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Saturday Night: A Backstage History of Saturday Night Live
Based on interviews with more than 250 people associated with the show--stars, producers, hosts, and others--this book provides an intimate backstage portrait of the comedy program, from its beginnings through its rise to the peak of popularity
510 pages, Hardcover
First published February 27, 1986
206 people are currently reading
1824 people want to read
About the author
Doug Hill
25 books6 followersDoug Hill's previous works include "Prayer, Faith and Healing" and "Healing Power," A former staff writer for "TV Guide," he is completing studies for a divinity degree at Moravian Seminary in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. He lives in Montclair, New Jersey.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 82 reviews
January 4, 2016
I read the SNL oral history Live From New York a little over 10 years ago. I figured that was all I would need to read regarding this show. I don't really follow SNL any more -- I'm not against it, I just never really tune in -- but when my friend Mike told me that this book, a biographical expose of the first 10 years of the show, was one of his favorite non-fiction books of all time, I had to give it a shot. I'm glad I did.
In contrast with Live From New York, Saturday Night synthesizes dozens of interviews and miles of research and writing about the show into a historically dense re-telling of the lead-up to the show, its initial struggles, early successes and failures, and the numerous near-catastrophic attempts to revive the old magic. At the time the book went to print, the final fate of SNL as an unkillable institution was not quite assured yet, which gives the book even more drama.
Not that it needs it. Every page of Saturday Night is compelling reading, especially if you, like me, are interested in the big-picture view of how the comedy sausage gets sheathed every week. I enjoyed reading all of the behind-the scenes interviews -- who was playing pranks on whom, who was snorting coke off whom's ass -- but I was surprised to find out that I was a lot more interested in knowing how hard it was to keep the finance men at bay as set budgets skyrocketed, how many fevered meetings had to happen to get SNL off the ground (even when the only thing they were replacing were Carson Show re-runs), and all the attempts to move the franchise to the next level (Gilda's ill-fated one-woman show; Michael O'Donoghue's great but poorly-remembered Mr. Mike's Mondo Video; a catastrophic attempt to do the show live from New Orleans that I'd LOVE to see). Weingrad and Hill sift through an absurd amount of primary and secondary research material and first-hand accounts of all the eras -- even the hated Jean Doumanian era, which got short shrift in the oral history -- to provide a really thorough account of all the highs and lows of the show.
Whether you're a dedicated week-to-week viewer, someone who only tunes in when something weird's gonna happen (like Trump hosting), or someone who pines for the Glory Days Of the Show (as Lorne Michaels pointed out in his recent WTF with Marc Maron interview, "anytime someone says this or that is the best cast of the show, I know immediately what year they were 15 years old"), or if you're just curious about how a show with this many moving parts, this much revision up to the very last second, can be run live-to-air three weekends a month, year after year, decade after decade, you'll be absorbed in the cool, confident narration almost immediately.
Top-notch, and worth reading even if you've read the oral history. Check it out to see how much information can still be found beyond the remembrances of people who were there.
In contrast with Live From New York, Saturday Night synthesizes dozens of interviews and miles of research and writing about the show into a historically dense re-telling of the lead-up to the show, its initial struggles, early successes and failures, and the numerous near-catastrophic attempts to revive the old magic. At the time the book went to print, the final fate of SNL as an unkillable institution was not quite assured yet, which gives the book even more drama.
Not that it needs it. Every page of Saturday Night is compelling reading, especially if you, like me, are interested in the big-picture view of how the comedy sausage gets sheathed every week. I enjoyed reading all of the behind-the scenes interviews -- who was playing pranks on whom, who was snorting coke off whom's ass -- but I was surprised to find out that I was a lot more interested in knowing how hard it was to keep the finance men at bay as set budgets skyrocketed, how many fevered meetings had to happen to get SNL off the ground (even when the only thing they were replacing were Carson Show re-runs), and all the attempts to move the franchise to the next level (Gilda's ill-fated one-woman show; Michael O'Donoghue's great but poorly-remembered Mr. Mike's Mondo Video; a catastrophic attempt to do the show live from New Orleans that I'd LOVE to see). Weingrad and Hill sift through an absurd amount of primary and secondary research material and first-hand accounts of all the eras -- even the hated Jean Doumanian era, which got short shrift in the oral history -- to provide a really thorough account of all the highs and lows of the show.
