Live from New York, it's Saturday Night!

Last updated

"Live from New York, it's Saturday Night!" is a famous phrase typically featured on the American sketch comedy show SNL , which runs on the NBC broadcast network. It is generally used as a way to end a cold opening sketch and lead into the opening titles/montage and cast introductions for the program.

Contents

Origin

During the show's first season, the show was known simply as NBC's Saturday Night, due to the existence of an ABC show titled Saturday Night Live with Howard Cosell . This is how the phrase received its wording. The phrase was kept intact even after ABC's SNL was canceled and NBC's Saturday Night adopted the SNL name for itself.

Instances used

Chevy Chase said the line on the first show that aired, October 11, 1975. Chevy Chase 1980 (cropped).jpg
Chevy Chase said the line on the first show that aired, October 11, 1975.

The phrase is typically spoken by a host, cast member(s), and/or musical guest, and has been used in every season except one (the 1981–1982 season, the first full season with Dick Ebersol as producer, except the October 31, 1981 episode). It was first said live on air by Chevy Chase, on SNL's first show on October 11, 1975. For all but two of the first season's 24 episodes (Garrett Morris when Richard Pryor hosted and Gerald Ford when Ron Nessen hosted), Chase delivered the phrase after a pratfall of some kind. Even when the show is not aired on a Saturday—such as the Saturday Night Live Weekend Update Thursday specials aired from 2008 to 2012, and again in 2017—the traditional line is used.

The person delivering the phrase usually breaks character and the fourth wall, in that the phrase is normally not spoken to other cast members as part of the regular dialogue in the opening sketch. Instead, the person suddenly turns (if not already facing downstage) and delivers the phrase directly to the audience and the camera with a full-throated shout. At the same time, the camera zooms in for a tight close-up shot of the person's face, followed by a dissolve or slam cut to the show's opening montage and titles. In other sketches, when the phrase is delivered by multiple cast members, the camera usually zooms out as they shout the line.

Readings by special guests

The line has occasionally been given to a non-host/non-cast member for cameo purposes. This could be for stars like Brad Pitt [1] and Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, [2] or for more unusual celebrities like Ron Darling, Monica Lewinsky, [3] Who Wants to Be a Millionaire winner John Carpenter, WWE chairman Vince McMahon (on March 18, 2000), Mayor of New York City Rudy Giuliani (on September 29, 2001, two weeks after the September 11 attacks), [4] Carolyn Kepcher (on April 3, 2004), [5] Al Sharpton (on November 2, 2013), [6] Jason Aldean (on October 7, 2017, after paying tribute to the lives lost in the 2017 Las Vegas shooting and to the late Tom Petty), [7] and Stormy Daniels (on May 5, 2018). Guest choristers said the line after singing on December 15, 2012, in the aftermath of the Sandy Hook elementary school shooting, but read it in a more restrained tone.

Presidents and presidential hopefuls

Gerald Ford opened the show with the phrase (in a pre-recorded segment) [8] on April 17, 1976, which came during his presidency, when press secretary Ron Nessen was host. A series of presidential and vice presidential hopefuls have also announced the phrase on their appearances on the show, beginning with Bob Dole on November 16, 1996 (coming after the 1996 election). It was announced by Barack Obama on November 3, 2007, by Hillary Clinton on March 1, 2008, by Sarah Palin on October 18, 2008, by John McCain on November 1, 2008, and by Elizabeth Warren on March 7, 2020. [9]

Related Research Articles

<i>Saturday Night Live</i> American late-night live TV sketch comedy and variety show

Saturday Night Live is an American late-night live television sketch comedy, political satire, and variety show created by Lorne Michaels and developed by Dick Ebersol that airs on NBC. Michaels currently serves as the program's showrunner. 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 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 ends with someone breaking character and proclaiming, "Live from New York, it's Saturday Night!", properly beginning the show.

Saturday Night Live is an American sketch comedy series created and produced by Lorne Michaels for most of the show's run. The show has aired on NBC since 1975.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ron Nessen</span> American government official

Ronald Harold Nessen is an American government official who served as the 15th White House Press Secretary for President Gerald Ford from 1974 to 1977. He replaced Jerald terHorst, who resigned in the wake of President Ford's pardon of former president Richard Nixon.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Debbie Downer</span> Fictional character

Debbie Downer is a fictional Saturday Night Live character who debuted in 2004, and was created and portrayed by Rachel Dratch.

<i>Saturday Night Live</i> (season 27) Season of television series

The twenty-seventh season of Saturday Night Live, an American sketch comedy series, originally aired in the United States on NBC between September 29, 2001 and May 18, 2002.

<i>Saturday Night Live</i> parodies of Sarah Palin Television comedy sketches

The sketch comedy television show Saturday Night Live aired several critically acclaimed sketches parodying then Alaskan Governor and vice-presidential nominee Sarah Palin in the lead-up to the 2008 United States presidential election. The sketches featured former cast member Tina Fey, who returned as a guest star to portray Palin. Fey won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series for her impersonation of Palin.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kate McKinnon</span> American actress and comedian (born 1984)

Kate McKinnon Berthold is an American actress, comedian, impressionist, and writer. She was a cast member on the NBC sketch comedy series Saturday Night Live from 2012 to 2022, where she became known for her character work and celebrity impressions. For her work on the series, she was nominated for ten Primetime Emmy Awards, including one for Outstanding Original Music and Lyrics and nine for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series, winning in 2016 and 2017.

