1 00:00:09,162 --> 00:00:10,202 Speaker 1: Art originals. 2 00:00:10,362 --> 00:00:12,482 Speaker 2: This is an iHeart original. 3 00:00:21,482 --> 00:00:25,962 Speaker 3: On October eighth, nineteen seventy seven, Connie Crawford did what 4 00:00:26,162 --> 00:00:29,482 Speaker 3: a lot of college students were doing every Saturday night. 5 00:00:30,282 --> 00:00:33,482 Speaker 2: I was in my first year at college, and every 6 00:00:33,602 --> 00:00:37,962 Speaker 2: Saturday night, every party shut down and we would all go. 7 00:00:38,562 --> 00:00:41,282 Speaker 2: There was only one TV and every dorm, and it 8 00:00:41,322 --> 00:00:45,522 Speaker 2: was usually one of those big console, old fashioned TVs, 9 00:00:45,922 --> 00:00:49,602 Speaker 2: and everybody would gather around and watch Saturday Night Live. 10 00:00:50,522 --> 00:00:53,882 Speaker 3: That's Connie that year. She was a freshman at Vassar, 11 00:00:54,082 --> 00:00:57,242 Speaker 3: a liberal arts school in Poughkeepsie, New York. As you 12 00:00:57,322 --> 00:01:00,882 Speaker 3: might imagine, parties were frequent. It took a lot for 13 00:01:01,042 --> 00:01:04,442 Speaker 3: students to pass one up in favor of watching television, 14 00:01:05,042 --> 00:01:10,442 Speaker 3: but SNL managed to lure them in. It was hip, irreverent, 15 00:01:11,002 --> 00:01:15,282 Speaker 3: it spoke to them. The entire cast, from John Belushi 16 00:01:15,362 --> 00:01:19,162 Speaker 3: to Gilda Radner to Bill Murray, were becoming some of 17 00:01:19,202 --> 00:01:23,802 Speaker 3: the most famous comic actors in the country. Connie, however, 18 00:01:24,042 --> 00:01:27,002 Speaker 3: was a fan of one cast member in particular. 19 00:01:27,522 --> 00:01:30,442 Speaker 2: Well, they were all great, but I had a crush 20 00:01:30,482 --> 00:01:34,322 Speaker 2: on dan Aykroyd, and when I was in high school, 21 00:01:34,602 --> 00:01:37,042 Speaker 2: I think in the first year Saturday Night Live came out. 22 00:01:37,522 --> 00:01:40,602 Speaker 2: I wrote him a fan letter, and he sent me 23 00:01:40,642 --> 00:01:43,362 Speaker 2: back a picture of him on a motorcycle and in 24 00:01:43,522 --> 00:01:46,442 Speaker 2: crayon underneath. Because I think he thought I was a child. 25 00:01:47,442 --> 00:01:51,442 Speaker 2: He wrote Connie Let's Ride to Nicaragua Together Loved Dan. 26 00:01:52,482 --> 00:01:56,162 Speaker 3: As Connie and her friends watched the episode, something a 27 00:01:56,202 --> 00:02:01,162 Speaker 3: little strange happened. There on screen was Lourene Michaels, the 28 00:02:01,322 --> 00:02:05,882 Speaker 3: creator and executive producer of the show. Michaels was making 29 00:02:05,962 --> 00:02:09,642 Speaker 3: an offer of sorts to the audience, and it wasn't 30 00:02:09,682 --> 00:02:14,722 Speaker 3: a bit. SNL was holding a contest that any viewer 31 00:02:14,762 --> 00:02:18,042 Speaker 3: could enter. The winner would be flown to New York 32 00:02:18,082 --> 00:02:23,482 Speaker 3: City and enter thirty Rockefeller Center on Saturday, December seventeenth, 33 00:02:23,682 --> 00:02:28,962 Speaker 3: nineteen seventy seven for the Christmas episode. That person would 34 00:02:29,002 --> 00:02:33,162 Speaker 3: be the first, and to date, the only civilian to 35 00:02:33,402 --> 00:02:37,482 Speaker 3: ever get one of the most coveted assignments in show business, 36 00:02:38,082 --> 00:02:44,082 Speaker 3: hosting Saturday Night Live. Entries came pouring in, well over 37 00:02:44,242 --> 00:02:48,602 Speaker 3: one hundred thousand of them, with everyone from aspiring performers 38 00:02:48,682 --> 00:02:52,842 Speaker 3: to housewives to at least one governor vying for the spot. 39 00:02:53,482 --> 00:02:57,402 Speaker 3: Some people showed up in person and only partially clothed. 40 00:02:58,242 --> 00:03:02,442 Speaker 3: But was it really possible for anyone to host SNL. 41 00:03:02,842 --> 00:03:06,882 Speaker 3: Could an amateur hold their own against the likes of Belushi, 42 00:03:06,962 --> 00:03:11,602 Speaker 3: Hurry and Radner? Or was SNL setting itself up for 43 00:03:11,922 --> 00:03:21,322 Speaker 3: an epic disaster? Welcome back to Very Special Episodes and 44 00:03:21,482 --> 00:03:26,322 Speaker 3: iHeart original podcast. I'm your host, Dana Schwartz, and this 45 00:03:26,602 --> 00:03:30,042 Speaker 3: is live from New York. It's your grandmother. 46 00:03:33,122 --> 00:03:35,642 Speaker 4: Welcome back to Very Special Episodes. I am one of 47 00:03:35,642 --> 00:03:40,042 Speaker 4: your hosts, Jason English. There's a famous tweet that reservices 48 00:03:40,122 --> 00:03:44,802 Speaker 4: during every Olympics. It goes something like, in each Olympic event, 49 00:03:45,122 --> 00:03:47,962 Speaker 4: there should be a normal person competing for reference, just 50 00:03:48,002 --> 00:03:52,242 Speaker 4: to show you how phenomenal the actual Olympians are. Today's 51 00:03:52,282 --> 00:03:55,602 Speaker 4: Very Special episode is the television equivalent what would a 52 00:03:55,682 --> 00:03:59,362 Speaker 4: chaotic sketch comedy variety show look like if you just 53 00:03:59,722 --> 00:04:03,722 Speaker 4: picked somebody or somebody's grandma off the street. I will 54 00:04:03,802 --> 00:04:06,402 Speaker 4: let Dana tell you in a minute. First, a quick 55 00:04:06,442 --> 00:04:09,962 Speaker 4: housekeep announcement. We are all hard at work here behind 56 00:04:09,962 --> 00:04:13,402 Speaker 4: the scenes on our next full batch of Very Special Episodes. 57 00:04:13,802 --> 00:04:18,002 Speaker 4: We'll be back to our regular weekly cadence later next month. 58 00:04:18,442 --> 00:04:21,602 Speaker 4: We're talking about adding in a second, still pretty special 59 00:04:21,762 --> 00:04:25,522 Speaker 4: episode on Saturdays. This spring. We'll keep working on that 60 00:04:26,002 --> 00:04:29,522 Speaker 4: and I'll give it back to Dana. 61 00:04:29,682 --> 00:04:32,762 Speaker 3: When Lauren Michaels launched Saturday Night Live in the fall 62 00:04:32,802 --> 00:04:36,202 Speaker 3: of nineteen seventy five, he knew he wanted a different 63 00:04:36,402 --> 00:04:40,562 Speaker 3: guest host each week. Watching a famous actor or comedian 64 00:04:40,682 --> 00:04:44,002 Speaker 3: or athlete get thrown into the choppy waters of live 65 00:04:44,082 --> 00:04:48,482 Speaker 3: sketch comedy is what helped give SNL its reputation for 66 00:04:48,562 --> 00:04:52,122 Speaker 3: being dangerous, and it was also good for ratings. 67 00:04:52,642 --> 00:04:54,002 Speaker 1: Was just not to be missed. 68 00:04:54,202 --> 00:04:56,842 Speaker 5: You know, whatever else you had pends on Saturday night, 69 00:04:57,042 --> 00:04:58,962 Speaker 5: you wanted to get home by eleven thirty so you 70 00:04:58,962 --> 00:05:01,602 Speaker 5: could watch this show. And I mean it just spoke 71 00:05:01,642 --> 00:05:04,722 Speaker 5: to me. The idea was to blow up the convention 72 00:05:04,922 --> 00:05:06,802 Speaker 5: of the variety show with the sketch show. 73 00:05:07,402 --> 00:05:12,002 Speaker 3: That's Bill Carter. Bill is a longtime television critic who's 74 00:05:12,042 --> 00:05:15,402 Speaker 3: covered Late Night for The New York Times since nineteen 75 00:05:15,522 --> 00:05:20,042 Speaker 3: eighty nine. He's also written several books, including The Late Shift, 76 00:05:20,402 --> 00:05:23,962 Speaker 3: a definitive account of the war for Johnny Carson's chair 77 00:05:24,042 --> 00:05:27,922 Speaker 3: at The Tonight Show in the early nineties. His coverage 78 00:05:27,922 --> 00:05:32,162 Speaker 3: of SNL actually dates to the very first episode, a 79 00:05:32,282 --> 00:05:36,842 Speaker 3: time when SNL was less a pop culture phenomenon and 80 00:05:36,962 --> 00:05:39,522 Speaker 3: more of a what the heck is this thing? 81 00:05:40,282 --> 00:05:42,682 Speaker 1: So I was right on top of it when it started. 82 00:05:42,802 --> 00:05:47,122 Speaker 5: And my own situation was pretty interesting because the NBC 83 00:05:47,282 --> 00:05:52,002 Speaker 5: affiliate in Baltimore, WBAL, did not originally carry the show. 84 00:05:52,322 --> 00:05:54,842 Speaker 5: They did not sign on to carry Saturday Night Live 85 00:05:54,842 --> 00:05:57,122 Speaker 5: when it started, so I had to watch the first 86 00:05:57,202 --> 00:06:00,242 Speaker 5: I don't know how many four six episodes something on 87 00:06:00,482 --> 00:06:04,362 Speaker 5: your old antenna TV and trying to get a picture 88 00:06:04,442 --> 00:06:09,082 Speaker 5: through snow from the Washington and affiliate Baltimore. 89 00:06:09,242 --> 00:06:12,682 Speaker 3: Soon caught on, and so did the rest of the country. 90 00:06:13,362 --> 00:06:18,682 Speaker 3: SNL was unlike anything television had produced up to that point. 91 00:06:18,762 --> 00:06:22,122 Speaker 3: There had been variety shows like The Smothers Brothers and 92 00:06:22,362 --> 00:06:27,082 Speaker 3: laugh In with sketches and special guests, and even politicians 93 00:06:27,122 --> 00:06:32,002 Speaker 3: like Richard Nixon spoofing their own image. But SNL took 94 00:06:32,042 --> 00:06:34,442 Speaker 3: it further, much further. 