Saturday Night Live (also known simply as SNL) is an American
late-night live television sketch comedy and variety show created by
Lorne Michaels and developed by Dick Ebersol. The show premiered on
NBC on October 11, 1975, under the original title NBC's Saturday
Night. The show's comedy sketches, which often parody contemporary
culture and politics, are performed by a large and varying cast of
repertory and newer cast members. Each episode is hosted by a
celebrity guest, who usually delivers the opening monologue and
performs in sketches with the cast as with featured performances by a
musical guest. An episode normally begins with a cold open sketch that
ends with someone breaking character and proclaiming, "Live from New
York, it's Saturday Night!", properly beginning the show.In 1980,
Michaels left the series to explore other opportunities. He was
replaced by Jean Doumanian, who was replaced by Ebersol after a season
of bad reviews. Ebersol ran the show until 1985. Since Michaels'
return, he has held the job of show-runner. Many SNL cast members have
found national stardom while appearing on the show, and achieved
success in film and television, both in front of and behind the
camera. Others associated with the show, such as writers, have gone on
to successful careers creating, writing, and starring in television
and film.Broadcast from Studio 8H at NBC's headquarters in the Comcast
Building at 30 Rockefeller Plaza, SNL has aired 892 episodes since its
debut, and began its forty-fifth season on September 28, 2019, making
it one of the longest-running network television programs in the
United States. The show format has been developed and recreated in
several countries, meeting with different levels of success.
Successful sketches have seen life outside the show as feature films
including The Blues Brothers (1980) and Wayne's World (1992). The show
has been marketed in other ways, including home media releases of
"best of" and whole seasons, and books and documentaries about
behind-the-scenes activities of running and developing the show.
late-night live television sketch comedy and variety show created by
Lorne Michaels and developed by Dick Ebersol. The show premiered on
NBC on October 11, 1975, under the original title NBC's Saturday
Night. The show's comedy sketches, which often parody contemporary
culture and politics, are performed by a large and varying cast of
repertory and newer cast members. Each episode is hosted by a
celebrity guest, who usually delivers the opening monologue and
performs in sketches with the cast as with featured performances by a
musical guest. An episode normally begins with a cold open sketch that
ends with someone breaking character and proclaiming, "Live from New
York, it's Saturday Night!", properly beginning the show.In 1980,
Michaels left the series to explore other opportunities. He was
replaced by Jean Doumanian, who was replaced by Ebersol after a season
of bad reviews. Ebersol ran the show until 1985. Since Michaels'
return, he has held the job of show-runner. Many SNL cast members have
found national stardom while appearing on the show, and achieved
success in film and television, both in front of and behind the
camera. Others associated with the show, such as writers, have gone on
to successful careers creating, writing, and starring in television
and film.Broadcast from Studio 8H at NBC's headquarters in the Comcast
Building at 30 Rockefeller Plaza, SNL has aired 892 episodes since its
debut, and began its forty-fifth season on September 28, 2019, making
it one of the longest-running network television programs in the
United States. The show format has been developed and recreated in
several countries, meeting with different levels of success.
Successful sketches have seen life outside the show as feature films
including The Blues Brothers (1980) and Wayne's World (1992). The show
has been marketed in other ways, including home media releases of
"best of" and whole seasons, and books and documentaries about
behind-the-scenes activities of running and developing the show.
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