Here's something you might be interested in.
Years ago, someone at the Reader let me borrow the coffee table book on Saturday Night Live. It was a great read. They interviewed every cast member, and they all talked about their experiences on the show.
The only one that refused to participate was Eddie Murphy. I have no clue why. Maybe he wants to write his own book someday.
I thought maybe it was because he's doing the angry black guy thing. But Chris Rock had the best attitude regarding his characters and things he wrote. He said a lot of his friends would comment that his skits weren't on as much, but he admits that if it wasn't for that show, he probably wouldn't have made it in the business. He went from being a struggling comedian, to a guy that people would recognize walking down the street.
I thought it would be an interesting blog to write what I heard Dennis Miller say on his radio show a few weeks back. I didn't blog it then, because I had just written about a Saturday Night Live theme party I attended. But now enough time has passed.
A caller asked Miller, who was the long-time news guy on the show, who he thought the funniest and most talented person on the show was. Miller said, "Without a doubt, it was Dana Carvey."
He then said he may be biased, since he worked with him on the show. But, he claimed that writers would sometimes pitch a skit that wasn't funny, and he thought wouldn't work. And Carvey would find a way to make it funny.
He said, "A close second, would probably be Dan Akyroyd, Phil Hartman and Eddie Murphy. Akyroyd did some amazing stuff. And then, you have a big drop off, and have Will Ferrell."
Now, this surprised me. Not the three people tied for "second". They all did great characters. But why such a drop off for Will Ferrell? I'm not even the biggest fan of his movies, but on that show he was simply brilliant. Whether it was the male cheerleader, the professor, Alex Trebek...too many characters to even name.
And why no John Belushi in the top five?
I have no problem with him not picking a woman in the top five. I certainly think Cheri Oteri (who left to puruse a movie career...bad move) was amazing. And why does Miller think Dana Carvey was so much more talented than Gilda Radner?
My favorite SNL cast members are:
Are there any great cast members I missed?
Years ago, someone at the Reader let me borrow the coffee table book on Saturday Night Live. It was a great read. They interviewed every cast member, and they all talked about their experiences on the show.
The only one that refused to participate was Eddie Murphy. I have no clue why. Maybe he wants to write his own book someday.
I thought maybe it was because he's doing the angry black guy thing. But Chris Rock had the best attitude regarding his characters and things he wrote. He said a lot of his friends would comment that his skits weren't on as much, but he admits that if it wasn't for that show, he probably wouldn't have made it in the business. He went from being a struggling comedian, to a guy that people would recognize walking down the street.
I thought it would be an interesting blog to write what I heard Dennis Miller say on his radio show a few weeks back. I didn't blog it then, because I had just written about a Saturday Night Live theme party I attended. But now enough time has passed.
A caller asked Miller, who was the long-time news guy on the show, who he thought the funniest and most talented person on the show was. Miller said, "Without a doubt, it was Dana Carvey."
He then said he may be biased, since he worked with him on the show. But, he claimed that writers would sometimes pitch a skit that wasn't funny, and he thought wouldn't work. And Carvey would find a way to make it funny.
He said, "A close second, would probably be Dan Akyroyd, Phil Hartman and Eddie Murphy. Akyroyd did some amazing stuff. And then, you have a big drop off, and have Will Ferrell."
Now, this surprised me. Not the three people tied for "second". They all did great characters. But why such a drop off for Will Ferrell? I'm not even the biggest fan of his movies, but on that show he was simply brilliant. Whether it was the male cheerleader, the professor, Alex Trebek...too many characters to even name.
And why no John Belushi in the top five?
I have no problem with him not picking a woman in the top five. I certainly think Cheri Oteri (who left to puruse a movie career...bad move) was amazing. And why does Miller think Dana Carvey was so much more talented than Gilda Radner?
My favorite SNL cast members are:
Are there any great cast members I missed?