventually getting into an infomercial with ron popiel right jan hooks jan hooks was playing mary joe buttafuoco who was uh joey's wife who was uh who probably who got the crap end of of that whole deal uh i would say again kids go look it up yes exactly but yeah i mean there are some Some good sketches in here as well that we can get into. Yeah, and it's not all Amy Fisher. I mean, it was heavily dominated. The monologue I thought was really cool. I feel like most great hosts have to do at least one song and dance monologue in their SNL tenure. So we get the song and dance monologue with Danny and Rob Schneider doing like a little vaudeville number.
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[1:12:08] You see, I wasn't well liked when I was a kid. I didn't get the attention my siblings did. That's why I'd crawl under a cow and suckle if it would make you chuckle. I dip my face in some acid on your behalf.
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[1:12:33] How old were you when you first slept with a woman? Why, I was 32 years old. I'll pick up a radio and jump in the tub. Of all the people to do a song and dance with, I mean, who else but Rob Schneider, right? Yeah, first choice. I'll do anything for a laugh. Yeah, kind of reminiscent of what would come. But listen, it's okay. The vaudeville end of it I really like Because that's not something we see on SNL Very often, maybe a couple of times In the original era But yeah, it's something different, as you said As his fifth time comes around here To find a different angle You get the Watkins of the world Who are always doing a song and dance And this is the first time that Danny's doing Something like this, Yeah, so at least he gets his song and dance monologue At the way That's like a rite of passage message if you're going to be a multi-time snl host one recurring character from this era bill that i've never talked to you about is simon mike myers character and this is the simon that i really like remember when i was a kid watching i remember danny devito in the bathtub this is probably like my favorite installment of the simon sketches yeah they they tended to be a little repetitive competitive uh i mean how much can you do with a a lonely boy in a bathtub over and over again like this but uh it's a fun sketch i like.
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[1:14:02] I think this is one of Mike's better moments on the show. He always finds this kind of sweetness about this boy who's been left in a hotel room by his, you know, errant father and the mother who's with the angels. But now this time he's found a friend. And, you know, it's this little Italian boy whose father's probably doing something untoward as well because his pictures are a lot darker than what Simon is used to. So there's a lot of fun here. This is one of the most memorable ones because of the way they're able to play off of each other and the fact that he keeps shocking Simon with his graphic artwork. Yeah, those drawings were really funny.
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[1:14:46] Simon's was his dad losing money at the roulette table, so you alluded to a darkish backstory for Simon. And then the other one was a guy that Vinny's dad whacked, and he's dressed as Santa. Because sometimes santa's got to get whacked yeah sometimes yes my favorite part of this though what really kind of elevated it for me is because simon always says like are you looking at my bum you bum looker cheeky monkey so danny's italian i put boy question mark his italian boy it's supposed to be a boy but he's like obviously playing it like i'm like a well the italian man, but he's saying, were you looking at my ass? Don't look at my ass. Ass-looker.
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[1:15:33] They was looking at my ass. So that was the part where I really like, that really stood out for me. Yeah, that's the part that definitely stands out after and stood the test of time. As far as this goes you can tell they're having a lot of fun together in this sketch so um yeah to find a different angle with simon at this point was was really great and yeah and danny plays it perfectly yeah quite the feat for that january of 93 that was quite the feat to find a different angle for this one what do you got that stood out to you from this his fifth time hosting you know this fascinates me because it's funny but also because of where of maybe a seedling of the Always Sunny stuff that we talked about earlier, talking about books on tape. Okay, let's try one.
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[1:16:27] I'm having a problem with the word at the top of the page. Which one? The P word. Couldn't I just say vagina? Heston, you sound like an old whore. Read it the way Madonna wrote it. Show some respect. So we've got Phil as Charlton Heston, who's going to read the book, and Danny is going to describe the photos, which I didn't know was a thing with audiobooks. I don't know. Is that something they still do today? I'm not sure. But Danny's playing this sleazy Al Goldstein, who's known in the porn industry and things like that. And they're reading Madonna's sex book, which was the only thing that was almost as popular as Amy Fisher was the sex book by Madonna. And we didn't have the internet back then, kids.
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[1:17:20] But they're reading from it. And Phil's playing his perfect Charlton Heston. And he's like, I don't want to say that word. Couldn't I just say vagina? And Al Goldstein Danny is scolding him. You know, just say it how she wants to say it. Don't be an old whore. Now, if you watch Always Sunny, this is a word that Frank Reynolds, Danny DeVito, says in almost every freaking episode. So my thinking is that this kind of sat in his brain from 1993 till 2006, and he decided to kind of put a little Al Goldstein into Frank Reynolds. And, you know, comedy gold was, you know, fermented. Like, it's just amazing. Because he says it exactly the same way. Yeah, sourcing like a caveman version of Frank Reynolds here with his Al Goldstein depiction. Yeah. I love that theory. But yeah, he has a lot of great lines in this where he's talking about the picture and he's like, she's squatting over the mirror like she's getting ready to snap the ball to Warren Moon. Madonna, you are such a whore. Yeah, that was definitely my favorite. To Warren Moon. To Warren Moon. And I thought about it. I'm like, who else could have they... I think choosing Warren Moon's the best play. Probably, yeah. So I'm like, Jim Kelly, no, Steve Young. Warren Moon, that's like a perfect one. Exactly.
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[1:18:48] So just for its historical possible significance, that's one that sticks out for me. Yeah, that was a good one. Shifty Eyes, I think, is really good, where he barely has to say anything. thing. And it's just, uh, he's sitting in a restaurant with Julia and, uh, she's talking about traffic and paper, her newspaper missing a section that morning. And they just do this dramatic music and close in on his eyes and his eyes are shifting back and forth. Like he had done something wrong. And it just kind of escalates from there where we get Sandler coming in and they're talking about somebody pissing in the ginger ale and, you know, um, Phil comes in as the waiter and says, what took so long? You guys back there jerking off? And Phil's just like.
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[1:19:38] But Danny's eyes in this are so great. Talk about a great actor. Like, this is just, he doesn't have a lot of lines, per se. But being able to say the whole scene with what his eyes are saying is just so, so great. And he was given permission to overact on purpose.
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[1:19:56] Yes. which is always good i love watching a good actor um be a bad actor on purpose so this was like overacting with their eyes and stuff is yeah really great adam sandler great in this phil as always just not knocks it out of the park uh yeah this this was a good one um hit the hitman one out i gotta kick out of too but it was a guy who wants his wife to stay out of his business he's a mobster he gets a call that he has to go like take care of something but then he's asking and his wife like the best way to get to the place and but she's getting a too specific for him so he's like stay out of my business and so that's kind of like a refrain to dump the body where do you want to dump the body don't ask me about my business yeah and then he pulls a godfather he pulls a michael corleone he's like i'll let you ask me about my business one time okay what do you do i'm an import exporter yes yeah yeah yeah this is great and again you know we just keep.
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[1:20:52] Talking about danny being able to work with so many different people on the show and and you know with shifty eyes and then with this one getting to see the underrated julia sweeney play off of danny is is so so great you know it really just is that concept of there's always a great woman behind any great man right like so they they find a good twist to that and i i think this is really well played in something that could have been very predictable yeah 100 and you You mentioned seeing Danny work with people. So you said Julia Sweeney. I got a kick out of seeing him in a sketch with Eddie Murphy.
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[1:21:26] He was in a sketch with Chris Rock, which I thought was really neat. It was the adults living at home sketch. It was like a support group for adults who live at home. And everybody's trying to justify why they live at home. Or they don't really. Kevin Nealon's like, my mom's just my roommate. I'm not living with her. But Danny's character has no intention of moving out. He loves living at home because his mom does everything for him My mom says there's only one thing more pathetic than a grown man that lives at home And that's any woman willing to sneak into his room.
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[1:22:03] So what does that tell you well, you know, maybe it's time I made the big move it's about that time I made that big move to the basement What about you Paul, Well, some women don't like my bunk bed, but hey, where's my brother going to sleep? Chris Rock, who's completely like, they may as well put him on the side of a milk carton at this point in SNL tenure because he's not in anything at this point. So, yeah, that is a great point. And again, seeing him with Sandler in Shifty Eyes as well, I think you're getting to see him with so many different people who go on to superstardom. Fun time capsule, SNL, just a fun time capsule in general. So yeah, you see Danny working with Adam Sandler, Chris Rock, Phil Hartman. That's just so fun. So another great episode from 93. His last one, actually the final episode of The Millennium, Danny has the honor of hosting. It's season 25, episode 8, December 11th, 1999.
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[1:23:08] Bill, I want to maybe let you rant about this monologue as an SNL nerd. Thank you. Thank you. It's great to be back here hosting the show. Not only is this my fifth time, hosting the show, but I am truly... Thank you. Thank you. Oh, yes. I joined the five club, you know, whatever it is. I don't know what they got here, but it's some kind of group or something. Listen, you know, we talked about this with Marty. We talk about this with Marty all the time because Martin Short, who I nominated last season, never seems to know how many shows he's hosted. He switches back and forth between one and three and four. This is so strange in what should have been a celebration of really, I think, only the second time we had heard of the Five Timers Club. You know, we get the famous Tom Hanks sketch in 1990. But here we are in 1999, and we're not doing five-timers jackets with every host at this point. You know, it's not a thing. I think Goodman references the seven-timers at some point. He's got a crown with a seven on it.
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[1:24:15] It hasn't turned into what it's become today. And instead of getting a jacket, he gets a Mr. Peepers.
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[1:24:23] I like to think, I don't think this was written by my best friend, Smigel, but I'd like to think that when I talked to him about the Hall of Fame, he said, am I going to get a set of Peepers ears in the mail? So I like to think that this is where he got that idea from, that Danny was given a Mr. Peepers for his fifth, sixth time. is he going to get something similar for getting into the SNL Hall of Fame. Good catch. But, yeah, the whole concept of ignoring some episode. I mean, we can assume that they're ignoring the one he did with his wife. Who knows? Like, how did nobody fact check this? I know there was no SNL stats back then, but this is an easy one to figure out. And, you know, he just keeps talking about it. He doesn't even call it the Five Timers Club. I think he calls it the Five Club. So it's just so bananas to think about it was a kind of a mea culpa by snl that they wanted to do something for a five-timer sketch and they had missed the opportunity with daddy so now here he was coming in filling in uh as it's as pretty well known uh filling in for jim carrey who was supposed to host this week he was a last minute fill-in host otherwise we would have stopped talking about him in 1993, which is crazy, crazy to think about. So maybe this was kind of their way to be like a little pat on the back, a little attaboy.
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[1:25:47] Now, as an SNL nerd, it makes me crazy up there with Marty saying that he's hosted as many times as Robert Blake. No, you haven't, Marty. You've hosted a lot more than that murderer.
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[1:26:00] I thought so. I thought of you, of course, right away. I'm like, oh, Bill's going to love this monologue. The one that just like I've always loved that a lot of people don't talk about, like people talk about the delicious dish. They talk about Anna and Molly. Molly, they talk about Alec going on sweaty balls. They even talk about Betty White's appearance on delicious dish. But this one that Danny was on, honestly, to me, it may not rival sweaty balls, but it's right there to me. Like this one's such a wonderful premise. Just like to me, it's just like almost brilliant. Like this is one of my favorite top two delicious dish sketches. But this is just a great sketch on its own. Yeah, I love this one.
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[1:26:45] Yes, love, love, love. Probably my favorite one, the delicious dish. It's kind of funny to me, and for better or for worse, what delicious dish became because of sweaty balls and leading into doing another sweaty thing with Baldwin and then obviously Dusty Muffins with Betty, it wasn't always just a play on let's find a nice way to say something dirty. There was a concept behind these two very soft-spoken women and their guests sometimes it turned into something else but yeah this is the most well-written delicious dish in my opinion uh we we kind of hone in they don't mention y2k a lot in this episode which for a show that's always topical they don't really talk about the fact that everybody was shitting their pants whether you know if computers were going to shut down airplanes were going to fall out of the sky because none of these computers knew how to go to the year 2000 But, yeah, this is the apocalypse six months after the year 2000, and he's Chef Willie Boucher on his 167th consecutive shift. So, Willie, this is an exciting time to be cooking and an exciting time of year as the sights and sounds of the season turn our thoughts to avoiding starvation.
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[1:28:06] That's right And avoiding starvation means Wonderful culinary treats We can enjoy As we cower from the Aryan blood armies And packs of wild dogs Who control the night, It's neat It's fun And who knows Obviously probably no one's even listening to it I doubt even the radio signals work To me they're doing this Just to pass the time, Oh, without a doubt. Yeah. Without a doubt. I mean, they're making clam chowder out of whiteout. Like, you know. Yeah, I love the character. This is a really, really stellar moment for Molly and Anna.
Track 4:
[1:28:49] Yeah, like Molly bringing up a sex gang that was terrorizing the area. One of their topics was avoiding starvation. Just that simple. I love the line, it's amazing what desperation can make you do. And then Molly uses her example is that she spent the night with the bikers for a packet of ketchup. You're just seeing like this desperation, this just post-apocalyptic world that they're all in. And the topic for the next show was what to serve if you've been paid a visit from the water militia.
Track 4:
[1:29:20] Just so clever. Like, just kind of hashing out with you, Bill, right now. It might actually be my favorite delicious dish. Yeah, I mean, you know, like you said, sweaty balls gets all the pub. But, like, this is really, I mean, even the set design. You know, we don't talk a lot about that with SNL. But, I mean, it's really, really well done where they just kind of char up everything. And, you know, it's clearly been through hell. You'd like to imagine in your head that that's the set that they were on the last time you saw them, pre-apocalypse, and it's just been burned to hell, and they're still sitting there, as you said, talking to no one. There's probably not even wires to those microphones at this point, and they're just doing this so they don't lose whatever sanity they have left. Right. Great. Yeah, great premise. And it sets the template for the show in general. I mean, recurring characters, recurring sketches. We're in 1999. This is what's happening on SNL. So this is a snapshot of 1999. So many recurring characters in this episode. So many. Some good, some not so good. Sure.
Track 4:
[1:30:30] When people talk about, why don't they have recurring characters anymore? There's stuff like this where it's just like, oh, there's way too much. Now, I like to think...
Track 4:
[1:30:40] To ease danny into i don't know how much lead-up time he had knowing that he was filling in for jim carrey but this was an easy way to write an entire show without putting too much pressure on even though he was a you know obviously as we've said a well-established host at this point you know if he's getting a call on monday night like we really need some help here you don't want to have to be like you know hammering him with new ideas so i think but they definitely leaned into to it a little too much yeah uh crazy way to end the millennium for sure yeah mango it was the boston teens it was sally o'malley i didn't mind the sally o'malley one it was kind of fun um but just there was not much that that totally stood out aside from danny's like commitment to his characters typical stellar acting um an all-timer delicious dish sketch in my opinion but just very Very of the time. Very of the time. But I do think, you know, even with stuff that was completely played out by this point, like Mango, he does elevate whatever material is there. So, as you said, the Sally O'Malley, he makes that work. I think the Boston Teens really works pretty well, too, because he's playing the shop teacher. And there's a lot more physical comedy than you normally get in the Boston Teens, even though there's the obvious jokes as well.
Track 4:
[1:32:05] Yeah, I mean, the material wasn't as strong. For a season that was pretty good, there's more here than normally would be. Again, going back to not everybody could do this. If you had a lesser host coming in to have all these recurring characters, it wouldn't have worked as well. So I think for what the material he was given, this is a pretty good show. Yeah, I think it's a pretty good episode. His final episode, 1999. 1999 like he did a cameo during charlie day's monologue in 2011 but he's been largely absent and hopefully not forgotten but maybe some younger snl fans don't quite understand uh the power of danny devito and snl i know uh you're not personal friends with danny devito that i know of but do you have any working theories maybe as to why like danny hasn't come back to host in 25 years now You know, and it's been a recurring question for a lot of hosts. And the host countdown that we've talked about, he came in 50 in the fans poll.
Track 4:
[1:33:13] And every week, John Schneider and I have moved him up. And almost every week, the people who were on with us were like, I got to go back and watch those Danny DeVito episodes because you guys are really high on him. He was number one on both of our lists until way, way into the countdown. And I'll tell you, Thomas, I'm breaking news here, although this will air after our reveals, but he's 17 all time for me as far as hosts. He is just amazing. It's hard to say why somebody doesn't come back. And we've seen this with modern people like Jon Hamm, Justin Timberlake.
Track 4:
[1:33:48] Why did he stop? If he had just hosted, and again, in the zeitgeist, on a show, a very popular show for the last 18 years. Is it an age thing? You can't imagine that SNL hasn't asked him.
Track 4:
[1:34:04] Yeah. How is this possible? How is it possible that we haven't at least seen him in a bigger cameo besides that Charlie Day episode in all of these years? It's been 25 years. He is the forgotten member of the recurring 90s host. I mean, you had all-time classics with Hanks, Baldwin, Goodman, Steve Martin, and Danny. And I think people do forget that because all of them, in one form or another, have come back this millennium. Not asking a lot. You know, Walken hasn't really been back since 08, but he's been there more recently. So yeah, it's kind of a bummer because he clearly still knows how to be funny. And you just really hope that we see him in some form on SNL. Yeah, as is often the case, the boring answer is probably the correct answer in that he just doesn't want to.
Track 4:
[1:35:00] When people, when SNL fans say, like, why haven't they got this person to host or that person, the boring, probably correct answer is that person just said no. They just didn't want to. So I mean, that's probably the case here. I mean, we dive deep into this a lot with people, with hosts, and it may be, you know, the diminishing returns that we often see with somebody. You know, we talked about these amazing, amazing episodes in season 13 and 14. He comes back in 18. He's still got a lot of great stuff. 25, not as great and through no fault of his own.
Track 4:
[1:35:37] Is it something where you're like, I'm not going to tarnish my reputation? It's almost like the aging quarterback is like, I'm not going to play one more year just to get a couple stats under the belt. I want my reputation to be as good as it is right now. So is that something that factors into Danny and maybe some others too? Yeah, it could be. So we would love to have Danny back. We just started a season 50. So it'd be wonderful if Danny returned. We'd be shocked. I'd be a little shocked if he did. Maybe not at the 50th celebration in February, but I don't know, be a pleasant surprise. So Bill, now's the time. You're talking to voters, fans, the folks at the water cooler. Why should they appreciate Danny's work as an SNL host? Well, there's so many good reasons, much of which we've talked about over the last 90 minutes.
Track 4:
[1:36:29] He covers multiple eras. We've seen him work with people all the way back to 1982. 82. He always elevates his game. There's something about a Danny DeVito episode that is special. And he's only the eighth person to join the Five Timers Club. You think about that today, it's almost, again, going back to the sports metaphor, things that get watered down over the course of time. And they're handing out Five Timers jackets to everyone these days. I'm looking at you, Woody and Jonah. But yeah, I mean, he got his Five Timers jacket before Baldwin, before Goodman before Bill Murray before Walken so he was established in the show before most of these people were and the fact that we haven't had him back should not be held against him because his six episodes still hold up to this day some of them over 40 years ago were made and they're still very funny there's still something to see about Danny DeVito at every return. Just to see him again would be fantastic. If you see him on Always Sunny on a weekly basis, you'd know that he could still do something like this. He elevates that show. He elevated SNL.
Track 2:
[1:37:56] So there's that very interesting retrospective, uh, of the CV of Mr. DeVito that we were just taken on. And, uh, I learned a lot between Matt and between Bill and Thomas. Uh, there's a lot on the plate here, folks. And as you pick up the pen and start to think about your ballot and how you are going to vote, you know, maybe go back and watch some of these episodes that, uh, Bill and Thomas were talking about. Uh, he was a bonafide movie star. And I mean, had he not locked himself down into a sitcom right now, I'm sure he would still be doing film.
Track 2:
[1:38:41] So there's that, but don't take my word for it. As always, we are going to listen to a sketch from the Danny DeVito. And, And you can judge for yourself. This is a reoccurring sketch that it's delicious dish. It's a reoccurring sketch and DeVito shows up on it. And, you know, it's sort of a reinvention of the of the sketch. They really push it to a different place and DeVito stays with them the entire time. So let's give this a listen right now. Now it's Delicious Dish with Danny DeVito.
Track 5:
[1:39:33] Hello, I'm Margaret Jo McCullen. And I'm Terry Rialto. It's June 16th of the year 2000, and you're listening to The Delicious Dish on National Public Radio. Wow, Terry. It's hard to believe we're already six months into the year 2000. Or as we like to call it, the hellish aftermath of the Y2K catastrophe. It's neat though. It's fun. Fun. It's pretty fun. It's kind of a catastrophe, but it's good times. Good times. So, Terry, we've got another great show for anyone who might still be alive out there. Which is doubtful. It seems like only yesterday that New Year's came in with a bang. And then another louder bang. Really loud. Really loud bang. It sure was. It was Jesus knocking at the door. No, it wasn't. No. It was a roving sex gang.
Track 5:
[1:40:42] Anyway, we really have a corker of a show for you tonight. We're joined by a good friend and a familiar face. Since he's been our guest every day for the past six months. He's the author of an exciting new book you can find in burned out and looted bookstores everywhere. It's called Sumptuous Delights. Please welcome Chef Willie Boucher.
Track 5:
[1:41:15] Thanks for joining us, Willie. Hi, Terry. Hi, Margaret Jo. It's great to see you again, Willie. It's really a pleasure for me to be back here on my 167th consecutive show. It's our pleasure. It's nice having you. So, Willie, this is an exciting time to be cooking and an exciting time of year as the sights and sounds of the season turn our thoughts to avoiding starvation. That's right. All right, and avoiding starvation means wonderful culinary treats we can enjoy as we cower from the Aryan blood armies and packs of wild dogs who control the night. It's neat. It's fun. It's a nice diversion. It's good times. Yeah, it is. Now, Willie, as our listeners know, when civilization began to collapse, Terry and I had stockpiled half a jar of non-dairy creamer, some sweet and low, and a ficus plant. I guess we should have thought that through a little better.
Track 5:
[1:42:37] Anyway now that provisions are gone we've had to improvise and willie's been a real miracle worker well thank you margaret joe you're welcome it's amazing what desperation can make you do yeah like the night that i spent with those bikers in exchange for that packet of ketchup willie i understand you have a special treat for us today, I hope you're going to read to us from your book Well I'd like to but if you recall we ate all the pages last week, They were delicious If you chewed them long enough they tasted like juicy fruit, Did you say Jesus? No, juicy fruit, Anyway Today we once again explore Laura, some simple dishes you can make in your own things that are lying around your own radio station. I like this. It's creamy New England clam chowder made out of whiteout.
Track 5:
[1:43:52] And some dice I found. And, oh, you heat it in the microwave for two minutes and then you season it with some imaginary pepper. Ooh, I hope I don't sneeze. And as you can see here, I've served up a side dish here with some pan-seared Dristan tablets. They're very good. Take a couple myself. Bon appetit. Wow, Terry. Smell those delicious fumes. I can hear my ears ringing already. Neat. This is good. That's nice. Yes. It's not soup. It's white out.
Track 5:
[1:44:54] Kill me. Anyway, that's all the time we have. All Things Considered would be up next, but the All Things Considered guy starved to death four months ago. So, All Things Considered, he's not doing too well. You've been making that joke for four months. We'll join you again tomorrow when our guests will be me, Willie Boucher and our topic will be what to serve if you receive an unexpected visit from the water militia I really wish we'd thought to buy a gun if we had a gun I'd eat it, that actually wouldn't be that bad that would be delicious oh that's.
Track 2:
[1:45:50] Very good you know that's very good when you consider how weathered that sketch is at this point um i i thoroughly enjoyed it and devito uh helped make it so as always make sure to tune in to the snl hall of fame water cooler that is every thursday provided i don't have technical difficulties, that is. We will be discussing this episode and the previous Saturday Night Live episode as well. So tune into that for sure. I can also tell you that next week we are going to be covering writer Alan Zweibel, and we are going to be joined by Gary Seeth, once again, the returning Gary Seeth. So there's that. Now that's what I've got for you.
Track 2:
[1:46:42] So, if you would do me a favor and on the way out, as you walk past the Weekend Update exhibit, turn out the lights, because the SNL Hall of Fame is now closed.
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**Show Notes: SNL Hall of Fame Podcast - Bob Odenkirk**
Hey there, SNL fans! jD is back with another exciting episode of the SNL Hall of Fame podcast. In this episode, we delve deep into the career of the multi-talented writer, actor, and comedian, **Bob Odenkirk**. Joining jD are our resident SNL experts, **Matt Ardill**, **Thomas Sena**, and special guest **Nicole Brady**. Together, they explore Bob Odenkirk's time at Saturday Night Live, his contributions to some of the most iconic sketches, and his illustrious career beyond SNL.
---
**Episode Highlights:**
**[0:00] Introduction**
- **jD welcomes listeners** to the SNL Hall of Fame podcast.
- **Overview of the episode** focusing on Bob Odenkirk's career and impact on SNL.
**[2:20] Bob Odenkirk's Early Career with Matt Ardill**
- **Bob's Background:**
- Born on October 22, 1962, in Berwyn, Illinois.
- Grew up in Naperville and graduated high school at 16.
- Attended several universities before settling at Southern Illinois University.
- **Discovering Comedy:**
- Became a radio DJ and created his first sketch show, "The Prime Time Special."
- Moved to Chicago to study improv, meeting collaborators like **Robert Smigel**, **Chris Farley**, and **Tim Meadows** under the mentorship of **Del Close**.
- **Influences and Career Highlights:**
- Influenced by **Monty Python**, **SCTV**, **Steve Martin**, **Woody Allen**, and **Bob and Ray**.
- Notable for his work on **Mr. Show with Bob and David**, alongside **David Cross**.
- Faced struggles before landing the role of **Saul Goodman** in "Breaking Bad" and "Better Call Saul."
**[8:05] Conversation with Thomas Senna and Nicole Brady**
- **Bob Odenkirk's Impact:**
- Nicole shares her admiration for Bob's transition from comedy to dramatic acting.
- **Quote from Nicole:** "Bob Odenkirk is such a brilliant, talented actor. His transition from comedy to drama has been amazing to watch."
- Discusses his role as **Saul Goodman** and his connection to **Albuquerque**, where "Breaking Bad" and "Better Call Saul" are set.
- **Bob's Generosity:**
- His involvement with the local improv community in Albuquerque.
- **Quote from Nicole:** "He was just a really generous person, supporting local improv performers."
**[16:17] Bob Odenkirk's Time at SNL**
- **Writing Tenure (1987-1991):**
- Worked closely with writers like **Conan O'Brien**, **Robert Smigel**, and performers like **Dana Carvey** and **Phil Hartman**.
- **Iconic Sketches:**
- **"Mr. Short-Term Memory"** with **Tom Hanks**.
- **"Nude Beach"** with **Matthew Broderick**, known for its clever wordplay and boundary-pushing humor.
- **Quote from Nicole:** "It's so silly but also just very, very smart."
- **"Grumpy Old Man"** with **Dana Carvey**, a character lamenting modern society.
- **Quote from Nicole:** "I was cracking up at how good Dana Carvey was at emphasizing every new line."
- **"Motivational Speaker Matt Foley"**: Bob created this iconic character, famously portrayed by **Chris Farley**, emphasizing the humor in a motivational speaker who is a self-professed failure.
**[33:17] The Creation of Matt Foley**
- **Origins of the Character:**
- Inspired by Chris Farley's performances at Second City.
- The character blended personal observations and satire.
- **Quote from Nicole:** "You can hear Bob Odenkirk's voice in the character of Matt Foley."
- **Legacy of Matt Foley:**
- One of SNL's most beloved characters.
- Showcases Bob's talent for creating memorable and enduring comedy.
**[40:43] Other Notable Contributions**
- **"The Super Fans":**
- Collaborated with **Robert Smigel** on this recurring sketch celebrating Chicago sports fans.
- **Quote from Nicole:** "Absolutely see Bob Odenkirk fitting in around that table."
- **"The McLaughlin Group" Parody:**
- Worked with **Conan O'Brien** and **Robert Smigel** to satirize political talk shows.
- **Quote from Thomas:** "There's so much good escalation in this one."
- **"The Love Toilet":**
- Co-written with **Al Franken**, a humorous fake commercial parodying intimate relationships.
- **Quote from Nicole:** "I still remember thatâit was just hilarious."
**[53:29] Reflections on Bob's Career**
- **Versatility as a Writer and Performer:**
- His ability to craft both sharp comedy and compelling drama.
- **Quote from Nicole:** "What a careerâjust an unbelievable talent."
- **Influence on Future Comedians:**
- Bob's work continues to inspire new generations of writers and performers.
- **Personal Anecdotes:**
- Nicole and Thomas share their appreciation for Bob's humility and dedication to the craft.
**[1:02:17] Bob Odenkirk's Place in SNL History**
- **Discussion on Bob's Legacy:**
- The panel considers Bob's impact as a writer who later found fame as an actor.
- **Quote from Nicole:** "He gave us Matt Foley, darn it!"
- **Hall of Fame Consideration:**
- Debates the merits of his inclusion in the SNL Hall of Fame based on his contributions.
---
**Join the Conversation:**
- **Twitter:** [@SNLHOF](https://twitter.com/SNLHOF)
- **Facebook Group:** [facebook.com/groups/SNLHOF](https://facebook.com/groups/SNLHOF)
- **Website:** [snlhalloffame.com](http://snlhalloffame.com)
---
**Extra Nuggets:**
- **Upcoming Episodes:**
- Teaser for next week's episode featuring **Bill Kenney** discussing **Danny DeVito**.
Transcript:
Track 2:
[0:42] It sort of just falls off a cliff there, doesn't it? JD.
Track 2:
[0:49] Oh, well. Hey, listen, it's a thrill to be here back in the SNL Hall of Fame. My name is JD, and welcome.
Track 2:
[1:00] Before you come inside, though, please do me a favor and wipe your feet. The SNL Hall of Fame podcast is a weekly affair where each episode we take a deep dive into to the career of a former cast member, host, musical guest, or writer, and add them to the ballot for your consideration. Once the nominees have been announced, we turn to you, the listener, to vote for the most deserving and help determine who will be enshrined for perpetuity in the hall. And that, my friend, is how we play the game. It's just that simple. So there's that. Listen, I will tell you that I'm pretty excited about today's show. It's a tremendous one. We are talking about Bob Odenkirk, and I am a big fan of his portrayal of Saul Goodman in Breaking Bad and as the titular character in Better Call Saul. But he's got a career that spans decades, and we're going to break all that down. We're going to start first with our friend Matt Ardill, and then we are going to go downstairs to the conversation room with our friend Thomas, where he is sitting, waiting patiently, probably showing Nicole Brady some card tricks, I would imagine. So there's that.
Track 3:
[2:20] That before he was a star on Better Call Saul and Breaking Bad and Mr. Show, Bob Odenkirk spent some quality time in the SNL writing room. And our friend Matt Ardill has some information to share with us about Mr. Odenkirk. Matt, how are you doing? JD, I'm good. I am excited. I'm a big Odenkirk fan. It filled the void when Kids in the Hall went off the air. Mr. Show was my poison of choice for sketch comedy for a while there.
Track 3:
[2:55] Lots of flannel. It was the 90s. So yeah, I'm really happy to be chatting about him. Yeah, I can't wait to hear what you have to say. Well, 5'9". Let's go to her. Yeah, perfect. 5'9", born October 22, 1962. He was born in Berwyn, Illinois, before growing up in Naperville. He is the second oldest of seven children. A studious kid. He graduated high school at 16 when he went on to college at DuPage before transferring to Marquette University in Milwaukee, and finally to Southern Illinois University where he found his people. People uh he became a radio dj uh and at his university and would experiment with sketch comedy where he created his first first sketch show a radio sketch show called the prime time special um he was three credits shy of graduation before he moved to chicago to study improv uh and finished his final credits at columbia university receiving a degree in communications this is where he met his collaborator, Robert Smeagol, and studied with Chris Farley and Tim Meadows under the improv god, Del Close. Wow. If you have a chance to check out Bob's biography or listen to the audio book of it.
Track 3:
[4:24] His discussion of his meeting with Del Close and going to Del's apartment is epic. It's just very Del Close, if you're a Del aficionado. Um, now his influences include Monty Python, SCTV, Steve Martin, Woody Allen, and the comedy duo of Bob and Ray, uh, an impressive resume. He has 43 writing credits, 134 acting credits, 28 producer credits, 21 director credits, and 15 soundtrack credits. And he's not the only funny Odenkirk. His brother, Bill wrote for the Simpsons. I didn't know that. Yeah, yeah, yeah. For me, like I said, I got to love him on Mr. Show with Bob and David. Like I said, it filled that void when Kids in the Hall went off the air in 95. It ran from 95 to 98. Featured L.A. comedy greats, including, of course, David Cross, but also Scott Aukerman, Brian Pessain, Paul F. Tompkins, Tom Kenny, Mary Lynn, Reichsob, Jack Black, Sarah Silverman, and Karen Kilgareff, Scott Adsit, and many more. Yeah, it's a who's who. It's a who's who, a literal who's who. Like seeing young Jack Black do musical numbers is like wild. It's wild.
Track 3:
[5:49] The show played with the sketch comedy show format with banter between the cast, primarily Dave and Bob, in front of a live audience when they would then show the sketches to the audience which were pre-recorded they would often have to tone down the last because the audience enjoyed it so much it actually sounded like fake laughter now the fact that this show was on in 1995.
Track 3:
[6:20] A decade before the Dave Chappelle show was on the air, just sort of speaks to the claims that Dave invented the format when he shot Shade at Key and Peele. Maybe he should go back and look at his HBO brethren before making these claims.
Track 3:
[6:43] Now, with all the success, this is actually something I found very shocking. He was on the brink of bankruptcy before landing the role as Saul Goodman. Yeah. Like for all these credits, most of them before, like many of them before are Better Call Saul and Breaking Bad. That's really the role that catapulted him to success. Now, he was originally considered for the role of Michael Scott in The Office, which would have been a very different energy. But that's also why he later came on in a cameo, playing a very Michael Scott character as the head of the Philadelphia branch. Ah. Now, his last name is a German meaning Church of Odin. So it's pretty metal. And he is scheduled to appear in 2025 in the revival of Glengarry Glen Ross with Kieran Culkin and Bill Burr on Broadway. Oh my gosh, what a lineup that is. that's going to be an interesting show. I'm definitely getting credits, uh, or tickets to that. Um, because like, I, I gotta see that. Yeah. Um, now last weird piece of trivia. I, I thought this would be a good one to go out on. He is actually descended from a German Duke and is the 11th cousin of King Charles.
Track 3:
[8:05] Gee whiz. So he's literally comedy royalty, comedy royalty, literally comedy royalty. Well, Well, Hall of Fame royalty is our friend Thomas Senna, and we're going to go down to the conversation room with him right now to learn some more about our nominee this week, Bob Odenkirk. Thanks so much, Matt.
Track 4:
[8:52] All right, Jamie and Matt, thank you so much. And welcome to another edition, another conversation with a great panelist talking about an awesome, awesome, deserving writer this week. Bob Odenkirk is the nominee today on the SNL Hall of Fame. The famous, I guess, revived his career in the last 10 plus years, Bob Odenkirk. All the SNL geeks love to see that. And we love Bob and we'll have a great time talking about him today. My guest here to talk all things Bob Odenkirk and SNL is our favorite news lady here on the SNL Hall of Fame and my close personal friend. Thank you so much for coming back, Nicole Brady. How are you, Nicole?
Track 4:
[9:39] I'm great. Excited to be back here. And thank you so much for having me again to talk about SNL. I'm so excited. it it's going into its 50th season i know right it amazing right yeah so as a fan like for the 50th do you have any expectations or so like anything any kind of special thing you might like to see during the 50th i mostly just want to know that they will never get rid of keenan thompson yeah that's it that's that's that's what i want i want him to be there forever i love keenan And I'm loving the cast. You know, it's funny. We had talked last year, I think, the last time I was on the podcast. And you had the faith, I think, more than me about a lot of these newer cast members coming along, coming into their own. I've really enjoyed the last year. I think they're going to be really good this year with Maya Rudolph coming back as Kamala Harris.
