Misplaced Pages

#453546

137-501: Cornelius Crane " Chevy " Chase ( / ˈ tʃ ɛ v i / ; born October 8, 1943) is an American comedian, actor, and writer. He became the breakout cast member in the first season of Saturday Night Live (1975–1976), where his recurring Weekend Update segment became a staple of the show. As both a performer and a writer on the series, he earned two Primetime Emmy Awards out of four nominations. After leaving Saturday Night Live early in its second season, he established himself as

274-460: A large and varying cast of repertory and newer cast members . Each episode is hosted by a celebrity guest, who usually delivers the opening monologue and performs in sketches with the cast, with featured performances by a musical guest. An episode normally begins with a cold open sketch that is usually based on political events and ends with someone breaking character and proclaiming, " Live from New York, it's Saturday Night! ", properly beginning

411-712: A leading man , starring in some of the most successful comedy films of the 1980s, starting with his Golden Globe –nominated role in the romantic comedy Foul Play (1978). Most famously, he portrayed Ty Webb in Caddyshack (1980) and Caddyshack II (1988), Clark W. Griswold in five National Lampoon's Vacation films, and Irwin "Fletch" Fletcher in Fletch (1985) and Fletch Lives (1989). He also starred in Oh! Heavenly Dog (1980), Modern Problems (1981), Spies Like Us (1985) and ¡Three Amigos! (1986). He has hosted

548-526: A $ 15 million budget, was his most successful movie at the time. He married Jayni Luke in 1982, and in 1985 he starred in Fletch , which grossed over $ 50 million off an $ 8 million budget. This was the first of two films based on Gregory Mcdonald 's Fletch books. Chase later co-starred with fellow SNL alum Dan Aykroyd in Spies Like Us . Chase joined SNL veterans Steve Martin and Martin Short in

685-578: A 2007 biography, Chase stated that he was physically and psychologically abused as a child by his mother and stepfather, John Cederquist. Both of his parents died in 2005. Chase was educated at Riverdale Country School , an independent day school in the Riverdale neighborhood of The Bronx , New York City, before being expelled. He ultimately graduated as valedictorian in 1962 from the Stockbridge School , an independent boarding school in

822-434: A 90-minute length, and sketches that have made it as far as the live rehearsal may be removed. This often results in less than two days of rehearsal for the eight to twelve sketches that have made it to the stage that then may appear on the live broadcast. The opening monologue, spoken by the guest host, is given low priority and can be written as late as Saturday afternoon. According to an interview with Tina Fey in 2004,

959-587: A February 1981 episode, cast member Charles Rocket used the profanity "fuck" during a sketch. Rocket later said he was trying to kill time before the show's close and had not meant to utter the word. Following this episode, Doumanian was dismissed after only ten months on the job. Although some executives suggested SNL be cancelled, the show received a reprieve, and Dick Ebersol was hired as producer. Ebersol's sketches leaned towards more accessible, broad comedy, which alienated some long-time fans, writers, and cast members. His distaste for political humor led

1096-488: A Lame-O ", that had critiqued Silverman's job performance. Unable to secure the deal that he wanted, Michaels chose to leave NBC, and Jean Doumanian was given his position. Almost every writer and cast member, including Michaels, left the show after the May 24, 1980, season finale. Doumanian's rapidly-assembled new cast faced immediate comparisons to the previous cast, and was not received favorably by critics or audiences. In

1233-475: A Monday with a free-form pitch meeting between the cast, writers, producers, including Michaels and the guest host in Michaels's office over two hours. The host is invited to pitch ideas during this meeting. Although some sketchwriting may occur on the day, the bulk of the work revolves around pitching ideas. Tuesday is the only day dedicated purely to writing the scripts, a process that usually extends through

1370-531: A bumbling klutz became a favorite device of Chase's, and helped form the popular concept of Ford as being a clumsy man despite Ford having been a "star athlete" during his university years. In later years, Chase met and became friendly with President Ford. Chase was the original anchor for the Weekend Update segment of SNL , and his catchphrase introduction, "I'm Chevy Chase… and you're not" became well known. His trademark conclusion, "Good night, and have

1507-413: A cast member at any time. In the first season of the show the cast was paid $ 750 per episode, rising to $ 2,000 by season two, and $ 4,000 by season four. By the late 1990s, new cast members received a salary between $ 5,000 and $ 5,500 per episode, increasing to $ 6,000 in the second year and up to $ 12,500 for a cast member in their fifth year. Performers could earn an additional $ 1,500 per episode for writing

SECTION 10

#1732771995454

1644-469: A classic, currently sitting at a 73% approval rate on Rotten Tomatoes , with critics saying: "Though unabashedly crude and juvenile, Caddyshack nevertheless scores with its classic slapstick, unforgettable characters, and endlessly quotable dialogue". That same year, he also reunited with Foul Play co-star Goldie Hawn for Neil Simon 's Seems Like Old Times which was also successful at the box office, earning more than $ 43 million. After this, he released

1781-686: A combined gross of $ 34 million in the United States. In September 1993, Chase hosted The Chevy Chase Show , a weeknight talk show, for the Fox Broadcasting Company . Although it had high commercial expectations, the show was cancelled by Fox after five weeks. Chase later appeared in a commercial for Doritos , airing during the Super Bowl , in which he made humorous reference to the show's failure. Chase found success with some of his subsequent movies. 1995's Man of

1918-422: A company owned by NBC, Paramount Pictures , and Michaels. The new contracts were reportedly developed after many previously unknown cast members, such as Mike Myers and Adam Sandler , gained fame on SNL only to leave and make money for other studios. In a 2010 interview, Wiig was reported to be contracted to SNL for a total of seven years. The contracts also contain a network option that allows NBC to remove

2055-457: A cost of $ 250,000. By 1975, Michaels had assembled the show's initial cast, including Dan Aykroyd , John Belushi , Chevy Chase , Jane Curtin , Garrett Morris , Laraine Newman , Gilda Radner , and George Coe . The cast was nicknamed the "Not Ready for Prime-Time Players", a term coined by show writer Herb Sargent . Much of the talent pool involved in the inaugural season was recruited from The National Lampoon Radio Hour , including

2192-591: A decision yet at that point. Michaels has worked with Fey several times since her SNL tenure ended, including on 30 Rock . Michaels earlier said in 2021 that the show's fiftieth anniversary would be "a really good time to leave". Kenan Thompson , the show's longest-serving cast member, speculated in 2022 that SNL may come to an end altogether after its fiftieth season, saying that it could make financial sense for NBC. However, in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter in September 2024, Michaels denied that he

