Season 3, episode 9;Host:Steve Martin, with the Dirt Band and Randy Newman

 Aired January 21, 1978.

Network announcement:
Don Pardo tells viewers “Bruce Jenner Wins The Javelin Catch” will not be seen tonight, so that NBC may present the following special program."

Cold opening:"1978 State of the Union Address"
Pres. Jimmy Carter (Dan Aykroyd) arrives at the Capitol to deliver the annual State of the Union address. 

The Senators and Representatives in attendance seem to be bored by his speech. The same goes for Vice President Walter Mondale (Bill Murray) and House Speaker Thomas "Tip" O'Neil (John Belushi), who play "Paper, Scissors, Rock" behind Carter. 

During the speech, captions appear onscreen that comment on the appearances of various politicians.

At the end of his speech, Carter says, "thank you very much, I have nothing else to say but live, from New York, it's Saturday Night!"

Monologue:"Belushi stole my money, two simple words"

Host Steve Martin notices that $50 of his money is missing. He always puts his money in the same pocket, but it's not there. He remembers John Belushi being alone with the money and accuses him of stealing it. Steve then checks the other pocket...

...and finds the $50.

Steve then spills some water on his microphone and touches it and accidently electrocutes himself.

Martin then explains to viewers how they can be millionaires without paying taxes by telling the judge "two simple words."

Commercial:"Swill Mineral Water"
Repeat from Season 3, episode 2.

"Bigfoot evacuation"

Park Ranger McConnell (Martin) visits a remote cabin where a couple (Belushi, Gilda Radner) lives. He informs them he is evacuating the area due to a recent Bigfoot sighting. The ranger wants to find, tranquilize and capture Bigfoot, but he can never get close to the creature.

"Bigfoot" may be much closer to McConnell than he realizes.

"The Festrunk's computer dates"

Georg Festrunk (Martin) and his brother Yortuk (Aykroyd) have been matched with two "swinging American foxes" by a computer dating service. They are disappointed when their dates arrive. 

Much to the Festrunks' chagrin, their computer dates are not Americans, but instead are Croatian sisters named Bodka (Jane Curtin) and Vobsina Cherbu (Laraine Newman). They escaped from a Soviet fishing boat and swam to America for freedom.

The sisters decide they're more interested in the Festrunk's friend Cliff (Garrett Morris).

The Dirt Band:"On The Loose"
The Dirt Band performs "On The Loose," which was written by Dirt Band member Jeff Hanna. This song appeared on the Dirt Band's self-titled 1978 album.

Commercial:"Body floss"
A pitchman (Martin) promotes the newest evolution in cleaning:body floss. 

The commercial then cuts to a "floss party" where body-flossing techniques are demonstrated.

"Weekend Update"
Anchors Jane Curtin and Dan Aykroyd report on the top stories of the day:

The King of Saudi Arabia and the Emir of Kuwait, last week, had their beards epoxied together. 

Buick recalled 12,000 cars that were mistakenly equipped with bedspreads, which were too long for the engine.

Consumer reporter Roseanne Roseannadanna answers a letter from "Richard Fader of New York City," who writes in to ask: "I’ve got no heat. What should I do?” Roseanne tells of a time she had no heat, so she went to a restaurant get some soup, which had a hair in it. 

Her commentary descends into a series of disgusting stories about food and she asks the question:"if they can make a coffee you like, without caffeine, why can’t they make a hamburger you like with no toenail?!” Jane interrupts the commentary says it's making her "nauseous." 

Randy Newman:"Short People" and "Rider In The Rain"
Randy Newman performs "Short People," which appeared on Newman's 1977 album Little Criminals. "Short People" was issued as a single in November of '77 and peaked at #2 on Billboard's Hot 100. 

Members of the Dirt Band provide backup vocals.

Newman follows that up by singing "Rider In The Rain," another song from Little Criminals.

Game show:"Family Feud"
Richard Dawson (Murray) hosts Family Feud, which pits the Joe Mel Family...

...against the Beldar Conehead Family!

The  Coneheads do better than expected until Beldar reaches the "Fast Money" portion of the game.

Talk show:"What if?"
Written by Jim Downey.
Joan Cage (Curtin) hosts a talk show where she asks a historian (Morris) and an Air Force Colonel (Murray) the question:"What if Napoleon had a B-52 bomber at the Battle of Waterloo?"

We then see the portrayal of the hypothetical scenario, where Napolean himself (Belushi) presses the button that bombs his opponents.

Film by Gary Weis:"Hollywood Homes"
SNL filmmaker Gary Weis follows Martin around Hollywood while he knocks on doors of Hollywood stars hoping they'll let him in. 

