SNL: S06E01... HOST: ELLIOT GOULD... DATE: NOVEMBER 15, 1980

SNL: S06E01... HOST: ELLIOT GOULD... DATE: NOVEMBER 15, 1980

The Wicker Breakdown:

  1. The show starts in a hotel room with Elliot Gould and new Not Ready For Prime Time Player, Gail Mattius in bed as if they just finished having sex. She is nervous about being late to the first show of her career, but Gould is not worried because this is old hat to him. We then see that Gail is lying next to Charles Rocket. The camera then pulls back, and we see that Ann Risley was also involved in the orgy and it pulls back even further to reveal Joe Piscopo is also in bed with the group as Gould tells tales of the original cast's relationship with drugs. At this point, there is no more room in the bed, but Gilbert Gottfried then climbs out from under the box springs to introduce himself, and we find Denny Dillon lying across everyone's feet, and she's the first of the new cast to announce, "Live from New York..."

  2. Elliot Gould then opens the show as he enters the Six-Timers Club! He starts with a monolog about his connection to the old cast and his history of the show then goes on to share his history with underwear, and he transitioned from diapers to boxers. This monolog isn't available on Seeso. Instead, it skips the following fake ad and goes straight into sketch number four. Taking out the monolog completely takes us out of the world of SNL and makes it feel like an entirely different show.

  3. In the full episode, the monolog is followed by a fake ad for street sign novels where there is a street sign every couple feet, each with a new sentence to make up a novel when you complete your entire trip.

  4. In the Seeso cut, we go straight from the opening sketch to this bit that makes fun of Carter for losing to Reagan. In it, Carter mopes around the oval office as his wife, and Amy Carter try to cheer him up, but he still ends up feeling like a loser.

  5. Elliot Gould is waiting for Ann as she gets ready to go out for her birthday dinner. She puts on her earring and fixes her hair as she asks Elliot if he's heard from her mother. It turns out that she's concerned because parents are super religious and are against her new unmarried living arrangement with Gould because they think it is unholy. This is when there is a knock on the door, and it's a man dressed as a singing telegram. He said he was sent by her parents which works to cheer Ann up until he reveals he's a singing Billy Graham who is there to perpetuate her parent's religious hate with a song that supercritical about her choices.

  6. Next, Gail hosts a PSA for The American Cancer Society. In this informative ad, she attempts to show the American audience how to check for breast cancer. The only problem is, between the censor bars and restricted speech, this vital information isn't intelligible at all making the entire bit of advice completely pointless.

  7. What's It All About? With Pinky And Leo Waxman is a cable access show hosted by Gilbert and Denny Dillon who plays an old Long Island Jewish couple who interview Elliot as himself as they try to get some hot gossip.

  8. Elliot Gould then announces a new segment of the show called Short Shots. It's pretty much the same idea of the short films from past episodes, but instead of one guy, there's a rotating list of already established directors. The first Short Shot was from the director of Grease called Foot Fetish which was a cartoon/stop animation featuring a man's shoe and a woman's shoe having sex on the beach and the woman's shoe having a baby.

  9. Kid Creole and the Coconuts then hit the stage to perform Mister Softy.

  10. We then get introduced to our new host of the new, Mr. Charles Rocket, his reading of the news is very stiff, but nothing worse than any of the past anchors on their first go round. Hell, I'd go as far as to say he's better than Aykroyd at delivering the news even after an entire year behind the desk, but Aykroyd was brilliant in sketches. This week, Gail does a segment from outside of the White House with a candidate that doesn't know that he lost. We also get a visit from Gilbert who is responding to claims that Reagan will not live through his first term as president to which Gilbert argues that he is already dead.

  11. At One With is a talk show where Elliot Gould interviews a drill sergeant about the new law that allowed gays in the military. The drill sergeant then uses a gay cadet to show Gould how to spot and handle a homosexual and how they are all trained to the point to where sexuality, in general, shouldn't make a difference. Though there were a few cliches thrown around while providing evidence that this cadet is really gay but for the most part it handled the topic in a way that I didn't think was all that offensive, but this season already seems to be obsessed with the gay jokes.

  12. Heart To Heart is another short film, but it's not introduced as being part of the Short Shots series. In it, a man and a woman lay in bed, and the woman is asking for sex. The man says that he is just not feeling it which leads the woman to start smoking this also causes her attitude to change and gets him to point out the difference. As he goes on to plead his case, she gets swapped out with a woman that looks similar only a little older and a little bigger and a little less attractive who claims she's still the same.

  13. This was followed by a nose wrestling match between Gould and Charlie Rocket.

  14. The next couple sketches were not available on Seeso. The first one was with Elliot and Gail out on a date. It was reminiscent of the sketch where Rodney Dangerfield was dating a 10-year-old, only this relationship was between a 20-something-year-old girl and a 40-year-old man. Though this still may be considered inappropriate, at least it's a legal age gap which allowed me to laugh along rather than feel horrified about the treatment of a child when this show is supposed to be a comedy.

  15. This was followed a detective sketch where Gould is looking for "The Accordion Killer," who "polkas women to death" after going out on random "computer date," whatever that means from that time.

  16. Kid Creole And The Coconuts then return to the stage to perform There But For The Grace Of God Go I.

  17. We then get introduced to another Short Shot, this one is directed by Jonathan Demme which was more of a music video than a story. The song is called Gidget Goes To Hell by The Suburban Lawns, and it follows the average SoCal surfer day at the beach with a couple loose references to Jaws.

  18. Now we are back to the Seeso material as we see a fake ad for a speed listening lesson that allows you to listen to twice the amount of music as you speed read.

  19. Finally, Elliot Gould closed the show by thanking the crowd and saying his goodnights.

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SNL: S06E02... HOST: MALCOLM MCDOWELL... DATE: NOVEMBER 22, 1980

SNL: S06E02... HOST: MALCOLM MCDOWELL... DATE: NOVEMBER 22, 1980

The Wicker Breakdown:

  1. There is an ominous start to the show as Gilbert walks down a makeshift "Green Mile" and Rocket reads him his last rights. They get to the end of the hallway, and Gilbert gets strapped into an electric chair when we hear his mom yelling, "No, no, not my son..." She then makes it past the guards to get in her last words with her son, which she uses to yell at him about his posture as the executioner flips the switch. As Gilbert is getting electrocuted to death, he blurts out, "Live from New York..."

  2. Malcolm McDowell then opens the show with a monolog about how the night almost didn't happen as he shares a story about how he almost got sent back to England for trying to act with an expired work visa. He then goes on to thank NBC for expediting the process and then jokingly admits that this help in renewing his visa is why he accepted the gig in the first place.

