1975. First SNL, Chevy Chase: 'Live from NY, It's Saturday Night!' Carlin is

[babylonsister]

the guest.

[Wickerman]

1. Janis Ian is a musical guest

Albert Brooks has a short film. Andy Kaufman is on doing a bit.

Great stuff.

Even as remarkable it is that Carlin was first host this is a great show.

[hlthe2b]

74. Wow... Janis Ian.... that was a poignant performance...

[Inspired]

107. I remember when she sang it on the Grammy's. She got a huge standing ovation.

[pokerfan]

84. Everything was great

except the "not for ready prime-time players."
(I guess Don Pardo wasn't ready, either.)

The musical numbers were great. The fake ads (who would even think about buying a three bladed razor) were great. Andy was... well he was Andy, but I love his Mighty Mouse bit.

Even the NRFPT players were fine, but the writing was rather dull and uninspired. At least the sketches were short so when one flopped, it flopped fast.

[gristy]

105. I had never seen her perform that song

Just beautiful. Haunting.

I have seen that bit of Kaufman's dozens of times, however. :D

[onehandle]

2. Billy Preston is a musical guest! I saw this show live in 1975.

Thanks for pointing this out.

[KaryninMiami]

3. It's the year I graduated high school. I remember when this show first went on the air.

It was amazing- talk about ahead of it's time-- my friends and I were all totally blown away-- (partly because of the show and partly as I recall, because of the bong hits but that's another story :) )

[babylonsister]

4. So many familiar faces, and I never watched this show then. I was single

and 19. :evilgrin:

[TahitiNut]

36. I was married and 32 ... watched it all the time.

:evilgrin:

[babylonsister]

89. See, you were inside on a Saturday night.

:spank: Now that's the norm here, but not then.

[alfredo]

5. Andy Kaufman!!

http://youtube.com/watch?v=Yfsrg28jE7k

[CatholicEdHead]

18. I never got that bit

Of course I was not born yet when this came out.

[SoCalDem]

31. Mighty Mouse??

It;s not on here yet..and 1975 was soooo long ago..

but I do know that much of what they did back then would NEVER make it on air now.....

[alfredo]

78. Mighty Mouse

[alfredo]

75. It's in the fidgeting, and his expressions. He's this shy nervous person

until it comes to his lines. It's all in his body language. He doesn't overplay it. Go back to the Youtube link and find his Elvis. It's incredible.

[gristy]

106. The genious was how Kaufman was able to transform himself

each time he mouthed "here I come to save the day". He was able to completely immerse himself in two characters, transitioning between the two in less than a second.

[lumberjack_jeff]

24. This sketch was the primary influence on Michael Stipe to write Man on the Moon.

He said on REM's (most excellent) unplugged concert "I saw this when I was a teen and I said to myself 'this is the most f*cked up thing that has ever been on TV. It's brilliant!"

[alfredo]

80. Many people did not understand his humor. The wrestling was one of

the greatest comedy acts of last century. Too bad it went over nearly everyone's head. Maybe he was too real at playing his part. Smart people missed the point completely and still harbor bad feelings toward him.

Even his death is in character. That's the only way he could have topped his wrestling routine.

[Echo In Light]

87. I respect how he was able to use a conventional medium in a VERY unconventional way

[alfredo]

88. Sure miss him.

[Echo In Light]

91. I know. The end of that Miloš Forman biopic always gets me misty.

[alfredo]

95. Love Milos Forman. He discovered one of my favorite singer/songwriters

Jonatha Brooke. Damn good song writer. Was a professional dancer with a top New York Troupe.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=y2cIkRcXLpI&feature=related

http://youtube.com/watch?v=A7ykVngdLd4&feature=related

http://youtube.com/watch?v=bmHtPSrhEXU&feature=related

http://youtube.com/watch?v=gq2UI5NKFdE

[BlooInBloo]

62. One of my all-time favs.

[kentuck]

76. Andy did one of the all-time great Elvis imitations!

I always enjoyed his performance.

