SNL 40th Anniversary Show

[ralpht]

Somebody want to explain to me what that mess was all about?

[luke]

I tend to agree. I expected more. Like a who's who with no point to it.

[Ryon6]

I plan on watching when i get home tonight. Are you saying that it's not worth the watch?

[thomas96]

Was Eddie Murphy on?

[luke]

Well I used fast forward after awhile. ..really not much to it...some old and new skits and ..very self-congratulatory...nice to see many of previous casts.

[luke]

Eddie was on for about 15 seconds.

[marv2]

Somebody want to explain to me what that mess was all about?

Beats me, but I just spent about 2 hours looking at it.

[marv2]

I was one of the very few that saw the very first SNL when it aired way back in 1975. I was flipping through the few channels we had at the time and found it on Channel 50 in Detroit. It was a cheap looking, syndicated comedy skit show. Never knew it would remain on this many years.

[milven]

It was not a syndicated show. It was a network show. The original name was NBC's SATURDAY NIGHT. They couldn't use LIVE in the title because Howard Cosell's new variety show HOWARD COSELL'S SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE debuted at the same time. But it was a flop and was cancelled a few months later and then NBC's SATURDAY NIGHT became SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE.

I don't know for sure if I watched the very first show, but I have watched the series from the beginning until now. I usually recorded it and watched it the next morning. I skipped over the parts that did not interest me.

The network wanted to show something other than reruns of Johnny Carson's Tonight Show on Saturdays, and that is how SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE came to be.

I still watch it ,but do more fast forwarding . My favorite parts are the opening and the news

[antceleb12]

It was not a syndicated show. It was a network show. The original name was NBC's SATURDAY NIGHT. They couldn't use LIVE in the title because Howard Cosell's new variety show HOWARD COSELL'S SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE debuted at the same time. But it was a flop and was cancelled a few months later and then NBC's SATURDAY NIGHT became SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE.

I don't know for sure if I watched the very first show, but I have watched the series from the beginning until now. I usually recorded it and watched it the next morning. I skipped over the parts that did not interest me.

The network wanted to show something other than reruns of Johnny Carson's Tonight Show on Saturdays, and that is how SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE came to be.

I still watch it ,but do more fast forwarding . My favorite parts are the opening and the news

I guess that explains why they say "Live from New York, it's Saturday Night!" as opposed to "Live from New York, it's Saturday Night Live!"

[marv2]

It was not a syndicated show. It was a network show. The original name was NBC's SATURDAY NIGHT. They couldn't use LIVE in the title because Howard Cosell's new variety show HOWARD COSELL'S SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE debuted at the same time. But it was a flop and was cancelled a few months later and then NBC's SATURDAY NIGHT became SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE.

I don't know for sure if I watched the very first show, but I have watched the series from the beginning until now. I usually recorded it and watched it the next morning. I skipped over the parts that did not interest me.

The network wanted to show something other than reruns of Johnny Carson's Tonight Show on Saturdays, and that is how SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE came to be.

I still watch it ,but do more fast forwarding . My favorite parts are the opening and the news

It was [[syndicated) in Detroit! It was not carried originally by the NBC affiliate there, Channel 4 . It first aired on independent Channel 50 in Detroit. Remember?

[milven]

It was [[syndicated) in Detroit! It was not carried originally by the NBC affiliate there, Channel 4 . It first aired on independent Channel 50 in Detroit. Remember?

I stand by my statement that it was always a network show. NBC had owned and operated stations in many major cities that had to carry NBC network shows. If NBC did not own a station in Detroit, then they had an affiliate station which could choose not to carry an NBC network program. Sometimes the network can not get clearance on all their affiliates because of prior commitments. And sometimes the affiliates will not make clearance because they feel that what they have is more profitable. If that is what happened in Detroit, then NBC shopped it around and Channel 50 picked up the NETWORK show. But it was a network show, not syndicated.

Repeats of SNL were put into syndication around 1980.

