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Best of SNL: A play-a-long distraction

E! is going to present, for five nights, the 101 Most Unforgettable SNL Moments. Obviously, funny isn't the same as unforgettable, so Sinbad O'Connor's stunt with the Pope will most likely be included. For my list, I'll be thinking of moments that made me laugh so hard I snorted. Your lists may vary. I'll try to find links to the specific skits as I go along. I figure we're all looking for a little distraction right about now, so I'll start you off and you can add your own. I put down the first few that came to mind and I'll add as I think of them. No particular order. * Jane, you ignorant slut * Nevermind [Yes, this and others on this list are recurring lines, but do you remember your reaction the first time you heard them? See?] * Who shot Buckwheat? * Buckwheat sings [Fee times a lady - I laughed so hard at this skit I almost threw up] * The synchronized swimmers [I'm not a very good swimmer - yet] * David Wells in a dress * Do not taunt happy fun ball * Colon Blow * Mmm...that's good bass! * Dead honky * Killer Bees * Now is the time on Sprockets ven ve dance! * Toonces the Driving Cat Update: That Patrick Swayze skit where he sang One Ton of Fan Mail. I cracked up for days over that one. Anything with Walken. . Walken as Bruce Dickinson, with cowbell. Sarah Mclachlan singing a song about turkey. [Working on more. Your turn]

Comments

cheese-burger
Samuri dry-cleaner
Steve Martin's King Tut
Alex Baldwin's "schweetie balls"

Just off the top of my head:
1. Dana Carvey and 'Choppin' Broccoli'
2. Lucy Lawless as Stevie Nicks doing a commercial for 'Stevie Nicks' Fajita Roundup' restaurant

"I put my pants on one leg at a time, every morning, just like you...except after I put my pants on, I make gold records..."

-Bruce Dickinson (Christopher Walken), the "Cowbell" skit

More cowbell!

And I know this isn't necessarily a classic, but I nearly keeled over from laughter during "Trump's House of Wings" last year. But that's because I was laughing at the faces he was making ... I just knew throughout the whole thing, he was thinking "I make this look GOOOOOOD."

Matt Foley, Motivational Speaker
Shimmer (the floor wax that's a dessert topping!)
Deep Thoughts
Hans and Franz and Patrick Swayze

...oh, for the days when SNL was funny...

Bad news Bees ;-)

1. Patrick Swayze/Chris Farley Chippendales danceoff.

2. Schlitz Gay beer commercial

3. Chris Farley doing his Matt Foley character and having David Spade almost lose it during the sketch.

4. Will Ferrell doing Harry Caray. Or Alex Trebek on Celebrity Jeopardy.

Massive Headwound Harry!!!

The Continental
Drunk Girl
I AM UNABLE TO MODERATE THE TONE OF MY VOICE, COLIN
You like-a the sauce? The sauce is good, no?
Jimmy Tango's weight loss: "Ride the snake..."

My favorite was the parody of the Navy recruiting commercial:

"Port of Call: Bayonne, New Jersey"

Scenes of sailors swabbing decks, cleaning toilets, etc.

"The Navy, it's not just a job. It's $86.23 a week."

Old one, but still funny.

1.Celebrity Jeopardy with David Duchovney as Jeff Goldblum.
2.Mango. I love Mango.
3.Darrell Hammond as Sean Connery on Celeb Jeopardy. Frigging priceless.
4.John Goodman as Linda Tripp
5. Schwettie cheese balls.
6. Anything with Christopher Walken.

The skit last year where Mya Rudolph played Oprah during one of her studio giveaways, and her audience went batshit crazy, had me in tears.

Jimmy Tango's Fat Busters ("Ride the Snake!") did too.

"I got a fever, and the only cure is more cowbell!"

Jim Carrey's hottub/lifeguard skit.

Steriod Olympics

Schwettie Balls

Jim Carrey w/ night at the Roxbury Guys skit.

Do not taunt Happy Funn Ball

"So this guy needed a kidney and I had an extra one, so I figured what the hell!" - Bad Idea Jeans

The Skit with Will Ferrel as an anchorman when the tel-le-promt-ter goes on the fritz.

Cheeseburger, Cheeseburger

Oh I forgot... Any/All of the Jeopardy! skits are classic.

my choices:

1. Alec Baldwin as the Soap Opera actor who mispronounced every medical term.

2. Land shark!

3. Trump's house of wings was pretty damned funny

4. Stuart Smalley with Michael Jordan, who was unable to suppress his laughter.

5. Two wild and crazy guys! Would you like to see our bul-ches?

eh, really, there's too many to list.

