Season 2, Episode 14; Host:Steve Martin, with Lily Tomlin and The Kinks.

Aired February 26, 1977.

Cold opening:"Steve has changed."
Backstage, Gilda Radner approaches this week's host, Steve Martin.  She says she hasn't seen nearly as much of him as the last time he hosted.  When he tries to kiss Gilda, she stops Steve and says something has changed in him since he recently guest-hosted The Tonight Show.  Steve gives Gilda the kiss-off and says he'll be at her place at 3:30 AM.  

In the locker room, John Belushi, Garrett Morris and Bill Murray confront Martin and accuse him of ruining Gilda's "reputation."  Steve acts like he's too important to hang out with them and says he's "taking a hike."

Belushi tells Martin he's not going anywhere until he opens the show.  John then grabs Steve by the fingers and takes him down on the floor.  Belushi yells "Say it!  Say it!" until Martin announces "Live, from New York, it's Saturday Night!"

Monologue:"Happy Feet"

Steve gets "Happy Feet," which causes him to dance around uncontrollably.  He then sings a "traditional American Indian folk song" and discusses how much he enjoys getting "small."  

"The Coneheads At Home"

IRS agent Eli Turnbull (Martin) pays a visit to the Conehead household when their returns show some strange deductions:$2,000 for stocking caps, $7,000 for beer and $2,000 for titanium!

Plus, Connie Conehead (Laraine Newman) angers her parents Beldar (Dan Aykroyd) and Prymaat (Jane Curtin) when she paints her cone tells them she's attending a Peter Frampton concert.

Garrett Morris:“Nur wer die Sehnsucht kennt”

Garrett Morris performs “Nur wer die Sehnsucht kennt.”  The lyrics of this song were taken from a poem written by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe.  Morris sings an arrangement that was created by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky.

Morris' song is accompanied by onscreen text, which says he's wearing clam diggers because after the recent Saturday Night Mardi Gras special, he went to Jamaica, came back right before this episode began and didn't have time to change.

Celebrity Weight Lifting:

In a weight lifting competition, 2-time Olympic Gold Medalist Vasily Alekseyev (Belushi)...

 ...pits his strength against socialite and former First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy Onasis (Radner).  

The Kinks:Medley:“You Really Got Me”/“All Day And All Of The Night”/“Well-Respected Man”/“Lola” 

Musical guests the Kinks perform a medley of some of the biggest hit singles, all of which were written by their lead singer Ray Davieis. "You Really Got Me" was released as a single on August 4, 1964, it reached #1 on the UK chart and peaked at #7 in the US. The song also appeared on their self-titled debut album which came out in October '64.  

"All Day And All Of The Night" was issued on October 24, 1964.  It reached #2 in the UK, #7 in the US and was later included on the Kinksize Hits EP.

"Well-Respected Man" appeared on an EP called Kwyet Kinks.  The song was released as a single in the United States on October 1965 and reached #13.  

"Lola" was released as a single on June 12, 1970.  It later appeared on the album Lola Versus Powerman and the Moneygoround, Part One, which came out on November 27 of the same year.  "Lola" was a worldwide hit, reaching #1 in Belgium, Ireland, the Netherlands, New Zealand and South Africa.  It peaked at #2 in the UK and # 9 in the US.  

"Weekend Update"
Anchor Jane Curtin's top story is that singer and anti-gay bigot Anita Bryant plans to undergo a sex-change. The exact date of her operation will not be set until Bryant decides which sex to change to. 

Plus, correspondent Laraine Newman interviews Maj. General Robert Lazette about Pres. Carter's new flying command post.

Commercial:"Dr. Breadloaf's Quick-Loss Diet Book"
Dr. Ruth Breadloaf (Radner) says that if viewers want to eat healthier and lose weight, they should buy her book...

...and eat its pages.

Lily Tomlin:"Broadway Baby"
Martin sits down at a diner counter and introduces his special guest Lily Tomlin.  Steve tells her she's going to be great on Broadway.  Tomlin says her show will open in March.  She then jumps on the counter and breaks into a performance of the song "Broadway Baby".  