The Dirt Band with Steve Martin:"White Russia"
This instrumental was composed by the Dirt Band's John McEuen and his brother William. It also appeared on their self-titled album. Steve accompanies the Dirt Band on banjo. In his introduction, Martin says "White Russia" was written while the Dirt Band was touring Russia.

Goodnights:
Martin says "that's our comedy gags, good night!" and he thanks the cast and musical guests. 

Notes about this episode:
On a personal note, this was one of the episodes that was officially released on VHS in the 1980s. The tape contained everything from the episode except the musical guests. Since I had copy back then, I've seen this many times over the years and for a long time, I've considered it my favorite episode.

On "Weekend Update," Roseanne Roseannadanna reponds to a letter from "Richard Fader in New York City." In her subsequent commentaries, Richard Fader's letters would identify him as a resident of Fort Lee, New Jersey. In real life, Fader was the brother-in-law of SNL writer Alan Zweibel, who co-wrote this piece with Radner. 

Classic moment:
Roseanne Roseannadanna's first commentary-Roseanne's first appearance on "Weekend Update" is hilarious and "it's always something" would become a national catchphrase. She would deliver fourteen more commentaries over the next two seasons and become one of SNL's most popular characters. 

What stands out:
Pretty much everything. In addition to Roseannadanna's debut, this episode has Aykroyd's Jimmy Carter impression, the Festrunk Brothers wild-and-crazy second appearance (which is stronger than their first sketch), a great Coneheads sketch, an enjoyable Gary Weis film and Steve Martin's brilliant monologue. The debut of "What If," which would become a recurring sketch, is also solid. This episode almost feels like a classic clip show.

What doesn't work:
Too much music-The Dirt Band gets one song and then closes the show with Steve Martin joining them to perform the "White Russia" instrumental. That's fine. There was no need to also have Randy Newman perform two songs. On a positive musical note, I appreciated that the Dirt Band collaborated with both Newman and Martin, which made the musical performances feel more unified and connected to the show. Still, Newman's two songs were at least one too many. 

J.A. Morris' rating:
This is a great episode and it's still my all-time favorite, in spite of it containing too many musical performances.

4 stars!

SNL at the Rock N Roll Hall Of Fame

I recently visited the Rock N Roll Hall Of Fame to check out their new exhibit SNL:Ladies & Gentleman...50 Years Of Music. Of course my project only covers the first five seasons here, so I was most excited about seeing what the exhibit had from that era. There was actually quite a bit from 1975-80. 

For instance, the Blues Brothers costumes worn by Jake (John Belushi) and Ellwood (Dan Aykroyd) in their Season 4 performance.

Bill Murray's "Nick Winters" costume from Season 3 is also on display.

Murray wore this when he sang "Star Wars" as Nick the lounge singer.

And Paul Shaffer's jacket from his time as SNL's piano player.

There's also a wall covered with SNL's bumper photos that feature musical guests. The photos change every few seconds. 

Some SNL bumper photos created buy Edie Baskin and Mary Ellen Matthews.

I was glad to see another wall that displayed Saturday Night Live's Season 4 logo, so I couldn't resist a photo in front of it.

Of course musical moments from later seasons are also spotlighted, such as "More Cowbell."

Will Ferrell's "More Cowbell" costume, photograph by John Kuntz of cleveland.com

If you're a hardcore SNL fan and you can get to Cleveland, this exhibit is worth your time. 

Check back tomorrow when I review Saturday Night's first episode of 1978.

Season 3, Episode 8;Host Miskel Spillman, with Elvis Costello and Buck Henry

Aired December 17, 1977.
Network announcement:
Don Pardo tells viewers that “How The Grinch Raped And Strangled Christmas” will not be seen tonight, so that NBC may present the following special program."

Cold opening:"The host is high!"
In SNL's locker room, John Belushi and Laraine Newman are discussing this week's host, 80-year-old grandmother Miskel Spillman, winner of the Anyone Can Host contest. Buck Henry walks in and says Miskel is "currently lying on her back looking at a bowl of fruit with her radio turned on full blast." Belushi says the host was a bit nervous, so he shared a joint with Spillman, telling her it was a French cigarette. 

Buck is furious and points out that Belushi's joints are potent "even for an experienced drug user like me!" Henry is worried, since he has to walk on stage and introduce the host "in a minute." Belushi responds "less than a minute, Buck...’cause we’re live, from New York, it’s Saturday Night!"

Monologue:"Meet the Anyone Can Host Winner"
Buck and Miskel arrive on homebase, where Henry announces her as the winner. She's still carrying the aforementioned bowl of fruit, apparently still high. Spillman says "it seems like everything's in slow motion! I mean, am I making sense? Or am I blowing it? I don’t know, I can’t tell."

