The Not Ready for Prime Time Project: An SNL Retrospective

This is a very special episode of The Not Ready for Prime Time Podcast . We have the pleasure of being joined by Doug Hill and Jeff Weingrad, the authors of Saturday Night: A Backstage History of Saturday Night Live . This book is a MUST READ for any fan of Saturday Night Live .  They talk through not only the episode with us, but also give some great behind-the-scenes stories of SNL and the of wr...

It's Christmas time! So why not bring back Candice Bergen to NBC's Saturday Night   to host her second holiday show in a row? This is a STELLAR episode loaded with a lot of really good sketches, including some all-time classics! This is all supported by Frank Zappa , who does three musical numbers - which are all also a lot of fun. So start your holiday season by listening to two guys ra...

SNL welcomes its youngest host (to date) as Jodie Foster is in 8H for an episode that orginally aired during Thanksgiving weekend.  The Beach Boys' Brian Wilson is the musical guest performing three songs, including "Good Vibrations" where he sat at a grand piano on a set covered in sand. He also made Saturday Night Live history as the first musical guest to appear in a sketch! We a...

Paul Simon is back!!! This episode gives us one of the most iconic monologues in SNL history and, of course, a lot of Paul singing. There's also a Beatle!!! George Harrison shows up looking for the $3,000 that was promised to The Beatles (only to be disappointed).  And he sings (w/ Paul)! The rest of the episode? There's an all-time commercial parody, an appearance by Chevy Chase, Paul i...

Dick Cavett is back for his second hosting gig of NBC's Saturday Night! In the first episode without Chevy Chase as a cast member, Dick Cavett comes in to redeem his appearance from Season 1. Does he do it? Do they give him enough to work with? Why wasn't Elliott Gould hosting (as he was supposed to)? What is Ry Cooder doing there as the musical guest? Brad and Gary attempt to answer all...

Buck's back! That's right, Buck Henry returns for his third time hosting on this momentous episode of NBC's Saturday Night! This episode has one of the most infamous events in SNL history. Just how historic is it? We've got Jon Schneider from the The Saturday Night Network to answer that for us! But wait! There's more... This is the FINAL episode for Chevy Chase as a cast...

Steve Martin hosts Saturday Night for the very first time! Who had any idea this night that he would go on to do it another 15 times?!! How does Steve fare on his initial outing?  Its interesting, to say the least. Kinky Friedman? Oddly enough he does not return to the show. Maybe the fact that they only gave him one song was an early indicator? This is very important episode in the history of the...

Mr. Bill returns to Saturday Night as the show films its first of three episodes in Brooklyn. In honor of both these momentous events, we are joined by the creator of Mr. Bill himself - Walter Williams ! Walter shares the origin of Mr. Bill, how he got the films on the air, and what lead to him eventually being hired as a writer on the show!  He also shares what it was like watching this week&apos...

Eric Idle of Monty Python fame hosts episode 3 of NBC's Saturday Night's second season. And if that wasn't enough to tune in,  we are joined by Thomas Sena of the SNL Hall of Fame Podcast !! (**Thomas Sena joins us due to a scheduling mishap with original guest, Bill Murray.**) Idle is joined by Joe Cocker (who is later joined by John Belushi ) and Stuff as the musical guests.  It i...

It's 1976 and there's no hotter television producer than Norman Lear ! So, it makes perfect sense for him to host NBC's Saturday Night .  Right? Chevy Chase is noticeably absent from the show as he was in the hospital recovering from an injury and yet his presence is still felt all over the show. There's a great song by Gilda, Jane and Laraine, live snakes(!), and a couple of s...

Saturday Night is back!! Lily Tomlin returns as host to kick off the second season with James Taylor as the musical guest. The show comes out swinging with the classic Debate '76 sketch, an appearance by Emily Litella, and an amazing sketch featuring Lily & Garrett Morris you probably don't remember (which is a sin as it is one of the season's best). We also get one of the best...

Season 2 is almost here (man does time fly by).  Brad & Gary discuss all that is in store for Saturday Night's second season.  They reveal what hosts and musical guests they are most excited about seeing as well as what they are looking forward to from the show as it covers its first presidential election, takes the show out of Manhattan (twice!), Chevy leaving, and some key additions tha...

Best Episodes. Favorite Hosts & Musical Guests.  And of course...Best Bits.  Brad and Gary go through it all.  They discuss what they learned, what they liked, and even what surprised them.  In addition to picking the season's Best Bits, they also shine the spotlight on some sketches you may have forgotten about.  --------------------------------- Subscribe & Follow today! And follow...