Track 4:
[10:39] I love the political stuff they're doing. So I think it's great. I'm so excited. Yeah, I'm pumped. to and so a couple days ago they announced as we're recording this they announced three new cast members uh i know i kind of get excited as an snl fan it's kind of like open up like three new presents to see how these uh these new cast members are as you or how are your expectations like with with new cast members on the show how hard those expectations have been over the years, yeah i mean it's it's always a little bit of a growing pains to see a new cast member come in i I feel like you're you you want them to do well. You know that they are coming from, you know, the Groundlings or Second City or some great, you know, comedy, you know, or they're on YouTube already or something. I mean, a lot of these have have already had some success in whatever platform they were in or on. And and so, you know, that that they're funny people. and so I really always look at them as, but you know, they're getting comfortable.
Track 4:
[11:48] The seasoned cast members right i'm you know just hearing behind the scenes a little bit you know sometimes it can be really competitive to get the writers to write for you and and you know getting that relationship going and working with with people um a lot you know i i definitely i always notice when a new cast member is doing a character that they've been doing for a while like and and this is that it's that's their character's debut on snl and i'm like okay that's what got them hired and so you see that spark every time but will it will they fit in with everyone else will they be able to stick it out uh you know not everyone becomes like a the the best of all time a huge star but um but usually usually i'm i'm ready to to see what's new and and if you didn't give the new ones a chance you'd never have the greats that we saw over time every one of them came in that way and many of them as a feature player for a season or two and and you know a a lot of those went on to be some of the best ever. So I'm always hopeful. Yeah, me too. No, the possibilities are endless.
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[12:53] I'd like to see if the new people do well, like on Weekend Update. Yeah, you're right about the characters that they may have brought to the show with them. If they hire a stand-up and they get on Weekend Update, maybe they'll throw out a bit that they've done on stage and tailor it to Weekend Update. I know they hired one stand-up. That's just, I'm curious to see how he does on there. And yeah, maybe the new people will bond with the writer maybe they'll find a writer that gets their voice and everything so that's a good say way it's talking about a really great writer here on SNL Bob Odenkirk and Nicole I'm from Albuquerque you lived in Albuquerque for a long time so he's someone who is super important to both of us I think because of the Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul Albuquerque connection so he was like Yeah nominated six times for outstanding lead actor in a drama series all of those with Better Call Saul Never won, but how outstanding was he in both of these shows? Loved him. I mean.
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[13:57] That the character is just so brilliant. And I remember watching being a Breaking Bad fan and watching it. And when he when that character was introduced, just thinking, oh, my God, he's brilliant and just so funny. And that show was so interesting because it was so dark. But there were these really funny moments, too. I mean, like true comedic moments. And so you saw Bob Odenkirk bringing that in on Breaking Bad. And then to have him become, you know, this this amazing dramatic actor throughout, you know, some of Breaking Bad, but then later in Better Call Saul was just I mean, he's such a brilliant, brilliant, talented actor. And so, yeah, so that that was amazing. But no, I love both of those. Love seeing, you know, things around Albuquerque every time I watch all those shows. But and and, you know, he was so good to the people of Albuquerque, you know, just like Brian Cranston was. I know I know Bob Odenkirk would go to, you know, I had some friends who performed at the local improv studio there, the box. And he went and performed with them on more than one. He did. There was always a surprise.
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[15:12] And I never got to see it. I think it was it might have been after I already had moved to Denver, but they would post later. or, hey, we had a surprise guest tonight. Bob Odenkirk came and joined us on stage. Happened more than once. I would have killed to see that. But he went and just went and hung out with the local improv guys and gals and was just a really generous person, I think.
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[15:36] And so sounds like a good guy in addition to being just such a great actor. And yeah, Albuquerque should love Bob Odenkirk for sure. Yeah, I think they do. And gosh, the Albuquerque improv community does. Yeah, him trying to scratch that performance itch, that performing on stage itch and helping some up-and-coming improv comedians and sketch comedians. Yeah, that sounds super cool. I would have absolutely loved to see that, too. And I know his voice was super important to Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul as far asâŚ, that role as Saul Goodman like you need I think you it's ideal to have a comedic actor.
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[16:17] Play that role I mean he's a good actor but he gets comedy he gets he knows when to dial it back he usually didn't play it up too much even though there was inherent comedy he knew how to play the comedy so you could see like Bob's kind of genius comedic mind work in even such a dark setting like those shows, Nicole. Yeah, absolutely. And knowing where he came from before that made it all the more interesting, I think, you know, I, and I know you'll, you'll segue us where we need to be here, but you know, I knew him from Mr. Show before that, uh, my husband, Brian and I would watch, uh, Mr. Show with Bob and David and David Cross and Bob Odenkirk. And those were, that was a hilarious uh sketch show from what the late 90s early 2000s and and so I you know I really only knew him as a comedic guy I don't know when I became aware that he had worked on SNL you know I knew and and his you'd see the name Bill Odenkirk on The Simpsons another one of my favorite shows and so you see you know you see these names out there you're like okay it's it you find out it's his brother. And, you know, so, you know, you start seeing these things and it all kind of comes together, like where this guy came from and that background. But, but yeah, I think, I think early on that was, that was kind of my introduction to him was Mr. Shell. So.
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[17:36] Yeah mine too yeah just everything he's done since then though just amazing and the films even i did and you might have seen the the one that he what was the movie he did the with the punch face on the poster i'm forgetting what it what it's called now it was a more recent one yeah no more recent kind of came like uh uh and like an action star like a superhero kind of movie not super i don't think nobody nobody was the name of the movie it's good and they're making a sequel to it too so just yeah he he's he's just really good in everything he's in yeah and when i i didn't know when i watched mr show i didn't know that he he had written for snl either so i kind of was a fan of his uh separately from those two entities and then when i found out oh he actually wrote at snl uh he was behind some of this stuff i'm like oh that makes sense because uh bob and david had that Yeah, he had that like clever, witty kind of sensibility to them. And a lot of that stuff bled over. You can see it in his SNL work. Sometimes it was like a subtle, like I'm not going to rub the punchline right in your face. Maybe I will every now and then. But Bob's style was more like let the maybe the writing sometimes speak for itself, even though we'll get to it. But he did write maybe like a couple of huge characters along the way.
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[18:59] But I could see his sensibility there. Yeah, I think it's funny because I'm trying to think of over time when you would learn who wrote for SNL, like Conan O'Brien. And I remember finding that out and people like that. And then you it's so fun to kind of put that together and see like, oh, my gosh, I totally you know, I can totally see them writing that or thinking that way. And yeah, it's it's it's pretty awesome because because not every we know, you know, now you and I know a lot of writers from SNL. hell, not every one of them went on to be a really well known.
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[19:34] Actor or on camera talent as well um um so it's it's kind of it's it's interesting because we've been able to see that in bob odenkirk as a performer too so he was credited uh after snl on some things like the ben stiller show you had mentioned he wrote on late night with conan o'brien he acted on the larry sanders show which was another hbo thing that i that i really loved He was a writer on SNL, though, 1987 to 1991.
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[20:04] He was also credited on some things that made it into the show after he left. But those were Bob Odenkirk's years. So that's primarily what we're looking at, late 80s to early 90s. So, Nicole, we both got a chance to check out some old Bob Odenkirk material on SNL that he helped with. What kind of do you want to share that kind of pops out to you that he helped with or was behind? Yeah. So, um, so yeah, so you, you, you mentioned the years and I thought it was interesting because I think he must've gotten some credits kind of posts, like when they brought Matt Foley back and what we'll talk about. But I'm thinking I started watching SNL right around 91, you know, so from those years you mentioned, I think was, was he, he was already sort of leaving some of his team that he worked with Robert Smigel and them were still, were still there. And I think he, like you said, he would come back a little bit and had some credits after that. But some of those main sketches that he wrote, I had not ever seen because that was not the era when I was watching SNL yet. 87 to 91, I was like seven years old in 87. So I wasn't allowed to watch it yet. So it was really fun to go back and see these characters he wrote for Tom Hanks as a really young man.
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[21:17] And I had seen, obviously, older SNL sketches on reruns that they would play on Comedy Central. Central um but some of these were just just just so funny the mr short-term memory that that tom hanks played as a recurring character i love what they wrote with for phil hartman i think were some of my favorites that stood out too but if you want to talk about any in particular i mean yeah like it's fun to see those those stars from the late 80s and and you know as tom hanks was was becoming a huge star and and um and oh the stand-ups that he was Tom Hanks was in the one called the stand-ups that they wrote which I'm pretty sure was just making fun of Jerry Seinfeld and and his style yeah Jerry Seinfeld type of comedians from from that time period but yeah pretty much Jerry Seinfeld like inflections yeah I mean they're very you know it's all it's very it's very like of the time comedy I felt like and and and this that you know what you.
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[22:15] What would have been probably somewhat groundbreaking at the time, pushing the envelope a little bit. But it's definitely mocking things in pop culture, in society at the time. And so a lot of it just so funny to watch, you know, these characters. And some actors from SNL that I loved, that are my favorites of all time, like I mentioned Phil Hartman or Dana Carvey. And seeing what he wrote for them was awesome. Yeah, he worked really well, especially with Carvey. But all of that cast, he really worked well with them. There was one specific one that I'll call out. It was from season 14. It was with Matthew Broderick, John Lovitz, Dana Carvey, Kevin Nealon, Dennis Miller, almost the whole cast. It was called Nude Beach. Come on. Is this great or what, huh?
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[23:07] I don't know. I feel a little self-conscious, Bob. I mean, I've never been to a nude beach before. Doug, come on. Will you stop with this? You have nothing to worry about. Everybody at this club just hangs out here. Everyone is here just to relax. That's what it's about. Really? Yeah. Come on. Believe me, in five minutes, you're gonna completely forget about it. All right? Okay? I'm gonna introduce you to some of the guys. Let's go. Thanks. All right. Come on. Hey, guys. Hey. Hey, Bob. Hey, penis looks great today. Well, thanks, Jack. Yours, too.
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[23:45] And Nicole, this was, in my opinion, a very Mr. Show kind of sketch. Like, Bob, he worked with other writers on this. He worked with Greg Daniels, Conan O'Brien, Robert Smigel. But I can feel... Bob sensibility i can feel like that mr show vibe in nude beach did you get a chance to go back and see this one i i did i loved it um again kevin nealon was one of my favorites uh back in the day and when he when they you know i don't know what how you know what your rating on your show is when all they're all they're doing is commenting on each other's you know parts their Their whole time. Yeah. Well, Kevin Nealon's character set casually when they're at this nude beach. I love he sort of casually just says like, hey, penis looks great today. Yeah, yeah. Because that's the opening line. Yeah. They're on this nude beach, of course, behind this stand. So you can't see anything. They're just all shirtless. All these guys. And it's just every third comment then is just, oh, yeah. yeah, you're, you know, oh, we went on a vacation. Oh, here's a picture. Oh, your penis looks great in that picture.
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[24:55] But then, but then when it pans to Kevin Nealon and says, hi there, I'm Kevin Nealon with, you know, an NBC, uh, here at NBC, you know, we want to make a statement and this was supposed to be, I mean, that was just, that was very Mr. Show to me. That was really, um, just hilarious.
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[25:12] Uh, the way they were just mocking the censors market, you know, you could, you could really tell that maybe they did write that sketch and then someone said no we're not you know this is this is dumb um and they still let him do it but it was all meant to be a little bit like just tongue-in-cheek you know on the um just a little dig at NBC and and some poking some fun at you know the hand that feeds them even and um and so that's that that was just great that but But I totally see what you're saying about how that just sums up some of that type of humor that we would later see in Mr. Show. Yeah, that direct-to-camera talk that Kevin gave at the end, I noted very Mr. Show.
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[25:56] He and David in Mr. Show were really good at, and he and his writing partners here, Smigel and them, were good at taking a slice-of-life kind of thing and making it kind of weird. Like kind of taking the weird slices of life and highlighting them so with this one it was like the idea being that guys may fear going to a nude beach because people will be focusing in on their penis that fear comes true here but in very nonchalant way they don't make it scary they just make it sort of like this is just a matter of fact this is what we're talking about no big deal it's just like talking about the weather or something like that so i love that it's like It's like a very oddball twist on something that's kind of slice of life, but a little off center. Yeah, exactly. Exactly.
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[26:45] So silly in some ways, but also just very, very smart. And really funny, and I'm sure kind of, you know, kind of different for the time. You know, you can kind of, it's a little bit dated now, but it's, at the time, I bet that was just so different and unique to see on even late night TV like that. Yeah, and then to have Matthew Broderick as the guest host that we're doing, he's just like the lead, you know, just the most awkward kind of guy you could imagine having there, too. So that was great. Loved it. Had never seen that one. Such a fun one to find. Yeah. Go check that out. That was Nude Beach. That was season 14, episode 2. That was the Matthew Broderick episode.
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[27:30] Bob Odenkirk wrote that with Gray Daniels, Conan O'Brien, and Robert Smigel. Just a wonderful piece from that era. Another one, Nicole, that I'll bring up and then we'll kind of volley, but another one with Dana Carvey that he actually, Odenkirk and Carvey, kind of teamed up on it seemed like together was grumpy old man today everybody spoiled run when i was a boy we didn't have these video games we made up our own games like chew the bark off the tree you and your friends would find a nice oak tree and you start chewing their skin off of it and there were no winners everybody was a loser it rotted your teeth and left your intestines and scarred and knotted and that's the way it was and we liked it we loved it this debuted in a sketch in season 14 but started appearing on weekend update in season 15 so this is just like another little trope that they play so well i could hear odin kirk's voice in it and and carver brings it to life absolutely so there's a few that i would uh that we'll talk about that where you You can almost see Bob Odenkirk playing the role as well, and it would be different if it was him, but yes, he definitely comes through, and this was definitely one.
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[28:48] Grumpy Old Man is so funny. I actually replayed it for my kids because I'm introducing them to SNL. What a good mom. Just the one. Yeah, right? We're very, very good parents. Just the ones that are not inappropriate for their age or anything like that. And just because I was about their age when I started being allowed to watch SNL. I was about 11 years old. And so we've been playing them, you know, some old ones from our favorite. They've definitely seen Matt Foley.
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[29:19] But this one, the grumpy old man, I had to play for them again because it's so funny. And I couldn't, I mean, like, I'm like, this is 30 years old. I can't believe it. This is so funny. I was cracking up at how good Dana Carvey was at emphasizing every new line in that. And just, you know, this is, you know, since you gave a description of the last one, this was Dana Carvey coming on Weekend Update, day just talking about how everything used to be better in the old days and they liked it better even though it all was worse in the way as he tells it and it it's just it's just brilliant and they're long they're these long monologues but they're so funny throughout you wouldn't even think you could you could keep a character that funny for that long but it was yeah just brilliant yeah and one odor odin kirkey kind of thing uh that i noticed from these grumpy old men update appearances was that how like the overt way that they would tell the audience what what the character is I'm not happy I don't like this chair and I don't like this desk and I don't like being here.
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[30:21] I'm a grumpy old man I don't like everything the way it is now compared to the way it used to be, just that simple like it's such like a tongue-in-cheek obvious thing but he's like here we're serving up this character to you on a platter right here but it was done in like a tongue-in-cheek way like they know that they're doing that in an overt way but i just love that that that intro of the character i i love that too and i think where i picked up the clip you you it cuts off maybe the introduction a little bit from from dennis miller on we can update it at the time but something that i know that as an adult as i've gotten older i realize a lot is you know you have people in politicians or other people in real life will say things like, oh, it used to be better. It used to be better. And it becomes sort of this.
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[31:12] Cliche that someone's always going to think that it was better when really we know that there were a lot of things that were not better any you know whether you go back 10 years 20 years 30 years 50 years there were a lot of things that were not better for a lot of people and so i thought to myself wow this is the late 80s and they're seeing it then they were seeing it then people saying in the you know in the in in the world and um in society people saying oh it used to be better and that and then that and you're right that's what he comes up he goes i'm old and and you know And it used to be this way and we liked it. And it was just, you're right, it was so simple. But with Dana Carvey and with this very simple, just these hilarious examples. We didn't have these video games. We made up our own games like chew the bark off the tree.
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[32:03] I was dying. So good. Yeah. Yeah, another one. I could hear Odenkirk's voice, I think. Yeah, absolutely. Odenkirk and his style, you can hear him come through in this. Like I said, there's quite a few where I really felt like he could have played that role now that we know him as a performer, too. And I can see that. And so when you get that sort of perfect connection between a writer who's writing to Dana Carvey's many strengths, but clearly that's a lot of Odenkirk in there, too. And, you know, that, yeah, just brilliant. Now, what's something that you could have seen him play? Say that again. What's something that you could have seen in play? Well, I honestly and we can talk about it, but I will tease ahead. I know I want to talk about motivational speaker a lot and because it is probably my favorite character of all time, Matt Foley. And I really think that Bob Odenkirk comes through in the character of Matt Foley as well. And so we can we we can definitely talk about that. That came later, though, which when when Chris Farley joined the cast, if you, you know, going through some of your other credits here, I have to say I loved the Carcinio show.
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[33:17] Now, some of you at home might not understand some of this some of this lingo, which earlier in the day, our staff compiled from the streets. Now, when I said my guests were in my house, what I meant was in the studio. Yes, that is some weird, weird, wild stuff. Now, according to this, your actual house is called a crib, but a baby crib is not necessarily called a house. I did not know that. Not a house, not a house, no sir. Great discovery on, I mean, like I never, again, never had seen this one. Dana Carvey playing a amalgamation of Johnny Carson and Arsenio Hall, Carcinio, and Phil Bill Harmon as the Ed McMahon. I was dying. I was absolutely dying because I do remember Arsenio Hall being a phenomenon, you know, the fist pump.
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[34:13] And, and, and so seeing that with, with what I had seen Dana Carvey's, um, Johnny Carson impression, I had just never seen this one with.
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[34:22] The Carson, the Carcinio, the Arsenio Hall run. And, and I thought that was, um, just hilarious. Loved, loved that one. Um, it was such a perfect characterization of like, uh, Johnny Carson. He was trying to be more hip, uh, to stay relevant. He saw that Arsenio was doing well. So, Hey, I'm going to, I'm going to turn myself. I'm going to model my, my show after Arsenio Hall. Um, Carson's making jokes about how white people dance and explaining the lingo that he's using to the audience. Just so many perfect beats in this. George Wendt comes on pleading with Carson, you don't have to do this, Johnny. You don't have to do this. Oh, man. Yeah, Odenkirk worked with Dana Carvey and Robert Smigel on this. And it's just so, so clever. I love the premise of this. Nicole Carson didn't appreciate this from what I know yeah he was a little offended by by this characterization I don't know if that he liked Dana's impression of him specifically but I think it was the Carcinio one that maybe ticked him off the most but I love it yeah oh I yeah agreed agreed and it's fun because it is fun to see a reference to I mean I I would say like one of the reasons I was so excited to do this topic this episode on Bob Odenkirk.
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[35:45] Even though I didn't start watching SNL until about 91, this general era of those performers and those writers is still to this day what I consider my favorite. My introduction to SNL and my favorite period of the show. And so I still love seeing all the 90s references, the late 80s, early 90s references in the show at that time. And being able to watch some of my favorite old cast members and realizing these characters, you know, were written by Bob Odenkirk was so fun. Like Pump, Hans and Franz, like didn't know he did that one. That was always one of my favorite. And that one very kind of Mr. Show-ish as well in that one, just kind of getting that to the buddies, Hans and Franz with Kevin Nealon and Dana Carvey.
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[36:30] But that was always one of my favorite sketches and didn't know he wrote that. Yeah, yeah. He and, of course, Kevin Nealon and Dana helped write it. Robert Smigel, which is a theme, like Bob Odenkirk and Robert Smigel worked really well together. They had similar sensibilities, and they wrought it together. Before we get to Matt Foley because I'm excited to talk about that too another iconic one and probably a reason why I am a Chicago Bears fan if I had pinpoint it one that he did with Robert Smigel was the super fans as you're I'm sure aware the Bears are getting ready for their big playoff against the New York Giants the Bears the Bears are seven-point underdogs but don't count Now, let's go around the room for some predictions. Pat, the Bears, 60 to the tree. Okay, Todd, Bears, 79 zip. Oh, really? You don't think that the Giants will score? No, I do not. The Bears' defense is like a wall. You can't go through them. When you wrote the â okay, so it's Bob Swirsky's Superfans. And I look at that and I'm like, what is that? And then right away I realize, oh, it's Da Bears. Okay. Yeah, I should have just written Da Bears. I didn't know the name of the sketch.
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[37:52] Yes, a great recurring sketch on the show over the years. Hilarious. They're all from Chicago, right? I mean, Bob Odenkirk was from Chicago. Yeah, well, he moved to Chicago. Yeah odin kirk had moved to chicago he was doing stuff in second city that's where he knew farley and um smigel and tim meadows he knew from second city as well um with this one specifically like smigel actually came up with the idea and ran it by actually odin kirk yeah he's not from he's from illinois i think naperville or something so yeah but he moved to the big city and then he He met Smigel. Smigel actually came up with the idea for the Superfans, and then he ran it by Odenkirk. So I think Odenkirk would kind of like sprinkle in some ideas and help kind of formulate some stuff. So Odenkirk is the one that came up with the hiss sound at the end of the bear. Like he came up with that part of it specifically. Yeah, so he helped Smigel kind of like fine-tune it.
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[38:52] Essentially and i could see odin kirk actually playing one of these guys absolutely ab i mean put on the glasses and the mustache like it's a pair of sunglasses and i mean like you like i'm just picturing him there right now um i loved i always loved that because i would watch that sketch and i never really knew who they all would um you know they'd have wigs and must fake mustaches on and i didn't really know um right away who you know the care who was playing um the characters in that and so it's really fun always later to find out mike myers was usually in that sketch right i think he was the one that was kind of hidden the most like underneath underneath all that all the makeup and prosthetics and stuff yeah yes and then and then they like you just mentioned george went i think he came on and did some um some stuff with them on that um but it was really sometimes hard to figure out who was who who were the the fan the bears fans in that uh Smigel was one of them.
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[39:49] Okay, he was actually there for a while. Robert Smigel and then Chris Farley was one of them and Joe Montana. I think they would rotate cast members. They rotate hosts sometimes, but that was kind of the core. Farley, Mike Myers, Robert Smigel seemed to be kind of the core. George Wendt, I think, was like an honorary sort of cast member when it came to that. So, yeah, it was always interesting to see. Mike Myers was one of the ones that I'm like, yeah. Yeah, I keep having to remind myself that he was a core part of that. Right, yeah, just again, these cast members that you know from so many other things, but were so funny in some of these sketches that they were just kind of a part of.
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[40:32] And yeah, I could absolutely see Bob Odenkirk doing that, because that's what I'm picturing. I'm just picturing the sunglasses, the mustache.
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[40:43] Took completely uh he would have fit in around that table too so yeah yeah absolutely i let's see so you know that was again one of those great recurring ones over time he had so many one-offs uh that that he that he obviously wrote uh that we looked at you know we mentioned those funny tom hanks ones very funny to see a young tom hanks doing these kind of uh you know not not actually my favorite ones that um on snl of all time but just funny to see tom hanks uh as this um there was her memory yeah there was one specifically where he was on a game show that really made me laugh yes they call it game beaters it's silly it's tom hanks is kind of you know as a comedian back then um was which was what kind of he was i mean he did a lot of comedy um back then you know i think it's hard to look past him sometimes just being kind of kind of young silly tom hanks but it was it was it was fun it was really again just these great ideas and premises that they came up with that, um, you know, that, that were, that were really brilliant. And, um, I, you had on here, I, the love toilet, I actually remembered that. So that one, I remembered from my youth, like probably the first season I ever watched SNL.
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[42:02] So in this, I want to say probably around 92, um, so this was the 17th season it said they had the love toilet this was one of their fake commercials yeah and they um and so this was this was around the time when they would have like the the interludes from you know jack handy uh the deep thoughts of jack hand you know so they'd have these interludes once in a while um in snl and the love toilet so this this like fake commercial comes on and you're looking you see these i just i i still remember that it was just Just these two people staring lovingly into each other's eyes. And then the camera just slowly pans out to reveal they're on this two-sided toilet.
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[42:45] So it was a double toilet where they can, you know, so they can. They're like looking at each other. So they're not like sitting next to each other. But they're almost sitting like it's like at a booth at a coffee shop. Yes. In a way. So they're able to look into each other's eyes and hold hands. It's so silly. It's like one of those Valentine's Day, like, diamond ring commercials with the tone of it. I did not even rewatch this for this, to tape this, to record this today. I just remember this because as a 12-year-old watching SNL for the first time, I just thought that was so funny. I couldn't believe, you know, it was one of those things that just literally is.
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[43:23] Just tattooed in my memory yeah i think it's kevin nealon and victoria jackson yes yeah um just hilarious like you point out like it's taking this thing like that was very well known at the time these like a diamond is forever commercials that we have on and it's the you know you never have to be a part the love toy um so they just you know again you can just see this like silly but just fought on tackle you know taking on like just targeting something that's yeah just silly in the in the social conscious at the time and and just mocking it and it was it was i love i always loved that one yeah classic uh fake ad from that era al franken would be upset if we didn't also give him co-credit for for that so uh bob odenkirk and al franken kind of uh it seems he's like worked on that together got it yes yes um but you want to talk about motivational speaker i do yes one that uh uh we mentioned bob helped out uh other helped other writers out with some certain things and whatnot but this is a bob creation so i'm excited to talk about this when you said it was like possibly your favorite character of all i yeah i mean if i had to.
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[44:43] It'd be hard to really come up with the best SNL characters of all time. But this is one of my favorites, Chris Farley as Matt Foley, a motivational speaker.
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[44:54] Crying laughing even to this day when I watched that sketch or the various get a few treatments they did on it Yeah, I think that first sketch though still my favorite. Yeah Now as your father probably told you my name is Matt Foley And I am a motivational speaker, Now let's get started by letting me give you a little bit of a scenario of what my life is all about out. First off, I am 35 years old. I am divorced and I live in a van down by the river.
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[45:36] Okay. But something I did discover in prepping for this, because we talked about, okay, we're going to do Bob Odenkirk. I knew he had written that one. I did not know the origins of it at Second City, and that you can find a clip online of that being performed at Second City with Bob Odenkirk playing the dad that Phil Hartman took over for in the, it's a very grainy copy that someone shot in the theater, but you can see, it's the same exact almost word for word sketch. Sketch, uh, Tim Meadows in, uh, at the second city is the son that David Spade would later play in the, uh, a premiere on SNL. And then two females who I was not as familiar with were playing the mom and the daughter. Um, and then Bob Odenkirk plays the dad. And so he, he introduces, you know, Hey guys, you know, we found, I think, I think the premise is they found pot. They found one of the kids smoking marijuana and we thought we'd bring in a motivational speaker to talk to you and so they bring in matt foley chris farley as matt foley and and the rest is history right.
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[46:49] Just unreal. Like it takes a performer like a bull in a china shop kind of performer like Chris to bring it to life. But this was like from the mind of Bob Odenkirk. Like this is his baby. He said that the character was inspired initially by Chris Farley's presence at Second City, a voice that Farley did in another sketch. I think he was playing like a football coach or something. And Bob's like, that's amazing. I love how he does that. And then Bob said he started thinking about his days. I think it was in Naperville where these hippies would like hang out by the river. And then he saw some Tim Robbins, came across some Tim Robbins motivational things. So he kind of started putting that together, said he was alone in his apartment, just kind of riding away and sort of came up with like a hybrid of like motivational speaker. He's like, wouldn't it be funny if the motivational speaker was actually like a screw-up in his own life? So he's basically telling the kids, don't be like me. So that's like the whole thing. So that's where like the river, like the van down by the river, it came from those hippies by the river that he knows. That's so funny. Brilliant. Brilliant, Nicole.
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[47:56] I can totally see Bob Odenkirk playing the character. It would not have the physicality that Chris Farley brought to it. It would be different. But I think through the writing, you hear Bob Odenkirk's voice in there. And that's where I can really picture Bob Odenkirk in like a bad lounge suit. Like you get the picture in your mind, Bob Odenkirk, a younger Bob Odenkirk, in that kind of.
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[48:22] Bad suit and comes in is like, Hey guys, you know, I, uh, just want to talk to you about, you know, my, a little about my life. And you can see, I am divorced.
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[48:37] Uh, and, uh, uh, and you can just absolutely see Bob Odenkirk playing that character again.
Track 4:
[48:45] It would have, it would, it would be different because Chris Farley brought that bull in the China shop aspect to it of the the, just the physicality, the, the presence that he would, I mean, obviously he just struck this presence at any, any sketch he was in and had that funny thing with the pant, pulling up the pants that, that he, that he brought to that, that was so funny. And just so, so these, these additional aspects of the character just constantly pushing up his glasses, being like high over caffeinated and, and, and just like super on edge. But, like, just the main, when you just kind of listen to the script and hear it, I totally see Bob Odenkirk in that. Yeah, I can hear the dark undertones. And that's Odenkirk's voice, like, amidst or underneath all the wild, like, Chris Farley running in place and jumping through the table in the first iteration of it. There's a lot of darkness in that Matt Foley character. character like he it ends with him saying that he wants to like get his stuff and go live with them essentially and then they're frightened they're terrified of that possibility but i can see odin kirk playing up that kind of dark it does remind me like a maybe of a more caffeinated saul goodman and some saul goodman's just like this like you'd mentioned like a lounge suitor just like the way the way he dresses and the kind of a down on his luck, loser-y kind of vibe. Like, total bop. That's Odenkirk's wheelhouse.
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[50:15] Yeah, absolutely. Absolutely. Uh, so, so that one, that was just, um, you know, like you said, if, if, you know, just his own creation, I, I read that he had, that was the most fun he ever had in his entire career was doing that, that sketch with, with Chris Farley, um, which is like touching and, um, and loved, loved hearing that and seeing that. But, um, but yeah, wow. Uh, You know, like you said, I think all of them are funny. They did one in Spanish, you know? Yes, yeah, I like that. I do like that one. So they're all funny, but that original one, it's just maybe Bob Odenkirk's best lasting mark on Saturday Night Live. Yeah, yeah, I agree. And that was a couple seasons after Odenkirk left the show. But, I mean, we've got to credit him because that's his baby. And like you said, that was the most fun.
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[51:10] Did they not overlap there, he and Chris Farley? They did. They did, by just â I believe so. Okay. Yeah, because he ended in 91. So I think they overlapped for Farley's first season. First season, okay. And then he left, but then they brought â okay. Because, yeah, wow. So, oh my â yeah, I'm so glad. I mean, what might have been if we had lost that? Oh, I know. And Odenkirk loved Farley. And I can tell when he talks about him, he almost has like this brotherly sort of ownership of Farley. He's one of the few who says that â who doesn't like the Chippendale sketch. I've heard Odenkirk say that he doesn't really because he thinks that people are laughing at Farley. Whereas probably I think I heard Spade and some other people say, well, I disagree with that. We're laughing with him. But Odenkirk, you could tell it's almost like he feels like this big brother sort of vibe with Chris Farley. Protected him. Yeah, I can see that. And I, and I do think that, you know, he, Chris Farley knew what he was doing and, and, and knew, knew.
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[52:13] I mean, even with Chippendales, like, yes, there's a lot of funny, you know, body, just mocking, you know, two different body types on the stage. But there's also some really, like, intelligent humor there. And I think Chris Farley always knew what he was doing and was brilliant, of course. But I could see that, absolutely, with a lot of the comedians that talk about him, just being protective and knowing that, you know, he had his own struggles, too. But wow, wow, what a gift to have the two of those minds come together, Odenkirk and Chris Farley for that amazing character. Yeah, amazing. I'm so grateful to Odenkirk for that. And one other thing, I don't know if you have one other thing, but I have one more thing, one more sketch that I want to mention too. It's one of my favorites from that era, actually. It's from season 16. He worked with Conan O'Brien and Robert Smigel on the McLaughlin group. Issue number six, what did you have for breakfast today? Eleanor! Some cantaloupe. More Tontown, USA! I had poached eggs and toast. Jack Giamondo! Bacon and eggs. Patty Patty Buke Buke! I'm thinking waffles, maybe a little... Wrong! You all had special K with banana.
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[53:29] Issue number seven, what is issue 14 going to be? Some say it will deal with an economic matter. Others believe it will involve Germany. More teeny tiny tabletop. A little acid rain? Wrong! Ellenology, I think you're all swollen off. I have no idea. Wrong! You know quite well. That was the one, Dana Carvey, and I'll say the initial one, that's with John Goodman, Phil Hartman, Jan Hooks, and Kevin Nealon.
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[53:53] And just, he's parodying John McLaughlin, who had this crazy, and then the real show's crazy. The parody is a wonderful, fast-paced kind of thing, but the real show is kind of crazy, too. So it's not too far off. But this was just such great writing, a lot of good escalation in this. So it makes sense to me that you see Conan, Robert Smigel, Bob Odenkirk. This has their stamp on it, too. I do remember that. That's actually one I do remember from watching back when I was once I was already watching SNL and was not aware of being an 11, 12 years old of that show in the real world. But but knowing this was they were so good at at mocking, you know, I mean, the presidential race that year in 92. And and so so so much of that political humor that, you know, you know, Bob Odenkirk was so intelligent. intelligent and I read as, as we taught, we're preparing for this. I read that he, um, in a fairly recent interview said that he thought he was too young at 25 to start working on SNL. And I, he was 25, I guess. Um, and I mean, to me, it's like, I mean, he, there's just genius there. Like he, he clearly had an understanding of politics at the time and, um, and just these issues that were in society. And so to think that he was 25 years old and coming up with this content.
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[55:23] Again, like with the Michael Offenberg, just speaks to, I think, how brilliant he was. Yeah, right. Yeah. In an interview, I guess he said he thought he was too young, was probably kind of a little bit arrogant at times and just wishes he had just been a little more mature. But at the same time, he said he learned so much and was with the greats. And yeah. Yeah, I think I've read or heard where he said he was a little combative with Lorne, and he probably regrets that a little bit. And I think he acknowledges his own kind of ego as a young guy and everything. But he's so in tune with politics and in tune with shows like the McLaughlin Group. I think in your role, have you hosted one of these panel kind of shows ever? Yeah, I've done a few things, iterations of that over the years where you sit in a foursome maybe and you chat about issues. shoes. And it, you know, it it's, I will say it's hard. It's amazing that they can get.
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[56:18] Groups together that to do this successfully, whether it's like the McLaughlin group or the view, um, because it does depend so much on the personalities that you have sitting there. Um, and what, you know, not just the topics, but also just who, who's going to have the most to say about this today versus this topic another day. And how do you, you know, how do you not talk all over each other at once. And just, you know, these shows are, are kind of an, there, there's definitely an art to them and I don't know how some of them do it so successfully.
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[56:53] Um, but, uh, but yeah, the ones that do, you know, Bravo, you know, good for them. And they always have given us great SNL sketches over the years because that is, that's just a, a classic SNL trope is to go, you know, do a, do a talk show. Right. And, And whether you're mocking The View or if it's, you know, just some funny character hosting their own show or doing the McLaughlin group or doing, you know, Phil Donahue, I guess I saw he and Bob Odenkirk had a hand in writing Phil Hartman's Phil Donahue and those kind of things that, you know, those are just always some of my favorite SNL sketches is when they do just the classic, simple talk show. Yeah and there's so much good escalation in this one too playing off of uh dana carvey's kind of wild interpretation of mclaughlin and i can just see conan and robert smigel and odin kirk just like sitting there just probably spitballing like where should we take it next what specifically about the questions that he would ask so he they would get more and more ridiculous it'd be like is there an afterlife and then intelligent beings on on other planets yes or no and one of them was what number am I thinking of? And then they had to go around the panel or what did you have for breakfast today? So I could just imagine Odenkirk and the other two sitting in there just being like, what questions should he ask? Like, where can we take this? So it's just so fun.
Track 4:
[58:17] It is. It's so fun to imagine the writers in the writers room sometimes coming up with these sketches when they are just throwing ideas around. I like to do like I mean, you know, you and I, you know, we're huge SNL nerds, like total nerds about this. And I like it when I notice a sketch that that I'm like, I bet this was like a sketch and it started out this way. But then someone kind of improvised something and it just went this totally different direction. and this is what it ended up as. And those are some of my favorite sketches. And again, I'm just guessing at this. But I just love imagining kind of how this came together. And so some of these, you're right, where you can just picture these guys sitting on a couch.