  3. Mutually Omaha's: Wild Kingdom is a parody of the show with such a close name that I'm not going to bother to retype it. Rocket, as the host, talks about how tonight we are going to study a very rare breed. Then we see the title of this week's "episode" In Search Of The Negro Republican. Other than the outdated use of the word "negro" the sentiment is the same as any modern sketch or video questioning the gay or black republican. In it, Piscopo plays the waiter/guide as he tries to find a black Republican at a party by asking each person questions to find answers that are stereotypically white and conservative. He finds a "specimen" through these questioning techniques, then drugs and tags him as they would an animal that a scientist would like to track. I didn't spot Eddie Murphy in the crowd, but he didn't end up getting any airtime.

  4. Gilbert then plays the president of The Tobacco Growers Of America who denies the claims that cigarettes cause cancer and places the blame on the poor design of the human lung.

  5. Serf City is a sketch that takes place during Medieval Times. In it, the elite surf on serfs while getting tickled with feathers by a couple of the villages "wenches."

  6. Then we go to the White House where we see Nancy and Ronald's first night as residents following the inauguration. For some reason, they've adopted Amy Carter who's freaked out about the idea of nuclear proliferation to which the president and first lady have to comfort her enough to be able to go to sleep.

  7. This week's Short Shot was directed by Ken Friedman who eventually went on to write Cadillac Man, which is the only credit of his that I was able to recognize. The short is called Showdown, and it features two cowboys who just got back into town, and both want to make the same woman their wife. The two start fighting right away before Rose can say she is interested in either. The shot handguns, rifles, and Gatling guns shooting up everything in sight except for one another. They finally get to the point where Rose speaks up to announce she's not interested in either man. I wish they would have ended it with it being due to the fact that she's strong, but instead, they let us know that it's because she's the village whore and is not worthy of settling in.

  8. Captain Beefheart And His Magic Band then hit the stage to perform Hot Head, though I kind of liked this band now, I could see a point in my life where I would have been a huge fan because of how dark and quirky the sound is, like an early version of the Shockabilly genre.

  9. Once again, Charles Rocket gives us the news. He's already ten times better than last week, and I have faith that he will continue to improve. This week, he interviews "John and Yoko," Joe Piscopo discusses the upcoming fight between Sugar Ray Leonard and Roberto Duran where he uses Rock Em Sock Em Robots to predict the outcome, and finally, Gilbert does a crazy impersonation of some psychiatrist who gives a spot-on critical breakdown of the flaws from last week's show. (Clip 2) (Clip 3)

  10. This was followed by an A Clock Work Orange themed ad for milk.

  11. Next, we go to a Gothic Romance Bookstore where a customer enters looking for a particular recommendation for her next book to read. Malcolm plays the shop owner who seems a bit turned on by her challenge especially when she displays how well she knows the genre who's either already read everything that he suggests or she just isn't interested for very detailed reasons. She finally gives in and tells her ultimate idea of the main character she wants to read about causing Malcolm to rush off to find it. He returns bookless dressed as the character she described and the two embrace before falling to the ground to have sex.

  12. A Quick History Of The 100 Year War is a very abridged history lesson of the battle that takes about a minute to get out all the details to help keep us informed.

  13. This was followed by The Leather Weather Lady which was a sketch about a dominatrix weather lady who abuses her submissive human map.

  14. Next, we go to a small town where a bunch of, what looks to be, hunters have all gathered around. It does turn out to be the dawn of a hunting season, and the locals are anticipating the hunt. Only animals aren't their targets as this is the start to Commie Season where everyone is allowed to kill five Commies as Reagan starts to reignite yet another Red Scare. Everyone is so excited to start, but they have to wait until the sun is fully up before they can begin. That is until Piscopo accidentally shoots the sheriff causing everyone to start early without the law to get in their way.

  15. This is followed by the first installment of The Rocket Report where Charles Rocket hits the city streets to randomly interview the pedestrians of New York. I think the funniest part is how he complains about everyone who ignores him then makes fun of anyone who gives him any time.

  16. Jack The Stripper is a parody of Jack The Ripper, of course. In it, Gilbert is playing an old lady sitting on the streets of London who gets flashed by someone who is dressed at the king. Gilbert's hilarious impersonation of a screaming lady causes Denny and a female Malcolm to step in to see what is going on. I'm not sure if they are detectives or just concerned citizens, but they take on the case to find this stripper to take back the streets for women. It doesn't take long before another stripper arrives, but it's a different stripper than the first. Though he is still dressed as a king, it turns out he's the kind of Sweden just out and about stripping for no reason. He wonders off and Jack the Stripper returns, and it turns out he's actually Prince Charles, and that's pretty much it.

  17. Captain Beefheart And His Magic Band then return to the stage to perform Ashtray Heart.

  18. This was followed by a non-Short Shots short film called Someone Is Hiding In My Apartment. This short featured a guy who talks about living with what seems to be a ghost. He shares stories of strange events where things are moved, and food is eaten, but this shouldn't happen because he lives alone. Then, as they pull back we see there is a woman behind him who rolls her eye in a way that conveys she is his ignored girlfriend... at least that's how I read it.

  19. The Wine Cellar is a review show where Denny Dillon compares fancy French wine to American Fortified wine that used to be available in a can.

  20. Finally, Malcolm McDowell closes the show by thanking the audience and saying his goodnights.

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SNL: S06E03... HOST: ELLEN BURSTYN... DATE: DECEMBER 6, 1980

SNL: S06E03... HOST: ELLEN BURSTYN... DATE: DECEMBER 6, 1980

The Wicker Breakdown:

  1. Tonight's show is "interrupting" Those Incredible Shows.

  2. We then jump straight into a message from David Rockefeller who delivers his latest plan to control Reagan like a puppet to take care of the problem of poor Americans by turning the country into a Co-Op where the poor will simply be evicted. Toward the end of his address, he manages to transition from talking about eliminating the poor to announcing, "Live from New York..."

  3. Ellen Burstyn opens the show with a monolog about how it will be her 48th birthday the moment the clock strikes midnight and goes on to talk about how much she loves being in her forties and the thing is, she doesn't seem to be joking. There is no sarcasm or irony to any of claims like you would expect from the darker mood of the first five seasons.

  4. This was followed by a fake ad for Ed McMahon's School For Laughing which is a school for those interested in a career as a laugh track artist.