Whether you're a dedicated week-to-week viewer, someone who only tunes in when something weird's gonna happen (like Trump hosting), or someone who pines for the Glory Days Of the Show (as Lorne Michaels pointed out in his recent WTF with Marc Maron interview, "anytime someone says this or that is the best cast of the show, I know immediately what year they were 15 years old"), or if you're just curious about how a show with this many moving parts, this much revision up to the very last second, can be run live-to-air three weekends a month, year after year, decade after decade, you'll be absorbed in the cool, confident narration almost immediately.
Top-notch, and worth reading even if you've read the oral history. Check it out to see how much information can still be found beyond the remembrances of people who were there.
July 8, 2012
Although my enthusiasm for watching Saturday Night Live has waxed and waned over the years -- I'm still fascinated by the politics, gossip and often outrageous backstage dynamics of the show. I had high hopes for this book but found it very dry. I far prefer and highly recommend Tom Shales & James Andrew Miller's "Live From New York: An Uncensored History of Saturday Night Live." I re-read it for the third time directly after finishing this book and found it as zippy and entertaining as ever. Lightning-fast read. It's an oral history taken from interviews with past cast and crew, a far more enjoyable format. (It does for SNL what the excellent "Please Kill Me" does for seventies punk.)
In short, this book definitely needed more cowbell.
In short, this book definitely needed more cowbell.
June 23, 2011
Loved this history of Saturday Night Live which ends just at Lorne Michaels returns. Seems to paint him as washed up and something of a failure but ends before Mike Meyers, Adam Sandler, Larry David, Will Ferrell, Tina Fey, Amy Poehler, Justin Timberlake ever wrote for or appeared on the show.
It's got great stuff about Louise Lasser and Milton Berle being horrible guests, makes Chevy Chase seem more sympathetic than I recalled
Does a good job of showing time and again how celebrity seems to eat people alive, destroy esprit de corp and make life miserable.
It's got great stuff about Louise Lasser and Milton Berle being horrible guests, makes Chevy Chase seem more sympathetic than I recalled
Does a good job of showing time and again how celebrity seems to eat people alive, destroy esprit de corp and make life miserable.
August 4, 2018
This big and well-written book documents the origins and first ten years of Saturday Night. For a quick grab overview of the first thirty-eight years, try Saturday Night Live FAQ: Everything Left to Know about Television's Longest-Running Comedy.
Part One, the first half of the book, tells the fascinating story of the antecedents and inspirations that germinated a fresh live show for a new generation tired of the day’s family-friendly fare.
Rowan and Martin’s Laugh-In became a big hit in sixty-eight, serving as a comedy breakthrough for the generation that grew up with television. The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour, meanwhile, reflected the subversive attitude of the sixties but was thrown off the air because of the show’s viewpoint on Vietnam. Monty Python, with its cool and smart humor and nerve, influenced Lorne Michaels, SNL’s creator. Monty Python was “a revelation,” said Lorne.
Lorne demanded that no one over thirty work on the show. Each of the early cast members worked identical contracts, earning about thirty thousand a season, a paltry sum then.
Pot became a staple of Saturday Night, used openly in the offices. People laughed all time while a manic sense of hilarity prevailed.
“The freshest satire on commercial television,” wrote Tom Shales in The Washington Post after the fourth show, the one with Candace Bergen as guest. “A lively, raucously disdainful view of a world that television shaped.”
Saturday Night recreated the reckless adventure of the early, pioneering years at the network. It became the most chaotic, complicated and ambitious weekly program in television, write the authors. The show valued inspiration, accident and passion more than control, habit and discipline.
For all the attention paid to what Saturday Night put on the show, how it got on the air also intrigued the fans, which brings us to Saturday Night Live: The Experience, an interactive museum exhibit now in Chicago. A recent trip for that immersion led to reading this book for more background. http://snltheexhibition.com on State at Kinzie
Cast and crew produce eighteen shows a season, at a pace of three weeks on then one week off, enduring “the furnace of a production schedule,” write the authors.
The exhibition in Chicago recreates a week at Saturday Night, culminating in a replica of Studio 8H, where we sit for a quick program.
On Mondays, the pitch meeting of three dozen ideas. With the accepted ideas, the writers write through Wednesday, the day of the read-through. Pieces that survive then begin the production process of sets, props, wigs and costumes. Blocking the cast and cameras happens on Thursdays and Fridays. Weekend Update comes together as late as possible to keep it topical. Dress rehearsal ends an hour before before going live.