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[59:03] There's nothing glamorous about it at all. They're just like these barely out of college kind of guys in their 20s just making each other laugh and coming up with the next heighten it, it heighten it next funniest thing and um and you can just imagine how how fun that was and yeah, being an snl writer kind of seems like on paper like would be my dream job i know it's stressful it sounds incredibly stressful the long nights everything like that but just being able to bounce funny ideas off people the only person in the world who gets to hear my sketch ideas is my wife, and i don't know how much she always appreciates that i'm like i think i thought of this premise for a sketch and with this do you think this would work so i bounce sketch ideas off of my wife uh but but yeah it would be so much fun to bounce sketch ideas do you ever come up have you ever come up with like premises for sketches when when you're not like working for a sketch group it's in your everyday life.
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[59:59] Yeah, I, I mean, I have, you know, we, we, we definitely, you know, my husband too, Brian, like he's, he's funny. We, we, we're, we, we participated in some improv classes in Albuquerque too and things like that. And yeah, it's, it's fun. I mean, I think it's hard. I honestly, I do think it's really hard and I've tried to write out like a full sketch and that I wouldn't say I've ever done it successfully in a, you know, you know, you might have a funny idea, but you, to put it in pay on paper and to then write, you know, to actually craft it where this is going to get funnier and funnier and funnier and build to that, you know, like the, you know, that moment where, okay. And now it resolves like that's, that's a, just such an art form, um, writing sketch comedy. And, um, and so I wouldn't, I've, you know, I've never done it successfully. And I, and I know some, I know that it's so much more than just this funny premise that you have to write it in a way that builds and that unfolds in just this perfect way. So I have all the admiration in the world.
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[1:01:03] Odenkirk seemed to be, I know he had said that there might be some stuff that he would do differently on the show when he was a little young and everything, but it seemed like he worked well with certain people like Conan O'Brien, Robert Smigel, Farley, Dana Carvey. We saw him work well, obviously, with David Cross after SNL. So yeah it seems like Bob's just I think I'm grateful to have Bob's comedic mind kind of shine through especially over the years people are kind of rediscovering his work and he's had a renaissance Nicole so I'm grateful for having somebody like Bob I know right I mean what a career what an absolutely amazing career to start so young to have these amazing, you know, to be, to be involved in the iconic SNL and some of those iconic years of SNL to then go on to have this hilarious sketch show of his own in Mr. Show. And then to be one of the great dramatic actors in recent years in, in Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul and just an unbelievable talent there and start, you know, so, so just, just really fun to see that. And yeah, Yeah, he's one of a kind, for sure. I have a book recommendation.
Track 4:
[1:02:17] Since we've been talking about writers, I read this cute book. I don't know if Melinda would like it. It's kind of a girly book, but it's called Romantic Comedy. And it's about a female who writes on what's basically an SNL show. And then she has a story of her own. But it's very fun. It kind of gives you that window into what that might look like working as a writer at one of these late-night sketch shows. Um, and just the, the, the, the relationships, obviously it's a fictional book, but, um, but just, just kind of a fun window into that. And, um, so yeah, so as we, as we're talking about SNL writers, that was a, that was a fun book I read, but again, yeah, kind of a girl's book. It's all right. It's all right. I watched so many Hallmark movies with my wife. Um, I'm kind of, kind of used to that by now. Now I'll definitely check that out. So as far as like specifically SNL and concerning maybe the hall of fame and Odenkirk's legacy, Like, what should voters and SNL fans factor in about Bob Odenkirk when discussing, like, his place in SNL history? That's a good question. I mean, I think that a lot of the writers we know from SNL who transitioned into on-camera talent at SNL as well, like Tina Fey, are...
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[1:03:34] And some of them, you know, are a little more well known as sort of like the what you think a lot of those writers aspire to be, I guess, which is on on camera. Right. I mean, you think sometimes some of them, that's where they they really want to be. And I think it's really cool that Bob Odenkirk, you know, his his his years at SNL, he really besides some bit little cameo or small appearances that all the writers have at some point, he really didn't act on the show. And so we wouldn't discover that aspect of him for years to come after that. So just as a writer, I think it's just, he's just one of these great, there's a lot of people who are probably still surprised to find out that he was ever a writer for SNL. They'll know these sketches and will have no idea he was involved in them. So he really is, he has such a unique career there being this sort of extremely famous person who was just a hidden figure there almost in a way at the time. No one would have really known who was behind these sketches and the writers behind them at the time. So as far as, you know, it's hard. It's hard to put him on the list because he's so famous now.
Track 4:
[1:04:50] And but the work that we're talking about was was during a time when when he was really just beginning. And so, yeah, I don't know. It's because it's interesting because so many people on SNL, they come into their own while they're on SNL. And that's what, like, launches them to stardom. And with Bob Odenkirk, it was, you know, in some cases, decades before some people would discover him on Breaking Bad, for example. And he gave us Matt Foley, darn it. Yeah, he did. So, I mean, right there, he just ranks right up at the top.
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[1:05:38] So there's that really great discussion there with Nicole Brady and our friend Thomas Senna. Well, Nicole Brady is our friend too, but you get my drift. Listen, I want to keep this wagon wheel rolling. And I want to get right to the sketch because Thomas mentioned it in the tail end of the conversation when he said, Hey, this guy gave us Matt Foley. So why don't we revisit a Matt Foley sketch right now, the original Matt Foley sketch. It features Christina Applegate as the host, and David Spade is in this one. Of course, Chris Farley portraying the titular Matt Foley, and all the rest. There is some physical comedy in this that you're going to miss. But I think you're going to get the gist of this. And if this doesn't seal the deal for you, I don't know what will. This is Bob Odenkirk having written Matt Foley in a van down by the river.
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[1:06:53] Hey, Mom, Dad. Brian, Stacy. Your mother Ellen and I are so glad you decided to join us for this family communication session. So what's up? You guys getting divorced or something? No, we just wanted the family to talk as a group. Okay, well, let's get it started, then. All right, well, Stacy, Brian, your father Ted and I are a little bit concerned. Celia, the cleaning lady, was in the family room, and she found a bag of pot. She didn't smoke it, did she?
Track 5:
[1:07:29] No, she didn't smoke it. Now, we're not here to come down on you. I mean, that's not what we're about, okay? We're just concerned that pot could lead to other things. Crack, ice, boom, pow. But we know you don't want to hear this from us. Sure, I mean, we're your parents. Who wants to hear this stuff from their parents, huh? Your father and I came up with a brilliant idea to give you kids some direction. A motivational speaker. Yeah, one of those guys who speaks to big groups at high schools and churches? You mean to come to the house? Uh-huh. Yeah, right. Yeah, all right, later. Hey, hey, hey, come on, you guys. This is setting me back a few bucks. Okay, his name is Matt Foley. Now, he's been down in the basement drinking coffee for about the last four hours, and he should be all ready to go. I'll call him up.
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[1:08:27] Matt, we're ready for you. you? His speech is called Go For It. Now, he's used to big groups, so make him feel like there's a crowd here. Matt, come on up, buddy.
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[1:08:42] All right, how's everybody? Good, good, good. Now, as your father probably told you, my name is Matt Foley, and I am a motivational motivational speaker. Now let's get started by letting me give you a little bit of a scenario of what my life is all about. First off, I am 35 years old, I am divorced, and I live in a van down by the river. Now you kids are probably saying to yourselves, hey, I'm going to go out and I'm going to get the world by the tail and wrap it around and pull it down and put it in my pocket. Well, I'm here to tell you that you're probably going to find out as you go out there that you're not going to amount to jack squat.
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[1:09:48] You're going to end up eating a steady diet of government cheese and living in a van down by the river. Now young man, what do you want to do with your life? Actually Matt, I kind of want to be a writer. Well, la-dee-freaking-da! We got ourselves a writer here! Hey Dad, I can't see real good. Is that Bill Shakespeare over there? Well actually Matt, Ellen and Brian and I have encouraged Brian, Dad, I wish you could just shut your big yapper. Now, I wonder, Brian, from what I've heard, you're using your paper not for writing, but for rolling doobies. You're going to be doing a lot of doobie rolling when you're living in a van down by the river.
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[1:10:54] Young lady, what do you want to do with your life? I want to live in a van down by the river. Well, you'll have plenty of time to live in a van down by the river when you're living in a van down by the river. Now, you kids are probably asking yourselves, Hey, Matt, how can we get back on the right track? Well, as I see it, there is only one solution, and that is for me to get my gear, move it on in here, because I'm going to bunk with you, buddy. We're going to be buddies. We're going to be pals. We're going to wrestle around. Old Matt's going to be your shadow. Here's you. Here's Matt. There's you. There's...
Track 5:
[1:11:50] Whoops-a-daisy. Whoops-a-daisy. By God. We're going to have to clean that up later. Me and my buddies. My pals, my amigos. I'm going to get my gear. Wait, yeah, Matt, you don't have to go. Matt, you don't have to do it. We'll never smoke pot again. Matt, thanks for all you've done. I don't give a rat's behind because I'm moving in. I'm sick and tired of living in a van down by the river.
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[1:12:30] Is the back door locked? Yes. We love you, Dad. I love you, too. Okay.
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[1:12:40] That is a stone-cold classic. And I really am curious if we're going to see any homage like we did in Season 40 for the 50th season event in February. So that's very exciting. listen we've got a brand new show on the SNL Hall of Fame feed and that is the SNL Hall of Fame water cooler it features Joe and Shari along with myself and we take a look back at the episode from the week and we also briefly discuss the episode that was just on so there's that I want to thank Nicole Brady from the bottom of my heart. It was lovely to have her back. Of course, I want to thank our friends Thomas and Matt and Doug Donatz. We've got a huge crew here to make this happen, and we're thrilled to do it week over week. Next week on the show, we welcome back Saturday Night Network's own superstar, Bill Kenney. And he is going to be be here to talk about four-time host Danny DeVito. So that should be real good. Tune in for that one for sure. And with that, that's what I've got for you.
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[1:14:06] So do me a favor, and as you're walking past the Weekend Update exhibit, turn out the lights, because the SNL Hall of Fame is now closed.
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This week on the show we welcome, Nicole Brady to discuss the bona fides of former writer Bob Odenkirk.
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Today on the program, jD, Joe, and Shari once again get together to discuss this week's episode of the SNL Hall of Fame podcast. This week they are discussing the Charles Barkley episode.
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This week on the SNL Hall of Fame podcast we're joined by Mike Murray from the SNN to discuss the career and Hall of Fame candidacy of 4-time host Sir Charles Barkley.
Transcript:
Track 2:
[0:40] Thank you so much, Doug DeNance. It is a thrill to be back here at the SNL Hall of Fame on the SNL Hall of Fame podcast. My name is JD and it is a absolute wreck outside. Let me fold up this umbrella. My feet are dirty. Follow my lead. I'm going to wipe them. You know what I'm saying? Let's go inside. But before we do, the SNL Hall of Fame podcast is a weekly affair where each Each episode, we take a deep dive into the career of a former cast member, host, musical guest, or writer, and add them to the ballot for your consideration. Once the nominees have been announced, we turn to you, the listener, to vote for the most deserving and help determine who will be enshrined for perpetuity in the hall. And that's how we play the game. It's just that simple. We have a Barnburner of a show this week, Thomas is going to be joined by stat guru from the SNN, Mike Murray, to discuss the career of four-time host Charles Barkley. This should be a good one, folks. But before we get into that conversation, why don't we visit our friend Matt Ardill in his trivia corner?
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[2:02] Ladies and gentlemen, without further ado, I give you the Trivia Meister, Matt Ardell. Matt, how are you doing? I'm good, thanks, JD. And yourself? You know what? Any day that I get to sit here and listen to you tell me some of my favorite actor, actresses, or pop culture figures' height, then I am in a good place. Hey, it's the facts that everybody wants to know. That's right.
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[2:27] Well, I've got a very tall tale for you today. Um charles sparkly uh six six uh february 20th 1963 is his birth date um he was born in leeds alabama and nicknamed sir charles the bread truck and round mound off of rebound uh he is was the first african-american born in a segregated hospital in his all-white town and one of the the first group of black kids to attend his elementary school um in high school he actually didn't make the varsity basketball team at first yeah out of here no yeah it's true he was named uh as a reserve um but he grew from five foot ten to six foot four over the summer And then he was put in a starting position the next year And he averaged 19 points and 17 rebounds per game in high school.
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[3:33] He then went on to play for the Auburn Tigers in college, where he would become known for his talent of blocking shots and then dunking, often getting possession of the ball and running the full length of the court to dunk instead of pass.
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[3:50] Drafted to the NBA during his final year of college, he dropped out of school to join the 76ers and was best friends with Michael Jordan. They were born three days apart with and he is also friends with Magic Johnson, who, when Magic had to retire due to his HIV diagnosis, Charles changed his number from his college number of 34 to Johnson's 32 to pay tribute to him during his last year in the NBA. He is actually the shortest player in nba history to lead the league rebounding from 86 to 87 as well as being a basketball player and tnt sports commentator he is an actor with 30 film credits produced three and was one of the writers for inside the nba he has been on shows including including the Goldberg, Modern Family, and The Simpsons, and even the Clerks TV show appearing in an animated form as himself.
Track 4:
[4:56] Huh. Very cool. You know, I never watched the Clerks cartoon. It's very Clerks-y. Yeah, yes. It's definitely got that Kevin Smith vibe. Well, this is very Barkley of you. So, nicely done. let's go downstairs with thomas and mike murray as they discuss more about our nominee this week charles barkley, All right.
Track 3:
[5:52] Matt and JD, thank you so much and welcome to another discussion about a great nominee here at the SNL Hall of Fame. A fun one, an interesting one, I would say an unorthodox nominee for the SNL Hall of Fame. Of course, we were talking about the one and only Sir Charles, Charles Barkley, today for the host category. And with me, a repeat guest, I had to bring him back, Mike Murray from the Saturday Night Network, a stats guru for Saturday Night Live. Not just a stats guru, like, I don't wanna pigeonhole Mike as just a stats guy, Because, Mike, your knowledge of SNL goes beyond stats. I think you need to get more credit. You have insights that a lot of people don't have. So it's not just in the lab and the numbers, that's a lot of it. But you have genuine, awesome knowledge and insights about the show. So I'm so happy to have you back here on the SNL Hall of Fame. Thanks, Thomas. I mean, great intro right there. What do I say?
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[6:54] I'm happy to be on this show with you. I think you're one of the best SNL podcast hosts out there. So for me to be with you talking shop about basketball about snl what could be better than this so thanks for having me back yeah absolutely i hope brad and gary from the not ready for prime primetime podcast heard you just say that so we need to cut them down the pegs no they're great too my first appearance on snl hall of fame was with uh brad yeah they're no they're they're fun guys i actually got to meet them uh in person this past weekend in philadelphia oh so yeah so But I appreciate that, man. It's so good to have you back. Before we get started, we like to do the plugs up top. Why don't you tell people what you're up to this season on the Saturday Night Network? Well, big one coming up, Season 5-0. So, late September, we're going to have a new season of the show. So, that means the SNN, the Saturday Night Network, will be back in full force. So, we do three shows a week. We do a hot take show at 1 a.m. Following the broadcast. We do a Monday roundtable, and on Wednesday nights, that's my show. It's the stat show. It's called By the Numbers.
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[8:06] And if you've ever been interested in the analytics side of SNL, which is a hard pitch at times, but people gravitate towards it, and it was just something that I started doing, just kind of making my own sports world about my favorite show, because my number one love in life is sports and I'm always on the reference sites and like to do comparisons and I figured why not do that for the institution that is SNL so I started doing appearances and then I started doing screen time I made an algorithm to get an output number for each person who appears on the show called the power ranking and so we covered those three numbers every week on the show and And just kind of get into like a sports radio talk show about SNL every week. So following a new episode every Wednesday, 8 p.m. Eastern, you can hear that show on the SNN. That's awesome. And the thing with analytics on your show is it leads to discussions. So it leads to insights about that week's episode or the season as a whole. So you get really just neat discussions like sports radio and I'm the same way like I always watched SNL like it was sports I'm really into like the stats part of it I was perusing like.
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[9:30] Pro football reference basketball reference and baseball reference just today for one reason or another so i'm always on those sites yeah that's a normal day for me as well yeah absolutely i subscribe monthly to basketball reference so i don't get the ads so i do the football yeah.
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[9:45] That's awesome so those are great sites i've been working on a uh entire history of nfl game log yeah last year i have excel spreadsheets that people would just that would blow their mind about how much of a sports nerd that i am so so we're on the we're on the same wavelength mike yeah that's why we get along so well and for sure i'm glad you mentioned that because i do even as a kid thought snl was like a sport because it's live so you know i've said before that yeah it is cool to know how much screen time like chewbacca got and star wars but like it's edited like this is live things are being cut at dress things are being cut for time live during the the show so if you don't make it on that night like that's a zero but like if you you know what if all three of your showcases make it like wouldn't you want to look back i mean this is the snl hall of fame and say those are your hall of fame episodes just like games or seasons yeah precisely and we didn't do this on purpose by the way but this is the most seamless uh.
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[10:46] Segue i think that i've had in a long time uh comparing snl to sports because today's nominee charles barkley of course uh former nba player uh current well i guess that's maybe a little up in the air but he was on inside the nba for uh 24 years um but i guess now that's that's we'll see what happens heading into next season um but charles barkley known as one of the great characters in nba history even while he was still playing he was known as kind of an off the wall character um he's pretty Pretty short for his position.
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[11:21] They called him the round mound of rebound. Played an aggressive style, outspoken guy.
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[11:27] So people knew all about Charles Barkley. So I'm wondering, Mike, when did you take notice of Charles Barkley? And what's your basketball fandom like? Well, for me, I'm a big basketball fan, huge Celtics fan. So just got banner 18. So I have to shout that out. I think this team is going to be good for a while. But I am a Boston sports fan. so I know that things come and thank you very much and I know that these things come and they don't always work out. I have had a lot of heartbreak and a lot of triumph so very happy with the team right now but as far as Mr. Chuck there, I would say late 96 Space Jam, that was when I knew those players on the team I had all the Space Jam figurines as a kid including Charles Barkley. And so I was a little young to watch him play for the Sixers, but knew who he was. And then...
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[12:27] Seeing his like post post playing career persona i wanted to start this episode with you right now by saying like is charles brockley like the funniest athlete because i was thinking about this right right before the show so i'll give you a minute to think about it but a lot of athletes have a lot of charisma like they're big they're they're like larger than life people and they have a lot of bravado and so like they have funny personalities or they say things post game that are quotable but i think charles barkley is like naturally a funny dude yeah he is do you have any nominees who would who would be at his level or or funnier than him i think ricky henderson is is one was one of the funnier athletes maybe a little before some of our listeners times but But Ricky played from like 1979 to like 2003 or something. So he's been, but he was funny with the Red Sox cup of coffee with like almost every team. It seemed like, um, but Ricky was very funny. He would speak, he would call himself Ricky. So he would say, Ricky did this or Ricky did that or whatever. Like, so, but I don't know. I think Chuck's is more intentional. John Sally. If you remember John Sally, he was an actual standup comedian. Um, one other recent person I'll throw into the mix, honestly, is Blake Griffin.
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[13:46] Blake Griffin's one of the funnier athletes. Chuck and Blake Griffin are probably the two funniest athletes that I've seen in my opinion. And Blake Griffin's appearance on SNL two seasons ago in the Kim K show. Yeah, exactly. I'm halfway surprised he never hosted, but I don't know. He took classes at the Groundlings and stuff, so Blake was real serious about it. Yeah, but Chuck's just naturally funny. It seems like he doesn't even have to try. like you think like that's part of what draws people to him as an snl host is just sort of like some sort of natural humor like what is it that's made him such like a beloved figure in our community well i think it's kind of what i said is that there there might be a divide sometimes between the sports world and the theater slash comedy world and so when you see somebody who's willing to play for the other team which is maybe the team that we're on on this podcast of being comedy commentators slash analysts, and to see somebody come over to that side, and the fact that he's come back. I mean, we're going to talk about his shows, but he's hosted four times now.
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[14:51] Which is i i would consider a record for an athlete unless you count the rock as an athlete which i feel like he already is more of an actor coming from wwf first appearance like i count as an athlete appearance yeah but he was promoting his wrestling it was like he was like almost there as the rock and gimmick so i can maybe count that yeah so i mean he the rock is a five-timer but uh chuck is right behind at four and so to answer your question i feel like people are so you can say this about sports politics comedy anything like that people are always embracing somebody who's embracing them so i think that charles barkley the willingness to come back i mean he was coming off an n uh nba mvp season right so he was the reigning mvp i mean michael Jordan hosted in I think 91 and then he went on to be MVP but Charles Barkley reigning MVP we saw like uh Tom Brady and Eli Manning like they came off a Super Bowl win um Travis Kelsey more recently but so Barkley was the reigning MVP came in you know it's we're gonna talk about the show do that that show so we'll get into in a second but coming back three more times and just you He's not a trained comedian, but having a blast. I feel like the cast always liked working with him. We'll talk about some of the sketches that he appeared in that they wrote for him.
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[16:17] He was just so game. I think people in the SNL community and comedy just are down for somebody to hop over the fence.
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[16:25] That's such a good point. Somebody from another world really embracing our world of SNL. That's a really good point. That's a really quick way to endear yourself to our community as a quote-unquote outsider.
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[16:39] So yeah, no, I think that's such a good point. I always get stuck too on just the concept of athletes in general as hosts and how people feel about that. So you as a huge SNL fan, what do you think about athletes in general as hosts of the show? Honestly, I love it. Not because I'm a sports fan. And that does help because usually I know the person before they host, whereas maybe people were watching one night and JJ Watt was on the screen and they were saying, who the hell is this guy? So that helps that I know the people, but...
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[17:11] I think one of the best things about SNL, and you can quote me on this, is having not just comedians host the show. I think that it would be a great show if every week it was a hot stand-up or someone promoting a comedy movie that's coming out. But having other areas of entertainment come in is the beauty of the show. So we don't get it every season. We don't, of course, get it multiple times a year but when we see somebody like that come in it just brings us a certain energy it might not make for the funniest show or the most memorable sketch that's okay with me though it's a fun ride and it's something new and different and that's all i want from snl no matter what yeah i think i tend to get surprised in some ways i'm always skeptical going in they announced an athlete and i think in my mind i'm going to watch the episode and.
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[18:08] And suffer from like i'll be embarrassed for them and i hate feeling that way i hate seeing somebody on screen and i'm like feeling embarrassed for them so i in my mind i'm automatically like gloom and doom like oh no how is this gonna go travis kelsey's hosting how's this gonna go but i always tend to be pleasantly surprised i think like remember there's a low bar but it's always like some sort of a different energy i think when athletes host totally and i love low bar snl i won't lie like a lot of times i go in to a titan of the show and i get let down a little bit so when someone comes in that i've literally like an actor or actress i've never heard of and they impress me like that's great and same with athletes yeah so we've had athletes from all major sports that that i can remember even hockey we've had one hockey player that i I remember. Only one, right? Yeah. Only one hockey player. The great one, yeah. Yeah, the great one hosted, Wayne Gretzky. So yeah, so we've been, I think it's pretty cool, the times that we do see a pro athlete host. We're in for a wild ride. And we just had an Olympics on NBC.
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[19:17] So, Simone Biles. Maybe Simone, exactly. Come on down. Victory lap. Following Michael Phelps' footsteps as an Olympian. Nancy Kerrigan. Nancy Kerrigan, yeah. Yeah, so do I do remember maybe both of those episodes were a little rough? Michael Phelps, I think, is pretty good. Was it good? Okay, I haven't watched him in a long time. Michael Phelps, Space Olympics alone can get that up to a C. Okay, I think I need to go back and re-watch. Maybe I'll re-watch Phelps' episode if Simone Biles ends up hosting.
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[19:50] Yeah, good call. I'll be proved wrong. So, as far as Charles Barkley, a little bit of sports nerd background before he hosted his first episode. Um he hosted in september of 93 it was the season premiere so if you're a basketball player you're gonna host probably in the first two or three episodes because the way the season works if you're not hosting one of those first three episodes you're just not hosting that season so every basketball player that we've seen they'll get like the season premiere early on unless they're retired or something like that so he hosted in september of 93 by that point as you you mentioned like charles was probably considered the second best player in the league behind michael jordan won that mvp in 93 led the suns to the nba finals the summer prior the leading scorer on the dream team it wasn't michael jordan it's charles barkley that was the leading score and arguably the the dominant personality on that dream team so like couple all.
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[20:48] Of that with his personality i think it did make sense for him to host snl in 93 so again uh season 19 episode one notable because of musical guest nirvana uh appeared then that was their second time on the show um right away mike like really memorable monologue and a really memorable in my opinion snl moment from a lot of people's childhoods uh in that monologue with a certain like children's character yeah i mean first of all i watched the show last night the 93 is first show and how young he sounds because keenan thompson has now done an impression of charles brockley 22 times.
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[21:31] On snl and so you know you're used to that cadence of the impression from keenan and of course if you watch inside the nba and you know charles brockley well you can do an impression yourself kind of like a christopher walken type of person everybody can do with charles brockley and say you know that's terrible whatever um he sounds so young and he doesn't really get too much live screen time because the monologue is dedicated to a pre-taped segment of him playing one-on-one with barney the.
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[22:00] Purple dinosaur yeah yeah and he's like elbowing barney uh in the face and dunking on him and uh doing all that stuff and i think it was a play so i think around this time barkley had some ads where he said i am not a role model so that was a being he's like i'm not a role model parents are role models so he had this whole thing of like you need to be role models to your kids because i'm not so maybe it was kind of a play off of that like another i guess barney's considered like maybe with kids role model i'm gonna push barney around and elbow him in the head and all of that so that was yeah really memorable you're right though chuck um didn't really get a they didn't give him a lot to do in the monologue which is probably smart they don't know they you know i think jordan was a little rough maybe like he had a good episode but then jordan as a host was a little stiff so maybe that the expectations they don't want to give the athlete a ton in the monologue i'm guessing yeah for sure and overall that night he appeared in seven out of the 14 segments not including the musical performance intros um and i will say i think the best part of the show was nirvana so i was gonna shout out the first time i listened to snl hall of fame thomas senna the man himself was the guest talking about nirvana so had to shout that out. So yeah, Nirvana was really memorable in this episode. Is there something, a sketch or anything?
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[23:28] Sticks out as far as charles barkley and his first time here on the show goes, definitely the one that seemed like they could use him and you know we'll talk about his later shows where they put him front and center but the first episode which like i mentioned there are like a handful of segments you know have to show of course including cold open and we can update that he did not appear and was the steward smalley daily affirmations because they just kind of let him be himself, even though they did call him Charles B., who plays for the Phoenix S's. So that got a laugh out of me. And Muggsy Bogues comes on, and he joins the sketch. And it's a classic Daily Affirmations with Stuart Smalley sketch, but it seemed like he was comfortable with that. So I guess since you're the best basketball player in the world, then I guess I guess you've won a lot of championships. Well, actually I never won the championship.
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[24:36] And Charles, how do you feel about not having won, you know, a championship? Fine, it's no big deal.
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[24:48] But they did right after that or a couple sketches later do the uh big and tall black store, and you know charles brockley was like you know front to you know straight to camera mugsy also appears in that one so i'll shout those ones out as like a a soft launch of charles brockley's comedic career yeah i definitely think that daily affirmation stood out to me as well i jordan had done a daily affirmation with store smallie and his hosting gig two years prior. So it was really funny. It was almost a callback to Jordan without saying his name because Charles said that he referred to himself as the best basketball player in the world. And then I love Stewart's response. He's like, well, if you're the best basketball player in the world, then I guess you've won a lot of championships. And so that's like Charles laughing at himself. As we saw post-career, him and Shaq, they're always kind of giving Charles grief for never winning a title. So I think that showed that Charles can laugh at himself when Muggsy was sharing his feelings to Charles. You could tell Charles was having fun with it and it's kind of starting to break a little bit. So I definitely dug that daily affirmation with Stuart Smalley. Charles Barkley's big, tall, and black men's stores. I like that they just gave Charles something to do like straight to camera, like something solo, just to like give him his kind of showcase like it's just Charles. When you're Charles Barkley, shopping for clothes is never easy. Too small?
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[26:15] Too short? Not black enough. That's why I started my chain, Charles Barkley Big, Tall, and Black Men Stories. You see, ordinary black men have been able to always dress in style. Now big and tall and black men can too. Kind of a fun concept. He's not taking himself too seriously. So those are really two good pulls as far as showcasing his personality goes. Yeah, for sure. Those are the two that stood out for me. He did do the donkey basketball camp at the end of the show, which was funny if for no other reason that we have Charles Barkley, 6'6", on a donkey. I think they didn't make the donkey hold the entire weight of the round amount of rebound. I was sitting there wondering, too. I'm like, is that donkey okay?
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[27:11] But the donkey does lose it a little bit. It's a classic SNL live animal moment where everyone in the house and on set is laughing. That was a good way to end that show. Is it Tim Meadows' donkey that just starts walking away? Way yeah i think yeah there's like i think four donkeys on set yeah yeah and i think uh it's probably an old comedy rule that just like a group of people sitting on donkeys is just a funny visual they recreated it there was the political sitting on my donkey political talk show that they did uh in the late 90s that that was really funny and i think just that visual of people sitting on donkeys like time-tested classic and i'm a huge fan of donkeys i think that they're very underrated, underrated animal in general yeah that's a hot take here donkeys are underrated i like it yeah i would love to have a pet donkey i mean he'd probably live in the house yeah they don't name enough sports teams after donkeys as well also true maybe hot take as well uh yeah so i think that this this first one was just kind of testing charles's comfort level um like i said giving they They gave him like one straight to camera. He was in a gap sketch. So he's in like a recurring along with Stuart Smalley, another recurring character.
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[28:30] So like a decent, like kind of endearing for a current NBA player to be doing something like that. And very similar to what you mentioned about The Rock's first show. Just kind of testing the waters. And also because like, yeah, the gap sketch. And we also got to keep in mind, this is season 19. So this is that fourth season with the Farley, Spade, Sandler, Meadows, Schneider, that group. So the viewers at home are kind of expecting these sketches, and they're fitting in Charles Broccoli to them. So with the Gap sketch, he comes in at the very end, it's fantastic.
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[29:09] He comes in and drag and it's like a punchline. And then Rob Schneider, out of Africa, you can put your weed in this. He comes in at the end as the police officer. So it's kind of just like, okay, the sketch could have been for anybody. Let's put Chuck in at the end. And that's okay with me because much like the Rock show, it was like a WWF promo show. So this was kind of just, let's have some fun with Charles Broccoli on set. It's always funny to see somebody who's much taller or much different than the cast so that's fine with me yeah he was around he was 30 years old he was still in the league for seven more years yeah good shape he was in good shape by the way like you know i think that that was his most slim as an nba player too because he was maybe a little chubby in philadelphia sometimes but like 93 charles barkley like in skinny guy in good shape so it was back in the time too like the The conventional thinking, it seemed, especially on SNL, was if you're a big macho guy, you're going to win people over if you dress in drag. That was the whole thing. If we got an action star, an athlete, we put them in a dress or something like that, and it's going to get laughed. So I think they leaned into that a lot around that time period, especially. Yeah, and that was for sure popular at that era.
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[30:31] Look at the Gap sketch. It's Sandler, it's Spade. They did that a few times. That was the fourth time they did that. So they had already been doing those characters. So to have, you know, okay, let's bring in the big NBA player to join them. It's, you know, low-hanging fruit for the show at that point. September of 93, first hosting gig. Pretty fun. It took a while for them to bring him back. He retired from basketball in the year 2000, but it took another 10 years almost for Chuck to come back. So it was season 35 episode 11 january of 2010 and again like some some more nba themed stuff he's involved in uh recurring sketches of the time so he's playing with this cast of 2010 and kind of getting involved in in their sketches and their nonsense and this this one might have like maybe in my opinion maybe his best performance in a sketch out of his four times um just a little teaser, but is anything in his second hosting appearance that kind of sticks out to you? Well, this one, notable now, you know, he's 46 years old, the episode was delayed, 35 minutes because of the Cowboys-Eagles.
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[31:50] NFC wildcard game, Cowboys won, and they referenced that in the monologue because they're delayed. Now it's not Saturday Night Live, it's early Sunday morning live at this point.
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[32:02] And it was funny, he did, I will point out, I have to point this out, he did cite some SNL stats in the monologue. He made fun of the show because they had had almost no black hosts for a long stretch.
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[32:15] And he does call out Dwayne Johnson as being partially black to count him in those stats. So whenever I hear a host do some stats, I have to mention that. But for that, he gets to be in a whole new playground. Ground and now we're in 2010 so we're in this maybe third golden age um of snl with sudeikis wig sandberg you know it's near the end of that era probably because you know they came in 0506 but he gets to be in a mcgruber so he gets a three-part run pre-tape and i'll just start with that because or durell yeah durell it's daryl so i'll start with that because it's it's fun to have um you know we had betty white come after this show and she did a mcgruber as well and another sketch we'll talk about i'm sure but that was uh i'll start with that one i mean the mcgruber is racist as a concept was just funny anyway but to have charles barkley there made it way funnier in my opinion okay don't worry gang and when i say gang i'm not insinuating that anyone here is a crip or a blood or in any other black gang or white gang whites could have gangs too right durell it's daryl shown up but look if there's one thing i've learned from the sensitivity training classes that i was forced to go to is that regardless of the color of our skin we can all work together 10 seconds mcgruber okay uh biggie hammer that screw you got it mcgruber Okay, Durrell, respectfully.
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[33:45] Hand me that pen. Which pen? That one, right there.
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[33:48] I can't tell which one you're pointing at. Be more specific. That one, the African-American pen. What? Sorry, the Negro pen? The Negro-American pen? Just call it a black pen. Oh, so now... Just seeing the steps by the end, MacGruber had gone to some sort of counseling or racial sensitivity training.
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[34:07] And he's just, like, he pretends to be Zen, But then at the end, the racist nature of MacGruber just comes out again. But Charles is just like, you could tell. I think this is a good reason why he's so endearing is because watching him in this sketch, it seems like he gets the humor. He gets why this is funny. He gets the show. Part of him understands what's happening in the MacGruber sketch and why it's funny. So I can kind of get the sense that Charles has a good sense of humor and knows why this is funny. Totally. and to go off a point you mentioned earlier about why he's a funny athlete is the self-deprecation because mm-hmm.
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[34:46] I can remember back then when the first video came out of his golf swing. And if you've never seen that video, it's basically, you know, like a lot of ex-athletes who get into golf and he was one of them. And his golf swing is basically him doing a backswing, coming up, pausing, and then hitting the ball. And that was shared all over the internet. You know, we're going back, this is even pre-2010, but he did do a sketch with doing that. And i think this is maybe thomas you're going to mention the sketch but his his like physical comedy that he does it the concept of the sketch is him doing other activities in the same manner of going like going in pausing and then going way too hard so i i have in my notes him putting the magnet on the fridge was my favorite moment of the show no that you know that was outstanding and he's just so good. He's really good at knowing his brand or knowing why people like him and why people think he's funny. And part of it is he knows he has a jacked up golf swing. So he leans into it.
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[35:53] Might as well, right? Let's lean into it, make fun of myself. And yeah, the Haney Project, that's what that sketch was called. Like, yeah, yeah, it's just total self-deprecation. But he's like, you know, we're all laughing together. Like, we're not laughing at Charles. And like, he's laughing with us. And he really did that. He really got the swing coach. Yeah, he really did. Yeah, I've seen him swing a golf club in person right before my eyes. And it was jarring. I knew I had seen video of it, but we went to a celebrity golf tournament in Lake Tahoe every summer. So we went in 2010, maybe a few months after this episode, and we saw Charles at one of the holes. And I took video of it, and it was just a sight to behold. So it is even more jarring in person to see that swing, man. That's a great two truths and a lie or icebreaker is that I saw Charles Broccoli's golf swing in the flesh. And it scarred me for life. But yeah, Charles makes fun of it. He made fun of himself too in a sketch, the very last one, Barclays Bank. So he kind of made fun of his gambling proclivities in that one, which is a really great premise, Mike. Barclays Bank. For over 300 years, Barclays has offered products and services tailored to meet the specific needs of its customers worldwide with investment strategies that span the financial spectrum.
