Meet Joe and Shari as they assemble around the SNL Hall of Fame watercooler to discuss a variety of things relating the SNL and its Hall of Fame.

Transcript:

Track 2

[0:22]All right. Welcome to the SNL Hall of Fame Water Cooler Podcast. I'm Joe Gannon and I'm sitting at the water cooler with...

Track 3

[0:30]Me, Shari Fasco. I'm very excited to be here. I've got my cup and I'm filling it up.

Track 2

[0:38]All right. And then there I go. All right. Let's get into it. All right. So on On this podcast, we're going to be talking about the SNL Hall of Fame and who we believe should and shouldn't be in it. But first, let's kind of just introduce ourselves. I'm Joe Gannon. I've been an SNL fan since, I guess, 1991. 91 and what I enjoyed about it was as I was watching it like as it was going on since 91 I got to watch the reruns like on Comedy Central E and whatnot so it's kind of cool seeing a show develop and then learn its history at the same time and I just found it absolutely fascinating about how important it is to our society about because the show makes fun of our society and politics, and everything. And the last thing is, I grew up in the central time zone, so the TV show was on at 10.30 to midnight. So to me, it was like a show that waited until the last hour and a half of the week to make fun of the previous week. And you, Sherry, introduce yourself.

Track 3

[2:00]Hi, I'm Shari, rhymes with Starry, as I tell everybody, and I am a Michigan native, and I have been into Saturday Night Live probably since I was about nine, since it started in 75. I was really, really young in 75, so I don't remember it that young, but I definitely, definitely remember watching it at like eight, nine, ten. I was really into Mr. Bill. I vaguely remember having a Mr. Bill t-shirt. I just always loved the show and it's always been like a rock for me. It's been something that I've always come back to when things are good and when things are not so good. My husband is also into it. He's been watching a lot of sketches with me lately, getting ready for this podcast. And it's just, it's really just, it's comfort food. Just like what Joe's saying, it's comfort food. It's something that's always been there. and now it's going into its 50th year. I'm 54. It's kind of incredible. It's kind of crazy to think that it's been around. So I'm really excited to be here with Joe. I think both of us are super excited to be talking about these incredible people. I think we're ready to get into it. Are we ready, Joe?

Track 2

[3:15]I believe so.

Track 3

[3:16]We're going to talk about the season six draft. We're each going to do the two people we would like to see get in. And then the two that we don't think really have much of a chance of getting in possibly. I will let you go ahead and go first, Joe, and then I'll go after you.

Track 2

[3:33]Okay. So the first person I think should get in is Lorraine Newman. I believe that the only reason why she hasn't gotten in sooner is there's just a series of people that are a little bit more obvious. Uh you know that just i feel like should be uh you know people that just feel like they should be in uh like will ferrell but um as far as the original cast like obviously everyone from the original five years should be in um as far as where lorraine is in that uh group she's not She's not really a household name. She wasn't a Ghostbuster. She wasn't a Blues Brother. She didn't have a sitcom afterward. Everyone knows Aykroyd, Murray, Jane Curtin, Chevy Chase, John Belushi. And I feel like Lorraine Newman, who is extremely talented, just doesn't have that star power name. So when people are voting and they see her name... It just doesn't connect, or they don't immediately remember all of the great sketches that she was a part of. Or, if they do, they remember someone else that was in that sketch.

Track 2

[5:01]So that's why I chose Lorraine Newman. All right, and who's your pick?

Track 3

[5:06]My pick, I just stuck to strictly the season six draft. So I went with one, two of the draftees for this coming season that I would like to seek it in that I'm not really hopeful about. But my first is Sherry O'Terry. For all of the reasons you just said about Lorraine, I think Sherry is very, very, very, very, very underappreciated. She is absolutely hilarious. hilarious she stands up against the likes of will freaking farrell and holds her own yes even though she's this diminutive little she can't be more than five two but against will farrell who's like i don't know six four she still holds her own her comedic chops are that strong that she can hold her own and i feel that way in the zimmermans with chris katan i i watched her playing against Sylvester Stallone in one of her Rita sketches. And she really is amazing and so funny and so able to bring real relatability to these outrageous characters that she plays.