2329-742: A median of $ 95,000 annually. Sociologists Dennis Gilbert, William Thompson and Joseph Hickey estimate the upper middle class to constitute roughly 15% of the population. Using the 15% figure one may conclude that the American upper middle class consists, strictly in an income sense, of professionals with personal incomes in excess of $ 62,500 ($ 101,000 in 2024 dollars), who commonly reside in households with six-figure incomes. The difference between personal and household income can be explained by considering that 76% of households with incomes exceeding $ 90,000 (the top 20%, $ 170,000 to cross this threshold in 2020 dollars) had two or more income earners. In 2024,

2466-410: A musical guest, a solo act, or a band, who performs two or three musical numbers. Occasionally, the musical guest simultaneously serves as the host, and may also appear in comedy sketches. As of October 11, 2020, Dave Grohl is the most frequent musical guest, performing on fourteen shows since 1992. Michaels does not allow musical guests to perform using lip-synching tracks, believing it diminishes

2603-408: A national average of about $ 50,000. The top 15% of all US income earners nationally tend to be more concentrated in these richer suburban counties where the cost of living is also higher. If middle-class households earning between the 50th percentile ($ 46,000) and the 85th percentile ($ 62,500) tend to live in lower cost of living areas, then their difference in real income may be smaller than what

2740-574: A particular political ideology. In terms of income, liberals tend to be tied with pro-business conservatives. Most mass affluent households tend to be more right -leaning on fiscal issues but more left -leaning on social issues. The majority, between 50% and 60%, of households with incomes above $ 50,000 overall, not all of whom are upper middle class, supported the Republican Party in the 2000, 2004, and 2006 elections. Those with postgraduate degrees who work in academia statistically favor

2877-549: A pleasant tomorrow" was later resurrected by Jane Curtin and Tina Fey . Chase also wrote comedy material for Weekend Update . For example, he wrote and performed "The News for the Hard of Hearing". In this skit, Chase read the top story of the day, aided by Garrett Morris , who repeated the story by loudly shouting it. Chase claimed that his version of Weekend Update was the inspiration for later news satire shows such as The Daily Show and The Colbert Report . Weekend Update

SECTION 20

#1732771995454

3014-410: A roast. Some of the more recent films starring Chase (e.g., Vacuums , Rent-a-Husband , Goose! ) have not been widely released in the United States. He returned to mainstream movie-making in 2006, co-starring with Tim Allen and Courteney Cox in the comedy Zoom , though it was both a critical and commercial failure. Chase guest-starred as an anti-Semitic murder suspect in " In Vino Veritas ",

3151-492: A self-titled record album, co-produced by Chase and Tom Scott, with novelty and cover versions of songs by Randy Newman , Barry White , Bob Marley , the Beatles , Donna Summer , Tennessee Ernie Ford , The Troggs , and The Sugarhill Gang . Chase narrowly escaped death by electrocution during the filming of Modern Problems in 1980. During a sequence in which Chase's character wears "landing lights" as he dreams that he

3288-580: A significant increase in ratings and a "shot of relevance" for the show, according to Vanity Fair . Trump disliked Baldwin's impression, tweeting in 2019 that the Federal Election Commission or the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) should look into stopping SNL from "knocking the same person (me), over & over, without so much of a mention of 'the other side.'" In 2021, sources close to

3425-451: A significant overhaul, including Beck Bennett , Kyle Mooney , and Sasheer Zamata . Longtime head writer and cast member Seth Meyers also exited midway through that season, and was replaced by fellow writer Colin Jost in the Weekend Update segment. The show frequently parodied Donald Trump in and around his first presidency ; an ongoing impression by actor Alec Baldwin led to

3562-502: A sketch and musical send-up of popular youth culture , in which Chase also played the drums and piano during the musical numbers. He appeared in the movie The Groove Tube , which was directed by another co-founder of Channel One, Ken Shapiro , featuring several Channel One sketches. Chase was one of the original cast members of Saturday Night Live ( SNL ), NBC 's late-night comedy television show, beginning in October 1975. During

3699-467: A sketch that made it to air. In 2001, Ferrell became the highest-paid cast member, being paid $ 350,000 per season (approximately $ 17,500 per episode). As of the 2022–23 season, Kent Sublette, Alison Gates , and Streeter Seidell are the show's co-head writers. Seth Meyers became a co-head writer in the 2005-06 season, became the single head writer from 2008 to 2012 , and then left in 2014 . Current Update anchor Colin Jost has himself been

3836-592: A star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 7021 Hollywood Boulevard. Saturday Night Live Saturday Night Live ( SNL ) is an American late-night live sketch comedy variety show created by Lorne Michaels and developed by Michaels and Dick Ebersol that airs on NBC . The show's premiere was hosted by George Carlin on NBC on October 11, 1975, under the original title NBC's Saturday Night . The show's comedy sketches, which often parody contemporary American culture and politics, are performed by

3973-542: A writer and cast member of The National Lampoon Radio Hour , a syndicated satirical radio series. The National Lampoon Radio Hour also featured John Belushi , Gilda Radner , Bill Murray , and Brian Doyle-Murray , all of whom later became the "Not-Ready-For-Prime Time Players" on NBC Saturday Night (later re-titled NBC's Saturday Night and finally Saturday Night Live ). Chase and Belushi also appeared in National Lampoon's off-Broadway revue Lemmings ,

4110-524: A writer since 2005 and was one of the head writers from 2012 to 2015 before being renamed head writer, from 2017 until 2022 . Current Update co-anchor Michael Che has been a writer since 2013 . He temporarily left the show in the summer of 2014, but came back that fall to anchor Update and reclaimed his status as a writer, then serving as a co-head writer alongside Jost for five years. The Weekend Update segment has its own dedicated team of writers led by head writer Pete Schultz (who has been writing for

4247-586: Is a political liberal . He campaigned for Bill Clinton in the 1990s, and for John Kerry in the 2004 presidential election . In 2004, he mocked President George W. Bush during a speech at a People for the American Way benefit at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts , where he referred to Bush as an "uneducated, real lying schmuck" and a "dumb fuck", which upset the organizers and

Chevy Chase - Misplaced Pages Continue

4384-436: Is an airplane, the lights malfunctioned and an electric current passed through Chase's arm, back, and neck muscles. The near-death experience caused Chase to experience a period of deep depression , as his marriage to Jacqueline had ended just prior to the start of filming. Chase continued his film career in 1983's National Lampoon's Vacation , directed by Ramis and written by John Hughes . This one, grossing $ 61 million off

4521-450: Is in part determined by the scarcity of certain skill sets. An occupation that requires a scarce skill set which is attained through higher educational degree , and which involves higher autonomy, responsibility and influence, will usually offer higher economic compensation. Qualifying for such higher income often requires that individuals obtain the necessary skills (e.g., by attending law, medical, or postgraduate school ) and demonstrate

