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31 Facts About ‘SNL’ That Pumped (clap clap) Us Up!

Live from the internet... it’s a bunch of facts!

31 Facts About ‘SNL’ That Pumped (clap clap) Us Up!

July 22, 2023

Buckle your seat belts, we’re about to blow your mind: Many Saturday nights there are two hours of live comedy performed on network television, featuring some of the most exciting up-and-coming talent of their generation. And some of the time, it actually manages to be pretty funny.

Okay, the jig is up, you probably know all about Saturday Night Live, the weird filler broadcast that slowly transformed into a comedy institution that has birthed some of the greatest comedic starts of all time. But do you the know the history and genesis of some its most famous characters like the Wild and Crazy Guys or The Target Lady? Or many of the crazy behind-the-scenes dramas that have gone on in the same studio since 1975?

You did? Well, we guess you’re some kind of Saturday Night Live smarty. But hey, maybe you’ll learn a or two thing you didn’t know anyway!

31

Nathan Thurm

DENY, DENY, DENY WAS THE KEYTO NATHAN THURM MARTIN SHORT CRACKED.COM THERE WAS A HEAD OF MAKEUP THAT YEAR, SAYS SHORT. YOU'D SAY, 'MARION, I LOOK A LITTLE PALE DON'T I?' AND SHE'D SAY, 'I KNOW THAT. YOU DON'T THINK I KNOW THAT? I'M A MAKEUP ARTIST, I WOULD KNOW THAT.' SHE ALSO CHAIN-SMOKED. SHORT PUT A WIRE IN HIS CIGARETTE so THE ASH WOULD NEVER FALL OFF. — Source: 35 Bonkers Behind-The-Scenes Facts About The History Of Saturday Night Live

30

Paris Hilton

PARIS HILTON FEBRUARY 5, 2005 CRACKED.COM Unbelievably dumb and SO proud of how dumb she is, according to Tina Fey. She's a piece of s---. — Source: 35 Bonkers Behind-The-Scenes Facts About The History Of Saturday Night Live

29

Morgan Wallen

MORGAN WALLEN DECEMBER 5, 2020 CRACKED.COM Country bro Wallen was uninvited to SNL after a viral video showed him partying without a mask. And because we can't figure this Covid thing out, he was re-invited two months later. — Source: 35 Bonkers Behind-The-Scenes Facts About The History Of Saturday Night Live

28

Kel Mitchell

KEL MITCHELL CRACKED.COM Keenan's Good Burger buddy did a song about Michael Jackson if he was allergic to trees! I did like a moonwalk move and flipped the table with someone's drink on it over, it was a MESS! — Source: 35 Bonkers Behind-The-Scenes Facts About The History Of Saturday Night Live

27

Jenny Slate

JENNY SLATE WROTE 'MARCEL THE SHELL' 5 CAND OF LINCO 02 9 JUN ILLIN GRACKED.COM RUMOR WAS SNL DROPPED SLATE FOR HURLING AN F-BOMB. NOT TRUE: I JUST DIDN'T BELONG THERE, SAYS SLATE. SHE WENT ON TO KILL IT ON 'PARKS AND REC' AND THE WELL-RECEIVED INDIE 'OBVIOUS CHILD.' — Source: 35 Bonkers Behind-The-Scenes Facts About The History Of Saturday Night Live

26

More Cowbell

MORE ECOWBELL WILL FERRELL CRACKED.COM Classic rock fan Chris Parnell wrote the sketch, which bombed in dress rehearsal. Before air, Ferrell asked wardrobe for a shirt one size smaller and the bit went from huh? to hilarious. Blue Oyster Cult nixed the movie since the band can no longer perform without the audience shouting MORE COWBELL! — Source: Behind-The-Scenes Beginnings Of 14 Iconic SNL Characters

25

Target Lady

TARGET LADY WAS BASED ON AN ACTUAL... TARGET LADY KRISTEN WIIG Fan Fan OZ OX CRACKED.COM WIIG CREATED THE CHARACTER FOR THE GROUNDLINGS. SHE DIDN'T LEAVE WHILE SHE WAS CHECKING ME OUT BUT IT WAS JUST HER VOICE, SAYS WIIG. THERE WAS JUST SOMETHING EGGY ABOUT IT. LIKE SHE HAD EGGS IN HER THROAT. NO WORD ON WHETHER SHE ATE HALF AN ALMOND FOR ENERGY. — Source: Behind-The-Scenes Beginnings Of 14 Iconic SNL Characters

24

Pete Davidson

PETE DAVIDSON GRACKED.COM I don't know if I'm the joke or I'm in on the joke. They think I'm f-ing dumb. I'm literally painted out to be this big dumb idiot. — Source: 35 Bonkers Behind-The-Scenes Facts About The History Of Saturday Night Live

23

Adrien Brody

ADRIEN BRODY MAY 10, 2003 CRACKED.COM Brody went completely off-script introducing musical act Sean Paul, appearing in fake dreadlocks and affecting an offensively bad Jamaican accent. Buh-bye, Brody. — Source: 35 Bonkers Behind-The-Scenes Facts About The History Of Saturday Night Live

