S40.E00: The 40th Anniversary Special

[slowpoked]

 

The Digital Short really cracked me up, especially when Andy said something like "And then we made a movie and it BOMBED" and Sandler said "Why would you remind people of that?"

 

I can't believe that they had a Digital Short about breaking without including clips of the epic Debbie Downer in Disneyland skit. 

[Kromm]

Miley was the clear winner in the musical portions, she can really sing.  I had never heard her just sing before.

If it wasn't for this (click me), I'd say it might be a sign she's turning a corner in her career and has decided to emphasize her talent over her self-promotion.  Again, I have a weird admiration for her Madonna-in-her-prime-like ability to promote herself through cleverly planned outrageousness, but it makes it hard for people to realize there's anything more to her (other than the putrid Hannah Montana stuff, at the other extreme).

[nowandlater]

Actually I thought Norm MacDonald's appearance at the show was very gracious on his part, and showed the difference between him and Eddie Murphy. Eddie Murphy had some great years on the show and then he went on to do bigger and better things, like many SNL actors. Maybe Lorne Michaels didn't give him his due or whatever, but would it have killed Eddie to do an old sketch? Mr. Robinson's neighborhood? 

 

Norm MacDonald otoh was canned due to the OJ jokes and the fact that TPTB were (then) buddies with OJ. The fact that he showed up and put on a happy face and participated in the Jeopardy sketch was kind of cool.

 

The reprising of old sketches was on the one hand, very cool. On the other hand, it smacked of not being able to let go of the past. I mean, it's awesome to see Waynes World, but they are in their 50s now. So it seems weird.

 

I think Eddie has moved past all the stuff he did on SNL. I don't blame him. As I said above, he's not that bubbly comedic guy anymore

 

As for Norm Macdonald, he came back to host less than 2 years after he was fired, which was after the NBC exec who had him fired was long gone. So the relationship has always been strong between him and Lorne.

[Growsonwalls]

Speaking of musical guests, why not Lady Gaga? She was very funny as a host and generally seems to be a very good sport about everything. 

[Kromm]

I also thought it was funny that Wayne and Garth kept telling Kanye to stay in his seat.  More people need to tell him that.

The problem is that doing it clearly as a joke kind of in a way is a backhanded endorsement.  "Oh, you amused us, so we can deal with it".  That said, I think we also got an unflattering reference to his wife last night, which is not the same.

 

 

Bill Murray and the Jaws thing also had me rolling.  I love him.

As I said upthread... such a clear contrast between Murray and Ackroyd in the "do they still have it/seem to give a fuck" categories.  Murray still has it.  And gives a fuck.

 

Speaking of castmembers named Murray, was Bill's brother there?  I didn't see him.

Edited February 16, 2015 by Kromm

[Milburn Stone]

Bill Murray and the Jaws thing also had me rolling.  I love him.

 

The thing that struck me as miraculous about this is that Bill Murray knows exactly how far to go with something. Those first, plaintive, screaming notes out of him were hilarious. He's not afraid to go big. Yet he also has an unerring sense of how much is too much! You could easily hit that moment too hard, and it wouldn't be funny at all, just desperate for a laugh. On the other hand, if you play it too small (like Chevy did with his "stumble"), no one will even know what you're going for. I decided the secret is Bill Murray not thinking in terms of big or small, but just totally committing to his character as a great actor would. (Because he is one.)

[Kromm]

The reprising of old sketches was on the one hand, very cool. On the other hand, it smacked of not being able to let go of the past. I mean, it's awesome to see Waynes World, but they are in their 50s now. So it seems weird.

Isn't an anniversary show inherently about the past?

 

I mean it's not like they were bringing these sketches back on the regular show.

Edited February 16, 2015 by Kromm

[VCRTracking]

 

I agree, I felt this was exactly what he was going for. But the small stumble wasn't quite big enough to put the gag across, and was easily mistaken for an accidental stumble (given his overall presentation of himself).