Two people work the cue card table, a flurry of big, neat printing, writing new cards during commercials and the countdown to the show. Some changes come in so late that actors see the lines for the first time on the cue cards.
Chevy Chase brought an inspired silliness to the show, including News for The Hard of Hearing during his Weekend Update. Dan Ackroyd earned universal admiration on Saturday night as a writer and performer. He bore an original talent so intense that it shot off sparks. His pinnacle during the first season included the refrigerator repairman and The Bass-O-Matic, fueled by Danny’s strong performance. The Bass-O-Matic sits on a shelf in the Chicago exhibition. Gilda Radner, the first one hired, inhabited her Baba Wawa, which bewildered Barbara Walters. Love, Gilda, a documentary, opens Sep 21. https://www.lovegilda.com
Lorne adjusted the recipe during the first few shows. Meanwhile, a producer sent buses to college for an audience to fill the seats for the first couple of shows. But demand picked up for the third show. By December the waiting list began.
Saturday Night in its third season grew beyond its cult into stardom. But fatigue set in from the eighteen-hour days and six-day weeks. And that closes the first half of the book. The second half examines a difficult period with ups and downs. While the first section makes it fun and exciting to share in the creation and early experience, the last half also includes many funny stories.
The authors spent three years working on this book, interviewing over two hundred people connected with the show. An excellent thirteen-page index supports the book.
Go to the SNL Experience in Chicago and see Love, Gilda. Along the way, read this book.
Part One, the first half of the book, tells the fascinating story of the antecedents and inspirations that germinated a fresh live show for a new generation tired of the day’s family-friendly fare.
Rowan and Martin’s Laugh-In became a big hit in sixty-eight, serving as a comedy breakthrough for the generation that grew up with television. The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour, meanwhile, reflected the subversive attitude of the sixties but was thrown off the air because of the show’s viewpoint on Vietnam. Monty Python, with its cool and smart humor and nerve, influenced Lorne Michaels, SNL’s creator. Monty Python was “a revelation,” said Lorne.
Lorne demanded that no one over thirty work on the show. Each of the early cast members worked identical contracts, earning about thirty thousand a season, a paltry sum then.
Pot became a staple of Saturday Night, used openly in the offices. People laughed all time while a manic sense of hilarity prevailed.
“The freshest satire on commercial television,” wrote Tom Shales in The Washington Post after the fourth show, the one with Candace Bergen as guest. “A lively, raucously disdainful view of a world that television shaped.”
Saturday Night recreated the reckless adventure of the early, pioneering years at the network. It became the most chaotic, complicated and ambitious weekly program in television, write the authors. The show valued inspiration, accident and passion more than control, habit and discipline.
For all the attention paid to what Saturday Night put on the show, how it got on the air also intrigued the fans, which brings us to Saturday Night Live: The Experience, an interactive museum exhibit now in Chicago. A recent trip for that immersion led to reading this book for more background. http://snltheexhibition.com on State at Kinzie
Cast and crew produce eighteen shows a season, at a pace of three weeks on then one week off, enduring “the furnace of a production schedule,” write the authors.
The exhibition in Chicago recreates a week at Saturday Night, culminating in a replica of Studio 8H, where we sit for a quick program.
On Mondays, the pitch meeting of three dozen ideas. With the accepted ideas, the writers write through Wednesday, the day of the read-through. Pieces that survive then begin the production process of sets, props, wigs and costumes. Blocking the cast and cameras happens on Thursdays and Fridays. Weekend Update comes together as late as possible to keep it topical. Dress rehearsal ends an hour before before going live.
Two people work the cue card table, a flurry of big, neat printing, writing new cards during commercials and the countdown to the show. Some changes come in so late that actors see the lines for the first time on the cue cards.
Chevy Chase brought an inspired silliness to the show, including News for The Hard of Hearing during his Weekend Update. Dan Ackroyd earned universal admiration on Saturday night as a writer and performer. He bore an original talent so intense that it shot off sparks. His pinnacle during the first season included the refrigerator repairman and The Bass-O-Matic, fueled by Danny’s strong performance. The Bass-O-Matic sits on a shelf in the Chicago exhibition. Gilda Radner, the first one hired, inhabited her Baba Wawa, which bewildered Barbara Walters. Love, Gilda, a documentary, opens Sep 21. https://www.lovegilda.com
Lorne adjusted the recipe during the first few shows. Meanwhile, a producer sent buses to college for an audience to fill the seats for the first couple of shows. But demand picked up for the third show. By December the waiting list began.