4658-997: Is not a strictly defined concept across disciplines, as economists and sociologists do not agree on defining the term. In academic models, the term "upper middle class" applies to highly educated , salaried professionals whose work is largely self-directed . Many have postgraduate degrees , with educational attainment serving as the main distinguishing feature of this class. Household incomes commonly exceed $ 100,000 ($ 163,000 in 2024 dollars). Typical professions for this class include lawyers , physicians , military officers , psychologists , certified public accountants , pharmacists , optometrists , financial planners , dentists , engineers , scientists , professors , architects , urban planners , civil service executives, and civilian contractors. The upper middle class has grown ... and its composition has changed. Increasingly salaried managers and professionals have replaced individual business owners and independent professionals. The key to

4795-842: Is the house band for SNL . Academy Award-winning composer Howard Shore served as the first musical director, from 1975 to 1980, appearing in many musical sketches, including Howard Shore and His All-Nurse Band and (backing a U.S. Coast Guard chorus) Howard Shore and the Shore Patrol. Over the years, the band has featured several New York studio musicians including Paul Shaffer (1975–1980), Lou Marini (1975–1983), David Sanborn (1975), Michael Brecker (the early 1980s), Ray Chew (1980–1983), Alan Rubin (1975–1983), Georg Wadenius (1979–1985), Steve Ferrone (1985), David Johansen (performing as Buster Poindexter), Tom Malone (who took over as musical director from 1981 to 1985), and G. E. Smith (musical director from 1985 to 1995). As of 2017,

4932-433: Is the show's longest-serving cast member. Currently, the cast consists of 17 members, with 14 repertory players and 3 featured players: The cast were often contracted from anywhere between five and six years to the show, but starting with the 1999–2000 season, new hires were tied to a rewritten contract that allowed NBC to take a cast member in at least their second year and put them in an NBC sitcom. Cast members are given

5069-452: The 1984–1985 season . Though this season was considered one of the series' funniest, it diverged significantly from Michaels' innovative approach. Like Michaels before him, Ebersol informed NBC that he would only return if the show took a hiatus to recast and rebuild, and diverge significantly from the established live format. NBC rejected these requests and instead decided to approach Michaels to return as producer. Michaels returned for

5206-413: The 1985–1986 season ; the show was again recast, with Michaels borrowing Ebersol's idea to seek out established actors. Writers struggled with the cast, and Michaels cleaned house again for the 1986–1987 season , seeking unknown talent such as Dana Carvey and Phil Hartman instead of known names. This new cast was successful at reviving the show's popularity in the eyes of critics and audiences. In

5343-470: The 2005–2006 season . Before the start of the 2006–2007 season , the show suffered budget cuts that led to a smaller cast. The following season was also cut short by the 2007–2008 Writers Guild of America strike , which led to several cancelled episodes. Fey later returned to the show during the 2008 presidential election for several critically acclaimed guest appearances as vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin . Writer Robert Smigel later said it

5480-672: The Academy Awards twice ( 1987 and 1988 ) and briefly had his own late-night talk show, The Chevy Chase Show (1993). Chase had a popularity resurgence with his role as Pierce Hawthorne on the NBC sitcom Community (2009–2014). Cornelius Crane Chase was born in Lower Manhattan on October 8, 1943, and grew up in Woodstock, New York . He has an older brother, Ned Jr. His father, Edward Tinsley "Ned" Chase (1919–2005),

5617-486: The Democratic Party . For example, in 2005, 72% of surveyed full-time faculty members at four-year institutions, the majority of whom would be considered upper middle class, identified themselves as liberal. The upper middle class is often the dominant group to shape society and bring social movements to the forefront. Movements such as the peace movement , the anti-nuclear movement , environmentalism ,

Chevy Chase - Misplaced Pages Continue

5754-541: The Hollywood Walk of Fame in that same year. He also received The Harvard Lampoon ' s Lifetime Achievement Award in 1996. In 1998, a Golden Palm Star on the Palm Springs, California , Walk of Stars was dedicated to him. He was roasted by the New York Friars Club for a Comedy Central television special in 2002. This roast was noted for being unusually vitriolic, even by the standards of

5891-489: The SNL cast who appear on camera, many of the writers have been able to find their own success outside the show, such as Conan O'Brien , who was brought into SNL from The Groundlings in 1988, went on to write for The Simpsons , and eventually began hosting his own show . Former head writer Adam McKay , along with performer Ferrell, founded the successful comedy website Funny or Die . In 1999, Tina Fey (a year before joining

6028-564: The anti-smoking movement , and even in the past with blue laws and the temperance movement have been in large part (although not solely), products of the upper middle class. Some claim this is because this is the largest class (and the lowest class) with any true political power for change, while others claim some of the more restrictive social movements (such as with smoking and drinking) are based upon "saving people from themselves." The upper middle class in Britain traditionally consists of

6165-430: The statistical middle class , do not need to fear downsizing, corporate cost-cutting, or outsourcing—an economic benefit largely attributable to their postgraduate degrees and comfortable incomes , likely in the top income quintile or top third . While many Americans cite income as the prime determinant of class, occupational status, educational attainment , and value systems are equally important variables. Income

6302-464: The 1982 documentary called Ernie Kovacs: Television's Original Genius . In late 1976, in the middle of the second season, Chase became the first member of the original cast to leave the show. While he landed starring roles in several films on the strength of his SNL fame, he asserted that the principal reason for his departure was the reluctance of his girlfriend, Jacqueline Carlin, to move to New York . Chase moved to Los Angeles , married Carlin, and

6439-638: The 2009–10 season. In 2010 the 92-year-old Pardo was reported to be again considering his retirement, but continued to serve as announcer until his death at age 96 on August 18, 2014, following the 39th season. Apart from a brief period in 2006 in which Pardo pre-recorded his announcements at his home in Arizona, he flew to New York City to perform his announcing duties live, until 2010 when he began recording permanently from Arizona. Former cast members Joe Piscopo and Darrell Hammond have also impersonated Pardo and fulfilled his announcing duties during times Pardo

6576-491: The 39th season (2013–14) had a budget of over $ 70   million, for which it received a subsidy from New York State in the amount of $ 12.3   million. Edie Baskin was the original SNL photographer. She was hired after Michaels saw her photographs of Las Vegas and other work. Baskin helped create the opening title sequence for the show by taking photos of New York City at night. The first episode used publicity photos of host George Carlin as transitional bumpers between

6713-725: The Great Lawn in Central Park in the summer of 1991. Later in 1991, he helped record and appeared in the music video " Voices That Care " to entertain and support U.S. troops involved in Operation Desert Storm , and supported the International Red Cross . Chase had three consecutive film flops—1991's Razzie Award –nominated Nothing but Trouble , 1992's Memoirs of an Invisible Man , and 1994's Cops & Robbersons . The three releases had

