"But nooooo!" The John Belushi Memorial Thread For SNL Players

[Spartan Girl]

Dueling Cockers was a classic.  John did Joe Cocker's style so well that if you just closed his eyes and listened to him sing you'd swear it was really Joe Cocker.

 

RIP Joe Cocker.

[Fisher King]

RIP, George Coe.

 

Variety

Coe was also an original member of “Not Ready For Prime Time Players,” the original cast of “Saturday Night Live,” and was credited as a cast member for the first show in October, 1975.

[VCRTracking]

NAACP chairman and civil rights activist Julian Bond dies at age 75 and all I could think of was this:

 

[vb68]

Here is a moving tribute to Jan Hooks on the one year Anniversary of her death that goes into some detail on her life and career post-SNL up to her final days.  It is very sad of course, but there is also humor, notably her learning to use email.  It's definitely worth reading.   I gained some new respect for her choices even if I'm a little angry that she didn't do more. But I guess I'm mostly just disappointed we never saw her belt out Proud Mary on the show. 

[A Boston Gal]

Here is a moving tribute to Jan Hooks on the one year Anniversary of her death that goes into some detail on her life and career post-SNL up to her final days.  It is very sad of course, but there is also humor, notably her learning to use email.  It's definitely worth reading.   I gained some new respect for her choices even if I'm a little angry that she didn't do more. But I guess I'm mostly just disappointed we never saw her belt out Proud Mary on the show. 

vb68, thank you so very much for this link. I, like you, have always greatly admired Jan Hooks  (I remember you and I both agreeing she was one of the best ever in the TWOP's SNL thread), but I felt I learned so much more about her from this article. How very sad she died so young from what presumably were poor health "choices" but she called her own shots about it, at least. We lost such a talent with her.

Edited October 23, 2015 by A Boston Gal

[vb68]

Thank you, Boston Gal.  I appreciate it, and I'm glad you enjoyed reading the article too.

 

The article doesn't  go into it, but I wonder how much a contributing factor Phil Hartman's murder was to her lifestyle (leaving Hollywood behind) and her health choices.    It probably wasn't the only factor, but I've always heard it greatly affected her.

Edited October 23, 2015 by vb68

[punkypower]

Hi guys!!

I wasn'T QUITE sure where to put this, but as I put my TV on this morning and it had Snapped (the Jodi Arias episode) on, I put other showings option to see when Selena would be on (ot: if interested, it's next).

The biggest surprise is that tomorrow night at 8pm central time, they're premiering Brynn Hartman. It'll be a hard watch, but I still love Phil and look for any answers/updates.

Edited to add:

http://www.oxygen.com/snapped/season-16/episode-9/videos/snapped-sneak-peek-1609-brynn-hartman-part-1

http://www.oxygen.com/snapped/season-16/episode-9/videos/snapped-sneak-peek-1609-brynn-hartman-part-2

Edited January 2, 2016 by punkypower

[Milburn Stone]

RIP, George Coe.

 

Variety

 

An important George Coe credit not mentioned in that obit is that he was in the original cast of Stephen Sondheim's Company.

[Spartan Girl]

I'm watching the Brynn Hartman episode of Snapped too, and it is hard to watch.

It's weird that I have so much sympathy for John Belushi and Chris Farley despite their addictions but zero for Brynn Hartman. Then again, it wasn't just the drugs that made her crazy enough to kill Phil. It sounds like she always felt resentful that she was overshadowed by his career and that there was always something off about her to concern friends and family. And she was known to make scenes and provoke fights with Phil even on the SNL set.

For all his faults and demons, John a Belushi never ever would have gotten so messed up that he actually murder anyone -- especially not his own wife. Just saying....

[VCRTracking]

I hope there'll be a tribute to David Bowie on the new episode with Adam Driver. He was on the show three times.  I just read this story about why he was briefly banned after appearing in 1997 until appearing in 1999:

 

David Bowie Discusses His Brief Ban from Saturday Night Live
Aug 2nd at 1PM / 25 notes

Editor’s Note: This nugget was found by Young Master Joe J, folded into a copy of Tower Records “Pulse” magazine from 1999. We can only surmise it was intended for an earlier version of this site, “Gibby Haynes Death Pool”

While rock musician David Bowie’s return to Saturday Night Live this weekend may seem like a routine promotional appearance for his new album “'Hours…‘”, many may be surprised to learn that it bears the weight of some behind-the-scenes controversy.