Saturday Night in its third season grew beyond its cult into stardom. But fatigue set in from the eighteen-hour days and six-day weeks. And that closes the first half of the book. The second half examines a difficult period with ups and downs. While the first section makes it fun and exciting to share in the creation and early experience, the last half also includes many funny stories.
The authors spent three years working on this book, interviewing over two hundred people connected with the show. An excellent thirteen-page index supports the book.
Go to the SNL Experience in Chicago and see Love, Gilda. Along the way, read this book.
April 7, 2023
Really good look at the early days of SNL. It only covers the first seven years or so but if that’s not enough for you then EXCUUUUUUSE ME
May 18, 2012
Fascinating "backstage" look at a singular comedy show. Covers the first ten years of the show focusing primarily on the first five or six seasons. The book is full of strange and embarrassing tales of the cast and crew. Pride, racism, sexism, serious drug abuse, eating disorders, angry outbursts, self-centeredness, backstabbing, and manipulation were just a few of the things found on a weekly basis (1975-1985) in Studio 8H and Floor 17 of 30 Rock. Prepare to look at your favorite "early years" SNL actors in a new light. (My one complaint: too much time was given to all the ins and outs of how the show was developed. It makes the front end of the book drag and few readers will really care about that kind of thing, we are more interested in the cast and the making of the episodes.)
The book also provides an interesting look at human nature. It's amazing and horrifying to watch how the fame and money completely change nearly everyone who finds success through the show. There seemed to be constant bickering among the actors and writers when anyone started to really outshine the others on the show. While reading this I just kept thinking how terrific an HBO drama series based on the first five years of SNL would be. You couldn't make up drama this good. There have already been several TV shows about the making of a TV show, but none are as turbulent and dramatic as the backstage of SNL. Will never happen, but it's fun to imagine it. Very fun read.
The book also provides an interesting look at human nature. It's amazing and horrifying to watch how the fame and money completely change nearly everyone who finds success through the show. There seemed to be constant bickering among the actors and writers when anyone started to really outshine the others on the show. While reading this I just kept thinking how terrific an HBO drama series based on the first five years of SNL would be. You couldn't make up drama this good. There have already been several TV shows about the making of a TV show, but none are as turbulent and dramatic as the backstage of SNL. Will never happen, but it's fun to imagine it. Very fun read.
June 10, 2015
I was lucky enough to have this book recommended to me by one of the authors (Jeff Weingrad) whom I met in New Jersey. I found Jeff extremely entertaining in the short time we talked and happy to say this book is an accurate reflection of his entertaining manner. I won't pretend I started watching SNL when it began (I was 9) but did start watching it around 1980 so happily the second half of the book had more performers I was familiar with. That being said, the first half detailing 1975 - 1980 is hugely informative on how the show came about. If you are a fan of SNL in any era, I recommend you read this book if only to compare the era you like with the early days.
August 20, 2007
Unlike the recent Tom Shales version, this is a more journalistic account of the classic show, and in some ways is a more engaging read for benefiting from the authors' interpretations and observations. It also has a far, far more detailed account than the Shales book of the disastrous Jean Doumanian year, which Shales finesses to the extent of devoting only around two cursory pages to it. For that reason as well as others, I think this book is superior to the Shales one, at least for an account of the show's early years.
July 31, 2012
It's really a four and a half star book. A fun, terrifying and insightful Look into the creation and early existence of one of the most influential comedy shows ever. I only wish it was longer and covered even more history.
April 17, 2015
A incredibly well researched/written behind-the-scenes look of the show's creation, rise and all of the tumult that surrounded it and its stars across it's first, formative - but always shaky - first decade. Brilliantly put together.
March 22, 2016
Good. Interesting, o.k.