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[37:21] Boring. Hi, I'm Charles Barkley. If you're looking for a new way to manage your money, perhaps you should try Barkley's Bank. At Barkley's Bank, it's simple. You give me your money, I promise you two things. I'm either going to double it or I'll lose it all. And that's a promise. Yep, that was the other one I wanted to mention because of this quote alone. Give me your money, I promise you two things. I'm either going to double it or lose it all. that's a promise and then he only asked what two questions to them.
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[37:54] Yeah uh what's your favorite color right and then okay i think they said you know blue or something and then they said uh what what about between red and black just between red and black yeah so yeah he he did take outside things that if if you've never heard of charles barkley they're funny but if you if you're familiar with what makes him funny even at his own expense he leaned into it so i think the second show is what makes him a returning host for three and four but also just solidifies him as like this guy can do this he would have been just a one-time host that we would remember like oh yeah i remember when charles barkley hosted in 93 but but his run on tnt and just him building up.
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[38:40] His brand and everything and i think yeah you're right the second hosting gig was like okay i think we have a mainstay because this guy just kind of like gets it he's like down to clown and and that's what a lot of this show is about but my honestly like low-key my favorite barkley sketch i think he's the best in in the first sketch of the night it's an old it's a game show sketch called real quotes the next famous line is from the film a few good men it's famously delivered by jack nicholson and the line is you can't handle my privates incorrect be that as it may you cannot handle them so keep your hand to yourself no one was asking you can never be too safe reg it's an old snl trope of a game show with bad contestants they're asking them to like finish movie quotes and they're giving the the wrong quotes of course and they're frustrating bill haters the as the game show host but Charles has like, Pretty good comedic delivery in this one probably his best delivery out of the four episodes that he's hosted like this was a, Kind of impressive by Chuck. I liked his sketch and I liked his performance.
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[39:52] I literally had that, Thomas, in my notes. Chuck's line delivery kills, I think, the best timing he's shown on the show. Yeah. No, it's really great. Who was the other contestant? I forget. Was it Kristen? It was Wig, yeah. Yeah, yeah. It was just the two of them. Just the two of them and then Bill as, of course, the game show. Yeah, Bill Hader, Kristen Wig, and Chuck. Yeah, Chuck played really well off of Bill and Kristen. That was impressive. When I doubted Chuck's like performances and sketches, his sketch comedy ability, which I mean, let's be honest, he's not as far as hosts go and like hosts that we especially we've talked about on this show. He's not the classic going to knock it out of the park with my performance in a sketch. But this one really impressed me. So I'm glad you highlighted it, too. Yeah, for sure. Sure. I mean, I have one more, and I just feel like it's worth mentioning because of this sketch's area in the SNL universe, which is Scared Straight. And I just wanted to show the list of people that he's come after and before, which are the prisoners that play alongside Kenan's character. We all know the sketch. We have the three youths there being scared straight by Jason Sudeikis' police officer. They bring Kenan in to scare them and make the raunchiest jokes of the night.
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[41:14] And it was Tracy Morgan, Taylor Swift, Betty White, Zach Galifianakis, and Lindsay Lohan. So I mentioned Betty White did a MacGruber this season as well. So Charles Barkley, and this is maybe not a highlight for Chuck, but he's having a blast. and it's a sketch notorious for breaking, so you can't blame the guy, but I have to highlight that one. All right, now, my name is Lorenzo McIntosh. And I'm his dad, Marvin. But you can call us the Ken Griffiths because whether you get junior or senior, we gonna knock your ass out the park. That's right. Now, what are they in here for? You know what? Let me guess. Cannibalism. Good guess, son. What are you kidding? That's a horrible guess. No, we caught these kids hanging around the abandoned rail yard. Trespassing, huh?
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[42:03] That's where it starts next thing you know it's rabies show me a pop rabies he's following taylor swift and cornrows that legacy you know that's that's a hell of a legacy to live up to yeah charles is up for the challenge uh so probably a very loose episode a very fun loose episode um again theme nobody's gonna accuse chuck of being like this amazing sketch performer this amazing app, but he has this like charisma about him. People want him back, and they got him back two seasons later. It didn't take 16 years. It only took two years to bring him back. Season 37, episode 11, January of 2012. As soon as he appeared on screen, I was like, has he lost weight? He looks a little more slim, but then that's what his monologue was about. So it wasn't just in my imagination. Yeah, he said he lost 38 pounds.
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[43:01] Yeah, he was glued to the cue cards, though. That was one of my big observations. Like, oh man, Chuck, this is your third time and you're like really glued to those cue cards still. And the button on the monologue didn't hit with the audience. Yeah. He makes a joke to the audience that they all look like turkey legs to him. Like he wants to eat the audience because he's been so hungry on his weight loss journey. The point is Weight Watchers work for me. I feel great. except for one thing. I am so hungry. I am starving.
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[43:36] So please forgive me if I eat one of you tonight. Y'all all look like turkey legs to me, especially you. But we have a great show for you tonight. A turkey leg named Kelly Clarkson is here. I'm going to cover her in butter and gobble her up. So stick around. We'll be right back.
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[43:56] But yeah, he's lovable. That's part of his charm is he could just make a make a totally dead joke and and we'll hear crickets but uh so the first sketch kind of funny like i always kind of like when uh when the host is being impersonated in a sketch that they're doing so charles playing shack keenan playing charles barkley how many times did you say keenan impersonates 22 22 times wow and once in front of chuck maybe it was yeah or no twice did he because in one of his monologues i think he asked keenan to do his impersonation yeah he does as as himself as keenan pops out in that show okay or the other show yeah so so do you think like um starting with the sports sketch because i always wonder like non-sports fans like what they think are they going to get some of these references or anything so inside they do an inside the nba sketch like him like again truck playing shack and keenan playing charles like how do you think something like that goes over with kind of the general snl crowd I always think that's risk-reward, and you can't please everybody. They'll have younger actors, actresses, parody their own shows come in that I haven't seen the show, but...
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[45:09] Jokes per page. If it works, it works. But it also would be an entirely missed opportunity if you didn't try to exploit that audience because you're hoping that they joined the audience just for tonight and hopefully they'll stay for next week. So he did it inside the NBA in the second episode we didn't mention but with Andy Sandberg playing a make-a-wish kid as a commentator. So this third one is an actual true inside the NBA because it's the panel. Now, Elyse, get your predictions for the late game. I have a prediction. I'm the great Chakradummas. Who's giving them all these props? I will predict that Charles Barkley's going to be fat again. He'll be so fat, he'll star in Fat Free Willy 2.
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[45:58] First of all, dummy, there was already a Free Willy 2. But I'd rather be in Free Willy 2 than Kazam 1. What you know yeah we have keenan playing charles brockley and him being shack which.
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[46:14] His like hair and makeup were just hilarious yeah it kind of didn't look like shack it didn't look like shack at all he was totally game to make go on and make fun of shack yeah on snl yeah i bet i bet they they showed the clip on inside the nba after that and they all had a laugh but uh yeah Yeah, I like seeing them start with something like that.
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[46:36] Definitely, yeah. I mean, this is when you see somebody who's known to the audience for one thing, you want to give them that one thing. So no problems with me and as somebody who watches inside the NBA and knows that panel, that show itself is funny. So you just watch it, you'll get laughs. Of course, it's funnier if you're an NBA follower, but like those guys on that stage are funny so it's not like taking a political sketch that's not funny and trying to punch it up like those people are funny so if you haven't seen it then they are referencing comedy outside the show uh is there another segment or sketch that really like was a highlight for you in this episode yeah there were there were probably two other ones and i wanted to highlight the joanne's coming out sketch because we mentioned the 90s trope of with men in drag. Then we had a big era with Kate Adi-Cecilie of women in drag, especially in politics, playing Republican politicians and stuff. But this is a case where Charles Broccoli played small and it really worked because the timing with the other cast members was really, really good. And the sketch never really escalated.
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[47:53] Which normally is not a great thing, but the fact that Charles Barkley, who's a big, large man, as a woman, announcing to the friend group that she's a lesbian, you'd think that it would have been more exploited and kind of like, ha-ha about that, but it was played pretty serious, and there was a moment with Vanessa Bayer. But what about that time we took that outdoor shower together? You never once looked down. I'm not attracted to you.
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[48:25] Really? Is there something I need to fix? Yes. And there's no other line after that. They move the scene along. So just, yes. So I think a moment like that, we're going to talk about, is he Hall of Fame worthy?
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[48:41] There are moments in his career at SNL that I like to highlight as this guy can do it. And that's a moment because he could have broke. They could have added a keenan crutch line after that to highlight the humor but they didn't they let charles brockley just go yes very very subtle very low key very good delivery and does uh was it paul britain who who you got the kind of like the the good funny visual of like paul britain's shortened stature standing next to chuck and and so there's like some good visuals yep he was the boyfriend of joanne yeah yeah yeah so yeah joanne's announcement uh i that one stood out to me but i have a feeling you're about to say um my favorite from the night but i don't know we'll see if we're on the same wavelength here well also fred armisen that sketches says you're gonna be a great lesbian very heartfelt yeah it just totally matter of fact not played for or anything else besides just that, you're going to be a great lesbian, is I would say... We're talking about Paul Britton. Are you teeing me up here? Yep. Okay, all right. Lord Windermere, which is one of four Paul Britton recurring sketches...
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[50:00] And this like hit for me more now, especially knowing the history of the cup of coffee that Paul Britton had on the show who left to me, you know, mid season. That's a character that I don't think is, has that been covered on a podcast? No, there would be no reason. We certainly haven't covered Paul Britton here. Like, like Paul Britton, someone who's like just kind of slipped through the cracks of SNL history. Honestly, totally. Totally. You want to tell the folks at home what Lord Windermere is? Who he is? The premise of the sketch is Jason Sudeikis plays this guy who's hosting his friends to watch the football game. And his daughter's boyfriend is coming by. And he's this aristocratic, dainty, dressed in... What would you describe it?
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[50:57] It's all very Baroque. Baroque. you have like uh bill hater as his footman playing a tiny harpsichord yeah yeah like very jaunting around the maypole you know feather in the cap knickers on yes yes yes exactly so he's this just like goofy character uh he he wants everybody to call him lord windermere i think his name's something else uh they call him a different name but he wants to be called lord windermere and he um he demands sweets that's his favorite thing he he's always wanting sweets he likes tickle fights uh so he's just like a little odd character created by paul britain did he only do it twice yeah that was it yeah and i remember both of them clearly like lord windermere is something that like was etched into etched into my mind and this was a really great When I love Charles, because everybody in the room was just kind of put off by Lord Windermere. They didn't know what to think, and I thought it was a little weird. But Charles immediately buys in and was taken with Lord Windermere. So I love that, and I love how Charles played it. I know a riddle, but I shan't tell us all unless you can pinch my bottom. But you'll have to catch me first. I'm on it. Get that button over here. Bring that little... How about you hear that riddle? For the love of God, Garrett, piss that bottle. I'm crying.
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[52:19] Oh, man, this is the best night of my life. I love the little Lord. He's just a regular Joe. A regular Joe? And that's also the nature of that sketch, is Sudeikis is the girlfriend's dad, and he loves him. He loves him, yeah. Already, that's the premise of the sketch, is you think, the trope of meeting your girlfriend's father is going to be tough. It's going to be some machismo and some nervousness. It's that this little guy prancing around and Sudeikis can't get enough of it. And so Barkley plays as the extension of him. You've got to pinch his bottom.
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[53:00] I'll have a riddle for you, but I won't tell you unless you pinch my bottom. And he starts running around. and like Barkley wants in on that so the other two you know Sandberg and like they're just trying to watch the game but yeah Barkley's all in he's all in I love when Barkley says uh I want to hold him just like just as a matter of fact that like gave me a nice like real genuine laugh and Chuck's just like I want to hold him and he's so Paul Britton's so small that he could and Sudeik is just yelling at Andy Sandberg who's his son why don't you go get Lord Windermere some sweets just the whole is this chaos like uh this and what's the other paul britain that i like sex ed is another yeah that was his one that he did the most that i love that one so that that's if anything he's known for it's that but this one is a hidden gem because is it the greatest sketch ever no but it has a joke and it hits you with it and you i like it and most importantly i think chuck is like genuinely good in this sketch too and trying his hardest i think out of all the sketches he's been in to not break yeah that's surprising because it seems like once per episode that that he'll start breaking but it didn't happen in lord windermere that's kind of that's kind of crazy it seemed like he again he knew why this was funny and he's just down to clown.
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[54:20] Because, yeah, at one point he does hold Paul Britton, Lord Windermere. And, of course, you have large NBA star Charles Barkley holding this small man. And Charles Barkley is doing everything he can to not just lose it. That was the highlight of the episode for me in terms of I think it was just the best sketch. And it was Charles' best performance in a sketch. Nice. I'm glad you liked that one. Yeah, I know. It was great.
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[54:45] Absolutely. Love Lord Windermere. um yeah not not much else like they had one where he played a character called the dong father in the 17th annual adult video awards is basically the whole sketch was just the in memoriam at these uh adult video awards but yeah i mean snl uh obviously liked him he had a fun episode again a very loose atmosphere there in 8h that night six years later charles is back for more uh season 43 episode 14 his fourth and most recent appearance so it's been going on seven years now six or seven years since he's been on there is actually you know what especially like the run at the end i thought was really good like uh but what first stood out to you with this episode this one is fresh in my mind for sure i i have to say the previous one we just talked about a friend of mine went to that taping and so I texted him this morning because he was at the after party and I said what did you remember from Chuck at the after party and because he told me a couple months ago I had no idea I'd be talking about Charles with you tonight and he just said that he sat at the bar the whole after party and was surrounded by models.
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[55:59] And they were doing tequila shots all night and Charles Broccoli kept telling them I have to be in New Orleans tomorrow or cover a Pelicans-Mavericks game.
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[56:11] And that just played out the whole after party. So a little inside baseball, but shout out to Dylan for the story. The season 43 one. This one is interesting because they lean a little political in this one, right? A little bit, yeah. There's a couple concepts that charles brockley seems very game with but it's because of the lebron james shut up and dribble controversy when he spoke out about something and you know he got that comment about like just play basketball and that was a big thing going on in the whole sports world you know this is around kaepernick time kneeling for the anthem and so he says and it's a perfect chuck Chuck quote, I've been saying whatever the hell I want for 30 years. I'm hosting SNL for the fourth time for no reason. That was his tee-up was like for that more politically charged episode for the fourth when his previous three were mostly silliness. He does that. They do a Me Too style sketch with the Grabby Awards, where it's all about actors who are handsy on set and giving unwanted massages and stuff. And the male co-host is Beck Bennett, and he gets replaced by Chris Redd, who gets replaced by Luke Knoll.
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[57:33] Charles Broccoli plays Tim Franklin, who's wearing not a Time's Up pin, but a Tim's Up pin. Oh, gosh. And then there's one other one I'll say is the Ned's Roach Away. Do you want to talk about that one? Yeah, yeah. So Charles plays a guy named Ned. He's the pitch man for his product, Ned's Roach Away. And it is very socially kind of aware sketch. So he gives basically, quote unquote, good roaches guns to take care of the bad roaches. So forget about those sprees. Roaches just drink that stuff up like tequila. You might as well put it in a piĂąata and throw those roaches a party. But with Ned's Roach Away, the party's over.
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[58:16] Now, some people might say, but Ned, when gun-carrying roaches just add to my problem, that's so dumb it makes me mad. My bed and scissors make sure only the best high-character, guard-fearing roaches can carry guns. It's time to go to church. And none of my roaches are gay. And for really bad problems, you need Ned's Roach Away Max with Bubstock. There's like commentary on the discourse after there's a mass shooting like a good guy with a gun could have taken care of it and so that's like the the play on that which i found interesting because charles i mean charles will speak on politics a little bit but i've never really seen him get involved with something so like politically heavy in its message uh like something like that because something like ned's roach way like had did have like a clear perspective and voice i think, and it was a funny sketch it was all like animated little roaches holding AR-15s and the people in the house would be going about their day where they would hear just these gunshots going off as in the good roaches are shooting the bad ones, and they hit you with the button at the end that Ned's Roach Away is NRA.
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[59:30] Yeah, yeah, yeah. And I admit, like, I kicked myself. I was like, I should have picked up on that immediately. Then at the end, I was like, oh, come on. You've got to be more of an astute viewer of SNL than that. So, I was kicking myself, like, after that. Yeah, that one I completely forgot about. So, you know, maybe in the consciousness at the time, you have these, like, three in a row political type of things. Or at least like socially social issues and then he had that pre-tape in the can that they had which was actually funny but the next one was was the homework hotline yeah him playing off mikey day who has a striking resemblance to like jim henson as the puppeteer i think his name is bobo was the puppet and it's all just sexual innuendo that he's hooking up with the puppet which i think has been been done but it was funny with Charles Barkley like literally having to carry that sketch it's really just him and a puppet and like callers coming in and he has to play oblivious at first and then he's like gets wise to it and he's like hang up on them so yeah there was a third one though as far as like like social conscious kind of sketch what was it kind of in a conversation.
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[1:00:46] Probably even still but especially at the time he was in a sketch with Alex Rodriguez and then Keenan playing a former football player and the sketch is basically about how harmful the effects were of playing football yeah so they're asking the CTE conversation yeah exactly so they're talking about like Charles is talking about how hard basketball is how grueling it is and then Alex is saying how grueling baseball is and then Keenan's like obviously affected by CTE so that's like kind of saying something too like these sketches are kind of getting involved in a lot of like the discourse that was happening and yet they found a way for charles barkley to be a good player in all of them we talked about at least i did earlier about him kind of just being shoehorned in for a laugh in the earlier ones where he's leading these sketches and they're hitting so maybe it's a commentary about modern snl and he happened to be the host but he did a good job with it yeah yeah agreed um i said that there was a good run at the end. And the last three sketches of the night were probably like, I think the three best in my opinion. So, so they, like the beginning was like, wow, they're kind of going there with a lot of these topics. But then the last three, which as of now are the last three sketches he's done on SNL, Hump or Dump, which was Charles, it was a dark sketch. Like I was kind of a little surprised by that, Mike. Right. It's like the, the classic dating show sketch, but...
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[1:02:13] All the commentary just comes back to, you know, rule of three, Charles Brockley is the third contestant. And he just keeps doubling, tripling down. If you don't pick me, I'm going to kill myself. That was the joke of the sketch. And they ran with it and made it funny. Nah, girl, you pick me because I'm Twitter verified and I always send you home in an Uber pool. Ooh, color me intrigued. And Doug? Let me put this plainly, Amanda. If you don't pick me, I'm going to kill myself.
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[1:02:45] I'm sorry. I don't think I heard you right. Yeah, you did. I'm going to kill myself. I came to win, and I'm putting all my chips on the table. Hey, come on, man. That's not cool. I mean, you can't put that on her. If you're battling depression right now, we can get you some help. I'm not depressed. This is a game show. I want to win. Is he allowed to do this? No, of course not. Because he was just saying it so matter-of-factly, like, oh, that's just what I'm going to do. And then his justification was like, he's in it to win it or something. So, like, that was his strategy. Yep. That was completely strategic. Maybe they put that in there to soften the blow a little bit. Exactly. Yeah. I think he turned to Chris Redd and Chris Redd says, oh, I'll kill myself. And he goes, well, how are you going to do it? He's like, I don't know. He's like, see? This guy. this guy doesn't know he doesn't know he's never thought about it he's not he's just bluffing yeah.
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[1:03:42] And like charles yeah he was kind of like straight face pretty decent characterization, of somebody like this so uh i think yeah i think that was a fun one by chuck the next one the construction workers one might be my favorite sketch that charles was in though he's part of the ensemble but just as an overall sketch it might have been my favorite one that he was was involved with like across all four it's up there all right i want to hear your commentary on it then, Okay, so the basically like these construction workers get into a conversation about what they would wear if they were women. And so I think Beck's the only one that's kind of resistant. Well, all of them are kind of they're kind of like put dipping their toe in the water of the conversation.
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[1:04:21] And then all of a sudden, like the three of other ones, including Chuck kind of get more into it. And Beck's still trying to fight it. But I just love how they ramp up like the escalation is them kind of saying like, Yeah, I've kind of wondered what you know, if I was to dress elegantly, like what would I wear? Woman what i would wear and then it turns into them like having specific ideas of what they would wear and what would look good on them and everything so i just love the escalation i thought they handled this very delicately and very in a clever way so i was like all bored with this sketch come on guys let's eat roast beef sandwiches and talk about the girls we'd like to date around with huh come on we do that every day today we're exploring new avenues you You know, sometimes when I watch the Oscars on the red carpet, I'm like, how would I wow them if I were a nominated actress? I don't know, right? I think I'd wear a gown that had a large peekaboo hole in the back. I'd put a backwards necklace with a little pendant that comes around and floats in the middle. I don't know. I'm just spitballing.
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[1:05:22] Yeah, this is definitely his ensemble piece because it's hard to make a pro athlete or a former pro athlete fit in the cast.
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[1:05:34] Usually, we've seen it recently with a really hot host and they make fun of, or comment on how hot they are. A really tall host, let's talk about how tall they are. This one was just like Charles, one of the guys.
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[1:05:48] And so, he was able to service the sketch more than comment on, hey, Charles Broccoli's on SNL. Like, isn't that funny? That's true. Yeah, that's a really great point. And he added to it. And again, it was good timing. And Chuck didn't always have that, you know. But I think in this sketch, it was just like he added to the tone, I guess. He struck the right tone for what the sketch was asking for. Whether it was by accident or not. but like he he totally like fit in it was like his true again yeah it's just his ensemble piece that he pulled his own weight in this ensemble piece yeah and this might be a thread that we're getting to tonight but it's the idea that charles barkley is not a comedically talented individual he is a funny individual for sure but gets comedy and we've seen trained actors famous people on the show who are in funny sketches and i don't know if they get it so the fact that he is involved and like i said servicing that idea we want to talk hall of fame in the night here like that's something that would you know edge him over to your to your ballot if you want to vote for him is that he is bolstering this, not a passenger.
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[1:07:12] As many hosts are in good sketches. Yeah, yeah, agreed. And then the night ends in a totally fun way. Maybe his most fun sketch that he's been in in SNL, Last Call, one of those great Kate and Kenan sketches. Sheila Sauvage. Sheila Sauvage, yeah. Just Charles has the right amount of awkward energy for this to work, I think yeah and that's something that I don't know if we've we've hit on hard enough tonight is his charisma is so good like he's such a likable person, If you dig into his backstory, he had a tough childhood. He really was, like Thomas said, top of the night. He was short for his position. He was a rebound king. He didn't make his team. All these different aspects of him, but he's a super likable guy. So when you put him, this could ultimately be, if he never hosts again, his final SNL sketch, and you have him paired with Kate McKinnon, last call of course 10 to 1 sketch and it's everything you could want it to be, i gotta be honest when i first saw you tonight i thought hell no but now i'm not thinking because i'm drunk and of all the men in here you're the only man in here.
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[1:08:34] Let's go back to my place and do missionary huh that's where you try to teach me english until you get frustrated and leave the country.
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[1:08:43] I'd rather do the reverse cowgirl. That's why I put your cowboy hat over your face and walk you out back until you fall out the window. You're bad, man. You're bad. My favorite part, like the showstoppers, and they put those things from the dentist that they put in your mouth to keep your mouth open. Because their lips are in the way. Yeah. He and Kate just start kissing, and of course you always get the funny Kenan reactions. To whatever's happening at the bar. Keenan turns to stone. He turns to stone. Yeah, this was just, Charles just totally let his guard down. Like he said, screw it, I'm not self-conscious. And this, more than a lot of these other sketches, proved that he's not self-conscious. He's down to do whatever. And Kate, it seemed like Kate was having a really fun time playing off of him. It seemed like she was really enjoying this sketch too. And the Vogelcheck sketch, I can obviously mention that one, and then this one, which involves a lot of kissing and physical intimacy on a live stage. So I don't think you would have Charles Barkley or any other host. I mean, I have the list in front of me. Maybe you can name some other names. What is it? What list is it? Oh, people who have appeared in the Sheila Sauvage last call sketch. Oh, Larry David. Larry David, yep. Amy Schumer? Correct.
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[1:10:11] She's second most recent. Okay. Who else appeared in the last call?
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[1:10:18] He was the seventh, Charles Barkley. Okay, who else was it? It's been done nine times. First of all with Louis C.K., then Vince Vaughn, John Goodman, Woody Harrelson, Larry David, Dave Chappelle, Charles Barkley, Amy Schumer, Adam Sandler. Okay, I should have remembered. I remember the Dave Chappelle and Louis C.K. I should have remembered, too. I remember that. John Goodman. I don't remember that. I have to go. I didn't either. Yeah, I have to go rewatch all the Sheila Savage sketches now. Right. But I don't know. Maybe it's just me, but I can't imagine Kate McKinnon would want to... She will do what it takes for the comedy, but if it's a weird host, maybe she wouldn't want to. I know I just listed some names that might trigger some feelings, but Charles Barkley, like you said, has that awkward energy that matches because Sheila Sauvage is not a sexy character.
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[1:11:17] It's not played for the romantic, it's played for the gross aspect. So Charles Barkley doing that surprised me.
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[1:11:25] When I watched that episode, like, live in March of 2018, I was surprised to see, like, oh, they're ending with this? I know. We all know what's happening next. Yeah. It was a great ender. I think a great run of sketches to end the night. Fun episode, I think. That's what you're getting with Chuck. You're getting just him being fun, a loose atmosphere. And I know a lot of us, like, we're really into, a lot of SNL fans are really into, like, the art of sketch comedy, right? Right. Like somebody is a technically good sketch performer and they hit all the right beats and everything. But what should we do as fans of sketch comedy with somebody like Chuck, who's honestly like we've said it, like not the most gifted sketch performer always, you know, but he has that charisma. He's clearly beloved. So what should we do when somebody like that hosts like let our guard down, you think? Yeah, I think that's a good way to say it is buckle in, enjoy the ride, because I think I probably said this earlier, but like we're being silly here. You know, it's this doesn't have to be so serious. I mean, I think that SNL of all shows nails it to get serious and be funny. They don't always nail it. They've had some missteps with that, but and been super serious. Yeah.
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[1:12:49] When you have someone like it's charles barkley like what do you want from us we're having fun here is there no room for that you know like of course there is and i would love to have him back for a five-timer.
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[1:13:15] So there's that a great four-time host sir charles barkley mr murray leaves us with a cliffhanger though does he get invited back to become a five-timer very very interesting i would say he's in the news a lot right now with the tnt move uh the nba move from tnt and inside the nba being um a show that won't be anymore and that's very disappointing because for me who's not even Even a big basketball fan, that is just a very enjoyable show. Barkley is a big part of that. And if you didn't get that from the conversation between Thomas and Mike, then listen to it again, for heaven's sake. Listen to it again. We're going to go right now to a sketch. This is called Real Quotes, and it comes from a hosted episode by Charles Barkley.
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[1:14:16] It's time for Real Quotes! All right, welcome to Real Quotes, the game show that tests your knowledge of famous lines of movie dialogue. I'm your host, Reg Barnaby. Let's meet our contestants. He manages a blockbuster in Baltimore, Maryland, Sam Jefferson! Good to be here. Now that you manage a blockbuster, I bet that's gonna come in handy. If you say so, Reg. And from Tacoma, Washington, she's a schoolteacher, Rebecca Lumpin. It's so great to be somewhere, Reg. Okay. Well, let's play the game Real Quotes. I will read the beginning of a famous movie quote. First one to buzz in and complete it wins the points. First quote from the film Cool Hand Luke. What we have here is a failure to... Sam. Launch. Incorrect. But that's a movie. Oh, Failure to Launch is a movie, but it does not complete the quote. Seems like a gray area, Rich. Well, it's not. Rebecca, what we have here is a failure to. A failure to get along. But that doesn't mean we won't see eye to eye one of these days, so let's not burn any bridges and just agree to disagree. I bid you adieu, Godfrey.
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[1:15:41] It's incorrect. The right answer was a failure to communicate. Oh, right. From Spartacus. No, no. From Cool Hand. Luke! That wasn't one of our quotes. Again, Riz. That's a gray area. The next famous line is from the film A Few Good Men. It's famously delivered by Jack Nicholson, and the line is, You can't handle... My privates.
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[1:16:09] Incorrect. Be that as it may, you cannot handle them, so keep your hands to yourself. No one was asking. You can never be too safe, Reg. Rebecca, you can't handle... You can't handle your liquor. And if you don't leave me and my girlfriends alone, I'm going to have a word with the management, Buster Brown. Incorrect. You thought that was the famous line for the military courtroom drama, A Few Good Men? I did. And I still do. I was looking for the truth. I told you the truth. You can't handle my privates. Okay. All right. Very funny. Very good. Very good. All right. Next up, from the 1975 film Jaws, upon seeing the shark for the first time, Roy Scheider utters the unforgettable line, we're gonna need a bigger... Shark! No. See, they saw the shark. He was so big, they thought they were gonna need We're gonna need a bigger... Shark bag.
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[1:17:15] Think water. Ocean. We're gonna need a bigger ocean? Yeah, if you get a bigger ocean, it's gonna make the shark seem smaller. Then the joke would be on the shark. No. No. Rebecca, we're going to need a bigger... We're going to need a bigger house. If we intend to start a family, and intend to start a family, we do. Three girls, three boys, and an adopted child of sex yet to be determined. Oh, no. All this talk about family made me forget to return my library books.
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[1:17:54] I was looking for a boat. Then you should go to a marina. I'm not looking for a boat. Ridge, you got to stop talking in riddles. The quote was, we're going to need a bigger boat because the shark was so big, the original boat wasn't big enough. Man, that sounds like a good movie. I'm about to see that one one day. You manage a blockbuster and you haven't seen Jaws? No, I manage blockbusters. We're a demolition company that specializes in destroying entire city blocks. bucks.
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[1:18:26] In the 1989 film Field of Dreams, Kevin Costner utters the line, if you build it, we will knock it down. What? That's the slogan for blockbusters. If you build it, we will knock it down. Look. Very good. All right. That noise means it's the end of the round. You each have zero points but Sam advances because he seems to have a slightly better sense of what quotes are sorry Rebecca sorry for what come on down soon all right okay it's time for the speed round complete as many quotes as possible as fast as you can and here we go, Houston, we have a... Arby's! No. I see blank people. Two people. You and Rebecca. No. Life is like a box of... Dead people.
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[1:19:34] May the force be... Equal to mass times acceleration. How do you know that i'm not a dummy i just haven't seen a lot of movies why don't you come on a show called real quotes i actually thought it was about fishing fishing quotes yeah like we're gonna need a bigger boat all right you know what i'm done i'm done, Let's just stand here and wait for the buzzer. All right, and that's all the time we have on Real Quotes. Until next time, here's looking at you, kid. You shouldn't be looking at kids, Rich. That is the quote.
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[1:20:17] Nice blow on that. You shouldn't be looking at kids, Rich. Great sketch. Man, I miss Hader as the game show host. That was some good stuff always. Speaking of good stuff, another great conversation between Thomas and his guest. In this case, it was Mike Murray. Follow more of his stuff on his Twitter account or at the SNN. I want to thank Thomas and Matt for joining us this week. And of course, our friend Doug Donatz for his excellent announcing. I want to remind everybody that we do have a new email address. And that email address is the SNL hall of fame at gmail.com. The SNL hall of fame at gmail.com. Shoot us an email. We'd love to hear from you next week. We've got Nicole Brady who was last with us in season four, nominating on a gas tire. She is back and she will be discussing Bob Odenkirk. So that should be real fun.
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[1:21:18] Listen, that's what I've got for you this week. It's been an absolute pleasure to be here with you. I am going to be leaving now, but before I do, I have a favor to ask you on your way out as you pass the weekend update exhibit, turn out the lights because the SNL hall of fame is now closed.
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Joe & Shari are back with jD to discuss the inclusion of U2 and musical guests in general in SNL Hall of Fame.
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This week on the pod jD and Matt discuss some U2 trivia before ceding the floor to Thomas and returning guest, Ryan McNeil.
Transcript:
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[0:28] Ryan McNeil. And now, curator of the Hall, J.D.
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[0:39] Thank you so much, Doug Dines. It is great to be back here in the SNL Hall of Fame at the SNL Hall of Fame podcast. My name is J.D., and I would love to welcome you in, but my goodness, this fall season has made your shoes all mucky-muck. Give them a wipe, won't ya? The SNL Hall of Fame podcast is a weekly affair where each episode we take a deep dive into the career of a former cast member, host, musical guest, or writer, and add them to the ballot for your consideration. Once the nominees have been announced, we turn to you, the listener, to vote for the most deserving and help determine who will be enshrined for perpetuity in the hall. And that's how we play the game. It's just that simple.
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[1:36] You listen. You vote. You listen again. You complain. We've got a spot for that now. That's the SNL Hall of Fame water cooler, which is going to appear in your feed every Thursday. Day and it's going to be discussing that week's episode in a little more critical focus and view inside the context of the hall so we hope you'll enjoy that send us an email snl8 the snl hof.
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[2:14] At gmail.com, So there's that. This week we have a great show. My friend Ryan McNeil is joining us. He is a multi-time guest on the show. Tends to focus on music and he is doing that once again talking about U2, nominating U2. So that should be interesting to hear. If you enjoy what you hear, please follow him at thematinee.ca. That's his blog, his movie-loving blog, and there is the podcast of the same name. Let's find our friend Matt Ardill and see what he has to say, that son of a gun. Matt!
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[2:59] Diddy. You too. What do you got?
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[3:04] Yeah, I mean, they're from Ireland. I think that was obvious by like two seconds of listening to them. They formed in 1976. They were formed by Larry Mullen Jr. Posted a note on his school notice board for musicians starting as a seven piece called Feedback. Uh then they started whittling away and became hype and then eventually got down to uh the lineup we know larry mullen jr bono the edge and adam clayton becoming you too now bono's real name is paul david hewson the edge's real name is david howell evans um and they're they how they got got their nicknames or kind of internet edge got his nickname from the shape of his face uh so um it's it's he's edgy um larry and adam also have nicknames which you don't often see uh larry's being yeah jam jar uh that's what they like to call him um and adam was mrs burns um i mean it's It's clear that these are names that that are given in jest because Bono's actual full nickname came from an abbreviation like Bono came from an abbreviation of his full nickname, which is Bono Vox of O'Connell Street.
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[4:30] Really? Yeah, I, you know, the Irish, we're a mystery. Um now he's inspired by everything from uh Brian Eno or they are inspired by from everything from Brian Eno to Thin Lizzy to Joy Division and the Beatles um to say their their their inspirations are diverse.
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[4:52] Understatement um now they kind of broke big by winning a saint patrick's day talent show in limerick in 1978 they won 500 pounds and studio time which resulted in the demo they gave to cbs records in ireland um their first release was an ep entitled three which was released only in ireland um they are very charitably minded um including amnesty international make poverty history the one campaign live aid live eight data uh music rising and goodness knows how many more charities um they are the fourth band on the cover of time magazine the others being the beatles the band and the who um so they're the only one without company yeah pretty good company and the only one without the in their name so uh that makes them unique but yeah i mean like what what other band like those are three of the best bands of all time so can't complain they're actually one of the few bands though that turned down doing a uh by john peel um get out of here Yeah, John Peele's like, no, no, I don't like them.
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[6:12] Oh, they were turned down by Peele. Yeah, Peele's just like, no, I don't want to do it. The UK Tastemaker was one of the few big hits he refused.
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[6:22] The others being The Police and Dire Straits. Peele shrugged it off in the not a fan category.
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[6:32] Basically, just didn't like them. So they are a bit polarizing. I have an ex-wife who hated U2. So, yeah. They're the only Irish band to win a Grammy for Album of the Year. They hold the record for the most Grammys won by one band at 22. They went on to do a 40-night residency at the Las Vegas Globe, filling the 160-square-foot venue. I have to correct you. Sorry. The Sphere. Sphere? The Sphere. Okay. Yes. The Sphere. The Sphere. Okay, let's go back. No, no. they didn't just leave it let's just leave that yeah okay um they they sold 281 000 tickets uh making 109.8 million dollars get out of here yeah uh they they don't need any money they're doing fine um now apple they aren't without controversy aside from my ex-wife um apple Apple pushed their album, Songs of Innocence, with no way to remove it, which pissed people off so much. Apple had to develop a special program to remove the album after it was pushed to devices without permission.