She's joined by Jane, Laraine and Gilda.  "Broadway Baby" was written by Stephen Sondheim for the stage musical Follies, which opened on April 4, 1971

"Pull The Plug"
When a boy named Buddy (Belushi) is comatose and appears to be braindead, his doctor tells Buddy's parents that it may be time to pull the plug on the machines that keep their boy alive.  The parents agree, but since that's not legal, the doctor tries to "accidentally" pull the plug.

Film by Gary Weis:"Buster Holmes"
SNL filmmaker Gary Weis turns his cameras on Buster Holmes' New Orleans soul food restaurant.  

Game show:"Hollywood Bingo"
Gern Blanston (Martin) hosts a game show that features dozens of celebrity guests.  Unfortunately, by the Gern has introduced all the celebrities, there's no time left for the game to be played.

Film by Lily Tomlin:"From The Big Orange To The Big Apple"
Tomlin drives from Los Angeles to New York City "accompanied" by the many characters she created, including Earnestine the telephone operator...

and housewife Mrs. Judith Beasley.  

"Roots II"
Alex Haley (Morris) author of Roots, which was the basis of a hugely popular miniseries of the same name, says that NBC has asked him to write a sequel for another miniseries.  Haley then Roots II.

The Kinks:"Sleepwalker"
"Sleepwalker" was issued a single on March 18, 1977 and it was the title track of the Kinks album that was released in February of that year.  This song peaked at #48 on the Billboard Hot 100.  

"Singles Bar"
A woman (Radner) and a man (Martin) meet in a singles bar.  They hit it off immediately when they realize they have a lot of odd things in common.  For example, both have jobs where they calibrate the pressure ratios for hydraulic valve systems and they both play "Old McDonald Had A Farm" on touchtone phones.

Goodnights:
Martin thanks Lily Tomlin and the Kinks.  He's joined by the cast and the credits roll.

Notes about this episode:
Special guest Lily Tomlin was promoting her Broadway show Appearing Nitely, which opened about a month after this episode.  Tomlin's short film was shown at the beginning of performances of Appearing Nitely.  

Speaking of Tomlin, this episode is her third appearance on the show in less 16 months.  However, Tomlin wouldn't appear on SNL again until Season 8, three years after Lorne Michaels and the original cast had departed.  

The "Weekend Update" joke about Anita Bryant getting a sex change operation is a reference to the anti-gay bigotry Bryant was promoting around the U.S. when this episode aired.

During his stand-up act in the 1970s, Steve Martin would tell audiences that his real name was "Gern Blanston."  That's why he plays a gameshow host with that name in "Hollywood Bingo."  

What stands out:

"The Coneheads At Home"-The Coneheads' second appearance is a good as their first and this sketch builds on the Coneheads mythology and backstory. 

“Nur wer die Sehnsucht kennt”-Garrett Morris gets a chance to show off his amazing singing voice and the scrolling text adds some comedy to his performance.  

"Broadway Baby"-I'm not a huge fan of Broadway musicals, but Tomlin, Curtin, Newman and Radner seem to be having a great time during their performance of "Broadway Baby" and that makes it fun to watch.  I don't talk about directing very often here, but director Dave Wilson also did a great job during "Broadway Baby," cutting to each performer exactly when their part of the song begins.  That's not such an easy thing to do during the broadcast of a live TV show.

The Kinks-Their medley of greatest hits was one of the best performances of any musical guest of the first two seasons.  Their performance of "Sleepwalker," the Kinks' then-current single, is also enjoyable.  

"Singles Bar"-This sketch shows that Steve Martin and Gilda Radner had great chemistry, which they show off even more in future episodes Martin hosted.  


J.A. Morris' rating:
This is another good episode.  The sketches aren't quite as great as what we saw the first time Martin hosted, but they're mostly good and the contributions of Lily Tomlin and the Kinks are enough for me to give it my highest rating.

4 stars!

