Saturday Night Live (SNL) is an late night American live television sketch comedy show that premiered on NBC October 11, 1975. It was created by Lorne Micheals and Dick Ebersol. Each episode is hosted by a celebrity guest during which the cast members of the show preform hilarious parody sketches based on topics from culture, politics, entertainment, pop culture, and present media. The show begins with a monologue by the host, followed by various pre-taped and live sketches from the cast; sometimes the musical guest performer is included in a sketch during the episode.
In 1980 show creator Lorne Micheals left the series and was replaced by producer Jean Dourmanian. Dourmanian’s roll as show producer cut short as he was then replaced by original show developer and creator Dick Ebersol. During Eberol’s time running SNL the series received some of the worst ratings ever during its time televised; prompting Lorne Micheals to return as head.
The show is famous not only for its well written sketches but for the talent discovered through being cast on SNL. The orginal cast of SNL from the years of 1983 -1986 consisted of: Eddie Murphy, Billy Crystal, Martin Short, Jon Lovitz, Dennis Miller, Mike Myers, Adam Sandler Chris Fartley, etc. By 1995 show creator Lorne Michaels released multiple cast members from their series contracts making way for a whole new group of comedians including: Will Ferrell, Bill Hader, Jason Sudeikis, Fred Armisen Rachel Dratch, Amy Poehler, Chris Rock, David Spade, Will Forte, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Tracy Morgan, Chris Parnell, Maya Rudolph, and Kristen Wiig. In 2008 Seth Meyers took over the coveted spot as host of the Weekend Update.
The show was since then aired 758 episodes in thirty nine seasons adding it to the list of longest running network television series in America. Since first airing the series has received a number of awards including: 36 Prime-time Emmy Awards, A Peabody Award, and 3 Writers Guild of America Awards. It has been inducted into the National Association of Broadcasts Hall of Fame, ranked tenth in Tv Guide’s “50 Greatest Television Shows of All Time” and was named on of Time Magazines “Best Shows of All-TIME”.
Cast
Seth Meyers
Tina Fey
Amy Poehler
Maya Rudolph
Kristen Wiig
Damon Wayans
Jason Sudeikis
Cecily Strong
Patrick Weathers
Fred Wolf
Andy Samberg
Colin Quinn
Jay Pharoah
Photo
Via:ABC News
Video
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