6850-509: The House , co-starring Farrah Fawcett , was relatively successful, grossing $ 40 million and 1997's Vegas Vacation was a box office success, grossing $ 36.4 million. 2000's Snow Day , in which Chase appeared, was also successful grossing over $ 60 million, as well as Orange County in 2002, grossing more than $ 40 million. Chase was Hasty Pudding's 1993 Man of the Year, and received a star on

6987-574: The Lorne Michaels–produced comedy Three Amigos in 1986, declaring in an interview that making Three Amigos was the most fun he had making a film. In 1987, his Cornelius Productions company had set up a non-exclusive, albeit first-refusal deal with Warner Bros. , in order to develop four feature projects at the studio, and a fifth project set up at Universal Pictures . In 1988, he starred alongside Madolyn Smith in Funny Farm which

SECTION 50

#1732771995454

7124-688: The November 3, 2006, episode of Law & Order . He also guest-starred in the ABC drama series Brothers & Sisters in two episodes as a former love interest of Sally Field 's character. Chase appeared in a prominent recurring role as villainous software magnate Ted Roark on the NBC spy-comedy Chuck . In 2009, Chase and Dan Aykroyd voiced themselves in the Family Guy episode " Spies Reminiscent of Us ". Starting in 2009, Chase returned to NBC in

7261-467: The United States . The show format has been developed and recreated in several countries, meeting with different levels of success. Successful sketches have seen life outside the show as feature films, including The Blues Brothers (1980) and Wayne's World (1992). The show has been marketed in other ways, including home media releases of "best of" and whole seasons, and books and documentaries about behind-the-scenes activities of running and developing

7398-610: The Weekend Update hosts have gone on to find greater success outside the show, including Dennis Miller , Seth Meyers , Norm Macdonald , Colin Quinn , and Jimmy Fallon . As of Season 49, SNL has featured 164 cast members including, besides the above-mentioned players, Rachel Dratch , Amy Poehler , Chris Rock , David Spade , Will Forte , Julia Louis-Dreyfus , Tracy Morgan , Chris Parnell , Maya Rudolph , Andy Samberg , Molly Shannon , and many others. Kenan Thompson

7535-731: The White House told The Daily Beast that in 2019, Trump repeatedly asked his advisers and lawyers to stop his negative portrayals on SNL and other shows such as Jimmy Kimmel Live! through the interference of the FCC or the Department of Justice . In 2021, James Austin Johnson assumed the Trump impression from Baldwin. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic , SNL ' s 2019–2020 season

7672-530: The aircraft carrier USS Enterprise at the Battle of Midway in World War II . Cathalene was adopted as a child by her stepfather, Cornelius Vanderbilt Crane , heir to The Crane Company , and took the name Catherine Crane. Her mother, also named Cathalene, was an opera singer who performed several times at Carnegie Hall . Chase was named for his adoptive grandfather, Cornelius, while the nickname "Chevy"

7809-658: The article. Chase dismissed rumors that he could be the next Carson by telling New York , "I'd never be tied down for five years interviewing TV personalities." Chase did not appear on the program until May 4, 1977, when he was promoting a prime-time special for NBC. Carson later said of Chase: "He couldn't ad-lib a fart after a baked-bean dinner." Chase acknowledged Ernie Kovacs 's influence on his work in Saturday Night Live , and he thanked Kovacs during his acceptance speech for his Emmy Award. In addition, Chase spoke of Kovacs's influence on his work in an appearance in

7946-461: The availability of either can mean the photoshoot for both occurs as late as Thursday. Matthews employs flattering portrait lighting with hard lights to achieve a Hollywood style. On the lighting, Matthews commented: "I think it just helps the image pop off the screen   ... If you use soft or flat lighting, it becomes not as dimensional   ... The [classic Hollywood lighting] gives a little more contrast, and if I use edge lights and then light

8083-452: The background, it goes farther and farther back. I try to achieve that depth as much as I can." Matthews is also responsible for taking cast photos, behind-the-scenes images, documenting rehearsals, and promotional photos. As of 2010, she has also been involved in directing videos, including the show title sequence. Upper middle class The American upper middle class is defined similarly using income , education , and occupation as

8220-522: The band is under the leadership of Tower of Power alumnus Lenny Pickett , keyboardist Leon Pendarvis , and Eli Brueggemann, who does not play in the band on the live show. The band plays instrumentals leading in and out of station breaks; affiliates who run no advertising during these interludes hear the band play complete songs behind a Saturday Night Live bumper graphic until the program resumes. The band plays "Closing Theme (Waltz in A)", written by Shore, at

8357-489: The camera. Others associated with the show, such as writers, have gone on to successful careers creating, writing, and starring in television and film. Broadcast from Studio 8H at NBC's headquarters in the Comcast Building at 30 Rockefeller Plaza , SNL has aired 975 episodes since its debut and began its 50th season on September 28, 2024, making it one of the longest-running network television programs in

SECTION 60

#1732771995454

8494-575: The cast and becoming a Weekend Update anchor) became the first woman SNL head writer and successfully made the transition to starring on the show, as well as writing and starring in feature films, ultimately creating and starring in her own show 30 Rock , which was partly based on her SNL experiences. In 2005 Fey was paid $ 1.5   million per season for her dual role as head writer and performer. Writer John Mulaney has also found success outside of SNL through well-received stand-up specials, his Broadway act The Oh, Hello Show , and

8631-452: The cast, causing a divide between the veteran members and the new, younger talent. This led to increased competition for the show's limited screen time, and an increasing reliance on "younger", less subtle humor. The show lost Carvey and Hartman, two of its biggest stars, between 1992 and 1994. Wanting to increase SNL ' s ratings and profitability, NBC West Coast president Don Ohlmeyer and other executives began to actively interfere in

8768-412: The cast. Traditionally, the host of the show ends the opening monologue by mentioning the musical guest for the night and saying, "We got a great show for you tonight, (musical guest) is/are here. So stick around, we'll be right back." Comedian George Carlin was the first to host SNL in the debut October 1975 episode; three episodes later, Candice Bergen became the first woman to host and subsequently

8905-421: The casting of Chase writing, "Jeff has the kind of sardonic repartee and slapdash nonchalance that the comedian Chevy Chase had when he was the young star of the ’ Fletch ’ movies," while adding, "Even that is an inside casting joke: Mr. Chase, who is farcically loopy and delightful in the pilot.” Throughout the filming of Community seasons one through four, Chase became increasingly angry and uncomfortable with

9042-434: The control room, with multiple digital and analog video recorders used to store footage. Graphics are provided by a Chyron Lyric Pro character generator and an Avid Deko character generator. Audio facilities consist of a Calrec T Series digitally controlled analog mixing console, and a Yamaha digital mixing console used for tape playback support and utility audio work. While exact budgets for other seasons are not known,