95 00:06:35,602 --> 00:06:38,242 Speaker 5: It was an incredible breath of fresh air to me, 96 00:06:38,482 --> 00:06:40,602 Speaker 5: and it was aimed toward me. I mean, I was 97 00:06:40,722 --> 00:06:43,642 Speaker 5: recent college graduates. You know what else did I want? 98 00:06:43,682 --> 00:06:45,522 Speaker 5: I watched some of those shows, but it wasn't like 99 00:06:45,682 --> 00:06:48,562 Speaker 5: they spoke to the generation I felt like I belonged to, 100 00:06:49,282 --> 00:06:50,922 Speaker 5: and this show did. 101 00:06:51,562 --> 00:06:55,082 Speaker 1: It had the vibe of the stage show. 102 00:06:54,842 --> 00:06:57,282 Speaker 5: Had been done called Lemmings, which I had actually seen 103 00:06:57,362 --> 00:07:00,282 Speaker 5: an off Broadway show, and interestingly, it had both Chevy 104 00:07:00,362 --> 00:07:03,562 Speaker 5: Chase and John Belushi in it. So when Saturday Life 105 00:07:03,602 --> 00:07:05,402 Speaker 5: came out, I had seen them. I'd seen them on 106 00:07:05,442 --> 00:07:08,962 Speaker 5: stage doing this kind of antique kind of stuff, and 107 00:07:09,042 --> 00:07:13,042 Speaker 5: I was very open to it. I really responded to it, 108 00:07:13,682 --> 00:07:16,282 Speaker 5: and I think they just hit it. They hit the 109 00:07:16,322 --> 00:07:18,442 Speaker 5: mark so well from the beginning. 110 00:07:19,122 --> 00:07:22,202 Speaker 3: The humor was born out of the Lemmings, Second City, 111 00:07:22,442 --> 00:07:28,562 Speaker 3: National Lampoon, all institutions where edgy comedy was thriving. Performers 112 00:07:28,722 --> 00:07:32,562 Speaker 3: like Chevy Chase, John Belushi, Jane Curtin and others were 113 00:07:32,562 --> 00:07:36,922 Speaker 3: coming out of those improvisational troops and becoming major stars. 114 00:07:37,562 --> 00:07:41,962 Speaker 3: They got the cover of New York Magazine. There were 115 00:07:42,082 --> 00:07:46,322 Speaker 3: drugs and rock and roll and movies beckoning. SNL became 116 00:07:46,562 --> 00:07:50,362 Speaker 3: the cool hangout. Mick Jagger might have been too big 117 00:07:50,442 --> 00:07:52,882 Speaker 3: to perform on the show, but he was more than 118 00:07:52,922 --> 00:07:57,802 Speaker 3: willing to show up and watch. But one thing SNL did, 119 00:07:58,482 --> 00:08:02,642 Speaker 3: rather something it almost had to do, was very uncool. 120 00:08:03,722 --> 00:08:08,642 Speaker 3: It was the time tested publicity stunt, something out of 121 00:08:08,682 --> 00:08:11,962 Speaker 3: the norm to stir up the media or to drum 122 00:08:12,122 --> 00:08:16,642 Speaker 3: up ratings for sweeps weeks when networks try to grab 123 00:08:16,802 --> 00:08:20,162 Speaker 3: big ratings so they can charge more for advertising. 124 00:08:20,802 --> 00:08:23,922 Speaker 5: They were still becoming sort of part of the network 125 00:08:24,162 --> 00:08:26,642 Speaker 5: while they were, you know, kind of the underground part 126 00:08:26,682 --> 00:08:30,522 Speaker 5: of the network, and Lauren, who's very skillful at managing 127 00:08:30,602 --> 00:08:33,562 Speaker 5: up and always was, I'm sure, was able to sort 128 00:08:33,602 --> 00:08:36,402 Speaker 5: of wrangle this, you know, and say it'll be different, 129 00:08:36,482 --> 00:08:38,762 Speaker 5: let's just try it. And as time went on, they 130 00:08:38,802 --> 00:08:41,442 Speaker 5: didn't really need to do that anymore because they got 131 00:08:41,642 --> 00:08:45,282 Speaker 5: tremendous leverage and they just got this following that wasn't 132 00:08:45,362 --> 00:08:47,962 Speaker 5: gonna all of a sudden kick up wildly because they 133 00:08:48,002 --> 00:08:49,242 Speaker 5: went to a different location. 134 00:08:50,122 --> 00:08:53,322 Speaker 3: But in the early years they weren't above a ratings stunt. 135 00:08:53,722 --> 00:08:57,162 Speaker 3: In the show's second season, NBC arranged for the show 136 00:08:57,242 --> 00:09:02,122 Speaker 3: to air its first and only on location broadcast. Think 137 00:09:02,122 --> 00:09:06,322 Speaker 3: of it as a very special episode of SNL. The 138 00:09:06,402 --> 00:09:10,962 Speaker 3: cast and crew headed for Marty Grass. The idea came 139 00:09:11,002 --> 00:09:14,962 Speaker 3: from Lorne Michaels, who thought sketches based in and around 140 00:09:15,082 --> 00:09:18,882 Speaker 3: the celebration would add a different flavor to the show. 141 00:09:19,522 --> 00:09:23,562 Speaker 3: Cast member Jane Curtin and comic actor Buck Henry would 142 00:09:23,562 --> 00:09:28,042 Speaker 3: anchor the parade itself, commenting on the sites. It aired 143 00:09:28,162 --> 00:09:31,482 Speaker 3: at the more reasonable time slot of nine thirty and 144 00:09:31,602 --> 00:09:40,122 Speaker 3: on a Sunday, and almost immediately things went south. A 145 00:09:40,162 --> 00:09:43,402 Speaker 3: pedestrian was struck by one of the cars in the 146 00:09:43,442 --> 00:09:46,682 Speaker 3: Bacchus parade, which brought it to a halt and messed 147 00:09:46,722 --> 00:09:51,282 Speaker 3: up the show's timing completely. Guest star Cindy Williams, who 148 00:09:51,402 --> 00:09:54,362 Speaker 3: was supposed to appear with her Laverne and Shirley co 149 00:09:54,522 --> 00:09:57,962 Speaker 3: star Penny Marshall, got lost on the way to the shoot. 150 00:09:58,762 --> 00:10:02,242 Speaker 3: Unlike the studio audience in New York, this one was 151 00:10:02,322 --> 00:10:06,522 Speaker 3: made up of mostly drunk college kids who began throwing 152 00:10:06,642 --> 00:10:11,042 Speaker 3: gold coins, beads, and beer cans at the cast. The 153 00:10:11,122 --> 00:10:17,762 Speaker 3: episode never really recovered. Michaels found out SNL could never 154 00:10:17,882 --> 00:10:22,442 Speaker 3: be a traveling road show, but he wasn't done experimenting. 155 00:10:23,042 --> 00:10:26,682 Speaker 3: The next season, he made a rare on screen appearance, 156 00:10:27,242 --> 00:10:31,562 Speaker 3: speaking directly into the camera and with a perfect straight 157 00:10:31,642 --> 00:10:36,802 Speaker 3: man's delivery, he promised members of the fractured Beatles a 158 00:10:36,882 --> 00:10:40,482 Speaker 3: certified check for a whopping three thousand dollars. If they 159 00:10:40,522 --> 00:10:44,322 Speaker 3: agreed to reunite on the show, they could give ringo 160 00:10:44,402 --> 00:10:47,442 Speaker 3: star less of a cut, it was up to them. 161 00:10:47,882 --> 00:10:50,762 Speaker 3: The joke was picked up by the media and has 162 00:10:50,882 --> 00:10:54,682 Speaker 3: endured over the decades, and it came with a punchline 163 00:10:54,762 --> 00:10:59,882 Speaker 3: of sorts. Well two George Harrison actually showed up on 164 00:10:59,962 --> 00:11:02,682 Speaker 3: a later episode to pick up a check for three 165 00:11:02,802 --> 00:11:06,562 Speaker 3: hundred and fifty dollars. Paul McCartney would later say he 166 00:11:06,682 --> 00:11:10,642 Speaker 3: and John Lennon were actually watching SNL the week after 167 00:11:10,842 --> 00:11:14,482 Speaker 3: Michaels made his offer. They talked about taking a taxi 168 00:11:14,522 --> 00:11:17,682 Speaker 3: to thirty Rock just for the hell of it. They 169 00:11:17,722 --> 00:11:21,042 Speaker 3: never did, but the skit was notable for another reason. 170 00:11:21,682 --> 00:11:26,442 Speaker 3: It presented Michaels as an on screen persona something he 171 00:11:26,482 --> 00:11:30,722 Speaker 3: had once flirted with early on by considering casting himself 172 00:11:31,082 --> 00:11:33,922 Speaker 3: in the role of co anchor of Weekend Update. 173 00:11:34,482 --> 00:11:36,642 Speaker 1: Well, Loin was a performer, you know. 174 00:11:36,682 --> 00:11:40,122 Speaker 5: He was in a comedy team that performed in Canada 175 00:11:40,202 --> 00:11:43,602 Speaker 5: before he became a writer producer, and he was comfortable 176 00:11:43,642 --> 00:11:47,522 Speaker 5: with performing for sure. He obviously has a very big 177 00:11:47,562 --> 00:11:49,202 Speaker 5: ego to be running a show like this, but I 178 00:11:49,242 --> 00:11:51,242 Speaker 5: don't think he felt like all the attention had to 179 00:11:51,282 --> 00:11:52,882 Speaker 5: be on him so he had to also be on 180 00:11:52,962 --> 00:11:56,202 Speaker 5: the show. But I think he realized he can't possibly 181 00:11:56,242 --> 00:11:59,922 Speaker 5: do that and run this crazy machine that was going on. 182 00:12:00,522 --> 00:12:03,522 Speaker 5: But you know, his occasional appearances would only happen if 183 00:12:03,562 --> 00:12:05,682 Speaker 5: he wanted it that and so he definitely wanted it 184 00:12:05,722 --> 00:12:06,562 Speaker 5: to happen for sure. 185 00:12:07,362 --> 00:12:11,602 Speaker 3: Michaels wasn't done experimenting, because the show itself wasn't yet 186 00:12:11,682 --> 00:12:15,362 Speaker 3: set in stone. In its third year, and practically every 187 00:12:15,442 --> 00:12:20,162 Speaker 3: year since, critics and viewers wondered if SNL's best days 188 00:12:20,202 --> 00:12:23,842 Speaker 3: were behind it. Chevy Chase had left shortly after the 189 00:12:23,882 --> 00:12:27,562 Speaker 3: second season to begin to pursue a film career. John 190 00:12:27,602 --> 00:12:31,322 Speaker 3: Belushi was filming movies and seemingly had one foot out 191 00:12:31,362 --> 00:12:36,242 Speaker 3: the door. There were critics said, too many recurring characters. 192 00:12:36,882 --> 00:12:39,442 Speaker 3: No one looked at it and said, well, this thing 193 00:12:39,482 --> 00:12:42,082 Speaker 3: will still be on the air in five decades, not 194 00:12:42,202 --> 00:12:46,122 Speaker 3: even Michaels himself, whose contract with NBC expired at the 195 00:12:46,242 --> 00:12:49,842 Speaker 3: end of the season. Michaels was getting tired of the grind, 196 00:12:50,042 --> 00:12:53,362 Speaker 3: saying quote, I can't work eighteen hours a day for 197 00:12:53,442 --> 00:12:57,722 Speaker 3: the rest of my life, or I'll die. But before 198 00:12:57,762 --> 00:13:03,162 Speaker 3: his possible departure, he had another idea, although arguably one 199 00:13:03,602 --> 00:13:08,562 Speaker 3: just as potentially disastrous as the Marti Gras Debacle, the 200 00:13:08,682 --> 00:13:12,922 Speaker 3: show would hold a contest, not a spoof contest or 201 00:13:13,002 --> 00:13:17,282 Speaker 3: the appearance of a contest, but an actual contest. On 202 00:13:17,322 --> 00:13:21,122 Speaker 3: October eighth, nineteen seventy seven, the second show of the season, 203 00:13:21,162 --> 00:13:25,482 Speaker 3: hosted by actress Madeline Cohn, Michaels appeared behind a desk 204 00:13:26,042 --> 00:13:29,202 Speaker 3: and he said, how many of you out there watching 205 00:13:29,202 --> 00:13:31,802 Speaker 3: the show right now are saying to yourselves? You know, 206 00:13:31,922 --> 00:13:34,522 Speaker 3: Madeline con is pretty good, but I think I can 207 00:13:34,562 --> 00:13:37,842 Speaker 3: do a better job than that. Well, here's your chance, 208 00:13:38,002 --> 00:13:43,202 Speaker 3: because now anyone can host Saturday Night Live. Michaels called 209 00:13:43,202 --> 00:13:47,682 Speaker 3: it the Anyone Can Host Contest, and the premise was simple. 