"Where are your troops, and can we count them?"

"Candygram. Delivery. Landshark."

"I HATE when that happens..."

"Kill my landlord. C-I-L-L my landlord."

Michael Jordan with Coach Ditka's hair. Just thinking of that picture still cracks me up.

"Candygram."

"Consume mass quantities."

The droll bucket strapped around some actors neck. It swang as he walked and the spit sloshed out. It literally, made me gag. John Belushi as the waiter in the New York Burger joint. Cheeburgeee, cheeburgeee, coke, no Pepsi.

Will Farrell as Harry Caray. "If you were a hotdog, would you eat youself?!" "How about you and me go to Mars in a sub sandwich?"

Chris Farley as Matt Foley. The one with David Spade and Christina Appelgate get a motivational speech in their house. Everyone is battling to control their laughter. It's great.

"Would you like to touch my monkey?"

The Wayne's World skit with Madonna. "Isn't that Prince?" "Look at the package on that guy."

Chris Farley trying to fly over the SNL anchor desk but getting his rig cables tangled in the light grid.

Garret Morris shouting out the news for the hard of hearing.

The Rutles.

Anything samurai by John Belushi.

"Bag of Broken Glass" and "Johnny Spaceman" plastic bag from Mainway Toys.

Mr. Bill.

First Hannukah Song by Adam Sandler.

Eddie Murphy as Mr. Robinson vs. Mr. T. "The word for today... is pain"

James Brown's Celebrity Hot Tub (Eddie Murphy)

Tom Petty translating for Bob Dylan on Weekend Update

Willie Neslon: Great Moments in the History of White Trash (especially the farmer's tanning booth)

Joe Mantegna threatening to whack some kid's dad during the monologue if he didn't quit complaining that he wasn't Joe Montana.

walken and meadows - the census

Aerosmith on Wayne's World

Will Ferrel in a thong at a meeting (top 10 of all time, easy)

Gay Schmitt's ad (funniest thing ever to be destroyed when they released it on DVD and took out the VH song)

I Gotta have more COW BELL!

Dana Carvey as Bush at a urinal

Ferrel - Dissing Your Dog

The Rock and Mr. Peepers

Michael Jordan with Stuart Smalley

Deep Thoughts - Free Dummy and Disney Land burned down

It's Pat - where they find out the answer to the big question

Janet Reno vs Rudy Giuliani

Will Ferrel as Niel Diamond on Weekend Update (absolute spot-on classic)

Jim Bruer and Colin Quinn - The Joe Pesci Show (when Pesci and DeNiro show up)

Farley - falling through the table as Matt Foley

Nirvana doing Territorial Pissings (their best)

The one on a news set when the teleprompter goes out and they end up eating the weather chick. ROFLOL at that one!

1. The Star Wars Screen Tests w/ Kevin Spacey.

2. Tim Kazurinsky listing out what types of orgasms certain people have.
Hockey players have Bobby Orr-gasms.

3. James Brown Celebrity Hot Tub

4. Eddie Murphy wondering what happens when there are only white people on the bus.

5. Chris Farley in that bumblebee suit (mimicking that kid from that one video...the name escapes me)crying out, "I have a weight problem!"

Antonio Banderas skit - "No, don't take off your shirt - it's Too Sexxxy! - Think of the children!" "But I must!"

To the skits already mentioned I've got to add the skit about the voyages of the sea ship "The Raging Queen".

Julia Child.

I throw my vote to the Swayze-Farley Chippendale's dance off. That was one of Farley's first skits. Followed closely by the Star Wars outtakes.

For political satire, I'll take Reagan is in charge of Iran-Contra and when Bush and Gore decide to share the office odd couple style.

The Ambiguously Gay Duo - the Christmas episode ("Oh don't worry, we don't have wives commissioner" - "Pay up" "They could have girlfriends" "Pay UP!"

The Ex-Presidents, with Clinton getting it on with the robot "Can I join you guys now?"

Dana Carvey's Effeminate Heterosexual
"Bears are gonna Kick Some Ass... yay!" "Yum Yum Yummy Beer"

George Bush and Dick Cheney in the White House
"Uncle Dick, this dog followed me home, can I keep it?"
"Yes George, you can keep it"
"Great. My cabinet and I have decided to name him 'Awesome Dude'"

from way back they had News for the hearing impaired. The newscaster would say something and then the guy behind him would scream what the newscaster just said... oh, brilliant.