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[7:59] But in 2005, they were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and have also received a Kennedy Center Honor in 2022. 22 she was very well decorated yeah so they are a band with uh the credits to to get in pretty much anywhere they want so will they get one more accolade this season in the much maligned musical guest category matt uh i don't know i don't know they are certainly friends of the show and uh they they pack a ton of credibility as far as having a worldwide band in 8h you know pretty neat kind of thing um what do you say we head downstairs, can't wait let's give it all right thomas take it away.
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[9:25] Yes, JD and Matt, thank you so, so much. Today's an exciting day here on the SNL Hall of Fame. I'm going to be talking about a band that I absolutely love. Arguably, at their peak, the biggest band in the world. I'm not even sure how arguable that is. I think they were the biggest band in the world. And joining me to talk all things U2 and SNL, back for what I like to call another edition of Ryan's Music Corner here on the SNL Hall of Fame. That's kind of what I've pigeonholed him as, but like awesome musical guests. So without further ado, I want to welcome Ryan McNeil to the podcast. Ryan, what's up, my man? You know what? I just keep on trying to get one of these bands into the hall. I also just selfishly love coming by to just talk about my favorite bands. Come on back next time, kids, while I talk about Jack White.
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[10:23] We're just going through the list. You know, I'm basically getting to talk about all of my favorite acts. And I'm sure there are legions of people who have met me over the course of my life who cannot believe that you gents have given me a soapbox to talk about you two. There are whole swaths of people that are saying, in the long list of bad ideas, this is a very bad idea. Oh boy, here we go. oh, yeah, that's how I can get with a lot of my favorite bands as well. You just pull the cord and then watch us go.
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[10:55] It's shutting me up. That's the hard part. Yeah. Our Dave Grohl episode was a little like that, which was one of my favorite episodes that I've done. This is now the fifth season that I've been doing these conversations. And our Dave Grohl episode was still one of my favorite episodes. So I think we can handle this one. Nice. Can't wait. Yeah, me too. Before we get to that, though, you have a podcast that I love, a movie podcast, The Matinee Cast. So, man, what's been happening over on your pod? We just wrapped up a season. My seasons end in August because September for film is a little weird. So I usually just take the month to kind of reset. And I send a postcard from TIFF, which happens in Toronto the week after Labor Day. So there would have been a TIFF postcard that went out about what we saw, what the week was like, what the festival was like. And then we get ready in October for a whole new season. and I've lost count of how many seasons. I guess this would be, oh shit, this would be our 15th season actually. No kidding. Yeah. That's impressive. I'm a senior citizen when it comes to podcasting.
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[12:02] I was telling Darren Patterson was on with me recently for Garrett Morrison. He does the SNL Nerds podcast and he was saying they're on their 300th episode. I'm like, you realize that most podcasts go to like four or five episodes and then quit? Yeah. So this is like, that's really impressive, man. If you hit double digits, you're doing muscle. So I, the, one of the things that keeps me going is I only do them every other week. Yeah. Yeah. That's, that's true. That's only spread. Yeah. Spreading that out. Uh, so will you be covering the Saturday night movie in October?
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[12:32] Good question. Uh, in the past, yes, yes, I would have been, but Tiff for me, uh, around 2016, I changed my approach actually to the, to the Toronto international film festival. And that was the first year where I was really limited to what I could see. I had a very shortened window that year, so I needed to pare things down. And I started that year only going to see the films at TIFF that were directed by women, which cut a big chunk out of the festival and really made it easier to choose how many films I was going to see. And I had such a great time that year. It really kind of gave me a new lane in the festival that I just stayed in that lane. So ordinarily, I would be. Uh, I've seen several Jason Reitman films at the film festival. He kind of loves going there. Um, and I, I love a lot of how Saturday night looks, uh, but I, you know, rules are rules. So, uh, no, so not at the festival, but I will be seeing it. Uh, and then on the podcast, I'm sure we'll be covering it. Yeah. I might, I might, I might have to bring in JD to talk about that one. So yeah, Saturday night movies coming out in October, October 11th, I believe. So I'm, I'm pumped about that. So I can't wait to hear if you have an episode about that. I can't wait to hear your thoughts.
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[13:48] I'm looking forward to it, for sure. Yeah, for sure. So a few months ago, you and I were talking about what other bands we could cover here on the SNL Hall of Fame. No offense, if my other guests are listening to this, Ryan, with the musical guest, does get special treatment, I suppose, and kind of picking his brain about, so what other bands would you want to talk about? And you brought up U2 pretty immediately and excitedly. So what does U2 as a music fan, Ryan, mean to you?
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[14:19] U2 is my band. And it's a strange thing to say that because I realize how many people in the world really don't like U2. There's a lot of people who love them. You know, they're still packing thousands to their concerts all over the world, including, you know, sometimes when they're just doing a Las Vegas show for a few months. Uh but there's a lot of people who hate them a lot of people who think they're overexposed their music is boring that they're still mad at them for putting music on their ipod um but i when i was.
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[14:55] 13 14 years old started listening to their songs and they spoke to me and i have never really let go of them it's it's an interesting feeling now because it kind of they're not what interests me from day to day i i latch more onto bands like the national and uh kendrick lamar and saint vincent and bands like that um but you two always feels like going home um so even watching a lot of these performances were songs that i haven't actually played in some time but i know every word to so they they are my favorite band ever uh they always will be uh they're they're are confounding at times but i i love the holy heck out of them yeah yeah i love them too and i'm that way my favorite band is radiohead and i'm that way with radiohead because i don't go and listen to radiohead every single day i can go a long time without listening to radiohead but when i decide to put okay computer on it's like i'm coming back home man like the warm and fuzzies and everything so i can see that uh for sure about you too um i i've loved them um probably Probably more so in the last 15 years or so. But even when I was a kid growing up, like the Joshua Tree, I was so familiar with that album, Octoon Baby.
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[16:12] So they've been a part of my life. Like they've just been ever present since I've known what music was. Would you agree? I mean, there was a time when they were the biggest, like the biggest band in the world, right? Oh, absolutely. They kind of, it was interesting because, yes, is the short answer. Yes, and to, you know, to honor SNL. Yes, and they kept trying to get the belt back.
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[16:37] And we'll talk about that when we start talking about their performances. But what's interesting is right now, if you ask me for cash and prizes, who is the biggest band in the world? I legit do not know. The biggest band in the world is probably a solo act of some sort that I cannot think of a group of individuals that I would say is the biggest band in the world. I know who the biggest artist is, but like band, you're right. I couldn't name the biggest band. Yeah. And, you know, there was this lineage for a while of bands like U2 and Guns N' Roses and Oasis and, you know, and so on and so forth. Coldplay for a while, Radiohead for sure, that were, you know, capital letters, the biggest band in the world. I don't know who it is now, but yeah, U2, they've had this up and down career. It's strange to say that when you consider how omnipresent they are, but they have had these wild fluctuations in their career where people either really love what they're doing and identify with it or cannot stand it and completely reject it. And it's no in between. Yeah, I know someone who rejects U2 almost because she says that Bono, well-intended with his community service and world â essentially world service pursuits, comes off as a bit â Preachy. Preachy, yeah. Self-importance. Exactly.
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[18:01] So she says that in a wrong way, but â Yeah. I say this as a fan, the band would probably be more successful if Bono wasn't working on his humanitarian stuff as much as he is. Yeah, so I know that's a critique. Before we get into their SNL stuff too, you saw them at the Sphere in Vegas. I did. And I think our listeners need just a quick review of the show that you saw, man. I went with my best friend of 35 years, who is also a big U2 fan. It was his idea. And we really didn't know what we were getting into. We were able to get tickets on the floor, which was in classic U2 style, were the cheapest seats in the house. It's like, if you want to stand on the floor, we are more than happy to have you and you can get in for less. And what is trippy about that room i say this to everybody who's listening if your band plays that venue go like pull the money out of savings and go because that room is has to be seen to be believed it's the size of a basketball arena but built for art so the problem with a basketball with any kind of venue that you see a band in is you're watching a place that's designed for sports and television, not music. Sound is not even secondary. Sound is probably third, fourth, or fifth down the list.
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[19:31] The sight lines were gorgeous the screen is incredible it's 26 stories tall and the set like they just put on an incredible show it was um it was the best i've ever seen them but they were helped in a big way by the venue uh and and just again it felt like going home like all those songs just hit me anew yeah i was simultaneously jealous but super happy for you at the same time because i know how much you love you too so and in classic u2 style they turned their sphere residency into this running gag you know where people by the time they got to the end of the residency people were comparing them to the phantom of the opera that's just stuck in the sphere and cannot leave oh that's great yeah that's awesome so yeah so if you ever if one of your favorite bands plays the sphere take it from run don't walk yes yeah run don't walk go check it out um so we're gonna as far as you two on snl we're gonna do a little something different to start the show because I've brought you two up with some really big SNL geeks and they've told me the same thing like you two's awesome but SNL didn't get them like at their peak necessarily.
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[20:39] So I'm like yeah like I had to concede that like they they didn't so I want to do an exercise with Ryan I'm going to take part in this too we're going to do a little fantasy booking before we get into their actual performances and for SNL hall of fame voting purposes this does not count toward the rest of the Hall of Fame. This is just mine and Ryan's kind of nerdy exercise here, brief fantasy booking here. So I told Ryan between about 1980 and 1991, if they appeared twice in that time period, how would you book those appearances and when? So I want to start, do you want to kick it off, Ryan, or how do you want to do this? How many do I get? Two appearances. Two appearances. And standard SNL, so that should guide you as to how many songs they perform. Okay, okay. So in that case, here's what I want to do. I want to go... I actually want to start earlier in their career. I don't want to go all the way back to Boy in 1980. I want to bring them in when they're touring War. war. So the war came out in 1983. Yep. 83, 82. 83.
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[21:57] I should have this stuff committed to memory. And I think that would have been interesting if that was one of the episodes where Drew Barrymore hosted. And I would love to see them play Sunday Bloody Sunday and New Year's Day. Oh yeah yeah okay they're like that era of the band it's almost it's almost foreign to see now because they're so lo-fi they're much they're much more in tune with where they came from like you know them coming from ireland in the late 70s and being inspired by the ramones and the clash and you know those kinds of bands and television like you wouldn't expect that now when you watch them play and you see them being so larger than life and so anthemic, you wouldn't think that they were guys who were inspired by white men at Hammersmith Palais, but they were. So to go back to that era and to watch them be so young, so full of energy, like their songs were so fast, that I would love to see on the SNL stage. I think that would fit in really well with a lot of that early SNL aesthetic too, when it was much more DIY.
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[23:11] Yep ebersole that's the ebersole era yeah still that they would have that they would have come into uh yeah as well yeah yeah i like that uh it's kind of funny we had parallel thinking right there um because for mine i i waited for them to have like three albums under their belt kind of get more and more of their name out there so i had them for war as well after the war album and i wanted to see them play sunday bloody sunday and like a song i think like a song is this energetic love it kind of big sounding i think they would they would have totally ripped like a song they would have in 8h and uh so i have them doing yeah sunday bloody sunday like a song i don't think they were the band in 83 to get the preferential third song no but so that's why only having them do two songs but i think that's a nice like sunday bloody sunday we both have because that's just like the chill inducing that's the one that you play first that's what what people know. But then like, yeah, you and I kind of differed on the second song. But interesting that we both had them around the war period of 83. Yeah. I mean, I do love when SNL brings a band in early in their career. You know, it's wild to say in this case, early in their career being three years and three albums in, arguably at the point where they cemented the fact that they were going to stick around. Because after the second record, people weren't really sure. And nowadays they wouldn't have made it to a third record.
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[24:38] But yeah, that that was the point where it's like, OK, no, these these these lads have something to say. So for appearance number two in our fantasy booking, Ryan, where do you go?
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[24:48] I could go several different ways, to be entirely honest. I'm going to go against my instinct. And I'm going to say I want to bring them back in 1991 when they were on the heels of the Actung Baby album, when they really reinvented themselves. I think Jason Priestley would host that show. And I would love to see them play The Fly and Mysterious Ways. Okay. Yeah, I'm curious about The Fly. The.
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[25:18] Fly is so fun visually like The Fly was when they went and did this album that was so different than everything else they'd already done it wasn't as rootsy it wasn't that DIY record it was this really you know produced by Brian Eno very Berlin inspired music that actually cost them a lot of fans like there were a lot of fans that were like out at that point but The Fly was really where the band and Bono leaned into this music and it's got this like fuzz boxy kind of guitar and he's dressed up in this like patent leather with these stupid goggles and he's acting all very larger than life and very um you know acrobatic uh it it visually it's great it would be great tv yeah yeah no i can see that that's a that's a good call so you so you said you had um and mysterious ways and mysterious ways just because i think that's a song uh that they would probably like they were the the visual for that one was a a belly dancer so i could foresee a belly dancer kind of doing their thing on the stage with them yeah good call so parallel thinking for us again man so oh you went there as well i went there as well so actoon baby i went in 1991 i'm gonna give them keifer sutherland okay as the host skid row was the actual musical guest for keifer sutherland we're kicking skid row out and we're bringing you two in love it so uh so i went with mysterious ways their most popular song i think off of Vac Tune Baby.
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[26:46] I think it would play well in 8H. This is my personal favorite U2 song.
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[26:53] It's acrobat okay so you know you know what's interesting is that neither one of us went for one yeah i looked at one and i'm like no i want to get off of that i was like thomas gonna choose that um but um i didn't go populist this time no acro and acrobat again it would sound and look.
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[27:12] Incredible um i believe i've heard them play that i don't hold me to that but it's it's it's very deep in the record. I think if it's not the second last track, it's the third from the end. It's kind of where people usually tune out, but yeah, it's a really soaring guitars.
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[27:29] Oh, swirling music. Love that song so much. Very underrated song. A hundred percent. And the soaring guitars is what gets me. And that's, that's why it's my favorite you to song. Cause I hear it and I'm like, this is just like chill inducing. It's amazing. I think it would rock. I think it would just sound so good. I could imagine the lighting Bono getting so into it. Um, Ryan, I have them playing a third song because by 1991, they're so huge. I think they're going to close out the good nights and I have them playing. I still haven't found what I'm looking for at the end, a little crowd pleaser during the good nights. I can totally just totally see that happen. So I'm giving them a third song. It's going to go back to the Joshua tree. I still haven't found what I'm looking for to close it out. Okay. I like it. I like it a lot. That would set a precedent for, for you to doing a third song because we saw that a couple Double time. So. So that was fantasy booking with me and Ryan geeking out a little bit because we missed, I think a lot of SNL fans missed you two kind of at their peak. It's kind of a Prince thing. I think Ryan, like amazing artists, but we didn't see like the peak necessarily on the show. This is true. Prince, at least he showed up and then he disappeared and he came back. It was kind of like Bowie too. He showed up, he disappeared, and then he came back.
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[28:51] U2, they never had that. And they went, again, we've got 20 years of their career before they show up. They're teetering on the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame by the time they finally arrive.
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[29:06] And it's not like they weren't performing on television. It's not like they weren't doing well or doing that kind of appearance. Their music videos at the time were very known for kind of taking over public spaces. So it's, I have no idea, maybe just the stars could never align to get them in or what, but it's a really wild thing to see this band not just show up fully formed, because we've talked about that on this show before, but just show up several rounds, it's like several peaks and valleys into their career.
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[29:39] And that they had interaction on stage with a couple of, or with at least one or two SNL characters. Didn't Wayne and Garth kind of do some sort of cross thing with them on MTV? They did. Yeah. There was a, there was the MTV awards one year, Dana Carvey hosted it. And at one point he came out as Garth and he got to drum with them. They were, the funny thing is they were like from, by satellite from whatever live concert they were doing. Right. But he was drumming like really live because at the time it was the Zoo TV tour where he He was like flipping channels and like the TV part of it was very big. And at one point he flipped to Garth and Garth was drumming with them. Yeah, that's so cool. So there's a little bit of an SNL connection. Yeah, they're in early 90s. But when they first made their debut and I said the SNL fans missed out, they didn't miss out on great performances. Certainly. They just kind of missed out on like when U2 was like the biggest band in the world kind of band. Yeah, they missed out on eras is what they missed out on. To steal the label of the current biggest artist in the world. Yeah, exactly. So their first appearance, season 26, episode 7, that was December of 2000. Val Kilmer, your host. This was after they released All That You Can't Leave Behind. I think the songs that they performed completely made sense. The first one was Beautiful Day.
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[31:05] Someone you could lend a hand To turn the world around To you there's my hand, I'll face the sky for the fear I'll face the future for the day.
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[31:25] Down the road On record, I think it's an okay song to me. But live like I was super impressed by this one what do you think Ryan so the wild thing about this moment is this is them coming back, So the late 90s was not kind to U2. They were disappearing for long stretches. Their tours were only so-so.
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[31:54] And people were already tired of them. People were like, ah, they've lost it. So then they go and they make this song that is structurally very strange, should not work. And even me as a fan, I was like, well, it's OK. And then all of my non-U2 friends were playing it and playing it and playing it. And it became this huge song in 2000 that was their big comeback hit. And you're right, live it gets additional legs. And this one I've definitely heard live several times. And, you know, even just when Val Kilmer is introducing them, you can hear the crowd is already like ramped up and ready to adore it. I noticed that too. there's like an anticipation like pent up yeah for like years yeah yeah they make it all look so easy uh what i love about this song is it shows how loud these four boys can get like they're they're you know it's just four instruments there's no extra there's no strings behind them there's no keys or nothing like that that's filling things in it's just them they make a lot of noise and they get a very very big sound and it's it's wild because they make 8h seem like an arena when they're playing this song yeah absolutely i do want to shout out the boys by name we've mentioned bono and of.
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[33:09] Course on yes on the guitar edge david evans to his mother but edge to everybody else um adam clayton on the bass larry mullen jr on the drums those two are uh unsung heroes in that band they are they are incredibly talented and could do anything they They wanted to, if, if they were ever got bored of doing this job and, and they, and they shine later on, we'll talk about them again in a second. Yeah. But yeah, these two songs, beautiful day in elevation.
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[33:37] They really showed off. Um what the band was ready to do like they were ready to take back their place at the top of the charts um elevation was actually kind of interested as well both of them bono has a real trick of knowing when and where he is um at all times and this episode was on december 9th 2000 which was almost 20 years to the day that john lennon was killed in new york so in both songs there are snippets of john lennon music he does um i think it's all you need is love in the first song and instant karma in the second song so it's it's he's got a real trick of knowing where and when he is at all times and kind of alluding to that so um lennon's another person who really inspired bono especially but the band for sure so seeing those two things caught on on camera was really wild and knowing where he is like to to quote like the cowbell sketch from around that time bono was exploring the studio space yes in 8h man like i loved when like there was already great energy to begin with and then bono goes into the crowd walks around messes with the camera a little bit he loves doing that he loves messing with cameras like at the so you see him alive will he kind of like find a camera that's shooting like the big screen he'll kind of mess with it too Mm-hmm. Always. That's been his favorite trick since 91.
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[35:05] Oh, okay. Yeah. He messed with the Studio 8H camera. The crowd was on fire at the end of this. They really did. And it really was this wild moment in 2000 where this band that everybody had more or less moved on from, all of a sudden just came back unexpectedly.
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[35:58] Their first snl appearance an event it sounded like an event you would reference their music sounds big we would use the term soaring which i think both of these songs qualify it so that both of them sounded so big on that little stage and and and it worked it just it just so like completely worked so i thought it was like an event the first time like yeah 20 years in the making and it delivered absolutely so their second appearance season 30 episode 6 mr luke wilson uh hosting a couple of days this is november 20th of 04 so it was a couple days still before they were going to release how to dismantle an atomic bomb i think vertigo was already kind of out there in the ether and being played and that was the first song that they chose again um made sense typical big U2 sound I mean sound like a broken record I enjoy this performance very much.
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[37:22] We'll be right back. The, vertigo had latched into a lot of people's consciousness because it was the ipod commercial it was it was kind of this controversial moment of had you two just sold out um back you know back when that was a taboo thing nowadays that's part of that that's part of your income but um you know, for this band that was very much about altruism and about selflessness. And, you know, yeah, listen, they make money, but they weren't about selling their souls to sell Cadillacs. It was like, what do you mean they licensed their music to Apple? And the story then turned into, oh, no, no, they let Apple use it, but they didn't take the money. Vertigo. This is where Larry and Edge are playing their asses off. The bass line and the drum line of that song is deceptively good that just kind of gets lost behind that guitar riff that's so easy and bono doing his yeah yeah yeahs throughout the whole thing It's a fun song to sing along to. They play it up again, really loud, really big.
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[38:30] It's it's it's yeah, it's just take no prisoners holding the belt. You know, they're the biggest band in the world again. And it's like we're not letting go. It took us seven years or six or seven years to get back to the mountaintop. We're not getting off the mountaintop just yet. Yeah, I felt that, too, for sure. And it's kind of funny because maybe it's like, I don't know, like because Bono's wearing wearing sunglasses indoors or something. He always does. Yeah. Like it occurred to me while watching this, how much of a giant rock star that he is. And that might, yeah, that might sound like such an obvious statement, but like watching him command the stage just makes me think like, oh yeah, this is what a rock star is. And you can't really learn how to do this. It's almost seems like it's something that's in you. And so watching Bono, it's like, he knows, he knows how to command the stage you referenced he he he lives for the moment so that's like with watching vertigo again yeah adam play and edge stood out but bon i looked it was like bonos of damn rock star yes yeah the.
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[39:33] Amazing thing about going back to this episode after vertigo and its braggadociousness um is they come back and they play this song that was a huge single off this record but i've actually almost forgotten about it called sometimes you can't make it on your own long.
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[40:16] This song is one that Bono wrote in the wake of losing his father.
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[40:25] And I knew that at the time. I knew that. I follow every darn thing that the band does. But for some reason, I didn't really hear it properly at the time. And now coming back to it after my own father has passed away, this song is just dripping with grief and it's got this beautiful build um some incredibly frank lyrics that when you learn more about um bono's relationship with his father and what that all entailed which would be enough to fill a whole show um and not in a way that's the typical like angsty father-son relationship but actually a very very close one um the song gets a whole other layer so watching it in in preparation for this conversation it hit me a lot harder than it has in the past um and it's something that i i do recommend people go back to if they've never heard the song or if they've forgotten the song listen to it because it's just it's one of their more underrated songs and the way they perform it and it becomes this slow beautiful build into to just this beautiful embrace is really something special to see yeah it was great sometimes you can't make it on your own uh is the song two things that stood out to me really was like.
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[41:50] Edge really shines during this performance for me i love that soaring guitar yeah that's part of the build-up that you mentioned and then it turns into this soaring guitar that edge does so well and i don't know if it's it's the guitar tone and the youtube does a lot especially live with like reverb and making it sound big and stuff like that but that's what like he's a mad professor yeah right yeah edge's guitar just totally like sung and soared to me and.
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[42:18] It almost it did make me think too that even their slower songs sound huge oh yes that's an accomplishment but their slow songs have this build up and they just sound enormous like this is a band ryan that was i think you listen to boy and i think when i listened to boy which was their first album that they're already made for the arena instantly i think i will follow is the first song off of.
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[42:42] Boy and i listened to that and i'm like they're made for the arena they did like they were they were aiming big they they they aimed big and they hit it yeah absolutely so you can see that in their slow songs yes as well so this is like a perfect example and i just did a segue and i didn't even mean to do that i looked up and i was like oh yeah um this song this next song would have been if we were doing fantasy booking early on i would have chosen i will follow um so i love that they did this during the good nights they got a third song what a special moment like how cool was this.
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[43:54] Watch them play a song that's 24 years old at that point just you know rip the roof off the the studio the crowd is in it the cast is losing their minds one of my favorite parts one o'clock in the morning and everybody is just wrapped you know everybody is loving their them saying good night with this classic yeah i mean bono's doing his bono thing he's walking throughout eight age messing with the camera he gives a lady in the audience a lap dance and she kind of grabs him though like oh yeah she was she was like she's like fanning herself after yeah yeah she's enjoying it it was such a cool shot like you mentioned all the cast members on home base dancing he hugs amy poehler well she looks like she's about ready to like her heart's gonna burst completely she was so into you can see parnell and dratch and maya and will forte and finesse mitchell like they're They're all getting into it. What a, just the best good nights of all time, maybe. Like, yeah, definitely. Right. Very unexpected. And it plays so well. Yeah. And do you know about this? Like, um, they seemingly played more after the show ended and, and, and they moved on. I read about that. Yeah. I read about that. Like, I mean, it's the, you usually do have to kind of drag them off stage. They will keep going as long as they want to. Yeah. Uh, but they're kind of like Bruce Springsteen in that way. Uh, but, uh, yeah, they, apparently they played, they kept on playing, but I, and I, and you, And as I said, if you watch that crowd, you would not know that it's 1 o'clock in the morning at that point because nobody's going anywhere.
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[45:24] No, they weren't. And I think Bono even announced, like, we're not going to go. Like, can we stay or whatever? So the camera, the show ended. And as U2 was starting another song. I don't know what song. No idea. I can probably look it up. Check the show notes, folks. Yeah, I'm sure the U2 fan community.
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[45:42] It's listed somewhere. I'm sure it is. But to be in that crowd. No, I'm kidding.
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[45:48] Can you imagine? Oh, that was awesome. So I will follow one of my personal favorite U2 songs, a special moment to close their second appearance on Saturday Night Live, like some legendary moments already, making up for lost time, as we mentioned. Most definitely. Yeah, absolutely. They come back not too long after, like the five-year gap, September of 2009. Five years is a long time. Let's not cut this short here. Five years in between appearances five years in between records is a very long time in this century it was a long time in the 80s like that that's one of the things that's held this band back is they have always worked very slow and for a long time that was okay when bands were taking that much time in between albums the world has sped up they have not but yeah no five years from 2004 to 2009 that is a very long time yeah i guess i because i was like oh we've been waiting 20 years since their first appearance so yeah well i mean yeah comparatively in in the music world and like to be an snl uh musical guest yeah i think five years um so people were aching for him to come back and so they had released no line on the horizon uh earlier in the year so they made an appearance in september of 2009 megan fox hosting first song breathe and i i think this is a song that i've always loved the melody i love that there's a little bit of heaviness but then it It kind of pulls back.
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[47:13] There's not too much, like it doesn't like, it's not too crunchy. So there's a lot I've always really enjoyed about this song. So this appearance they're fighting like i said you know the the second appearance they're still on the mountaintop and they're they don't want to let go this one they're fighting to stay there and they're fighting hard and they're not really gonna stay there because this record is not gonna do what the last two did um the songs are for me not as good uh no i think this is the weakest of I am looking squarely at you, Bono, because musically, there is something that I would love to have. And I'm sure one way or another, I could probably get it in the age of AI. I want this record without vocals because musically it is stunning. The lyrics are terrible.
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[48:38] But it's a season premiere. So, you know, if you want to talk about like what the show thinks of the band at this stage, they're giving them opening night. Night um they this is another time where they get three songs and two of the three are very long breathe and moment of surrender are both really long numbers moment of surrender like six and a half minutes yeah something like that yeah yeah yeah um the band musically though is doing some amazing things like you talked about watching edge's guitar in um in sometimes you can't make watching him play in moment of surrender is just sublime yeah yeah i agree um even larry mullen jr in breathe really stood out oh yeah yeah his drums are just drumming or gore is gorgeous it's great and that's like uh it's funny because that's what i noticed too is it's it's more so like edge and adam clayton and larry mullen jr standing out that it is bono yes here three out of four Four people did their job. Yeah, for sure. Yeah. But I think the moment of surrender, so I'll say this, that's probably my least favorite of their SNL performances, which says more about how great U2 has been on the show. Yeah. Because it's still good.
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[49:57] Yeah. But it's just like you're watching it. You're comparing it to I Will Follow. Yeah. To Elevation. You're comparing it to all of these great performances. It's a beautiful day. Compare it to their debut and it's like, hmm.
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[50:09] Yeah. Yeah. So so but even that even moment of surrender it's long. It's my least favorite, but I'm like I'm like watching it going it's.
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[50:17] So yeah so that's just don't listen to the words yeah watch three out of four and don't listen to the words and you'll love it yeah luckily i'm not like i say that as a fan what's that yeah i'm not total a total like lyrics guy too like that's the lyrics are the last thing that i'll notice in the song so that's probably to my place to my their benefit with right right um but you mentioned they did a third song again um and this is where like yeah ultraviolet like during the good nights like interesting visuals to me this is where things get cool because while.
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[50:50] Most of what they do in their snl career is very small and club-like theater like this is a band that still plays stadiums uh to this day still play stadiums and not a lot of bands can put on a full stadium show uh you know beyonce can taylor can of course but i mean and i say this is a person who appreciates his music but and and you know listeners please write in and tell me what is an ed sheeran concert like in a stadium you know what i mean like i i can't i can't fathom that uh but this is a band that can still do a large spectacle and you get a glimmer of it with ultraviolet.
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[52:00] This tour had this really cool like claw, this very big circular stage. Oh, that was the claw. Yeah. 2009.
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[52:09] They really started leaning back towards their Acton Baby album because its visuals kind of mirrored what they were doing. And they did this trippy encore with this suit where he had like basically laser pens pointing out of every which direction. Pretty much. It seemed like little mirrors that refracted light to make it look like lasers or something. Something like that. Were they actual lasers? No, they were actually lasers. As he moved, they kept on. Like a laser suit, basically. Yeah. And this microphone that's like an old-fashioned boxing announcer microphone that descends from the ceiling. And it's like a steering wheel that also has red LEDs in it. And he swings on it and he sings into it. And this is giving you a glimpse into this is what this band does in a bigger room. So the fact that they could bring that, they could bring the stadium show to SNL is pretty damn impressive. Yeah, it was really cool. And it seemed like the production compared to their first two SNL appearances, it seems like it was a bit more. There were screens behind them, a little bit more lighting, I think. This is where SNL is starting to lean into that too, where they're getting people away from the train station and they're starting to let them play a little bit more. Yeah, yeah. And it's very evident right here. And the only thing I'll say about Ultraviolet on the negative side is I wish we got the entire thing. Yeah, no kidding.
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[53:28] Right? Yeah. I mean, of course, Time, they're doing a television show, but they had to cut them off. Like, the credits were rolling and they're still doing the song. So I wish we got the whole thing. But still a cool moment. You got to see some of the visuals from that tour in 2009. in nine.
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[53:44] Definitely a long time, Ryan, before they come back. It's a little over eight years before they come back. The Irish took over that day. Saoirse Ronan hosted their fellow country person. I can only assume Notre Dame won that day as well. It was a full Irish takeover. And the Celtics. And the Celtics. Yeah, exactly.
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[54:05] So they had released Songs of Experience the day prior.
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[54:10] Was that the album that ended up on everyone's iPhone? phone no that would be songs of innocence oh okay which basically torpedoed songs of experience by the time by the time they came back and this time they came back actually pretty quick they came back just a few years later uh one year later actually with songs of experience people were like no i'm out forget it you put your music onto my device i'm done it's so funny like yeah i don't know like you could have i think these people felt violated electronically but you could have just not listened to it or you could have just well there's that i mean the really the really wild thing is apple was the.
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[54:43] One who did it but you two never wanted to get out there and say we did not do this apple did this if you want to yell at anybody yell at them and by the time they finally brought that up the ship had long since left the dock like they didn't bring that up until years later and that kind of tells you something where they're like you know if people want to be mad at us we'd rather them be mad at us we're not gonna you know get into a pissing match with a corporation yeah um the timing of this episode is interesting because this is this is around the time that uh the president of the united states is banning people from whole countries from coming to the america um they start with this song called american soul that has this really powerful intro um you know like blessed are the liars blessed are the peacemakers blessed art you know and that's Kendrick Lamar that is Kendrick Lamar and um.
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[55:43] Again, you two knowing where they are, when they are, they know well enough that one of the biggest voices in the world right now is not them, is Kendrick Lamar. So they put him front and center on this track to the point where they actually let him take the track. He has a song on his damn record that takes a snippet of American Soul and drops it into the middle completely without context. Context yeah they then use it as a full song a year later um so it was kind of wild to see that and and beautiful that the first voice we hear when they're back here is kendrick lamar not bono yeah cool visuals too yeah beautiful visuals in the background um it's it's um you know it's again it's really four on the floor kind of music really driving just really energetic kind of again Again, back to what they were doing in that 2000 performance. At this point, they're just straight out of cares. They're just happy to be there. They don't care about staying on the mountaintop. They're there to champion the people that folks like the president of the United States at the time would say is worthless. And they're saying, no, you are not worthless. You are what makes this country great. You are what makes the rest of the world great.
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[57:04] And, you know, we see you. I love the message. and the performance was good nothing too like chill inducing but i love the message love enjoy the performance.
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[57:50] I like the second song to me. Get out of your own way. Yeah, no, it feels like a throwback in a good way to me, like a like a recent U2 song that kind of feels like somewhat of a throwback. I kind of like the melody. So I kind of dig this song. I definitely dig the song. And I do get a laugh at a band like U2 singing a song called Get Out of Your Own Way, because it's it's like, are you listening to your own words? Well, he's you know, I mean, he wrote it. You know who he wrote it for? before that one he did yeah yeah um but no you're right i mean the irony's not lost yes there for sure um the songs are flipped this is the interesting thing is get out of your on the record get out of your own way lead straight into american soul with that blessed are the bullies blessed are the liars um segue that that kendrick does so it's kind of wild that they flip them um i watching them in prep for this show i was actually thinking it would have been cool if If somehow or another they had to convince Destinel to let them play them back to back. Yeah. I don't think that's ever been done.
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[58:51] But that would have been a cool experience. They're not Taylor Swift. No. Doing a 10 minute. No. But I mean, they're doing Moment of Surrender for seven minutes. Sure. Right. You know, I think they're going to be able to talk Lauren into doing it. Yeah. I found that interesting too. Like rechecking the track listing and stuff. I'm like, that was my first thought. I'm like, oh, if they could have somehow. how yeah you hear kendrick's voice at the end of get out of your own way into american soul so you're absolutely right but get out of your own ways one of those like it soars it's kind of light it's just yeah it's a it's a pretty song that's like it's it's a lot of what i love about about you too it's probably my favorite one of my favorite songs like that they've put out like the past 10 years.
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[1:00:06] Those songs are underrated. There's a lot of really beautiful stuff on there. It's just at this point, a lot of people have kind of moved on. Yeah. So so the you know, the thesis at the beginning, the what we pointed out was took them 20 years from boy to their first appearance. But I think they nailed it. I think I nailed it as SNL. I mean, regardless of we didn't get any Joshua Tree songs ever on SNL. We didn't get stuff like Desire that might have been fun, but we got some damn good performances, Ryan. Which is, I mean, it's interesting because a lot of times when they bring in legacy bands, especially when they bring in legacy bands late in their career, that second song at 1245 will be an older one that people recognize, right? Like it's, let's play the new song and then let's play the encore number. They never really did that. that they kept they kept some of those songs till 1am uh when they were let but they're like no our new material holds up it's good music on its own in and of itself let's just play the new stuff and and for my money it worked even though like even as i say that the the no line episode is weird.
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[1:01:16] Lyrically it's still great music and then they end it by going back to their older stuff that fits with the new music. So, you know, points for the ballsiness of saying, we are just gonna stick to the new stuff because we believe the new stuff is good. And for the most part it is. Yeah, I'm glad like a lot of fans were maybe exposed to their new stuff. Like they might've just, And like, oh, U2, I haven't really listened to U2 since like the mid 90s. And then they get this new stuff and hopefully it motivated some people to go check it out. Yeah, yeah. So do you think how much like should it factor in that they weren't on the show at arguably their peak? When it comes to like how people remember them and their SNL musical guest legacy, like should that factor in? Like, where do you stand on that? I would say that it doesn't matter as much as it might for other bands, because when they came when they did finally show up in 2000 and 2004.