Henry repeatedly attempts to take the fruit bowl away from her, but Miskel swats him away. 

Commercial:"Meat Wagon Action Track Set"
The Meat Wagon Action Track is the most exciting road race game ever! 

When the cars crash and burn, the meat wagon rushes to the scene to save the victims!

PSA:"American Date the Self-Concious Association"
The American Date the Self-Concious Association presents a re-enactment of a date between two self-conscious people (Bill Murray and Gilda Radner). 

A spokesperson (Newman) for the association says a relationship between the two wouldn't work. She encourages the self-conscious to date members of the Extremely Obnoxious Coalition, who are represented by Charlie Glatt (Belushi).

"The Gift of the Magi"
Jane Curtin and Miskel narrate at retelling of O'Henry's classic Christmas story "The Gift Of The Magi." In this version, Robert donates his kidney to his ailing wife Helen and sells his antique watch, a family heirloom, in order to pay for the transplant operation. 

When Helen survives the operation, Robert is NOT pleased with the gift she gives him.

Elvis Costello:"Watching The Detectives"
Elvis Costello, backed by his band the Attractions, performs "Watching The Detectives," which was issued as a standalone single in the UK on October 14, 1977. 

It was released in the United States in November of that year and appeared on the U.S. release of Costello's album My Aim Is True, which was released in March of 1978.

"Weekend Update"
Co-anchors Dan Aykroyd and Jane Curtin report on the top news stories of the day, which include:
The cover of Ms.magazine features a "very pregnant" Pres. Jimmy Carter. The President says "the cover is a hoax and that "he hasn't been pregnant since he had Amy 10 years ago."

Jane then calls the White House seeking an update on Carter's meeting with Israel's Prime Minister. She has a brief conversation with the President. 

When the camera pans out, we see that she's actually been talking to her fellow anchor (and SNL's Carter impressionist) Dan Aykroyd.

Bill Murray reviews the classic Christmas film Miracle On 34th Street and criticizes it for not taking a firm stand on the existence of Santa Claus. 

Bill also shows off his copy of the book Movies On TV, and thanks Santa for bringing it last year.

Plus, Jane and Dan are delivered a late-breaking story by NBCs Dancing N. 

It turns out that inside the N is none other than Emily Litella! Miss Litella wonders why she hasn't been on Update in months, so she's given one more chance.

TV show:"Sartresky and Hutch"
This cop show features tough cop Hutch (Belushi) and existential cop Jean-Paul Sartresky (Aykroyd). 

When Rusty Kramer, an old friend of Hutch, goes insane and threatens to blow up a bank, Sartesky and Hutch use their different approaches to talk him out of it. 

"The Franken and Davis Show"
Al Franken has brought his parents to the show in honor of the holiday season. He then serenades them with a song he wrote to express his love. 

His mother Mimi responds by bringing up a very embarrassing incident from Al's childhood. Franken explodes in anger over this, prompting Tom Davis to apologize, to no avail. 

TV show:"E. Buzz Miller's Art Classics"
Written by Dan Aykroyd and Tom Davis.

Public Access Cable host E. Buzz Miller (Aykroyd) and his girlfriend Christi Christina (Newman) analyze classic nude paintings and sculptures. Miller is particularly amused by the name Titian, which he mispronounces in a way that emphasizes the first three letters.

"New girlfriend"

When Jeff (Belushi) brings his live-in girlfriend Sharon (Spillman) home for Christmas, his parents (Curtin and Aykroyd) are reluctant to let them stay in the same bedroom. 

Mom and Sharon have a heart-to-heart about her and Jeff's relationship. 

"Mr. Santa"
A drunken mall Santa (Murray) tells a little girl (Radner) she can't have any of the toys she asks for...

 ...and drops her on the floor using "Santa's trap door." 

"Mr. Mike's Coral Waters Cafe"
Written by Michael O'Donoghue.

Laraine Newman walks into the Coral Waters Cafe, where Mr. Mike (Michael O'Donoghue) is bartending. She is drunk and disheveled and asks Mr. Mike to tell her one of his "least-loved bedtime tales." 

He says that he'll tell her a tale if she sings the aria from Madame Butterfly. While she sings, Mr. Mike makes her a cocktail called a Soiled Kimono and the recipe and history of the drink scroll onscreen. 

Madame Butterfly was composed by Giacomo Puccini and premiered February 17, 1904.

Elvis Costello:"Less Than Zero"/"Radio Radio"
Costello begins his second set by singing "Less Than Zero," his debut single which was released March 11, 1977. He then stops the song abruptly, declaring "there's no reason to do this song here." 