Jimmy Carter Talking the guy down who was tripping on "Orange Sunshine" acid. "Do you have any Allman Brothers?"

Dan Akroyd and the Halloween Costumes.

Bill Clinton reading from the Starr report... "Man! That is Hot!!"

and finally the NPR ladies. "It's fun to get a little high" "good times, good times"

I'm apparently of strange and obscure tastes, but here are some of mine:

1. Patrick Stewart's whole show was great, but especially Love Boat: The Next Generation -- "Mr. Data, set a course for ROMANCE!"

2. Jim Carrey on the Joe Pesci show playing Jimmy Stewart while Jim Bruer played Jim Carrey.

3. William Shatner's monologue. "Get a life, people! I mean, for god's sake, it was just a TV show!"

4. Steve Martin's "One Wish" bit. "If I had just one wish, it would be that all the children in the world hold hands and sing..."

5. Also, Steve Martin's monologue where they do the musical number about actually trying.

6. All of the Unfrozen Caveman Lawyer bits. "I'm just a caveman..."

7. The bit where Norm McDonald as Bob Dole was running against Bill Pullman's President from Independence Day. "In your Administration, the average American is DEAD!"

So many more, too...

Chris Parnell to other gas attendants:

"I left a grumpy in the toolbox!"

Perhaps the funniest moment in all of television - maybe even the WORLD!!

Shoot, I just remembered a couple more:

1. Bill Clinton reviewing Independence Day: "What was your favorite part, Mr. President?" "I'd have to go with the part where the First Lady dies..."

2. Bill Clinton after being acquitted from impeachment: "I... AM... BULLETPROOF!"

3. And one of my all time faves--Quentin Tarantino's "Welcome Back Kotter"

1"With a name like Smuckers...."
2 Bill Murray singing "Star Wars"
3 I can't remember the name of the character,but the one with Margo Kidder where Akroyd plays the male prostitute.
4 doggie downers commercial

1. Paul Simon singing "Still Crazy After All These Years" while dressed as a turkey.

2. Lorne Michaels telling George Harrison that he's only getting 1/3 of the $1,000 he offered for the Beatles to appear.

3. Paul Simon playing one-on-one basketball against Connie Hawkins with Marv Albert doing the play-by-play to the tune "Me & Julio Down By The School Yard."

Quarry (the cereal made from stone) - "I like Quarry 'cause it's crunchy!"

Chico Escuela - "Baseball been berry berry good to me."

Theodoric of York, Medieval Barber

Father Guido Sarducci

"I'm Chevy Chase, and you're not."

And, I say to the world, "What do you mean, Americans ain't got no culture?"

"...Nevermind."

Bob & Ray's singing "Do You Think I'm Sexy".

Candice Bergen flubbing her line: "Now look, Fern... or uhh... whatever your name is..."

Also:

Buck Henry taking a samurai sword to the head.

Oh and I forgot the singular SNL skit I have on tape independently.

Jim Carrey in Jimmy Tango's Fat Busters - thye combinations of crystal meth and heat beads for rapid weight loss.

The infommercial for the Amazin' Lazer, with the steadily escalating caveats and warnings (Use the Amazin' Lazer for those big piles of leaves...Children should not be allowed to use the Amazin' Lazer...Promise you will use the Amazin' Lazer for good, and not for evil...For God's sake, don't, under any circumstances, buy the Amazin' Lazer...)

Mark McKinney as Steve Forbes unvailing his plans for Forbes America, carved out of Siberia with his orbiting death lasers ("There is no food! We ate the ponies!")

Here's one of my favorites that doesn't even involve comedy: Garrett Morris singing "Oh Danny Boy" with a beautiful voice that no one even knew he had.

---Tom Nally, New Orleans

The Giorgy Brothers with the tight slacks that show bulges.

More cowbell.

Buckwheat shot, the world mourns.

Ummm, that's good bass.

I live in a van down by the river!!!

Isnt that special????

Colon-blow and new and improved super colon blow.

Schweatie balls.

Deep thoughts, by Jack Handy.

You're that landshark!... I'm just a dolphin, Ma'am.

Jesse Jackson reading Dr. Seuss

Cajun Man

The commercial for Crystal Gravy

Senator Paul Simon thinking he was hosting instead of Singer/Songwriter Paul Simon

Bag Full of Broken Glass

and the Super Fans.