210 00:13:48,202 --> 00:13:51,762 Speaker 3: Instead of being a famous star or comic or singer, 211 00:13:52,242 --> 00:13:55,282 Speaker 3: any viewer could potentially be the host for the show's 212 00:13:55,362 --> 00:14:00,602 Speaker 3: Christmas episode in December. No performing experience was needed to 213 00:14:00,642 --> 00:14:03,922 Speaker 3: be considered for the contest. Viewers could mail in a 214 00:14:03,962 --> 00:14:07,562 Speaker 3: postcard and explain in twenty five words or lie us 215 00:14:07,602 --> 00:14:10,922 Speaker 3: why they should be chosen as the guest host. Send 216 00:14:10,962 --> 00:14:14,762 Speaker 3: it to box seven to two radio City Station New York, 217 00:14:14,882 --> 00:14:19,042 Speaker 3: New York one zero zero one nine by midnight November first, 218 00:14:19,562 --> 00:14:23,722 Speaker 3: nineteen seventy seven. If they were one of five finalists. 219 00:14:24,042 --> 00:14:26,962 Speaker 3: They'd be flown out to appear on a November show 220 00:14:27,362 --> 00:14:31,202 Speaker 3: so viewers could vote for their favorite. The winner would 221 00:14:31,202 --> 00:14:35,162 Speaker 3: host the Christmas episode and receive the then standard hosting 222 00:14:35,242 --> 00:14:39,322 Speaker 3: fee of three thousand dollars. Put another way, they'd get 223 00:14:39,362 --> 00:14:43,762 Speaker 3: paid as much as the Beatles. Michaels believed the contest 224 00:14:44,002 --> 00:14:47,482 Speaker 3: was more than just a stunt in a meataway. He 225 00:14:47,602 --> 00:14:51,242 Speaker 3: thought he could demystify the idea of being an entertainer, 226 00:14:51,602 --> 00:14:55,242 Speaker 3: that it was reserved only for a chosen few. He 227 00:14:55,402 --> 00:14:58,842 Speaker 3: joked that quote, comedy is much too important to be 228 00:14:58,962 --> 00:15:03,202 Speaker 3: left to professionals. There was the pressure too of SNL 229 00:15:03,282 --> 00:15:07,562 Speaker 3: getting predictable. If roping in an amateur host was dangerous, 230 00:15:07,962 --> 00:15:11,842 Speaker 3: that was the point, and he offered very few guidelines, 231 00:15:12,162 --> 00:15:15,682 Speaker 3: say for stressing that anyone caught approaching him or a 232 00:15:15,722 --> 00:15:19,562 Speaker 3: cast member in person to make their case would be disqualified. 233 00:15:20,042 --> 00:15:22,002 Speaker 5: I didn't know if it was for real at first. 234 00:15:22,042 --> 00:15:24,842 Speaker 5: You always have to wonder when they do things like that, 235 00:15:25,242 --> 00:15:28,442 Speaker 5: And then I thought, Okay, they're basically saying, this is 236 00:15:28,482 --> 00:15:30,562 Speaker 5: how confident we are that we can do this show 237 00:15:30,602 --> 00:15:32,202 Speaker 5: with anybody, You know. 238 00:15:32,202 --> 00:15:32,602 Speaker 1: What I mean. 239 00:15:33,482 --> 00:15:38,722 Speaker 3: Amateurs had appeared on SNL's stage before. Fran Tarkenton, a 240 00:15:38,802 --> 00:15:43,282 Speaker 3: quarterback for the Minnesota Vikings, hosted, so did Ron Nelson, 241 00:15:43,442 --> 00:15:47,682 Speaker 3: the White House Press secretary under Gerald Ford. These non 242 00:15:47,762 --> 00:15:51,282 Speaker 3: performers gave the show a different feel and energy. 243 00:15:51,682 --> 00:15:54,882 Speaker 5: So they had to really write around that. So they 244 00:15:54,882 --> 00:15:58,322 Speaker 5: didn't do it just because they thought, oh, this will. 245 00:15:58,202 --> 00:15:59,282 Speaker 1: Be a blast. 246 00:15:59,602 --> 00:16:01,402 Speaker 5: I think they did it as part of what they 247 00:16:01,402 --> 00:16:04,162 Speaker 5: were doing overall there, which is just we're just shaking 248 00:16:04,242 --> 00:16:06,762 Speaker 5: up all the conventions. This is another convention we're going 249 00:16:06,802 --> 00:16:08,442 Speaker 5: to shake up. We're going to have a host that 250 00:16:08,482 --> 00:16:09,322 Speaker 5: nobody'd ever heard of. 251 00:16:10,042 --> 00:16:14,282 Speaker 3: But even those hosts were recognizable. The winner of the 252 00:16:14,442 --> 00:16:19,522 Speaker 3: Anyone Can Host contest could be well anyone. The question 253 00:16:19,802 --> 00:16:23,842 Speaker 3: was just how many people wanted to host SNL and 254 00:16:24,002 --> 00:16:27,122 Speaker 3: what lengths would they go to in order to do it. 255 00:16:35,162 --> 00:16:39,682 Speaker 3: Millions of people watched Michaels make his contest announcement, but 256 00:16:39,802 --> 00:16:42,762 Speaker 3: you didn't have to be watching the show to hear 257 00:16:42,842 --> 00:16:47,402 Speaker 3: about it. Many major newspapers covered the contest. It was, 258 00:16:47,602 --> 00:16:51,402 Speaker 3: after all, a chance for literally anyone to headline the 259 00:16:51,442 --> 00:16:55,842 Speaker 3: hottest comedy show in the country. Within weeks, NBC had 260 00:16:55,842 --> 00:17:00,322 Speaker 3: gotten one hundred and twenty thousand responses, with people using 261 00:17:00,442 --> 00:17:04,402 Speaker 3: their allotted twenty five words to make their case. According 262 00:17:04,442 --> 00:17:07,642 Speaker 3: to Barbara Burns, a talent coordinator for the show who 263 00:17:07,722 --> 00:17:11,922 Speaker 3: was overseeing the contest, a surprising number of entries were 264 00:17:12,002 --> 00:17:16,762 Speaker 3: actually threatening in nature put me on the air or else. Those, 265 00:17:16,962 --> 00:17:20,362 Speaker 3: she said, went directly in the garbage. There were a 266 00:17:20,402 --> 00:17:23,722 Speaker 3: lot of nude photos with some people apparently hoping to 267 00:17:23,842 --> 00:17:27,882 Speaker 3: seduce their way onto the show. Those two were discarded, 268 00:17:28,362 --> 00:17:31,522 Speaker 3: and so were entries begging for the three thousand dollars 269 00:17:31,602 --> 00:17:37,362 Speaker 3: host fee. And despite Lorne Michael's cautioning against personal appearances, 270 00:17:37,802 --> 00:17:41,322 Speaker 3: some did show up At thirty Rock. One man came 271 00:17:41,442 --> 00:17:45,082 Speaker 3: as a people card instead of a postcard, dressed in 272 00:17:45,162 --> 00:17:49,402 Speaker 3: a postal sack and boxer shorts. He didn't win anyone over. 273 00:17:50,282 --> 00:17:55,002 Speaker 3: There were even celebrity entrants of sorts. Bella Abzig, a 274 00:17:55,042 --> 00:17:59,522 Speaker 3: former congresswoman, sent in a submission, so did Al Goldstein, 275 00:17:59,722 --> 00:18:05,482 Speaker 3: the widely loathed publisher of an adult publication titled Screw Magazine. 276 00:18:06,242 --> 00:18:11,242 Speaker 3: And then there was Connie Crawford's submission. Connie, you'll remember, 277 00:18:11,442 --> 00:18:14,442 Speaker 3: was a freshman at Vassar who had a standing offer 278 00:18:14,522 --> 00:18:18,122 Speaker 3: to run off to Nicaragua with Dan Akrid. What could 279 00:18:18,162 --> 00:18:20,802 Speaker 3: she say in twenty five words or less that would 280 00:18:20,802 --> 00:18:24,922 Speaker 3: make her postcard stand out from the thousands of other entries. 281 00:18:25,522 --> 00:18:29,042 Speaker 3: It was something she carried with her everywhere, her Vassar 282 00:18:29,282 --> 00:18:31,122 Speaker 3: student identification card. 283 00:18:31,642 --> 00:18:34,482 Speaker 2: And so my friend and I were like, this sucks, 284 00:18:34,562 --> 00:18:38,042 Speaker 2: and what is this ID? And you know without this ID, 285 00:18:38,202 --> 00:18:41,482 Speaker 2: we can't eat. Without this ID, we can't go into 286 00:18:41,522 --> 00:18:46,962 Speaker 2: certain places. This ID rules our life. And so I 287 00:18:47,042 --> 00:18:51,042 Speaker 2: was like, Okay, that's it. The id's stage a revolution. 288 00:18:51,962 --> 00:18:55,042 Speaker 2: My ID and my friend's ID go to the local 289 00:18:55,202 --> 00:19:00,162 Speaker 2: holiday inn and my friend staples my ID on a 290 00:19:00,202 --> 00:19:04,922 Speaker 2: holiday in postcard and I wrote, free me, and that's 291 00:19:04,962 --> 00:19:08,082 Speaker 2: what I sent in. And of course I don't know 292 00:19:08,122 --> 00:19:14,082 Speaker 2: if anybody got the backstory, it doesn't matter. I think 293 00:19:14,122 --> 00:19:16,402 Speaker 2: it was more that it was my actual college ID 294 00:19:17,162 --> 00:19:20,042 Speaker 2: stapled to a holiday and postcard in the words free me. 295 00:19:21,162 --> 00:19:25,362 Speaker 3: Connie sent it off and waited. Meanwhile, SNL still had 296 00:19:25,402 --> 00:19:28,882 Speaker 3: shows to do. Al Goldstein never hosted, but one of 297 00:19:28,922 --> 00:19:33,482 Speaker 3: his peers did. Hugh Hefner, founder of Playboy magazine, hosted 298 00:19:33,522 --> 00:19:37,522 Speaker 3: the third episode of the season. Charles Grodin was next, 299 00:19:37,922 --> 00:19:42,402 Speaker 3: and then musician Ray Charles. By this point SNL's staff 300 00:19:42,442 --> 00:19:45,402 Speaker 3: had come to a decision. Out of the now one 301 00:19:45,482 --> 00:19:50,762 Speaker 3: hundred and fifty thousand entries received, the finalists had been selected, 302 00:19:51,202 --> 00:19:56,122 Speaker 3: and shortly Connie Crawford's phone rang, or more accurately, the 303 00:19:56,322 --> 00:19:58,402 Speaker 3: phone at the dorm rang. 304 00:19:58,962 --> 00:20:02,522 Speaker 2: And this was Vasser and these are old dorms, so 305 00:20:02,682 --> 00:20:06,482 Speaker 2: each of these phone booths had those folding wooden doors, 306 00:20:06,962 --> 00:20:08,642 Speaker 2: and you'd go in and you'd sit on these little 307 00:20:08,722 --> 00:20:12,562 Speaker 2: wooden things, and it was old school, even first seventy seven. 