“I was banned from the show,” said Bowie from his dressing room while waiting to do a soundcheck.

From Milton Berle to Sinéad O'Connor, many celebrities have been banned from the comedic institution for a variety of reasons over the years. The show’s creator and executive producer Lorne Michaels is usually the one who wields the hammer in such matters, and the incident in February of 1997 was no different.

Earlier that week, Bowie had expressed interest in appearing in a sketch to Michaels over dinner one evening. Michaels let his writers know the next day and they came up with an idea which Bowie initially approved of.

“The gist was that I was somehow roped into a low budget telly advert for a Brooklyn bakery. They wanted me to sing about their pastries or what have you. One of the things they came up with was a version of my song, ‘Watch That Man’. But instead, in the chorus I would sing, ‘Try our flan’.”

Bowie took issue with the way the writers wanted him to pronounce the word “flan”. While either of the two main pronunciations is generally accepted, the veteran rock star and food connoisseur was miffed at saying it the “wrong” way.

“David is a man of the world,” said Michaels.

“He’s seen it all. And he takes food very seriously. I get that. But when you are running a big, live production like we are, last second changes can be complicated.”

While Bowie expressed misgivings throughout the week, he eventually agreed to do the sketch as written. But as the show was being broadcast live he changed his mind. He backed out after his first musical performance and the sketch had to be scrapped and replaced.

Late-game changes are nothing new to Saturday Night Live. The show is more than prepared to handle sudden disruptions. And although Bowie’s late decision to bow out of the sketch did anger Michaels, it was not what ultimately got him the boot.

“I was scheduled to perform a single from my ‘Earthling’ album called ‘Telling Lies’. Just before the band took the stage I decided to take the piss out of Lorne a bit because I knew he wasn’t happy with me.”

What happened next may have looked completely innocuous to the viewing public, but it was a deliberate statement that cut one man to his core.

Instead of the new single, the band played 1981’s “Scary Monsters (and Super Creeps)”, a song that Michaels confessed to Bowie in private was “absolutely terrifying” to him.

“We got to talking about this and that at dinner one night and Lorne’s SNL hiatus in the early 80s came up. He told me how it was the darkest period of his life and he described how much cocaine he did while listening to my “Scary Monsters” album. Just mountains and mountains of the stuff. Sometimes straight off the record sleeve. Those were his words. I want that to be clear about that.”

When the song was over, Bowie was immediately escorted from the studio.

“They didn’t waste any time. The real shame of it was there was a lovely fruit basket in my dressing room that I wanted to take back to my hotel. I obviously didn’t get to. I was very sore about that. Still am, to tell you the truth.”

Michaels declined to go into specifics about his decision to ban Bowie, but he did confirm that the ban happened.

So why is Bowie back this weekend, only three years removed from the incident?

“We’re mates. We have been since the 70s. He knows now that I was just trying to get a rise out of him. Maybe I could have done it less, I don’t know, showy. But the air has been cleared, obviously.”

This week’s host Jerry Seinfeld had no idea that his musical guest was ever banned.

“Get out. I did not know that,” said Seinfeld.

Michaels and Bowie had dinner this week, as they did back in 1997.

“Let’s just say that we didn’t get into too many deep, dark secrets this time around,” said Bowie.

 

 

 

[vb68]

I would be shocked if there wasn't a tribute.

[Guest]

I hope there'll be a tribute to David Bowie on the new episode with Adam Driver. He was on the show three times.  I just read this story about why he was briefly banned after appearing in 1997 until appearing in 1999:

 

I can't believe that he was banned for the 1997 appearance rather than for 1979.  I guess Lorne used to have a better sense of humor and tolerance for celebrity antics.

[VCRTracking]

Glenn Frey is dead at the age of 67. I liked a lot of Eagles songs and some of his solo stuff like "You Belong to the City" and "Smuggler's Blues". Unfortunately I also thought of this SNL film short from 2000 "The H is O" with Ben Stiller he bets his friends he can pick up Glenn Frey at a bar played by Will Ferrell. If you remember it was controversial at the time. If you haven't seen it and you want to know why this one line by Ben Stiller out to explain it: "Come tomorrow morning, I'm going to have Glenn Frey's stank all over me and it's going to be heaven!" It was written and directed by Adam McKay who made Anchorman, Talladega Nights and the recent movie "The Big Short".