Schwety Balls.
Toonces.
Happy Fun Ball
More Cowbell
Farley trying out for Chippendales
Will Farrell as a nude model
Mike Myers as Dieter
Tiny Elvis

John Belushi as Menachem Begin.

Fran Tarkenton promising the Vikings would return to the SuperBowl and lose again!

WARNING: ATTEMPTED THREAD JACKING!

I just got the Star Wars trilogy on DVD and I have to wait 5 hours to watch it.

Though knowing Lucas this Twain quote is probably apropos

"The poetry is all in the anticipation, for there is none in reality"

Bass-o-Matic.

Fred Garvey(?) Male Prostitute.

Land Shark.

I recently rented the Steve Martin vid precisely because of King Tut.

What's sad is I remembered all the words.

Baabaa Waawaa which includes the Madeline Kahn skit. Or were they talking like Marlene Dietrich?

Akroyd as the plumber showing his crack. Gee, how we've progressed. Now it's our kids.

Wake Up And Smile.
Strategery.
"SATAN???"
The Ex-Presidents.
Robot Insurance.
Oops I Crapped My Pants.
"I am as happy as a little giiiirl..." ^^
"Daaaaaaaaaa Bears."
How Do I Get There (you have to have lived in New England to get this one).
"Welcome to All Things Scottish, if it's not Scottish IT'S CRAP!!!!!"
Whore.
Nun.
Whore Nun.

and of course...

SCHWING!

Jesse Jackson reading 'Green Eggs & Ham'.

Elvis Costello stopping the band, then kicking into 'Radio Radio'.

Recent anniversary show, Beastie Boys playing 'Sabotage', Elvis Costello runs out, stops them, they all play 'Radio Radio'.

Frank Zappa: No, man, I don't do drugs.

WG

George Bush Senior with the night vision goggles.

Guiliani playing a cab driver complaining about "Freakin' Guiliani!!!"

Christopher Walken singing "You say patato, I say patato"

Any of the Fun With Real Audio cartoons

When the real Robert Deniro and Joe Pesci show up on the "The Joe Pesci Show"

Jim Carrey as the life guard at the hot tub.

Mr. and Mrs. Eddie Van Halen at the dinner table with the Roadies picking up rolls and using the flashlight when they get up to move around.

Geek, Dweeb or Spazz. "It'll be shhweeeeeet!"

Joe Montana...

"...it was nice to meet you, now I'm gonna go upstairs and masterbate..."

Enough said?

The satires of commercials. My faovrite is the one where Jane Curtain walks in the door with a bag of groceries, puts them on the kitchen table and says, "I'm a nuclear physicist ..." and goes on for a few minutes and concludes with "How do I do it? I take speed."

A show that needs the past to stay alive. I hope SNL does figure out a better way.

I didn't see anyone mention it yet, but when Lucy Lawless did the impression of Stevie Nicks promoting Mexican food I laughed mighty hard. "Now here you go again
You say you want burrito" hehe.

The Rock in drag on the Ladies Man

The string of political skits during the 2000 campaign and recount.
John Mcain having a vietnam flashback at breakfast and Alan Keys trying to bum a ride to South Carolina after the New Hampshire Primary

Ferrell's Bush playing with the ball of yarn.

Da Bears with George Wendt

Early Dennis Miller on Weekend Update

Oh, I forgot - The last episode of Janet Reno's Dance Party, where the real Janet Reno breaks through the wall.

I haven't seen these mentioned:

Piscopo (as Sinatra) and Murphy (as Stevie Wonder) do an "Ebony and Ivory" duet.

I'm Gumby Dammit!

Mr.Robinson's Neighborhood: The word of the day is "Bitch". Go to you mom right now and say "bitch". If she slaps you, you're saying it right.

"Are they manly men?"
"Apparently this was going on right under my nose."

Dan Aykroyd -n Bog o' glass
Phil Hartman - Fire Bad! and the Anal Retentive Chef
James Brown Celebrity Hot tub
Schprockets!
A van down by the river
and my personal fav:

Don't you hate it when...
you have a cold sore and it's really red and infected and you're shaving and it gets caught in the blade of the razor and it rips it open and it starts bleeding and it drips blood everywhere and gets on your shirt? Yeah I hate when than happens... Don't you hate it when...

Hmmph you all have forgotten the Mr. Bill Show :)

Fire BAD!

Nicatrell the answer to your smoking habit.