Season 2, Episode 1; Host:Lily Tomlin with James Taylor

Aired September 18, 1976.

Cold opening:"The host is running late"
It's 11:30, time for Saturday Night to begin and there's no sign of this week's host, Lily Tomlin.  She hasn't even bothered to show up for rehearsals during the week leading up to the show.  Chevy Chase and Gilda Radner believe Tomlin's recent Oscar nomination (for her role in the movie Nashville) might have gone to her head.

When Tomlin finally arrives, she's surrounded by an entourage and acts like an aloof movie star.  Tomlin doesn't remember any of the cast's names.  Her entourage includes a man named Pepe who's sole job is supplying Lily with champagne.

Tomlin makes her way to her dressing room and Chevy waits outside for her.  Pepe asks Chase what he does on the show.

Chevy says he normally opens SNL normally by taking a fall, but he needs some kind of "motivation" to set up the fall.  When Chase walks away, Pepe trips him, which sends Chevy falling over a folding chair.  He then turns to the camera and announces "Live, from New York, it's Saturday Night!"

Monologue:
Lily Tomlin praises the Not Ready For Prime Time players and says they wanted to bring something "happy and fulfilling" to the viewers and audience and thanks them for bringing them into their lives.

When the audience applauds, she asks the stage manager if the audience "bought" her schmaltzy showbiz talk.

"Debate '76":
Written by Dan Aykroyd, Chevy Chase, Al Franken and Tom Davis.
Pres. Gerald Ford and his challenger Jimmy Carter (Dan Aykroyd) debate the issues in the first Presidential debate of 1976.

The candidates wind up inadvertently wrestling with each other on the floor.

James Taylor:"Shower The People"
Musical guest James Taylor performs "Shower The People,", the lead track of Taylor's June 1976 album In The Pocket.  "Shower The People" peaked at #22 on the US Billboard Pop chart.

"Weekend Update":
Anchor Chevy Chase reports on the days headlines, which include:

Mao Tse Tung, Chairman of the Chinese Communist Party has died and will be replaced by "Imitation Mao."

Correspondent Laraine Newman reports on an outbreak of "Foreign Legionnaires Disease," which causes victims to suddenly become silent, then start speaking in a foreign language before dropping dead.

Plus, editorial commentator Emily Litella (Radner) calls in to comment on the recent hijacking of an airplane by "five crustaceans!"

Commercial:"The Phone Company"
Written by Al Franken and Tom Davis.
Telephone operator Ernestine (Tomlin) talks about all the horrible ways the phone company treats its customers and how their monopoly means they can continue to do so with impunity.

Lily Tomlin and The Muppets:"I Whistle A Happy Tune"
SNL's Muppets wake up and find themselves in a file cabinet.  Their spiritual guru Mighty Favog (Frank Oz) tells the Muppets they must do whatever they're told if they want to get back on Saturday Night.

Lily Tomlin shows up and recalls working with them the last time she hosted.  She then leads the Muppets in a performance of the song "I Whistle A Happy Tune."

"I Whistle A Happy Tune" was written by Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein for their 1951 musical The King And I.

James Taylor:"(I'm a) Road Runner"
Taylor tells Tomlin that his next song will be "(I'm a) Road Runner" and introduces saxophonist David Sanborn as his accompanist for the song.

"(I'm a) Road Runner" was written by Lamont Dozier and brothers Brian and Eddie Holland (AKA Holland-Dozier-Holland) and first recorded by Junior Walker and his All Stars and released on their 1966 album Road Runner.  Taylor released a studio recording of "(I'm a) Road Runner" 32 years after this episode on his 2008 album Covers.

"Tess and Ralph":
Written by Marilyn Suzanne Miller.
A lonely widow named Tess DiSenzo (Tomlin) gets a visit from a vacation-home salesman named Ralph Hopkins (Garrett Morris).

Ralph soon realizes that Tess called him to her apartment because she's desperate for human interaction.

James Taylor:"Sweet Baby James"
Taylor performs one of his signature songs "Sweet Baby James," the title track from his 1970 album of the same name.