[CBGLuthier]

6. So many who have left us, all too young

Belushi and Mr. Mike in the first sketch.

Gilda Radner, Andy Kaufmann.

At least George Carlin got 71 years and lived to be the respected elder statesman of american comedy.

[silverojo]

79. Gilda died of ovarian cancer, IIRC

As for the others...well, you can't abuse your body with drugs and expect to live to a ripe old age. George Carlin, thank God, survived longer than most. But drugs are the reason so many performers die too young.

[CBGLuthier]

93. Kaufmann had cancer too

I know Michael O'Donahue died of a stroke. If it was drug induced I do not know.

I don't think I can agree with your blanket statement that it is all drugs.

Buddy Holly, Richie Valens, Ronnie Van Zandt. are just a few more examples that run counter.

John Lennon, Phil Hartman are a few more who died too young and I will lament and the fucking drugs (other than Hartman's wife) didn't really have anything to do with it.

I suppose you will reply with a drug list as if none of us know about them.

[blm]

102. MO'D had a brain aneurysm. He was never one to go overboard on drugs.

He did suffer from intense migraines his entire adult life.

[mucifer]

7. It's sad how many people on the show have died.

Carlin, Kaufman, Preston, Radner, belushi and Henson.

[ThatsMyBarack]

8. And the "Not for Ready Prime-Time Players!"

;)

Next week: Jon Bon Jovi and The Foo Fighters! :(

[Hissyspit]

9. "I could take over a plane with just a piece of loose-leaf paper. Just hold it up to a stewardess'"

"neck."

Yipes.

[Hissyspit]

10. Janis Ian. "At Seventeen"

[rhiannon55]

56. I bet a lot of young people watching Janis Ian tonight

will go looking for her music tomorrow. Yay Janis! Her music (that song in particular) has always blown me away.:hippie:

[NRaleighLiberal]

13. Yipes indeed....talking about airport searches. Clairvoyant, hey? weird!!!!!!!

[malaise]

16. What a lovely trip down memory lane

This is too cool

[TahitiNut]

11. Janis Ian!

Yum!

[KaryninMiami]

15. God she was so young- I never realized it then. I'm all weepy.

Wow oh wow. She was- is - amazing.

[Hissyspit]

20. And that was almost ten years after her first hit "Society's Child."

She was 15 when it hit the charts, I believe.

[TahitiNut]

27. Yup. She's about 24 in that SNL ... 17 + 7.

:-)

[pamela]

35. Society's Child: Love that song.

I was just watching it on Youtube.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yW_rYLoIR08

[babylonsister]

19. Nice memories. That song! nt

[Elwood P Dowd]

46. No lip syncing

as it is quite different from my original LP and the CD. Did you notice the excessive ambiance from the room? Also, Janis appeared somewhat nervous and stiff.

[Stinky The Clown]

12. I'm enjoying the hell out of this!

[malaise]

25. It's fabulous

Reminds me of my time in New York.

[The River]

14. It's Like an Evening

in a Time Machine.
I remember it all.

[NRaleighLiberal]

17. Wow. In 1975, I was 19 - my brother was 13, my parents had me stay home to watch him...

was bored, flipping the TV dials, hit it just right to see the opening sketch. I was transfixed, and became a regular watcher (until the disastrous Doumanian season with Charles Rocket....probably the most unfunny series of shows I've ever seen - I think it was 1980).

[NRaleighLiberal]

21. Jane Curtain! Man, I had such a crush on her.....am enjoying this so much! NT

[babylonsister]

23. The cast! Jane Curtain! Belushi, Chevy, this is amazing. What ever

happened to Jane besides Kate and Allie? Or, where the hell is she? She was great!

[Gormy Cuss]

92. She was on "3rd Rock from the Sun" with John Lithgow for a few years.

She was the earthling love interest of alien John. Quirky show.