Arnold on Hans and Franz

And can you belive it. All the cast and the writers were..wait for this...LIBERALS!

Billy Crystal, Eddie Murphy, and others in "Gumby the Green Jew."

Billy Crystal (as sammy davis) and Chris Guest (gay indian) on password...

Mastermind>/i>, where "Reagan" instructs "Shultz" on the economic slight-of-hand of the Iran-Contra deal.

Oh; I forgot: The sketch where Ronald Reagan becomes a ruthless gangster when the cameras are off and whacks one of the cabinet with a baseball bat.

Oh, and the secret lost ending of 'It's a Wonderful Life'

1. The Garrett Morris skit where he is a US Marine walking down a city street in full blues, stopping various men and talking while the "Marine's Hymn" plays in the background. Finally, a flamboyent man with a purse excitedly nods "Yes!" and they go arm-in-arm into a hotel. Then, the voice-over "The Marines are looking for a few good men." Then, with all eyes on him, my dad (20 year man teaching JROTC at my high school) EXPLODING into a mass of profanity and arm waving. "That goddamn sonofabitch wouldn't make a pimple on a good Marines ass!" Then, through a wall of laughter, leaving to go get drunk at the VFW.

72 comments and no one has mentioned the best-ever skit...

"Sinatra and Friends" - Sinbad O'Connor... I look at you and I think, 8-ball, corner pocket.

Phil Hartman as Sinatra and Sting as Billy Idol

So would anyone mention John Belushi on Weekend Update? But NOOOOOOOOOO....................

It's a floor wax! No, it's a dessert topping! Floor Wax! Dessert Topping!

Beethoven discovers "What'd I Say?"

OK, some of these were mentioned already:

*Massive Headwound Harry is one of the funniest things I have ever seen.

*Adobe, the car made out of clay. Toonces, of course, as well.

*Anything with Dan Aykroyd as Irving Maimway of Maimway Toys (Invisible Pedestrian, Doggie Dentist, Johnny Human Torch)

*Any of the Bush-Gore debate and recount sketches ("Strategery." "Lockbox").

*The 1988 presidential debates ("and that's why I wear the bow tie")

*Finda the Popes inna the pizza

"No coke, Pepsi"

"Can you break a twenty?" (Samurai Baker)

"It's a dessert topping AND a floor wax!"

One more: the skit where Al Franken is the human one-man camera crew talking to Dennis Miller, with that huge satellite dish on his shoulders. Franken actually used to be funny.

Puppy Uppers and Doggie Downers.

HAPPYFEET!

Jake & Elwood Blues

Nick Cage as Asswipe ("It's pronounced ozweepay!")

The Assorama/Omarosa Apprentice bit with all the crap falling on her head.

Mike Meyers as that kid in the tub. "Every Daddy needs a Mommy, even if it is for just one night."

From above:
Massive Headwound Harry (esp. when the dog starts gnawing on it)
Farley as the Chippendales dancer
Bad Idea Jeans
Mr. Bill

more from early years:

Andy Kaufman lip-syncs Mighty Mouse theme.

New Dad insurance.

Super Bass-O-Matic 76.

Baba Wawa.

Bag O' Glass.

Little Chocolate Donuts.

From the old days: the drag racing sketch with Belushi and Ackroyd, the "Raging Queen" and anything with Roseanne Rosannadanna.

The more recent ones... uh, well, how about Mango vs. J. Lo?

But my all-time favorite moment - the one where Jan Hooks was Bette Davis in a videotaped will talking to her daughter from beyond the grave: "You get... NOTHING! Ha ha ha ha!". But the best part was the "fast forward" where Jan Hooks made the fast-forward noises and messed up by going out of sync. She covered it up with continued maniacal laughter a la Bette Davis. Best sketch ever.

Damn, there's so many that I keep remembering (most of which have now been mentioned). But Steve Martin's "How to Make a Million Dollars and Never Pay Taxes."

First, make a million dollars. Then don't pay taxes. When the IRS comes after you, say "I forgot. EXCUUUUUUUSE ME!"

Wow-- Here's one nobody has posted yet (prob. b/c it's in the last 5 years)
Freddie, Umberto, Carla, Katie and Jingleheimer Joe on Jingleheimer Junction with Cameron Diaz...
Also,
Sprockets (Touch my Monkey)
The Asswipe sketch with Nicolas Cage and Julia Stiles (I think)
Church Lady
Paul Simon in the turkey suit
the 5 timers club
Stuart Smalley and Michael J...