The thirty-fourth season of Saturday Night Live, an American sketch comedy series, originally aired in the United States on NBC between September 13, 2008, and May 16, 2009.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jay Pharoah</span> American actor, comedian, and impressionist

Jared Antonio Farrow, better known by his stage name Jay Pharoah, is an American stand-up comedian and actor. Pharoah was a cast member on the NBC sketch comedy series Saturday Night Live from 2010 to 2016. In 2015, he was ranked the 55th greatest Saturday Night Live cast member by Rolling Stone magazine.

<i>Saturday Night Live</i> (season 38) 38th season of the show

The thirty-eighth season of Saturday Night Live, an American sketch comedy series, originally aired in the United States on NBC between September 15, 2012 and May 18, 2013.

<i>Saturday Night Live</i> 40th Anniversary Special Episode of the 40th season of Saturday Night Live

"Saturday Night Live 40th Anniversary Special" is a three-and-a-half-hour prime-time special that aired on February 15, 2015, on NBC, celebrating Saturday Night Live's 40th year on the air, having premiered on October 11, 1975, under the original title NBC's Saturday Night. It is produced by Broadway Video. This special generated 23.1 million viewers, becoming NBC's most-watched prime-time, non-sports, entertainment telecast since the Friends series finale in 2004. It is the third such anniversary special to be broadcast, with celebratory episodes also held during the 15th and 25th seasons.

<i>Saturday Night Live</i> parodies of Donald Trump Television comedy series

The sketch comedy television series Saturday Night Live (SNL) has parodied Donald Trump since 1988, covering his time as a real estate broker to his popular run as host of The Apprentice, and during as well as after his presidency.

<i>Saturday Night Live bil Arabi</i> Television program

Saturday Night Live Arabic, commonly known as SNL Arabia, is an Egyptian late-night sketch comedy and variety television program broadcast on OSN Ya Hala HD. It is the Arab world's edition of the long-running American TV show Saturday Night Live on NBC. Each episode is hosted by a celebrity guest, who usually delivers an opening monologue and performs in sketches with the cast as with featured performances by a musical guest. An episode normally begins with a cold open sketch that ends with someone breaking character and proclaiming, "from Cairo, it's Saturday Night Live in Arabic", properly beginning the show.

The forty-fifth season of the NBC sketch comedy series Saturday Night Live premiered on September 28, 2019, during the 2019–20 television season with host Woody Harrelson and musical guest Billie Eilish, and concluded on May 9, 2020 with host Kristen Wiig and musical guest Boyz II Men. This season featured the return of Eddie Murphy as host, on December 21, 2019, for the first time in 35 years. Murphy's episode was the most watched episode since 2008.

"Saturday Night Live at Home" refers to the final three episodes of the 45th season of the late-night comedy program Saturday Night Live. Whereas SNL typically consists of sketches performed live in-studio, these "at Home" episodes were recorded remotely due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on television; none of the sketches were performed live for any of these episodes, and none of the participants in any sketch from these shows were in the same physical location.

Lists of <i>Saturday Night Live</i> episodes

Saturday Night Live (SNL) is a late-night sketch comedy and variety show created by Lorne Michaels. It premiered on the NBC Television Network on October 11, 1975, under the title NBC's Saturday Night. The show often satirizes contemporary American popular culture and politics. Saturday Night Live features a two-tiered cast: the repertory members, also known as the "Not Ready for Prime Time Players," and newer cast members, known as "Featured Players." Each week, the show features a host, often a well-known celebrity, who delivers an opening monologue and performs in sketches with the cast. A musical guest is also invited to perform several sets. Every so often a host or musical guest fills both roles. With the exception of season 7 and several other rare cases, the show begins with a cold open that ends with someone breaking character and proclaiming "Live from New York, it's Saturday Night!"

References

  1. Itzkoff, Dave (26 April 2020). "Brad Pitt Plays Dr. Anthony Fauci in an At-Home Edition of 'S.N.L.'". New York Times. Retrieved 30 November 2020.
  2. "The Rock Obama Cold Open - SNL". YouTube. NBC. Archived from the original on 2021-12-14. Retrieved 30 November 2020.
  3. Shales, Tom. "America's 'Saturday Night' Date With Monica". Washington Post. Retrieved 30 November 2020.
  4. "Saturday Night Live Highlight: 9/11 Tribute with Mayor Giuliani". NBC. NBC. Retrieved 30 November 2020.
  5. "SNL Transcripts: Donald Trump: 04/03/04: The Apprentice". SNL Transcripts. 8 October 2018. Retrieved 30 November 2020.
  6. "Michelle Obama at the White House Cold Open". NBC. NBC. Retrieved 30 November 2020.
  7. "October 7 - Gal Gadot". NBC. NBC. Retrieved 30 November 2020.
  8. "TV Review: NBC 'Saturday Night' Meets Ford People", by John J. O'Connor, The New York Times, April 19, 1976, p. 57
  9. "March 7 - Daniel Craig". NBC. NBC. Retrieved 30 November 2020.