308 00:20:13,082 --> 00:20:15,442 Speaker 2: And the way you would get messages is they would 309 00:20:15,442 --> 00:20:18,162 Speaker 2: call the dorm and the person at the front desk 310 00:20:18,562 --> 00:20:21,282 Speaker 2: would write down a little message on a piece of paper, 311 00:20:21,322 --> 00:20:23,482 Speaker 2: fold it up and put it in your little slot. 312 00:20:24,202 --> 00:20:27,242 Speaker 2: So that's how I found out. I got a message saying, 313 00:20:27,602 --> 00:20:31,642 Speaker 2: Barbara Burns, the casting coordinator, wants to talk to you 314 00:20:31,722 --> 00:20:35,242 Speaker 2: about the contest. So of course I was really excited. 315 00:20:35,362 --> 00:20:38,242 Speaker 2: And there was an initial interview which I did in 316 00:20:38,282 --> 00:20:40,922 Speaker 2: one of those little wooden booths, and I think it 317 00:20:40,962 --> 00:20:45,562 Speaker 2: was mostly to just see am I crazy? Or you know, really, 318 00:20:45,602 --> 00:20:47,562 Speaker 2: who the fuck am I? 319 00:20:47,602 --> 00:20:50,482 Speaker 3: At first? Connie remembers being told she was one of 320 00:20:50,562 --> 00:20:54,362 Speaker 3: twenty five finalists and being asked to send in a photo, 321 00:20:54,922 --> 00:20:58,322 Speaker 3: but quickly she was one of the final five. Connie 322 00:20:58,402 --> 00:21:01,602 Speaker 3: and four finalists had just a few days to make 323 00:21:01,642 --> 00:21:07,802 Speaker 3: their way into Manhattan. This was surreal. Just days Connie 324 00:21:07,922 --> 00:21:11,522 Speaker 3: was in class. Now she was at SNL, getting a 325 00:21:11,602 --> 00:21:14,882 Speaker 3: chance to see the stage, the audience seats, the cameras, 326 00:21:15,162 --> 00:21:18,722 Speaker 3: and the sheer energy of preparing for a live sketch 327 00:21:18,842 --> 00:21:23,602 Speaker 3: comedy show. Cast members ran around half dressed, moving from 328 00:21:23,682 --> 00:21:26,162 Speaker 3: one sketch to the next in a dry run before 329 00:21:26,202 --> 00:21:27,362 Speaker 3: the live broadcast. 330 00:21:27,962 --> 00:21:30,642 Speaker 2: I mean, you got to understand, they brought in these 331 00:21:30,922 --> 00:21:34,482 Speaker 2: five people and they're in the middle of doing their 332 00:21:34,602 --> 00:21:39,882 Speaker 2: live show and they're running around. They were busy. Bilda 333 00:21:39,962 --> 00:21:42,962 Speaker 2: Radner was very sweet, and the others were all polite 334 00:21:43,122 --> 00:21:43,762 Speaker 2: and everything. 335 00:21:44,482 --> 00:21:47,602 Speaker 3: Connie also got exposed to Bill Murray, who was not 336 00:21:47,802 --> 00:21:51,362 Speaker 3: yet the full force of nature he would become. This 337 00:21:51,602 --> 00:21:54,842 Speaker 3: was Murray's first full season as a cast member. 338 00:21:55,242 --> 00:21:58,482 Speaker 2: He was always on in terms of what I saw, 339 00:21:58,762 --> 00:22:01,962 Speaker 2: which was just moments here and there. So I kind 340 00:22:02,002 --> 00:22:05,682 Speaker 2: of felt like he's the new guy. He's got this 341 00:22:05,962 --> 00:22:11,202 Speaker 2: amazing of Billy to just riff and he's both experimenting 342 00:22:11,282 --> 00:22:14,962 Speaker 2: with riffing. You know, he's practicing and he's doing it 343 00:22:15,002 --> 00:22:20,122 Speaker 2: all the time, which maybe that's him working on his craft. 344 00:22:20,242 --> 00:22:24,562 Speaker 2: Maybe that's him trying to get material, or maybe that's 345 00:22:24,682 --> 00:22:28,522 Speaker 2: just him how he works. I don't know, but brilliant, 346 00:22:28,722 --> 00:22:33,442 Speaker 2: clearly brilliant, because even his little riffs with the costume 347 00:22:33,522 --> 00:22:35,722 Speaker 2: person were just extraordinary. 348 00:22:36,482 --> 00:22:39,442 Speaker 3: But one person seemed to stand out even among this 349 00:22:39,522 --> 00:22:43,922 Speaker 3: group of performers, John Belushi. As a fan of the show, 350 00:22:44,122 --> 00:22:47,562 Speaker 3: Connie got to see some of the sketch rehearsals. In one, 351 00:22:47,762 --> 00:22:52,162 Speaker 3: Belushi reprised his highly popular Samurai, a man in a 352 00:22:52,202 --> 00:22:55,962 Speaker 3: top fun who delivers rapid fire gibberish while struggling to 353 00:22:56,042 --> 00:22:59,602 Speaker 3: adapt to modern customs. He often did the sketch with 354 00:22:59,682 --> 00:23:02,962 Speaker 3: Buck Henry, a frequent host who made for a good 355 00:23:03,082 --> 00:23:06,682 Speaker 3: straight man for Belushi's wild energy. 356 00:23:07,002 --> 00:23:09,762 Speaker 2: In those studios, you know it's a great big room, 357 00:23:09,842 --> 00:23:12,362 Speaker 2: it's actually quite small, and then they have all these 358 00:23:12,442 --> 00:23:16,482 Speaker 2: little modular sets. So they were in one set, and 359 00:23:16,842 --> 00:23:20,402 Speaker 2: as you know, people who do tech are working and 360 00:23:20,562 --> 00:23:24,802 Speaker 2: they don't get sucked into the vacuum of acting because 361 00:23:24,842 --> 00:23:28,442 Speaker 2: they see a lot and they have work to do. Well, Belushi, 362 00:23:28,602 --> 00:23:32,882 Speaker 2: in one of the rehearsals, he just started riffing and improvising, 363 00:23:33,242 --> 00:23:36,842 Speaker 2: and Buck, of course went along with him. And he 364 00:23:36,962 --> 00:23:40,482 Speaker 2: must have gone, I don't know it. It felt really long. 365 00:23:40,842 --> 00:23:42,762 Speaker 2: I mean, I would say it was at least twenty 366 00:23:42,842 --> 00:23:45,282 Speaker 2: minutes for an original. I think the skets like two 367 00:23:45,402 --> 00:23:49,202 Speaker 2: or three minutes. And it was so funny and so 368 00:23:49,402 --> 00:23:54,202 Speaker 2: brilliant that every person in that whole studio stopped what 369 00:23:54,282 --> 00:23:58,842 Speaker 2: they were doing and gathered around this little modular set. 370 00:23:59,482 --> 00:24:03,002 Speaker 2: The more people who watched, the funnier he got. I mean, 371 00:24:03,042 --> 00:24:06,562 Speaker 2: it's one of the greatest performances I've ever seen. On 372 00:24:06,642 --> 00:24:07,762 Speaker 2: both their parts. 373 00:24:08,362 --> 00:24:12,082 Speaker 3: Belushi was also generous with Connie. She recalls he was 374 00:24:12,122 --> 00:24:15,042 Speaker 3: the only one to try and settle her nerves. 375 00:24:15,282 --> 00:24:18,722 Speaker 2: I was sitting around and he came over and just 376 00:24:18,762 --> 00:24:23,602 Speaker 2: started chatting. And he was drinking a beer during the day, 377 00:24:24,322 --> 00:24:27,042 Speaker 2: so we just started chatting. And he also did something 378 00:24:27,082 --> 00:24:32,162 Speaker 2: that was really kind, which was so they did on Saturday. 379 00:24:32,522 --> 00:24:35,362 Speaker 2: They run through the show once for a studio audience, 380 00:24:35,642 --> 00:24:37,642 Speaker 2: and then there's a little break and then you do 381 00:24:37,722 --> 00:24:41,962 Speaker 2: it live. And after the first run through of the show, 382 00:24:42,482 --> 00:24:45,562 Speaker 2: he came up to me and he said, just let 383 00:24:45,642 --> 00:24:49,162 Speaker 2: it go. He said, just pretend you're talking to some 384 00:24:49,282 --> 00:24:52,522 Speaker 2: of your friends at school, and you know, nobody else 385 00:24:52,682 --> 00:24:56,362 Speaker 2: said anything to me. The director nobody else you know, 386 00:24:56,442 --> 00:25:00,042 Speaker 2: basically told me to relax, calm down, and I just 387 00:25:00,082 --> 00:25:01,322 Speaker 2: really appreciated that. 388 00:25:02,082 --> 00:25:05,682 Speaker 3: Connie also met the other finalists, and they were a 389 00:25:05,842 --> 00:25:11,402 Speaker 3: highly eclectic bunch. There was deb Blair, an employment counselor 390 00:25:11,522 --> 00:25:15,402 Speaker 3: and mother of three from Peoria, Illinois, who wrote that quote, 391 00:25:15,682 --> 00:25:19,202 Speaker 3: my three sons only listen to people on TV. Please 392 00:25:19,322 --> 00:25:22,362 Speaker 3: let me host Saturday Night. There are a few things 393 00:25:22,442 --> 00:25:26,082 Speaker 3: I need to tell them. And there was David Lewis, 394 00:25:26,202 --> 00:25:30,362 Speaker 3: a bearded twenty year old college dropout from McMinnville, Oregon, 395 00:25:30,682 --> 00:25:35,122 Speaker 3: who sent in seventy five different entries. In the one selected, 396 00:25:35,322 --> 00:25:38,322 Speaker 3: he wrote that quote, I'm so bored in the town 397 00:25:38,402 --> 00:25:43,162 Speaker 3: where I live. I know all the vending machines by name. David, 398 00:25:43,242 --> 00:25:46,202 Speaker 3: more than anyone, seemed to have a big appetite for 399 00:25:46,282 --> 00:25:49,802 Speaker 3: show business. He told reporters he aspired to get into 400 00:25:49,882 --> 00:25:53,442 Speaker 3: comedy writing, but he didn't seem to make a big impression, 401 00:25:53,922 --> 00:25:55,482 Speaker 3: at least not with Connie. 402 00:25:56,002 --> 00:25:59,682 Speaker 2: The guy from Oregon. I don't even really remember him 403 00:25:59,922 --> 00:26:00,522 Speaker 2: very much. 404 00:26:01,362 --> 00:26:05,842 Speaker 3: Weirdly, there was then current Governor of South Dakota, Richard Neap, 405 00:26:06,202 --> 00:26:10,122 Speaker 3: who wrote that quote, being host could be my big breakthrough. 