Track 3

[6:19]And I'm feeling like I don't think she's going to get in on the first ballot, but I do hope that The people remember her. I know she was a long time ago. I remember her vividly because I was in college. And that's the time when you remember the gas.

Track 3

[6:38]So I hope there's a lot of Gen Xers and a lot of Zs and millennials that are going back and watching and listening to our great guest. And Thomas, of course, make an excellent argument for her this season, I'm sure. So that's my first choice. Now back to you.

Track 2

[7:01]You made a great point, and the only word I want to add to it, just literally one word, is energy. She was full of energy in pretty much everything she did. I mean, with the exception of maybe Barbara Walters, but that's because it wouldn't fit. But if you look at all of her characters, that's the common theme, is that she was almost like twitchy.

Track 3

[7:23]I totally agree.

Track 2

[7:24]But, yeah. That's an excellent, excellent pick. Okay, so I'm going to go with my one, and we're going to continue the female trend. Someone a little bit more current. I'm going to go with Kate McKinnon.

Track 3

[7:41]Absolutely.

Track 2

[7:42]She, yes, yes, yes. She is one of those people, she reminds me of Amy Poehler in the sense that her talent seems to have been made for Saturday Night Live. Um now just i want to say this on our first episode uh to me the three things that make up a great snl cast member are characters impressions and hosting we can update not doing characters but hosting now you don't need to do all three to be great sometimes you can like jimmy fallon will ferrell dan ackroyd uh sometimes you can do just one dennis miller however when you do two or three, that shows that you're able to play any position.

Track 2

[8:31]So with that being said, with Kate McKinnon, she did characters and impressions extremely well.

Track 2

[8:39]The various characters, like the alien abductions sketch, that to me is timeless. That is one of the latest great reoccurring sketches. Sketches um and then as far as her impressions uh you look at amy puller who did like you know hillary clinton um and ever uh ever levine um kate mckinnon said hold my beer and then did uh not only female impressions but male she did rudy giuliani uh and such and a bunch of other politicians um and just i mean i'm having a hard time thinking of all you know it's trying to like name all the santa's reindeer or the seven dwarves you know you like you get down a few or you're like wait uh there's also uh you know so i'm i don't want to um take up too much time saying a lot of urs and ums as i try and think of them all but she is just where she just blended into those impressions and then characters and she was like Phil Hartman where she could be in she could do the whole show, you know she could do and it was almost unfair to the other cast members I don't want to overhype her too much you can't overhype her but.

Track 2

[10:02]I will. I do, but I want to be fair to everyone else. I want to be fair. I don't want to make it seem like the rest of the cast that they were less. I don't want to make them seem like they were less than they were.

Track 3

[10:16]But she's amazing.

Track 2

[10:18]But she was just, Kate McKinnon was just, her talent was made for Saturday Night Live. And I'm not going to lie, I miss her.

Track 3

[10:28]She definitely left a hole and she was part of a she was part of a trinity when you talk about her and cecily 80 unbelievable with things like twin bad i mean back home ballers just amazing the three of them together will just fire so excellent choice joe i'm gonna shake things i'm gonna shake things up a little i'm gonna i'm gonna break i'm finally gonna break up our like female male domination that's going on, which I love, but I'm going to break it up a bit. Like I said, I chose two from season six because that's where my head was at, and I chose a musical act, and I know J.D. Mentions this. Thomas mentions this.

Track 3

[11:12]Musical guests don't seem to get into the Hall of Fame. I think Paul Simon might be the only one still. Dave Grohl is knocking on the door, and he's he's on my list but the act i want to talk about they're coming up this season like i said is one of my favorite bands and remember i'm a gen xer so i know you know joe who i'm talking about uh you too you do i mean i watched a couple of performances it's hard to find musical performances especially when you don't have peacock which i know right i know snl fan without peacock But anyways, I love you two. I could not believe how amazing they were on that 8-H stage. Thomas made a really good point in the draft episode.