  5. What's It All About? With Leo And Pinky Waxman returns and this week, the old Long Island Jewish couple interviews Ellen as herself about her successful career only they both steal the conversation whenever she tries to answer their questions.

  6. The Rocket Report returns where, once again, Charles Rocket interviews the man on the street, this time the topic is sex, but he's got a secret fictional storyline that the interviewees are unaware of.

  7. The next sketch takes place at a Video Dating Service where we are introduced to Joe Piscopo's classic, "I'm from Jersey," character, where he's a bit of a spazz and obsessed with the fact he's from Jersey and brings it up at any opportunity during his recorded dating interview.

  8. Aretha Franklin then hits the stage to perform United Together.

  9. Once again, Charles Rocket anchors the news. Once again he keeps getting better and better. This week, Joe Piscopo does a sports segment where Eddie Murphy gets to deliver his first on-air lines as he bitches about a new rule put out by some school district making it mandatory to have at least two white students on the high school basketball team. Gilbert also gets a segment where he tried to debunk the myth of the female orgasm. (Clip 2)

  10. Our Front Door was a sketch where a couple answers the doorbell to find a junkie whose selling pot holders. They instantly invite him into the house and offer him tea before offering him a seat and start to ask him questions kind of like an impromptu home talk show. Then the kids arrive home and are excited to meet their first junkie and join in on the questioning.

  11. This was followed by a short film, but once again, it wasn't introduced as a Short Shots installment. The short is called Pepe Gonzales, starring Gilbert as the world's only New York-based Bull Fighter who bullfights traffic and pedestrians.

  12. The next sketch took place in a Planned Parenthood office where two young teens enter the office because one of them thinks she's pregnant, but it turns out that she hasn't even had sex and really doesn't know how it works. This leads to an awkward conversation about orgasms as if the Planned Parenthood workers of the time were extraordinarily uptight and only knew the technical details about the act.

  13. Aretha Franklin returns to the stage to perform Can't Turn Me Loose.

  14. Ellen then plays a British tutor who in charge of teaching an upper-class British Denny a lesson in history. Though Denny acts like an angel, she has a sock puppet that blurts out every mean thought that comes to her mind, but everyone including Denny treats the puppet as if it were real.

  15. The Toni Tennille Show is an interrogation special where, singer, Toni Tennille interviews people convicted of crimes. This week she interviews a woman who was accused of killing a famous diet author and as much as the woman tries to plead her case Toni is more interested in learning more about the diet.

  16. FISH HEADS!!! Fish heads, roly-poly fish heads!!! (classical moment #2)

  17. This is followed by a family meeting where the parents announce that they are getting a divorce and want to reassure the children that everything is entirely their fault. In fact, it turns out that they are not getting a divorce from one another, no, they are divorcing their kids.

  18. Keith Sykes then hits the stage to perform B.I.G. T.I.M.E.

  19. This was followed by a sad, sentimental but quirky sketch where a girl dressed as a bunny is going door to door selling tickets to the school play. A hermit of a lady answers the door and invites the girl bunny in to enjoy a bowl of stew. The girl in the bunny suit both sounds and acts kind of like Louise from Bob's Burgers. She's nervous about the stew because this lady is the neighborhood shut-in and the rumor is that she survives off of the neighborhood cats. As the bunny girl explains this, the old lady barrels ahead in her agenda to treat this moment like she's spending it with her never present son. It's not clear, but he might just not be talking to her anymore, but there is a sorrowful tone at the end when the bunny girl leaves that leads me to believe that the boy actually died.

  20. Finally, Ellen Burstyn closes the show by thanking the crowd and saying her goodnights.

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SNL: S06E04... HOST: JAMIE LEE CURTIS... DATE: DECEMBER 13, 1980

SNL: S06E04... HOST: JAMIE LEE CURTIS... DATE: DECEMBER 13, 1980

The Wicker Breakdown:

  1. The show starts with an announcement from The Mean Majority (AKA vocal Republicans) who tell America how things are going to be now that Reagan is in charge. The divide is the same as it is today and this "Mean Majority" has the exact same targets. At one point during their announcement the team pieces together the sentence, "Live from New York..."

  2. Jamie Lee Curtis then opens the show fully decked out in '80s attire and goes on to do a monolog about how excited she is to have her very own catchphrase like many of the comedic hosts from the past. Her catchphrase being her scream from the first Halloween.

  3. We then cut to Gail plucking her eyebrows with her figures as she plays an airhead in a fake ad for Clovin Hind Jeans.

  4. The Attack Of The Terrible Snapping Creatures is a horror sketch where Jamie Lee and Gail just moved into an apartment that is infested by evil cloth pins (or as we used to call them in the lighting department C-47s.)

  5. Eddie Murphy then appears in his first talking/non-Weekend Update sketch where he plays a Three Card Monte dealer who tries to run a scam on Piscopo's "I'm from Jersey" character. The two almost get busted by the cops, but Piscopo is so awkward and obnoxious that the cop just tells them both to move on, making Murphy very thankful.

  6. Gilbert then hits the stage to explain how he got onto the show. We then cut to a profile style mockumentary where we follow Gilbert's life from childhood to his decision to get into show business, including the day that he robbed a bank in order to use the security footage as an audition tape to send off to the casting director of Saturday Night Live.

  7. Dying To Be Heard is a dark show hosted by Ann, who plays a moody feminist poet type where guest commit suicide before she reads their final poem. This week, Jamie Lee kills herself by bashing her head in with The Joy Of Cooking right in front of her family because they never appreciate her meals. When she dies, Ann goes on to read her final poem which is a vicious attack on the family that leaves them feeling this is the better way.

  8. James Brown then hits the stage to perform Rapp Payback.

  9. Once again, Charles Rocket does a perfectly good job at giving us the news. We get a segment from Denny "The Woods Woman" who's an early survivalist living in the woods and is hearing rumors that the government is going to start dumping nuclear waste in her backyard because Reagan personally feels it's safe enough to do so. (Clip 2) (Clip 3)

  10. This is followed by a PSA called Poker And Drugs Don't Mix where they advise against smoking marijuana while playing poker because you're likely to get so high that you will misread your cards. They also caution against caffeine and cards because it might give you some much confidence you may jump the gun and scare people off with big bets. I don't know why they didn't just go with cocaine because they've joked about the drug in the past.

  11. This is followed by another Gail as a dumb girl, Clovin Hind Jeans ad.

  12. The next sketch takes place in a hotel meeting room where the Badgers hold their banquet. The Badgers are a Shriner type group who walk around with skinned badgers on their heads and spend their entire meeting busting each other's balls.