Commercial:"Mrs. Judith Beasley"

A commercial pitch-man (Aykroyd) asks housewife Mrs. Judith Beasley (Tomlin) to perform a series of bizarre tasks, which include waxing a gym floor, shopping for groceries while wearing a hamster head, and reenacting a scene from Gone With The Wind in a parking lot and going to a strange hotel with strange man, taking off her clothes and "do the Antler Dance."

"Woman In Literature Part 10:The Journals Of Elna Sullivan"
A profile of writer Elna Sullivan (Newman), who kept a journal of her time spent in Paris while surrounded by such luminaries as Pablo Picasso, Marcel Proust and Ernest Hemingway.

Film by Gary Weis:"Taylor Mead"
Actor/writer Taylor Mead discusses his TV viewing habits and reads some letters he's received.

Lily Tomlin:"The Antler Dance"
Written by Michael O'Donoghue, Marilyn Suzanne Miller and Paul Shaffer.
Tomlin says that she recently learned how to do the Antler Dance (which was featured earlier during the "Mrs. Judith Beasley" sketch) and will now teach it to the viewers and audience.  She sings a song about how to perform the dance and the SNL band dances along with Tomlin.

During the second verse, pianist Paul Shaffer takes over lead vocals while Tomlin is joined onstage by the cast, James Taylor, Saturday Night's writers and the Muppets!  Eventually the studio audience starts doing the Antler Dance as well.

Goodnights:
Tomlin asks the audience watching at home join her and do the Antler Dance.  The host, cast and studio audience keep dancing as the credits roll.

Notes about this episode:
During dress rehearsal for this episode, Chevy Chase suffered a serious injury when he fell over the podium in the "Debate '76" sketch.  Which means he performed the opening fall and the fall in the debate sketch after the injury (that's dedication!).  The injury kept Chase off the show for the next three episodes.

John Belushi plays a Rolling Stone reporter named Tom Burke in the "Debate '76" sketch.  Tom Burke was an actual Rolling Stone writer who wrote the a profile of Lorne Michaels and The Not Ready For Prime Time Players that appeared in the July 15, 1976 issue of Rolling Stone.

Emily Litella's "five crustaceans" commentary is a reference to the hijacking of TWA Flight 355 by five Croatians.  The hijackers called themselves Fighters for Free Croatia and advocated for Croatia to be granted independence from Yugoslavia.

Regarding the "Phone Company" commercial parody, younger folks might be surprised to learn that AT&T's Bell System had a monopoly on phone service in the United States until it was broken up in 1982.

For those unfamiliar with Lily Tomlin's career, Ernestine and Judith Beasley are characters created by Tomlin.  She played those characters on Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In and they've been featured in many of Tomlin's stage and TV appearances.

The hamster head worn by Lily Tomlin during the Judith Beasley sketch was previously used in the "Fashion Don'ts" sketch from the third episode of Season 1.

This episode features the final appearance of SNL's Muppet characters.  I have to say that while watching and reviewing Season 1, I generally enjoyed the Muppet sketches.  The very last time we see the Muppets is when Ploobis performs the Antler Dance during the closing credits:

Classic moment:
"Debate '76"-Dan Aykroyd and Chevy Chase are hilarious as Carter and Ford.  Chase's line about "math" is one of the funniest moments in SNL history.  Saturday Night has satirized Presidential Debates in almost every election since 1976 and this sketch is where that "tradition" began.

What stands out:
"Tess and Ralph"-a wonderful and touching "slice of life" sketch that features great acting from Lily Tomlin and Garrett Morris.

"The Antler Dance"-the dance and the song are lots of fun and ending the show with this dance, instead of the usual goodnights, was a great way to end the episode.

Writer Michael O'Donoghue (in the above photo, up front, wearing sunglasses) wrote the lyrics for "The Antler Dance."

J.A. Morris' rating:
This is a great way for Saturday Night to begin its second season.  Tomlin, the cast and the musical guest are all great and the sketches are very strong and it gets my highest rating.

4 stars!