April 16, 2025
an amazing book. my shortest review ever.
seriously, I could not put this down. it's an old book, and I read the revised version which includes a slightly updated epilogue up to 2014. the book covers 1975-1985 and it is DETAILED. but in a wonderful , thorough, savory way. that's the best thing I can say about it. it's so wonderfully detailed and well written, that it flows quickly even though clocks in at 500 pages on my e reader. but I was never bored. if you're a fan of the history of SNL, I would definitely read it. the e-reader definitely made the reading experience more enjoyable, as my eyes are getting worse as I get older.
seriously, I could not put this down. it's an old book, and I read the revised version which includes a slightly updated epilogue up to 2014. the book covers 1975-1985 and it is DETAILED. but in a wonderful , thorough, savory way. that's the best thing I can say about it. it's so wonderfully detailed and well written, that it flows quickly even though clocks in at 500 pages on my e reader. but I was never bored. if you're a fan of the history of SNL, I would definitely read it. the e-reader definitely made the reading experience more enjoyable, as my eyes are getting worse as I get older.
March 21, 2025
A nice read about the first 10 years of SNL, one of my favourite shows (even to this day, yes).
I learned a lot and enjoyed hearing all about the early days of SNL, its main players, its creators, and all the drama that surrounded (surrounds) it.
It's funny to read about the uncertainty of SNL in the final pages (written in 1985) as I currently watch episodes of the 50th season!
I learned a lot and enjoyed hearing all about the early days of SNL, its main players, its creators, and all the drama that surrounded (surrounds) it.
It's funny to read about the uncertainty of SNL in the final pages (written in 1985) as I currently watch episodes of the 50th season!
April 7, 2025
Very informational but really started to drag after a while.
December 25, 2024
Having watched the first 5 seasons religiously and witnessing the Not Ready for Prime Time players blossom, I found this a fascinating glimpse behind the scenes of this groundbreaking program.
Through extensive interviews, the authors amassed a trove of stories and information covering the show’s history. The downside of all this inside info, however, is that the reader quickly realizes just how petty, insecure and spoiled the cast members were. One can easily lose one’s respect or fondness for some (or all) of the cast.
I’ve enjoyed watching the early episodes with my son, introducing him to how it all began. And I still watch the current iteration of SNL, but after reading this book, I admit to doing so with a considerably more jaded eye.
Through extensive interviews, the authors amassed a trove of stories and information covering the show’s history. The downside of all this inside info, however, is that the reader quickly realizes just how petty, insecure and spoiled the cast members were. One can easily lose one’s respect or fondness for some (or all) of the cast.
I’ve enjoyed watching the early episodes with my son, introducing him to how it all began. And I still watch the current iteration of SNL, but after reading this book, I admit to doing so with a considerably more jaded eye.
June 15, 2013
I grew up on Playboy, Hustler, Mad Magazine, The Three Stooges, The Little Rascals, Buster Keaton, The Keystone Cops, Harold Lloyd, Laugh In, Hee Haw, Love American Style and The Monkees. I wasn't yet 10 when Saturday Night Live first showed on television and still i was watching it regularly every weekend. Since it was on Saturday my parents didn't have a problem with my sister and I watching it at Midnight. We still were forced to get up for church the next morning.
Reading about the actors, original and replacements gave m a better view of them as people and how they were at the time. As a child they were just adults acting silly for television, another show. To see them as young and fresh and excited to try something new presented them in a more well rounded way than I am used to seeing television actors. At the same time this book seemed to seriously polish the rough edges that were implied in the goings on at the 17th floor. This is no so bad except the repeated familiarism in calling the actors by nicknames was irritating to me. I didn't know if the actors actually preferred this treatment, if the authors were on a personal relationship basis with the actors or if the authors were trying to convey personality for different actors. John Belushi was never called "Johnny" but Danny (Akroyd) and Billy (Murray) were refered to as these nicknames throughout. It was a niggling annoyance and it made me wonder why this was done.
The book was originally publish in 1986 and reflects that in how much history is given on the actors who were there and moved on. You won't be getting any information on the current whereabouts and projects of the surviving members of studio 8H. The only person's death mentioned is Jim Belushi's and very little is expounded upon that pont which is probably for the better. This book is not sensationalistic (at least I thought it wasn't,) and it really helps to coney the many changes the show went through.
While reading I became irritated by what seemed to be extraneous background information on executives and people that the viewer normally doesn't see. If you feel this way too have patience, most of it sets up how the show and the people were under stress and the influences of the actions of key players behind the scenes. I had to keep reminding myself that this book is about the show, not only the actors. I am hoping to find biographies or autobiographies of the actors in the library.