  13. James Brown returns to the stage to perform a medley of his greatest hits.

  14. This was followed by a fake ad for the Tortu-Matic the all in one workout machine that not only beats you into shape but makes you brave enough to face anything after you receive such a beating because you learn you can take damn near anything.

  15. This week's Short Shots was a short film directed by the guy who went on to direct Beverly Hills Cop. The short is called Hot Dogs For Go-Getters and is starring Danny DeVito who is obsessed with the guy who caught the footage of the Hindenburg Disaster and wants to capture the same photographic fame by catching the explosion of The Statue Of Liberty's head that he also plans to blow up in order to create the incident. He almost pulls it off but knocks over the camera at the last moment.

  16. We then go to a hair salon in a small town where Denny plays an old woman getting her hair done. Jamie Lee comes in as her daughter who has returned from L.A. and is now the lead singer of a punk band. Both women seem so stunned by the changes in appearance and attitude that the mom can't even keep up the strength to stay. As soon as the mom leave the hair stylist switches her tune and goes on to add to Jamie Lee's outrageous hairdo.

  17. We then go to yet another Clovin Hind Jeans featuring a ditsy Gail.

  18. Jamie Lee then hosts a special new segment where she interviews Ann as a tough looking female biker whose gang provided funeral services for dead animals they scrape from the road. Though she looks extra tough, she gets super emotional as she explains.

  19. Ellen Shipley then hits the stage to perform Fotogenic, which is cool because this is the second week in a row that they've given new performers their television musical premiere.

  20. Finally, Jamie Lee Curtis closes the show by thanking the crowd and saying her goodnights.

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SNL: S06E05... HOST: DAVID CARRADINE... DATE: DECEMBER 20, 1980

SNL: S06E05... HOST: DAVID CARRADINE... DATE: DECEMBER 20, 1980

The Wicker Breakdown:

  1. The show starts with Joe Piscopo working on his Don Pardo impersonation because he wants to take his job in order to be set with announcing work for life. The moment he finishes sharing his plan, the omnipresent voice of Don Pardo chimes in to inform Piscopo that he's on to his game which gets Joe to stop for a moment before going back into Pardo in order to announce, "Live from New York..."

  2. David Carradine then opens the show with a monolog about how he made his father proud by living up to his promise to make a living using his feet. At first, we think he's talking about the show Kung-Fu, but then he goes into a song and dance. He eventually gets interrupted by Rocket, and then Kung-Fu kicks him off of the stage.

  3. This was followed by a fake ad for Gun City that is having a holiday gun sale in order to meet all of your Christmas shopping needs.

  4. Eddie Murphy then plays a clothing store owner who gets a visit from Kung-Fu's Caine. After looking him up and down, Eddie tries to talk Caine into updating his Kung-Fu outfit and goes on to dress him like he's a pimp. Whenever Caine looks in the mirror, he sees images of his blind Kung-Fu who warns him about getting caught in the trap of "Gay Italian Fashion." As Caine talks to the image of his master Eddie thinks he's talking to him which adds to the confusion of the scene in both the scripted lines and the actual acting. I'm not sure how they did the effect, but every time it comes into play there seemed to be timing issues as if everyone involved couldn't hear each other clearly. Fortunately, these bloopers were very subtle and if anything added to the comedy.

  5. Denny and Gail then return as their teenage characters from the Planned Parenthood sketch. This current sketch is more of a day-in-the-life segment where the comedy comes from the characters over specific jokes, concepts or story. In the sketch, these two teens are just being teens from the time who are hanging out at the mall and trying to figure out what to do to fill time until their parents come to pick them up.

  6. The Rocket Report returned, this week Rocket discusses the New York City Santa over footage of a drunk Santa interacting with the man on the street. Though fun, this installment was way more scripted than the others and there were no random interviews.

  7. Bob Dylan visits Arlo Guthrie in the hospital, and the two have a folk off as they only use lyrics from songs to carry out a conversation.

  8. This was followed by a fake ad for Dallas: The Home Game, a dress up game that allows you to turn your dysfunctional family into themed fun and games.

  9. Mr. Bill returns after his stay in prison. He's now living in a shack with his wife and dog and shares with us the story of his very first Christmas where Mr. Hand gave him his first bike which led to Mr. Bill to shredded up in the spokes.

  10. Caine from Kung-Fu teams up with Eddie Murphy who is playing Black Bruce Lee. The two set out to fight a group of evil Santas in what turns out to be a fake trailer for a movie called Kung-Fu Christmas.

  11. Once again, Charles Rocket does a pretty good job of hosting the news. Ann Risley checks in with her list of dos and don'ts for the holidays. The don'ts include spoilable food as gifts, live animals as gifts, and dry Christmas trees. All of the dos all equal the gift of a wrapped bag of lard. Piscopo also drops in for another segment of sports.

  12. We then go to a Broadway stage where Linda Ronstadt and the cast of The Pirates Of Penzance perform a montage of moments from the musical.

  13. Two couples of rich white folks go to a drug den in Harlem in an attempt to fully experience what it's like to use heroin. They buy some drugs from Murphy only the minute they go to try it, Eddie reveals it's an undercover bust, and they are all under arrest in the cities attempt to keep junkies out of Harlem.

  14. This was followed by another profile mockumentary on how one of the new members ended up in the cast. This time we follow the men from marketing who were sent out to find a very specific audience selected prototype which is a woman who has to be a virgin. The men from marketing have to travel all over the world because even though the can find a woman that looks the part, they struggle to find a virgin. That is until they wind up in a dive bar in the middle of the day in order to get directions. This is when they find Gail who is rambling at the bartender about how she's saving herself for Carl Sagan, and this is how she was selected.

  15. This was followed by a fake ad for chewing tobacco. It felt too much like what a real ad for the product would be for me to be able to get the joke and I swear David Carradine says shit at one point, but I can't find anything on the internet to back that up.

  16. In The Death Of Colonel Sanders, Denny and Carradine each have a bucket of chicken and share their favorite memories of eating the fried food following the death of KFC's founder. They are eventually joined by Eddie Murphy who joins in on the mourning of Sanders.

  17. This was followed by a short film called The Dancing Man where a guy comes home in the AM and appears to have been out all night. He lays down for literally one minute before his radio alarm clock starts to play Shake Your Grove Thing which gets him out of the bed dancing before heading to the kitchen to start his day. This is where we find out that the dancing is almost a curse and he can't stop boogieing at the second he hears a beat.

