Aired November 19, 1977.
Network announcement:"The Waltons Eat Their Young"
Don Pardo announces "The Waltons Eat Their Young” will not be seen tonight so that NBC may present the following special program."
Cold opening:"Meet the contestants"
This episode opens in the locker room, where Garrett Morris and Gilda Radner are discussing the finalists for Saturday Night's Anyone Can Host contest.
Their conversation is interrupted when the contestants walk in, introduce themselves and describe their backgrounds:
-Dave Lewis is a young unemployed man from Oregon.
-Deb Blair, a mother of three from Peoria, IL.
-Connie Crawford, a first year student at Vassar College.
-Gov. Dick Kneip, the governor of North Dakota.
-Miskel Spillman, an 80-year-old grandmother from New Orleans.
This week's host, Buck Henry walks in and introduces himself to the contestants. After they exchange pleasantries, Buck asks if they've seen the script. Connie says the script only gave them one line. When Buck asks if he can hear the line, the contestants respond in unison "Live, from New York, it's Saturday Night!" And the opening credits roll.
Monologue:
Buck walks onstage, accompanied by the Anyone Can Host crew. In lieu of the usual monologue, Henry asks each of them what makes them qualified to host.
Each would-be host has a letter on their sweater. Voters will select the corresponding letter on their ballots.
Commercial:"Little Chocolate Donuts"
Written by Al Franken and Tom Davis.
Champion Decathlete John Belushi promotes Little Chocolate Donuts. Belushi says "they’ve got the sugar I need to get me going in the morning."
John adds:"That’s why Little Chocolate Donuts have been on my training table since I was a kid."
"Samurai Psychiatrist"
Written by Alan Zweibel and John Belushi.
A patient (Henry) seeks therapy from a Freudian psychiatrist (Belushi) who also happens to be a samurai. The patient gets fed up and says the psychiatrist has wasted his time for three years.
The samurai is crushed. He takes out a knife and aims it at his gut, suggesting he's about the commit suicide. His patient believes the samurai is bluffing, but he actually stabs himself!
"Stunt Baby"
Written by Al Franken and Tom Davis.
On a film set, a director (Bill Murray) and actors (Henry, Jane Curtin) discuss the scene they're about to shoot. It's a movie about a couple that fights all the time and the husband hates his job. Their argument wakes up their baby, so the husband decides to take out his frustrations on the child.
When he's about to abuse the baby, the director calls for the "stunt baby." The man proceeds to pummel the stunt baby (which is actually a doll).
Public Service Announcement:"A.M.O.A. Sanitized Motel"
A spokesman (Dan Aykroyd) for the American Motel Owners Association (AMOA) celebrates the work of A.M.O.A. technicians, who sanitize motel rooms every day.
He narrates a photo montage that shows how rooms are sanitized.
Leon Redbone and the Original Sloth Band:"Champagne Charlie"
Leon Redbone, backed by the Original Sloth Band, performs "Champagne Charlie," a 19th century music hall song that was introduced by George Leybourne in 1866. The song was composed by Alfred Lee with lyrics written by Leybourne.
Redbone's version appeared on his 1978 album of the same name.
"Weekend Update"
Anchors Dan Aykroyd and Jane Curtin report on the top news stories, which include:
"Presidential mother Lillian Carter was electrocuted last night trying to climb the protective fence around the White House; she got a jolt of 15,000 volts."
The family of missing Teamster Boss Jimmy Hoffa believes Star Wars robot R-2 D-2 is actually Hoffa, due to "certain mannerisms" and "vocal sounds which they say are strikingly similar to buzzes and clicks Hoffa used to make while eating."
Correspondent Laraine Newman interviews the Anyone Can Host contestants. Newman asks them questions, but interrupts the contestants before they can answer.
Plus, Babba Wawa reports on Egyptian President Anwar Sadat's visit to Israel.
"Reunion In Kiev"
A woman named Anya (Radner) narrates her train ride from Vladivostock to Kiev. Anya flashes back to what happened the day before on the train. A waiter (Henry) then enters the scene and pours her a glass of wine. The waiter then flashes back to "yesterday," when he first laid eyes on Anya.
The sketch descends into a series of flashbacks and flashforwards about what happened on the previous and following day.
"Mr. Mike's Rickey Rat Club"
Written by Michael O'Donoghue.
Mr. Mike (Michael O'Donoghue) introduces the Rickey Rat Club, a fan club of Ratketeers dedicated to a real rat named Rickey.
Club leader Bucky (Henry) announces that Rickey Rat is not present because he is helping "science" and has been hospitalized.
This prompts a lot of awkward questions from the Ratketeers.
"The Franken and Davis Show"
Al Franken and Tom Davis welcome their special guest, former First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis. Tom mentions that Jackie saved his life the previous Thanksgiving when he nearly choked to death.
Film by Gary Weis-"Anyone Can Host Contestants visit Buck's Hotel Room"
Each contestant visits the host in his hotel room and tells Buck why they should host SNL. They all kiss up to Henry hoping he will help them win.
Leon Redbone and the Original Sloth Band:"Please Don't Talk About Me When I'm Gone"
Redbone and his backing band perform "Please Don't Talk About Me When I'm Gone." Redbone's recording of the song appeared on his Champagne Charlie album. The song was published and written in 1930 by Sam H. Stept with lyrics by Sidney Clare.
Schiller's Reel:"Life After Death"
Filmmaker Tom Schiller gets on-camera statements from people who died and came back to life.
Goodnights:
The host and the Anyone Can Host contestants appear on homebase. Buck says the winner will host the December 17 episode. Henry displays the latest issue of TV Guide, which contains a ballot for the contest. Each contestant gets another chance to say why they should win.
The cast joins them onstage and Buck says "thank you all very much, and good night!"
Notes about this episode:
This was Buck Henry's fifth time hosting Saturday Night Live. This makes him the first member of SNL's mythical "Five-Timers Club."
I got hold of a copy of the TV Guide issue that Henry holds up during goodnights. Here's a scan of the Anyone Can Host ballot:
"Little chocolate donuts" is a parody of a 1970s Wheaties commercial that featured footage of Caitlin Jenner winning the Olympic Decathlon. Here's that commercial:
What stands out:
Buck Henry-The host has to carry this episode, since so much of it involves working with the contestants who don't have acting experience. Henry was uniquely qualified to fill this role. He had a quirky everyman quality that (from what I can tell) made the contestants feel comfortable throughout the evening.
"Little Chocolate Donuts"-Belushi is great in this classic commercial parody, which has shown up on lots of clip shows over the years.
"A.M.O.A Sanitized Motel"
I appreciate the concept here and Dan Aykroyd is fine as the narrator of this PSA. But it would've been funnier if we'd seen the sanitization process performed on stage, or even pre-filmed. All we get here is Aykroyd talking over photos of the motel cleanings. Also, Garrett Morris is once again put in drag in the photos.
This was my least-favorite of Buck Henry's hosting efforts, but it was a necessary episode in order pick a winner of the Anyone Can Host contest. Buck's interactions with the contestants, "Little Chocolate Donuts," and the Samurai sketch make it worth watching.
2 and a half stars.