[lumberjack_jeff]

47. I was more of a Gilda Radner fan.

She was the funniest comedienne ever. I wish that Gilda, Andy, George and John were still with us.

[skooooo]

90. Jane was an ignorant slut!

:rofl:

[dweller]

22. Jamitol !

:rofl:

dp

[scarletwoman]

26. "If he's so dumb, how come he's president?"

:rofl:

[malaise]

33. Could have been for

Bush! :rofl:

[Hissyspit]

28. "It's a ten-cent stamp, but if you want to lick it, it's a quarter."

U.S. stamp commemorating prostitution.

Heh, heh. Oldie, but goodie.

[blm]

101. Probably my favorite bit ever done on SNL news.

It makes me laugh every time....even when I just think about it.

[babylonsister]

29. This show gave TDS some ideas-and criticizing the admin

was okay. What happened?

[NRaleighLiberal]

30. Chevy doing the news. Prostitute stamp joke. Ford bashing.

And it predates his "I'm chevy chase, and you're not" - he didn't say it in this episode!

[NRaleighLiberal]

32. Oh no...the muppets. O'Donohue hated them, refused to write for them...NT

[scarletwoman]

37. I must say, the muppet bit is decidedly unfunny. (nt)

[dweller]

43. so that's what became of Alf ...

:o

dp

[blm]

100. "I don't write for felt."

heh

[TahitiNut]

34. Jim Henson .... may he RIP.

Genius.

[Charlie Brown]

38. wow, that muppet sketch is weird

but in a good way.

[stillcool]

39. I swear I can smell pot...

How could so many people who watched this back then turn into uptight, closed minded freaks?

[NRaleighLiberal]

41. whoops...thought I closed the window! actually, I wish....none to be found! NT

[babylonsister]

53. I never watched it because I

was doing other things, and was around 19? TV wasn't as prevalent as it is now. We had a couple of channels, and some people didn't have a tv. I never watched it then. I was waitressing and partying!

[stillcool]

55. I was in high school...

party time!

[mucifer]

40. a fair amount of drugs involved in writing this show

I like the adult muppets

[pamela]

42. K & R

This show is so good. It brings back so many memories. I got tears in my eyes when I saw Andy Kaufman.

[NRaleighLiberal]

44. Jumbo Shrimp. words don't go together - like "military Intelligence"! classic!

[babylonsister]

45. "The Impossible Truth" Very fun! nt

[krispos42]

81. "Israel and Georgia have switched places"

:rofl:

[NRaleighLiberal]

48. Can't believe it...the Bees! Thought that they came later....

[TahitiNut]

65. Later on they became the Killer Bees.

:rofl:

[NRaleighLiberal]

49. WTF - who is this woman? Not funny...first clinker of the first show...NT

[ellie]

50. Show us your guns?

[pokerfan]

85. That needs explaining to anyone under forty I suppose

It was a parody of a popular cigarette TV ad at the time.

[slampoet]

94. Was that the "Show Us your Lark?" commercial?

Carlin mentioned it in one of his routines.

[pokerfan]

96. Yeah, it was (n/t)

[NRaleighLiberal]

51. Incredible - Show US Your Guns??!?!! what is old, is new again! NT

[scarletwoman]

52. Show us your guns! Damn!

:wow:

[KaryninMiami]

54. Of all the weeks to be watching a segmant called Show Us Your Guns

Talk about timing. Wow.

[babylonsister]

58. Carlin, no holds barred. I loved it! nt

[Kat45]

57. I'm loving this! Takes me back to college.

Used to watch it every Saturday night. I even remembered much of George Carlin's stuff while I was watching it now. It also helps me remember how good this show was back then. And the young'uns watching it will see that too. I bet it will get great ratings tonight.

It's also sad: I'm still sad about George Carlin dying last week, and as I watch the show I'm seeing all these other talented folks who are no longer with us. An awful lot of them passed way too early in their lives. RIP, all.