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[1:02:14] They were still at a peak. Peak those two records in the early part of this century they were huge and when you look back and like i say this now as a fan i say that their music is not as relevant as it used to be but when i say that it used to be i'm talking like 20 years ago so when they did show up they showed up at a peak they this is a band that's had a few peaks over the course of its career and they showed up for one of them so if we've got four spots and two of their spots they are the biggest band in the world i think that negates the fact that they took a 20-year wander before they got around to it yeah it's a good point and as far as because we've we've talked about this i mean we both champion dave grohl i i've taken it as a personal mission this season to try to get dave grohl into the snl hall of fame i'm still stumping for prince man still stumping for prince i mean Yeah, no, Dave, we did David Bowie. It's hard for musical guests to get into the hall, for sure. But why should voters really strongly consider you two for the hall? Maybe as part of the show's musical legacy, knowing all that. I'm glad you asked. There are only a small handful of bands that have had a three-song night on SNL.
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[1:03:35] No other band has had it more than once. And this band got it two times. So that to me, it's like, it's like throwing a 20 strikeout game and there's one pitcher who's done it twice. So that's the kind of thing it's, it's, it's a special number in the legacy of the show. And not only have they hit the special number, but they did it two times.
Track 3:
[1:04:16] So there's that you know i hadn't really considered ryan's final argument there that like a 20 strikeout game they in this case you too did it twice they performed three songs twice and one of the instances that they performed we're going to listen to right now it's from the 2004 episode hosted by luke wilson the band got invited to perform a third song after the good nights and they chose I will follow. So let's give that a listen right now.
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[1:08:58] Electric. That performance was definitely whole worthy when you factor in the context. And that's important. The context is very important. The musical guest takes up about 10 minutes of a 90 minute show. So I understand that they are not quite as, you know, important per se in your head as cast members and potentially writers and even hosts, but musical guests are people too.
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[1:09:32] So there's that. Keep that in mind. We've got Dave Grohl still on the ballot. He should be in. I, I'm curious if the news that just broke this week will factor into his vote this year or, or not. There is not a, um, a clause in the SNL hall of fame bylaws that indicate, uh, somebody needs to, um, behave in order to go into the hall. but I digress. Listen, next week we have a great show, but before we head into that, I really want to thank Ryan McNeil for joining us again. Visit thematinee.ca for more of his work. Thomas, once again, just a bang up job. Matt Ardill in the trivia corner, just phenomenal. And then of course, this Thursday you have Joe and Shari that are going to, I don't know, No, probably continue my musical guest rant.
Track 3:
[1:10:38] So there's that. That's what I've got for you this week. Join us next week where we nominate Charles Barkley. We're joined by SNN super stat guy, Mike Murray. So that should be a real good one. Give us a listen. Send us an email at the SNL HOF at gmail.com. We would love to hear from you. one last favor before you leave on your way out as you pass the weekend update exhibit turn out the lights because the snl hall of fame is now closed.
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Joe, Shari, and jD gather around the water cooler to discuss this week's SNL Hall of Fame episode. What does this trio think of Adam Driver as a nominee?
Transcript:
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[1:40] Hey it's JD here and welcome to the SNL Hall of Fame water cooler. It's a pleasure to be here with you. I'm parched so let's head down to the water cooler area where I'm going to meet Joe and Shari. There they are. Joe how are you doing this week buddy?
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[2:00] I'm good I'm good. Shari how are you?
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[2:03] I'm doing great. I got my water bottle right here that I just filled up at the water cooler nice and cold well.
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[2:09] Let's talk some snl hall of fame this week we had uh an excellent episode where ashley bauer came on to present her case for adam driver um shari do you want to take us through the episode sure.
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[2:30] I would love to uh very happy to get to hear from ashley again. This was her second time, I believe. Her first time I wrote down, let me see. I, well, we'll skip that because it'll take me a while to find it.
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[2:46] Kate McKinnon. Kate McKinnon.
Track 2:
[2:48] Thank you, J.D. Your memory, you and Joe's memory far surpasses mine. Yes, that's right. Kate McKinnon. And of course, Kate is very close to getting in. So we'll see how Ashley does with Adam. She took us, she and Thomas did an excellent job of taking us through some of Adam's best sketches. And there are too many to list. And he, of course, has been a host four times. Who knows, could be number five this season. I know they talked about it on the Saturday Night Network. The chances of him coming back possibly look pretty good. Other hosts have done back-to-back seasons. So we'll see how that goes. And Ashley made an excellent case. She and Thomas both reminded us that his serious acting chops really add to his comedic talent. It really makes him an even better comedian when he comes to something like SNL. So I think that's pretty much the rough run through right there.
Track 1:
[3:47] Nice. Joe, what do you have to say about the episode this week?
Track 3:
[3:51] I mean, I agree with Shari. I agree with the episode. Adam is an intense, dramatic actor. And if you look in SNL's history, I mean, I'm just kind of going off of, if you look at like, you know, because that also applies to other great hosts like Tom Hanks, John Goodman, Alec Baldwin. Baldwin so uh if to go back to what uh everyone else was saying could he host again John Goodman did Alec Baldwin did I mean all these other intense dramatic actors did who've also done great jobs so will he be back next year I mean more than most likely uh it you know depends on who else they want you know but if there is an open spot I could see them you know calling him in.
Track 1:
[4:39] I'd be all for that. I'm a big fan of Adam Driver as a host on SNL. Do you guys have a favorite moment or, you know, a moment that will be on his plaque, perhaps, if he were to be enshrined in the SNL Hall of Fame?
Track 3:
[4:56] I mean, I got one that I think everyone just goes to. To me, when I heard he was eligible, the first one, the first sketch that popped into mind was Undercover Boss.
Track 2:
[5:10] Me too.
Track 1:
[5:11] Right. Right. Of course.
Track 2:
[5:14] 100%.
Track 3:
[5:15] Because it does two things. It takes a role that he was known for at the time. So it's kind of like, well, why should this guy host? And it's like, well, we'll take his Star Wars character and apply it into the world or framework of Saturday Night Live. And then he just scores, scores and scores. He's like playing both the Kylo Ren character as well as like a Saturday Night Live character. So basically Kylo Ren in a Saturday Night Live context and to see, you know, the big heavy of the Star Wars universe as someone getting picked on that and then and have him be just as great as everyone else in the sketch. I mean, that's just like a great way to initially like to meet him, you know, because it was probably because I think they said in the other show that was the first sketch after the monologue on his first show. So it's like, yeah, you see the sketch and you're like, yes, okay, this guy, he belongs. Let's do this. And then he hosted four more times. And like, you're just constantly thinking of like, why should he host? You think of that? And then you're like, yeah, they even sequelized it, like they said.
Track 1:
[6:38] Yeah, I think, you know, one of the things that made that so successful as well was it is a bang on parody of Undercover Boss. I, a guilty pleasure, have spent a lot of time watching Undercover Boss and they really freaking nail the conceit and the delivery of the show. So I think that that enhances it as well. What do you think, Shari?
Track 2:
[7:05] I agree with what both of you J's have just thrown down. It is a remarkable parody. I am not as big a fan, JD, of Undercover Boss, but I know a lot of people who are. And I have watched it at least once or twice to kind of know what the conceit is and how it kind of moves along. And they do nail it. They absolutely nail it. And the thing I want to mention that you two hadn't, but that Thomas and Ashley both mentioned, is how well he plays with or plays off of or others play off of him. Because Bobby and Taryn and Leslie, just he works so well with all of them. And they're all coming into a universe that he already inhabits. And somehow it all works. I know Bobby is a huge Star Wars fan, so I love that he was able to get involved in that and become a part of the universe. I could tell he's having a ball. And they just all mesh so beautifully, and they tell such a great story.
Track 3:
[8:13] And to add to everyone's point everything comes together in the end where they're taking undercover boss putting it in the Star Wars universe and then Adam Driver the writing and the performance of Adam Driver giving, I forget who it is but giving him the card that says after a rain comes a rainbow sorry I killed your son And it's like every part of that sketch, like just in that one line, it's like the writing, the performance. I mean, everything is shown off in that brief five seconds.
Track 1:
[8:54] Did you just clap at us?
Track 3:
[8:57] Well, I mean, I didn't mean to, but I was trying to signify the moment. I mean, even though I'm doing a podcast, I talk with my hands. So if you can't, I know you can't see me, but I'm conducting my, this is how I am.
Track 3:
[9:14] But here's something else I just want to go off of, especially what Shari said. Said uh adam blends in with the cast when he hosts that was a big note i wrote when i was listening to the podcast and watching his sketches uh he can either be the center point the fall guy he could you know like in um the oil time tycoon and career day or i mean we'll get back to that But or he could be the straight man.
Track 3:
[9:49] Which is usually a thankless role in the sleepover sketch where he's the dad who's telling everyone about what happened to his house. You know, usually like I could see like if it was Kate McKinnon or like a female host, they would have the little girl saying, oh, man, that's weird. And then you would have someone else tear and kill him or someone being the dad saying what happened but to have adam do it in such a you know and to see like um him do that and sleep over and then you know be the same guy in oil tycoon that's range i just and then like the fact that he could do any role like any uh any you know that uh that calls for him in a sketch he could do it he could be big he could be subtle he could be you know whatever they need him to be he could be he's.
Track 1:
[10:44] Probably a dream to write for yeah.
Track 3:
[10:47] Because like he could do accents he could be angry he could be you know and then like in the kitten skit uh he could be playful and happy and so he just has that range that usually cast members have yeah.
Track 2:
[11:06] Agreed shari.
Track 1:
[11:08] Is there a sketch there's uh joe said undercover boss you said you weren't as down with that did you give us a sketch that you appreciate.
Track 2:
[11:17] Oh no i definitely agree with undercover boss that would have been my choice actually yeah totally uh both both the original and the sequel i just think because that's the character that everybody knows him as. I mean, he's Kylo Ren. He will be Kylo Ren for the rest of his career. And what I like about him is he's okay with that. He's not one of those actors, I'm looking at you, Harrison Ford, who like, I don't want to talk about Han Solo. Adam and...
Track 2:
[11:49] Adam embraces the fame that Kylo Ren brought him and has ran with that. And I really admire that about him. And he brings that to us now. I do too. Every character he gives 100%, just like he did with Kylo Ren. Just like he's, I know he's done a million roles. I can't even think of all of them. I believe I've seen most of his movies, but he's in so much. And he's fairly young, so he's got a robust career. Career so i see him being a john goodman or as steve martin i think he's going to come back, many many times in the future at least that's my opinion i think i'm right because i just see him being around for a long time because he's so versatile as far as another favorite sketch i have so many uh i agree with joe the one with pete davidson where he plays the crazy oil tycoon i just watched that yesterday yeah unbelievable and i had somehow missed the one he did with bowen where there's a couple expecting the or trying to have the baby rather the gay couple me.
Track 1:
[12:56] Too when i heard that in the in the podcast i was like wow i don't recall that.
Track 2:
[13:01] Somehow we have to watch on a sketch by sketch off of youtube now and somehow we missed it and i never I never went back and watched it. And I was so happy that Ashley and Thomas talked about it because I made sure to watch it this time. And again, Adam and Bowen, who would put them together, right? But they are completely believable as a couple. I just loved it.
Track 3:
[13:27] Again, another ensemble sketch where Adam blends in.
Track 2:
[13:32] Agreed.
Track 1:
[13:33] Yeah, it's funny. You know, from a comparison perspective, does he end up being a Goodman, Hanks, Baldwin, or does he end up being a Timberlake where, you know, he's works with one sort of generation. It'll be interesting to see in the years that move forward. If he doesn't show up this year, uh, you know, will the cast change dramatically after 50? I don't, I don't know. No, it could be interesting to see what 51 brings us in those terms. So, yeah.
Track 3:
[14:15] To go off of that, to answer your question, will he blend in with future casts? It's worth mentioning that he doesn't have a specific sketch that he does with a specific cast member. You know like how timberlake did um well you know you know bring it on down the rappingville or you know dick in a box so he's able to say like i'll come back and he doesn't have to do that sketch with that cast member and that cast member has to do a cameo like he could just show up and do whatever you know and then you know do a kit you know do something innocent do something intense You know, he's not tied down.
Track 1:
[15:01] Yeah, that's true.
Track 2:
[15:02] I want to add to what...
Track 1:
[15:04] Sorry, Sharon.
Track 2:
[15:05] I want to add to what... No problem. I want to add to what Joe was saying, because that was exactly how I was thinking. JT was very tied to Jimmy Fallon. He was very tied to the Lonely Island. And when they left, they were like his besties. When they left, I think he was no longer as interested. Whereas Adam doesn't have that. He's not tied to any one cast member, just like what Joe says. And I think his career is not stalling out. Sorry, JT, but he kind of disappeared for a while, which I get because he had young kids. He had young kids. I get it. But he walked away. I don't see Adam walking away. I don't know if he has young children as well, but I see him balancing things and I see him being a movie star and in possibly another streaming series. I don't think it's going to stop for him I think he's going to keep going Even if it's just one project a year If he slows down a little Kind of like Tom Hanks is doing right now in his career.
Track 3:
[16:07] I mean, it's worth mentioning that his character in Star Wars is done. Now, theoretically, it hasn't stopped Disney from...
Track 1:
[16:14] I'm joking. The movie's been years old.
Track 3:
[16:16] Your character, whatever, in the Star Wars universe, they'll still use it. But I'm just saying that the Star Wars sequel series has stopped, but Adam's career has kept going. And he's worked with many different directors. And I could see him doing something silly, like a silly comedy. Like he was in that Logan Lucky movie, but then he was also in, I think it was, uh, he was in a movie with Pacino. So, you know, he's able to just keep going. And if his career is going, then, you know, he has something to promote.
Track 2:
[16:52] Why can't he help?
Track 3:
[16:53] Yeah. Why can't, exactly.
Track 1:
[16:54] You know, is there anyone currently in the hall that is a comparison that is like a comparable? I know there's not really from a host perspective, I don't think. Is there any other role that you can see him following? Or let me ask it more simply. Is he a first ballot Hall of Famer?
Track 2:
[17:18] I don't think so. Right. Only because he's so current. And sometimes people have trouble with recency bias. But I think he's going to be like Will and Kate. hey, I think he's going to get like 63%, 64%. I think he's going to get really, really close. Because I think the recency bias is going to work for and against him, just like it did for Kate and Will.
Track 1:
[17:43] Yeah, I still think Kate was a, that's a travesty.
Track 2:
[17:47] She'll be in this year.
Track 1:
[17:48] She should have been first ballot. She should have been first ballot.
Track 3:
[17:51] Yeah.
Track 1:
[17:54] Okay, I would be remiss to lose this opportunity while we're around the water cooler to talk about my favorite sketch. And that is Del Taco. So I'm real curious what Shari and Joe, you think about the Del Taco sketch by Mooney and Bennett?
Track 3:
[18:16] I mean, I mean, that is something where the host could have been like a director and then you could have had three cast members doing that, the bulk of that sketch. But because Adam is so awesome at being a cast member, he's able to just blend in, you know, and have the same rhythm as the other two.
Track 1:
[18:39] And that's Beck Bennett and Kyle Mooney, which it's, you know, if you're looking at cast members, you can't look much further than those two when it comes to keeping up. Because they are, you know, banana pants sketches, typically speaking.
Track 2:
[18:56] Yes. and.
Track 3:
[18:58] It's almost like they're bringing him into their world because they have that rhythm.
Track 2:
[19:03] They have.
Track 3:
[19:04] With each other and then it's like okay why don't we have the host come in and try and do what we do and then he's able to do it i mean almost to the point where you don't even know which one's speaking.
Track 2:
[19:15] Yeah to a degree and i almost i almost feel like this was a rare moment where kyle's almost like the straight man or the the uh one that they sort of play off of kyle's sort of the play-doh and they're you know beckon and adam are the ones who are like trying to mold him into this perfect yes taco yeah and it's so it's so great it's almost like a sandwich right yeah we got the bread on both ends and then here's poor little kyle in the middle and it's i thought you were talking.
Track 1:
[19:50] About tacos at first i was going to say you're going to create controversy.
Track 2:
[19:53] Here um but they they're they're just a not a trio again not a trio i would have put together in my head but worked so beautifully and then a little bit of is that cecily who plays the female, i think it um no um chloe is it one of the chloe chloe chloe chloe chloe Yeah, Chloe Feynman. She puts her little touch in there too. And it's just a really nice melange of talent kind of coming together from all different angles.
Track 3:
[20:28] Yes.
Track 1:
[20:30] Yeah. Yeah. I, I, I couldn't agree more. Uh, I, it's going to be interesting to watch. Uh, if he does get 60, it's going to be like, well, why the heck doesn't he get 66? But, uh, we shall see. Let's wrap things up here with the taking a look at the previous three nominees, Beck Bennett, Sherry O'Terry, Garrett Morse. If you were to rank the four in likelihood of getting in, in order, adding in this week we're adding in Adam Driver, what does that ranking look like in likelihood of getting in? Joe, we can start with you.
Track 3:
[21:13] I would say I would go Sherry first. Actually, no, I changed my mind. Garrett Morris first. Then Sherry. Then because I know this is going to sound bad then Beck and then Driver because I just feel like the other three have done more overall you know that being the case and I know Adams is the host that's right yeah.
Track 1:
[21:49] So, of course, he can't have done as much as a cast member. And that's why it's important to, you know, like, you wouldn't say a director at the Oscars, well, he didn't act well enough because he's a director. You know what I mean? Like, they're rewarding him for being the best director rather than being the best actor. So, you know, you're falling into the trap, Joe, is what I'm trying to say.
Track 3:
[22:13] I guess. And maybe it's also because he's recent. I mean, again, how about this? It's only because it's those three. I mean, if we were doing this earlier in the season or something, if I had to rank Adam Driver to Beck Bennett, then maybe I would do Driver over Beck. But it's just, I don't know. It's just, and I guess I'm ranking them in the order that they all appeared in, too. So maybe it's a subliminal thing. I mean, but it's just how I feel. I mean, I'm sorry, but.
Track 1:
[22:47] No, don't apologize. Shari, how about you?
Track 2:
[22:50] Okay, so I'm giving what I think is going to happen, not necessarily what I agree with. But I think it's going to be Adam first. I think he has the best likelihood of getting in because he was so recently on the show and he blew the roof off the place. His episode was really good, one of the best of the season. I think that back, because again, I think recency helps. And then Garrett and Sherry are going to be neck and neck, but I think it's going to be Garrett and then Sherry. And they're going to be very close.
Track 1:
[23:24] Yeah. I think you're right. Sherry, to me, has a similar path to Molly Shannon.
Track 3:
[23:30] I can see that.
Track 1:
[23:31] Whether or not she makes it, we shall see. But similar path in my eyes. And I believe Molly started in the 20s. So...
Track 2:
[23:41] I i don't even think sherry has the following that molly has and sherry hasn't been in the public eye molly's been on stuff and doing stuff molly hosted within.
Track 1:
[23:51] The last four years right.
Track 2:
[23:53] Yes and she and he's on that tv show with vanessa bayer that was yes not a huge hit but plenty of people watched it so she had some she had some things going on where sherry has stepped away from yeah the screen and i'm not blaming her from that no no no i'm just saying that people People have, we all know, we're super fans. So, yes, we have longer memories. But a lot of the voters are casual fans, I believe. And they're barely going to know who Sherry is, let alone Garrett. So it'll be interesting to see. But Garrett's been in Two Broke Girls and stuff, so that may help him.
Track 3:
[24:30] That's a good point.
Track 1:
[24:31] Yeah, it'll be interesting to watch. 50 is going to be very interesting.
Track 2:
[24:34] Yes, I can't wait.
Track 1:
[24:36] Looking forward to it. Well, I'm also looking forward to next week. And next week we are going to be talking with our friend Ryan McNeil, who typically comes on the show to talk about music, and he's making no exception this year. He will be on to nominate Ireland's own U2.
Track 1:
[24:58] We won't go further than that. Because we don't want to give away anything for next week's episode. But we'll be back next week talking about the episode that appears on Monday. And again, that is Ryan McNeil and, um, Thomas, Matt, and myself. We're going to have a great time. And then we're going to meet around the water cooler and talk some more on behalf of Joe and Shari. This is JD saying, stay thirsty.
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We're back with a new episode of the SNL Hall of Fame Water Cooler. This week Joe, Shari, and jD discuss this weeks episode of the SNL Hall of Fame.
Transcript:
Track 1:
[0:20] Hey, it's JD here, and welcome to the SNL Hall of Fame Water Cooler. I am JD, and I'm thrilled to be here with you this week and every week. But I'm more excited to be hanging out with Joe and Shari because they've done such a great job the last few weeks. So, Joe, how are you doing today?
Track 2:
[0:42] I'm doing great. How are you doing?
Track 1:
[0:45] I'm actually pretty darn good. The sky is blue and there's clouds. I took the dogs to the beach today for a nice walk. So it's been a good time.
Track 2:
[0:57] Okay.
Track 1:
[0:58] Shari.
Track 3:
[1:00] Hello. How about you? I'm doing really well, thanks.
Track 1:
[1:05] Are you ready to talk about Saturday Night Live, guys?
Track 3:
[1:08] Absolutely. Absolutely.
Track 2:
[1:09] We got a great subject this week.
Track 1:
[1:11] We do have a good subject. We are talking all about Garrett Morris.
Track 2:
[1:17] Yes.
Track 1:
[1:19] Shari, do you want to start with a brief recap of the actual episode?
Track 3:
[1:26] Oh, certainly. It was a fun one. Thomas was joined by the fabulous Darren Patterson from the podcast SNL Nerds, which if you haven't listened to it out there in SNL podcast land, It is a fabulous podcast. They break down episodes of Saturday Night Live and in the summer and during the off times, they do movies and other topics. They just did a great interview with a crew member who does one of the film units. So really excited to have Darren. And Darren is a fountain of knowledge and he's bringing that knowledge to discuss Garrett. And making a lot of good points about Garrett's involvement in the show, how he was often a little bit taken for granted, but he was a very much an in the clutch player. And I think there makes a very good case. And Thomas backs him right up, adding that Garrett's also one of the very best singers of all of the cast.
Track 2:
[2:26] I learned that from the podcast.
Track 3:
[2:30] Yeah, I wasn't really aware of that either. Oh, he was a fantastic singer. I actually watched the episode that he was most known for where he sang a song. And he's incredible. I mean, he's an operatic Juilliard-trained singer. And you can hear it.
Track 1:
[2:50] Wow.
Track 3:
[2:51] So that's the episode. And it was a good one. And Darren made a lot of great points, as did Thomas, as always.
Track 1:
[2:58] Joe, what do you think of Garrett Morris as a whole? Do you think he's somebody who is...
Track 2:
[3:09] Now, anyone who's in that first five years, I feel deserves at least special consideration for being in the Hall of Fame. And especially since Garrett was in all five years of the first five. and the thing is uh you'll hear this a lot it was mentioned on the podcast and you'll hear it today he was very underused now i just want to also point out that he was in all five years, however dan akroyd john belushi they weren't they left uh before season five that's right but But they each got best of DVDs. And Garrett did not. So that just shows you how underused. And I feel like people, when you go out and vote, I really suggest that you give him a second look because I believe he really is talented and underappreciated.
Track 3:
[4:10] It's interesting to think of somebody being underappreciated and yet part of that pioneering first cast that's uh very interesting to me um especially.
Track 1:
[4:25] Because he stood out he stood out because the rest of the cast was very white and he was not and a lot of the jokes and and themes of his sketches were racially charged in like a in a great way.
Track 3:
[4:43] Yes yes agreed in an appropriate way yeah definitely i don't know that you could do it now there'd be too too much sensitivity i think, but um it was hard hitting at the time for sure i mean it was something worth addressing, yeah yeah the white guilt relief fund that i know they oh my god and i watched that a couple of times it's unfortunately edited way down and it's not that long to begin with but the part I saw was just it's a riot and that was really really edgy for 70 was it 77 yeah they weren't talking about that, They weren't talking about the book. It was a hot topic when Saturday Night Live started. Yes.
Track 2:
[5:28] So, I mean, that's just worth mentioning that he had to tackle a subject that was very taboo. And he had to do it pretty much, I don't want to say all by himself, I'm sorry to all the writers, but he was the only one to represent the show. There wasn't any other African-American cast members.
Track 3:
[5:44] It was just him.
Track 2:
[5:45] And he had to tackle a very hot-button issue.
Track 1:
[5:48] You i don't even know and this would be something if you know this send us an email uh snl hof watercooler at gmail.com and let us know if and if if shari or joe you know this like let me know but i don't know that there were any african-american uh or or any minorities, as part of the writing staff.
Track 3:
[6:16] I'm so positive there was not.
Track 1:
[6:20] So he would have been somebody looking for his own, he would have been somebody looking for his own voice, you know?
Track 3:
[6:26] And not only that, J.D., but he was also, as they brought up in the podcast, and it hasn't been brought up, anyone talking about Garrett on the show, he was many years older than all of them. And he was the only one who wasn't from a stand-up or an improv background.
Track 2:
[6:45] Excellent point.
Track 3:
[6:46] Which they also talked about, Darren and Thomas also talked about. He was a straight-up actor and musician. He'd come off the Belafonte Singers. And Lauren was interested in him because of his playwright experience, apparently. Which I didn't realize I learned that on the podcast. Because, you know, Thomas does his homework.
Track 2:
[7:08] Kevin, that background is unique for Saturday Night Live just in general. That's very unique. Usually you come from Second City, Groundlings, Stand Up, and I know it's very rare not to come from one of those.
Track 3:
[7:26] Yes.
Track 1:
[7:28] Yeah, it would be interesting to see a list of people that are, and I suspect it would be very short.
Track 3:
[7:34] Pie graph.
Track 1:
[7:35] Pie graph, yeah.
Track 2:
[7:37] I mean, it would be a very thin slice.
Track 3:
[7:39] Yeah, when I hear, because I listen to Fly on the Wall, which I'm sure a lot of our listeners do, And they talk a lot about how it was pretty divided between improv and stand-up, with the bulk being improv. I didn't even hear them discuss any that had, like, theater or serious acting background. They all came from one of the two comedy tracks. So that makes him very unique. If I were to guess.
Track 2:
[8:09] I would say that, like, Michael McKean or maybe Robert Downey Jr.
Track 3:
[8:14] True, true. you know like the whole season 11 cast it wouldn't be a long list yeah agreed, yeah I like that Thomas and Darren talking about how he.
Track 1:
[8:29] May be the best singer because.
Track 3:
[8:32] I you know like there's some strong singers that have been on the show like.
Track 1:
[8:35] I think of Chloe Trost right now.
Track 3:
[8:37] Yes but Garrett Broser why is John Lewis but I don't want to get off topic. But Garrett is a classically chained operatic singer.
Track 1:
[8:53] That's nuts.
Track 3:
[8:54] He went to freaking Juilliard. It's crazy. And like opera and comedy.
Track 2:
[9:00] Those can go together. I mean, if Bugs Bunny has taught me anything, it's that opera and comedy is funny. And they could have used that in multiple ways.
Track 1:
[9:15] Well, tell us.
Track 3:
[9:16] I mean, like, opera.
Track 2:
[9:18] They could have tackled news stories. They could have been a Weekend Update character is an opera man.
Track 3:
[9:24] I mean, right there. Yeah, Gers could have actually sang opera.
Track 2:
[9:28] Yeah, I mean, yeah, where you get an opera singer, you got M. Chandler, who did it ironically, you know? Or you could, I mean, look at, I mean, he could have just sang funny songs. I mean, look at Weird Al. I mean, that's a whole genre is.
Track 3:
[9:42] Like, a funny song.
Track 2:
[9:45] You have this classically trained singer, and that could have been a whole segment. It could have been his reoccurring character.
Track 1:
[9:54] Yeah, I agree.
Track 2:
[9:57] So basically, the whole theme of Garrett Morris or this episode is how underly appreciated he was.
Track 3:
[10:05] And yeah, if you listen to the other podcasts, they pretty much list the best of.
Track 2:
[10:10] If not, pretty much the best of everything that he did.
Track 3:
[10:15] And right there that should if you're gonna vote for him uh it should be off of those, and like even with the douchebag skit yeah or sketch sketch i got it right on my hand he only had one line in it and he delivered it on a bullseye yes so you have the whole grand finale uh sketch where you got all the cast members here we share bill murray everyone doing the last sketch of the last five years and only give Garrett Morse one line and I'll be damned if it's the most memorable line and not only that that's the one they always use in the clip shows of like all the anniversary shows yes I agree and that is the point that Darren and Thomas made even though he's not on screen as much and he doesn't have as many lines when he has a line or he has a bit, it is very memorable. Like we're talking about him now and that was, 50 years ago, almost. 50 years ago? Yeah, coming out. He was definitely memorable.
Track 1:
[11:22] Yeah.
Track 2:
[11:23] And then, also in that superhero sketch, he played Ant-Man. Didn't have that much lines, but was memorable enough for them to reference it in the Paul Rudd movie. So, you know, he had just a couple lines. It was like, oh, wait, yeah, that's right. Garrett Morris played him back in the 70s.
Track 3:
[11:46] He probably had three lines.
Track 2:
[11:48] And it was rememberable enough to be in a Marvel movie.
Track 1:
[11:53] That's hilarious.
Track 2:
[11:57] So, I mean, he's a scene stealer.
Track 3:
[11:59] Yeah, and his new president of the New York School for the Hard of Hearing, that's in every clip show they do. It's so, so funny. Again, you can't really find a lot of his most memorable stuff online. line, and I could only find one of those. I wish I'd been able to watch more. I was just saying I wish I'd been able to find more of those hard-of-hearing sketches, or bits on Weekend Update, because they were so funny, but I could only find one.
Track 1:
[12:31] You guys have Peacock, right?
Track 3:
[12:33] Absolutely.
Track 1:
[12:34] See, we don't have Peacock in Canada. So I don't have access to just dial back into a... I've got a whole bunch on my hard drive, like but there's a lot of them that are dud episodes.
Track 3:
[12:50] Okay. The character is so rememberable that they did it verbatim with Garrett Morris on Family Guy. Really? Yeah, they just, they had him come on and do that.
Track 2:
[13:03] Like, that's how rememberable that character or that sketch was.
Track 1:
[13:10] That's fascinating.
Track 3:
[13:12] Yeah, it's a classic.
Track 1:
[13:13] It really has permeated pop culture in a way that not every star or performer on the original cast did necessarily.
Track 2:
[13:28] Here's another way he was remembered. I just came up with this off the top of my head. Robert Smigel for the 25th anniversary show. He did a joke about how Lorne Michaels was making merchandise based on the show.
Track 3:
[13:41] He had the Dennis Miller talking doll he had conehead suppositories and then he also had I forget the character's name but very very good drink, Chico Azuela Chico Azuela very very good drink so again another character that wasn't used that much but was rememberable enough to be referenced in the 25th anniversary cartoon, wow Wow.
Track 1:
[14:12] I mean, Darren mentions him as an unsung hero.
Track 3:
[14:19] I agree. 100%.
Track 1:
[14:21] Right? Yeah.
Track 3:
[14:25] In the documentary, Saturday Night Live.
Track 2:
[14:29] The first five years, even Al Franken said that he saw Garrett in a sketch performing. And while Al Franken was on stage watching Garrett perform, Al Franken was having this realization like, oh my God, we should use this guy more. Just like year four, we just had this realization now?
Track 3:
[14:51] Are you joking?
Track 2:
[14:54] In the documentary. I mean, I remember it was Al Franken that said it. It was the show, I don't know which basketball player.
Track 3:
[15:01] But the sketch was the basketball player.
Track 2:
[15:06] The host, was sneaking around playing on a basketball team and Garrett Morris played his mom. And he was playing this mom character so well that Al Franken had a realization that, like, this guy is good. And I'm realizing this in year four?
Track 1:
[15:24] I'm telling you, a big part of it would have been that he would have been writing for himself.
Track 3:
[15:31] Right. There was nobody.
Track 1:
[15:32] And, sorry, Shari.
Track 3:
[15:34] No, you're absolutely right, JD. he was he was there on his own and they talk a lot about how important it is for cast members to find a writer who gets them yeah and garrett didn't have that there was nobody who exactly got him both because of his age because of his race obviously and because he was coming from a less comedic background and nobody could hook into that but imagine if they They could have hooked into that. Imagine if Franken had realized the things that could have happened. They could have done some really amazing things.
Track 1:
[16:12] I think so, too.
Track 2:
[16:13] Plus, it seemed like people paired up better or they didn't pair up with them. Like, obviously, Ackroyd and Belushi paired up. The girls kind of lumped together. And Ackroyd and Curtin did stuff on Weekend Update.
Track 3:
[16:31] And I, you know.
Track 2:
[16:33] It's worth pointing out that Garrett wasn't an update host.
Track 3:
[16:37] I think everyone else was, except for Belushi, but not him.
Track 2:
[16:45] He probably would have appeared out better if he was an update host with someone.
Track 3:
[16:51] I also find it interesting, speaking of Jane and Lorraine, I also find it interesting that Jane got in first ballot because I was looking at our current Hall of Fame, who's already in, and I thought it was interesting that the three that I feel get at the case made that they were underutilized are Jane, Lorraine, and Garrett.
Track 1:
[17:13] That's right.
Track 3:
[17:14] And Jane got in first ballot, which I was amazed because I voted for her, but she's not as well known for being on SNL as Belushi or Aykroyd or Murray. So I was happy to see her get in. I'm very sad that Lorraine's still not in. And I feel like, I fear that Garrett's going to have that same fate because people, as I said, have kind of short memories. and I really urge you to look at his stuff and vote for him if you truly believe he does but I really want to, urge people to vote for him and I want to campaign for him because he really was talented and even though he didn't have that much stuff the stuff that he did have is worthy of everyone else that's already in there, A hundred percent agree. And I also want to suggest something to you two and to anybody, any listener out there. I found his ceremony for getting his star on the Hall of Fame, the Hollywood Walk of Fame, rather.
Track 3:
[18:29] And it's very it's very basic like i love how bare bones it is they're in a little shelter because it was raining and they're just on the hollywood walk of fame having this ceremony it's not fancy there's not a lot of fancy camera work and garrett gives like a 20 minute speech about his career and it's fascinating stuff it's really fascinating i didn't know how much he had done And he talks a lot about his beginnings, how he was homeless for some time. So I really urge people to check that out to get a full picture of this gentleman's career, because it is really pretty amazing.
Track 1:
[19:10] The burden of voting is a lot. You know, you're sort of expected to have listened to the nomination episodes. episodes, and then now you're listening to Water Cooler, where we're going to remind you even more. And it's interesting. Shari, you mentioned Lorraine. She, last year was her first year on the ballot, and she got 38%. So using that as an over-under number, Where do you think Garrett will land voting-wise?
Track 3:
[19:48] I feel like Garrett's going to be right there with her, maybe right around 37%, 38%. It's going to be real close.
Track 1:
[19:58] So right around the same.
Track 3:
[19:59] I think so.
Track 1:
[20:00] How about you, Joe?
Track 2:
[20:02] Sadly, and this breaks my heart.
Track 3:
[20:05] And I hope I'm wrong, but he might be in the 20% because he's not recognizable as some of the other people and it's hard to research him and, he just doesn't have that much stuff out there and I don't want people thinking he should just get in just because he's in the first five years. I want him to get in because of the stuff that he did in the first five years.
Track 2:
[20:33] But if you're asking me what his percentage is, it's probably going to be low because he doesn't have that much stuff out there.
Track 1:
[20:40] Do you think it'll be lower than Lorraine then?
Track 2:
[20:43] It breaks my heart, but if I was to go above or below Lorraine, it breaks my heart, but I'm probably going to say below. It breaks my heart, though.
Track 3:
[20:55] I think he's a little above Lorraine because he's been in the public eye and people know him more where she's not been in a lot of things. And he's been around, so people know him. People watch Two Broke Girls. People rock some of his stuff. So I think he's going to at least be the same or a tiny bit higher.
Track 1:
[21:19] Well, I wonder how much influence the fact that it's the 50th anniversary this year and will be, whether or not they revisit previous things on the show. You know, there's going to be the 50th anniversary show. I suspect it's going to be with the movie. It's going to be more in people's minds. So I wonder if that'll have any impact on voting.
Track 2:
[21:47] That's a worthy point. And it probably will on some people.
Track 3:
[21:53] And hopefully it'll have an impact on Garrett.