22

The Ambiguously Gay Duo

AMBIGUOUSLY GAY DUO WOULD HAVE BEEN LIVE-ACTION UNPRODUCED G SCREENWRITERS BOB SMIGEL AND STEPHEN COLBERT HAD NO INTEREST IN A MOVIE UNTIL THEY IMAGINED IT WITH REAL ACTORS. A FILM WITH VOICE ACTORS STEVE CARELL AND COLBERT DIDN'T HAPPEN, BUT A LIVE SKETCH WITH JON HAMM AND JIMMY FALLON AIRED ON SNL. — Source: 35 Bonkers Behind-The-Scenes Facts About The History Of Saturday Night Live

21

Geena Davis

GEENA DAVIS CRACKED.COM Geena Davis met with us in the lobby of the Century Plaza Hotel, remembers Harry Shearer, and it was all quite awkward and uncomfortable for everybody involved. Especially considering she didn't get the job. — Source: 35 Bonkers Behind-The-Scenes Facts About The History Of Saturday Night Live

20

The Replacements

THE REPLACEMENTS JANUARY 18, 1986 SATURDAY NIGHT CRACKED COM They were literally Replacements (for the Pointer Sisters), performing drunk, on drugs, and out of tune. Blame pre-show boozing with host Harry Dean Stanton. — Source: Behind-The-Scenes Beginnings Of 14 Iconic SNL Characters

19

Joan Cusack

JOAN CUSACK WAY MORE OSCAR NOMS THAN JOHN GRACKED.COM CUSACK LASTED ONE SEASON ON SNL BEFORE COLLECTING OSCAR NOMINATIONS FOR 'WORKING GIRL' AND 'IN & OUT.' DECADES LATER, ABBY ELLIOTT (ALSO UNDERAPPRECIATED) BROUGHT HER KILLER CUSACK IMPRESSION TO THE SHOW. — Source: 35 Bonkers Behind-The-Scenes Facts About The History Of Saturday Night Live

18

Stefon

STEFON BILL HADER CRACKED.COM One inspiration for writer John Mulaney was an email from a club promoter. Part of the pitch? Rooms full of broken glass. Hader was also inspired by a whispery local barista who lived on the Lower-Lower East Side. — Source: Behind-The-Scenes Beginnings Of 14 Iconic SNL Characters

17

Bob Odenkirk

BOB ODENKIRK WAS NOT A LORNE MICHAELS FAN 1990 CRACKED.COM I BASICALLY HAD A HUGE CHIP ON MY SHOULDER, REMEMBERS ODENKIRK. MIX THAT IN WITH LORNE'S TRADITIONAL INTIMIDATION AND IT'S NOT GOOD. I DIDN'T RESPOND TO THE WAY НЕ LIKES TO APPROACH YOUNG PERFORMERS AND SET HIMSELF UP AS SOME KIND OF VERY DISTANT, STRANGE COMEDY GOD. — Source: 35 Bonkers Behind-The-Scenes Facts About The History Of Saturday Night Live

16

Da Bears

THE SUPERFANS HAD POLISH SAUSAGE LODGED IN ITS HEART UNPRODUCED B CHICAGO 9 GRACKED.COM CHRIS FARLEY'S MOVIE CAREER TOOK OFF JUST AS THE SUPERFANS MOVIE WAS BEING DEVELOPED. WHEN IT NO LONGER MADE SENSE FOR FARLEY TO DO AN ENSEMBLE PIECE, DA MOVIE WAS DOOMED. POUR ONE OUT FOR THE INEVITABLE DITKA CAMEO. — Source: 35 Bonkers Behind-The-Scenes Facts About The History Of Saturday Night Live

15

The Ladies Man

THE MAN TIM MEADOWS CRACKED.COM Meadows worked in a liquor store during high school. Would-be womanizers swaggered in, hoping to boost their romantic prospects with a bottle of Courvoisier. The ladies men inspired Meadows to create Leon Phelps. — Source: Behind-The-Scenes Beginnings Of 14 Iconic SNL Characters

14

Church Lady

CHURCH LADY DANA CARVEY CRACKED.COM Carvey developed the Church Lady as a way to deal with demonic hecklers during his 1980s stand-up comic days. He'd shut them down wiith a combination of condescension and patronizing. Patronizing is funny. — Source: Behind-The-Scenes Beginnings Of 14 Iconic SNL Characters

13

Sprockets

SPROCKETS MIKE MYERS CRACKED.COM Myers based Deiter, the avant- garde talk show host, on a Toronto waiter who provided questionable service. Не would be taking your order, and then it would be like, your order has become tiresome. And he would bolt and leave, and never come back. — Source: Behind-The-Scenes Beginnings Of 14 Iconic SNL Characters

12

The Bees

THE BEES BELUSHI ET AL INSTITUTION CRACKED.COM One of the show's first notes from meddling network execs: Cut the bees. Lorne Michaels responded by inserting the Bees into nearly every episode of Season One, making them the show's first recurring characters. — Source: Behind-The-Scenes Beginnings Of 14 Iconic SNL Characters