  18. We then go to Caine from Kung-Fu and Yvonne who are both at the welfare department. Apparently, Reagan has just passed or was talking about adopting a program to force extreme cases of welfare recipients into the workforce. In the sketch, the program was called Operation Black Book where they give these extreme cases black books filled with clients names as a way to force them into prostitution, which Caine from Kung-Fu takes this news much better than Yvonne Hudson.

  19. We then go back to the Broadway stage where Linda Ronstadt and the cast of The Pirates Of Penzance sing several Christmas songs.

  20. Finally, David Carradine closes the show by thanking the audience and saying his goodnights.

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SNL: S06E06... HOST: RAY SHARKEY... DATE: JANUARY 10, 1981

SNL: S06E06... HOST: RAY SHARKEY... DATE: JANUARY 10, 1981

The Wicker Breakdown:

  1. The show starts with a parody of To Tell The Truth where contestants try to guess who the real Jimmy the Weasel from the mafia is. Their options are two Italians in suits that look straight out of the Godfather and Eddie Murphy who seems pretty casual to me, but his attitude makes me assume it's gang attire from the day. One of the Italians steps up as the real mafia member only to be shot dead by the second Italian who goes on to take Eddie as a hostage which freaks him out as he announces, "Live from New York..."

  2. Ray Sharkey opens the show with a fun energy that I wasn't expecting especially since I have no idea who he is even after looking at his resume. His monolog is about how excited he is to do a monolog but then ends up talking about his flight while sounding like a mobster wannabe tough guy with a horrible delivery where he says "Forget about it," after every sentence as if that's supposed to win us over.

  3. Drink Before The Job is a fake PSA for the daily alcoholic that needs to take the edge off of work.

  4. A W.A.S.P. (White Anglo-Saxon Protestant) couple bicker as they wait for their interpreter because as they openly admit their heritage has ruined their ability to make real conversation due to so much suppression. Ray shows up and interprets all of the passive aggressiveness out of their speech to the point where it's just straight up aggression.

  5. Then we go to a punk club where the owner doesn't want to let Ray perform because he has a reputation of getting way too crazy. Denny and Gail show up as their teen characters who are nervous because they barely managed to sneak in. The girls then end up at Ray's table as the bar owner heads to the bar to grab them a couple of drinks. The owner and the girls then watch Ray perform where he instantly goes from an incoherent drug addict to a guy with a great punk lead singer voice, then goes right back to babbling the second the song is done.

  6. Gilbert does a segment explaining his experience using a low-quality enema which transitions into an editorial about how America's workforce is on the decline as people try to escape the monotony and how no one what humble work or as he refers to it a "Hum Job." He finished the sketch by asking the president for one of these so-called "Hum Jobs."

  7. Next, we go to a different bar where Eddie is serving drinks while he listens to drunks complain. First, it's a couple complaining about couple stuff, but then we see Carter in the corner still in a bad way over the election. Ray comes in as a dock worker who tries to cheer Carter up by giving him advice you would give a regular Schmoe involved in a regular lay off.

  8. The sketch above gets cut off as we go to a live segment on the street where we catch local New Yorkers celebrating the midnight switch to January 11.

  9. Once again, Charles Rocket anchors the news only this time he has Gail as his cohost. Of all the anchors up to this point, Gail has the best first day. Even Jane Curtin, who has been my favorite anchor so far, took at least half a season to find her voice but Gail seemed to hit the ground running. This week, Gilbert checks in with a crime report, Joe Piscopo does sports, and Eddie Murphy talks about not wanting to have to sign up for the draft because of his obligations as the token black on the show. (Clip 2) (Clip 3)

  10. Jack Bruce and Friends hit the stage to perform Dancing On Air.

  11. Ray interrogates Gilbert about some crime, and it doesn't take him long to admit that he was guilty. They then say they want to videotape the confession and they shoot it as if it were a movie with Ray acting as the director and Gilbert chiming in with input as if he were an actor. Each time the story gets more extreme as they stop looking for the truth in exchange for a compelling story.

  12. Have A Nice Day parodies several different horror movies where the scares are linked to images of the old school yellow smiley face. (i.e., there are smiley faces on the shower curtains from the Psycho parody and the Texas Chainsaw Massacre man where a yellow smiley mask.

  13. We then go to Central Park where Eddie is selling white babies and Ann and Piscopo contemplate giving it a shot. While Ray tries to sell the more traditional drugs. Ann and Piscopo end up buying the baby only to get caught by the other mom that bought him last week.

  14. Yvonne and Denny then play surrogate mothers for Gail and Ann who treat the whole situation as if they were the ones giving birth. While both the surrogate mothers want to live there life as usual including drinking, smoking, and caffeine. Where Yvonne feels she's being bossed around, Denny uses the baby as leverage threatening to do a belly flop if she doesn't get her way, which inevitably leads to her getting fired and having to keep the baby as her own.

  15. This was followed by a short film called The Man With The Black Hat where a man steps out of a car. All we can see are his legs and feet with his pants around his ankles. As he walks, we learn he is a reverend, and no one seems to think this is strange. He then approaches a pair of woman's legs with her panties around her ankles and the two stop to have a quick chat where she compliments him on his black hat.

  16. Charles Rocket pitches Stop A Nut and tank-like suit designed to protect you from urban attackers.

  17. The Waiter-Maker is a sketch where the women of the show have the hots for Rocket who plays a stripper looking Italian waiter, and Ray plays the restaurant owner who treats the waiting position as if it were a spot in the mob. Rocket gets too big for his britches, so Ray tried to duplicate his success by turning Gilbert into Rocket's replacement. A year then flashes by, and the girls return, and though Gilbert is dressed the part, he still has the confidence of a busboy.

  18. Joe Piscopo then plays the pitchman in a commercial for Nothing.

  19. Eddie Murphy then hits the stage to do his first televised stand-up routine.

  20. Jack Bruce and Friends return to the stage to perform Living Without Ja.

  21. Finally, Ray Sharkey closes the show by thanking the audience and saying his goodnights.

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SNL: S06E07... HOST: KAREN BLACK... DATE: JANUARY 17, 1981

SNL: S06E07... HOST: KAREN BLACK... DATE: JANUARY 17, 1981

The Wicker Breakdown:

  1. The show starts on Ronald Reagan's Inauguration Day with the Carter family snatching up as much as they can as they pack up to move out of the White House. Carter gets a call on the emergency phone and rather than answer, he steals the phone as well. The Reagan's arrive and tell the Carters to leave, but they stand their ground as they announce, "Live from New York..."

  2. Karen Black then opens the show with a monolog about how much she loves to hear applause as she blurts out random announcements to see how the audience responds.