406 00:26:10,202 --> 00:26:14,482 Speaker 3: In showbiz. Otherwise it's probably back to selling automatic milking 407 00:26:14,562 --> 00:26:19,242 Speaker 3: machines wholesale. Like before I was governor, Connie actually had 408 00:26:19,282 --> 00:26:22,122 Speaker 3: spent time in South Dakota, which made for an easy 409 00:26:22,122 --> 00:26:23,562 Speaker 3: camaraderie with the governor. 410 00:26:24,162 --> 00:26:27,642 Speaker 2: Yeah. It was really funny because in between some of 411 00:26:27,682 --> 00:26:30,402 Speaker 2: the shoots, they said, okay, and one of the other 412 00:26:30,522 --> 00:26:34,442 Speaker 2: finalists here is the governor of South Dakota. And I 413 00:26:34,482 --> 00:26:36,602 Speaker 2: looked at him and I went, oh, my god, I 414 00:26:36,682 --> 00:26:39,522 Speaker 2: have spent the happiest months of my life in South Dakota. 415 00:26:40,002 --> 00:26:42,562 Speaker 2: And he said, oh, I love you, know, And so 416 00:26:42,642 --> 00:26:46,922 Speaker 2: we just immediately hugged and became really good friends. 417 00:26:47,802 --> 00:26:51,282 Speaker 3: And finally Connie met an eighty year old grandmother from 418 00:26:51,362 --> 00:26:55,442 Speaker 3: New Orleans named Miskel Spelman. I'm eighty years old and 419 00:26:55,562 --> 00:26:58,962 Speaker 3: need one more cheap thrill since my doctor has just 420 00:26:59,042 --> 00:27:01,922 Speaker 3: told me I only have twenty five years left to live, 421 00:27:02,362 --> 00:27:06,282 Speaker 3: Spelman wrote. The contest was her first visit to New 422 00:27:06,362 --> 00:27:09,562 Speaker 3: York and her first time on an airplane. 423 00:27:09,642 --> 00:27:14,002 Speaker 2: And of course the grandmother was completely charming and sweet 424 00:27:14,522 --> 00:27:17,082 Speaker 2: and just such a great sport. 425 00:27:17,482 --> 00:27:20,722 Speaker 3: And just like that, the final five were set. They 426 00:27:20,762 --> 00:27:24,402 Speaker 3: all settled into stereotypes that made them more palatable to 427 00:27:24,522 --> 00:27:27,962 Speaker 3: both the viewers and the writers. Connie, of course, was 428 00:27:28,042 --> 00:27:29,122 Speaker 3: the comely co ed. 429 00:27:29,922 --> 00:27:33,002 Speaker 2: I think given how little time there was, the writers 430 00:27:33,042 --> 00:27:36,282 Speaker 2: don't know who we are. You know, we're all stereotypes. 431 00:27:36,962 --> 00:27:41,442 Speaker 2: That's how they selected us, you know, the dropout from Oregon, 432 00:27:41,482 --> 00:27:45,442 Speaker 2: the Vassar co ed, the ninety year old grandmother from Louisiana, 433 00:27:46,082 --> 00:27:49,642 Speaker 2: mother of three from Peoria, and the governor of South Dakota. 434 00:27:49,842 --> 00:27:53,042 Speaker 2: You know. So they don't have enough time to know 435 00:27:53,082 --> 00:27:55,242 Speaker 2: who we are to build something. 436 00:27:56,122 --> 00:27:58,842 Speaker 3: It was now up to America to figure out which, 437 00:27:59,042 --> 00:28:03,882 Speaker 3: if any, they liked. On November nineteenth, nineteen seventy seven, 438 00:28:04,442 --> 00:28:08,482 Speaker 3: SNL opened with Gilda Radner and Garrett Morris talking about 439 00:28:08,522 --> 00:28:11,802 Speaker 3: the contest finalists in a locker room, as though the 440 00:28:11,882 --> 00:28:14,842 Speaker 3: cast were a sports team about to go out and play, 441 00:28:15,442 --> 00:28:18,602 Speaker 3: and in a sense, they were. They came out to 442 00:28:18,602 --> 00:28:22,922 Speaker 3: meet America dressed in blue and white varsity sweaters. After 443 00:28:22,962 --> 00:28:25,642 Speaker 3: the opening credits, they were joined on stage by the 444 00:28:25,802 --> 00:28:30,122 Speaker 3: host of the episode, Buck Henry. Henry acted as a 445 00:28:30,202 --> 00:28:34,562 Speaker 3: kind of MC. He called them quote five amazingly brave 446 00:28:34,722 --> 00:28:38,602 Speaker 3: people and let each of them speak before reminding viewers 447 00:28:38,642 --> 00:28:42,242 Speaker 3: they had until November thirtieth to vote for a winner 448 00:28:42,762 --> 00:28:47,122 Speaker 3: using a form found in TV Guide. Each one had 449 00:28:47,162 --> 00:28:51,362 Speaker 3: a letter on their shirt ABCD and E in an 450 00:28:51,402 --> 00:28:53,402 Speaker 3: attempt to make voting easier. 451 00:28:54,042 --> 00:28:58,162 Speaker 2: We were moving props more than anything. They would just 452 00:28:58,242 --> 00:29:01,842 Speaker 2: sort of shuffle us into a scene and shuffle us out, 453 00:29:02,162 --> 00:29:07,802 Speaker 2: so we weren't really performing. It was more like furniture. 454 00:29:08,362 --> 00:29:11,842 Speaker 2: And I don't mean that like, uh, treating me like 455 00:29:12,962 --> 00:29:16,602 Speaker 2: pieces chair or something. No, it was more like, Okay, 456 00:29:16,842 --> 00:29:19,242 Speaker 2: you five are gonna come in here and stand here. 457 00:29:19,842 --> 00:29:22,562 Speaker 2: Then you're gonna go sit over there, and next set, 458 00:29:22,762 --> 00:29:24,762 Speaker 2: you know, you'll be in here and you'll do this. 459 00:29:27,242 --> 00:29:30,602 Speaker 3: Later in the show, Henry appeared with each finalist in 460 00:29:30,682 --> 00:29:35,202 Speaker 3: a pre taped bit under the pretense of each trying 461 00:29:35,282 --> 00:29:38,962 Speaker 3: to convince Henry to pick them. The governor told Henry 462 00:29:39,002 --> 00:29:41,722 Speaker 3: he could give him something from his state's gold mines. 463 00:29:42,322 --> 00:29:45,762 Speaker 3: Debbie Blair, the mother of three, went for the guilt trip, 464 00:29:46,082 --> 00:29:49,202 Speaker 3: saying she needed the three thousand dollars hosting fee to 465 00:29:49,242 --> 00:29:53,362 Speaker 3: give her kids a nice Christmas miscl Spilman cautioned she 466 00:29:53,442 --> 00:29:56,842 Speaker 3: might be dead before in New Year's Eve, and as 467 00:29:56,962 --> 00:30:01,682 Speaker 3: the stereotypical comely co ed, Connie's role was to try 468 00:30:01,722 --> 00:30:03,002 Speaker 3: and seduce Henry. 469 00:30:03,602 --> 00:30:07,002 Speaker 2: So I go into this hotel room and there's a 470 00:30:07,002 --> 00:30:11,642 Speaker 2: little lounge area with the sofa, and they introduced me 471 00:30:11,762 --> 00:30:14,882 Speaker 2: to the other contestants and they say, okay, so each 472 00:30:14,922 --> 00:30:17,762 Speaker 2: one of you is going to try to bribe Buck 473 00:30:18,122 --> 00:30:21,482 Speaker 2: so you can be the host. And it's so telling. 474 00:30:21,522 --> 00:30:22,002 Speaker 5: So I was. 475 00:30:21,962 --> 00:30:26,282 Speaker 2: Eighteen when this happened, and when it came my time 476 00:30:26,322 --> 00:30:29,722 Speaker 2: to shoot, they said, okay, you know what to do, 477 00:30:30,362 --> 00:30:33,962 Speaker 2: and I knew what to do, which was try to 478 00:30:34,002 --> 00:30:38,562 Speaker 2: seduce him, and so we just improvised it and they 479 00:30:38,642 --> 00:30:39,602 Speaker 2: used the first take. 480 00:30:40,642 --> 00:30:44,642 Speaker 3: Aside from the contest, the episode unspooled like a normal 481 00:30:44,842 --> 00:30:49,202 Speaker 3: SNL entry. There were coneheads with Akroyd and curtain playing 482 00:30:49,242 --> 00:30:54,162 Speaker 3: aliens with elongated heads and clipped speech and weekend update, 483 00:30:54,642 --> 00:30:59,122 Speaker 3: and John Belushi as a retired world class athlete disclosing 484 00:30:59,442 --> 00:31:03,882 Speaker 3: that his secret to premium performance is cigarette and chocolate donuts. 485 00:31:04,802 --> 00:31:06,762 Speaker 3: The five returned at the end of the show to 486 00:31:06,802 --> 00:31:11,042 Speaker 3: me one final plea. Connie said that by winning, she 487 00:31:11,122 --> 00:31:14,802 Speaker 3: could flunk every other course but at least pass drama. 488 00:31:15,322 --> 00:31:18,402 Speaker 3: Governor Neepe admitted he didn't really want to win, that 489 00:31:18,482 --> 00:31:21,242 Speaker 3: he was just doing the show for his staff and kids, 490 00:31:21,322 --> 00:31:23,762 Speaker 3: and not to vote for him. He later said he 491 00:31:23,802 --> 00:31:26,042 Speaker 3: thought the week needed to rehearse the show would be 492 00:31:26,122 --> 00:31:30,282 Speaker 3: too much of an imposition. Afterward, Connie got maybe the 493 00:31:30,482 --> 00:31:34,682 Speaker 3: second best perk of appearing on SNL getting to attend 494 00:31:34,842 --> 00:31:36,402 Speaker 3: the vaunted after party. 495 00:31:36,842 --> 00:31:40,682 Speaker 2: Oh yeah, yeah, yeah, there is a party. And there 496 00:31:40,682 --> 00:31:44,722 Speaker 2: were all these amazing people there, like Eric Idle was there. 497 00:31:45,362 --> 00:31:48,122 Speaker 2: I mean that to me was huge. And I had 498 00:31:48,162 --> 00:31:50,762 Speaker 2: a little book and I had people autograph stuff, and 499 00:31:50,802 --> 00:31:55,202 Speaker 2: Paul Simon was really snotty to me and everybody else. Yeah, 500 00:31:55,242 --> 00:31:55,922 Speaker 2: it was fun. 501 00:31:56,802 --> 00:31:59,802 Speaker 3: The show was about to take the next few weeks off, 502 00:32:00,042 --> 00:32:03,842 Speaker 3: giving staff enough time to prepare their two shows in December. 