SNL

a kate west reflection



















Kristen Wiig in ELLE's September Issue

Saturday Night Live ain't what it used to be. I suppose it's always appealed to adolescents and since early SNL happened when I was pretty young, that's probably why it appealed to me. Or maybe it's pure nostalgia. (Dan Aykroyd, Gilda Radner, Bill Murray, Eddie Murphy, Joe Piscopo, Garret Morris, Chevy Chase, Jane Curtain, Steve Martin and the late greats Phil Hartman and Jim Belushi!) But lately, it just seems that every year sends the SNL train wreck careening more downhill. But that's just me.

The highlight of the past couple of seasons though, is the relative newcomer Groundling Kristen Wiig (www.groundlings.com) whose original characters like her distracted Target Lady, spacey Aunt Linda, or her brilliant impressions of Judy Garland and Megan Mullaly are real stand outs. Even her half of the A-Holes (”You look like a rabbit”) is initially less tedious, though Saturday Night Live's insistence on placing recurring obnoxious characters in the same scenes, but with different backgrounds, may drive you mad (remember "It's Pat?).

Gratned, SNL has an impressive alumni list like Mike Myers, Dana Carvey, Adam Sandler, Chris Farley, Chris Rock, Molly Shannon, Chris Kattan, Tracy Morgan, Jimmy Fallon, Jon Lovitz, Julia Sweeney, David Spade, Cheri Oteri, Will Ferrell, to name but a few. Such is it's allure that two recent televion shows tried to depict it's inner workings: the sadly failed "Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip" and the more successful "30 Rock" (with recent SNL graduate Tina Fey). And the man upstairs, the odd man in charge, Lorne Michaels, a character himself, continues to reap the benefits of his monolithic hit.

It's wonderful that so many went on to have great careers, and that SNL has not only a cult following, but a fairly hefty mainstream appeal as well. Still, it's harder to watch the older you get. So Thank God for teenagers. Then again, who knows what will happen now what with the upcoming Hollywood writer's strike. Hopefully, they'll run some classic reruns, rather than churn out more clunkers. I won't be watching. But I will honk for the strikers. Peace.

Current Repertory Players
Fred Armisen (2002-present)
Will Forte (2002-present)
Bill Hader (2005-present)
Darrell Hammond (1995-present)
Seth Meyers (2001-present)
Amy Poehler (2001-present)
Maya Rudolph (2000-present)
Andy Samberg (2005-present)
Jason Sudeikis (2005-present)
Kenan Thompson (2003-present)
Kristen Wiig (2005-present)

Remembering the Classics:
Saturday Night Live - The Complete First Season

Saturday Night Live - The Complete Second Season

The Real Classics:
Laurel & Hardy (Sons of the Desert/The Music Box/Another Fine Mess/Busy Bodies/County Hospital)

The Abbott and Costello Show Featuring "Who's on First?" "Don Juan Costello" & "Two Tens for a Five"

The George Burns & Gracie Allen Collection

Best of Jack Benny

The Dick Van Dyke Show - Season One (5 Disc Box Set)

I Love Lucy: The Complete Series

The Carol Burnett Show - Collector's Edition Vols 1-5