  3. This was followed by a fake TV ad for a new album entitled The Legendary Composers which credits classical composers for modern pop hits from the time.

  4. Next, we get another fake ad from the Foundation For The Tragically Hip that seeks help for the hip kids in need of trending fashion and technology.

  5. We then meet the wife of a game show host who is a little too excited by her lot in life and acts like an excited contestant toward every aspect of life, which is a bit shocking to the new neighbors who drop by for an introductory dinner.

  6. Then we go to Frank Sinatra's dressing room where he gets a visit from Reagan. Sinatra is pissed that Reagan stole his spotlight at the inauguration while also pointing out his hatred of George Bush as Vice President. He then goes on to use a mafia tone to talk Ronald into switching to Nancy as VP/First Lady. Ronald rushes out the door, and it is revealed the Nancy Reagan is the real puppet master.

  7. The Rocket Report then returns for another week with a segment about New York Dare Devils, mainly focusing on a real-life cab driver who attempts to turn left during busy traffic and runs the light in the process.

  8. We then go to an art museum where Rocket breaks up with Mona Lisa, who is portrayed by Karen Black as the talking painting. Though she is sad, she takes it rather well, and Rocket asks for one last smile for the road.

  9. Cheap Trick then hit the stage to perform Baby Loves To Rock.

  10. Once again, Racket and Gail give us the news in another week where both he and the overall segment continues to show improvement as I become a growing fan of Gail. Of all the anchors so far she's the only one to read with a conversational tone to where even though you can blatantly see her reading the stories it doesn't come across as reading in her voice the way it does with everyone else. This week, Ann stops by with diet tips starting by pointing out you are a moron if you believe in the idea of using a smaller plate to make it look like you have more food and instead suggests spreading the food all over the table to make it look like you're eating a ton. We also get a filmed report about Sunbelt fun while showing footage of a very restrictive Cuba and once again Piscopo drops in to give us the sports. (Clip 2)

  11. We then go to a parody of 60 Minutes for a segment called No Babes In Newsland where they do an expose about how there are no women on the show only to get the usual sexist answers, like period excuses and the old cliche that women should be seen and not heard.

  12. We then go to a hospital room where Yvonne plays a nurse who tends to a patient as we hear his thought and see his point of view. Eddie then joins the scene and tries to hook up with Yvonne thinking the patient won't even notice because he's in a vegetative state but we know he's not because we can hear his thought. He then gets a visit from his family who just wants him to die so they can collect their inheritance but an old fling arrives to set everything straight and sing him a song and wishes he chose her over his unloving wife before she too moves along, leaving him alone with the song in his head.

  13. The Fair Dinkum Championship Finals is a sketch where Scots in kilts compete in some kind of groin grabbing competition?

  14. Yvonne then plays Eddie's neighbor who confronts him about his loud music. The two go on to play the dozens as they try to work through the complaint. Eddie gets cocky and turns the music up as Yvonne runs off to get her man. Eddie goes from being Mr. Tough Guy to Mr. Nice when he finds that the guy is pushing seven feet tall.

  15. We then went to do a diner where Piscopo returns as his, "I'm from Jersey," character who is forced to share a booth with Karen Black because the place is packed, and the two surprisingly hit it off rather well because he is so obnoxious.

  16. Cheap Trick then returns to the stage to perform Can't Stop It But I'm Going To Try.

  17. This was followed by a fake ad for a new line of Saturday Night Live action figures.

  18. What's It All About? With Pinky And Leo Waxman returns for another installment and as always they interview the host as herself and are more interested in what they have to say, so they end up cutting her off whenever she attempts to answer their questions.

  19. We also get another installment from the National Handgun Association where a mugger uses Eddie Murphy as the weapon to snatch money from Piscopo and Ann with the reminder, "Guns don't kill people, people kill people."

  20. The Stanley Clark Trio then makes a special appearance as they perform Wild Dog.

  21. Finally, Karen Black closes the show by thanking the audience and saying her goodnights.

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SNL: S06E08... HOST: ROBERT HAYS... DATE: JANUARY 24, 1981

SNL: S06E08... HOST: ROBERT HAYS... DATE: JANUARY 24, 1981

The Wicker Breakdown:

  1. The show starts with a special report entitled America Not Held Hostage Anymore hosted by Ted Koppel where he talks about the release of the American hostages from Iran and the shows plan to continue on in an attempt to keep the rating from the tragedy going by following the hostages after their release. We then see a sample of what this would look like before Koppel throws to the next segment by announcing, "Live from New York..."

  2. Robert Hays then opens the show by informing the audience that there will be an instant rating meter to provide live feedback on the success of the episode. Robert goes on to question the intelligence of this anonymous at-home-raters which cause his numbers to rapidly drop, and then drop more as he flounders to save himself.

  3. This was followed by a parody ad for corn, with a Native American woman selling a magic mushroom spread.

  4. Next, we have a parody of Love American Style where Robert sits alone on the couch until he is greeted by an inflatable date that talks dirty when you pull the string. At first, he isn't all that interested but gets caught up in the sting pulled induced conversation but then gets turned off again when she informs him that he has to pay and we meet her inflatable pimp.

  5. Joe Piscopo then gets an entire segment to himself to cover the world of sports where he covers an Atari event where Eddie pilots the ship from Asteroids.

  6. This was followed by a fake ad for Ronald and Nancy Reagan wallpaper, floor tiles and much much more.

  7. Save-A-Network Telethon is a Telethon that's an attempt to raise the money to save NBC. They are not asking for money but for ideas for new programming. They give an actually 800 number with no 555, so I wonder if they were actually accepting ideas to steal and turn into SNL content making the reality of the sketch to only be a half joke.

  8. Pre-Super Bowl Pre-Game Preview was a parody where all they do is hype the event, in general, using vagaries without ever giving a single specific about this year's competing teams.

  9. We then get a short film called The Foreign Film that parodies the overall foreign genre while the actors just make up their own silly languages and there doesn't seem to be a real story.

  10. Next, we go to a funeral where the mortician informs the wife of the deceased that they organist got sick and they are waiting for the replacement in order to start the services. We then meet this new organist who happens to be the guy who for arena-based sporting events like soccer or hockey and it shows.

  11. Once again, Rocket and Gail give us the news. This week, we get a visit from the "Ayatollah" who's just a mannequin, so he doesn't say a word. Ann does a segment on fashion for the engineering students. As always, Piscopo gives us the sports. Then Eddie Murphy does a segment about a weed deal gone wrong where he ended up with an Iranian hostage after his weed dealer didn't come through with the pot. (Clip 2) (Clip 3)

  12. We then go to a disco club where Denny sings Disco Meltdown. It turns out this is a fake ad for a club down by the nuclear power plant.