Track 1:
[21:56] Yeah, that's what I mean, mainly.
Track 2:
[21:58] I agree. I'm agreeing with you, yeah.
Track 3:
[22:00] And I've heard the, I just read a Rolling Stone article just before I came on with you two, that they had seen it at the Telluride and it was a bit of a review. And they mentioned Lamorne Morris's, performance as garrett and it was one of the things they pointed out in the article so that that might give garrett a little push it's that performance is getting a lot of talk and uh that will put garrett back in people's consciousness which is a great okay yeah maybe he will be uh equal or above lorraine oh i could you're starting to sway me well i i wonder what What Lorraine will get in terms of a bump this year. Right.
Track 2:
[22:44] Like whether it's going to go down or up.
Track 3:
[22:47] I feel like I've been hearing more about Lamorne's portrayal than I've heard about. I can't even remember the actress who's doing Lorraine. Lamorne's been getting a lot of positive buzz. And I've heard he just nails it. Well, I've got a ticket to see it at the Toronto International Film Festival. Oh, so jealous. Alas.
Track 1:
[23:09] Yeah. So we'll definitely talk about it.
Track 2:
[23:11] I'll follow me and T.D. because he's going to take me.
Track 3:
[23:13] Right?
Track 1:
[23:14] If you can get up here, I'll take you. I got an extra ticket.
Track 2:
[23:19] Oh.
Track 1:
[23:20] Yeah.
Track 2:
[23:21] Well, Shuri's like in Michigan, so she's got a head start.
Track 3:
[23:25] That's true.
Track 1:
[23:26] I'll send my private jet over. I'll send the SNL Hall of Fame jet over.
Track 3:
[23:30] All right. I'll pack my bag.
Track 1:
[23:34] Okay. I want to know a little bit more about some of the other candidates that you guys have talked about this year. You've talked about Beck Bennett.
Track 3:
[23:46] Yeah.
Track 1:
[23:47] And you've talked about Sherry O'Terry.
Track 3:
[23:50] Yeah.
Track 1:
[23:52] Now we're discussing Garrett Morris. So if you had to rank those three, and I'm not saying if you had to, I'm going to say you have to. rank those three in terms of their likelihood to get in or get a substantial amount of the vote. And I could tell you, Oh, Beck Bennett wasn't on the ballot last year. Nevermind. So I can't tell you what he got last year, but, um.
Track 3:
[24:24] Yeah, I'm curious.
Track 2:
[24:26] I would say, if I were to go one, two, three, with one being highest, I would say it would go Shiri.
Track 3:
[24:35] Garrett, Beck.
Track 2:
[24:36] Shiri is recognizable for having multiple characters. Garrett is recognizable for being first five years, among other things. And then Beck Bennett is just newer. So he just hasn't been around as long as the other two.
Track 1:
[24:54] That's right yeah he's only been away from the show for a couple years too.
Track 3:
[24:58] I'm gonna disagree there i think back to the edge because of his recency look at how well kate did now brandon kate's in a class how did kate not get in oh yeah she's very close though i i i do think i do think her chances are good this year but sticking with back i think you're right I think he's got that recency. I think people really like him. I think people are realizing, just like with Bobby, who we're going to talk about in later watercolor episodes, people are realizing how essential these players were to the game now that they're away from it. Because I think we all took back Bobby, maybe not all, but I certainly didn't think about them. But now that I'm watching more and more of their sketches and what a pivotal role they played during their seasons. I think they're both going to do quite well, and I do think it's because they're more recent, and again, people have short memories. So I think it's going to be back, Sherry, and I think Garrett is going to be, unfortunately.
Track 2:
[26:07] I like that reasoning.
Track 1:
[26:09] I don't agree with it.
Track 3:
[26:10] But I like it.
Track 1:
[26:10] You've made mention, Sherry, as well, that you're worried that he doesn't even get the 10%.
Track 3:
[26:17] Yeah, I am kind of, I am worried. I did, I think I mentioned that with Sherry and Garrett too. I just, people have such short memories and Sherry was a long time ago too, but I'm hoping that with the 50th and people re-watching things, like I said, she wasn't on the 40th anniversary. She hasn't been around as much. That's not been back yet, Yeah, but I feel like he's going to be back.
Track 1:
[26:48] I think you're right.
Track 3:
[26:49] I feel like he and Kyle are going to sneak their way in, if not in cameos, in some way. And yeah, I don't think she's interested in coming back. I think she's kind of moved on with her life, which is totally her prerogative. But I think that's going to be a big decision.
Track 2:
[27:12] Because I like that point that you made, is that she kind of just came and went.
Track 3:
[27:16] Kind of like Jim Brewer.
Track 2:
[27:17] Who just came by, did her term, and moved on and never looked back.
Track 3:
[27:23] Yeah, agreed.
Track 1:
[27:24] Well, Jim Brewer, a little bit different. Like, I mean.
Track 2:
[27:27] Yeah, yeah.
Track 1:
[27:28] No, no, no, no.
Track 2:
[27:28] I know, I know.
Track 1:
[27:30] I don't think people look back as fondly.
Track 2:
[27:32] Just, you want to pick someone from that generation.
Track 1:
[27:35] Right. Well, I think a good comp for back might be Will Forte, who was on the list last year, and he ended up with like 63% or something like that. Will did very well. Sorry?
Track 3:
[27:52] Will did very well. I was surprised how well he did because he is such a controversial. People seem to love or totally not love him.
Track 1:
[28:01] Yes.
Track 3:
[28:02] How is that going to seem how well he did?
Track 1:
[28:06] Yeah, I'm very curious.
Track 2:
[28:08] Falcon, Aaron, and McGruder are very specific, either are on board or not.
Track 1:
[28:12] Well, I think he gets in this year because he was only three points away.
Track 3:
[28:16] Oh, I agree. And I feel like Beck's going to get like 60, 63% this year. Very similar to Will.
Track 1:
[28:24] You know, I would have been somebody who years ago would have consciously not voted for Beck Bennett. it. But man, did he ever win me over? By the time he left, I remember his last sketch was, he did Vin Diesel. It was the 10 to 1 sketch. And he just nailed it. And it's Vin Diesel.
Track 2:
[28:52] Just for trivia, do you know someone else that did Vin Diesel? I don't. Richie O'Shans.
Track 1:
[28:59] Really?
Track 2:
[29:00] David Spade hosted.
Track 1:
[29:02] Ah indeed I.
Track 2:
[29:06] Just wanted to point out because there's two totally different performers, that's why it's a cut in my head.
Track 1:
[29:15] So that's how you have them so that's how you have them ranked we'll revisit this next week and see once we add a fourth layer, where they fit in and you know we'll sort of revisit this as the season goes on like we do with your ballots I'm very curious. You guys talked about your ballots in the first episode. I'm curious, by the time we get to maybe the fifth episode, we'll revisit it and see if anything has changed.
Track 2:
[29:42] Okay.
Track 1:
[29:43] Like, Joe, you only used 10 votes, so you've got some room, if you wanted.
Track 2:
[29:51] I went first in the DECA system, but I'll look at it again.
Track 1:
[29:56] Yeah, well, Well, Shari had used all 15, and I believe she said she had two that were on the cusp.
Track 3:
[30:04] Yes, and Garrett was one of those two, and I really want to put him on my ballot. So many of the ones on my ballot are ones that don't have much time left, and I don't want them to fall off. I know.
Track 1:
[30:21] We lost a lot last year.
Track 3:
[30:23] We did, and I have several that are going to go this year because it's their fifth time on the ballot. So I hope they all get in, but I'm not really too hopeful, but who knows?
Track 1:
[30:40] Well, I think one of the things we changed the way the ballot looked last year, and we included little factoids, like last chance, that sort of thing. And I think that helped people realize. I do think that helped. Yeah, I think so.
Track 3:
[30:58] I'm so happy Maya and Molly got in, because that would have been it for them.
Track 1:
[31:02] They were done, right?
Track 3:
[31:04] Yeah, which would have been a travesty. So I'm very glad.
Track 1:
[31:08] This year, we've got Jack Handy, Dave Grohl, Paul Lappel, Candice Bergen, Paul Rudd that could fall off the ballot.
Track 3:
[31:21] Voters, we're urging you. Don't let this happen.
Track 1:
[31:27] Candice Bergen, 35%.
Track 3:
[31:31] The original first female five-timer. Yes. And she still shows up in cameos And I guarantee you she'll be at the 50th anniversary She's such a huge friend of the show She's royalty, Even though she hasn't done any TV shows or movies recently She still shows up And does her time I wouldn't be surprised if she showed up on Only Murders But as far as Saturday Night Live goes She shows up to Acknowledge her place In the Five Timers Club Yeah, so yeah she absolutely does belong in the whole thing I really think, I'm a big pusher of Jack Handy and Paula Pell as well so I hope that people remember this and I'm glad you're adding it to the ballot JD to remind people that they're not on forever that's right.
Track 1:
[32:31] Paul Rudd looks rough. He's got 17%. I don't know that that looks good for him at all. Or no, sorry, he had 12% last year.
Track 3:
[32:39] Yeah.
Track 1:
[32:40] So he went from 23 in his first year, and he's dropped. He went from 23 to 17 to 18 to 12. So I don't feel good about him. Candice Bergen fell from 41 to 35. Whereas Paula Powell went from 29 to 41. so there's good news for her.
Track 3:
[33:03] I'm hoping she gets her name out there more often and gets recognized for her connections Paula? Yeah because I'm not sure how the great majority of people, know what she contributed to the show She's been showing up She was very important Yeah and she's been showing up a lot lately She was in a couple of episodes She was in Kristen Wiig's Five Timers sketch.
Track 2:
[33:33] Oh, that's right. She had a great joke where she goes, I wrote here for five years, but right now, Kristen Wiig's... I'm going to play an audience member, and Kristen Wiig's going to pretend not to know me.
Track 3:
[33:44] She was also in at least one sketch in the Kate McKinnon. I feel like she was in that singing...
Track 2:
[33:54] Yeah, I could see that.
Track 3:
[33:56] I just can't remember the name of it, but they did a big song pre-date and I believe Paula was in it too Tampon Farm Tampon Farm Tampon Farm.
Track 1:
[34:07] Oh right Oh there you go The Kate with the guitar, Yeah.
Track 2:
[34:13] Yeah, she, and I mean, again, she helped with the cheerleaders. So if you're going to vote for Sherry.
Track 3:
[34:18] Vote for Paula.
Track 2:
[34:20] She helped with the cheerleaders.
Track 3:
[34:22] With the cheerleaders, yeah. Yeah. Well, I'm getting pretty excited about next week's episode, J.D.
Track 1:
[34:28] Yeah, I think so. We're going back to the host well after talking about three cast members. Shari, do you want to share who we're going to be talking about?
Track 3:
[34:40] Out you know they were just talking about him on the saturday night network which i know we talk about a lot right they were just talking about him because they're doing that they're doing that host countdown and he's quite high on their list he was number 10 i think uh yeah i believe 10 might be right 10 11 right he's in the top 12 i believe uh of course i'm talking about kylo ren friend himself, Mr. Adam Driver. Again, very recent, but this one I have to say I agree with. He is one of those serious actors like Garrett who does this great comedic turn, becoming a baby on a plane and just undercover boss. I mean, beep, beep. He's got a great couple. Oh, he was in a science room.
Track 2:
[35:34] Which is always great.
Track 1:
[35:40] Cecily and Mikey?
Track 3:
[35:41] Yes.
Track 1:
[35:42] Yeah.
Track 3:
[35:42] So very, very excited to see the case that our guest...
Track 1:
[35:47] So it's actually Bauer will be joining us. And... it should be a great episode because there's a lot of meat on that bone.
Track 3:
[35:59] Oh yeah. I'm very excited to come back next week with you too and talk all about Adam driver and what his possibility of getting into the hall of fame might be where he's going to land on those ballots. Yeah. I mean, he's on his way to become a five timer.
Track 2:
[36:18] So I believe that he could be in the hall of fame.
Track 3:
[36:24] I think so too. I think there's a good chance he's going to be a host in season 50, even though he was just on in 49. Other hosts have done back-to-backs. Yeah. He always has projects. I mean, he's always in several movies. He could be appearing in a couple of TV shows these days with streaming. Who knows? Anything goes. So he'll definitely have something to promote.
Track 1:
[36:50] I would think so. He's always got something on the go.
Track 3:
[36:52] Or he could just show up in cameo and just be a scene stealer that's true.
Track 1:
[36:57] That's true i i suspect he'll have a part of the 50th anniversary i just think oh absolutely he's you know the last 10 years he's one of the most memorable hosts exactly.
Track 2:
[37:08] I was thinking the same thing.
Track 1:
[37:10] So you know he's almost like this cast this generation's jt or walk-in walk-in or yeah Yeah, like how they all had different generations they worked with.
Track 3:
[37:22] I love the I'm all out of cash.
Track 1:
[37:25] I'm all out of cash.
Track 3:
[37:27] That's so good.
Track 2:
[37:28] Oh, yes, yes.
Track 3:
[37:30] And that's another one they could have went to Beck Bennett.
Track 2:
[37:32] But that's like a good team effort sketch. Yeah, yeah.
Track 1:
[37:36] Totally Kyle and Beck.
Track 3:
[37:38] Very exciting. And then he played that elderly teacher.
Track 2:
[37:40] But we'll talk about this next week.
Track 3:
[37:41] Yeah, very excited to talk next week. It was great fun talking with you both this week and always the highlight of my week. so very excited for next week's episode and very excited to listen to next week's episode because I know it's going to be a great one, absolutely I love talking to you guys and I love telling our audience to like and subscribe and do all those fun things with those fun buttons yes David Spade says smash that button smash that button, I will tell you smash the button And then just get another burner phone and just repeat.
Track 1:
[38:20] That's amazing. That's amazing. Yeah. Do that for sure. And again, the email I want to remind you is SNLHOFWC at gmail.com. So shoot us a mail. We'd love to hear from you. And on behalf of Joe and Shari, this is JD saying stay thirsty.
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This week on the SNL Hall of Fame podcast we welcome Ashley Bower back to the show, this time to discuss the four-time host, Adam Driver.
Transcript:
Track 3:
[0:41] All right. Thank you so much, Doug DeNance. It is a thrill to be here back in the SNL Hall of Fame on the SNL Hall of Fame podcast. My name is JD and welcome. Before you come on in, though, please do me a favor. Read the mat. Wipe your feet. eat. The SNL Hall of Fame podcast is a weekly affair where each episode we take a deep dive into the career of a former cast member, host, musical guest, or writer and add them to the ballot for your consideration. Once the nominees have been announced, we turn to you, the listener, to vote for the most deserving and help determine who will be enshrined for perpetuity in the hall. And that's how we play the game it's just that simple now one of the things we do before we play the game is we talk to our friend matt ardill and we get some trivia but before we do that i think it's important we know that we're going to be talking about adam driver today uh i gotta tell you he's one of my most favorite guests of this new era this new generation it would be mulaney and and driver for me for sure i could see them both being in the hall at some point it'll be interesting to hear what ashley bauer has to say in terms of building a case ash and we're thrilled so let's uh walk down the hall and talk to our friend mr ardill oh matt adam.
Track 2:
[2:10] Driver yeah yeah um One of my favorite hosts, to be honest. Six foot two, born November 19th, 1983 in Fontana, California. Did not expect him to be a Californian. I don't know why. Just doesn't have that. Yeah, just doesn't have that California energy. He attended Mishawaka High School and the University of Indianapolis before going on to graduate from Juilliard. This is a another juilliard grad uh who appears on snl uh he has been in had he has had 57 acting roles six soundtrack credits and two producer credits um as a youth he appeared in how to succeed in business without really trying uh into the woods and guys and dolls uh he's he's one of of those people who's had you know when you see an actor and they're like they just have depths that you didn't expect, Because they have lived experiences, and I feel Adam is one of those. He worked as a door-to-door vacuum salesman.
Track 2:
[3:19] He applied to Juilliard, was rejected, so decided, what the hell, I'll join the Marines. Where he was a Lance Corporal before being discharged due to an injury prior to deployment that made him unable to go into combat. So he decided, what the hell, I'll try Juilliard again. And this time was accepted. Does not like to watch his own performance and will decline to watch them in interviews, because he just does not like seeing himself on screen. Uh he's been nominated for oscars in lincoln a black k a kk black kk klansman i don't know how to pronounce the spike lee movie yeah it's a three k's it throws me off um and marriage story of course uh his wife is actor joanne tucker uh the uh their her grandfather is the politician henry Tucker, who is considered one of the most important politicians in Bermuda in history, who led the first government of Bermuda in 1968.
Track 2:
[4:29] Um watching his roles it's clear he's a bit of an intense person um because like after watching fight club he actually came away with the wrong lesson and decided to start a fight club in his high school um yeah so that was a choice uh now he did appear on broadway in mrs warren's profession and man and boy before going on to appear in Girls. Growing up, he was raised by a father and a stepfather who were both preachers, who had him sing in the church choir, which he doesn't really show off to the best of his ability inside Llewellyn Davis.
Track 2:
[5:13] Which is, to be honest, where I first fell in love with him as the singing cowboy. Boy uh but he's actually a very talented musician and in that episode where he played the piano on snl he actually played the piano he does know how to play the piano um now he's gone on found a charity uh called arts in the armed forces with his partner a non-profit that brings art to the active duty service members around the world and support staff free of charge uh together they have have a son uh but he actually kept it hidden for two years before the new yorker finally uh let it slip in 2019 so he is a man of uh many nuances and layers sounds that way what an onion he is yeah you know when i carve into an onion i often cry and when i listen to a thomas conversation Conversation with a guest, sometimes two, I often cry. Let's go to Thomas now.
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[6:19] Grab your tissues. How's that for a segue, Matty?
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[6:51] Well, hello, JD and Matt. Welcome to another edition of the SNL Hall of Fame Conversation. We are in the middle of a wonderful season six, continuing that today with a great nominee, one of my all-time favorite hosts. I'm going to be up front about how much I like today's nominee. It's Adam Driver, of course, and I'll be up front about how much I like today's guest as well. A very special guest first timer last season with kate mckinnon who i think uh will probably get in this year i mean a little soon after after her tenure at snl to get into the snl hall of fame i guess the voters decided that but i think um ultimately ashley will have gotten kate mckinnon into the hall um ashley uh joined me and daramie on a round table uh at the end of season five so So this is her third appearance to the show. So Ashley Bauer, thank you so much for joining me today on the SNL Hall of Fame, Ashley. Thank you so much for having me back. I'm kind of working my way toward my own five-timers club, hopefully. That's the goal. Slowly but surely. Yes, yes, you'll get there. You were very impressive in your first go-around, so I had to have you back this season. I've been following your exploits on Instagram, I'm not going to lie. So you're a world traveler, you're a Taylor Swift fan, so why don't you tell me, like, how's your summer going in both of those regards, Ashley? I'm kind of jealous.
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[8:18] So it's a little bittersweet. So yeah, I went to Paris to see Taylor Swift at the Aris Tour in May, and it was everything I thought it would be and more. Like it was like being in Barbie land. Everybody supports each other. It's women supporting women. And it's this like happy, wholesome environment. And she's just such an incredible performer. And she was so amazing. And I was so depressed after the concert was over that I couldn't accept the fact that I would never see an AeroStore concert again. So I immediately booked another trip with a separate friend. And we were scheduled to go see her in Vienna. Just a couple of weeks ago but if anyone was watching the news they saw that the vienna shows did not happen um you know just terrorists or whatever no big deal wanted to blow up the venue so very grateful uh shout out to all of the national security agencies um in that country and whatever other countries may or may not have assisted because i'm here to talk on this podcast with you but yeah I know love traveling you're right 100% as often as I can get out of the country and go see somewhere new I'm gonna do it and if I get to combine it with Taylor Swift like.
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[9:41] What better trip could I plan? So yeah, made the best of it, even though we didn't actually get to see her in concert. But got to explore. Still did some kind of musical stuff. We went on a Sound of Music tour in Salzburg. So made lemons, excuse me, made lemonades out of lemons. Yes. And now I'm just back in the U.S., I guess. Just back to the boring life. Yeah, just normal everyday real world. Not in Barbie land anymore.
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[10:11] Oh, that's cool. So that's awesome. Again, I'm like admiring your travels from afar, admiring your Taylor Swift adventures from afar. So I'm glad you've had a great summer. And I'm glad you're back here with me in season six to talk some Adam Driver. And I'm going to be upfront, Ashley. I think Adam might be in my top 10 all-time hosts. He's a four-timer. I think he's already there for me. So I'm going to start the conversation with that to be full, you know, full disclosure with the listeners. I think I have him as a top 10 all time host. Is that aggressive on my part? No, not at all. And I promise he's not paying me to say this or to just agree with him. But like I 100% he needs to at least be in the five timers club. He is so natural. Like it was like he was born to be an SNL host or somehow like he needs to somehow be associated with SNL for as long as I'm capable of watching the show so yeah not aggressive at all and I know we're going to talk a lot about why, he's just so freaking good at it like it's hilarious it's intense it's everything.
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[11:21] Yeah, and I was doing this exercise because I made an appearance on the Saturday Night Network's host countdown this summer. And I was just kind of doing my list and going through the hosts and everything like that. And I surprised myself and was like, I really have Adam Driver this high? I guess I do. And I guess I think he deserves it. So that's where I'm coming from. I think that's where both of us are coming from with this episode. So that's why I was so excited to do this one. So a little brief background on Adam. He did a little acting here and there. Until 2012, he started really getting breaks in 2012. He was in Lincoln, Francis Ha, the Greta Gerwig movie.
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[12:02] Girls, though, was arguably his biggest break. So I first saw Adam Driver on Girls. Is that the case for you and your first exposure to Adam? Or was it like somewhere else that you first saw Adam? him no so unfortunately mine was it wasn't until he got a little bit more mainstream my first exposure to him was when he played kylo ren in star wars um and then it was kind of you know going back and realizing that he had been like making his way through and kind of breaking through over the last few years um but all that to say again i thought he nailed that role in star Star Wars, it was just so well done that playing this just villain that you kind of find yourself, rooting for in a weird way, which is terrible because obviously you're not supposed to do that. But I think just the way that he captures the whole essence and as they build his story and kind of his arc and realizing...
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[13:02] You know obviously he chooses very poorly at the end but you know that there was something in there that was almost good um yeah and i'm not even really that big of a star wars fan like probably upset a lot of people with how little i know about it so very basic very mainstream for me to say like oh yeah he was so good in star wars that that's where i first got experience with him no he was so good in star wars though he played that role really well uh i think maybe i don't want to speak for J.J. Abrams or Rian Johnson, but you think you were supposed to kind of feel something for him, and especially with the backstory with Luke and all that. It's like, okay, maybe he kind of had a point as far as how angry he was, but Adam played those nuances really well, so definitely made his really mainstream mark playing Kylo Ren. On girls, he really stood out because Adam has this unique look about him. He doesn't look like the classic, and this is said with love, He doesn't look like the classic handsome Brad Pitt, George Clooney, movie star Clark Gable kind of person. Adam has a distinct look about him, and that came out in Girls. He was this kind of aloof guy who Lena Dunham's character had an on-again, off-again thing with. And you could see even then some of the comedy chops, and I shouldn't have been surprised, but I was. He played intense really well, but then some of the stuff he said was low-key really funny in Girls.
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[14:28] So, there were signs there for him being a good SNL host, I should say. Yeah, I think once somebody gave him the platform and gave him the opportunity to really flex those comedy muscles, he just needed somebody to give him that chance and let him demonstrate. I'm so glad they did.
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[14:45] Yeah, that's what happens sometimes with people who aren't known for comedy. And that's what I wanted to ask you, just like in a general way. What's your initial reaction when someone is tabbed to host for the first time, but isn't necessarily totally known for a comedy? Is the anticipation still there for someone like that? I think so, because I think I've learned over the years that some people just really surprise you in a really great way about it. And I know like several, several years ago, the first time Mark Wahlberg did something with comedy, I was so shocked, like so shocked that Mark Wahlberg didn't just do a comedy movie, but absolutely nailed it. It was so freaking funny.
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[15:28] And so I kind of used that experience to give other people like Adam Driver a chance. Answer because i admit yeah like because all i knew about him at the time was star wars when i first saw that he was hosting i thought okay this you know he's big you know he's popular i see what they brought him in but oh my gosh just even from the beginning his first time coming out with the monologue like it was like he had been there before it was so surreal to me it made me forget that that was his first time hosting yeah there's a comfort about it that you can see as snl fans We can see some sort of comfort level or some sort of fit, I think, right off the bat. And something that I've learned, Ashley, since I've been an SNL fan for going on almost 35 years now, is that the best hosts, in my opinion, are hosts who are really good actors. So being good at sketch, to me, isn't just about having a sense of humor anymore.
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[16:26] It's about being a great actor and having timing and things like that. And Adam Driver happens to be a great actor and has a sense of humor. But I think a lot of those quote-unquote dramatic actors, people who are really skilled at that, are really good SNL hosts. Because I think you need to be a good actor to be good in sketch and not just funny. Oh, I completely agree with you. And I think that's what makes Adam so successful, is because he has the training and the just mixed with the natural talent of 100 committing.
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[16:58] To a role in a situation and just completely dedicating to it and i think because of that i think you see this too in so many of his sketches i keep trying to look for when he's gonna look at the cue card and i can never find it yeah like sometimes i kind of wonder if i'm like making myself believe that his eyes moved just because I'm trying to catch him. I'm like, I don't think he does. I don't think he's ever looked at a cue card. And if he has, then he's completely fooled me. And I think that commitment and dedication to memorizing his lines to completely go all in with whatever sketch they've given him has really been a huge part of why he's been so successful in his hosting gigs. Yeah, 100%. And then we saw that, as you mentioned, mention his first host hosting gig was season 41 episode 10 uh musical guest chris stapleton and his monologue like he was comfortable they played off the whole uh kylo ren star wars theme he was promoting the force awakens but i thought it was really cute just to kind of like get to know the host you had some uh bobby and taryn and leslie had a funny appearance there but the those first monologues for the for these new hosts it's like i i love when they're just up there and loose and maybe they need playing with the i think i think it helps them if they're playing with the cast a little bit even in the monologue ashley i don't know if it's something that you noticed at all.
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[18:24] I actually was thinking about that for one of his later monologues, too. It's his ability to play off other cast members, the band, the camera, just working the different camera angles so naturally. I think that really shows and it helps show the audience how comfortable they are from the get-go if they're able to come out and immediately start bantering with these professional SNL comedians. And he was able to do that.
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[18:52] But it really is an honor to be in Star Wars. Never, never, ever will you find a more devoted fan base. They're very intense. I know. Star Wars fans, ridiculous, right? Quick question. What happens in the next film, Adam? You know, I can't tell you that. They won't even tell me that. Oh, you can't tell me because the audience is here, right? Okay, okay. I'm going to ask you at the after party, though. No, you won't.
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[19:27] I've been dealing with this all week, leslie confused him with mini driver so she asked him why he wasn't in the martian with matt damon because she thought it mini driver was in goodwill hunting with matt damon why wouldn't you be in the martian with matt damon so uh so he had to correct her but uh fun monologue uh i think this is a this This is a fun episode for me, like really fun episode for me. So, but I'm going to throw it to you. Like from this first episode, what stood out to you? Oh my gosh. Again, so, so many. Since I'd only really known him from Star Wars, I thought that undercover boss sketch was immediately one of the greatest of all time. Like it was so brilliant. The concept was genius. Shout out to the writers of that sketch. But again, like his ability.
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[20:19] To, you know, bring Kylo Ren alive into this like comedic realm was so hilarious. And as a lawyer, shout out to all the lawyers who got the rights to let him do that. Because thank you. Otherwise, we wouldn't have this sketch. But yeah, he was so freaking intense in that. And it ended up being so funny. And I think in the moments where he wasn't even really trying to be funny, he was just playing Kylo Ren because of the setting that they had and the concept of what they were doing. Just made it immediately funny even when he was you know pained and trying to like talk to the camera do the interview off screen he's like i'm really looking forward to meeting everybody like it just pained him to have to say it kylo is going undercover among star killer base personnel as matt a radar technician you get so caught up in restoring the galaxy to its rightful state that you miss what's going on behind the scenes. I'm looking forward to having some real talk with some real folks. The shout out to everyone else who kept up with him in that sketch too.
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[21:27] Bobby Moynihan, Taryn Killam in that as well. I think that was such a huge standout. Yeah episode i thought hilariously intense that was like a a phrase that that came to my mind was adam was hilariously intense uh in this sketch and taryn yeah taryn's saying that he's 90 sure that matt is kylo ren but then cutting to him telling a sob story to presumably to get money from kylo because he kind of knows how these shows work so he knew it was kylo ren and he's He's just kind of like laying it on the sob story. So Kylo would like give him something like Matt. Kylo Ren as Matt, the radar technician using the force to choke Bobby's stormtrooper. Just all these fun beats. It's like a modern classic. And this is his second sketch as host of SNL. And he turned in like a modern classic right away. Yeah, exactly. Just right out of the gate. Gold. Like I was just so impressed. So that's undercover boss star killer base with Adam as Kylo Ren. One that I wanted to throw out there for sure, and maybe I'm showing my Vanessa Bear bias too, because she's great. I'm the biggest Vanessa Bear fan on the planet. The Golden Globes pre-tape.
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[22:42] And again, one of those, and SNL did it really well around that time period where they showed a really cute subdued scene and then kind of juxtaposed it with something intense that was happening. So they like to do pre-tapes that had that kind of back and forth. So this one, it was Adam and Vanessa. They play a couple who just won the Golden Globes Award. And they have a wild night on the town. And then their kids, played by Kyle Mooney and Kate McKinnon, are just at home kind of waiting for them. When are mom and dad going to come back? And this and that. And they're just like peaceful, about to go to sleep. And just all hell breaks loose in this pre-tape. And it's one of my favorites. And I don't know how much SNL fans go back to it, but they really should. It's just like a favorite pre-tape of mine from this era ashley.
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[23:29] I agree. Oh, my God. It's so funny. I loved the contrast of this. Yeah. You know, if you're watching, go to bed. And it transitions, yeah, into that. Oh, yeah. Like, what is actually happening when people say that there are kids, you know, going to bed and then waiting for mom and dad to come home and then the absolute shift to them doing cocaine off of the trophy. And like do you think mom and dad miss us and like this is the greatest thing that's ever happened to us forgetting about their kids um but i think what made this so fun you're oh my god yeah vanessa bayer agree she's lovely um she's amazing was i think this shows adam driver's range again that like his classical training and acting and his ability to bring that into like bring the intensity into this this sketch because he also starts as this cute like kind of dad and he's thanking everybody and then he you know picks the fight with keenan and vanessa's yelling at him like be a man for once and hit him and just completely escalating this whole situation, whoa guys guys sorry stars only you man don't push my wife be a man for once kevin hit him You don't want to hit me, sir. Hold on to your hats! You're about to get pounded!
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[24:52] I thought that was so impressive. He runs off like Vanessa has left there to deal with security, and Adam just runs off. He ditches her. Yeah. Yes, so good. Yeah, I just thought that right off the bat, that shows his range. That he could, again, just like with the undercover boss sketch, be so intense, but make it so funny. Yeah. Yeah, they ended up having a, presumably having a fun night with Leo Schreiber as well. After Adam is talking about seeing him at the urinal and everything. And the next morning, Adam and Vanessa are passed out on the couch and Leo Schreiber's in the kitchen shirtless with an apron and making eggs in the kitchen. And the kids are like, he's like, you can get yourself dressed for school, right? That's probably best if you guys go do that. Yeah, he asked the kids, do you guys like eggs? They're like what is happening like oh good mom and dad got home they fell asleep and they're just like strewn about on the couch but as his boob is like hanging out of her dress like there's still cocaine on adam's face like it's just it's perfection yeah it's just madness yeah the golden globe sketch uh one that kind of like amongst a lot of those pre-tapes to me it kind of slid a little bit under the radar um but i think uh if you know you know and and that one's It's a great one.
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[26:14] There's one, and I don't know, I may put you on the spot, but there's one in this episode that screamed Ashley to me. I don't know if we're on the same wavelength, but one in particular screamed Ashley Bauer to me. Do you want me to guess? Yes. Was it the Aladdin? No, it wasn't, but I can see that as well. Yeah, talk about that. I was like, that one, yeah. Big musical fan, obviously. Big Disney fan. And so the fact that he could sing, I know a lot of actors do have that training. I'm pretty sure he went to Juilliard, but for acting, that doesn't necessarily mean he can sing. But he didn't just sing with Cecily Strong. Like, he harmonized with her. Right? I was like, oh, okay. All right. Like, go off.
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[27:03] And again, just the commitment and everything. I thought that one was so fun because it combined my love of Disney. Yeah. kind of a straight man yeah he is poor cecily's getting like hit with a bomb and like the plane like opens it's like it dumps all the bathroom stuff on her and she's just straight up not having a good time and he's so oblivious to it he just wants to sing his song um but no what was the one that you thought was was me it was america's funniest cats oh okay yeah no that's fair yeah because it reminded because i because i know like it so reminded me of like late 90s early 2000s snl uh with this was it was adam playing a kind of a nerdy weird guy named finn reynolds he does he hosts a show where he does like kind of goofy voiceovers for cat videos and then he has two french women on his guests played by kate and cecily so this was just like awesome and i'm like i bet i don't know for some reason i thought like i, I think Ashley might like this one. Okay, wow, you guys do it a little different than us. We try to make the bloopers a little sillier, like with sound effects and stuff. Do you know what I mean? I wake up boyoyong. Oh, boyoyong.
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[28:19] We can try boyoyong. Oh, yeah, yeah, great. Throw some boyoyongs in there. I'm just going to roll a bunch of clips and you guys just go crazy, okay? Yes, of course. Boyoyong. this cat has neurological disorder she cannot gauge a distance between herself and the cow isn't that the one where uh yeah they played the french women and they're just completely like i don't want to i don't want to make anybody mad but like what you what they portray in the media as being uh traditional french women yeah like more nihilistic yeah yeah they're like um they make fun of the cats they're like kind of have more dark humor everything like the cat is doing that the cat's about to probably like die in the video like even if they're doing the cutest thing they're like so yeah but adam's adam plays this really fun nerdy guy that's again like almost he he's a outlandish character in his own right but he's almost in a way like a like a foil or like a straight person to them um their voiceovers are a lot darker than adam's so he's a good like foil to the dark voiceovers that Kate and Cecily provided. It was almost like an anti-Sprockets, where instead of the host being super dark and intense, the guests were, and the host was just trying to be this awkward, nerdy, funny guy doing these cute videos, and then.
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[29:43] These women come on and completely like ah well maybe that's not exactly what i intended i absolutely love that comparison to sprockets like the inverse sprockets like that's so good what a great pull anytime i can shout out to mike myers like i'll find a way, yeah you're talking to someone who when he was a little kid dressed up in like a black turtleneck and pretended to be Dieter from Spraw Kids. So I just made Ashley choke on her wine.
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[30:14] I can see that. And that must have been before we met. I know we've known each other a long time, but the fact that I never got to see this is so disappointing. I'm glad there wasn't like my parents weren't on social media at the time and taking pictures and post. Yeah, that would have been a mess. We're older than social media, Tom, unfortunately. So you lucked out.
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[30:39] Uh yeah this was a fun i i have one more i don't know if anything one actually that really surprised me from this episode but i don't know if you have any shout outs uh any more from this his first hosting gig uh no i really yeah i'm not gonna lie the undercover boss one stood out oh wasn't this also the the season where he was playing the football announcer and pete davidson gets absolutely like laid out breaks his legs that was another really good one Yeah.
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[31:09] He's not so much the star of that. Like he's kind of a side person in it. But that would really sit out to me from that episode as well. Yeah, that was a good one. That was the first sketch of the night. Actually, that like led off the night. Oh, that's right. That's right. Yeah. There was one I kind of forgot about. And I loved Adam Driver, obviously, before I started going back and rewatching these episodes. But there was one called Awareness Seminar. it was adam and cecily and their class speakers talking about social social puppeteering to the class and the stories that adam and cecily are sharing are so good and these stories are just like giving kids ideas about like elaborate ways to like mess with their classmates and make them like gaslight them and just thinking certain things and and they're just like telling their classmates like avoid social puppeteering and watch out for this for example and then they'll go into like a story about social puppeteering the class is like that sounds so cool like.
