The Al Franken Podcast 151: Saturday Night Live Writer & Producer Jim Downey
Jan 21, 2024
Jim Downey, SNL writer and producer, talks about writing sketches and impersonations. They discuss creating caricatures of Al Gore during his presidential campaign and contrasting portrayals of George H.W. Bush and Donald Trump. They also share a long-running practical joke and their experience writing an ad for a change bank.
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
Introduction
00:00 • 4min
Language Learning App and Professional Services Ads
04:23 • 2min
Sketch Writing and Impersonations
06:19 • 5min
Creating Caricatures of Al Gore on SNL
10:58 • 23min
Contrasting Portrayals of George H.W. Bush and Donald Trump on SNL
33:48 • 2min
Comedic Sketch Parody and Sponsor Mentions
35:32 • 2min
Long-Running Practical Joke
37:50 • 9min
Writing an Ad for a Change Bank
47:13 • 26min
Introduction, Ad-free Options, and New Podcast Announcement
01:13:05 • 2min