# After SNL: Is the variety show dead? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 24, 2013, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/after-snl-is-the-variety-show-dead/648223 "2013-01-24T15:21:27Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![zoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zoid/32/336_2.png) [@zoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zoid)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2013, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/after-snl-is-the-variety-show-dead/648223/21 "2013-01-24T20:49:34Z")
> [@astorian](#): > > Who are “we”, Paleface? Who are you calling “the public”? I guess I just assumed that people in general had at least a vague idea about what was happening in the world around them. I had no idea this would offend you. Go figure. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2013, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/after-snl-is-the-variety-show-dead/648223/22 "2013-01-24T23:46:12Z")
The true variety show has been dead since Carol Burnett went off the air. That type of entertainment started losing popularity in the 60s (except for a few stragglers). SNL managed to hang on as a sketch comedy show with music, and by showing late at night, when lower ratings were OK. Audiences are too fragmented these days for variety shows and people will change the channel as soon as they don’t like an act. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2013, 12:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/after-snl-is-the-variety-show-dead/648223/23 "2013-01-25T00:51:46Z")
> [@Oedipus](#): > > Do you think that its the writing cycle they go through? Or even maybe the writers themselves? > > I mean, god, how different would SNL be if they put some real money into cast members and had someone like Matt and Trey, or Doug Stanhope, or Joe Rogan, or Adam Carolla writing the thing and you took all the limits off it. Christ, put those guys in a room with a bong and you’ll get genius every week. Or it would be really funny the first week and then the same tired jokes about cocaine and midget hookers the second and third and forth week until everyone realized that it’s all they talk about. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2013, 1:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/after-snl-is-the-variety-show-dead/648223/24 "2013-01-25T01:23:31Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > So what was the last actual variety show aired? [Sabado Gigante](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/S%C3%A1bado_Gigante) is still on every Saturday night. It’s a mixture of comedy, musical and other acts, and game show. Now _that’s_ what I call a variety show! 😉 ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2013, 1:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/after-snl-is-the-variety-show-dead/648223/25 "2013-01-25T01:57:51Z")
> [@zoid](#): > > I guess I just assumed that people in general had at least a vague idea about what was happening in the world around them. > > I had no idea this would offend you. Go figure. I’m not offended- I’m mocking the notion that Jon Stewart provides a model for appealing to a mass audience. ---
**Author:** ![Clothahump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/51bf81/32.png) [@Clothahump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Clothahump)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2013, 4:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/after-snl-is-the-variety-show-dead/648223/26 "2013-01-25T04:25:56Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > After Saturday Night Live finally gives up the ghost is the variety show concept dead, or can it be revived with the proper troupe? I’m talking a regular cast, some guest stars, a little song, a little dance, a little seltzer in your pants. Well, an argument can be made that it’s already dead, because SNL hasn’t been funny or entertaining since 1976 when the Muppets left. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2013, 4:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/after-snl-is-the-variety-show-dead/648223/27 "2013-01-25T04:29:19Z")
> [@Clothahump](#): > > Well, an argument can be made that it’s already dead, because SNL hasn’t been funny or entertaining since 1976 when the Muppets left. It was never as good after the Muppets left, but it often had funny and entertaining moments well into the 80s. ETA: In retrospect I’ll say well into 1980. ---
**Author:** ![DocCathode](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doccathode/32/18773_2.png) [@DocCathode](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DocCathode)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2013, 11:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/after-snl-is-the-variety-show-dead/648223/28 "2013-01-25T23:29:25Z")
> [@Colibri](#): > > [Sabado Gigante](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/S%C3%A1bado_Gigante) is still on every Saturday night. It’s a mixture of comedy, musical and other acts, and game show. Now _that’s_ what I call a variety show! 😉 Thank you, I came in to this thread to post about Sabado Gigante. Where else can you see Shakira, a trained poodle act, an exciting paternity test, and a chance to win a new car all in the same show? ---
**Author:** ![CarnalK](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnalk/32/486_2.png) [@CarnalK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CarnalK)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2013, 11:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/after-snl-is-the-variety-show-dead/648223/29 "2013-01-25T23:44:13Z")
> [@astorian](#): > > I’m not offended- I’m mocking the notion that Jon Stewart provides a model for appealing to a mass audience. Then you kind of did it wrong. The pale face line doesn’t really work they way you used it. Even if you don’t like it, ie not a pale face, it’s still arguable that the Stewart/Colbert model might help ratings. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/after-snl-is-the-variety-show-dead/648223.md?page=1)