Track 3

[12:03]They were selling out stadiums at this time. I mean, they were huge at this time. But then they could bring it down and be right on that 8-H stage and be intimate and personal. And Bono, let's face it, it's the Bono show, right? The man can sing. He has charisma oozing out of his pores. And he just captivates. And that's exactly what he did. it. These days on current SNL, the musical acts are really getting out of control. And I know they talk about this in several of the podcasts I listen to. They're throwing all these dancers and visual effects and explosions. You don't need it. If you can sing and you're talented, you don't need it. U2 does not need it. I'd love to see them get in at some point. I hope they get at the 10% to at least stay on the ballot. But after Dave Grohl, I think they should be in next because they're just amazing. So those are my two.

Track 2

[13:07]All right. So let's get into the two that we think definitely won't. I just want to go first because I want to continue the trend of what we're talking about with the musical guests. Now, you said that it's going to be really hard for musical guests to get into the Hall of Fame, because they're not really a major part of the show. They're rememberable, but not as much as the cast, the writing, the host. So they're kind of like the fourth tier. But they're very important, don't get me wrong. It's just not one of the initial people that you think of when you think of the show. So as far as my first pick, I'm going to say Randy Newman. I agree with everything that was said when they were doing the ballot show. I agree with Randy Newman's great toy story. I love L.A. He's funny. When he accepted an Oscar, I don't remember specifically what he said, but he had a great Oscar speech.

Track 2

[14:10]Let's just put it this way. When you're voting for an SNL Hall of Fame, you know, person, I doubt that you're going to vote for Randy Newman. I mean, there's just a lot of people ahead of him in line, you know, like, you know, like the people that we're saying, you know, and then there's you got, you know, you got hosts that are well known. You got cast members that are well known. Writers are kind of a gray area, you know. And then musical guests are just hard to get into, period. And then Randy Newman is, you know, like people might know him from Toy Story and such, but they might not know him that well, or at least current people or whatnot. And I'm not saying anything, I don't want to say anything too much, too negative about him, but he's just not really a household name anymore. So with that being said, like it would be hard to vote him in the snl hall of fame so yeah i don't i don't know what more i could say after that it's just kind of kind of cut and dry i guess like you know like it's hard for a musical guest to get in and he's not really that well known as a musical guest so agreed.

Track 3

[15:30]In fact i agree so much my first totally won't get in was also randy newman and i'm not gonna to rehash it because you said it well. And even when J.D. nominated him in the draft, he said that he wondered if people would remember because he hasn't been... I mean, I'm sure he's still doing music for movies and doing movie songs and things, but you don't hear about him much. Like, I don't know if he had a new song in the new Pixar movie, the one that just came out or not. But yeah, I'm not going to go into it too much since you did a great job. I will go on to my second person and then I'll throw it back to you. My second person is a writer and I have to disagree with you a little bit. I actually, well, I don't know quite how you feel about writers, but you kind of sounded like you thought they were gray area. I don't think they're gray area. I think writing comes first. Great writing.

Track 2

[16:34]I don't think it's important. It's just not, the writers might not be well known.

Track 3

[16:38]Oh, I agree with that. But I feel that writers are the most important. They're that base ingredient. read yet. I don't care if you have the best cast in the world, if the sketch sucks and is poorly written and the characters aren't well-developed, nobody's going to be able to bring that to life. Whereas if you have a great sketch or a great script, a so-so actor, like say even myself, could do a good job with it. I think writing is essential. I don't think writers get enough love in the Hall of Fame. I don't think they get enough love in general. So that all being said, I'm going to talk about Alan Zweibel. Unfortunately, unlike Jim Downey, who I'm so happy got in, he doesn't have name recognition. He's done a lot. I've been reading a lot about him, and I was sent a list of the sketches he's worked on. I mean, Roseanne, Rosanna, Dana, Anna, Letella, Emily Letella. He worked very closely with Gilda, very close with Gilda. He was very, very, very, very essential to those early years.

Track 3

[17:56]Unfortunately, and I worry about this with Garrett Morris, too. I don't want to get off track, and Lorraine. People don't have long memories always. And especially these days, Joe, you know the kids are jumping on, they're watching sketches, they're watching the Beavis and Butthead sketch, they're not watching the whole show. So it's very different now. And I feel like writers like Alan Zubow have been lost to the anals of time, unfortunately. And maybe I'll be wrong. I hope I am wrong, but I feel like there's other writers ahead of him a bit. However i'd be thrilled if he got in i'd like to see writers get more love but i don't think it's happening so now i'm gonna throw it back over to you.