Chevy said he wanted a host a few years ago but Lorne told him he was too old. I'm sure there's more to it than that(like Chevy's an asshole to the cast) but Lorne was right. The kind of bumbling physical stuff worked back in the 70s because it was a vital(and handsome, the number of tweets from young people remarked on this) young guy doing it. Now it would be just a doddering old man. It's like in the 15th anniversary they said that Chevy was too old to do a fall in the opening, but it was meant to be a joke because they said he was in his late 50s when really he was still relatively young, in his early 40s and could actually do it again.

Edited February 16, 2015 by VCRTracking

[absnow54]

The thing that struck me as miraculous about this is that Bill Murray knows exactly how far to go with something. Those first, plaintive, screaming notes out of him were hilarious. He's not afraid to go big. Yet he also has an unerring sense of how much is too much! You could easily hit that moment too hard, and it wouldn't be funny at all, just desperate for a laugh.

I agree so much with this, especially after watching the rewind marathon. The Nerds sketch especially. He was so good at playing up the little moments that had the audience and Gilda rolling, and never seemed to overstay his welcome. Basically the complete opposite of Fred Armisen and Kristen Wiig in their sketches last night.

[VCRTracking]

Someone on another board said they didn't find Garth and Kat funny until they realized that Fred Armisen was really making up the lyrics and Wiig was looking intently and quickly repeating and trying to anticipate what he's going to say. That's when he or she got the joke. I have to admit I usually tune out every time they do the Garth and Kat bit so I'm going to rewatch if now knowing this it'll make more sense.

Edited February 16, 2015 by VCRTracking

[Growsonwalls]

Did anyone get a little teary at Tina Fey and Alec Baldwin paying tribute to Tracy Morgan? I did. Mostly because they didn't have that solemn-serious "tribute" voice. But you could tell that the usually wry Tina was upset just talking about it. Get well Tracy.

[DeLurker]

 

ACTING!!!

John Lovitz' Master Thespian was hysterical. It had me and my friends (in college) randomly casting up our arm and dramatically and tastelessly saying "Master Lesbian!"

 

Interesting that Dana Carvey's audition included the Church Lady voice and Choppin' Broccoli.

[Prairie Fire]

One nice moment not mentioned: Pete Davidson and Leslie Jones introducing one of the segments. Newest cast members, i.e. those to whom the torch has been passed.

[Kromm]

Did anyone get a little teary at Tina Fey and Alec Baldwin paying tribute to Tracy Morgan? I did. Mostly because they didn't have that solemn-serious "tribute" voice. But you could tell that the usually wry Tina was upset just talking about it. Get well Tracy.

Well Tracy ain't dead, so I'm glad they took that tone instead of anything mournful.  Heck, he's even walking again, now with a normal cane instead of the walker he had just a few weeks ago, and the wheelchair from a few weeks before that.

 

Haven't really seen reports on how well he's speaking, but in the clips online of him walking with the cane, at the very least his spacial awareness and general sense of his surroundings seems very normal.  

Edited February 16, 2015 by Kromm

[dcalley]

Did they show a clip of Toonces the Driving Cat?

Yes, early on in the show in a rapid montage. It was hard to register everything they showed.

 

Here's a question...was that Candace Bergen on stage with some youngish guy with weird hair introducing someone.?

Yes.

[Primetimer]

It's enough already, Saturday Night Live (cc contemporary comedy in general).

Read the story

[mtlchick]

 

I can't believe that they had a Digital Short about breaking without including clips of the epic Debbie Downer in Disneyland skit.

It was referenced to earlier in the night.  Still one of the greatest break downs ever.

[blueray]

Was that the same one with Lindsay Lohan, where they all just lose it. Because I was surprised that wasn't mentioned.

[helenamonster]

What I do find interesting is that apparently, Colin Jost says he imitates Norm behind the update desk, because he grew up watching Norm at the update desk.  Colin needs to work on his delivery if he thinks he's doing a good Norm imitation.

 

If I go to the dictionary and look up the word "bullshit," I full expect this to be the first definition listed.