As a child I'd forgotten many of the skits I'd seen live. It was a delight to be reminded of them and to see some background information on them as well. Being taken through the different stages that SNL went through jogged my memory of what I percieved of the show as well. I remembered the period of time that SNL was a "bad" show and back then I was aware that SNL had been abandoned and the disgust of the fans and the held breaths of the public when it went back on air. I remembered the different "Players" and some of their more memorable characters. This book helped to make a more cohesive entity of SNL and it and Lorne Michaels' struggles and growth to me and the great effort, time and expense it takes to put a show of this type on. And the book only covers the first 10 years of an almost 40 year old hit television show!
I think that another book addressing the following years and struggles may be in line. I'm sure it won't have the added strength of the show being groundbreaking anymore but maybe there'd be enough information with the influx and struggles of the key players to interest readers anyhow.
Reading about the actors, original and replacements gave m a better view of them as people and how they were at the time. As a child they were just adults acting silly for television, another show. To see them as young and fresh and excited to try something new presented them in a more well rounded way than I am used to seeing television actors. At the same time this book seemed to seriously polish the rough edges that were implied in the goings on at the 17th floor. This is no so bad except the repeated familiarism in calling the actors by nicknames was irritating to me. I didn't know if the actors actually preferred this treatment, if the authors were on a personal relationship basis with the actors or if the authors were trying to convey personality for different actors. John Belushi was never called "Johnny" but Danny (Akroyd) and Billy (Murray) were refered to as these nicknames throughout. It was a niggling annoyance and it made me wonder why this was done.
The book was originally publish in 1986 and reflects that in how much history is given on the actors who were there and moved on. You won't be getting any information on the current whereabouts and projects of the surviving members of studio 8H. The only person's death mentioned is Jim Belushi's and very little is expounded upon that pont which is probably for the better. This book is not sensationalistic (at least I thought it wasn't,) and it really helps to coney the many changes the show went through.
While reading I became irritated by what seemed to be extraneous background information on executives and people that the viewer normally doesn't see. If you feel this way too have patience, most of it sets up how the show and the people were under stress and the influences of the actions of key players behind the scenes. I had to keep reminding myself that this book is about the show, not only the actors. I am hoping to find biographies or autobiographies of the actors in the library.
As a child I'd forgotten many of the skits I'd seen live. It was a delight to be reminded of them and to see some background information on them as well. Being taken through the different stages that SNL went through jogged my memory of what I percieved of the show as well. I remembered the period of time that SNL was a "bad" show and back then I was aware that SNL had been abandoned and the disgust of the fans and the held breaths of the public when it went back on air. I remembered the different "Players" and some of their more memorable characters. This book helped to make a more cohesive entity of SNL and it and Lorne Michaels' struggles and growth to me and the great effort, time and expense it takes to put a show of this type on. And the book only covers the first 10 years of an almost 40 year old hit television show!
I think that another book addressing the following years and struggles may be in line. I'm sure it won't have the added strength of the show being groundbreaking anymore but maybe there'd be enough information with the influx and struggles of the key players to interest readers anyhow.
April 10, 2013
I am still looking for the Saturday Night Live episode that contained the following jokes, terrible though they are:
Diana Ross, the famous Mexican chef, created her first dish immediately after she quit her former music group. The name of the dish? Nacho Supreme.
The board of directors at American Greetings didn't like my idea of marketing and distributing a Strawberry Shortcake home pregnancy test.
As the son of a wedding caterer I can tell you that my favorite family driving game was "Which Peanuts characters are probably uncircumcised?"
I submitted my resume for Pope yesterday. I’ve always wanted to know what Mr. Mister sings in that one song with the Biblical Greek in it.
Percussionist saves the world with great ease. Headline reads "It was cymbal."
Dwarf walks into a 7-11, places his purchasable items along with handfuls upon handfuls of change on the counter, takes a tiny step back, crosses his hands across his chest, and forces the cashier to count all of the loose change. "Well?" says the dwarf as the cashier finally completes the painful task of counting all of his change. "Do I have enough money?" "I’m sorry," the put-out cashier responds, "You're still a little short."
Diana Ross, the famous Mexican chef, created her first dish immediately after she quit her former music group. The name of the dish? Nacho Supreme.
The board of directors at American Greetings didn't like my idea of marketing and distributing a Strawberry Shortcake home pregnancy test.
As the son of a wedding caterer I can tell you that my favorite family driving game was "Which Peanuts characters are probably uncircumcised?"
I submitted my resume for Pope yesterday. I’ve always wanted to know what Mr. Mister sings in that one song with the Biblical Greek in it.