[marv2]

I stand by my statement that it was always a network show. NBC had owned and operated stations in many major cities that had to carry NBC network shows. If NBC did not own a station in Detroit, then they had an affiliate station which could choose not to carry an NBC network program. Sometimes the network can not get clearance on all their affiliates because of prior commitments. And sometimes the affiliates will not make clearance because they feel that what they have is more profitable. If that is what happened in Detroit, then NBC shopped it around and Channel 50 picked up the NETWORK show. But it was a network show, not syndicated.

Repeats of SNL were put into syndication around 1980.

I don't care what you stand by. NBC did not own Channel 50 [[WKBD) in Detroit at that time. It was an independent and it was the first and only broadcast channel to carry that first episode of Saturday Night Live in 1975.

[marv2]

I knew I still had a pretty good memory [[thank God!). I just found this bleep on Channel 50 in Wiki:

"when WDIV [[then known as WWJ-TV) declined to air Saturday Night Live – the first two seasons of the show originally aired in the Detroit market on WKBD. Coincidentally, one of the show's original cast members, Gilda Radner, was born in Detroit."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WKBD-TV

The NBC affiliate in Detroit did not want to carry the show!

[milven]

Wow Marv, you may not care what I stand by, but you should at least read my post more carefully since I said exactly what you just said. WWJ was not an owned and operated station of the NBC network. It was an affiliate. It was an affiliate that declined to carry the NBC NETWORK SHOW Saturday Night. When they declined, NBC shopped it around and that is why WKBD was broadcasting it.


And in another post you could not understand how some stations would switch from one network to another. Those stations were probably broadcasting shows that the regular network affiliates chose not to broadcast.

So I continue to stand by my statement, and whether you care or not is not relevant. NBC"s SATURDAY NIGHT was a network show,

I continue to stand by that statement.

However, I am glad that at least this time you did not call me stupid for making a statement with which you disagree.

[ralpht]

Okay you guys, stop poking. I think you both understand one another.

[milven]

Okay you guys, stop poking. I think you both understand one another.

Ralph, I don't think either of us was poking. I don't think either of us said anything offensive to each other either.

I simply backed up a statement that Marv disputed. And in his own way, I guess he now agrees with me since he didn't bother replying to my last post.

Are we allowed to have discussions, disputes and/or differences on these boards as long as we do not get personal and insult each other?

[ralpht]

I'd rather be wrong than sorry, mil. Thanks for letting me know.

[stephanie]

I thought the show was pretty good I missed the first 30 minutes. Could have been better and I saw people that were important to the show like Steve Martin who should have been on much longer than a 20 second King Tut verse. Mya Rudolph was excellent and it was good to see the tributes to the people who passed and Gilda Radner. People can say what they want SNL opened the door for Mad TV, Kids in the Hall, In Living Color etc.....BUT the granddaddy of the all was Sid Ceasar ,,,,Your Show of Shows!!!

[milven]

....BUT the granddaddy of the all was Sid Ceasar ,,,,Your Show of Shows!!!

I actually remember that show broadcast every week on a Saturday, back when everything on TV was live. I guess you could call it the Original Saturday Night Live

[marv2]

Ralph, I don't think either of us was poking. I don't think either of us said anything offensive to each other either.

I simply backed up a statement that Marv disputed. And in his own way, I guess he now agrees with me since he didn't bother replying to my last post.

Are we allowed to have discussions, disputes and/or differences on these boards as long as we do not get personal and insult each other?

I do not agree with you at all. I stopped responding to you for the sake of Ralph and Ralph only!

[Bokiluis]

It was not a syndicated show. It was a network show. The original name was NBC's SATURDAY NIGHT. They couldn't use LIVE in the title because Howard Cosell's new variety show HOWARD COSELL'S SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE debuted at the same time. But it was a flop and was cancelled a few months later and then NBC's SATURDAY NIGHT became SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE.

I don't know for sure if I watched the very first show, but I have watched the series from the beginning until now. I usually recorded it and watched it the next morning. I skipped over the parts that did not interest me.

