The Origin Story Behind Gilda Radner’s Most Famous ‘SNL’ Characters
During her five-year stint on Saturday Night Live, Gilda Radner was responsible for a cavalcade of beloved characters, several of whom are still considered all-time SNL greats. On “Weekend Update,” there was the brash and gross Roseanne Roseannadanna as well as the kindly, opinionated and hard-of-hearing Emily Litella. Meanwhile, on the sketch side of things, there was her juvenile impression of Barbara Walters, Baba Wawa, and the Nerds, where she and Bill Murray goofed around as dorky, bespectacled, nasally teens.
Some of these characters would end up in the hands of other writers — most notably, frequent Radner collaborator Alan Zweibel — but all four of them originated in partnership with SNL writer Rosie Shuster, who happily took the time recently to explain exactly how they came to life.
Emily Litella
Emily Litella was based on a housekeeper that had become very beloved to Gilda who was a little bit hard-of-hearing. The housekeeper’s name was Dibby, and I think I even spoke to her once. She was just a sweet, bemused, pixelated lady who was very sweet to Gilda and had a strong mind of her own. When Gilda and I brought the character to “Weekend Update,” it was very much a collaboration based on a real-life character.
The first Emily Litella segment was close to its final form. She was on “Weekend Update” with Chevy (Chase), and there was a mis-hearing. We decided to have her go half-cocked on some feisty editorial based on getting one word wrong. She did a piece on “busting schoolchildren,” and she was very animated about it until Chevy tapped her on the shoulder and said, “It’s bussing schoolchildren.” “That’s very different. Nevermind,” Emily replied.
It was a one-joke thing, but the character was fun and sweet and it didn’t go on for too long.
Baba Wawa
Baba Wawa drove the real Barbara Walters crazy. It was based on when Barbara Walters had trouble saying “Harry Reasoner” on ABC News. She had this thing, and we Elmer Fudd-ed her up a bit more than was fair.
The trick to those was to get in as many L’s and R’s as we could into the sketch and to make her as serious as possible, which Gilda really captured. Her seriousness made it funny because she was trying so hard to be taken seriously in a man’s world.
The Nerds
I developed The Nerds with (writer) Anne Beatts. Gilda did a dweeby girl with too much Kleenex and a red nose and a bit of a brain, while Billy would try to lightly torment her with noogies and things like that. Gilda and Billy had an off-and-on backstage romance, and The Nerds got really great when they were on because Billy would do anything to make her laugh. When those two were loose and playful together, they were really fun. If they were on the outs though, the output wasn’t nearly as playful.
Roseanne Roseannadanna
I did the first Roseanne Roseannadanna ever in this thing called “Hire the Incompetent,” where Gilda did a rudimentary version of the character. She wanted big hair and the personality was so over-the-top that it felt right. The character was so big and broad in the way she presented herself that such a crazy wig fit, because, usually, we’d nip something like that in the bud.
Even though she didn’t yet have the name Roseanne Roseannadanna, she did have the preternatural fascination with all things disgusting. She’d go in on a bead of sweat or a hair in something that it shouldn’t be.
After that first appearance though, Alan Zweibel got ahold of it, and then I never was to see it again. She morphed a little bit when she moved to “Weekend Update.” She got a name and a format for “Update.” It was a funny adaptation, and they found a good format for her — it always played to hard laughs. I was a little bit miffed, though. The same thing happened with Emily Litella. I wasn’t very good at holding onto my own intellectual property.
Gilda Herself
Gilda had lots of ideas and was really playful. She had a well-cultivated inner child that she could tap into. She came from Second City, and she knew how to improvise. She wasn’t at the typewriter getting it down, but she’d improv and I’d add stuff. Then we’d try to develop it, or I’d ask her questions to see what we could generate. She had a brilliant imagination, and she called that forth in you.
When we’d work all night, she’d come in in her pajamas. She probably was wearing clothes, but she’d change into pajamas because it was funnier. She had a big, goofy kid in her that was very fun to work with.