Ho, ho, Hoooo! Our season of celebrating the holidays comes to a close with this VINTAGE re-release of our very first edition of Tournament Talk. Fittingly, for this inaugural outing, we brought a few of our friends in to discuss and debate our Favorite SNL Holiday Moments. We had a lot of fun looking back at 50 years of memorable holiday sketches, pre-tapes, and performances as we battled it out over our top 16 favorite Saturday Night Live holiday moments. Thomas Sena joins us to intro...

We continue to celebrate the holiday season by looking back at a movie that is a must watch this time of year – Scrooged! Bill Murray returns to acting after a four-year hiatus to star in this modern retelling of Charles Dickens’ immortal classic, "A Christmas Carol," that’s infused with the chaotic energy of the live television and Saturday Night Live. Though originally panned by critics – as well as Murray and others involved in making the film – it has endured as one of the modern Christma...

Christmas is coming early this year to The Not Ready for Prime Time Project. This week we’re re-releasing a VINTAGE episode of The Early Years of SNL as we look back at not only the best holiday episode of the original (or any) era, but also one of the best episodes of the entire first five years. Candice Bergen returns to Saturday Night Live for the 3rd time to host the Christmas episode for the second year in a row. This one is loaded with killer sketches from “Adopt Belushi for Christmas” ...

SNL looks to pick up the pieces as it turns into the back half of Season 5 as old standby Elliott Gould returns to become the third host in show history to do it a fifth time (a feat that wouldn’t be repeated for over six years). Gould clearly knows his way around the show, as evidenced by his “laissez-faire” approach to this episode, yet he isn’t given much material to work with. It’s not a good sign when the only bit the man notorious for always kicking off his Saturday Night Live app...

They say “you can never go home again.” But maybe, what they meant was that you just simply shouldn’t. Original Not Ready for Prime Time Player and first breakout star of SNL, Chevy Chase returns for his second time hosting and it does not take long for things to go off the rails. An obviously impaired Chevy is covered in flop sweat, has trouble reading his lines, and at times struggles with the English language. Not to be outdone, musical guest Marianne Faithfull arrives at Saturday Ni...

In the spirit of giving thanks, we wanted to say thank you to everyone with a VINTAGE re-release of The Early Years of SNL that celebrates an episode of Saturday Night Live that originally aired 50 years ago this week. This episode of SNL comes only six weeks into the show's existence and yet the Lily Tomlin-hosted affair is one of the very best of the show's first season. The show is just beginning to see the reward for recurring bits as Chevy Chase's Gerald Ford and Landshark both make thei...

SNL steps into the new decade with film and television actress Teri Garr as the first host of the 80s. But, after closing out the 70s in strong fashion, the show takes a few steps backwards. It seems to have lost any sense of identity it forged prior to the holiday break, and a whopping seven featured players credited this week. And yet, while it might be very hard to see at times, this was the episode nominated for the Emmy for Writing this season! Though there are glimpses of what the show ...

Season Six of Saturday Night Live is one of the most infamous in the show's history. The show attempts the near impossible task of continuing on with a brand new cast, an almost entirely new writing staff, and – most notably – without Lorne Michaels producing. Patrick Weathers, a Featured Player that season, joins us to pull back the curtain on the very brief Jean Doumanian year of SNL. Ever the raconteur, he shares his journey from opening act for The Meters (former SNL musical guests), to c...

Veteran actor Ted Knight hosts the S5 Christmas episode as SNL says goodbye to the 70s. As a present (to Gilda, we're guessing), Desmond Child and Rouge are the musical guest. While The Mary Tyler Moore Show star brings the comedic chops and appears to have a lot of fun, this episode is known more for the myth and legend surrounding it than the material itself. Andy Kaufman wrestles a woman (again) in his final Saturday Night Live appearance of the original era and the Nerds sketch is known m...

Innovative. Iconic. Legendary. These are just a few words to describe the one and only David Bowie. And all could be used to describe any one of his musical performances on his very first appearance on SNL. Bowie helps ring out the 70s as the musical guest alongside host, Martin Sheen. His three songs are not only the highlight of this episode but all of season five. So much so, it is easy to forget that Saturday Night Live did actual comedy this episode. And while the comedy is up and down –...