The network wanted to show something other than reruns of Johnny Carson's Tonight Show on Saturdays, and that is how SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE came to be.

I still watch it ,but do more fast forwarding . My favorite parts are the opening and the news

You're not alone. Fast Forwarding through "Saturday Night Live" is a Sunday habit. I still enjoy "Weekend Update" and it's various hosts, Seth having the edge for the latter years. And the sound is stupendous for their live performances. Whitney Houston's b-girl conversion on "I'm Your Baby Tonight", okay I'll take the hits, but, I also enjoyed things like Color Me Badd's "I Wanna Sex U Up". It was probably the best sound on a variety show.

[[Thanks for for the heads up on the Anniversary special, the remote is in hand for the double arrows pointed to the right).

[edafan]

I thought it could have been a lot better. I would have liked more Eddie Murphy. By the way Amy Poehler was one of my students.

edafan

[nysister]

Somebody want to explain to me what that mess was all about?

@ralpht.....LOL!

[ralpht]

If you're laughing, Sis, it must mean you agree with me.

[nysister]

If you're laughing, Sis, it must mean you agree with me.

I certainly do!

[antceleb12]

I thought it could have been a lot better. I would have liked more Eddie Murphy. By the way Amy Poehler was one of my students.

edafan

She was?? She's one of my favorites!

[destruction]

Somebody want to explain to me what that mess was all about?

It was a tribute to one of the greatest shows in the history of television as it celebrated its 40th year on the air.

It was a tad uneven, some of the live skits fell short, a few of the guests barely mailed it in.....

Yet what other shows on TV are even worth a 3 and a half hour special? And it still only scratched the surface.

I saw the first show and I saw the last live one......and dam near every one in between at some point. I don't like every bit, but I find enough to keep coming back. In addition to the laughs, I've "discovered" dozens of artists over the years performing on the show.....going back to Joan Armatrading [[still a fave) and Al Jarreau.

I know I've spent good money and time on worse shows. I didn't anticipate anything in particular and enjoyed what I was served for the price I paid.

There are dozens of recaps out there, most of them are positive.

I heard that Jimmy Fallon went on a not-to-be-missed 9 minute rant about the after party [[looking forward to checking it out).

[edafan]

Today it was explained that Eddie Murphy did not want to take part of an act poking at Bill Cosby. He said he didn't want to poke someone who was down. I always knew Eddie Murphy was a CLASS act.
edafan

[ralpht]

I thought that showed class also, edafan.

[soulster]

I watched the original broadcasts from 1978-1980, and the years Eddie Murphy was on. It was funny as hell, and they were offensive with no apologies. It was the best TV around! The more they pushed the boundaries, the better. Who could forget lines like "Jane, you ignorant slut!", or Rosanne Roseannadanna going off on a tangent, The Samurai, Mr. Robinson's Neighborhood, masturbating bees, or Buck Henry playing a babysitting pedophile? I have three seasons on DVD.

After that, the show was totally unfunny. Even today, it is unfunny. I turn it on once in a while just to see if anything's funny, and nothing makes sense. Nothing even close to humerous. Different generation, I suppose.

I watched just a few minutes of the anniversary show, but only saw musical performances, or what the censors would allow on the air today. Boring mess, it was.

Back in the 70s, I wasn't into punk or new wave, so I tended to skip the musical performances.

I read today that Eddie murphy was supposed to have done a sketch as Bill Cosby, but Murphy declined at the last moment because he didn't want to kick a man when he's down, even though Cosby heavily criticized Murphy in the 80s. That's class I suppose, but where's that edgy humor that made the show famous?

[soulster]

I don't care what you stand by. NBC did not own Channel 50 [[WKBD) in Detroit at that time. It was an independent and it was the first and only broadcast channel to carry that first episode of Saturday Night Live in 1975.

Sorry Marv. Milven's correct. It was always an NBC show.

[marv2]

Sorry Marv. Milven's correct. It was always an NBC show.