9179-659: The crowd, leading Norman Lear to categorize the statements as "utterly untoward." While filming an episode of Saturday Night Live in 1978, Chase got into a fistfight with Bill Murray in John Belushi's dressing room. Murray and Chase's backstage brawl took place when Chase returned to host the show after his exit as a full-time cast member in 1976. Murray had reportedly made a derogatory comment about Chase's troubled marriage to Jacqueline Carlin, leading Chase to criticize Murray's physical appearance. SNL cast members Jane Curtin , Laraine Newman , and Gilda Radner witnessed

9316-404: The dedicated Weekend Update team, who know those characters better. SNL writers are often also performers or experienced in writing and improvisational comedy. Many are hired from similar backgrounds such as The Groundlings, Second City, Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre , and ImprovOlympic . Comedian Jim Downey was head writer for 10 years, from 1985 to 1995. Downey (who previously joined

9453-418: The differences in nominal income suggest . Upper-middle-class people tend to highly value tertiary education for themselves and their children, favoring the pursuit of undergraduate and postgraduate degrees. Political ideology is not found to be correlated with social class ; however, a statistical relationship is seen between the level of one's educational attainment and one's likelihood of subscribing to

9590-461: The direction of his character, Pierce, who is a bigot. It was reported that in 2012 Chase "snapped and launched the tirade, airing his frustration and suggesting that the way things with Pierce are going, he may next be asked to call Troy (Glover) or Shirley (Brown) the N-word ". While Chase apologized for his outburst he proceeded to leave the show, due to increasing disagreements with his character and

9727-428: The early 1990s, much of this core cast began to leave the show, and younger performers such as Chris Farley and Adam Sandler began to be promoted to repertory status. Some of these cast members, such as Sandler, Farley, Rob Schneider , Spade, and Chris Rock , would come to be known as the "Bad Boys of SNL " for their outrageous comedy style. Afraid of cast members leaving for film careers, Michaels had overcrowded

9864-461: The educated professionals who were born into higher-income backgrounds, such as legal professionals, executives, and surgeons . This stratum, in England, traditionally uses Received Pronunciation natively. A typical Mosaic geodemographic type for this group would be cultural leadership. It is also usually assumed that this class is most predominant in the home counties of South East England and

10001-532: The end of the show. Since the show's inception, SNL has aired from Studio 8H, located on floors eight and nine of the Comcast Building (formerly the RCA Building and GE Building , now 30 Rockefeller Plaza or "30   Rock"). Three of the shows of the 1976–77 season were shot at the former NBC Studios in Brooklyn, due to NBC News using Studio 8H for presidential election coverage. During

10138-571: The fifth Vacation installment, titled Vacation . Unlike the previous four films in which Clark is the main protagonist , he only has a brief though pivotal cameo appearance. In spite of largely negative critical reception, the film proved to be a financial success, grossing over $ 107 million worldwide, making it the highest-grossing entry to date. Chase married Susan Hewitt in New York City on February 23, 1973. They divorced on February 1, 1976. His second marriage, to Jacqueline Carlin,

10275-620: The film Hot Tub Time Machine which received some praise, as well as a short online film featuring the Griswold Family, and in the Funny or Die original comedy sketch " Presidential Reunion ", where he played President Ford alongside other current and former SNL president impersonators. 2019 saw him in the Netflix movie The Last Laugh where he starred alongside Richard Dreyfuss. In 2015, Chase reprised his role as Clark Griswold in

10412-618: The first episode to not feature any musical performances since the first episode of season 12 , as well as the third episode in the show's duration to not have a musical guest, due to the rise of the Omicron variant in New York City during the COVID-19 pandemic . Charli XCX was planned as the musical guest, but her performance was cancelled due to the new restrictions as the show had a "limited cast and crew" and no audience. The Saturday Night Live Band (also known as "The Live Band")

10549-605: The first host to return. Guests who have hosted five or more times are sometimes referred to as belonging to the Five-Timers Club , a term that originated on a sketch performed on Tom Hanks 's fifth episode. As of February 11, 2017, actor Alec Baldwin holds the record for most times hosting, having performed the duty on seventeen different occasions since 1990; Baldwin took the record from actor Steve Martin who has hosted fifteen times since 1976. Occasionally, former SNL cast members also host. Each episode also features

10686-556: The first season, he introduced every show except two, with "Live from New York, it's Saturday Night! " The remark was often preceded by a pratfall , known as "The Fall of the Week". Chase became known for his skill at physical comedy . In one comedy sketch , he mimicked a real-life incident in which President Gerald Ford accidentally tripped while disembarking from Air Force One in Salzburg , Austria. This portrayal of President Ford as

10823-425: The group "a bad jazz band"; Becker and Fagen later founded the successful group Steely Dan . Chase has perfect pitch . He played drums and keyboards for a rock band called Chamaeleon Church , which recorded one album for MGM Records before disbanding in 1969. To give the album a more soft-rock sound, producer Alan Lorber made several alterations in the mixing, including the muting of Chase's bass drum, and Chase

10960-402: The incident. In a talk show appearance in 2021, Newman noted of the altercation, "it was very sad and painful and awful". She went on to say, "I think they both knew the one thing that they could say to one another that would hurt the most and that's what I think incited it." Chase and Murray would later reconcile to star together in Caddyshack in 1980. On September 23, 1993, Chase received

11097-407: The latter's idea for a variety show featuring high-concept comedy sketches, political satire, and music performances that would attract 18- to 34-year-old viewers. NBC decided to base the new show at their studios in 30 Rockefeller Center . Michaels was given Studio 8H , a converted radio studio that was home to NBC's election and Apollo moon landing coverage. It was revamped for the premiere at

11234-418: The live aspect of the show. Exceptions are made only when the musical act is focused on intense dance routines instead of vocals, where it is difficult to be both heavily physically active and sing. A 1975 performance by pop group ABBA was the first and only act to feature lip-synching, until the controversial 2004 performance of Ashlee Simpson . The December 18, 2021, episode (hosted by Paul Rudd ) became

11371-780: The mixing of audio and video elements by the Senior Audio Mixer, coupled with additional audio feeds consisting of music, sound effects, music scoring, and pre-recorded voiceovers. All sources are stored digitally, with shows captured and segregated into individual elements to reorganize for future repeats and syndication. The production tracking system was migrated from primarily analog to digital in 1998, with live shows typically requiring 1.5 terabytes of storage, consisting of audio elements and five cameras' worth of visual elements. Elements of Saturday Night Live that are pre-recorded, such as certain commercial parodies, SNL Digital Shorts , and show graphics are processed off-site in

11508-399: The necessary competencies. There are also differences between household and individual income . In 2005, 42% of US households (76% among the top quintile ) had two or more income earners ; as a result, 18% of households but only 5% of individuals had six-figure incomes . To illustrate, two nurses each making $ 55,000 per year can out-earn, in a household sense, a single attorney who makes