Costello and the Attractions then launch into a performance of "Radio Radio," which was released as a single on October 20, 1978. 

Goodnights:
Miskel appears on homebase wearing a Mrs. Claus costume. She thanks everyone who voted for her and says "I've had the most wonderful time I've ever had in my life, everyone is so wonderful!" 

She then thanks her daughter Janine Baker and invites her onstage. Janine kisses Spillman and says "Merry Christmas!" The cast then joins them onstage for goodnights.

While the credits roll, Bill Murray, still wearing his Santa suit, gives Miskel a kiss.

In honor of the holidays, the cameras pan behind the scenes so the crew in can be front of the camera for a change.

Notes about this episode:

This episode is best remembered not for its host, but for Elvis Costello switching to "Radio, Radio" after singing the beginning of "Less Than Zero." 

For those don't know, all song titles and lyrics are given to NBC prior to performances. Saturday Night Live is strictly timed, so a different song could have thrown off the show's schedule. Over the years, Costello has told different stories about why he did it.

In 1989, on the occasion of SNL's 15th anniversary, he talked to Rolling Stone:

"After watching rehearsals, Costello says he decided the SNL players weren’t nearly as funny as they thought they were, but he didn’t completely sour on the show until “[Dan Aykroyd] came up and tried to act like he was a janitor to us, and they all had a big laugh at our expense because we didn’t recognize him. And I said, ‘Who’s the mug here? If you think you’re so damn famous, it’s kind of stupid because we’ve never heard of you any more than you’ve heard of us.’ I think that’s what started the ball rolling.” [1]

Elvis and the Attractions suspected they were treated badly because they were substituting for the Sex Pistols, whose visa problems kept them from entering the U.S. 

In 2013, he told Details magazine he was inspired by Jimi Hendrix:

"I was copying Jimi Hendrix. Hendrix had done the same thing on the Lulu Show, when he went into an unscheduled number."[2]

In 2021, Costello said his record company wanted him to play "Less Than Zero," but resented being told what to play:
"I didn’t really have anything against the show. I was more pissed off at being told what to play by the record company than I was NBC, truthfully. I can’t remember whether I said what I was going to do, but I think I just said, ‘Watch me.'” [3]

I don't know if Costello was really "officially banned" from SNL (in spite of lots of claims on the internet that a banning occurred), but he didn't appear again until 1989. In 1999, during the series' 25th anniversary special, Costello (backed by the Beastie Boys) recreated  the incident:

During "Radio, Radio," Attractions drummer Pete Thomas is wearing a t-shirt that says "Thanks Malc." 

This is a reference to Sex Pistols manager Malcolm McLaren, who screwed up the Pistols' visas, which led to Costello's booking. 

Classic moment:
John Belushi says "But NOOO!"-He says this during "The Gift Of The Magi." This is the first time he said it on SNL, it would later become a catchphrase Belushi screamed during his "Weekend Update" commentaries. 

What stands out:
"Sartesky and Hutch"-Dan Aykroyd is hilarious in this sketch as Jean-Paul Sartesky. How many comedy shows have parodied Sartre's existential philosophy? 

"E. Buzz Miller's Art Classics"-Aykroyd is hilariously sleazy in this sketch, Laraine Newman is also great as Buzz's girlfriend Christi Christina. 

"Meat Wagon Action Track Set"-This is a great toy commercial parody. At the end of the ad, we're told that the track set is manufactured by Mainway, a nice callback to Irwin Mainway, who previously appeared in Christmas and Halloween sketches.

What doesn't work:
"The Gift Of The Magi"-This sketch introduced a catchphrase, but it's a bit too long and the whole point is to get to Belushi physically abusing Radner, something we've seen before. 

J.A. Morris' rating:
This is a good Christmas episode and most of the sketches are fun, if not great. Miskel Spillman doesn't do a lot, but she has a charming presence and does okay when she appears in sketches. Episode 8 is also an improvement over the previous three episodes.

.5

3 and a half stars.

Sources:

[1] "Elvis Costello and the SNL Weinies" by Mark Lasswell, Rolling Stone, October 5, 1989. 

[2]Elvis Costello Recalls Being Banned from SNL After Copying Jimi Hendrix: I Said 'Watch Me', By Darlene Aderoju, People, February 3, 2021.

https://people.com/music/elvis-costello-recalls-being-banned-from-snl-after-copying-jimi-hendrix/
[3]Elvis Costello Recalls SNL Stunt That Got Him Banned: ‘I Just Wanted Them to Remember Us’, by Heran Mamo, Billboard, January 25, 2021.