503 00:32:04,322 --> 00:32:08,202 Speaker 3: The second would feature the winner, who would America Pick. 504 00:32:09,362 --> 00:32:12,402 Speaker 3: People began tearing out the form from their copy of 505 00:32:12,522 --> 00:32:16,642 Speaker 3: TV Guide and scribbling down a letter. Then NBC and 506 00:32:16,922 --> 00:32:22,362 Speaker 3: SNL staffers tabulated the votes after counting viewers had decided 507 00:32:22,522 --> 00:32:26,162 Speaker 3: the next host of Saturday Night Live was the letter 508 00:32:26,602 --> 00:32:30,282 Speaker 3: e and the only contestant who had been born in 509 00:32:30,322 --> 00:32:43,802 Speaker 3: the nineteenth century. Watching the Finalists episode of SNL, one 510 00:32:43,882 --> 00:32:49,562 Speaker 3: thing becomes immediately apparent. The studio audience loved Miskel' Spilman, 511 00:32:50,002 --> 00:32:53,962 Speaker 3: while the other contestants were typically met with silence. Anything 512 00:32:54,122 --> 00:32:59,042 Speaker 3: Spilman said was greeted with laughter. Anything even dead panning 513 00:32:59,162 --> 00:33:02,482 Speaker 3: that she was old drew a big reaction, and so 514 00:33:02,722 --> 00:33:07,282 Speaker 3: when votes came in, Miskel was the overwhelming favorite, beating 515 00:33:07,442 --> 00:33:12,162 Speaker 3: second placed finalist David Lewis by over fifteen thousand votes. 516 00:33:13,202 --> 00:33:16,002 Speaker 3: One letter said, we cast our votes for the eighty 517 00:33:16,082 --> 00:33:19,762 Speaker 3: year young gal. She is a peach. Come on, Granny, 518 00:33:19,882 --> 00:33:23,802 Speaker 3: do your thing, wrote another. At least two people claiming 519 00:33:23,882 --> 00:33:27,642 Speaker 3: to be President Jimmy Carter wrote in endorsing her, making 520 00:33:27,722 --> 00:33:30,802 Speaker 3: at least one of them a fake. Even Governor Neepe 521 00:33:30,842 --> 00:33:34,402 Speaker 3: said he voted for her America at least the America 522 00:33:34,482 --> 00:33:38,082 Speaker 3: voting for a Saturday Night Live host wanted to see 523 00:33:38,122 --> 00:33:41,002 Speaker 3: an eighty year old interact with the not ready for 524 00:33:41,082 --> 00:33:45,402 Speaker 3: primetime players. That was something Connie Crawford picked up on 525 00:33:45,602 --> 00:33:46,402 Speaker 3: pretty quickly. 526 00:33:47,002 --> 00:33:49,922 Speaker 2: Oh well, there was no question from the beginning that 527 00:33:50,002 --> 00:33:54,122 Speaker 2: she was going to win, because she was ninety years 528 00:33:54,162 --> 00:33:58,562 Speaker 2: old and from Louisiana, and she had this little sparkle 529 00:33:58,722 --> 00:34:01,322 Speaker 2: about her, and just the fact that she was willing 530 00:34:01,402 --> 00:34:04,202 Speaker 2: to do this and that she did it with such 531 00:34:04,322 --> 00:34:06,522 Speaker 2: grace and again. 532 00:34:06,402 --> 00:34:11,602 Speaker 3: Spark Okay, so miss gal Spellman wasn't quite ninety. She 533 00:34:11,762 --> 00:34:16,082 Speaker 3: was born in eighteen ninety seven, generations removed from the 534 00:34:16,162 --> 00:34:20,402 Speaker 3: counterculture vibe of SNL, Yet she was an ardent fan 535 00:34:20,522 --> 00:34:24,722 Speaker 3: of the show, which she watched religiously, including Lauren Michael's 536 00:34:24,722 --> 00:34:29,162 Speaker 3: announcement for the contest. Her birth predated the invention of 537 00:34:29,242 --> 00:34:34,842 Speaker 3: television itself. If both comedy and drama come from conflict, 538 00:34:35,242 --> 00:34:38,562 Speaker 3: what could be better than someone like miscal thrown into 539 00:34:38,602 --> 00:34:40,442 Speaker 3: the hippist show on the air. 540 00:34:41,042 --> 00:34:43,842 Speaker 2: That was evident from the first day. I mean, the 541 00:34:44,202 --> 00:34:48,042 Speaker 2: Governor was splashy, but she was the way I saw 542 00:34:48,082 --> 00:34:52,202 Speaker 2: it as like, oh, she's the special one, because you know, 543 00:34:52,242 --> 00:34:56,002 Speaker 2: this was a time where the generational gap was still 544 00:34:56,442 --> 00:34:59,722 Speaker 2: pretty strictured, and here was this ninety year old woman 545 00:34:59,882 --> 00:35:03,162 Speaker 2: coming onto the subversive show and she was from the 546 00:35:03,202 --> 00:35:03,962 Speaker 2: Deep South. 547 00:35:04,922 --> 00:35:08,202 Speaker 3: In looking at the coverage of the contest, it's fascinating 548 00:35:08,282 --> 00:35:11,802 Speaker 3: to see how reporters didn't really get curious about Miskell. 549 00:35:12,362 --> 00:35:16,322 Speaker 3: Out of the five sweeping characters, the co ed, the Governor, 550 00:35:16,402 --> 00:35:21,802 Speaker 3: the dropout. She was a grandmother stereotype. One article mentioned 551 00:35:21,802 --> 00:35:24,722 Speaker 3: in passing she had been a widow for twenty years. 552 00:35:25,482 --> 00:35:28,882 Speaker 3: Someone with her maiden name of Weatherby once worked as 553 00:35:28,962 --> 00:35:32,922 Speaker 3: a telephone operator for a local rotary club. In nineteen fifteen, 554 00:35:33,642 --> 00:35:37,402 Speaker 3: she was commended for fielding two hundred calls in just 555 00:35:37,562 --> 00:35:41,962 Speaker 3: forty five minutes. While we can't say definitively that was 556 00:35:42,122 --> 00:35:47,322 Speaker 3: our Miskal, it probably was. Yet her work, her life, 557 00:35:47,882 --> 00:35:51,122 Speaker 3: none of it seemed relevant so much as the idea 558 00:35:51,282 --> 00:35:55,722 Speaker 3: of an octagenarian was going to host snow And while 559 00:35:55,762 --> 00:35:58,802 Speaker 3: her age was a big reason people voted for her, 560 00:35:59,322 --> 00:36:03,162 Speaker 3: not everyone was certain she could do it. Miskell's son 561 00:36:03,322 --> 00:36:06,642 Speaker 3: Otis was quoted as saying he was unsure about the 562 00:36:06,642 --> 00:36:10,162 Speaker 3: idea that his mother may not have the stamina for 563 00:36:10,282 --> 00:36:13,402 Speaker 3: live television. I think it would be too much for her, 564 00:36:13,522 --> 00:36:17,522 Speaker 3: he said. SNL was taking a risk too. They were 565 00:36:17,562 --> 00:36:20,522 Speaker 3: banking on a woman who had never before been on 566 00:36:20,602 --> 00:36:23,722 Speaker 3: an airplane or in New York, much less on television 567 00:36:23,802 --> 00:36:27,322 Speaker 3: before her finalist appearance, here's Bill Carter again. 568 00:36:28,002 --> 00:36:29,602 Speaker 1: So that was the risk for the show. 569 00:36:29,682 --> 00:36:33,322 Speaker 5: Actually, the show was taken a risk because imagine if 570 00:36:33,362 --> 00:36:37,762 Speaker 5: she had frozen on stage, how bad that would look. 571 00:36:37,802 --> 00:36:39,922 Speaker 5: That they kind of put this woman in that position. 572 00:36:40,442 --> 00:36:42,762 Speaker 5: So you know, they did take a risk pushing her 573 00:36:42,802 --> 00:36:44,802 Speaker 5: out there in front of millions of viewers. 574 00:36:46,122 --> 00:36:49,482 Speaker 3: It turns out that Miskell had plenty of energy. During 575 00:36:49,562 --> 00:36:53,402 Speaker 3: the finalists show, a reporter noticed Miskel was the only 576 00:36:53,442 --> 00:36:55,882 Speaker 3: one of the five who didn't seem all that nervous 577 00:36:55,922 --> 00:36:59,962 Speaker 3: to be going on live television. The rest were smoking, pacing, 578 00:37:00,162 --> 00:37:04,682 Speaker 3: or inhaling donuts. The week before the show, escorted by 579 00:37:04,722 --> 00:37:08,562 Speaker 3: her granddaughter Janine, Miskel boarded a plane from New Orleans 580 00:37:08,642 --> 00:37:11,802 Speaker 3: headed for New York. When she arrived, she was given 581 00:37:11,842 --> 00:37:16,122 Speaker 3: a warm reception by Lorn and the cast. Writers plotted 582 00:37:16,242 --> 00:37:19,522 Speaker 3: how best to utilize her, which was made easier given 583 00:37:19,602 --> 00:37:21,762 Speaker 3: how natural she had been in front of the camera 584 00:37:21,922 --> 00:37:25,842 Speaker 3: during the finalists show. But there was still a loose 585 00:37:25,922 --> 00:37:30,162 Speaker 3: cannon quality to miscal As charming as she was, as 586 00:37:30,242 --> 00:37:34,442 Speaker 3: comfortable as she seemed, she was still an amateur, and 587 00:37:34,642 --> 00:37:38,242 Speaker 3: amateurs can freeze up or lose their mark on stage, 588 00:37:38,642 --> 00:37:42,362 Speaker 3: So Michaels decided to give Miskell an on stage escort. 589 00:37:43,002 --> 00:37:47,962 Speaker 3: Buck Henry Buck, as you'll recall, hosted the five contenders 590 00:37:48,402 --> 00:37:50,842 Speaker 3: in this era of SNL. He was a kind of 591 00:37:50,922 --> 00:37:54,562 Speaker 3: all star, a bit of a nerdy vibe, very suburban dad, 592 00:37:54,722 --> 00:37:57,242 Speaker 3: but with a bit of a dark side. He was 593 00:37:57,322 --> 00:37:58,482 Speaker 3: also reliable. 594 00:37:59,242 --> 00:38:03,682 Speaker 5: He was enormously admired and respected by the cast and 595 00:38:03,762 --> 00:38:08,682 Speaker 5: by Lorne. He was a veteran writer performer. People loved 596 00:38:08,722 --> 00:38:12,082 Speaker 5: his writing. He could handle anything. You know, he could 597 00:38:12,162 --> 00:38:12,882 Speaker 5: handle anything. 598 00:38:12,922 --> 00:38:13,082 Speaker 2: You know. 599 00:38:13,282 --> 00:38:17,002 Speaker 5: When Belushi cut his head with the sword at one time, 600 00:38:17,402 --> 00:38:21,802 Speaker 5: you know, he handled that. So they had great confidence 601 00:38:21,922 --> 00:38:23,162 Speaker 5: in him on stage. 