 

Speaking of musical guests, why not Lady Gaga? She was very funny as a host and generally seems to be a very good sport about everything. 

 

Man, that would have been awesome. But my girl's been pretty busy lately, unfortunately (or not, I guess, as the case may be).

 

The Wayne's World sketch was really well done. And super classy of them to thank the crew. Yeah, they make just as many blunders as the cast sometimes, but I've seen those people at work in real time and it's quite a feat.

[AndySmith]

Aw, let Betty White have her fun. She'll be dead soon enough.

[MrWhyt]

Here's a question...was that Candace Bergen on stage with some youngish guy with weird hair introducing someone.? 

 

That was Win Butler of Arcade Fire (i think)

[VCRTracking]

 

Aw, let Betty White have her fun. She'll be dead soon enough.

 

I posted it earlier but her not doing an Valley accent for the sketch is actually accurate. Nobody her age living in Southern California had ever talked that like that.

Edited February 16, 2015 by VCRTracking

[Inquisitionist]

In other news, we kind of felt James Taylor should be there. But maybe he's in Europe or something.

 

I see from IMDb that he was the musical guest 6 times, but I honestly don't remember any of them.  I don't think he was ever in a sketch, the way Paul Simon and Paul McCartney were.  Taylor's last SNL appearance was in 1993.

[slowpoked]

Was that the same one with Lindsay Lohan, where they all just lose it. Because I was surprised that wasn't mentioned.

Yes, and even Rachel Dratch couldn't get to her pièce de résistance Debbie Downer line without full-on breaking. By the time she got there, everyone was just so out of it. 

[prican58]

That was Win Butler of Arcade Fire (i think)

Thanks, MrWhyt. But what the hell was he doing with Candace? Arcade Fire bugs the hell out of me.

[Ottis]

Some I can understand because they have strong ties to the show, like Timberlake and Steve Martin, but, like, Taylor Swift? Kanye West? Emma Stone? I don't mind these people showing up (I don't even really like Taylor Swift but I thought her episode was hilarious, and I worship at the altar of Emma Stone), but it just seems odd and kind of takes away from the specialness of it.

 

 

My kids, who are teens, only recognized the people you mentioned. They had no idea about any of the rest, including Steve Martin. That's why those newer people were on the show, I reckon.

[briochetwist]

Thanks, MrWhyt. But what the hell was he doing with Candace? Arcade Fire bugs the hell out of me.

 

Arcade Fire have been on Saturday Night Live four times.  In addition to performing, they did an awesome sketch a few years back called 'Arcade Fire or New Cast Member'.

[blueray]

Aw, let Betty White have her fun. She'll be dead soon enough.

No! she has to live forever!

 

Seriously though, she was on the list of highlights for me. I'm glad that fb got her to host that one time or she wouldn't have been on this show. Her stuff that I saw was funny. I was about to give up on that California skit mainly because I didn't understand a word that Taylor said. But Betty appearing at the end made me glad I didn't flip the channel. And I like that she looks her age (still looks good though) and can still make me laugh. I do agree let her have fun.

Edited February 16, 2015 by blueray

[BoogieBurns]

Nobody her age living in Southern California had ever talked that like that.

 

I'm embarrassed to say I speak like the younger Californian's on occasion. But yeah, I think most people grow out of it at some point. 

[vb68]

After seeing his audition clip, it's really striking to me how Jim Carrey seems to be one of the top friends of the show now.  I can tell he's into it and loves being included.  Sure, some of that is probably that his movie career isn't what it use to be, but he does seem like he enjoys it.  I think he would do anything they asked of him.  There are a few more like that.  Melissa McCarthy, Emma Stone, etc.

 

I'm actually surprised that Emma didn't get a Ghostbusters part.

Edited February 16, 2015 by vb68

[Kromm]

After seeing his audition clip, it's really striking to me how Jim Carrey seems to be one of the top friends of the show now.  I can tell he's into it and loves being included.  Sure, some of that is probably that his movie career isn't what it use to be, but he does seem like he enjoys it.  I think he would do anything they asked of him.  There are a few more like that.  Melissa McCarthy, Emma Stone, etc.