Percussionist saves the world with great ease. Headline reads "It was cymbal."
Dwarf walks into a 7-11, places his purchasable items along with handfuls upon handfuls of change on the counter, takes a tiny step back, crosses his hands across his chest, and forces the cashier to count all of the loose change. "Well?" says the dwarf as the cashier finally completes the painful task of counting all of his change. "Do I have enough money?" "I’m sorry," the put-out cashier responds, "You're still a little short."
August 26, 2015
Great read!
If, like me, you love SNL and especially if you were part of the generation the show was initially aimed it, you will love this book. I thought I knew everything about the show, especially the early cast. I did not. Who knew that Dan Ackroyd , e. g., got really pissed and spray painted (and chiseled) obscenities on an NBC wall? Or that the pot and cocaine usage was even more prevalent than was reported?
This is not only a terrific SNL history, it is a fascinating behind-the-scenes look at some of the vicious wars that go on in show biz and how sudden fame affects people. (Not well). It's also very much about the generational and culture clash between the counterculture and the "establishment." Lorne Michaels in particular deserves credit for having a vision of what the show could be and for having the stones to fight (and wear down) the censors. Having read about the Letterman/Leno fiasco extensively, this seemed to fit neatly into that genre. Note - this book ends in 1985. So I think there may be other books if you're interested in what transpired since then.
If, like me, you love SNL and especially if you were part of the generation the show was initially aimed it, you will love this book. I thought I knew everything about the show, especially the early cast. I did not. Who knew that Dan Ackroyd , e. g., got really pissed and spray painted (and chiseled) obscenities on an NBC wall? Or that the pot and cocaine usage was even more prevalent than was reported?
This is not only a terrific SNL history, it is a fascinating behind-the-scenes look at some of the vicious wars that go on in show biz and how sudden fame affects people. (Not well). It's also very much about the generational and culture clash between the counterculture and the "establishment." Lorne Michaels in particular deserves credit for having a vision of what the show could be and for having the stones to fight (and wear down) the censors. Having read about the Letterman/Leno fiasco extensively, this seemed to fit neatly into that genre. Note - this book ends in 1985. So I think there may be other books if you're interested in what transpired since then.
June 20, 2012
i am in a major original snl mood right now, so i loved this. even with all of the difficulties, arguing, madness, i still wish i could have been there during the first few seasons of snl. when it was fresh and brand new and exciting and nobody had any idea what exactly they were doing or what was going to happen. it's pretty amazing how lorne michaels pulled it all together.
lots of good stories in here and info about who was responsible for what sketches (i love knowing things like that). and, of course, tales about the cast. i actually liked reading about chevy chase's involvement in the beginning of the show... before the fame went to his head. and you kind of know john belushi could be a bit of a terror but i didn't know dan aykroyd was often punching or kicking holes in walls and had the capacity to completely destroy his dressing room when he was really pissed off. all the stories about belushi though really make me want to pick up one of his biographies.
lots of good stories in here and info about who was responsible for what sketches (i love knowing things like that). and, of course, tales about the cast. i actually liked reading about chevy chase's involvement in the beginning of the show... before the fame went to his head. and you kind of know john belushi could be a bit of a terror but i didn't know dan aykroyd was often punching or kicking holes in walls and had the capacity to completely destroy his dressing room when he was really pissed off. all the stories about belushi though really make me want to pick up one of his biographies.
September 14, 2013
Focusing on the first ten years of the show (and really mostly on the first five years), this book is an insightful and inevitably somewhat gossipy history of how this comedy institution came to be. Be warned however, it is a surprisingly dry read, and its concluding chapters are severely outdated. (Disappointingly, this ebook edition does not include an update.) But the story it tells about those formative years are often fascinating, especially so when put into context of the global TV landscape at the time.
The best compliment I can give this book is that it made me really want to watch some of those older shows, some of which I recall from highlights broadcast on MTV Europe ages ago. Unfortunately, almost none of SNL's content seems to be readily and easily available in Belgium at the moment, a shame because the show has produced some hysterical sketches over time.
The best compliment I can give this book is that it made me really want to watch some of those older shows, some of which I recall from highlights broadcast on MTV Europe ages ago. Unfortunately, almost none of SNL's content seems to be readily and easily available in Belgium at the moment, a shame because the show has produced some hysterical sketches over time.