Track 2

[18:41]I just want to add on a little bit to that because i think he might have been a cast member in season five because okay yeah everyone started leaving so they just started pulling people from like the writers and like because like i think paul schaefer was a cast member in season five so season five was It was just kind of that running on fumes before everyone left. And then also, I just want to mention, as far as the Gildan Radner connection, I just love this memory, which is her last television appearance, which was on It's a Gary Shandling Show. And I know this isn't Saturday Night Live, but um uh he gary shanley uh developed that show with alan's i or uh zybel and uh after, gildan ran there was um she had a pause where she started to look good uh health-wise and so she showed up on that show and i just wanted to recommend people to look that moment up because it's such a gift from alan and gilda um so i know it's outside saturday night live but uh, But anyway, to segue to my pick, I also picked a writer for the same reason. Again, writers, it would be cool if writers, if you could see their name on the sketch.

Track 3

[20:04]Right.

Track 2

[20:04]That would be great. You know, that way, you know, like the only one that I think of is Jack Handy, The Deep Thoughts. You saw his name on that sketch. Right. So that kind of made you familiar. Now, anyway, my pick is Julio Torres, who is more recent. I just don't, he's not like John Mulaney, where he's a recent writer who has standout specials or hosted the show and all this stuff. I'm sure he's a great writer. He's just not well known. I think he's the least known person on the list.

Track 3

[20:41]I think you're right. He does have that I'm a Stone Actress sketch, which was great. But, yeah, he's not really talked about as much.

Track 2

[20:49]I mean, I don't want to, I literally don't have anything negative to say about him other than the fact that he's not known enough. And I'm sure people found out, you know, what sketches he wrote. They'd be like, oh, yeah, absolutely. I love that. But at this point, you know, I mean, you know, I just can't see people looking at this list and voting for him. I mean, and I'm not saying anything negative about him. I just don't see him being well known enough.

Track 3

[21:23]Now, let's reveal our ballots. Do you mind if I go first, Joe?

Track 2

[21:27]Yes, please.

Track 3

[21:28]I'm just going to zoom through it. But my 15, and I did use all 15. I know some people don't, but I had a hard time keeping it to 15. I could have gone to 16 or 17. My ballot is... And a guest hire, Sherry O'Terry, Dave Grohl, Vanessa Bayer, Rosie Schuster, and Paula Pell, both writers. Candice Bergen, Rachel Dratch, Dick Ebersole, Herb Sargent, Lorraine Newman, Buck Henry, Jack Handy, Tracy Morgan, and you too. Those are my 15. And let me tell you, I didn't really know who Buck Henry was. I didn't know much about Dick Ebersole, rather. Then I listened to this podcast, and it changed my voting. And I put these two on. This is the first time I've put them on because I think they're essential to the show's history. So thank you, SNL Hall of Fame. Thank you, Thomas. Thank you, JD. Thank you, Matt, for making me a more educated viewer. Now your turn, Joe.

Track 2

[22:39]All right. So with me, I just went with 10. My brain just works in the DECA system. So shout out to the Romans. um so the list goes paul rudd dick ever saw dave grohl paul lapel lorraine newman kate mckinnon adam samler martin short chris parnell and john malane um i just and to me that would almost be a great show all of himself they were together so that's my time agreed well Well.

Track 3

[23:10]I'm surprised at like how similar our lists are because I think we have slightly different tastes, but I think we're ready to move on. Beck Bennett is our first season six nominee. And the way this is going to go every episode is one of us is going to be pro and one of us is going to be con. It does not reflect our true feelings, but we're arguing the side we're arguing, and that's how it's going to go. And are we ready to get started? Do you want to start, Joe? You're the con and I'm the pro. What do you think?

Track 2

[23:50]Well, how about this? we'll go pro just to kind of introduce him and then uh i'll do con.

Track 3

[23:55]Okay we'll just throw it back and forth how's that sound yes sounds good all right so i am arguing the pro for mr beck bennett eight seasons that alone meets one of my criteria i feel like a great cast member has to have at at least five. Beck has eight. Eight seasons, and he came out of the gate on fire. He brought ideas to the show. He, of course, had a relationship with Kyle Mooney, and they came with sketches. So that's my first pro. Want to give a con, Joe?