 

I'm actually surprised that Emma didn't get a Ghostbusters part.

An unsaid point was that Jim went on to ANOTHER sketch show (one of the first really successful network TV alternatives to SNL, since SCTV at least--and in Prime Time to boot) and was a huge success. In fact, although they didn't show the tape, Damon Wayans was actually briefly ON SNL (1985–1986) before co-creating that show (In Living Color WAS half his baby, after all, along with his brother).

 

{And ILC was far from the only show where there were failed SNL auditionees and/or one-season wonder SNL crossovers.  Mad TV had a few, SCTV, Kids in the Hall }

Edited February 16, 2015 by Kromm

[vb68]

You  could also say that was the unsaid part of Chris Rock's jab last night that writers forgot about him.  He actually left SNL for In Living Color.  It's kinda ironic now because people will always associate him with SNL.  I'm not so sure about ILC.  And there seems to be no hard feelings on either Lorne's or Chris's part now.

 

That he was such a big part of ILC, only adds to the irony in my mind that Jim openly relishes his friend of SNL status now.

[WendyCR72]

-I don't get the whole unfunny Californian sketch and why they let it go on for SOOOOOOOO long.

 

I agreed last night this was WAAAAAY too long, but I think the answer is simple...go long so the Total Bastard Airline attendants could break it up (mercifully) and wish 'em all BUH BYE. Oh, and to let Betty White mack on Bradley Cooper.  :-)

[CMH1981]

I watched this bloated mess...well fast forwarded through the music acts (damn Paul McCartney sounded bad) and other stuff I didn't care for.

 

I can't stand Fallon and Timberlake, and like the poster stated upthread, the fact that at the end Timberlake was right there mugging for the camera when they brought Lorne up was just awful.  He really is full of himself and I'm glad every time he tries his hand at acting in the movies that the fails horribly. 

 

I too was shocked they didn't show the clip of Norm's awesome WU where he opened after the OJ trial..."Well it's official....murder is now legal in California."

 

I thought Chevy Chase seemed really full of himself and looked horrible.  He looked pissed like he didn't know that they would be doing the Garret Morris bit for the hard of hearing over him.  

 

I always hear jokes about Elen Cleghorne being one of those comediennes that can never get a show to work, but she seems genuinely funny, let's get her another show.

 

Loved the Wayne's World part where they both mocked/did their Lorne impressions...dead on.

 

I was confused by the Tracy Morgan tribute...I know about the accident and that he is still ailing, but come on...just b/c he was on the show doesn't mean even if he was well he would get any time on camera...it was just strange and sounded like a reason to get Tina and Alec together again.

 

Bradley Cooper looked interesting...i'm guessing the hair was for the Wet Hot American Summer series on Netflix, and he still looked chunky.

[biakbiak]

ust b/c he was on the show doesn't mean even if he was well he would get any time on camera...it

Tracy was well liked by the audience, the cast, and Lorne and on the show for a decade there is no way he wonuldnt have been featured prominently if he was well enough to be in attendance.

[Milburn Stone]

I see from IMDb that he was the musical guest 6 times, but I honestly don't remember any of them.  I don't think he was ever in a sketch, the way Paul Simon and Paul McCartney were.  Taylor's last SNL appearance was in 1993.

 

I can't prove it, but I have a memory of James Taylor being in a sketch, although in a non-speaking (or virtually non-speaking) role, at some point. My mind says it was in the first five years. That said, if the criteria was "musical guest must have appeared in a significant speaking role in a sketch," then yeah, I guess it was right that he wasn't there. But emotionally, he always felt like a "Friend of the Show" (especially in the early days) to me.

[basiltherat]

Sadly, Chevy Chase seemed to be in worse shape than Betty White.  Mike and Dana jumped back into Wayne and Garth so smoothly it was like no time had passed.  Also loved the Jeopardy skit -- Trebek/Connery/"Turd Ferguson" are always welcome.  There were not enough clips of Phil Hartman and a lot of that group, which could have been done if they had gotten rid of the singers who can't sing anymore (Paul, Paul) and those who never could (Miley, Kenya).