602 00:38:24,082 --> 00:38:27,202 Speaker 3: It's hard to know exactly what people were thinking or 603 00:38:27,362 --> 00:38:30,442 Speaker 3: hoping for when they switched on their televisions at eleven 604 00:38:30,562 --> 00:38:35,922 Speaker 3: thirty on Saturday, December seventeenth, nineteen seventy seven. Were they 605 00:38:36,002 --> 00:38:40,282 Speaker 3: hoping Miskell proved adept and witty? Were they anticipating the 606 00:38:40,322 --> 00:38:42,402 Speaker 3: cast would have to think on their feet to cover 607 00:38:42,522 --> 00:38:46,162 Speaker 3: up her mistakes. The show opens with John Belushi and 608 00:38:46,202 --> 00:38:50,482 Speaker 3: Lorraine Newman in the cast locker room. They discuss Miskell's age, 609 00:38:50,562 --> 00:38:53,802 Speaker 3: and Belushi makes an eerie joke about how he'll be 610 00:38:53,922 --> 00:38:57,362 Speaker 3: dead before he's thirty. The comment got a laugh then, 611 00:38:57,522 --> 00:39:00,682 Speaker 3: but given his death from a drug overdose at thirty 612 00:39:00,682 --> 00:39:06,482 Speaker 3: three in nineteen eighty two, hits differently now. Belushi, trading 613 00:39:06,522 --> 00:39:10,642 Speaker 3: on his party boy image, tells Newman that Miskell seemed nervous, 614 00:39:10,842 --> 00:39:12,962 Speaker 3: so he gave her a joint to calm her down. 615 00:39:13,562 --> 00:39:17,642 Speaker 3: The show leaned hard on two tropes this episode, Miskell's 616 00:39:17,682 --> 00:39:20,562 Speaker 3: age and the idea of getting a grandmother high. 617 00:39:21,122 --> 00:39:24,322 Speaker 5: Yeah, that's right, that was in the show. Yeah, that 618 00:39:24,402 --> 00:39:26,842 Speaker 5: kind of humor never hit me well anyway. I mean 619 00:39:26,962 --> 00:39:30,282 Speaker 5: I was like drug joke. Come on, I can do 620 00:39:30,362 --> 00:39:30,802 Speaker 5: better than that. 621 00:39:31,802 --> 00:39:35,842 Speaker 3: After the opening credit sequence, Buck Henry walks out to 622 00:39:35,882 --> 00:39:39,082 Speaker 3: the stage with Miskell on his arm, and Miskell does 623 00:39:39,122 --> 00:39:42,242 Speaker 3: a very good job of pretending to be stoned, telling 624 00:39:42,282 --> 00:39:46,562 Speaker 3: buck Henry she can see colors. From that point on, 625 00:39:46,882 --> 00:39:51,442 Speaker 3: Miskell Spilman is deployed very carefully. She appears sitting next 626 00:39:51,442 --> 00:39:54,362 Speaker 3: to Jane Curtin as curtain reads a holiday story re 627 00:39:54,522 --> 00:39:58,162 Speaker 3: enacted by Belusi and Gilda Radner. In the story, Belushi 628 00:39:58,242 --> 00:40:01,522 Speaker 3: gifts his girlfriend a kidney and she gives him a 629 00:40:01,562 --> 00:40:05,762 Speaker 3: watch chain. Miskell nails her lines, and then it's onto 630 00:40:05,802 --> 00:40:10,442 Speaker 3: the requisite hosting duty of introducing the musical guest ladies 631 00:40:10,482 --> 00:40:14,842 Speaker 3: and gentlemen, Elvis Costello. She then appears briefly in a 632 00:40:14,882 --> 00:40:18,322 Speaker 3: sketch as Bill Murray's mother while Murray's character robs a bank, 633 00:40:18,882 --> 00:40:22,322 Speaker 3: but her real star turn is in the next segment, 634 00:40:22,722 --> 00:40:26,282 Speaker 3: when Belushi returns home from College to greet his parents 635 00:40:26,602 --> 00:40:30,002 Speaker 3: played by Dan Ackrod and Jane Curtin. He wants them 636 00:40:30,042 --> 00:40:32,682 Speaker 3: to meet his new girlfriend, whom he's brought home for 637 00:40:32,762 --> 00:40:37,322 Speaker 3: the holidays. The audience can sense what's going to happen next, 638 00:40:37,842 --> 00:40:41,762 Speaker 3: and they go crazy when Belushi ushers in Miskel his 639 00:40:41,922 --> 00:40:45,442 Speaker 3: new flame. Akrd and Curtain try to make sense of 640 00:40:45,482 --> 00:40:49,562 Speaker 3: it before accepting their son has found true love Harold 641 00:40:49,602 --> 00:40:53,002 Speaker 3: and Maud style. But before the show is over, the 642 00:40:53,042 --> 00:40:59,482 Speaker 3: worst thing possible did happen. Warren Michael's lost control. It 643 00:40:59,762 --> 00:41:04,482 Speaker 3: just wasn't Miskle's doing. During his set, Elvis Costello, who 644 00:41:04,522 --> 00:41:08,202 Speaker 3: had just released his first album in the Uba, stopped 645 00:41:08,322 --> 00:41:11,562 Speaker 3: the song he was playing, less than Zero and told 646 00:41:11,562 --> 00:41:16,282 Speaker 3: his band to move into radio radio instead. For Michaels 647 00:41:16,322 --> 00:41:21,162 Speaker 3: and SNL, this was verboten. Musical acts didn't just decide 648 00:41:21,202 --> 00:41:24,002 Speaker 3: on the fly what they were going to do. As 649 00:41:24,042 --> 00:41:28,562 Speaker 3: rebellious as SNL was, it still had NBC's censors and 650 00:41:28,682 --> 00:41:33,482 Speaker 3: the FCC to contend with. And for all its seeming spontaneity, 651 00:41:34,042 --> 00:41:38,602 Speaker 3: SNL was planned down to the second that Bill believes 652 00:41:39,002 --> 00:41:41,322 Speaker 3: is what really set Michaels off. 653 00:41:42,042 --> 00:41:45,002 Speaker 5: This show has to basically end ninety minutes, so he 654 00:41:45,162 --> 00:41:47,962 Speaker 5: has to have a clock going in his head. So 655 00:41:48,002 --> 00:41:51,282 Speaker 5: if someone comes in and does something like changes the song, 656 00:41:51,362 --> 00:41:54,322 Speaker 5: well the song's gonna be maybe a different lane, so 657 00:41:54,402 --> 00:41:57,402 Speaker 5: that may mess up the whole next whatever the pattern 658 00:41:57,482 --> 00:42:00,762 Speaker 5: is after that. So yes, if somebody does something that 659 00:42:00,842 --> 00:42:04,602 Speaker 5: he doesn't expect or he didn't plan, not obviously an 660 00:42:04,602 --> 00:42:07,642 Speaker 5: ad lib, that's fine. If it's funny, that's fine. But 661 00:42:07,762 --> 00:42:10,242 Speaker 5: to change the structure in some way, that's not going 662 00:42:10,322 --> 00:42:13,642 Speaker 5: to go. And he doesn't like people messing with his show. 663 00:42:14,282 --> 00:42:18,722 Speaker 3: Michaels was furious. He allegedly gave Costello the middle finger 664 00:42:18,802 --> 00:42:23,522 Speaker 3: from offstage, and again allegedly Costello was banned from appearing 665 00:42:23,562 --> 00:42:27,762 Speaker 3: on SNL for a decade, and just like that, the 666 00:42:27,842 --> 00:42:31,442 Speaker 3: show was over. Miskel joined the cast on stage to 667 00:42:31,562 --> 00:42:34,922 Speaker 3: wave goodbye in a missus clause costume while the credits 668 00:42:35,042 --> 00:42:40,562 Speaker 3: rolled for a publicity stunt. It worked spectacularly well. The 669 00:42:40,722 --> 00:42:44,882 Speaker 3: Miskel Spilman episode of Saturday Night Live drew a staggering 670 00:42:45,122 --> 00:42:50,282 Speaker 3: fourteen point five million viewers, the highest rated episode of 671 00:42:50,322 --> 00:42:53,602 Speaker 3: the series up to that point, drawing more attention than 672 00:42:53,602 --> 00:42:55,842 Speaker 3: the season premiere with Steve Martin. 673 00:42:56,202 --> 00:42:59,322 Speaker 5: They had this tremendous publicity, So it doesn't surprise me 674 00:42:59,402 --> 00:43:03,242 Speaker 5: that much that it did extremely well, because beyond everything 675 00:43:03,242 --> 00:43:06,602 Speaker 5: else was a curiosity like, oh my gosh, what is 676 00:43:07,002 --> 00:43:07,562 Speaker 5: I gonna do? 677 00:43:08,562 --> 00:43:12,002 Speaker 3: The record wouldn't stand for long. Chevy Chase, returning to 678 00:43:12,122 --> 00:43:16,282 Speaker 3: host in February nineteen seventy eight, got twenty five million viewers. 679 00:43:16,722 --> 00:43:20,002 Speaker 3: Chase also got into a fight with Bill Murray backstage 680 00:43:20,042 --> 00:43:23,282 Speaker 3: in an apparent clash of egos, which is something else 681 00:43:23,362 --> 00:43:27,082 Speaker 3: Miskel Spilman couldn't brag about. What she could lay claim 682 00:43:27,162 --> 00:43:30,802 Speaker 3: to was being the coolest of customers in a pressure cooker. 683 00:43:31,362 --> 00:43:34,522 Speaker 5: You could tell she was game. She was game for it, 684 00:43:34,642 --> 00:43:38,162 Speaker 5: you know what I mean. She wasn't intimidated. She was Okay, 685 00:43:38,442 --> 00:43:40,082 Speaker 5: whatever I'm supposed to do, I'm going to do it. 686 00:43:40,442 --> 00:43:42,882 Speaker 5: And I think people really admire that. You know, she 687 00:43:43,442 --> 00:43:48,042 Speaker 5: as an eighty year old person did not fit naturally, 688 00:43:48,522 --> 00:43:51,722 Speaker 5: but I think they embraced her, and that's why it worked. 689 00:43:52,402 --> 00:43:56,322 Speaker 3: The Miskel Spilman episode remains a remarkable chapter in the 690 00:43:56,402 --> 00:44:00,042 Speaker 3: history of SNL. She wasn't the oldest ever host of 691 00:44:00,082 --> 00:44:03,562 Speaker 3: the show, not even then. In the second season, actress 692 00:44:03,682 --> 00:44:06,762 Speaker 3: Ruth Gordon hosted at the age of eighty one, and 693 00:44:07,082 --> 00:44:09,962 Speaker 3: decades later Betty White would set the record at the 694 00:44:10,002 --> 00:44:13,882 Speaker 3: age of eighty eight, but Miskel Spilman remains the winner 695 00:44:13,922 --> 00:44:18,562 Speaker 3: of the first and only Anyone Can Host competition. No 696 00:44:18,602 --> 00:44:22,402 Speaker 3: one in the forty seven seasons to follow hosted who 697 00:44:22,562 --> 00:44:26,922 Speaker 3: was totally unfamiliar to the audience, plucked from obscurity to 698 00:44:27,242 --> 00:44:31,802 Speaker 3: entertain a pet theory of Michael's. The closest SNL ever 699 00:44:31,922 --> 00:44:35,122 Speaker 3: came again to this grand experiment was in nineteen eighty 700 00:44:35,202 --> 00:44:39,522 Speaker 3: three when Brandon Tartikoff head lined an episode. While he 701 00:44:39,642 --> 00:44:42,562 Speaker 3: wasn't all that well known or much of a celebrity, 702 00:44:42,962 --> 00:44:46,122 Speaker 3: he did have one thing going for him. He was 703 00:44:46,162 --> 00:44:51,322 Speaker 3: the president of NBC's entertainment division. Miskel was the only 704 00:44:51,682 --> 00:44:54,562 Speaker 3: true civilian to ever do it. 705 00:44:54,562 --> 00:44:58,882 Speaker 5: It was in the B range for me, As I recall, 706 00:44:58,922 --> 00:45:01,762 Speaker 5: I haven't gone back and looked at it. I thought 707 00:45:01,802 --> 00:45:05,922 Speaker 5: she was cute and occasionally adorable with what they were 708 00:45:05,962 --> 00:45:09,762 Speaker 5: doing with her, it didn't stand out. I mean, if 709 00:45:09,802 --> 00:45:11,602 Speaker 5: I went back and looked at it, maybe a sketch 710 00:45:11,602 --> 00:45:15,122 Speaker 5: would stand out to me, but it wasn't overly memorable. 