Track 2

[24:37]Yes. Yes. So now, first off, let me just say I agree with every positive thing. However, my assignment is to come up with cons. So I agree with everything that you're saying and everything on the podcast. However, for the con, I feel like he was a part of a big cast.

Track 3

[25:01]True.

Track 2

[25:02]And he didn't really pop. He didn't really stand out. So to give an example or demonstration of this, imagine if he came back to host, you know, people wouldn't be saying, oh, I hope he does this sketch, you know, like, or I hope he does this character. There wasn't anything. He did Baby Boss, but that wasn't rememberable. I don't think people are going to be quoting or re-watching that on YouTube. A lot of the Kyle Mooney pre-taped stuff is funny, don't get me wrong, but not rememberable. He didn't you know he just didn't pop and then um he also did a lot of the straight man stuff which is a thankless task like he did a lot of uh game show hosts and you know so i just that's my con he just didn't pop he didn't stand out i i just i can't make a list of uh stuff i would want him to do again if he came back to host so that's my con all.

Track 3

[26:09]Right so i i just want to add I've got a few more things for the, for the pro. Let's talk about his pre-tapes. I mean, he and Kyle came with the SoCal boys, kind of the clueless boys who were all over the internet at that time. They're probably still all over the internet. And they just nailed it. And it was so funny. I just rewatched a couple of those SoCal boys pre-tapes and they were hilarious. But I just want, I have to mention my, one of my absolute favorite pre-tapes, which is the Leslie Kyle back.

Track 3

[26:48]Triangle specifically the one with the masquerade with the eyes wide shut for those of you young listeners it's a movie that came out a long time ago watch the sketch watch the pre-tape i i can't even do it justice so funny even colin jost gets into the act it is hilarious i just think beck was one of those in the clutch performers who could come and be the straight man and all the the craziness could bounce off of him against Santa Baby with Gosling and Vanessa Bayer. They're going nuts about Santa, and Beck has to play the straight dad role. Like you said, Joe, always having, often having to be the one that everybody else sort of plays. He's sort of the canvas, and they play off. He's just so perfect at that. And they mentioned so many good examples in the Hall of Fame episode that I don't think I need to do anymore. So that's my wrap up. I think he deserves a shot. And I was very happy I got to be pro because I know, Joe, that you struggled with the cons. But I think you did an excellent job and made some excellent points about why maybe he is not quite Hall of Fame material.

Track 3

[28:13]All right, Joe, I think it's time for our final, final segment, our hopes for the 50th season. And the theme for this, this week's our first is which two cast members do we want to see more of? All right, I'll start. Let me tell you, I had two, I had two people. One, I didn't change. One, I did. Guess why? Why? Because my buddy Joe and I had a conversation and he made me rethink and I'm like, he's right. I need to go with my gut and I need to say a regular cast member. I was going to do a newer cast member, but instead I'm going with a I believe she's going into her sixth year.

Track 3

[28:59]She's getting the screen time. But thank you, Mike Murray, on Saturday night or Saturday as an on the Saturday Night Network. Network yeah because mike murray if you haven't listened and i'm assuming if you're listening to this podcast you listen to the hasn't on uh mike murray does a great stats breakdown and he gave me some stats and he's he talks a lot about uh minutes per episode and i don't think i don't think she's getting enough time on screen and he has solidified that for me i'm talking about the the one, the only, the incredible Ego Nwudum. She is my favorite cast member, bar none, hands down.

Track 3

[29:45]I think she's absolutely hilarious in every sketch she's featured in. She just holds her own so beautifully against the likes of Kenan and Mikey Day and Heidi Gardner. Ego stands tall and proud. She's amazing. I'm really happy she got one of the first reoccurring characters in a long time, Lisa from Temecula, and she delivers. And I'm thrilled that she's got a TV show now, I believe on Peacock. I think it's called The Throwback, but I might be messing up the name. But I'm really, I'm thrilled that she has a show and I want to see her. I hope that doesn't mean she's going to get less screen time i want to see her get more screen time okay joe.