The Season 1 finale is finally here! And, if you like a host that may be a little (or a lot) inebriated than this episode of NBC's Saturday Night (and this episode of the podcast) is for you! Kris Kristofferson tries his best to host as his wife, Rita Coolidge, is (technically) the musical guest. But don't fear, there is still lot of singing from Kristofferson. For an episode famous for...

One of the most infamous episodes in the history of SNL is this summer entry of season 1. In order to make sense of it all Brad and Gary are joined by SNLinReview's Andy Hoglund! Host Louise Lasser takes the show to a place rarely seen in an episode that is VERY meta. Fresh off the success of her own show, Mary Hartman Mary Hartman, Lasser brings her unique style of comedy and storytelling to...

Leon Redbone is back...uh...we mean Elliott Gould is back (but yes, Leon is too)!!!  Both return to Saturday Night for the second time on what should have been the season one finale. While there are A LOT of musical numbers sprinkled throughout the show there is also some comedy...and some of it is quite good!  There is an ALL-TIME Star Trek sketch that cannot be missed, a classic Bees/Honeymooner...

Buck Henry is back! One of the most reliable hosts returns to Saturday Night to deliver another strong performance.  AND - Jon Schneider, from The Saturday Night Network, is back as the podcast's first returning guest to discuss the episode! Fresh off their Emmy wins, the cast and crew put together a pretty decent show on a short week but do rely on Buck to pull them out of a few jams. Of cou...

It feels like everyone's mind was elsewhere (the upcoming Emmys, perhaps?) for episode 20 of Saturday Night's first season.  Misses abound as much of this week's show feels like it was either rejected from earlier episodes or just simply written in time to catch the plane to L.A.  Despite the lack of quality material, Dyan Cannon has a blast fulfilling her host duties; literally lau...

The incomparable Madeline Kahn hosts an EXCELLENT episode of Saturday Night! And to ensure that nothing is missed we are joined by the incomparable Kirstin Turnbull to run through every amazing bit and sketch.  Madeline sings! Madeline dances! Madeline is FUNNY!!!  She really helps to put together one of the best episodes of season 1. There's an ALL-TIME classic political sketch, an ALL-TIME...

Episode 18 of Saturday Night may not have as many jokes about the host's body as some of the writers wanted to include, but that doesn't mean there aren't a lot of them. Raquel Welch does her best to go along with the repeated calls for her to disrobe, but you can't help but think that maybe they could have done more? Phoebe Snow returns as musical guest and John Sebastian is o...

Hosted by current (at the time) Press Secretary to the President, Ron Nessen , episode 17 of the first season of "Saturday Night" is full of historic moments in SNL history. This episode is the first to be hosted by a political figure and there are a lot of fun stories of behind-the-scenes deals that were made to get this episode on air, including getting President Gerald Ford to show up...

The 16th episode of season 1 of "Saturday Night" is hosted by the star of the 1960 classic "Psycho" (and former teen idol?) Anthony Perkins with musical guest Betty Carter .  Perkins comes to the show ready to play and willing to do whatever is asked of him, and it is wonderful! We see Norman Bates (and Mother?), the return of The Muppets, and an absolutely brilliant sketch wit...

Episode 15 of NBC's Saturday Night is hosted by Jill Clayburgh with musical guest Leon Redbone.  And, of course, one cannot forget an appearance by the Singing Idlers! While none of these may be household names in 2023, this episode delivers a couple of fun sketches, some interesting ones, and couple... cringy bits.  We get lots of Don Pardo, not enough Jane Curtin, and the return of Andy Kau...

The one and only Desi Arnaz pulls double-duty on this episode of NBC's Saturday Night as both host AND musical guest! Desi is a television legend who really gets into the show and has a great time with the cast and the sketches! We get to see some of the early/failed ideas for what eventually became I Love Lucy, Desi's unique take on acupuncture, & a great send up of The Untouchables...

It's the Valentine's Day episode of NBC's Saturday Night! To celebrate, host Peter Boyle serenades his sweetheart, Garrett writes a poem for Gilda, and the cast revisits the St. Valentine's Day Massacre of 1929. We are also treated to some wonderful Marlon Brando impressions, a great performance from Al Jarreau, and an absolutely fabulous sketch that so easily answers the quest...