11645-633: The night into the following morning. Writing may not begin until 8:00   p.m. on Tuesday. At 5:00   p.m. on Wednesday, the sketches are read by the cast during a round-table meeting in the writers' room, attended by the writers and producers present during the pitch meeting, technical experts such as make-up artists, who may be required to realize certain sketch ideas such as those using prosthetics, and other producers, resulting in attendance of approximately fifty people. At this point, there may be at least forty sketch ideas that are read-through in turn, lasting upwards of three hours. After completion of

11782-561: The oft-publicized urban legend that he was expelled for harboring a cow in his fourth floor room, although his former roommate David Felsen asserted in a 2003 interview that Chase left for academic reasons. Chase transferred to Bard College in Annandale-on-Hudson, New York , where he studied a pre-med curriculum and graduated in 1967 with a Bachelor of Arts in English. Chase did not enter medical school , which meant he

11919-444: The option of rejecting the first two sitcom offers but must accept the third offer, with the sitcom contract length dictated by NBC and potentially lasting up to six years. The move drew criticism from talent agents and managers who believed a cast member could be locked into a contract with NBC for twelve years—six on SNL and then six on a sitcom. The contract also optioned the cast member for three feature films produced by SNL Films,

12056-404: The original head writer, Michael O'Donoghue . NBC's Saturday Night debuted on October 11, 1975, with an episode featuring Carlin as host. The original title was used because the Saturday Night Live title was in use by Saturday Night Live with Howard Cosell on rival network ABC . After the cancellation of Cosell's show in 1976, NBC purchased the rights to the name and officially changed

12193-451: The post-production facilities of Broadway Video . Studio 8H production facilities are maintained by NBC Production Services. As of 2018, the show uses five Sony HDC-1500 cameras, primarily mounted on Vinten pedestals , although one is mounted on a Chapman-Leonard Electra crane. As of 2014, a Grass Valley GVG 4000-3 digital component production switcher and GVG 7000 digital component routing switcher are used to route visual feeds to

12330-457: The predominant indicators. In the United States, the upper middle class is defined as consisting mostly of white-collar professionals who not only have above-average personal incomes and advanced educational degrees but also a higher degree of autonomy in their work. The main occupational tasks of upper-middle-class individuals tend to center on conceptualizing, consulting, and instruction. The American middle class (and its subdivisions)

12467-654: The pretension of his mother's side of the family, as embodied by her mother, Cattie. As a child, Chase vacationed at Castle Hill , the Cranes' summer estate in Ipswich, Massachusetts . Chase's parents divorced when he was four; his father remarried into the Folgers coffee family, and his mother remarried twice. He has stated that he grew up in an upper middle class environment and that his adoptive maternal grandfather did not bequeath any assets to Chase's mother when he died. In

12604-400: The read-through, Michaels, the head writer, the guest host, and some of the show producers will move to Michaels' office to decide the layout of the show and decide which of the sketches will be developed for air. Once complete, the writers and cast are allowed into Michaels's office to view the show breakdown and learn whether or not their sketch has survived. Sketches may be rewritten starting

12741-439: The role down to work on Foul Play . The role went to Tim Matheson instead. Chase said in an interview that he chose to do Foul Play so he could do "real acting" for the first time in his career instead of just doing "schtick". Chase followed Foul Play with the successful Harold Ramis comedy Caddyshack , in 1980. Caddyshack was a major box office success, pulling in $ 39 million off a $ 6 million budget. It has since become

12878-424: The same day, but will certainly commence on Thursday. Work focuses on developing and rewriting the remaining sketches and possibly rehearsals. If a sketch is still scheduled beyond Thursday, it is rehearsed on Friday or Saturday before moving to a rehearsal before a live audience at 8:00   p.m., again on Saturday, before the live show. After the rehearsal, Michaels will review the show lineup to ensure it meets

13015-438: The segment since 2011 ; and has been the segment's head writer since 2014) The segment's previous head writer was Alex Baze (who wrote for the segment from 2004 to 2014 , and was the head writer of the segment starting with the 2011–12 season, until his aforementioned 2014 departure). Scenes on Weekend Update that involve members of the cast acting in-character alongside the host are often written by staff writers outside

13152-438: The show after the 1978–1979 season to make The Blues Brothers , and as the fifth season ended in 1980, Michaels asked executives to place the show on hiatus for a year in order to allow him time to pursue other projects. Michaels suggested writers Al Franken , Tom Davis , and Jim Downey as his replacements; NBC president Fred Silverman disliked Franken and was infuriated by his Update routine in May 1980, called " A Limo for

13289-447: The show and commercial breaks, the second episode used photos Baskin had already taken of host Paul Simon . It was then that Michaels suggested that Baskin photograph the hosts for the bumpers instead of using publicity photos, beginning a tradition that continues today. Since 1999, Mary Ellen Matthews has been the official photographer of SNL , responsible for devising distinctive photo layouts and aesthetics for still imagery used on

13426-409: The show for longer than they may have otherwise. In January 2024, Variety said that "speculation [had] been rampant for years" that Michaels would retire from the series after its fiftieth season , premiering in 2024. Michaels told Entertainment Tonight that month that former head writer and cast member Tina Fey could "easily" be his successor, were he to step down, but said he had not made

13563-474: The show had received over 305 Primetime Emmy Award nominations, the most received by any television program. The live aspect of the show has resulted in several controversies and acts of censorship, with mistakes and intentional acts of sabotage by performers and guests. Beginning in 1965, NBC network affiliates broadcast reruns of The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson on Saturday or Sunday nights. In 1974, Johnny Carson petitioned to NBC executives for

13700-503: The show to largely avoid jokes about President Ronald Reagan during his time as showrunner. Under Ebersol's leadership, Eddie Murphy, who had been underused during Doumanian's tenure, rose to prominence with popular characters such as Mister Robinson's Neighborhood and Gumby . His success was a major factor in the show's resurgence, though it created tensions within the cast. In a break with tradition, producers hired established comedians such as Billy Crystal and Martin Short for

13837-557: The show's 25th anniversary special in 1999 and was interviewed for a 2005 NBC special on the first five years of SNL . Later appearances included a Caddyshack skit featuring Bill Murray, a 1997 episode with guest host Chris Farley , as the Land Shark in a Weekend Update segment in 2001, another Weekend Update segment in 2007, and in Justin Timberlake 's monologue in 2013 as a member of the Five-Timers Club , where he

13974-469: The show's creator Dan Harmon . After a mutual agreement with the network, his character was abruptly written out of the fourth season of Community . Chase later claimed that his exit was due to his personal opinions of the show rather than the outburst, claiming that it "wasn't funny enough". His departure was cemented by the writers making the creative decision to kill off Pierce, in the third episode of Community 's fifth season . In 2010, he appeared in