[jjj]

Oh, yes, Betty White is quite sharp!  As I watched Chevy Chase in his pre-show interview, it seemed like he had memorized answers to questions he thought he would get, and gave those answers no matter what the question was.  "So, it's an exciting night, isn't it, Chevy?"  "Well, I wanted to leave after one year to explore other options."  That happened on every question.  It's a shame -- he brought joy to the viewers back then. 

[Princess Sparkle]

It actually made me truly sad to see Chevy like that.  I have such fond memories of his movies (it just isn't Christmas until I've watched Christmas Vacation), and to see him bloated, stumbling, and kind of out of it just feels like a kick in the gut.

[Carey]

Sadly, Chevy Chase seemed to be in worse shape than Betty White.  Mike and Dana jumped back into Wayne and Garth so smoothly it was like no time had passed.  Also loved the Jeopardy skit -- Trebek/Connery/"Turd Ferguson" are always welcome.  There were not enough clips of Phil Hartman and a lot of that group, which could have been done if they had gotten rid of the singers who can't sing anymore (Paul, Paul) and those who never could (Miley, Kenya).

 

 

 

Aw, let Betty White have her fun. She'll be dead soon enough.

No! she has to live forever!

 

 

Not sure if Betty will live forever, but people 5-10 years younger died (as it was their time), while she continues to stay active and win another emmy.  Just one of a handful of people that are fortunate enough to do what they do at their age.  IMO, if she shuts it down, that might be what gets her.  Therefore, as mentioned, I thought her appearance(s) were great based on expectations.

 

Still feel bad for Chevy, but with John, Eddie, maybe even Walken, I guess being there was fair enough.  I'll still have more respect than those that chose not to come (barring valid reasons).  I guess SNL is one of many things in life where what helped make you big or "happy" isn't as exciting.  No disrespect, but all good things must come to an end.  Fortunately people like Martin, Dana, and Mike made the best out of the show (and they've departed as castmembers for 2 decades or more as well)

 

Probably not that upset about the lack of material from the Phil era, as well as the 90s.  There's always the 25th Special, but the live sketches could have been cut just a little, while more focus was made for each era.  Not so much the past decade since that's fairly recent

[candall]

I know not everyone has cable, but VH1 played 8 hours of retrospectives earlier in the day.  I thought the reunion special really struggled with the balance, like they weren't quite sure which direction to take it.

Those two-hour shows, divided by decade, were EXCELLENT.  Plenty of time for show highlights and all kinds of juicy background info.  I can't even tell what I would have thought of the SNL40 special without being immersed in behind-the-scenes details earlier.  Disappointed, maybe?  (Still doesn't explain why "Kanye" was the name I heard most frequently last night.)

 

ETA:  I think Walken called him "Can-" instead of "Kahn-."  Heeee.

Edited February 16, 2015 by candall

[opus]

So Nielsen says 23 million watched the special. Obviously 23 mil don't watch the regular shows. How do you think the show played to the non  SNL viewer?

[peeayebee]

I thought the show was ok. Like someone here said, it was like they couldn't decide what kind of show to be. There was a lot I liked, but there was also a lot that kind of fell flat.

 

The Californians to me (I'm from California) is something that is really stupid and shouldn't work, yet I always do laugh a lot.  And we do reference our commutes a lot here.  But Taylor Swift absolutely ruined what was funny for a while.  Like, stomped it and destroyed any comedy in its tracks.

Ditto, ditto, and ditto. I like The Californians. The stupid voices and repeated talk of streets and routes in SoCal just cracks me up. But Taylor Swift was so awful. Her accent was bizarre, and not in a funny way, and her acting was bad. I think at the end she ad-libbed covering her face in her hair and shaking her head because she knew she wasn't getting any laughs, so she tried harder.

 

I thought Bradley Cooper was very good and fit in well.