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[32:12] Inadvertently talking the class ended doing it but it was just like a little gem that i had forgot about okay well in simplest terms uh it's manipulating others for your own amusement i'm hijacking someone's reality to feel powerful here's an example of something i did in the sixth grade. I paid like 80 kids a buck to go up to this kid, Nathan, and say, hey, nice hat. So what's the problem? Nathan wasn't wearing a hat. If 80 kids say you're wearing a hat, you start thinking, maybe I'm wearing a hat. And watching him wrestle with that made me feel good. I took the most valuable thing he had, his mind. That's the idea behind social puppeteering. Any questions? i don't think there was a dud in this whole episode like the last sketch of the night it was um 80s character kid character who wanders into a porno scene that's right that's right.
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[33:06] Oh, my gosh. So that's how they ended the night. Adam did a great job at bad acting in that sketch. But that's like, I don't think there were any misses his first hosting gig, which is rare for a first timer. Like sometimes even the great ones, you look at their first time and you're like, okay, there were like some bumps in the road. But I don't think there was like a bump in the road here, Ashley. No, I agree. And I think this shows how much faith and trust that the writers had in him as well to give him such big sketches for his first time hosting.
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[33:40] So whatever they saw early in the week, I think really built that rapport and that trust because they did. They just kept giving him just like amazing sketch after amazing sketch. And he completely delivered on it. Like some of these, you know, could potentially have been duds, but I think he kind of took them across the finish line. And I think this was also our first glimpse into seeing the comedic chemistry he was going to have with Cecily Strong, like just how perfect they were in sketches together. They're so funny. And I'm glad that we got some more with them later when he came back. Yeah, 100%. So it didn't take that long for him to come back. Three seasons, which isn't that much. Season 44, he led off. It was the season premiere of season 44. And he wasn't done any favors with this one I don't think right off the bat Because they did.
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[34:34] Such a long it was a brett kavanaugh cold open matt damon came on and played brett kavanaugh and i enjoyed it but it was so long i think it just kind of messed with like the timing of the show and the tempo and the vibe um so that was kind of weird like excited about the season premiere but like the brett kavanaugh thing had just happened um the the whole like uh the the hearing to try to see if they would confirm him for supreme court justice and so that was very topical, but it just went on for so long and it seemed like they were just playing catch up the entire night, but there were like some good stuff, including arguably the best sketch of the whole era. One of the best sketches of the entire era happened to this in this episode. So, so still like a great perform, great outing by, by Adam. Yeah, you're right. I mean, how do you follow Matt Damon playing completely?
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[35:30] Shout out to Melissa Villasenor, white male rage character in Brett Kavanaugh. It kind of did monopolize the show. It took a really long time. And living in DC, I've gotten to see oral arguments now. And that has ruined me because listening to Justice Kavanaugh ask questions during oral argument, I'm sitting there trying not to giggle and break my bearing because all I can picture is Matt Damon playing him in Saturday Night Live but yeah like it was so hard I think to follow that such an aggressive.
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[36:03] Tone although come to think of it maybe Adam was the perfect one to follow that because he is so intense and aggressive and we got um oh my gosh what was the character's name I remember Pete's name was like Mordecai in this are you talking about Abraham H Parnassus yes thank you oh my god yeah so we get your i think yeah one of the greatest sketches of the era maybe all time um i think anyone i talked to about adam driver doing snl this sketch always comes up i think more than any of the other ones and for good reason i keep talking about his commitment and dedication like this is exhibits a through like z right here everyone else is just dying and losing it in this sketch pete especially right in front of him and he doesn't blink he He doesn't flinch, he doesn't hesitate, like just utter commitment to staying in this character. Mr. Parnassus, why don't you tell us about what you do for a living? Hear me now, children. For my occupation is of much import. For 82 years, I've been an oil man, a baron, some have called me. Now what does an oil baron do? The answer?
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[37:18] Crush your enemies grind their bones into dirt make them regret they were ever born oh sick yes speaking of my shout out to melissa v and senor a minute ago i think she kind of like she's the perfect side person for this sketch because her reactions to him oh my god we're so perfect i think her reactions are some are just as funny as him playing this um oil bear she's like yeah like jp higgins sucks like this is some of the best acting i think that adam's ever done honestly like in movies and girls uh this to me this career day sketch like can rival any of his best acting in that he's done in movies because commitment he was yelling about like crushing your enemy enemies and his feud with hr pickings i love these names for old oil like that's perfect um you mentioned melissa i think she was the one who said i want to be you when i grow up and then adam delivers perfectly and so you shall he gets like all intense it's like it's so ridiculous and pete knew how ridiculous and awesome it was gonna be because as soon as adam started i think even before when he just came out i think pete just looked at him and was like oh god he like kind of started giggling yeah uh pete loses it immediately Adam doesn't even open his mouth, and Pete's completely lost it.
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[38:46] Yeah, this is Beloved for Good Reason. Career Day, he plays, again, Abraham H. Parnassus, which is right up there with Kylo Ren, whatever his character's name was in Marriage Story. I forgot, I liked him in that.
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[39:03] Just anything, Adam from Girls, it just rivals to me. It rivals anything. I absolutely love this sketch. It is up there as far as like an essential, just amazing sketch from this whole era. So that's the first one that you got to shout out, right? Oh, for sure. I want to know if he improvised the part toward the end of that sketch where he throws the bird down on the floor and starts impaling it with his cane. Because everyone else's reaction in that room is like genuine shock and terror. And then kind of like trying not to crack up. And I think it appears to me, based on those reactions, either they were just so perfectly committed to nailing those reactions, or that was improv, because they seemed to not know that he was about to do it, which makes it even better. Yeah, yeah.
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[39:54] Yeah, there's another one. Well, you had mentioned that he and Cecily had developed a rapport from the previous episode. And another one I liked from this, again, total commitment. There's anger, drama on both Adam and Cecily's part. It was that coffee shop one where they're drinking Domenico's coffee that they were told was actually Burger King coffee. And just Adam and Cecily's just dialing it up. They're dialing up the anger, dialing up the drama, all the way to 11. This is a fun sketch, I think. But the fun thing is, is that you actually drank BK Joe. Well, probably everyone else's is a BK Joe, but mine wasn't. I'm a Domenico's girl. My new wife is a Domenico's girl. Okay, sure, but that coffee is BK Joe. And get this, it costs just $1.99.
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[40:48] $1.99? You better take that back, you pervert! Whoa, sir, there is no need for that. You fed my wife this garbage? Huh? This burger juice? How dare you? The day after our wedding. You came here the day after our wedding? And I'm already laughing because I love this sketch so much that to this day, I will be out getting coffee with my husband, and if we go to a new coffee shop, I'll be like, mm-mm, I'm a Dominico's girl. And I just completely start cracking myself up again. Yeah, he's so embarrassed to be around me, my poor husband. No, he's great, but he just knows me so well by now. He knows to expect it. But yeah, every time, like, mm-mm. No, I'm a Dominico's girl.
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[41:30] That's awesome. Yeah, it's just sad that, like, Cecily does. And Adam found a true kind of, almost like his twin on the show in some ways, just in Cecily. Like, they worked off each other so well. like it was we saw that with the aladdin one before that but yeah this this sketch is like uh they're they're fueling each other like one neither of them are the straight person they're just like building off the other one's anger and rage and drama and it's just it's fantastic so uh we've learned today that ashley's a dominico's girl so and that this is a fun sketch, um those were yeah those were a couple highlights um i don't know if there's any more with this episode not many sketches like i said because it just got off to kind of a long start with the with a really long cold open, Yeah, so I'm glad that they gave him so many good ones for his first hosting gig. Obviously, I don't know that they were this prophetic to know that they wouldn't really have this chance the next time he hosted. But I think, you know, I think it was okay to kind of have a little bit more of a dud. And no fault to his own.
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[42:43] But then, of course, you know, the next time we see him, the next two times we see him, I think they make up for it again. Oh, boy, do they. Yeah, no, this is like a classic. It seems like a classic episode. Um season 45 so he comes back the next season uh season 45 episode 11 um this one actually has my favorite monologue um by adam and actually one of my favorite monologues of this whole era i think um and adam's trying his best to be chill and he says he hates red carpet stuff because he's bad at smiling and then he's like uh walking toward the camera and staring into the camera But the whole conceit is just like, I'm just going to try to be chill for this monologue up here. And it's just Adams can't do chill very well, actually.
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[43:34] No, not so much. And I think this shows how self-deprecating he is, too. And I know we see this. They do this every now and then for those actors that maybe kind of get a certain reputation in the media about how their personality is. And they come on SNL to debunk this myth that this is how they really are, but then ultimately the formula of the sketch is to just really prove everybody right at the end of the day. I'm not an intense guy. I'm actually very chill. So tonight I'm just going to be myself, open up a bit, and be chill. Can we get some chill music? No, I don't like that. Can you play something else?
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[44:17] Okay, I like that less. Can you go back to the first one? Okay, that's fine. You can hear that's better, right? Okay, good. Anyway, I'm very chill, and I'm just gonna prove it. I'm just gonna, you know, Take my time up here, be myself, and enjoy this moment.
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[44:37] Yeah, I think he does this so well, too, again, because, again, starting from the beginning, I'm super chill. Three notes into the song that he asks the band to play. No, I don't like that. Change it.
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[44:50] Like, five notes into the second one. Actually, no, I like this less. Go back. He's just being this, like, demanding diva. um and i know i talked a little bit earlier about like his first monologue and kind of how he was interacting with the other cast members but yeah this one you're right he's interacting with the band he's interacting with the cameras he does the awkward sit next to the audience member kind of thing and tries to yeah i can sit and talk to the people and then just kind of gives him this action figure thing and if i see this on ebay i'm gonna kill you um it's just yes you're it's so memorable so funny yeah these are the types of monologues in my opinion that all-time great hosts do like i can see steve martin tom hanks alec baldwin like any of the all-time greats just holding court in a monologue like that looking so comfortable so confident they're owning the main stage they're owning home base there in studio 8h and this is just a throwback back to like this is a monologue that that i watch and i'm going like this guy is an all-time great and this is something that makes me confident in calling him like a top 10 host ever is because of something like this like it's it's just it's just it was just so fun to watch it it's like one of those monologues honestly that like made me makes me uh reaffirms why i like watching snl because i get to see something great like this.
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[46:18] Yeah, and it's something that could have just completely failed if he didn't have the ability to carry it. Like, he carries this entire monologue that could have been so awkward and just nails it. It's quiet. It's just him. He's interacting with these other people and entities, but they're not really engaging back with him. Like, he's carrying this whole monologue, and it's funny from start to finish. And I just think that, yeah, it really goes to show how talented he is at this. And it's so fun to see. Yeah, people, you need to go back and watch his monologue from season 45, episode 11. To me, it's like up there with like some of the better like Martin Short monologues or hosts like that. It's pretty awesome. So I was in New York this weekend.
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[47:05] And my wife and I were leaving our luggage at our hotel to go like do some sightseeing before we had to get back and then go to the airport. They told us how much it was. they said that they didn't take card and I looked at my wife and I was like oh man I'm all out of cash so so that made me that reminded me of such a classic sketch from from this episode Ashley that was a that was a shaggy a little shaggy dog way to get to to get to this Del Taco sketch, I love it oh my gosh did you pick this sketch because of my prior comments about Kyle Mooney a little bit, i mean because part of me is like oh another kyle mooney sketch but then well like the evil part of me is like oh this entire sketch is like designed to absolutely humiliate him 100 yeah and i will say i end up i do end up feeling so bad for him by the end of it when he's like fake crying um because they make him say the line like 100 times over again and it's still wrong and they're just telling him how bad he is at it yeah yeah let's hear it oh man i'm I'm all out of cash. Aw, man, I'm all out of cash. No, you don't want to kill yourself. You just want to talk about it.
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[48:18] You should be like, aw, man, I'm all out of cash. Okay. Now say it. Aw, man, I'm all out of cash. Aw, man, I'm all out of cash. No, you're not a pervert. He's got to get out of his head. I think we just got to beat the hell out of this guy. No, no, no, no, we can't. Aw, crap, crap, crap, crap, crap. I know, sir. Wait, wait, wait, wait. Adam plays such a great, like, he plays the VP of branding for Del Taco. Del Taco. They're shooting a Del Taco commercial. Beck's the director. Chloe Fineman. It's an early, I guess, early Chloe Fineman. I was surprised. I actually kind of forgot that Chloe was in this sketch. So it's early Chloe Fineman and Adam or Kyle are playing these two actors. And he and Kyle has to say the line, oh man, I'm at it all out of cash. And Beck's trying to coach him.
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[49:09] And You don't want to kill yourself. You just want a taco. You're not a pervert. Just all these different things. He looks at Beck and he's like, I think we just got to beat the hell out of this guy. And then he's like, put your shirt on your head like Cornholio. Take your pants off. Like Cornholio. I love that. He just kind of slid that in. We all know who he's talking about. The great Cornholio. This is another classic So like You can watch all four of his Episodes and I think there's like Classics from the era Yeah, in each one of those episodes. And to me, this is one of them. This Del Taco commercial shoot. I think immediately, Ashley, I looked online when it happened and people were repeating that line right away. It became an instant classic. So where does I say, oh, I'm a Domenico's girl. You're the, oh, I'm all out of cash. No, it's like, oh, man, I'm all out of cash.
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[50:21] Please don't make me do it like Cornholio. You just crack each other up drinking Domenico's while eating Del Taco. That would be it. Yes. That would be a fun time. What else do you need? They also did, Ashley, a sequel to a sketch that we both loved from his first gig. It's the undercover boss, Where Are They Now? So how did you feel about part two of this undercover boss? I really liked it. It's always so hard to do a sequel to anything. I was just so happy to have him back. Um i didn't think it was quite as good as the first one that may be in a popular opinion, um but i think i've probably just built up in my head so much like the perfection that is the first one that yeah you know there's no way to ever really compare it um but yeah obviously it was such a favorite they knew they had to bring it back for the fans i'm so glad they did yeah well it got a huge cheer when the sketch started it got a huge cheer so we showed how beloved the The last one was immediately they showed Adam as Kylo and everybody just start shooting because they knew what they were in for pretty much. And then it has a gif that that kind of lives on toward the end when he's giving that strained kind of thumbs up at the at the end of the sketch. So for nothing else, like I thought this was a pretty good sketch, but then like that thumbs up kind of lives on.
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[51:44] Yeah, I mean, again, no shade to Adam Driver. I think he nails it again. I think it's kind of just more some of the other people. Bobby Moynihan, just not sure enough sucks. Like, when you go from that to, like, everybody else, you don't have Leslie Jones anymore, you know. Maybe I'm just biased again because I loved those actors so much. But, yeah, if nothing else, at least now our world is blessed with that gif of the author of Thumbs Up. There's a series of sketches that I think Adam's, like, a perfect host to play. So it's the science science room sketches and he could play really annoyed, like very, very well. Uh, so, so he plays the host of the science room. Of course you have like Mikey and Cecily is their little kid characters who, who are just like the most annoying little kids. But isn't Adam not perfect for something like this? Oh my God. Yes. Cause again, just his complete ability to, and he times the escalation of his aggression. So wow. Like he doesn't come out of the gate at a hundred. Like he really knows how to just dial it up a little bit more, a little bit more each time. And you see that with this, like at first he's like so happy about the kids and seems like, you know, a TV host that's going to be so natural and doing a science show with kids. And then just completely ends it with like wanting to absolutely murder these dumb children. And he's throwing the tape like through the window and.
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[53:11] Um, again, just Cecily, like, I think she helps carry that through, like her comedic timing and delivery of the, you know, somewhat inappropriate comments about what her sister says about what happens in the science room. Always. Yeah. It's always something she, she repeats what her sister says. What comes first in the science room? Um, the guy, the guy. Yeah. My, my older sister said the guy like always comes first oh my god no no that's not what that means the guy does not come first here the girl comes first no my sister said the girl never comes it's safety safety comes first.
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[53:56] That was an awful conversation we just had adam had the best response uh he just sort of casually goes like that was an awful conversation we just had it was like the way he said it was like i was like the voice for us like yeah that was somebody like called it out yeah i love it i love when snl does that too um i think by one of my favorite examples of that is uh again kind of going a little off topic i apologize but the larry david episode where they're doing the fbi training and pete davidson just simply repeats what larry david said with this like like incredulous like just demeanor like did he just say can a bitch get a donut and it's like the audience yeah you're right it's just really repeating what the audience is thinking in that moment it seems so simple but it's.
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[54:50] Kind of i think it makes the audience like oh yeah that's right yeah this is funny because this is exactly what i'm thinking and i think adam did the same thing in this sketch yeah for sure that's like a mikey day street or side l kind of thing too i think yeah yeah like the audience perspective um in that as well though uh yeah just a wonderful uh the science room they've done that a few times and you need those like great actors who can like pull off that sort of frustration that like escalating sort of frustration that adam did um i have one more that i think that i really love from this uh from this episode i don't know if you have anything from his third hosting gig that that we should go over um no yeah those are kind of the big ones for me i think we might be thinking about the next the same next sketch though the only other one i can think about from this uh episode well mine was um it's an example of a sketch that has a ridiculous premise and kind of really works because of someone like adam i guess adam and cecily again and it's the marrying ketchups sketch yes that they did at the end of the night and it's just like of course at a restaurant one of the closing duties married the ketchups or whatever so they're pretending to like have a wedding with the ketchups and So basically Adam and Cecily are playing these catch-ups. I think Kyle comes in as like Cholula or something.
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[56:17] But this is such a dumb, dumb premise that I find really entertaining.
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[56:22] And it's basically because of Adam and Cecily. So them as a duo I find really entertaining performing a really dramatic dumb scene.
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[56:33] Wanda, I know you're only a quarter full and I'm three quarters full. But together it won't matter We'll just be one full ketchup No, we won't Because I'm not ketchup at all, i'm catsup what did you just say you heard me.
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[56:54] You're telling me i've been gallivanting around town with some cheap off-brand generic ketchup, don't you dare you're not even heinz you dirty hunt you're really gonna call me a hunt in front of my family i love it because it's supposed to be like this dramatic.
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[57:12] Like almost marriage story-esque you're right and um he's yelling at her and the puns are just chef's kiss like you're right it could be so dumb it could be so bad but they nailed it like i don't relish telling you this but like it's like come on like please um and i think it it was heidi gardner who was it was heidi who was yeah heidi was the manager i think heidi bryant played the manager yes yes and it's um cecily almost she kind of breaks a little bit when she like breaks off the label and realize it reveals that she's catsup and not ketchup and he's just appalled um and then they have the little like ketchup packet baby i can't like everything about out this sketch is so funny to me but i do kind of like dumb humor yeah no absolutely no dumb humor is great especially on snl it's like i don't know like the commitment just to just to really to sell something dumb is just like it's one of the reasons why i do love the show is just to see these just sometimes you see these people sell the most ridiculous thing and it's It's like they're just putting themselves out there to look stupid and to have fun. That's a lot of reason why I watch the show. And something like this, it's just like it's perfectly executed in that.
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[58:40] Oh yeah and like when she she starts kind of pushing back she's like well at least i don't have to slap him on the back for him to perform yeah yeah oh that's that so we were both thinking the same thing that's marrying catch-ups that was the last uh it was like a 10 to 1 it was the last uh sketch of the night um very great episode his third one we had a classic monologue the del taco commercial shoot was classic some other like really fun sketches um adam got to show his acting chops a lot in the medieval times sketch adam got to show like some really over dramatic fun acting like a like adam driver does um so really really strong third outing people were clamoring for him to come back it's just like he's showing that he's an all-time great already but we need him back and when they announced him and kate hosting i think they hosted like back to back they were part of a batch of uh announcements it was like okay we're in for something special uh so adam came back this past season in season 49 um and i think one of these sketches was probably my top two sketches of the season and adam played it perfectly but the but this was like a i think season 49 was maybe kind of an up and down episode but.
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[1:00:05] To me this was like had a lot of highs compared to a lot of the other episodes of this season but like when you saw adam was coming back like excitement oh yeah definitely like i said you know he he came out just from his his very first season of hosting and was so good at it.
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[1:00:22] If he just kept getting better and better every time they've announced him, I've been so, so excited. I'm going to be even more excited if they announce him for a fifth hosting gig, but yeah, definitely always excited to have him back.
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[1:00:38] Yeah. So, so I think, I think some fans felt like it was bumpy to start the season. And then we were like, Oh, Adam's coming back and Kate McKinnon's coming to host. Like, so this, this really like, I think rejuvenated a lot of people.
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[1:00:51] And, um, the sketch that I want, that I wanted to bring up first was like, uh, maybe my favorite sketch of the season. There's another one with Kristen, in the Jumanji sketch was up there too um but beep beep um with Adam and uh Andrew just mukes essentially kind of facing off in this sketch like Andrew's honestly my favorite current cast member to so to see Andrew and his weird humor uh his kind of intense silly humor play off of adam so well uh in this sketch which is like it's kind of a dumb premise like two guys are like putting their dishes on the table and saying excuse me beep beep so they use the word beep beep and then adam and andrew get there at the same time and they say beep beep and then it starts getting tense it's like a tense standoff i'm sorry boys is everything all right everything's fine sweetie i said beep beep no no no no no no i said beep beep no no no no no no i don't think you understand see i'm a little car right now and i'm honking at you with my little horn.
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[1:02:12] Beep beep you couldn't get two better people one you couldn't get a better host two you couldn't andrew was the perfect cast member to pull this off so beep beep ashley maybe my favorite sketch at least in the top two of the season oh yeah i think that one really threw me off i didn't think, you know it was gonna be as good as it was when it kind of first starts like oh here's another like holiday get together type sketch you know they do these all the time um but oh my gosh Gosh, you're right. I do feel like Andrew Dismutes has been kind of this like dark horse, this silent assassin where you didn't really â.
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[1:02:47] He's so kind of quiet and unassuming, seemingly, that you think he's just going to be hiding in the background. But I remember being so impressed with how well he held his own with Adam Driver in this scene. Adam is so intense. He's so experienced. And Andrew Dismukes is still kind of new. And you could not tell. and I know you got a little of that too when he had that sketch with Ryan Gosling where Ryan's trying to like bail on the engagement and I feel like you get kind of that same Andrew Dismukes with Adam Driver in the Beat Beats sketch, and yeah like that same just perfection of escalating it at the right time, but also I think anyone who's been to like a dinner party with their parents was like oh my god yes like this This is the cringy stuff that dads do with each other. But to see the twist of it turning into this, like, fight to the death is so funny. One of them must relent.
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[1:03:54] Yeah, it's just, I'm a sucker, just in my time as an SNL fan, I'm such a sucker for silly premises that take dramatic, tense turns. Like, as you mentioned, it's a silly premise. this you know dumb dads are just like goofy dads i should say uh just kind of doing their thing and i just love when those types of slice of life kind of things take such a dramatic turn and it's just tense and you see andrew looking at him just staring into like adam's soul and like i said beep beep and it's just like it turns like such like cold tense like wow okay like that escalated. I'm a sucker for that, Ashley. Out of like the different sketch types, that's one of my absolute favorites. Oh, yeah, I think it goes back to what we were talking about the juxtaposition of, you know, where they like for the pre taper, they do something so calm and kind of sweet. And then it turns into this like epic, like, rage type scene, you know, next. And obviously, this is a little bit of a different formula, but they write the same idea of something that could be so dumb, but that everybody connects with everyone thinks is funny, because they've executed it so well. And then you just have Caden come in and he shows his gun like just takes it from a hundred to like a million.
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[1:05:14] I just oh my god yeah perfect way to end it because sometimes I do take issue you know they're not really quite sure how to end really good sketches sometimes, and sometimes there's just this kind of awkward fade away but not with this one like start to finish, I think it's James Austin Johnson is one of the people in the back like kind of like Like, yeah, explaining, no, no, no, like, this, once they said beep beep, you cannot relent, like you said. Yeah, beep beep, I'll continue to spread the good word about this sketch, because it immediately, like, impressed me and floored me. It was awesome. Yeah, this episode was one of my favorites of the season, probably. You had him and Bowen as that gay couple that just told their friends like that they're trying. I'm so, so happy for you. So tell all now, what's your plan? Are you gonna adopt? No, we're just gonna try. Oh, so then you're doing the surrogate route. That's great. Huh, surrogacy. Well, maybe down the line, but for now we're just gonna try. Trying so uh don't come knocking on our door either oh.
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[1:06:34] Heidi michael sarah and andrew all asking them like so how are you are you adopting he's like no we're just trying okay like yeah so i just love their like him and bowen just kind of casually just throwing out that they're trying so that was something else that stood out to me i mean anything with bowen of course he's so good at playing off anybody as well like he's so versatile i love it yeah no yeah what'd you think about this episode as a whole and anything that like that you may have enjoyed i yeah i mean obviously yeah the beat beat was the one that stood out to me the most so we were trying um the old friends one was really funny but kind of like reaching out hadn't heard from somebody in a while like that would also kind of take like a really dark turn. But yeah, you know, I feel like.
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[1:07:26] This episode showed a little bit more that they don't always like the sketches don't always have to be him front center. Like he can also, I think play like the side guy, the side person and, you know, really still contribute and, and not just be somebody who's hiding in the corner or they're not just throwing him in because he's the host. Um, and he wants a certain amount of screen time. And I think he ends up really contributing to everything that he's in, whether he's front and center or he's playing one of the side characters. And I think we've got probably a few more sketches, I'd say, where he was the side character in this one. Or maybe even a little bit calmer sometimes. Yeah, especially toward the end. Yeah, there was like a PSA, which is like elderly people saying like, stop pranking me, basically. So you have all these elderly people. Yeah. And Adam was just part of an ensemble there. Tiny Ass Bag ended the night. And Adam was just sort of part of the sketch. But he's front and center when he's playing a baby on an airplane. Oh my god, yes. Adam's front and center for that one. Okay, yeah.
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[1:08:32] I mean, that's an example of a sketch that could go off the rails so quickly if the host isn't selling it. And Adam is selling it. It's just his face because basically he's sticking his head through an airplane seat and then it's like a little baby's body. So it's just Adam facial expressions as far as like his ears hurt and, his mom is playing like a Peekaboo or not peekaboo, but like showing him his toy and like where'd it go and then Adams like oh my god he's like so this is just total like facial acting just commitment and another sketch that could really go off the rails unless It's like a confident really great host. I've been there before raised three on my own. How old is he? Oh.
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[1:09:22] I'm 11 months oh oh wow you mean 11 months in like 15 000 days my ears feel strange.
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[1:09:36] It's okay honey that's just the pressure from being up high yeah no my ears they feel different i don't like it, it's okay here do you want your ipad sweetie the peppa pig device that is the only thing i want, and i think too like this shows like he's so willing to not take himself too seriously like the sketches that he's taken on and agreed to do and then just absolutely nailed i think shows that like he's not afraid of looking silly he's not afraid of being stupid um and you're right kind of taking these premises that could be so bad and he's like yeah i'll go along with that i'll play along like i i can totally see he sees the vision and he brings it to life and you're right even it's just a head like a baby's head and he's so freaking funny yeah yeah that was when my wife and i were recently on an airplane i i uh because she had she had to miss the adam driver she was out of town for the adam driver episode so i was kind of explaining it to her again i'm like yeah i gotta show it to you sometime because it's adam driver and this baby and she was getting kicked kick out of me just explaining explaining it so uh i think all in all a good episode we forgot like the only other one was like adam playing a chocolatier selling his chocolates on shop tv and the chocolates are phallic shaped and they lean into that whole thing and yeah.
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[1:10:56] Oh my god i forgot about that totally straight he can't acknowledge what's going on so that's like the key thing there is you can't you have to play that straight and adam did such a great job with that so uh so it could easily be like a really dumb like almost a sweaty balls kind of, realm of a sketch um but you know adam's a great host that pulls it off, Yeah, you're right. It is very Shwetty Balzac, especially, you know, like the phone calls, like keep ramping up, you know, the more that he keeps talking and the complete just obliviousness to what is happening and what he's saying. Oh my God, I almost forgot about that. I also realized I've been missing an opportunity with all of my international travels this summer to recreate Adam Sandler as a baby on a plane. Like I should just start screaming and completely acting. Then your husband would be really embarrassed. That would be a peak embarrassment. So, I don't know. For his sake, I'm not sure about that. But if you do video it.
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[1:11:59] Maybe I won't post that to Instagram after all. But yeah, so season 49, maybe a little bumpy. I don't know. There was some hit or miss. But I think overall, this was one of the better episodes of the season. I'm not surprised when it comes to Adam Driver. So, when we alluded to it too. so he hosted in season 49 uh is season 50 too soon for him to come back and be a five-timer like one is it too soon for fans do you think like oh we've already seen him last season and do you think it'd be too soon for the show to want to bring him back, i don't know because i feel like they bring mulaney back so often like in so close in time to his last hosting gig so i don't know that they're just like automatically like opposed to bringing somebody back like too close in time, again a little bit different with Mulaney he does bring a different vibe and you don't really need Mulaney to be like, promoting anything whereas I could see them maybe just wanting to wait or maybe even Adam's agents wanting to wait so he can come back when he has something to promote.
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[1:13:10] I wouldn't personally be mad about it and I don't think fans again Again, Adam Driver fans would be opposed to him coming back so soon. But maybe, yeah, building up the anticipation that maybe at least one more season and then being able to line up, you know, whatever big names you're going to call in for his five-timer episode and really be able to take the time to do that one justice and do it well. Yeah, you got to do it well. If and when he becomes a five-timer, that needs to be like a special one because he's an all-timer host. And I don't say that lightly. I don't just bestow that on anybody, really. He's like a top 10 host for me. I think he's going to go down as that creative a host. So, yeah. So, I mean, I would love season 50, but you're right. Maybe season 51. He's always working. So he's always like has something. So there's going to be some reason for him to go on SNL because it seems like he's in something all the time. He pops up everywhere. Yeah, that's true. Yeah. It's not like we're going to have to wait very long. I think personally, if we're going to do a Five Timers Club episode for him, they've got to call in at least Mark Hamill, if not both him and Harrison Ford. I mean, you've got to get, right? Like, I mean, you've got to still do the Star Wars thing, even though he's done a bunch of other stuff since that.
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[1:14:28] I think, you know, because it's usually such a fun time for them to bring in, you know, these cameos and be such huge names. I think that would be so fun. Yeah, agreed. I can see Mark Hamill doing it. Harrison Ford can be a little bit of a grump. Yeah. So especially when it comes to Star Wars, he could be a little grumpy about that. I think he was happy when Han Solo got killed off, spoiler alert. I think Harrison Ford was happy about that, honestly, but that would be so special, but I think they should try to do something like that. Well, I think that's part of what would make it so epic, is the fact that he would, if they could, that he would show up for something like that, I think would really just make the audience reaction even bigger. Yeah, I completely agree. All right, so now's the time. You don't have to convince me. You'd be preaching to the choir here about Adam's Hall of Fame candidacy. But there's voters, listeners, SNL water cooler folks that might need some convincing, especially because he's like an active sort of person, a recent, if you will. So why should voters consider Adam Driver for the SNL Hall of Fame? Oh, my gosh. For all of the reasons that we just talked about, like his range, his commitment, his dedication. He's just so natural.
Track 4:
[1:15:52] Again, I'm a little bit biased. He's a veteran. I'm currently in the military. so you know really proud that not only is you know he kind of brought such a positive spin to it but he started that non-profit you know arts and the armed forces um you know really trying to, bring art and theater to service members and veterans and kind of help get their foot in the door to kind of do what he did is you know hey there's life after the military there's so many people with all of this talent kind of hiding there. They just need kind of the push. So he's philanthropic. He supports the troops.
Track 4:
[1:16:33] But no, in all seriousness, he's just so funny and he's got such great range. And yeah, he's just one of those hosts that no matter what he's given, he's going to nail it. And I think you're right. That's what makes him land a spot on my list too of one of the greatest hosts of all time. And somebody that, I mean, if we're talking about him being a potential five-timer, it's because he's got so much in his portfolio. So if you're on the fence, I just recommend going back and watching some of the sketches that Tom and I talked about and even some of the other ones that we did. And hopefully you'll find what we did when we watched it and have the same positive experience that we did.
Track 3:
[1:17:29] So there's that. I want to thank Ashley Bauer and Thomas for generating yet another stimulating and engaging conversation. This time about our friend Adam Driver. It sounds to me as though they have a similar feeling that I have. This is somebody who belongs in the SNL Hall of Fame. The only thing I think that may hold him back is the fact that it's only legacy hosts, Baldwin, Goodman, Martin, that are in as hosts. So Driver would be doing uncharted work, having really only worked with, you know, the season 40 group. So there's that. Hey man, I'm all out of cash. Let's listen to a sketch.
Track 5:
[1:18:28] And in my opinion, that's how we make the fire go away. Oh wow, simply wow. Thank you so much to Samantha's dad for that enlightening demonstration. All right class, to continue our career day presentations, we will now turn it over to Mordecai's father, Abraham H. Parnassus. Dude, what does your dad even do? I don't want to talk about it. I heard he's, like, super old. Is that true? I don't know. He's a dad. Dads are old.
Track 5:
[1:19:05] Greetings, children. I'm Mordecai's father. Hello, boy. How are you? Look at your father, boy. Look upon your father with pride. I see you, man. All right, Mr. Parnassus, why don't you tell us about what you do for a living? Hear me now, children. For my occupation is of much import. For 82 years, I've been an oil man, a baron. Some have called me. Now, what does an oil baron do? The answer? Crush your enemies! Grind their bones into dirt! Make them regret they were ever born! Oh, sick! Wow, right into the dirt. Now, if the kids want to pursue a career in oil, what kind of traits would serve them well? Oil is not for the weak. It is the Earth's milk, and only the strong may suckle at mother's teat. You hear me, boy? Only the strong, Look at your father. Look at me. Look at him, Mordecai. Dad, this is embarrassing. One man came close to breaking me. H.R. Pickens. He did not succeed. For I crushed him into the ground! Who is H.R. Pickens? Exactly!
Track 5:
[1:20:34] Samantha, you gotta stop it, honey. Okay. Well, Mr. Parnassus, the oil business must be pretty lucrative, right? Oil has little to do with profit, mom.
Track 5:
[1:20:46] Okay. The world is about domination of the spirit. Allow me to demonstrate. Children! Point to the weakest in your class, and we shall ruin their spirit as I ruined the spirit of H.R. Pickens so long ago.
Track 5:
[1:21:02] Word? You are weak like H.R. Pickens. Feel this boy. Understand the pain. You think I was always the picture of strength that I am now. Dad, you couldn't get out of bed for a week because the mattress was too soft. Mind over flesh, boy. I was born seven months too early. Incubation technology was still in its infancy, so they placed me in a cast-iron pot inside of a pizza oven until I was ripe enough to walk. My bones never hardened, but my spirit did. Be strong and crush your enemies! Well, this has been outstanding, Mr. Parnassus, but unfortunately, we're running out of time. Boo! Now, does anyone else have any last questions for Mordecai's dad? Yeah, yeah. I get that you're an oil baron, but what do you actually do all day? Perhaps I was not clear. Luckily, I've brought a visual aid which will illuminate the ins and outs of the oil industry. I'm sorry.
Track 5:
[1:22:19] Proud, flying high above the earth in bloody defiance of her gifts. And now you return her to earth naked and defeated. I have left you as occupants. I crushed you into the ground. And now your bones turn to oil beneath my living feet. I married your granddaughter, filled her belly with my festering seed, and silent a boy! He is my final revenge, H.R.! Dad, come on! I want to be you when I grow up! And so you shall! Now, children, I was asked to bring a healthy snack, so join me in the hall for swine livers and Capri Sun. All right, kids, go out and eat those tickets!
Track 3:
[1:23:13] You know when you hear people talking about a performance versus writing.
Track 3:
[1:23:22] That is the culmination of two bits right there the writing is right on point and driver's performance takes it over the edge that's what we're looking for when we're looking for a hall Hall of Fame host.
Track 3:
[1:23:40] So, on behalf of Ashley Bauer, Thomas, Matt, this is JD saying, on your way out, if you could do me a favor, as you pass the Weekend Update exhibit, turn out the lights, because the SNL Hall of Fame is now closed.
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