14111-466: The show's first five seasons included Belushi's samurai , the Coneheads (Aykroyd, Curtin, Newman), and Radner's Roseanne Roseannadanna . Drugs were a major problem during the show's first five years, which exacerbated existing tensions. Cocaine had become an "integral part of the working progress" on SNL by the 1978–1979 season , according to Doug Hill and Jeff Weingrad. Aykroyd and Belushi left

14248-435: The show's humor, cast, and backstage dysfunction. The show's cast was largely overhauled for the 1995–1996 season with names such as Will Ferrell and Cheri Oteri , which was successful at revitalizing the show. The show faced new competition during this period in the form of Fox ' s sketch comedy show Mad TV , which aired a half hour earlier than SNL and featured a more diverse cast. The 2000–2001 season

14385-541: The show's name to Saturday Night Live at the start of the 1977–1978 season . The cast was initially paid $ 750 per episode, and essentially lived at the offices, according to Michaels. The show found its footing by the fourth episode, hosted by Candice Bergen , which featured the cast in most segments. The show developed a cult following , and its humor was seen as refreshing and daring, in comparison to previous sketch and variety shows that would rarely deal with controversial topics and issues. Iconic characters during

14522-409: The show's writing staff in the show's second season in 1977) is not only the show's longest-tenured head writer, but he is also overall the show's longest-tenured writer in the show's history. As he wrote for the show on-and-off for 30 years, formally retiring from the show in 2013 . Experienced writers with backgrounds in television shows are also sometimes brought into the SNL writing room. Like

14659-461: The show, recommending that new stars such as Chris Farley and Adam Sandler be fired and critiquing the costly nature of performing the show live. Criticism of the show's writing increased during this period, which reached its peak by the 1994–1995 season , which is considered one of the series' worst. A widely publicized profile of the show in New York during this period was highly critical of

14796-434: The show. Taped material significantly increased in the mid-2000s with SNL Digital Shorts by The Lonely Island , and continued into the following years with videos by Good Neighbor and Please Don't Destroy . The cast continued to evolve significantly into the 2010s as several longtime cast members such as Bill Hader and Kristen Wiig left the series. The 2013–2014 season saw the hiring of seven new cast members in

14933-442: The show. In 1980, Michaels left the show to explore other opportunities. He was replaced by Jean Doumanian , who was then replaced by Ebersol after a season of bad reviews. Ebersol ran the show until 1985, when Michaels returned. Since then, Michaels has held the job of showrunner . Many SNL cast members have found national stardom while appearing on the show, and achieved success in film and television, both in front of and behind

15070-607: The show. Throughout five decades on air, Saturday Night Live has received a vast number of awards, including 84 Primetime Emmy Awards , six Writers Guild of America Awards , and three Peabody Awards . In 2000, it was inducted into the National Association of Broadcasters Hall of Fame . It was ranked tenth in TV Guide ' s " 50 Greatest TV Shows of All Time " list, and in 2007 it was listed as one of Time ' s "100 Best TV Shows of All- TIME. " As of 2022,

15207-719: The show. In Rolling Stone ' s February 2015 appraisal of all 141 SNL cast members to date, Chase was ranked tenth in overall importance. "Strange as it sounds, Chase might be the most under -rated SNL player," they wrote. "It took him only one season to define the franchise…without that deadpan arrogance, the whole SNL style of humor would fall flat." In a 1975 New York magazine cover story, which called him "The funniest man in America", NBC executives referred to Chase as "The first real potential successor to Johnny Carson " and claimed he would begin guest-hosting The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson within six months of

15344-454: The show. Matthews creates photo portraits of the hosts and musical guests of each episode which are used as commercial bumpers. The limited time frame between the host's involvement in the production process and the Live show requires Matthews to create makeshift photo studios on-site at 30   Rock, with Matthews attempting to shoot the host on Tuesday and the musical guest on Thursday, although

15481-443: The sitcom Community , as aging moist-towelette tycoon Pierce Hawthorne . The show was created by Dan Harmon and starred Joel McHale , Alison Brie , Gillian Jacobs , Donald Glover , Danny Pudi , and Yvette Nicole Brown . The series received critical acclaim for its acting and writing, appeared on numerous critics' year-end "best-of" lists and developed a cult following . The New York Times critic Alessandra Stanley praised

15618-526: The special John Mulaney & the Sack Lunch Bunch . Don Pardo served as the announcer for the series when it began and continued in the role for all but season seven, between 1981 and 1982, when Michaels had left and Mel Brandt and Bill Hanrahan filled the announcing role. In 2004 Pardo announced that he would step down from his position, but then continued in the role until 2009 when he again announced his retirement, but then continued into

15755-570: The success of the upper middle class is the growing importance of educational certification ... its lifestyles and opinions are becoming increasingly normative for the whole society. It is in fact a porous class, open to people ... who earn the right credentials. In addition to having autonomy in their work, above-average incomes, and advanced educations, the upper middle class also tends to be influential, setting trends and largely shaping public opinion. Overall, members of this class are also secure from economic down-turns and, unlike their counterparts in

15892-412: The summer 2005 shooting hiatus, crews began renovations on Studio 8H. With its thirty-first-season premiere in October 2005, the show began broadcasting in high-definition television , appearing letterboxed on conventional television screens. The offices of SNL writers, producers, and other staff can be found on the 17th floor of "30   Rock". Production on an SNL episode will normally start on

16029-456: The telecast in 1988 with the quip, "Good evening, Hollywood phonies!" Chase filmed a sequel to Vacation , 1985's National Lampoon's European Vacation , this movie pulling in just shy of $ 50 million at the box office, and then a third film, National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation in 1989, which pulled in $ 71 million and, thanks to its holiday theme, has become one of his more durable films. He played saxophone onstage at Simon's free concert at

16166-501: The three- to four-member dedicated Weekend Update writing team will write jokes throughout the week. The host(s) of Weekend Update will normally not work with or read the scripts from the team until Thursday evening after the main show sketches have been finalized. The host(s) will then work on contributing to the script where necessary. With onsite facilities housed on floors eight and seventeen of Rockefeller Plaza, post-production duties on live broadcasts of Saturday Night Live include

16303-458: The threshold for entering the top 15% of American household incomes is $ 202,000 The above income thresholds may vary greatly based on region due to significant differences in average income based on region and urban, suburban, or rural development. In more expensive suburbs, the threshold for the top 15% of income earners may be much higher. For example, in 2006 the ten highest income counties had median household incomes of $ 85,000 compared to

16440-461: The town of Stockbridge , Massachusetts . At Stockbridge, he was known as a practical joker with an occasional mean streak. He attended Haverford College during the 1962–1963 term, where he was noted for slapstick comedy and an absurd sense of physical humor, including his signature pratfalls and "sticking forks into his orifices". During a 2009 interview on the Today show, he ostensibly verified