Can't believe these ones haven't been mentioned (really dating myself):

Medieval Barber and Lawyer
"Look for the union label, when you are buying an ounce or a gram"

and obviously:

Dan Akroyd playing Julia Child

Speaking of commercial spoofs, I distintly remember a spoof on the double bladed razor brands when they first hit the market. They made up a razor that had THREE blades and showed animation how these blades worked on your whiskers. The tagline was "Because we think you'll believe anything" (ha, ha, can you believe anyone would ever be dumb enough to spend money on a razor that has three blades?!)

John Lovitz as Satan in The People's Court

"We are two wild and crazy guys . . ."

Back when Chevy was funny and Ford was president, "Secret Service took the thumb and wrestled it to the ground."

"I'll take 'The Rapists' for two hundred, Alex." (sigh) "It's Therapists."

Not a laugh, but mighty spooky: the short film of an old John Belushi at the graveyard, having outlasted all the cast members.

"Give me a Sandwich and a Dusjbag and there is nothing I can't accomplish..."

Sixty Minutes expose of Minkman Novelties. (In honor of Dan Rather)

Phil Hartman as Bill Clinton in the McDonalds.

Eddie Murphy as Clarence the 5th Beatle.."She got a ticket to ride and the bitch don't care, man."

The Chris Rock Star Trek sketch

It's been said already, but the Bad Idea Jeans commercial has really stuck with me --

"You know, I thought about using a condom, but then I thought, 'Hey, when am I ever going to be in Haiti again?'"

Watching Will Ferrell's Best of now. Him doing Robert Goulet is too funny for words

The infamous Jeopardy skit with Norm MacDonald as Burt Reynolds changing his name to Turd Ferguson, and Sean Connery dissing the hell out of Alex is easily one the funniest skits ever - Top 5 SNL skits of all time.

His Harry Carey is one of the most mind boggling impressions ever (he freaks the hell out of Jeff Goldblum)

Can't believe nobody mentioned this one, but...

When Pierce Brosnan and Jimmy Fallon work at Jeffries, and Will Ferrel wheels in and whips out his microscopic cell-phone...

"hello? Yes. Splendid."

"more than perfect, allow us to engage the Concorde..."

You know it's funny when Ferrel almost loses it. By then, Brosnan and Fallon were gone

Ferrel as "Angry Boss Man", when he stabs Chris Parnell ("I've been lifting weights and doing cocaine all morning!!!") about 36 times with a trident...

Gilda Radner as Emily Litilla:

"What's all this fuss about endangered feces"

The mineral spring water from Lake Erie. "Anticipation..."

"Here I come to save the day!"

The camera so simple, even Stevie Wonder can use it.

And Stevie Wonder as a Stevie Wonder impersonator singing "My Cherie Amour". "Still stinks, man."

Can't believe no one mentioned "Celebrity Jeopardy" with Ferrell as Alex Trebek, Norm McDonald as Burt Reynolds, and Chris Kattan as Sean Connery -- "I'll take 'Swords' for $1000". "That's S-Words!!!!"

The Anita Hill hearings, because (and you have to be from Alabama to get this) Farley's Senator Howell Heflin was disturbingly dead on.

Eddie Murphey's "White Like Me"

Dana Carvey as George Michels standing up and screaming at Dennis Miller to look at his ass.

Carvey as Ross Perot trying to ditch Adm. Stockdale in the woods.

Surprised no one mentioned the skit where Mick Jagger played Keith Richards.

Laughed my ass off.

Eddie Murphy in James Brown's Hot Tub.

John Belushi in the snow-covered cemetery, visiting the grave of the rest of the original cast (there's irony for you).

David Spade and Helen Hunt as flight attendants: "Buh-Bye, now."

Theodoric of York.

You like-a da juice? He like-a da juice?

You no like-a the sketch?

Not mentioned yet:

Steve Martin and Gilda Radner, "Dancing in the Dark".

Also Belushi's "Soul Man" and imitation of Joe Cocker.

Chevy Chase as President Ford - "Roll over, Liberty".

Previously mentioned:

Belushi's Samurai skits.

Puppy Uppers and Doggie Downers commercial.

Theodoric of York, Medieval Barber - "Now, now, who's the barber here?". And Theodoric of York, Medieval Judge. Belushi's punishment for adultery!

Posted by mbruce: "I can't remember the name of the character,but the one with Margo Kidder where Akroyd plays the male prostitute."