I have never argued or said it was not an NBC produced show. What I said [[in first or second posting above) is that it was syndicated in the Detroit Metro viewing area. So he not correct! The NBC Afffiliate for Detroit [[WWJ Channel 4) did not carry the show. They declined airing it! He [[Milven) picked up the word "syndicated" and went off on a crusade of tangents that had nothing whatsoever to do with what I had posted! I don't think he was even living in Detroit when SNL premiered on WKBD Channel 50 , so how could he possibly know about the situation I described when I saw the first broadcast of the show?
NBC had to shop that program to an independent Detroit station in order for it to be seen by that major market! Only difference between what they did with SNL and "Gilligan's Island" , is that SNL was new, first run programming!

[soulster]

Got it! I saw the back and forth above, and once I saw it was getting nasty, I tuned out.

[marv2]

Got it! I saw the back and forth above, and once I saw it was getting nasty, I tuned out.

It's ok. It wouldn't have gone there, but he is on a mission to start stuff with me by trying to make out that everything I post is wrong! No biggie. Thanks!
1

[mr_june]

I watched the original broadcasts from 1978-1980, and the years Eddie Murphy was on. It was funny as hell, and they were offensive with no apologies. It was the best TV around! The more they pushed the boundaries, the better. Who could forget lines like "Jane, you ignorant slut!", or Rosanne Roseannadanna going off on a tangent, The Samurai, Mr. Robinson's Neighborhood, masturbating bees, or Buck Henry playing a babysitting pedophile? I have three seasons on DVD.

After that, the show was totally unfunny. Even today, it is unfunny. I turn it on once in a while just to see if anything's funny, and nothing makes sense. Nothing even close to humerous. Different generation, I suppose.

I watched just a few minutes of the anniversary show, but only saw musical performances, or what the censors would allow on the air today. Boring mess, it was.

Back in the 70s, I wasn't into punk or new wave, so I tended to skip the musical performances.

I read today that Eddie murphy was supposed to have done a sketch as Bill Cosby, but Murphy declined at the last moment because he didn't want to kick a man when he's down, even though Cosby heavily criticized Murphy in the 80s. That's class I suppose, but where's that edgy humor that made the show famous?

Eddy could have been thinking about his own fall from grace a few years ago which is cool as we are all sinners in God's eyes. It's the folks who are on a high horse that tend to take the baton in a case like that and make fun of another's trouble.

[marv2]

Eddy could have been thinking about his own fall from grace a few years ago which is cool as we are all sinners in God's eyes. It's the folks who are on a high horse that tend to take the baton in a case like that and make fun of another's trouble.

Look at what Tom Brokaw is doing to Brian Williams as a classic example!

[marv2]

I thought the show was pretty good I missed the first 30 minutes. Could have been better and I saw people that were important to the show like Steve Martin who should have been on much longer than a 20 second King Tut verse. Mya Rudolph was excellent and it was good to see the tributes to the people who passed and Gilda Radner. People can say what they want SNL opened the door for Mad TV, Kids in the Hall, In Living Color etc.....BUT the granddaddy of the all was Sid Ceasar ,,,,Your Show of Shows!!!

Don't forget my favorite......."SCTV"! For a while in the early 80's it was more popular with me, than SNL. It was original and quite funny.

[soulster]

SCTV? I dunno. I found it boring. I tend to like crude, tasteless humor that may offend, but also makes you think.

[daviddesper]

I had DVRed this and just finished watching it. For the most part, I thought it was awful. The entire thing consisted of five second clips that came and went so quickly that you would miss them if you blinked. It would have made so much more sense to pick some of their more popular features, such as Weekend Update, and show complete sketches.

The only part that made me actually laugh was the Jeopardy skit toward the beginning.

[marv2]

They should do a retrospective on the music artists that appeared on the show over the years or make all those performances available on DVD. I have wanted to see Luther Vandross, Jennifer Holliday and Kid Creole & the Coconuts guest appearances again for many years now and can't find them anywhere.