That Show Hasn't Been Funny In Years: an SNL podcast on Radio Misfits

Nick Digilio welcomes film critic, writer, financial analyst, and corporate governance speaker Nell Minow (AKA: The Movie Mom) to the podcast to discuss her love of Saturday Night Live and much more. Nick and Nell chat about how she’s watched every episode of the show since its very beginning, and how her father—the great Newton Minow—is forever connected to SNL. They also delve into the historical importance of the show, especially during an election year.

Nell unveils her five favorite sketches of all time, which feature the talents of Dan Aykroyd, Tina Fey, Bowen Yang, Tom Hanks, Amy Poehler, and writer Julio Torres, among others. She shares behind-the-scenes stories involving Phil Donahue and Gilda Radner, as well as anecdotes about the President of the United States and Lorne Michaels. Throughout the conversation, Nick and Nell analyze why SNL has remained such an important show for entire generations of fans.

It’s a terrific interview with a brilliant guest, loaded with funny sketches and great tales. [Ep97]

Nick takes a look back at the four times iconic and beloved actor Michael Keaton hosted Saturday Night Live, sharing behind-the-scenes stories and highlights from each appearance. Keaton first hosted in 1982 when he was still transitioning from being a stand-up comedian and had just gotten his big break in Ron Howard’s Night Shift. In this episode, you’ll hear his very first sketch ever (alongside Eddie Murphy, of course) and his first monologue from that show.

It took ten years for Keaton to return as host in 1992, and by then, his image had definitely evolved. The change in his persona was evident in both his monologue and his sketch work. Fast forward another 22 years to 2015—yes, a long wait—but it was well worth it, as Keaton’s work on that episode was absolutely terrific. By that time, Keaton had become a true Hollywood legend.

Most recently, Keaton hosted SNL just a few weeks ago, and once again, he proved why he’s such a fantastic host, delivering laughs and showcasing his enduring charisma. Enjoy this journey through Michael Keaton’s SNL hosting history. [Ep96]

The one and only Flip Wilson was one of the funniest and most important stars of the 60s and 70s. Not only did he host a top-rated variety show, break barriers for African-American artists, and create some of the most memorable characters in comedy history, but he also changed the face of television variety shows forever. Flip Wilson only hosted Saturday Night Live once, and while it wasn’t a particularly memorable episode, it represented a specific time in SNL’s history and had some great moments.

In this episode, you’ll hear Flip’s brief and somewhat odd monologue, along with a couple of funny sketches and the stories behind some of Wilson’s greatest creations. Nick also shares behind-the-scenes tales and background stories about Flip’s work, including his collaboration with the legendary Richard Pryor. You’ll hear an outstanding piece of comedy from The Flip Wilson Show, showcasing their incredible talents, and more.

A true comedy legend hosted SNL, and you’ll hear all about it in this episode of That Show… [Ep95]

Nick looks back at the work of actor, writer, and director Buck Henry during the first five seasons of Saturday Night Live. Henry, who already had a rich history in TV and film during the 60s and 70s, became a mainstay in the early years of SNL, hosting the show a record 10 times in less than five years. Known for his sharp humor, Buck was always hilarious in sketches, delivered wonderfully meta monologues, and created recurring characters that stood toe-to-toe with anything the regular cast members could produce.

In this episode, you’ll hear some of Buck Henry’s classic sketches, including “Lord and Lady Douchebag,” “The Meeting in Sodom,” and the incredibly controversial “Uncle Roy” bits, where he played a pedophilic babysitter—a character that remains infamous. You’ll also hear from Buck Henry himself as he reflects on his time working on the show, dealing with censors, getting injured on live TV, and the fallout from the Uncle Roy sketches. Of course, Nick will also cover Henry’s hilarious work with John Belushi, playing the straight man to Belushi’s unforgettable Samurai Futaba character.

It’s time to celebrate Buck Henry—a brilliant writer, a hilarious performer, and an SNL legend. [Ep94]

The one and only time the multi-talented Donald Glover hosted *Saturday Night Live* was on May 5th, 2018, and it’s high time he returns to host again. The actor, writer, director, comedian, singer, and musician did an outstanding job, not just as the host but also as the musical guest, performing under his stage name, Childish Gambino.

This episode from Season 43 was a solid, often hilarious show packed with timely sketches, weird parodies, lots of music, and plenty of celebrity cameos, including Zoe Kravitz, Scarlett Johansson, Ben Stiller, Martin Short, and Stormy Daniels. Glover’s comedic range was on full display as he portrayed characters like Lando Calrissian, a slimy lawyer, a stalking rapper (in an insanely weird satire of the ’80s artist Oran “Juice” Jones), a guy who awkwardly requests dirty talk in the bedroom, and, in a surprisingly prescient sketch, an intern at Mattel who gives Barbie a disturbing backstory (perhaps Greta Gerwig was watching that night?).

