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

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]

We all know that “Saturday Night Live” has had some pretty incredible and funny surprise celebrity cameos over the years. Since the very beginning, SNL has had a wonderful habit of bringing out celebrities to have some fun and shock audiences at home and in the studio by simply popping on stage. In this episode, Nick looks back at some of the best surprise cameos that delighted audiences everywhere.

Included are the out-of-the-blue appearances by Arnold Schwarzenegger, Daniel Craig, Colin Farrell, John Mulaney, and a truly inspired cameo by Amy Poehler playing her legendary character from “Parks and Recreation.” You’ll hear the sketches and cameos, along with the stories behind the appearances themselves.

This is Part 2 of a multi-part series called “SURPRISE!!! SNL Cameos.” [Ep87]

Nick takes a hilarious look back at Will Ferrell’s famous Harry Caray impression. While the impersonation itself might not be the most accurate or perfect recreation of the legendary sportscaster, it’s undeniably funny, bizarre, and one of the most memorable characters Ferrell brought to life during his tenure on “Saturday Night Live.”

You’ll hear the very first time Ferrell did the impression (during his SNL audition!), along with a montage of unbelievably funny moments from his appearances on Weekend Update and the brilliantly weird sketch “Space – The Infinite Frontier” with Jeff Goldblum.

Nick also provides a brief history of Caray’s Chicago broadcasting career, shares a personal story that includes his own Harry Caray impression, and gives a rundown of the guys who actually do the best, most accurate Harry Caray impressions of all time. Plus, there’s an interview with Ferrell about a time he might have pushed the bit a little too far.

So… Hey Everybody! It’s Harry Caray time! [Ep86]

Cast member Punkie Johnson has announced her departure from “Saturday Night Live” after four seasons. In this episode, Nick reflects on her time on the show, highlighting some of her most memorable moments and discussing her comedy career—past, present, and future. The episode features hilarious segments, mostly from Weekend Update, where Punkie did some of her best work.

Nick plays back some of her funniest moments, including her impression of a convict who jumped over a barrier to attack a judge during a trial, her real-life story about dealing with family as a lesbian during Christmas, and an uproarious bit where Mikey Day reveals her tendency to not know any celebrities’ correct names. Nick also discusses her wonderful role in last year’s brilliant movie “Bottoms” and shares a great Seth Meyers interview about her career and time on SNL.

As we say goodbye to Punkie Johnson, Nick celebrates her talent and wishes her the best in her continuing comedy career. [Ep85]