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

In this episode, Nick welcomes the multi-talented Scott OKen from The Factory Theater, as they take a nostalgic journey through their 40-year friendship and reminisce about their favorite SNL cast members, moments, and memories. Join them as they dive into Scott’s top 5 sketches, featuring iconic moments like Richard Pryor’s racy word association game with Chevy Chase, The Blues Brothers’ debut, Larry David as ‘Kevin Roberts’ in an F.B.I. simulator, and Kenan Thompson asking, “What’s Up With That?”. Additionally, get an exclusive scoop on Scott’s upcoming play at The Factory and his latest music gigs in Chicago. Don’t miss out on this laughter-filled trip down memory lane! [EP14]

Get ready for a wild ride as Nick dives headfirst into the uproarious Saturday Night Live (SNL) episode hosted by none other than martial arts sensation Steven Seagal. Labeled as the worst SNL episode ever (even by Lorne Michaels) and featuring the most disastrous host in the show’s history, this episode is packed with hilarity. Tune in for some side-splitting testimonials from cast members and writers who had the misfortune of working with Seagal that week. Unravel the chaos behind the scenes, with endless arguments and frantic rewrites leading up to the live show. And, of course, revel in the actual sketches and cringe-inducing moments that prove Steven Seagal is, without a doubt, the most hilariously terrible SNL host of all time.  [EP13]

In this podcast episode, Nick delves into the intriguing history of toilet humor on TV, from its first appearance on “Leave It To Beaver” to iconic moments on “All in the Family” and SNL. He discusses memorable commercial parodies, the evolution of toilet-related humor on SNL, and two unforgettable bidet-centric sketches featuring Michael Che, Zach Galifianakis, and Kristen Wiig. Nick also highlights the unexpected cultural impact of these sketches, which boosted bidet sales and made them a trending topic on social media, showcasing SNL’s undeniable influence. [EP12]

Nick is joined by the beautiful and talented actress Dana DeLorenzo, known for her appearances on “The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson” and “Ash vs. Evil Dead,” to discuss her career in comedy and her admiration for “Saturday Night Live.” During their conversation, Nick and Dana reminisce about their childhoods watching the show and share their favorite sketches featuring comedic legends such as Will Ferrell, Cheri Oteri, David Spade, Molly Shannon, and Norm McDonald. They also recall the hilarity of Darrell Hammond’s portrayal of Sean Connery. Additionally, Dana shares behind-the-scenes stories of working with Craig Ferguson and talks about her latest movie “The Disappearance of Toby Blackwood.” [EP11]

On this episode, Nick guides you through Season 8 Episode 7 of “Saturday Night Live,” which aired on November 20th, 1982. This particular episode stands out for several reasons, including the fact that 7-year-old Drew Barrymore hosted it, making her the youngest person ever to do so. Additionally, the episode includes an uncredited cameo by a major star, the sole performance by musical guest Squeeze, and it was one of the last shows before cast member Eddie Murphy’s breakout role in the film “48hrs.” However, what makes this episode truly noteworthy is the live “Keep Andy or Dump Andy” call-in campaign, where viewers dialed 900 numbers to vote on whether or not to ban comedian Andy Kaufman from future appearances on the show. The outcome was disappointing, and the entire ordeal was peculiar, as you’ll hear in this episode. Despite the controversy, Drew went on to host the show five more times, while Andy Kaufman never appeared on it again. [EP10]

In this episode, Nick talks about some incredibly talented and funny people who auditioned for SNL, but were not hired. Many of these folks would go on to very successful careers on TV, in movies, and in the world of comedy. Some of these rejected performers, in fact, are absolute legends in the entertainment world…like Jim Carrey, Stephen Colbert and Pee-Wee Herman to name a few. In addition to hearing some of the actual auditions, you will hear the stories of why they were rejected, and how it changed the course of their careers, and how many times (if any) they would go on to host SNL to rub Lorne’s face in it. There are so many people who have been rejected by SNL that this is just part one of the series. [EP9]

Nick discusses Miskel Spillman, an 80-year-old grandmother who won the “Anyone Can Host” contest and became the first non-celebrity to host SNL. The episode, which aired during Christmas in 1977, was surprisingly hilarious yet dark. It featured memorable sketches, recurring characters like Mr. Mike, Emily Litella, and Franken & Davis Show, and a musical guest Elvis Costello, who got banned from the show for a decade due to his conduct. In this episode, you’ll hear some weird, funny, and awkward moments from the show, discover how Spillman was selected, learn the behind-the-scenes story, and find out what happened to her after the SNL appearance. This bizarre experiment produced a remarkable episode and an excellent story. [EP8]

Nick is joined by Amy Seeley, a certified comedy geek, who has an extensive background as a writer, director, and teacher. She co-founded Chicago’s Factory Theater and is a graduate of Second City. Together, they delve into the topic of the best female cast members throughout the history of “SNL”. Starting from the show’s inception with comedic powerhouses like Jane, Gilda, and Laraine, they move on to analyze and praise contemporary stars such as Ego, Cecily, and Heidi. The discussion includes clips of classic sketches and characters, along with behind-the-scenes stories and personal anecdotes, like what Tina Fey’s audition for The Factory Theater and the inspiration behind the many incredible ladies featured on the show. It’s an enjoyable trip down memory lane as two comedy performers and friends pay tribute to some of their heroes from “Saturday Night Live”. [EP7]

Nick talks about the 11 “official” Saturday Night Live movies (yes, there were only 11, and 2 of them were sequels). They were the ones that are actually based on sketches that came directly from SNL, or characters that were created by SNL writers or cast members specifically for the show. Nick tells origin stories, discusses behind the scenes facts, and analyzes the quality, and financial success (or NON success) of the movies, and their impact on cinema (if they had any, that is). Some are classics, some are not, and a couple of them are underappreciated gems that deserve a second look. A fun and informative look back at those films, the great casts, and the interesting directors, with some cool clips and some big surprises….in fact, one of the movies was, reportedly, one of Jack Lemmon’s favorite movies! [EP6]

Nick explores and looks back at some of the memorable “Lonely Island SNL Digital Shorts” that dominated the show in the mid-2000s. Incredibly funny videos that include: “Dick in a Box,” “Laser Cats,” Natalie’s Rap,” “Threw It On The Ground,” and the one that pretty much started it all “Lazy Sunday,” in which Andy Samberg and Chris Parnell throw down a hardcore rap about going to see “The Chronicles of Narnia.” Nick’s guest for this episode is Tom Hush, Executive Producer of The Steve Cochran Show on WLS-AM 890 Chicago, who is a generation younger than Nick and provides a fascinating and revealing look at how these Digital Shorts made an huge impact on his teenage life, and, how the Lonely Island guys almost singlehandedly changed the way people watched SNL and impacted the culture in a massive way, plus the stuff is just really, really funny. [EP5]