Track 2

[30:33]Who do you want to see more of again i guess this is a very female themed episode because my first one is my comedy crush uh and by that i mean i love her comedy is sarah sherman uh.

Track 2

[30:53]So I just love she is so unique, but I'm also glad she could blend in to the cast. Like, I'm glad that she could do both her unique style and, you know, that doesn't alienate her from everyone else. She's able to be in sketches that don't work, you know, that aren't about her unique sense of humor. She is so she has such a unique identity. She just does goes with her gut and just and then on top of that. And then the second point is I want to see her on Weekend Update. She did Sarah's News, I believe was the segment. But most importantly, and I do mean this, which is important to me. I want to see her roasting Colin Jost because she is aside from those swap joke swaps that he does with Michael J. I love seeing Colin Joe's get roasted by Sarah she just does it in this goes for the jugular just really you know she did one where she went backstage in his dressing room and there was like yeah this is where he keeps the interns in the cage and stuff like that and she, chef's kiss I mean I just love her unique sense into humor and I love seeing her roast Colin Jost. So yes, that's my first pick. And now yours.

Track 3

[32:19]My second is a little newer and he just nailed it this past season. I think he's getting more time, but again, thank you Mike Murray. His screen time is not where it needs to be. His Tim Scott is one of my favorite political impressions currently. Of course, I'm talking about the fabulous Devin Walker. I think Devin is fantastic. I love Marcelo Hernandez, don't get me wrong, but he seems to be the newbie getting the most love, and I'd like to see the love spread a little evener for Longfellow as well, but really for Devin. I think this is Devin's season to shine. I hope so. I hope they give him more impressions. I hope they put him on update. Let him have Devin's take, kind of like they did with Longfellow and let him give his takes on certain cultural happenings in the zeitgeist. Yeah, I want more Devin Walker this season. A lot more than last season.

Track 2

[33:16]So my second pick is Michael Longfellow. It's just real... Yes. It's just real simple. I just look at that guy and I know this is kind of a part of the con that I said about Beck Bennett, but he has great deadpan.

Track 3

[33:34]Yes.

Track 2

[33:34]So and that is really one of the thankless tasks of a cast member is looking at the other ones, looking at the character and just, you know, acting, you know, and just having a facial expression that says you're weird and stuff like that.

Track 3

[33:51]Yes.

Track 2

[33:52]You know and then um how about this is what came to me i can't believe it was an snl cast member or or anything but it keaton has this thing where he just goes no no and michael longfellow just has that in his face where he's able to do that without saying anything like you're weird you're just he's got it in his eyes it reminds me of like dave foley from news radio um he just he's He's able to look at the joke and not say anything. And to me, it's more important to act instead of saying, you know, like, you know, brevity is the soul of wit. So just to be and I just like seeing that from him. So that's what I'm hoping to see more of from him.

Track 3

[34:33]OK, so I think the moral of our episode today is we want more women getting involved and we want the newbies getting some love because both Devin and Michael came in. And Marcelo seems to be getting all of the love, which he's super talented. But like I said, I'd like to see them spreading it out a little more. Okay. I cannot believe that this is the end already, Joe. This is so much fun. You are so much fun to talk to because you're as geeky, passionate about SNL as I am. And so thank you.

Track 2

[35:10]Yes. And I believe you have excellent taste. No, no, you're great. You know, you have mountains and mountains of information and passion. So, yeah, this is great. You know, I hope to be doing this every week. We will be doing this every week right here at the Butter Cooler.

Track 3

[35:26]We're throwing our cups away until next week when they'll be, when Thomas will be joined by another great guest on the SNL Hall of Fame. Well, they'll be talking about the one and only, and we talked about her today, right, Joe?

Track 2

[35:41]Yes, we did.

Track 3

[35:41]The fabulous sherry o terry very.

Track 2

[35:47]Energetic a mountain yeah we got a lot to get into on.

Track 3

[35:50]Yeah looking forward to it but for now leaving the water cooler till next time throwing out the cup.

0:00 / 36:41

0.5x0.75x1.0x1.25x1.5x1.75x2x

Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/snlhof/donations

Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy