How “Saturday Night Live” Reinvented Television, Fifty Years Ago
Jan 24, 2025
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Susan Morrison, editor at New Yorker and author of "Lorne: The Man Who Invented Saturday Night Live," dives into the legacy of Lorne Michaels and the revolutionary impact of SNL on television comedy. She discusses how Michaels innovatively refreshed the cast to resonate with younger audiences. Tina Fey, a notable SNL alumna, shares a reading from a 1975 review, capturing the show's initial audacity. Together, they explore SNL's blend of spontaneity, satire, and the cultural significance that has defined its fifty-year journey.
Lorne Michaels' strategic approach to cast replenishment helped SNL remain fresh and relevant across shifting cultural landscapes over fifty years.
The show's innovative format and irreverent humor positioned SNL as a critical counterpoint to conventional television, influencing generations of comedy.
Deep dives
The Birth of a Comedy Institution
Saturday Night Live (SNL) emerged in 1975 as a groundbreaking comedy show, initially featuring a cast of relatively unknown performers like Dan Aykroyd, Gilda Radner, and John Belushi. Its format revolved around a mix of skits, music, and monologues, deliberately contrasting with the conventional celebrity-driven entertainment of the time. The show's satirical and irreverent spirit allowed it to critique social norms and cultural issues, positioning SNL as a counterpoint to more sanitized programming. Critics noted that it broke away from the previous norms of commercial television comedy, appealing to audiences who were disenchanted with traditional formats.
Lorne Michaels and His Vision
Lorne Michaels, the creator and producer of SNL, approached comedy with specific rules and an innovative vision, ensuring that the show remained distinctive. His promise to NBC executives was to create a program that diverged from typical television offerings, allowing for more personal, political, and edgy humor. Despite the challenges of the early years, Michaels maintained a commitment to authenticity and adaptability, often replenishing the cast to keep the show's content fresh and relevant to shifting cultural landscapes. His strategic decisions played a crucial role in maintaining SNL's status in the entertainment industry over decades.
Cultural Influence and Longevity
SNL’s cultural impact is profound, having influenced not just comedy but also the broader television landscape across generations. The show's late-night time slot provided a unique freedom to explore unconventional topics and forms of humor, fostering a sense of community among audiences seeking relatable and political content. Over the years, SNL has evolved by incorporating a mix of commentary on contemporary social issues, blending satire with a diverse range of performers. This cultural relevance has contributed to its enduring popularity, even as it adapts to the changing media consumption habits of its audience.
Lorne Michaels' Legacy and Future
As Lorne Michaels approaches the 50-year mark of SNL, discussions surrounding his eventual succession are increasingly pertinent. His management style combines a mix of discipline and creativity, fostering an environment where writers and performers can experiment within tight production schedules. Despite sporadic criticisms about the show's political edge, Michaels has navigated a complicated landscape, contributing to SNL retaining its comedic bite. The future of SNL remains uncertain without Michaels, yet many insiders speculate that he will continue to lead the show for as long as possible, reflecting his deep-rooted connection to its legacy.
“Saturday Night Live” turns fifty this year. Profiling its executive producer, Lorne Michaels, the New Yorker editor Susan Morrison sheds light on one of the most important people in show business. Morrison spent years talking to Michaels for her new book, “Lorne: The Man Who Invented Saturday Night Live,” and she includes recordings of those interviews in a conversation with David Remnick. “Lorne was a real student of what I call sort of the hinges between eras,” Morrison says. To keep the show current, Michaels “paid attention to replenishing the casts in a sort of seamless way, so that it would never seem like an old guy trying to do an entertainment for young people.” Plus, one of the show’s most notable alumni, Tina Fey—rumored to be a possible successor to Michaels, who is now eighty—reads an excerpt from the magazine’s review of the show’s first season, back in 1975.
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