Friday, November 22, 2013

Saturday Night Live: Trumping Late Night Variety Shows For Forty Years


Initially, Saturday Night Live (SNL) was created to answer Johnny Carson’s complaint and demand for NBC to create a new show to air instead of showing the reruns of Carson’s Tonight Show on Saturday nights. With SNL’s premier (then only called Saturday Night) on October 11, 1975 produced a bold, trendsetting television program that would continue to make audiences laugh for decades to come. Really, who knew? Now, after noting the season premier of its 39th season proves that SNL is one of the longest running shows of all time. [1] Undoubtedly, this show has become a staple in our popular culture. SNL’s style remains unique to any other Late Night show out there; honoring the older variety show style with comedy and music sketches combined into one-hour slot. With this traditional form of broadcasting, brought a new attitude and a new vision for late night television comedy. Even through all of SNL’s prominent success, many critics have panned the show currently. Stating motives such as SNL is not as successfully funny with the new cast and new jokes, as it once was in the past. Yet, I will respectfully disagree, as I explain why SNL is still current, funny, and one of the most impactful shows in our society.
            SNL’s style and format could serve as a discussion alone, but I will merely sum it up because odds are anyone interested in reading this have most likely seen or heard about an episode, or two. In each episode, a celebrity guest hosts the show and delivers a monologue to open the segment. The celebrity performs with the cast in impromptu sketches that are prepared earlier in the week. They typically go through 7-10 sketches in a show that range from various political and social topics in current popular culture. The beginning of the show introduces the “cold open,” where in the end, the sketch allows the actors to break away from their character and blurt out the famous phrase, “Live from New York, it’s Saturday Night!” [2]
The benefit of SNL’s format is that it is set up to move easily from failed material. To dig deeper, the different skits allow viewers to receive a wide range of jokes in a small amount of time. With example of the most recent episode out from SNL’s season back, featuring Lady Gaga as the host, the sketches ranged from a number of events. From a celebrity parody of Kim Kardashian and Kanye West “if they had a daytime talk show” called KimYe to Weekend Update’s Jebediah Atkinson sketch, a different parody of an old English speech writer discrediting all of the famous speeches, from Abraham Lincoln’s Four Scores to Martin Luther King, Jr. I Have a Dream. What seems like a major jump in between jokes is what works with SNL’s setup effectively. And, because of SNL’s historical success with having millions of viewers every Saturday night, this provides the writers and producers with a wide range of topics to pursue, along with an edge to push the boundaries of their sketches. Basically, having the thought that if one joke didn’t work for someone it may have worked for someone else. And many times when a joke fails, everyone has to endure watching a failing SNL skit. (Which is definitely the worst!) Knowing the failing joke is not working for anyone, even the actors trying to pull it off, is rough. Yet, with so many different sketches, when one doesn’t work the casts have the power to “bounce back” from the failed joke with new skits to follow. Therefore, this setup for failure, so to speak, allows the show to move away swiftly from the failed sketch to recreate a more humorous one.
            Another way that SNL constantly invites more creative juices within the show is an influx of new cast members. Since the cast members can technically leave the show whenever they feel necessary (after their contract) and stay as long as they like. [1] Therefore, as explained by Seth Abramovitch, the cast of SNL …is divided into two tiers: the more established group of repertory players; and newer, unproven cast members known as featured players, who may eventually be promoted to the repertory stable.” [6] Frankly, this show gains new viewers through these shifts in generational audiences. With new talent, the late night show invites new viewers who may have never seen the show before. Thus, by not focusing on the same cast for years to come, the casts’ type of humor doesn’t matter as much (not having to deal with actors losing touch). What matters even more is keeping up with the political and societal issues of the times, which make any audience member, young or old, both able to enjoy the jokes. This type of tactic works well in SNL’s favor: the idea that newer talent is adding their own comedic flavors to each sketch. Even though critics initially doubt the new cast’s talent and credibility as impromptu comedic actors, the vivaciousness of the show’s younger talent generates new jokes and new ways for audiences to view and accept these jokes. Which makes SNL a standout show that continues to be as inventive and fresh, as ever.
Yet, this is where many critics have shown a loss of interest. The view that new and unknown cast members are not able to keep up with the consistency of the legendary talents of SNL’s prime eras, such as: John Belushi, Steve Martin, Dan Akroyd, Dana Carvey, Mike Meyers, Chris Farley, Amy Phoeler, Tina Fey, and Will Ferrill, to only name a few. Many remarks of mixed criticism have circulated over the Internet of fans and critics questioning the ability of the new cast’s talents. Especially, more recently with the premier of the new season earlier this Fall:

“In fact, the new cast members were not very good at all, and were so unfunny that they seemed to be dragging the rest of the more seasoned cast member down with them. The show, overall, might be in trouble.” – Rebecca Savastio, Guardian Express [5] [A response to SNL’s new 2013 season with Miley Cyrus as host]

“Will they struggle? Perhaps, but after watching the season 39 premiere, it seems like this surprising all-hands-on-deck approach may provide enough energy to smooth out the rough spots and make this a sneakily good season.” – Jason Tabrys, Screen Rant [4] [A response to the new cast with the initiation of the 39th season premier]

            And other times, critics have a lot more to say about the chosen celebrity host and/or the head writers (or lack their of) on SNL.