16577-478: The training or experience necessary for SNL . The cast is divided into two tiers: the more established group of repertory players; and newer, unproven cast members known as featured players, who may eventually be promoted to the repertory stable. Of the many roles available in the show, one of the longest-running and most coveted is being the host of Weekend Update , a segment featuring one or two hosts, who get substantial screen time performing as themselves. Many of

16714-475: The weekend shows to be pulled and saved so they could be aired during weeknights, allowing him to take time off. In response, NBC president Herbert Schlosser approached the vice president of late-night programming, Dick Ebersol , and asked him to create a show to fill the Saturday night time slot. Schlosser and Ebersol then approached Lorne Michaels . Over the next three weeks, Ebersol and Michaels developed

16851-415: Was a Princeton -educated Manhattan book editor and magazine writer. Chase's paternal grandfather was artist and illustrator Edward Leigh Chase , and his great-uncle was painter and teacher Frank Swift Chase . His mother, Cathalene Parker (née Browning; 1923–2005), was a concert pianist and librettist , whose father, Rear Admiral Miles Browning , served as Admiral Raymond A. Spruance 's Chief of Staff on

16988-496: Was a sizeable hit at $ 25 million and currently has a 65% approval rate on Rotten Tomatoes. At the height of his career in the late 1980s, Chase earned around US$ 7 million per film and was a highly visible celebrity. He appeared alongside Paul Simon , one of his best friends, in Simon's 1986 second video for " You Can Call Me Al ", in which he lip-syncs all of Simon's lyrics. Chase hosted the Academy Awards in 1987 and 1988, opening

17125-569: Was admitted to the Betty Ford Center for treatment of a prescription painkiller addiction. His use began after he experienced ongoing back pain related to the pratfalls he took during his Saturday Night Live appearances. In 2010, he said that his drug abuse had been "low level." He entered the Hazelden Clinic in September 2016 to receive treatment for alcoholism . An active environmentalist and philanthropist , Chase

17262-755: Was bestowed by his grandmother from the medieval English ballad " The Ballad of Chevy Chase ". As a descendant of the Scottish Clan Douglas , she thought the name appropriate. Chase is a 14th-generation New Yorker, and was listed in the Social Register at an early age. His mother's ancestors arrived in Manhattan starting in 1624 — among those ancestors are: According to his step-brother John: [Chevy] once told me that people who defined themselves in terms of their ancestry were like potatoes—the best parts of them were underground. He disdained

17399-656: Was formalized on December 4, 1976, and ended in divorce on November 14, 1980; they had no children. Chase resided in Pacific Palisades, Los Angeles from 1980 until 1995 in a Tudor-style home . He was the Honorary Mayor of Pacific Palisades between 1986 and 1988. He married his third wife, Jayni Luke, in Pacific Palisades on June 19, 1982. He and Luke have three daughters, Cydney, Caley, and Emily. The couple reside in Bedford, New York . In 1986, Chase

17536-502: Was indefinitely halted on March 16, 2020. The season was later resumed in April with three remotely produced episodes labelled Saturday Night Live at Home , and the show returned to Studio 8H in October 2020. After the 2021–2022 season , many longtime cast members left the show in a major cast overhaul, including Aidy Bryant , Kate McKinnon , and Pete Davidson ; Michaels said that the pandemic had led to some cast members staying with

17673-413: Was later revived as a segment on The Chevy Chase Show , a short-lived late-night talk show produced by Chase and broadcast by Fox Broadcasting Company . Chase was committed contractually to SNL for only one year as a writer and became a cast member during rehearsals just before the show's premiere. He received two Emmy Awards and a Golden Globe Award for his comedy writing and live comic acting on

17810-472: Was notable for its well-received spoofing of that year's presidential campaign between Al Gore and George W. Bush . The show's New York City cast and crew were highly impacted by the September 11 attacks in 2001, and returned on September 29 with an acclaimed appearance by Rudy Giuliani . Political humor was reduced for the following seasons. The show switched to high-definition broadcasting for

17947-451: Was replaced by Bill Murray, although he made a few cameo appearances on the show during the second season. Chase hosted SNL eight times from 1978 to 1997. In regards to Chase's 1997 appearance as a host, SNL creator and show-runner Lorne Michaels disputed reports that he was shocked by Chase's behavior or had banned him as a result, claims which he calls "idiotic". While Chase has not returned to SNL to host since 1997, he appeared on

18084-424: Was reportedly incensed when he heard the final mix. Chase was a member of an early underground comedy ensemble called Channel One, which he co-founded in 1967. He also wrote a one-page spoof of Mission: Impossible for Mad magazine in 1970 and was a writer for the short-lived Smothers Brothers TV show comeback in the spring of 1975. Chase made the move to comedy as a full-time career by 1973, when he became

18221-551: Was retiring at the end of the season. A three-hour prime-time live broadcast to celebrate the series' fiftieth anniversary will air on February 16, 2025. Those selected to join the cast of SNL are normally already accomplished performers, recruited from improvisational comedy groups such as The Groundlings (Newman, Hartman, Will Ferrell , Jon Lovitz , Kristen Wiig ) and The Second City (Aykroyd, Farley, Tina Fey , Tim Meadows ), or established stand-up comedians (Carvey, Sandler, Macdonald, Chris Rock ), who already possess

18358-551: Was reunited with his Three Amigos co-stars Steve Martin and Martin Short . He also participated in the 40th anniversary special in February 2015. Chase's early film roles included Tunnel Vision , the box office hit Foul Play that earned more than $ 44 million, and Oh! Heavenly Dog . The role of Eric "Otter" Stratton in National Lampoon's Animal House was originally written with Chase in mind, but he turned

18495-522: Was subject to the military draft . Chase was not drafted, and when he appeared in January 1989 as the first guest of the just-launched late-night The Pat Sajak Show , he said he had "convinced" his draft board he deserved a 4-F classification by "'falsely' claiming, among other things, that he had homosexual tendencies". He played drums with the college band The Leather Canary, headed by school friends Walter Becker and Donald Fagen . Chase has called

18632-475: Was the show's "biggest moment since the 70s", and Michaels observed that it made Fey a "huge star" and that "you could see perception changing completely". Armisen played Barack Obama from 2008 to 2012, following which cast member Jay Pharoah assumed the impression. The show began to rely more on pre-recorded material and videos more than it ever had before during this period, to the extent that some commentators said it had sometimes outshined live material on

18769-411: Was unavailable. Hammond took over as full-time announcer starting with season 40 . A typical episode of SNL will feature a single host chosen for their popularity or novelty, or because they have a film, album, or other work being released near the time of their appearance on the show. The host delivers the opening monologue and goodnights, introduces the musical guest, and performs in sketches with

#453546