May 7, 2017
It's been thirty years since this book came out and Live From New York has supplanted it as the definitive resource on SNL, but this is still a worthwhile read. For one thing, this book is nearly as long as LfNY and focuses entirely on the first ten years of the show, which allows the authors to go into much greater detail. Oft-repeated anecdotes are expanded upon here: for example, I knew that Belushi insisted his favorite band, Fear, play on the show; I had no idea this happened during the Ebersol years when Belushi had already left the show. This also goes into more depth about both the process of making the show, and the personalities behind it. LfNY's oral history is the perfect format for SNL, but Saturday Night paints a more flawed portrait of its many characters, perhaps thanks to the anonymous nature of the information gathered.
August 11, 2012
Loved this book. And it was exceedingly interesting, covering the first ten years of the landmark show wonderfully. Plus, unlike the Shales book, it's written in a narrative format. Only complaint is that, even for the 2011 digital edition/reissue, several easily verifiable factual errors are found throughout. Of course, in1985, the authors can't be faulted for relying on people's memories of certain episodes. But today one can more easily go back and see that certain sketches did indeed air or that some events were colored by an individual's perspective at the time. Highly recommend.
March 29, 2008
A great look at the early years of SNL, especially the many backstage tensions between the stars. If you became a fan during the Belushi/Ayckroyd/Gilda/Bill Murray years, then wondered how the show could so completely fall apart in the early '80s, it's explained here in great detail.
One disappointment is that the death of John Belushi, which happened after he left SNL, is treated almost as an afterthought. Maybe I'm wrong, but I would have thought his death would have had more of an effect on those still at SNL in 1982.
One disappointment is that the death of John Belushi, which happened after he left SNL, is treated almost as an afterthought. Maybe I'm wrong, but I would have thought his death would have had more of an effect on those still at SNL in 1982.
September 9, 2014
I first read "Saturday Night" when it came out in the mid-1980s, and it still remains one of the best SNL-related books (Tom Shales' work is right there, too). The authors had a great deal of access to many of the major players, as well as the show itself, and it reads like the authoritative book that it is.
For a show that is about to turn 40, it's fascinating to see how in those early days, it was anything but a given that it would be renewed from season to season, especially after Lorne Michaels left in 1980.
For a show that is about to turn 40, it's fascinating to see how in those early days, it was anything but a given that it would be renewed from season to season, especially after Lorne Michaels left in 1980.
September 3, 2009
An in depth look at the first five years of Saturday Night Live. Very inside look and lots of funny and interesting anecdotes from behind the scenes. The book gives you a good idea of all the personalities in the show from the actors to the writers. However, the writing wasn't great. If you really love Saturday Night Live you will probably like this book a lot. Otherwise, its a good, but not great, read.
February 12, 2013
A very good book about the early history of SNL. The only reason I'm giving it 4 stars in stead of 5 is that I thought it would cover a bit more of the history. This book was written in 1985, so it only covers the first 10 years of a show that has been on for going on 38 years. And even though this is a newer edition, they still don't update anything on the history.
A great book if you want to know about SNL between 1975 and 1985, though.
A great book if you want to know about SNL between 1975 and 1985, though.
May 24, 2012
Read this when it came out in the late eighties and had to re-read it when the Kindle edition was released.
Great book for people who remember watching Glida, Dan and John when Saturday Night Live was still finding it's feet.
Interesting time piece considering the show's place in the cultural landscape. You could almost say it became what it used to rebel against.
Great book for people who remember watching Glida, Dan and John when Saturday Night Live was still finding it's feet.
Interesting time piece considering the show's place in the cultural landscape. You could almost say it became what it used to rebel against.
November 26, 2012
I read this because of my love for Sorkin's "Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip" and I found it fascinating. While "Saturday Night Live" is a pretty ordinary show most of the time, understanding what goes on behind the scenes has now made SNL all that more endearing to me, despite most of the original cast and crew being horrible, egocentric people. A really insightful read!
March 27, 2013
Fascinating, though perhaps a little too in-depths at times: I think "And then more drama happened" could have replaced a hundred or so pages. If you want more ammunition to support the suggestion that highly creative types in groups are occasionally become out-of-control prima donnas, this book would provide it for you.
February 26, 2017
A look at the first ten years of SNL, written when the death of John Belushi was still a fresh wound, Gilda Radner was still alive, and Lorne Michaels was just resuming his producer role on the show. So much more has happened since then, but this book remains the essential history of the early years.
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