They did a cold open along those lines with Candace Bergen, I think. Could that be it? That one was staged, though.
Speaking of O.J. Simpson, I’d like to re-watch the episode he hosted, just out of morbid fascination. I remember a sketch with Simpson played himself, hosting a bunch of friends at his house to watch football. They’re joshing Simpson about some player who’s about to break his yardage record. Simpson is jovial and smiling, saying that “records are made to be broken; I hope he does do it.” Then Simpson sneaks away and his charming demeanor switches off like a light. He takes out a voodoo doll of the player, and jabs it with pins, with a cold, ruthless look on his face. Funny, lighthearted stuff, and a remarkable turn by Simpson, who could almost convince you that he’s, well, like a sociopath or something. What an actor!
[QUOTE=fuffle]
Is this the one where Gilda Radner knocks on the guest’s dressing room door and tries to get her to come out? And Gilda asks the door something like, “What is it, honey? What’s wrong? Is it cramps?”
If so, then I remember seeing this episode, though I only remember that part with any clarity. What year was it aired? Maybe I saw it the first time.
Maybe I was young and dumb, but I didn’t know it was for real. I thought it was sort of an experimental surrealist sketch, where the joke was there weren’t any jokes.
[/QUOTE]
The Louise Lasser monologue looks bizarre to most modern-day viewers because it’s a reference to the “Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman” show, a series that not many people have seen since the 1970s. There is an episode of “MH2” in which the titular TV-obsessed heroine (played by Lasser, natch) gets to appear on TV, makes a complete fool of herself and has a nervous breakdown. Lasser’s opening monologue on SNL was a parody of that episode. The fact that there was a camera set up backstage (and Chevy was suited up as the landshark to do his bit) should clue people in that this was staged.
OTOH, I can’t remember where I read it, but the Lasser episode wasn’t reran for a long while. It was actually out of sympathy for Lasser, who just prior to appearing on SNL was famously arrested for possession of cocaine. Lasser does appear to be stoned out of her mind in the few sketches she did appear in.
[QUOTE=Satchmo]
I remember the Desi Arnez episode. He read “The Jabberwocky” from Lewis Carroll. It was hilarious!
[/QUOTE]
“Galoomphing?”
[QUOTE=The New and Improved Superman]
Matthew Broderick was the guest host, and there was sketch set at a nudist camp.
[/QUOTE]
I remember seeing this sketch as an “Extra Feature” on an SNL DVD.
On the DVD, it was identified as a sketch that was done only in the pre-show run-through … but never made it into the live show.
[QUOTE=Spiff]
I remember seeing this sketch as an “Extra Feature” on an SNL DVD.
On the DVD, it was identified as a sketch that was done only in the pre-show run-through … but never made it into the live show.
[/QUOTE]
That’s strange because I’ve seen it and I’ve never watched any SNL DVDs. Has it been shown as a rerun?
[QUOTE=Hypno-Toad]
That’s strange because I’ve seen it and I’ve never watched any SNL DVDs. Has it been shown as a rerun?
[/QUOTE]
I know NBC reran the episode at least once. In fact, it was when it was rerun the first time that SNL caught some flack for the sketch. Oddly enough, scarcely anybody said anything about it the first time the show was aired.
[QUOTE=Hypno-Toad]
That’s strange because I’ve seen it and I’ve never watched any SNL DVDs. Has it been shown as a rerun?
[/QUOTE]
I know I’ve seen it as a rerun. I’d heard about the sketch (but not seen it) right after it originally aired. Sometime later, I saw it on TV. It was either a rerun or during one of their anniversary specials. I know I never saw it on DVD.
Jay Mohr’s sketches as a bartender are not aired by agreement with the comedian Jay stole the idea from. (Mentioned in Grasping for Airtime.)
[QUOTE=Will Repair]
Jay Mohr’s sketches as a bartender are not aired by agreement with the comedian Jay stole the idea from. (Mentioned in Grasping for Airtime.)
[/QUOTE]
Nitpick: Gasping for Airtime.
[QUOTE=Will Repair]
Jay Mohr’s sketches as a bartender are not aired by agreement with the comedian Jay stole the idea from. (Mentioned in Grasping for Airtime.)
[/QUOTE]
I haven’t heard about this. Is there something about it online?
[QUOTE=Miller]
“Galoomphing?”
[/QUOTE]
Of course, he pronounced it “Haberwock” and acted like somebody had just handed it to him and told him to read it. Heck, for all I know, maybe they did. He didn’t get all the way through, I think it ended at about:
"The Habberwock, with eyes of flame … what the hell is this!!!
If it was scripted, it’s comedy gold. If not, it was even better. 
[QUOTE=Cardinal]
http://lancemannion.typepad.com/lance_mannion/2006/10/studio_60_warmu.html
[/QUOTE]
Thanks.