[scarletwoman]

61. It is sad to see all those lovely people who are no longer with us.

I didn't have a TV in those days, so I have no memories of the first season. I'm pretty sure I never saw this first episode even in re-runs.

sw

[scarletwoman]

59. Great Carlin bit on god & religion!

Paraphrasing here: Religion should be like a lift you put in your shoe. It's fine if you need it for awhile, but if you keep using it you'll get deformed. And don't ask ME to wear YOUR shoes...

[babylonsister]

60. I hope the man knew how much he was loved, not that he cares. The

sweet thing I've heard is how nice a man he was. I didn't know either way, so that's
nice to hear from his peers. They didn't have to say anything.

[JI7]

82. i wonder if someone could do that type of bit on TV today without

there being controversy and some "values groups" calling to protest and fire someone .

remember what a big deal was made about Kathy Griffin's award acceptance speech.

[itsrobert]

63. The Triple Trac

Wow, now we have razors with 4 blades.

[scarletwoman]

66. "Because you'll believe anything." Nailed THAT one, didn't they. (nt)

[TahitiNut]

67. ... because we'll believe anything.

:rofl:

[scarletwoman]

71. Hah! GMTA!

:loveya:

[pokerfan]

86. Actually we're up to five

http://money.cnn.com/2005/09/14/news/fortune500/gillette/

I assume six is on the drawing table.

[tblue37]

108. There's one for women that has FIVE blades! n/t

[mucifer]

64. I just realized some of the new SNL people probably weren't born in 1975

[scarletwoman]

69. No doubt. My oldest son was 4 months old when this show premiered. (nt)

[KaryninMiami]

68. More Janis Ian-- I just remember that I still have this album!

No turntable however. Wow. I still remember the words to this song too. Geez.

[KaryninMiami]

70. I am SO LOVING THIS show....

I have it taping on my DVR while I'm watching- it's a keeper.

[ellie]

72. That was really good!

I haven't watched SNL in years because it was so unfunny.

[hootinholler]

73. Amazing. Such memories fom High School...

I was part of their prime demographic. Glad I'm recording it.

So much talent lost so quickly! John and Gilda, who am I missing?

No cast curtain call, when did that start?

-Hoot

[Kat45]

77. But they're still using the same music at the close of the show.

I thought they'd always used the same music; now this confirms it.

[orleans]

83. chevy did a few bits in a movie called the groove tube

and one was a take off on geritol--shows him and his "wife" getting ready to have sex. at the end "my wife. i think i'll keep her" and (from what i remember) he's getting head. so this jamitol is a take off on his take off from the groove tube.

[YellowRubberDuckie]

97. I was not impressed.

Carlin rocked, but everyone else, well, it made this season of SNL look good. :shrug:
Duckie

[KharmaTrain]

98. Sheesh...Very First Show Ever

Actually the show wasn't even called Saturday Night Live...Howard Cosell had a show of that name at the time. No one was sure that show would last more than that first episode. Hell, even Billy Crystal was scratched from the show at the last minute. It was a very avante guard show for its time and those working on it knew it...and were real tight on that very first show. It took a few weeks for the cast to settle in and the show to find a format (two musical guests were too much). Put some perspective in what you're watching. Today's SNL has had years to work off of...and sadly hasn't had a good season since the late Phil Hartmann died.

[blm]

103. No baby BEING BORN ever LOOKS good...this baby was BEING born and showed talent right away

especially to those who thought it would never be allowed on tv again after Smothers Brothers were forced off the air for their 'subversive' influence.

[GCP]

99. Meh - a lot of it was poor-man's Python

Not very funny for the most part.

[edhopper]

104. Hey New Yorkers.

Janis Ian is playing for free next Saturday, Jul. 5, at Governors Island. Hows that for serendipity.

http://www.folksontheisland.com/artists-ian.html

[mdmc]

109. kick