 

I did a short where Will Ferrell played Glenn Frey and sexually assaulted Ben Stiller - and you are the only people that ever applauded that - literally my mother would not talk to me for two weeks after that ran. I remember trying to explain that to people, 'It's a punk rock thing!' Ah, I just sound like an idiot."

 

 

 

Here's the video link:

http://www.funnyordie.com/videos/540b145e5d/the-h-is-o-a-short-by-adam-mckay-from-adam-ghost-panther-mckay-will-ferrell-jimmy-fallon-and-ben-stiller?_cc=__d___&_ccid=9a98d957c8f9f27f

Edited January 18, 2016 by VCRTracking

[cpcathy]

"The H is O" is the very first thing I thought of upon hearing this news.

[peeayebee]

I hadn't seen that before. Pretty funny.

[Spartan Girl]

So in honor of what would have been John Belushi's 67th birthday, the Blues Brothers site posted this long lost music video tribute, West Heaven, made in 1983, one year after he died, by Judy Belushi (John's wife) and their friend Rhonda Coullet.

http://bluesbrothersofficialsite.com/n-12802-west-heaven-a-tribute-to-john-belushi.html

Try to watch it without crying. Go ahead. I dare you.

[VCRTracking]

Garry Shandling died last week I had forgotten that besides having Gilda Radner make her final television appearance on his show "It's Garry Shandling's Show" Garry had hosted SNL in 1987. I had seen the rerun on Comedy Central. By that time I had seen his show where he broke the fourth wall so when he "broke" character during a sketch(much to the pretend annoyance of the cast members like Jan Hooks) I was familiar with the meta humor. I love the sketch also because Phil got to do his impression of Frank Nelson from The Jack Benny Show "Yessss? May I help you?"

http://www.hulu.com/watch/276478

 

The other memorable sketch is where Garry's part of a support group and tells the others stories about his abusive mom(Jan Hooks) but then they learn they were lies. The ending is hilariously messed up Here's the sketch:

http://www.nbc.com/saturday-night-live/video/support-group/n9599

 

Notice that Dana Carvey is doing his "Garth" voice(which was based on his brother) two years before the first Wayne's World sketch.

Edited March 28, 2016 by VCRTracking

[VCRTracking]

Prince's 8 minute performance on SNL from two years ago:

 

http://theconcourse.deadspin.com/watch-princes-electric-performance-from-tonights-saturd-1653735759

 

From 2011, Fred Armisen(who impersonated the Purple One) talks about the time he met him:

 

Armisen also met Prince when he played on the show. Earlier in the evening, when Armisen had asked Prince if he was okay with the impression, Prince had rubbed his arm and said, “It’s cool.” Then later that night, Prince held a private after-party. “It was really not fancy,” said Armisen. “Just a buffet and a D.J. He was sitting alone at a table and eating macaroni and cheese, and I went up to him and sort of was like, ‘I think you’re the greatest.’ And I did it in the way that people say things when they want to hear a compliment back. And he turns to me and goes, ‘You know what else is the greatest? This macaroni and cheese.’

 

[cpcathy]

Former cast member Tim Kazerinsky posted this from the SNL 40 after party. I see Haim, Jimmy Fallon, Maya Rudolph and Martin Short.

 

[Janimo]

Think I also saw Emma Stone, Chris, Rock, Cuba Gooding Jr. on stage, Bill Murray sitting down in the back, possible Jim Belushi standing up on the left when you're facing the screen, and Jim Carrey in the audience.

 

So sad...yet uplifting.

 

RIP Prince, You are missed by millions.

[Princess Sparkle]

Former cast member Tim Kazerinsky posted this from the SNL 40 after party. I see Haim, Jimmy Fallon, Maya Rudolph and Martin Short.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CMNKnC9K8Uo

I think my favorite part of that clip is Maya Ruldolph screaming "YES MOTHERFUCKER!" once Prince started singing.

I remember when Jimmy Fallon first talked about this performance the day after it happened, Questlove (who was there too) said that some people had been hanging in the back when others were performing, but that when Prince got up, everyone got up and started cheering. I remember he named checked Rihanna and Jay-Z (there were others, but those were the two I remember) as two that completely lost their shit and got up to start dancing.

[VCRTracking]

RIP Muhammad Ali, the Greatest.