Donald Glover’s brilliant work in this episode is proof that he needs to host *SNL* again, and soon. [Ep93]

Nick takes a look back at the legendary Olympia Diner sketches from the early days of *Saturday Night Live*. These classics are known for their memorable characters, the bustling diner atmosphere, the functioning flattop grill (LIVE on stage!), and of course, the catchphrases like “Cheeseburger, Cheeseburger…no Coke, Pepsi…no fries, chips!” This popular recurring sketch was performed a record six times in less than 15 months, between January 1978 and May 1979.

Every member of The Not Ready For Prime-Time Players, along with hosts like Robert Klein, Buck Henry, Jill Clayburgh, and even The Rolling Stones, appeared in these iconic scenes. In this episode, you’ll hear three of the Olympia Diner bits (including the very first one) and learn about the somewhat conflicted history behind them. Was the inspiration Chicago’s Billy Goat Tavern, John Belushi’s family diner, or a mix of both?

Nick also explores how these sketches inspired future SNL classics like “You lika the juice??” Get ready to laugh a lot and, by the end, probably crave a cheeseburger! [Ep92]

In the 50 years that *Saturday Night Live* has been on the air, there have been plenty of controversial sketches and moments. Some were so outrageous that public apologies had to be issued—sometimes unsuccessfully. In this episode, Nick revisits four of the most controversial sketches that were either misguided, misinterpreted, or just plain offensive.

Hosts like Christoph Waltz, Bea Arthur, and Joshua Jackson, along with cast members such as Jimmy Fallon, Bill Murray, Gilda Radner, Chevy Chase, Rachel Dratch, and others, participated in these regretful scenes. The episode includes a look at Fallon’s infamous blackface sketch, the bloody parody of a Jesus film, a sketch that mocked a real-life accidental shooting, and a TV movie parody in which the struggles of a mastectomy are told from the suffering husband’s perspective.

Are these sketches funny or offensive? You be the judge—but they certainly sparked a lot of controversy! [Ep91]

Nick looks back at the very first time Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson hosted “Saturday Night Live,” which aired in March of 2000. At that time, Johnson was still known primarily as his wrestling persona, The Rock, and hadn’t yet become the Hollywood megastar demanding millions of dollars per film. He was simply a beloved WWE pro-wrestler with a massive fan base.

But The Rock wasn’t the only wrestler to take the SNL stage that night. In this episode, you’ll relive the pro-wrestling invasion on SNL, hear some of the funniest sketches, and get behind-the-scenes stories from the memorable night. Chris Parnell (who hilariously gets beat up a lot), Molly Shannon, Will Ferrell, Cheri Oteri, and others contribute to the laughs with fantastic performances.

Take a trip back to Season 25 and experience the night The Rock cooked up comedy gold on SNL! [Ep90]

Nick takes a look back at the one and only time William Shatner hosted “Saturday Night Live,” which aired live on December 20th, 1986, as the Season 12 Christmas episode. The show featured special guests Buster Poindexter, comedian Kevin Meaney, and musical guest Lone Justice. At the time, Shatner was riding high on the success of the latest “Star Trek” film and his hit TV series “TJ Hooker,” both of which were hilariously satirized on the show that night.

In this episode, you’ll hear about the funny parodies of “Star Trek” and “TJ Hooker,” plus behind-the-scenes stories from that memorable night. Nick also highlights other hilarious sketches, including Jan Hooks’ and Nora Dunn’s fantastic Sweeney Sisters, Al Franken’s uproarious health report on Ronald Reagan, and the most talked-about (and controversial) sketch of the night—where Shatner, playing himself, verbally massacres fans at a “Star Trek” Convention, delivering the now-famous line, “Get a life, you people!”

This sketch not only re-sparked national interest in SNL but also made headlines, cementing itself as one of the funniest and most iconic moments in the show’s history. [Ep89]

In the past 49 seasons of “Saturday Night Live,” there have been hundreds of terrible sketches—it’s just the nature of the game. In this episode, Nick looks back at five truly awful sketches from more recent years that are among the worst ever performed on the show. You’ll hear these bombs and learn about why they were written, performed, and included on the show at all.

Sometimes it’s the writing, sometimes it’s the cast, sometimes it’s the host, and sometimes it’s EVERYTHING, but whatever the reasons, these five sketches are just disastrous. Nick provides insight and information, revealing why talented actors like Reese Witherspoon, Sterling K. Brown, and Chris Rock struggled with these particular sketches, and why less experienced performers like January Jones and Elon Musk completely tanked.

It’s fascinating to analyze why things aren’t funny and why they are “Bad, Just Plain Bad.” [Ep88]