11

Garth

GARTH ALGAR DANA CARVEY CRACKED.COM Carvey based Wayne's pal Garth on his nerdy genius brother Brad. Both Brad and Garth share a love for videos, drums, and red licorice. Carvey was afraid Wayne's World would be seen as a Bill and Ted rip-off, but no one seemed to mind the similarities. — Source: Behind-The-Scenes Beginnings Of 14 Iconic SNL Characters

10

Drunk Uncle

DRUNK UNCLE BOBBY MOYNIHAN CRACKED.COM Moynihan spent hours on a sure-fire sketch about a suit salesman, the best character in SNL history. Colin Jost asked for a quick Update bit -- Drunk Uncle was whipped up in 15 minutes. Suit Salesman bombed and Drunk Uncle appeared 10 more times. — Source: Behind-The-Scenes Beginnings Of 14 Iconic SNL Characters

9

Da Bears

DA BEARS ROB SMIGEL Smigel cooked up the Super Fans from two tasty ingredients: The Sportswriters on TV, a Chicago-based roundtable discussion, and the overweight, mustachioed, Old Style-swigging fans he'd see at Cubs games. Bonus: Sunglasses meant Smigel could easily read cue cards without learning his lines. — Source: Behind-The-Scenes Beginnings Of 14 Iconic SNL Characters

8

Canteen Boy

CANTEEN BALL BOY ADAM SANDLER CRACKED.COM Sandler specialized in characters that were losers. Canteen Boy's having a rough day today. I feel like people will respond to it because they know people like that. I'd rather write about... ... people who have a tough time. It's more interesting than a winner. — Source: Behind-The-Scenes Beginnings Of 14 Iconic SNL Characters

7

The Californians

CALIFORNIANS FRED ARMISEN CRACKED.COM Whenever he returned from the west coast, Armisen would discuss L.A. directions with castmates Bill Hader and Kenan Thompson. The inane talk about best driving routes became a running Californians joke, though Armisen says he doesn't mind the Cali traffic. — Source: Behind-The-Scenes Beginnings Of 14 Iconic SNL Characters

6

Debbie Downer

HUGH DOWNER RACHEL DRATCH CRACKED.COM I was on vacation in Costa Rica, and when I told someone that I was from New York, they asked, 'Were you there for 9/11? The conversation froze. The name Debbie Downer is now listed in the dictionary as a name for someone who constantly makes others feel bad. — Source: Behind-The-Scenes Beginnings Of 14 Iconic SNL Characters

5

Hans & Franz

HANS & FRANZ GOT BOMBED BY 'LAST ACTION HERO' UNPRODUCED CRACKED.COM 'THE GIRLY-MAN DILEMMA' WOULD HAVE CO-STARRED ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER AS HIMSELF. WHEN HIS 'LAST ACTION HERO' TANKED, ARNOLD GOT COLD FEET AND PULLED OUT, KILLING THE PROJECT. KEVIN NEALON DESERVED BETTER. — Source: 35 Bonkers Behind-The-Scenes Facts About The History Of Saturday Night Live

4

Wild and Crazy Guys

BEWARE THE BULGES OF TWO WILD AND CRAZY GUYS MARTIN/ACKROYD CRACKED.COM STEVE HAD THIS CHARACTER, THE CONTINENTAL GUY, SAYS ACKROYD, AND I HAD THE 'SWINGING' CZECH WHO WAS TRYING TO TALK LIKE AN AMERICAN, TRYING TO HAVE THE ACCENT, THE CLOTHES. so WE TOOK HIS CONTINENTAL GUY AND MY CZECH GUY AND WE FUSED THEM INTO THE CZECH BROTHERS. — Source: 35 Bonkers Behind-The-Scenes Facts About The History Of Saturday Night Live

3

Hannibal Buress

HANNIBAL BURESS ALMOST GOT ON WEEKEND UPDATE 2010 CRACKED.COM I WASN'T GETTING ANY SKETCHES ON THE AIR... so I PITCHED SOMETHING TO SETH MEYERS. IMAGINE GOING TO YOUR BOSS AND SAYING, 'HEY, I KNOW I HAVEN'T BEEN DOING MY JOB VERY WELL BUT HOW ABOUT I DO THIS OTHER JOB.' I ACTUALLY DID IT AT DRESS REHEARSAL, BUT IT GOT CUT. IT WAS PRETTY COOL TO DO. — Source: 35 Bonkers Behind-The-Scenes Facts About The History Of Saturday Night Live

2

Milton Berle

MILTON BERLE APRIL 14, 1979 Saturday Night Live CRACKED.COM Lorne: I knew we were heading for disaster from minute one. Besides begging for a standing ovation during his monologue, Berle also used his dressing room to reveal himself to writer Alan Zweibel. Не just takes out this - this anaconda. It was enormous. — Source: 35 Bonkers Behind-The-Scenes Facts About The History Of Saturday Night Live

1

John Goodman

JOHN GOODMAN GRACKED.COM 13-time host (third place all-time!) but it was a hard no when he auditioned for the cast in 1980. — Source: 35 Bonkers Behind-The-Scenes Facts About The History Of Saturday Night Live

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