I remember two impressions of him on SNL from when I was a kid. One sketch by Eddie Murphy, which was savage, playing young, brash motor mouth Cassius Clay in old footage and the punch drunk, mumbling former champ Ali of the 1980s. The other was more silly, based on the Jane Curtain sitcom "Kate and Allie", called "Kate and Ali" with Katherine Hepburn played by Martin Short and Ali played by Billy Crystal being best friends and roommates. Back then nobody thought anything about Billy playing a black man like Ali or Sammy Davis Jr.(now though, when Crystal did the latter in the 2012 Oscars tje Millenials who weren't familiar with it were in an uproar). Crystal had done an impression of Ali in front of him at a Dean Martin Roast for the champ and he loved it, telling Crystal "You are forever my little brother."

http://www.nbc.com/saturday-night-live/video/kate-and-ali/n9289

Edited June 4, 2016 by VCRTracking

[Princess Sparkle]

He wasn't an official cast member, but Matt Villines (of "Directed by Matt & Oz") passed away today at 39 from cancer.  He directed a lot of the Mike O'Brien shorts in recent years (The Jay-Z Story, Monster Pals, Sad Mouse) and he also directed Do it in My Twin Bed and Back Home Ballers.  The linked article at Entertainment Weekly has some very lovely tributes from the cast, and the one from Mike O'Brien is especially heartfelt.  

[VCRTracking]

Those shorts he directed were the bright spots of so many episodes. "Twin Beds" is a classic. Deep condolences to his family and friends.

[VCRTracking]

RIP John McLaughlin, host of The McLaughlin Group who Dana Carvey parodied in one of my favorite sketches ever(WRONG!):

http://www.nbc.com/saturday-night-live/video/mclaughlin-group/n9987

[VCRTracking]

They uploaded the episode from when Carrie Fisher hosted in 1978. I saw bits of it in the syndicated "Best of SNL" on Nick at Nite when I was a kid. I remember the "Beach Party" sketch where Princess Leia hung out with Frankie and Annette played by Bill Murray and Gilda Radner. It's the first time we saw Leia in a bikini before Return of the Jedi.

http://ew.com/tv/2016/12/28/carrie-fisher-1978-snl/

As for Debbie Reynolds, she never hosted but Cheri Oteri played her in the "Leg Up" talk show sketches with Molly Shannon as Ann Miller.

https://t.co/Y1MiqKff6f

[vb68]

This was pretty hard to find, but I found the clip of the Sweeney Sisters paying tribute to Mary Tyler Moore among others at the Emmys.  As I noted in another thread Mary was apparently taken by the bit that she later played their sister.

Edited January 26, 2017 by vb68
Removing a NSFW link

[burner]

3 hours ago, vb68 said:

This was pretty hard to find, but here's the clip of the Sweeney Sisters paying tribute to Mary Tyler Moore among others at the Emmys.  As I noted in another thread Mary was apparently taken by the bit that she later played their sister.

 

FYI this site is SUPER NSFW. Thanks for this though! I wish there were more clips of the Sweeney Sisters online. I was too young for SNL when Jan Hooks was a cast member but everything I've seen her do is just incredible.

[vb68]

Quote

FYI this site is SUPER NSFW.

Probably correct. I was so happy to find the video that I didn't even pay attention.  I removed the link.  Anybody who wants to see the clip can send me a private message.

[VCRTracking]

I like the "Dan Quayle Show" spoof of "Dick Van Dyke Show" with Mary as Marilyn Quayle. She even got to say "Ohhhh Daaaan!"

[Janimo]

Tony Rosato has passed away. He wasn't as well known as some of the other cast members, but I do remember him fondly.
http://variety.com/2017/tv/news/tony-rosato-dead-dies-snl-sctv-1201959645/

[Pete Martell]

5 hours ago, Janimo said:

Tony Rosato has passed away. He wasn't as well known as some of the other cast members, but I do remember him fondly.
http://variety.com/2017/tv/news/tony-rosato-dead-dies-snl-sctv-1201959645/

I remember him a bit more from SCTV, although he was never a big player on either. I remember him best for the SNL Backstage book where he said (I believe - it's been a long time so apologies if I'm wrong) being fired from the show was one of the main reasons he was able to get off drugs, as the show was a hotbed for that type of thing in those years. Sadly I don't think he or Robin Duke got much enjoyment out of their experience at SNL (Robin in particular). 