 

The kind of bumbling physical stuff worked back in the 70s because it was a vital(and handsome, the number of tweets from young people remarked on this) young guy doing it. Now it would be just a doddering old man.

 

I remember on Community, which wasn't that long ago, that Chevy did some physical comedy, like falling in a drum set. It was pretty funny. Of course things could have changed a lot for him in these few years.

 

Re Eddie Murphy: I didn't get a bad vibe from him, though I was disappointed we didn't get any kind of performance. Also it was weird when Chris Rock was doing the intro and DESCRIBED the yo-momma joke bit instead of just showing the damn clip.

 

I like Emma Stone, but I didn't like her doing Roseanne Roseanna Danna. It fell flat for me. Same with Ed Norton's Stefon. Oddly, I liked Melissa McCarthy's Chris Farley impression. She always fully commits. Maybe I liked it because Chris Farley also fully committed.

 

I enjoyed Martin Short and Beyonce. Loved her little remark, "When you smiled just now, a hunk of your makeup fell off."

 

I also loved Steve Martin -- He's always great -- and Jerry Seinfeld. Heck, just the exchanges betw him and Larry David were a lot of fun.

 

Bill Murray singing the love theme from Jaws was wonderful. Question: Was something censored here, or did my cable audio cut off for a second?

 

I wonder how the show would have worked if they had different SNL characters interact, like Steve Martin's Wild and Crazy Guy and Hader's Stefon.

[The Real Chon]

With 40 years of clips, numerous outstanding comedians and musical guests, that was the best they could do? Self-masturbatory and meh to boot?

Just to see the rare nugget was like having to sit through a pitch on Florida timeshares before you could claim the cruise you won.

[chitowngirl]

I haven't seen the show in 20 years, but I watched for the first 20. I tuned in out of nostalgia.

[Cyranetta]

I was sorry not to see Nasim Pedrad included in any of the onstage action (although there was a photo of her on the red carpet). Are there any other former cast members who were in attendance but not an actual part of the show?

[WendyCR72]

Bill Murray singing the love theme from Jaws was wonderful. Question: Was something censored here, or did my cable audio cut off for a second?

 

The audio purposely kicked out for a few seconds since Murray/Nick Ocean said "God damned". Oddly, the song is not at all censored on the SNL YouTube video of it.

[helenamonster]

I'm actually surprised that Emma didn't get a Ghostbusters part.

 

Oh man. I didn't know I wanted this until you said it and now I need it.

 

I too was shocked they didn't show the clip of Norm's awesome WU where he opened after the OJ trial..."Well it's official....murder is now legal in California."

 

Yeah, of all the clips they had available to them for the WU package, I'm really shocked they didn't go with that one. Actually, I found a lot of them kind of weird. I get that they had 40 years of archived footage to go through in about a week and probably just needed to pick quickly, but I feel like there were more memorable ones they could have chosen, especially from Jimmy/Tina on. At least they got "bitch is the new black" in there, that's always a classic.

 

Bill Murray singing the love theme from Jaws was wonderful. Question: Was something censored here, or did my cable audio cut off for a second?

 

He said "goddamn" which apparently still needs to be censored in 2015.

 

I was sorry not to see Nasim Pedrad included in any of the onstage action (although there was a photo of her on the red carpet). Are there any other former cast members who were in attendance but not an actual part of the show?

 

I wish we could have seen Nasim as well, I miss her! The only cast member I can think of who was definitely in the audience but didn't get to be part of the show was Sarah Silverman. Which was weird because they officially announced her as being there, which made me think she'd at least do something, even if it was just to introduce someone else. Was there anyone else they officially announced that didn't end up actually being part of the show?

[Shibori]

Leslie Jones looked fabulous. That dress was gorgeous and very flattering on her.

I was surprised they didn't bleep Dick in a Box for the 8 o'clock hour when they did for the original.

Edited February 16, 2015 by Shibori

[dcalley]

Are there any other former cast members who were in attendance but not an actual part of the show?

Victoria Jackson. I bet she was hoping to sit next to Palin.

Edited February 16, 2015 by dcalley