That's "Fred Garvin - Male Prostitute."

Posted by Dude: "Eddie Murphey's 'White Like Me'".

That was Richard Pryor.

How could I forget "Beach Blanket Bimbo from Outer Space" with Carrie Fisher as Princess Leia! Gilda as Annette: "Hi, I'm Annette, and these are my breasts!"

Louise Lasser losing it. If it wasn't real, it was a damn good fake.

"This just in: Generalissimo Francisco Franco is still dead!"

The three women (Gilda, Jane, Laraine) singing their Love Song to Chevy Chase.

But one that's really unforgettable, for me anyway, was the first episode after Gilda Radner passed away. During the spot that would have normally been the opening monologue, they played "Don't Look Back in Anger". After it finished, guest host Steve Martin was on the verge of tears as he said, "I remember how beautiful she was. And how young I was." It was the first time I ever saw someone nearly break down on live TV.

Goth Talk! :)
"The ecstasy of the unearthly! Weeeeee!"

the blues brothers

"the pepsi syndrome" sketch (a couple of weeks after the three-mile island incident), about nuclear reactor techies spilling pepsi in the control panel, and president carter (ackroyd) insisting that he investigate the reactor accident personally ("how big IS the president?")

rickie lee jones making her debut with "chuck e's in love" that same night

belushi's breakfast of champions - little chocolate donuts

Anything with Walken, but most especially The Continental.

"We're two wiiild and crazy guys!"

Rudy Giuliani's appearance after Sept. 11th -- the opening was especially moving, and his performance was pretty funny.

"Janet Reno Dance Party! I said NO MOSH PIT!"

Mr. Robinson's Neighborhood

Mango

I forgot the product name, but the bottled Lake Erie water that looked like sludge...

"Happy Fun Ball" -- that eventually became slang for the Death Star (heh)

Little Richard Simmons - "She's got blubber to the east, blubber to the west - the bitch got long and flabby breasts!"

Eddie Murphy single handedly saved the show with performances like this.

The show is in one of the worst ruts I can remember (seems like it's nearly as bad as the early 80's), and there isn't anyone left with the talent like Murphy to carry it until a new star(s) shows up. Ever since Ferrell left it's been torture to tune it in. (Tina Fey has got to lose her head writer job, plain and simple)

So, driving off on a slight tangent here - the top 5 stars off all time, to me:

1 - Will Ferrell (by far the funniest, and one of the most versatile people, ever on the show - bar none)

2 - Eddie Murphy (one of the funniest, and without a doubt the most important star ever. Without Murphy, the show would have been canceled)

3 - Phil Hartman (completely underused until his later years, one of the more versatile and adaptable deadpan talents - Just one of the highlights of the greatest cast ensembles in the show's history)

4 - Belushi (Explosiveness that filtered down through the various casts - think Farley - and one of the reasons the show took off in the first place)

5 - Dana Carvey (not as successful as say Myers after the fact, but when you look back he was involved with or responsible for some of the all time classic characters and skits. In all fairness, his generation had the greatest pool of talent ever and singling anyone out - Hartman included - almost seems unfair to the rest. There was a period when nearly every single skit was hilarious, and every person involved in this group played a strong role - even the second tier players)

Definitely not enough love for Mr. Bill. Or Mr. Hands. Or Sluggo.

"We are from France."

"Mangled baby ducks."

"Until we kill de white people."

Da Bears.

"I'm Gumby, dammit!"

Velvet Jones says, "Think ho, ho, ho. Start your New Year with a bang."

Father Guido Sarducci.

"Give me some candy!"

Remember the "commercial" for a razor with three blades because, "you'll believe anything."

Jake and Elwood.

Joe Cocker and John Belushi as Joe Cocker.

Poignant moment -- John Belushi in the graveyard noting he outlived everyone because he was a dancer.

The subliminal advertiser about to lose his job. Turns the boss around and gets his female coworker to decide to buy a "Push Up Bra"

Cherri Oteri as Barbara Walters, in bed and smacking her rear end "OH, mama like!"

Ed Grimley!

Analog Mouse, I believe that product was "Swill".

Another great one- the Killer Bee's when they went camping... "Jimmy's buzzing off!"

BTW, great comment thread everybody. Lots of laughs remembering that stuff. My cubicle neighbors can't stand my incessant giggles.