Sounds like he had a tough life. I hope he's at peace now.

https://www.thestar.com/entertainment/2017/01/11/tony-rosato-veteran-of-sctv-and-saturday-night-live-dead-at-62.html

[VCRTracking]

The now late John Hurt appeared on SNL in 1998 when Steve Buscemi hosted in an Alice in Wonderland tea party sketch. Buscemi is the Mad Hatter and Hurt is the March Hare:

https://www.nbc.com/saturday-night-live/video/mad-tea-party/2870441?snl=1

Edited January 28, 2017 by VCRTracking

[lovinbob]

On 1/26/2017 at 3:39 AM, vb68 said:

Probably correct. I was so happy to find the video that I didn't even pay attention.  I removed the link.  Anybody who wants to see the clip can send me a private message.

I had no idea why this would be considered NSFW. It took at least three minutes for me to see the penises! (Penis penis penis, penis all day long ...)

[VCRTracking]

RIP Bill Paxton. He hosted in 1999. SNL staff writer Tim Herlihy tweeted:

From his show the "original ending of Titanic":

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=trgKeCFmi3M

Edited February 26, 2017 by VCRTracking

[VCRTracking]

RIP Gregg Allman. Besides you're many great songs "Midnight Rider", "Ramblin' Man", "Whippin' Post", I can't hear you're song "I'm No Angel" without thinking of pregnant Amy Poehler flirting with Josh Brolin.

[vb68]

I know Penny Marshall was never a cast member, and it's rather surprising that she never hosted at the height of her "Laverne" fame. Though unless my memory is playing tricks on me, she did appear on one of the  very first eps with her then husband Rob Reiner who was hosting. Anyway, Rosie O'Donnell had this on her twitter today, and it felt appropriate to add it here for anybody who never saw it.

Penny co-hosting with Rosie along with musical guest Whitney Houston.

 

And Youtube is our friend. The fore mentioned Rob Reiner sketch, which I gather was the third episode.

 

 

RIP Penny. Thanks for the memories.

Edited December 19, 2018 by vb68

[Spartan Girl]

Adam Sandler posted this tribute to Chris Farley from his Netflix show in memory of the 21st anniversary of his death. I dare you to watch without crying:

[VCRTracking]

One of my favorite SNL monologues is when Luke Perry hosted back in 1993 and there is one big reason. Hint: it wasn't because I was a fan on Beverly Hills 90210(although I did watch it). Watch it and you'll understand:

https://view.yahoo.com/show/saturday-night-live/clip/60600260/monologue-luke-perry-gets-advice-from-obi

SNL writer was the "Not funny!" audience member and he tweeted:

Added Julia Sweeney tweeted:

Edited March 5, 2019 by VCRTracking

[Pete Martell]

Here's Jason Priestley's monologue, where the joke was the audience asking Luke Perry questions. 

I can't remember if Jason or Luke hosted first. I think it was Jason but I'm not sure (and that's Beth Cahill in the audience so it must have been 91-92). I know at the time it was seen as somewhat controversial/surprising as they were the first from a teen type show to host.

[Pete Martell]

Gilda Radner passed away 30 years ago today. 

It was through Best of Saturday Night Live, on Nick at Nite, that I got into SNL. Gilda, Dan, Bill, Jane, Laraine, Garrett, Chevy. I was one of the people who even initially had a hard time not seeing Buck Henry and Steve Martin as cast members. I was immediately drawn to Gilda - silly and funny and so much like a child, a friend I made, without ever knowing her. At the same time, I was old enough to know about her having cancer, and to have seen her on the Garry Shandling Show. The two Gildas, both funny and brave in their own ways, were in my head. And when she died, it was, along with Lucille Ball, the first celebrity death that I noticed and was affected by. I felt like I lost someone special to me. 

All this time later, I still do. There's something unique about the bond between a fan and a cast member on SNL you feel a kinship with. Even with decades gone by, I still feel that connection, which means it hurts if they turn out to be an asshole, or if they pass away.

I still love her work. It holds up so well, and in some ways feels more relevant than it did even back then. I was watching the documentary on her (Love, Gilda) a few weeks ago. The main strength was how much of her story was told in her own voice, and getting to see her friends and family talk of her, but it was also touching to see the comedians who all respected her and identified with her in their own ways - Bill Hader through her anxiety, Amy Poehler through being a woman in comedy, Cecily Strong reading about her adjusting to life in New York. Amy spoke about how she felt that Gilda was seen as something of a niche, whereas she wanted to see her as a comedian everyone would have loved.  And it made me wonder how many people even know of her today. It's only logical for many people to not know of her, given all the time that has passed, but I hope she will be one of those voices that connects to new generations, the way she did with me. 