  13. In this week's Rocket Report, Rocket reports from D.C. where he tries to get information on the new president as he breaks down his average day. Though I like how they use random footage they shot to create a narrative, I miss the man on the street interviews from the first couple Rocket Reports.

  14. This was followed by a fake ad for the Pacesetter which is pretty much a shock collar for zapping stage actors when their pacing makes an otherwise good play boring.

  15. We then get another fake ad for a fake album. This ad is for a new album from Ravi Shankar who is singing the day's greatest hits.

  16. We then go back to the hair salon we were introduced to when Jamie Lee Curtis hosted. Jamie Lee's mom from the sketch is bickering with the hairstylist about politics. The two keep their differences civil but talk trash about one another as the sketch gets meta and they speak to the camera off to the side.

  17. Eddie Murphy then announces his promotion to be an official cast member, bringing the total to seven while openly admitting that he's not sure how it will affect his ego.

  18. Dream Date is yet another fake ad where you can get $40,000 and the chance to date anyone you want by sending $40,000 to enter a contest.

  19. Ordinary Elephant People is a sketch that follows a family of people with bags on their heads, ala the Elephant Man, as they enjoy their evening meal together.

  20. 14 Karat Soul hits the stage to perform I Wish That We Were Married, and This Time It's For Real, back to back.

  21. We then go to an editor's meeting at the National Enquirer where the writers pitch the crazy ass stories that were often mocked at the time but went on to build a pretty powerful brand.

  22. Joe "King" Carrasco And The Crowns then hit the stage to perform Don't Bug Me Baby.

  23. Finally, Robert Hays closes the show by thanking the audience and saying his goodnights while Gail almost loses her top when Ann jokingly shoves Robert after he tells a joke of his own.

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SNL: S06E09... HOST: SALLY KELLERMAN... DATE: FEBRUARY 7, 1981

SNL: S06E09... HOST: SALLY KELLERMAN... DATE: FEBRUARY 7, 1981

The Wicker Breakdown:

  1. Tonight's special episode is "interrupting" Battle Of The World Powers.

  2. The show starts with a message from Rocket as Reagan who discusses the US's failing economy due to government waste. The sketch ends with a birthday surprise for no real reason other than to get Reagan to announce, "Live from New York..."

  3. Sally Kellerman then come out to open the show with a monolog where she does nothing but brag about herself and career before very quickly throwing to the first set of commercials.

  4. In this week's Rocket Report we go to the streets to experience Time Square during a parade that's celebrated the recently released Iranian hostages.

  5. We then go to Piscopo's apartment where he plays an angry Italian who throws the television out the window because of its poor reception then goes on to verbally abuse his family but in a way that's so extreme that it's cartoony and comical, so it never feels uncomfortable or inappropriate, well, at least not to me.

  6. Name That Sin is a fake game show where contestants try to name the sin based on sound effects alone.

  7. Then we get a short filmed called Eyes, Ears, Nose, and Throat where we see images of people doing weird tricks with the listed four body parts while a guy plays the piano with his nose.

  8. Was I Ever Red is an interview show hosted by Ann who talks to actresses about their most embarrassing moments while hosting dinner and Sally has quite a doozy of a tale.

  9. We then go to an execution that turns out to be a prank and this sketch turns out to be a fake ad for The Iranian Joke Book, which claims to have much more fun and games.

  10. Jimmy Cliff then returns to the show to perform I Am The Living.

  11. Once again, Rocket and Gail give us the news. This week Eddie Murphy discusses the fact that Lincoln never actually signed the Emancipation Declaration making slavery still completely legal then give white people a code word to recapture their runaway slaves, and Piscopo gives us the sports. (Clip 2)

  12. Parent And Child is an advice show informing viewers how to handle the event of their child catching them while they are having sex then go on to show us some examples.

  13. A Day In The Life Of A Hostage is a short film where we follow a returned hostage's day say he tries to navigate the world as a news celebrity who just wants the event to be over with already.

  14. Lean Acres is a sketch that takes place in a women's fat camp that is run more like a prison than the luxurious getaway that was promised. A heavy woman "from the audience" interrupts the sketch to point out how offensive this sketch is, to then calls out the writer and hits her with a ton of fat jokes.

  15. Jimmy Cliff then returns to the stage to perform Gone Clear.

  16. We then go to a meeting with the Iranian Student Council that plan traditional high school events with a little touch of terrorism.

  17. We then get another short film that shows us a claymation rendition of an average New York Night to the tune of a New York-themed song.

  18. Gilbert and Ann sit in bed arguing about how much Gilbert takes the dog out for walks and Ann thinks that it's a sign that the relationship is failing. It turns out that the dog in question isn't actually real, but instead it's a pillow with a dog's face painted on the fabric.

  19. We then go to a sketch that celebrates the new law that allows cameras into the courts, and we get the invention of Court TV. Gilbert plays a Senor Wences type witness who's being interviewed by the judge like it's a late night talk show. We then get an animal expert and finish off with plugs.

  20. Sally Kellerman then performs Starting Over Again.

  21. Finally, Sally closes the show by thanking the audience and saying her goodnights.

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SNL: S06E10... HOST: DEBORAH HARRY... DATE: FEBRUARY 14, 1981

SNL: S06E10... HOST: DEBORAH HARRY... DATE: FEBRUARY 14, 1981

The Wicker Breakdown:

  1. The show starts with an update from Reagan who asks the question Is Sinatra a Hooligan? and then goes on to question the legend himself, before announcing, "Live from New York..."

  2. Deborah Harry then opens the show with a monolog about love being that it's Valentines weekend. We quickly meet her parents who have her blond hair with dark roots, and we also get a quick visit from Eddie Murphy as cupid who kills a member of the audience with his love arrow.

  3. Don't Look in the Refrigerator is a short film/fake movie trailer where a woman is terrified by whatever is in the fridge.

  4. We then get another visit from the Liveleys where the wife is way too into the fact that her husband is a game show host and this time they have to deal with her ailing father. We also get a game show style intro of the potential new nurse.

  5. This was followed by a Newsbreak with Eddie Murphy it's not quite Weekend Update, but it's almost the same exact thing as if they are testing Eddie out to take over.

  6. A family of rednecks sit on their porch questioning where Cooter is. It's almost like the Steve Martin What Is That Thing sketch where everyone talks in circles while just repeating their simple speak. They eventual get a visit from The Tennessee Williams Authority who informs the family that they qualify to live out their life as a one-act play as a group of upper-class types pull up some chairs and watch how the day plays out.