711 00:45:15,442 --> 00:45:17,882 Speaker 5: And I think the most notable thing about it is 712 00:45:17,882 --> 00:45:18,962 Speaker 5: that they never did it again. 713 00:45:21,082 --> 00:45:24,362 Speaker 3: They didn't really have to. As the years went on, 714 00:45:24,642 --> 00:45:29,282 Speaker 3: SNL grew from a counterculture maverick to an institution. There 715 00:45:29,322 --> 00:45:33,522 Speaker 3: were some interactive segments. Who could forget Eddie Murphy imploring 716 00:45:33,602 --> 00:45:36,362 Speaker 3: viewers to call in and vote to spare the life 717 00:45:36,402 --> 00:45:39,002 Speaker 3: of a lobster he wanted to boil in nineteen eighty two, 718 00:45:39,562 --> 00:45:44,082 Speaker 3: But for the most part SNL had tenure. In nineteen 719 00:45:44,122 --> 00:45:47,922 Speaker 3: eighty four, syndicated columnist Bob Green caught up with Miskel 720 00:45:48,042 --> 00:45:51,362 Speaker 3: to ask about her experience. She said it had been 721 00:45:51,562 --> 00:45:54,602 Speaker 3: the most thrilling night of her life. She said her 722 00:45:54,642 --> 00:45:57,282 Speaker 3: granddaughter was scared she might have a heart attack, but 723 00:45:57,402 --> 00:46:01,122 Speaker 3: that she didn't feel nervous at all. She recalled how 724 00:46:01,202 --> 00:46:04,362 Speaker 3: nice John Belushi was to her, how Bill Murray and 725 00:46:04,442 --> 00:46:07,922 Speaker 3: Gilda Radner invited her and her daughter out for dinner, 726 00:46:08,202 --> 00:46:10,682 Speaker 3: where they all talked until four o'clock in the morning, 727 00:46:11,122 --> 00:46:15,002 Speaker 3: how she and Radner had remained pen pals, writing letters 728 00:46:15,002 --> 00:46:19,322 Speaker 3: to one another for years. Afterward, Miskell was also gifted 729 00:46:19,362 --> 00:46:23,882 Speaker 3: a signed scrap book which congratulated her on winning. Lauren 730 00:46:24,002 --> 00:46:27,522 Speaker 3: Michaels signed it along with several of the writers, so 731 00:46:27,642 --> 00:46:31,602 Speaker 3: did Bill Murray, John Belucy, Jane Curtin, dan Aykroyd, Gilda Radner, 732 00:46:31,682 --> 00:46:35,402 Speaker 3: and of course Buck Henry Inside were many of the 733 00:46:35,522 --> 00:46:39,602 Speaker 3: letters sent in that voted for her. As late as 734 00:46:39,722 --> 00:46:44,042 Speaker 3: nineteen eighty nine, she was still watching the show, admitting 735 00:46:44,202 --> 00:46:46,602 Speaker 3: she had to take a nap to stay up that late. 736 00:46:47,082 --> 00:46:50,362 Speaker 3: Her favorite cast member at that time was Dana Carvey, 737 00:46:51,002 --> 00:46:54,562 Speaker 3: and like most fans of SNL, she thought the show 738 00:46:54,802 --> 00:46:58,242 Speaker 3: wasn't as good as it used to be. In nineteen 739 00:46:58,322 --> 00:47:03,602 Speaker 3: ninety two, Miskell's Spilman, SNL's only civilian host, died at 740 00:47:03,602 --> 00:47:05,122 Speaker 3: the age of ninety five. 741 00:47:05,922 --> 00:47:06,762 Speaker 1: You know what she says. 742 00:47:06,762 --> 00:47:09,162 Speaker 5: She had a line in the show where she said 743 00:47:09,282 --> 00:47:11,162 Speaker 5: they had to give to me because I may only 744 00:47:11,202 --> 00:47:13,202 Speaker 5: live another twenty five years or something. 745 00:47:13,042 --> 00:47:14,842 Speaker 1: Like that, and damn she lived. 746 00:47:14,962 --> 00:47:17,922 Speaker 5: She lived fifteen, She lived fifteen more years. 747 00:47:18,162 --> 00:47:19,202 Speaker 1: She was ninety five. 748 00:47:22,082 --> 00:47:26,522 Speaker 3: The fate of the other contestants is largely unknown. Richard 749 00:47:26,562 --> 00:47:29,962 Speaker 3: Neepe died in nineteen eighty seven, but Debbie Blair and 750 00:47:30,162 --> 00:47:33,282 Speaker 3: David Lewis, who were part of this strange chapter in 751 00:47:33,322 --> 00:47:37,882 Speaker 3: show business, aren't easily found. They were candidates for a 752 00:47:38,042 --> 00:47:42,322 Speaker 3: grand experiment. Michaels had set out to prove anyone could 753 00:47:42,362 --> 00:47:47,402 Speaker 3: host SNL and he did well, maybe he found out 754 00:47:47,482 --> 00:47:51,642 Speaker 3: miss goals. Bilman could host, But could anyone? Could you 755 00:47:51,922 --> 00:47:55,722 Speaker 3: host SNL? Stand on stage in front of millions of 756 00:47:55,762 --> 00:47:56,882 Speaker 3: people and not panic? 757 00:47:57,482 --> 00:47:59,802 Speaker 5: It's not easy. It's not the easiest thing in the 758 00:47:59,842 --> 00:48:02,042 Speaker 5: world to do. As I said, if you don't have 759 00:48:02,402 --> 00:48:05,162 Speaker 5: a level of confidence to be out there in front 760 00:48:05,162 --> 00:48:08,202 Speaker 5: of that live audience and on camera, you could really 761 00:48:08,242 --> 00:48:11,602 Speaker 5: freeze up and have nothing. So I don't believe anyone 762 00:48:11,642 --> 00:48:13,802 Speaker 5: could do it. No, And I admire the fact that 763 00:48:13,842 --> 00:48:16,042 Speaker 5: she did it well. I think there was no built 764 00:48:16,082 --> 00:48:18,722 Speaker 5: in reason why she should have pulled that off, even 765 00:48:18,762 --> 00:48:21,802 Speaker 5: with the writing they had, etc. You see people try 766 00:48:21,842 --> 00:48:24,282 Speaker 5: to get up and just talk at a PTA meeting 767 00:48:24,282 --> 00:48:25,122 Speaker 5: and they can't do it. 768 00:48:25,762 --> 00:48:26,722 Speaker 3: Could Bill Carter? 769 00:48:27,482 --> 00:48:27,962 Speaker 1: Hell No. 770 00:48:30,242 --> 00:48:32,402 Speaker 5: The idea of standing in front of an audience and 771 00:48:32,842 --> 00:48:36,042 Speaker 5: getting them to laugh and the idea of not getting 772 00:48:36,082 --> 00:48:40,642 Speaker 5: them to laugh is like, you know, facing a crocodile. 773 00:48:41,722 --> 00:48:45,562 Speaker 3: For Connie Crawford, the Anyone Can Host contest was meant 774 00:48:45,602 --> 00:48:49,562 Speaker 3: to be a fleeting thrill. After Vassar, Connie went on 775 00:48:49,722 --> 00:48:54,402 Speaker 3: to Juilliard, the prestigious acting school, and got involved in theater, 776 00:48:54,882 --> 00:48:59,242 Speaker 3: including the improv group, the Groundlings. She now teaches acting 777 00:48:59,322 --> 00:49:03,122 Speaker 3: and directing at Brown University. She's never gone back to 778 00:49:03,282 --> 00:49:05,882 Speaker 3: look at the episode where she was able to stand 779 00:49:05,962 --> 00:49:09,522 Speaker 3: next to a legend cast she had revered on television. 780 00:49:10,242 --> 00:49:12,962 Speaker 3: After all, it's called Saturday Night Live. 781 00:49:13,722 --> 00:49:16,882 Speaker 2: I've never seen it, and I've made a point of 782 00:49:16,962 --> 00:49:20,602 Speaker 2: not seeing it just because it was so much fun. 783 00:49:21,482 --> 00:49:24,442 Speaker 2: I don't want to watch it and go oh, or 784 00:49:24,922 --> 00:49:28,602 Speaker 2: you know, I don't want to poison the memory because 785 00:49:28,602 --> 00:49:30,802 Speaker 2: it was live. I mean, that's the whole thing. That's 786 00:49:30,882 --> 00:49:34,802 Speaker 2: kind of hard today to have people understand the how 787 00:49:34,802 --> 00:49:38,482 Speaker 2: ethereal it was. If you missed it, you missed it, 788 00:49:39,322 --> 00:49:43,442 Speaker 2: and that's it, and you would never see it. That 789 00:49:43,722 --> 00:49:47,002 Speaker 2: was kind of the magic of it. And so that 790 00:49:47,162 --> 00:49:49,602 Speaker 2: was the fun of it for me. You know. Then 791 00:49:49,642 --> 00:49:52,482 Speaker 2: I go back to school, and you know, I just 792 00:49:52,562 --> 00:49:56,762 Speaker 2: have this kind of happy memory, and I've just chosen 793 00:49:56,842 --> 00:50:00,202 Speaker 2: to keep it that way because it was really special 794 00:50:01,002 --> 00:50:05,682 Speaker 2: and silly and and it was a great show. 795 00:50:06,722 --> 00:50:09,682 Speaker 3: No oh, she didn't wind up running away to Nicaragua 796 00:50:09,762 --> 00:50:10,762 Speaker 3: with dan Akride. 797 00:50:11,322 --> 00:50:16,202 Speaker 2: It was so disappointing. He didn't love me, no, But 798 00:50:16,282 --> 00:50:19,362 Speaker 2: by that point I wasn't in love with him anymore. 799 00:50:20,122 --> 00:50:23,442 Speaker 2: Uh No, I mean at that point, if I had 800 00:50:23,882 --> 00:50:25,642 Speaker 2: wanted to, it would have been Blue Shie. 801 00:50:35,162 --> 00:50:38,002 Speaker 4: Very Special Episodes is made by some very special people. 802 00:50:39,082 --> 00:50:43,362 Speaker 4: Jake Rowson wrote today's episode. Jake also wrote last week's episode, 803 00:50:43,442 --> 00:50:46,122 Speaker 4: Super Streaker, and if you want to dip into the archives, 804 00:50:46,242 --> 00:50:49,602 Speaker 4: check out E T and Me, another Jake special about 805 00:50:49,642 --> 00:50:52,722 Speaker 4: a suburban kid who helped Steven Spielberg make his most 806 00:50:52,802 --> 00:50:56,922 Speaker 4: ambitious movie to date. Our producer, as always, is Josh Fisher. 807 00:50:57,482 --> 00:51:00,362 Speaker 4: The show is hosted by Danish Schwartz, Zaren Burnett and 808 00:51:00,482 --> 00:51:05,002 Speaker 4: Jason English. Editing and sound design by Chris Childs, Mixing 809 00:51:05,002 --> 00:51:09,242 Speaker 4: and mastering by Chris Childs. Original music by Alice McCoy, 810 00:51:09,802 --> 00:51:14,202 Speaker 4: Show logo by Lucy Quintonia. Our executive producer is Jason English. 811 00:51:14,562 --> 00:51:16,202 Speaker 4: If you'd like to email the show, you can reach 812 00:51:16,282 --> 00:51:20,042 Speaker 4: us at Very Special Episodes at gmail dot com. Very 813 00:51:20,082 --> 00:51:23,442 Speaker 4: Special Episodes is a production of iHeart Podcasts.