Steve Martin's goodbye to her in his monologue.

https://classicajays.tumblr.com/post/7734859743/so-here-it-is-everyone-the-steve-martin-monologue

A Guardian article from a few weeks ago.

https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2019/may/07/she-was-our-michelle-obama-how-gilda-radner-changed-comedy-for-ever

Edited May 20, 2019 by Pete Martell

[Pete Martell]

Rest in peace Leon Redbone, one of the show's earliest and most lauded musical guests. 

https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/leon-redbone-ragtime-singer-dead-842205/

[SoMuchTV]

46 minutes ago, Pete Martell said:

Rest in peace Leon Redbone, one of the show's earliest and most lauded musical guests. 

https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/leon-redbone-ragtime-singer-dead-842205/

Was that the very first show? Or one of the first? We were staying with an aunt and uncle that weekend for a family wedding, and my cousin and I stayed up to watch this new thing. When he came on, I still remember us two un-hip suburban teenagers looking at each other and saying... Is he for real? Or is this a sketch? Or...?  Anyway, RIP.

[WendyCR72]

1 hour ago, SoMuchTV said:

Was that the very first show? Or one of the first? We were staying with an aunt and uncle that weekend for a family wedding, and my cousin and I stayed up to watch this new thing. When he came on, I still remember us two un-hip suburban teenagers looking at each other and saying... Is he for real? Or is this a sketch? Or...?  Anyway, RIP.

I only know this via the 40th Anniversary showing of the premiere in 2015 (since I was just 3 when it originally aired!), but Billy Preston was the very first musical guest with George Carlin as host, so Redbone had to be later. Unless he played with Preston and I forgot. (What a strange premiere that was - a lot fewer sketches and those weird-ass "adult" Muppets or whatever...)

Still, may he RIP!

[Pete Martell]

2 hours ago, WendyCR72 said:

I only know this via the 40th Anniversary showing of the premiere in 2015 (since I was just 3 when it originally aired!), but Billy Preston was the very first musical guest with George Carlin as host, so Redbone had to be later. Unless he played with Preston and I forgot. (What a strange premiere that was - a lot fewer sketches and those weird-ass "adult" Muppets or whatever...)

Still, may he RIP!

He was in the Jill Clayburgh and Elliott Gould episodes, mid/late season. 

His last appearance was in 1983. 

[WendyCR72]

1 minute ago, Pete Martell said:

He was in the Jill Clayburgh and Elliott Gould episodes, mid/late season. 

His last appearance was in 1983. 

Wow, I would not have pegged it as late as 1983! Huh.

[Pete Martell]

I'd forgotten until seeing a thread on Reddit that Rene Auberjonois, the incredibly talented actor who passed away last week, had a small role on SNL in 1975. 

(this is a fantastic piece all the way through) 

[SomeTameGazelle]

4 hours ago, Pete Martell said:

I'd forgotten until seeing a thread on Reddit that Rene Auberjonois, the incredibly talented actor who passed away last week, had a small role on SNL in 1975. 

(this is a fantastic piece all the way through) 

Is the young doctor Joseph Gallison?

[Pete Martell]

5 hours ago, SomeTameGazelle said:

Is the young doctor Joseph Gallison?

Pretty sure it is. He's a lot of fun there.

Someone in the comments mentioned seeing Kay Lenz. 

It annoys me we don't ever get credits for these old SNL movies - hell we don't even now. I was trying to figure out who the mother in the "Jason" pre-tape was from Harry Styles' episode.

Edited December 12, 2019 by Pete Martell

[Pete Martell]

Danny Aiello has apparently passed away.

https://www.tmz.com/2019/12/13/danny-aiello-dead-dies-infection-do-the-right-thing/

Aiello hosted an episode in 1996. Unfortunately what I'd say was the best sketch of that episode, Hi C and Turkey, where he plays a crazed salesman wreaking havoc in the home of Nancy Walls and David Koechner, is nowhere to be found. I also enjoyed this sketch, where Cheri Oteri plays his violent mother.

https://www.nbc.com/saturday-night-live/video/mas-spagehetti-sauce/n10804