“But the combination of the actual Cyrus’ annoying persona and some really weak writing set the bar pretty low for this early in an SNL season.” – Ross Bonaime, Paste [3]

            Yet, even though the critiques have been harsher in recent years, they prove that the fans’ and critics alike want to flashback to the former legendary casts of SNL that have been long gone. However, whenever a new cast graces the SNL stage, it makes headlines and keeps audiences, even negative critics, interested and talking. And, even looking back at the legendary casts and the beginnings of SNL, a former worker on the first season of SNL, Herbert Schlosser, offers a memory of his:

            “I remember being at one of the tapings of the show live on more than one occasion when the Muppets were on. Some of the pieces were good, but the cast was so good you wanted to see Belushi, and Gilda, and Garrett Moris doing news for the hard of hearing. As a matter of fact, we had to take that off because we got protests from organizations that felt this was not fair to the handicapped. And then after we took it off, we started to get letters from people who were hard of hearing say they loved it, why were we doing that, why didn’t we have the guts to keep it on?!” [1]

Therefore, Schlosser expresses the confusing absurdity in how some people critique SNL. Some people will love it. Others will hate it. And so, SNL now understands that they can’t please everyone, so they are going to continue to do what they do best, that is, to continue to make someone laugh. And, that is another way of how SNL is still reaching success by continuing to influence and shape today’s popular culture and media.
            SNL also proves it’s not going to lag behind in the old beat up comedy wagon. It promotes new ways of getting jokes across to younger demographics. Such as with the new induction of the cast member, Andy Sandberg (2005-2012), brought along the inventive Digital Short segments (Short films that synergises the hyperactivity and randomness SNL thrives on.) Such Digital Shorts include, the first, “Lazy Sunday,” and others to follow the phenomenon, “Jizz In My Pants,” and “Dick in a Box, that have totaled over a billion (Yes, over a billion!) views on Sandberg’s YouTube channel for his band and comedy group, The Lonely Island. [7] For being a one of a kind show, it’s not hard for producers to make such swift inventive decisions. And overall, adding the Digital Short segments has worked exceedingly well for the show by attracting younger demographics and reaching wider audiences. But now that Sanberg has retired from the cast in 2012, the former glory with the Digital Shorts now remains a question of what will the show do without its inventive and hilarious creator? However, the fact that they have made so many successful Digital Shorts on SNL that are now compiled with the show’s already long list of famous jokes and sketches, is impressive. A progressive achievement for a show that was started over forty years ago that proves it will not be left behind by newer competition. Because, without a doubt, SNL is becoming newer and more inventive as time goes on.
Even though the cast and jokes may change, the structure, the traditions, and the legacy remains the same. An essential piece to SNL’s puzzle of why this show is able to generate consistent appeal and attract younger and older viewers alike. The show combines traditional and modern broadcasting that makes it a unique and one of the most successful shows to date. Yes, there are recurrent dry jokes and dry seasons with less funny content (Thanks to the critics, for pointing out what we already know.) Yes, I believe there has been historically funnier moments in SNL’s history that stand the test of time. But, underscoring the new and upcoming talents SNL has to offer is degrading to the show’s specific format and to the progressive attempts in the show's creation of new and hilarious sketches. (Let’s give SNL some credit for still being funny after its 40-year mark!) Still, SNL proves and maintains its significance on late night television. Because, in the end, the show’s jokes and sketches continue to make audiences laugh. And, their once inventive, but now traditional style still entices audiences every Saturday night. Even though there is much more to say about the legacy and influence of SNL’s success, that discussion will have to be left for another blog someday. Until then, the negativity from critics and audiences circulating are probably just waiting for some more cowbell! (And, here you go!)

"I gotta fever! And the only perscription, is more cowbell!"

  
References:
1. Shales, Tom, and James A. Miller. (2002). Live from New York: An Uncensored History of Saturday Night Live. Boston: Little, Brown.
2. Rulli, Maggie. (2010). “‘Live from New York It's Saturday Night’: The Evolution of Humor as Rhetorical Statement in the 35 Years of Saturday Night Live. Thesis. Boston College.
3. Bonaime, Ross. (2013). "Saturday Night Live Review: "Miley Cyrus" (Episode 39.02)." Rev. of SNL Episode (39.02). Web log post. Pastemagazine.com. 20 Nov. 2013.
4. Rebecca Savastio, (2013). “Miley Cyrus Host worst SNL Episode in Recent History” Guardian Express. 20 Nov. 2013.
5. Jason Tabrys, (2013). “’Saturday Night Live’ Premier Review: Did the New Cast Sink or Swim?” Screen Rant. 20. Nov. 2013.
6. Abramovitch, Seth (September 16, 2013). "'SNL' Announces Hire of 6 New Cast Members publisher =Prometheus Global Media". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 20. Nov. 2013.
7. Rosenberg, Yuval. (April 1, 2006). "Target: Dream Job." Fast Company 104. 103–04. Fast Company. Washington, D.C.: Fast Co. Inc. Retrieved 20. Nov. 2013.


Additional Clips For SNL Fans
1. SNL Evolution
2. Dana Carvey’s audition part 1
3. Chris Farley’s “Man Down By the River” Sketch
(Warning: Awful Quality, but still watchable. It’s the only one I could find!)
4. Chris Farley’s “Quotation Guy” on Weekend Update
6. The 10 Best SNL Crack-Ups



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