Saturday Night Live has aired live on Halloween only FOUR times in its 50+ years. As a treat this week, we're releasing a VINTAGE episode of The Early Years of SNL looking back at the memorable Season 2 outing hosted by Buck Henry that came close—airing just one day before Halloween and marking the first time the show leaned into the holiday. The episode is filled with spooky sketches and scary characters, but it's perhaps better known for two reasons: the infamous moment when John Belushi ac...

Today marks what would have been the 100th birthday of The King of Late Night – Johnny Carson. To celebrate, we're joined by our old friend Mark Malkoff, whose new book Love Johnny Carson offers a captivating look back at the 30 years Johnny Carson spent behind the desk of The Tonight Show. Mark has an extensive history with Johnny Carson beginning with The Carson Podcast, which ran for over 8 years and featured conversations with more than 300 guests – including writers, crew members, musici...

Johnny Fever himself, Howard Hesseman, takes the reins for his first time hosting SNL, along with the return of future 5-Timer Randy Newman as the musical guest. Hesseman has a long history of improv, and it shows here as he blends seamlessly into the cast and displays a wide range of characters throughout the episode. While the sketches themselves might not always land (and a few of them wouldn't fly today), the host manages to hold his own and is fun to watch whenever he's on screen. Rabid ...

With Sabrina Carpenter hosting this week's SNL in support of her new album—obviously a direct homage to the early '80s heavy metal classic Smell the Glove—we're looking back at the film that took us backstage with one of England's loudest bands. This is Spinal Tap is absolutely loaded with Saturday Night Live connections. The film is Rob Reiner's (S1 host) directorial debut, which he co-wrote with stars Christopher Guest (S10 cast), Michael McKean (S9 host, S19-20 cast), and Harry Shearer (S5...

Season 5 of SNL might just be finding its groove as the one and only Bea Arthur takes the stage as host. Just over a year removed from the end of her Emmy-winning run on Maude, the veteran actress feels right at home with the cast and helps them shine. Cast members new and old take the spotlight as the audience gets their first real glimpse of what this season could be. Everyone gets a chance to contribute as the sketches are varied, the mood is joyous, and new voices start to emerge from the...

What's one way to turn things around after a rocky start to Season 5? Bring in one of the greatest SNL hosts of all time to right the ship. That's right—Buck's back! Buck Henry returns for his ninth (and penultimate) hosting appearance, and this time he brings along a little-known rock 'n' roll band on the rise: Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers. For the first time this season, things seem to be okay. In the capable hands of one of the best hosts to ever do it, the cast and writers feel freed f...

The professional athlete well is tapped once again as Hall of Fame NBA player (and coach!) Bill Russell hosts this outing of SNL. Chicago, in all their funky glory, let it all hang out as the musical guest. And yet... The cast tries their best, but the host - who looks genuinely excited to be there - just doesn't have the range or chops to help lift this one up. We do get a couple of familiar elements (recurring characters, Garrett in drag), some pretty solid impressions (courtesy of Jane), a...

SNL continues to roll out the heavy hitters for Season 5, bringing two absolute legends to Studio 8H as Eric Idle returns for his fourth (and sadly final) hosting stint joined by the unequaled Bob Dylan as musical guest. If that wasn’t enough, Andy Kaufman is back on the show as well! Can a lineup like this help Saturday Night Live get back on track? Well…Idle was very sick (true story), Dylan sings songs from his new Christian album (also true), and Kaufman wrestles a woman on live tel...

SNL returns with Steve Martin making history as the first host to kick off a second season premiere! Saturday Night Live holds nothing back as they kick off Season 5 with not only one of the biggest comedy stars on the planet but one of the hottest (and hippest) musical acts in Blondie. Despite being Martin's 7th time hosting, this episode struggles to find its footing. The show is finding it difficult to establish a new identity without the presence of two of its biggest stars and those cast...

Well, we finally made it—Season 5 of Saturday Night Live is here! Join us as we look ahead to the final season of The Early Years of SNL. The end of the original era is marked by seismic changes, both in front of the camera and behind it. Lorne Michaels faces the daunting task of replacing stars Dan Aykroyd AND John Belushi, while simultaneously breathing new life into an exhausted writing staff with fresh voices and perspectives. Worlds removed from its scrappy beginnings just a few yea...