Anyone mention "Bathroom Monkey" yet? I know it has Jeannine Garafalo in it (yuck), but it is hysterical. Video can be found here: http://hillison.com/snl/bathroommonkey.html

Jesse Jackson's "Weekend Update" rendering of "Green Eggs and Ham."

"I do not like green eggs...........and ham! I do not like them... Sam..........I am!"

I miss Norm MacDonald as Bob Dole. I wish Bob Dole had won just so we could've seen that for at least four more years.

Bad Idea Jeans
"Yeah, I didn't have protection, but I figured, what the hell? I'm never going to be in Haiti again."

Ahh...finally someone mentioned Jesse Jackson's "Green Eggs and Ham". I literally fell off the couch from laughing so hard.

Did I dream this one - or did it happen? Someone played Pauly Shore covering "MTV Spring Break" in London, and getting the crap kicked out of him by soccer hooligans - maybe not funny, but BEAUTIFUL!!

"F'in Giuliani"

"I'm Sam Waterston, of the popular television series "Law & Order". As a senior citizen, you're probably aware of the threat robots pose. Robots are everywhere, and they eat old people's medicine for fuel..."

David Duchovny as Jeff Goldblum: "Ah-hah ah-hah ah-hah...the LETTER 2 my friend!"

"Ed Glosser: Trivial Psychic"

My all-time fave SNL moment, believe it or not:

Frank Zappa conducting The Mothers (Roxy edition) and the SNL band through "Peaches En Regalia".

Really splendid.

1. John McCain announcing, just prior to singing (very badly, indeed) that since Barbra had been trying to do his job for years, he was going to do hers.

2. Patrick Swayze and Chris Farley in the sexiest man contest.

3. OH...and about a hundred years ago they did this mock commercial for a car (Grand Marquis?), wherein they touted the smooth ride, and performed a circumcision in the back seat. Sadly, I believe that Al Franken had something to do with it.

Oh geez...now I'm thinking of more...

Eddie Murphy mocking Mr. Rogers

Dennis Miller doing the news

Cheeseburger!Cheeseburger!

weekend update correspondent Tim Calhoun!

1. Chevy Chase as newscaster tells girlfriend on the phone "No, you don't blow on it." then realizes he's on the air!
2. Jesse Jackson reads "Green Eggs & Ham"
3. Take off on Smuckers Jam ("dead baby ducks" jam). It doesn't matter what we call it, it's so good...

GERMANY'S MOST DISTURBING HOME VIDEOS:

Dieter: Here we see a man on a corner passing out leaflets. Another man comes along and takes a leaflet... Watch what he does... he kicks the man in the testicles. His pain is so great he has to vomit.

His agony is gorgeous!

Deiter: Here is a man hiking through the woods with a video camera where he comes across the body of a tramp which isn't so disturbing in itself until the body is turned over to reveal...

ANTS!

Little late on the thread, but does anyone remember the first season or two with the muppet sketches of Skrod and the Great Pavod? Never seen it on any of the reruns, but I remember it distinctly. It was one of the reasons I, as a 4th and 5th grader, stayed up to watch SNL.

Ah yes, the Muppets. Most of those segments were included when they were rerun on the E! channel. From the Richard Pryor episode -

Skred: Hey mighty Favog, me and my little dog Toto here wanna go back to Kansas!

Favog: You guys been hittin' the sauce again.

Ploobis: Lighten it up there, stone face!

Skred: Yeah, he's got a face that'd stop a clock!

Favog: Stone face? Thou shalt not take the name of the lord thy god in vain!

(Favog conjures up storm clouds and thunder. Skred and Ploobis are shaking in fear.)

Favog: Hah. The mighty Oz has spoken.

[Favog was performed by Frank Oz.]

wow snl is amazing. im young but ive seen pretty much all of the episodes and my favorites are definitely the first five years. there are way to many good slits to name and snk is the greatest show ever. yeah its pretty bad (ok extremely bad) right now, but whos psyched about the 30th annaversary? I AM!!

oops i meant snl is the greatest show...oh and by the way all these people who post things and put the wrong stuff down and dont know the characters name or put the wrong person who played it down-hello? well at least yur still a fan. i have a feeling there arent too many left! :(

Garrett Morris from the original cast, playing the driver for the limo while the rabbi does the bris, as a parody of the diamond cutter in the Lincoln Town Car?

Steve Martin hosting the show, taking time to confess that he was nearly too wasted to actually do the show because he was doin the new drugs that his Doctor had prescribed for him, urging the audience to get some too. Remember ask for it by name: PLACEBOS