Jim Downey's Impact on Saturday Night Live

Jim Downey is regarded as one of the greatest comedy writers of all time, having worked at Saturday Night Live for over 30 years. He started at a young age and was there during the iconic years of the show's early history. One of his notable contributions was the creation of the game show sketch 'Kannes Musmacho,' where the questions revolved around who was more macho among different celebrities. Downey also played a key role in developing the update segment of SNL, alongside Norm MacDonald. Their approach to update was described as punk-like, stripping away the conventional and focusing on edgy and anarchic humor. Their jokes were mean-spirited, challenging the audience and avoiding pandering. The O.J. Simpson trial served as a fertile ground for their humor, with jokes that were sharp, provocative, and brilliantly timed. Norm MacDonald's delivery and timing perfectly complemented Downey's writing, making their update segment legendary.