  7. In this week's Rocket Report we take a trip to Central Park to see just how scary it is, only this segment takes place midday when none of the muggers are out and about.

  8. Joe Piscopo then shows up to a card store as his, "I'm from Jersey," character who meets up with Blondie who is equally excited about her Jersey zip code and the two really hit it off.

  9. Deborah Harry then hits the stage to performs TKO

  10. Once again, Rocket and Gail give us the News. This week Gilbert discusses Reagan's plans to cut most of the funding for the poor, an ambassador from Poland checks in to discuss the fictional story that they have just invaded Russian, and Joe Piscopo gives us the sports. (Clip 2) (Clip 3)

  11. We then go to a futuristic apartment that is run by Big Brother/Gilbert Gottfried where Blondie talk to him through a monitor for her daily brainwashing when he finally decides to ask her out but is far too nervous based off of everything that he's seen.

  12. We then go to a short film that's a black and white noir-ish mobster flick called Sweethearts that's far too hard to describe.

  13. The Waxmans escape their public access show to visit Blondie and Gail in SOHO and meet their first lesbian, but it takes them forever to finally get all the hints.

  14. Deborah Harry then returns to the music stage to perform Come Back Jonee

  15. Once again we get a Newsbreak with Eddie Murphy where they interview the man on the street about this fake story about how Poland is invading Russia and most people instantly have answers and act like they are fully aware of it even though it never happened.

  16. Blondie and Piscopo return from a first date, and he's nervous to be in her home. She playfully calls him a big ape which causes him to freak out. It turns out that the reason for these panic attacks is that he's some form of were-ape which actually turns Blondie on.

  17. We then go to a High School Hallway where Gail as her ten character talks with Blondie about her decision to be a dropout and pretends like she doesn't know her best friend Denny in her efforts to try and fit in.

  18. Funky Four Plus One then hit the stage to perform That's The Joint which turns out to be the very first televised hip-hop performance ever.

  19. Finally, Deborah Harry closes the show by thanking the audience and saying her goodnights.

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SNL: S06E11... HOST: CHARLENE TILTON... DATE: FEBRUARY 21, 1981

SNL: S06E11... HOST: CHARLENE TILTON... DATE: FEBRUARY 21, 1981

The Wicker Breakdown:

  1. This week's show starts with Joe Piscopo doing special sports segment where he covers the weigh-in of two hand puppet characters that he's been promoting for the past couple episodes during his segment on Weekend Update. He finishes the segment by announcing that there will be more updates, "Live from New York..."

  2. Charlene Tilton then opens the show with a monolog about being excited to do something funny after so many season working on the show Dallas and how she finds it ironic that she is escaping crime by making a quick stop in New York. She also makes reference to how Rocket was the only one in the cast who wasn't just trying to hook up but then runs backstage to see an example that she was either oblivious or lying.

  3. This leads directly into a real quick sketch where Rocket and Charlene run off to the writing room after a great big hug to work on an upcoming sketch and Rocket is obviously flirting. Meanwhile, Piscopo and Ann seem like a couple as they watch this all go down. Piscopo tries to make out, but Ann seems somewhere distant. She wonders off as Gail enters the room and reveals that she saw Ann and Rocket hanging out which cause Piscopo to get jealous. Though I barely remember Dallas, I'm assuming their setting up an ongoing parody, which is amazing when they pull something like this off.

  4. We then get another fake ad for another TV marketed album collection called Greatest Records Of All Time where celebs from the day sing a bunch of classics.

  5. We then get our first visit to Mister Robinson's Neighborhood!!! I wasn't expecting this until at least next season. This week, Gilbert Gottfried delivers Mr. Robinson the fixings he needs to make drugs.

  6. We then go to a parade where the women from the show prepare to ride down the streets on their pork float, and Charlene can barely contain her excitement from recently being crowned this year's Pork Queen.

  7. In this week's Rocket Report, Rocket takes Charlene on the subway for her very first time and the two interview a few locals.

  8. A Fiddler Be On The Roof is a parody of Fiddler On The Roof starring Stevie Wonder.

  9. Todd Rundgren the hits the stage to perform Healer.

  10. Once again, Rocket and Gail give us the news. This week Gilbert drops by as yet another character who has plans on how to deal with the needy.

  11. We then see Nancy Reagan make a journal entry just before we find that the Lincoln Room is haunted. Or at least that's what Nancy wants to lead Ann to believe in order to get back at her for something that I must have missed. I don't really feel the need to figure it out because I probably wouldn't get the reference anyways.

  12. We then go backstage again to catch up on the locker room drama that was started after the monolog. This time it's Gilbert and Charlene discussing his issues with Rocket after being informed that she already has plans with Rocket. This leads Gilbert to inform Charlene that Rocket is already having an affair with Ann. Which causes Charlene to want revenge.

  13. The Competition is a short film where Piscopo and Gail seem like a couple as they sit next to each other at the piano and start to discuss some challenge. Piscopo slams the key cover on Gail's hands then she smashes his with the top. I had to watch this twice, and I still don't really get what I observed.

  14. Speaking Out is an interview show hosted by one of the featured players who interviews Denny who plays a cop who announce a plan to increase cop activity in arresting able-bodied people who use handicapped stalls in the bathroom.

  15. Women Behind Bars is a parody of a sexploitation woman's prison flick.

  16. We then go to Piscopo who with Don King for SNL Sports as they announce the actual hand puppet boxing match that the show's been promoting for months.

  17. We then get a fake ad for Submissive Sugar Daddies. Which was a dating service for women who are willing to date old submissive old men to make it easier to get their money.

  18. Todd Rundgren the returns to the stage to perform Time Heals.

  19. Denny Dillon does a performance monolog as Mary Louise who is having a party and her sock puppet Sam, isn't interested at meeting the guest, and the two go on to sing Tea For Two.

  20. After Midnight is a cable TV show for swingers with Rocket as the host and he and Gail give a dog a bath while making suggestive talk until Rocket randomly gets shot as a conclusion to the backstage scenes, and then it reveals that the alternate name for the sketch is Who Shot C.R.

  21. Prince then hits the stage as "new talent" to perform Party Up and drops the first "F" Bomb of the night.

  22. Finally, Charlene Tilton attempts to close the show by thanking the audience and saying her goodnights but Rocket drops "F" Bomb number two which gets her laughing so hard she can't say a word.

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SNL: S06E12... HOST: BILL MURRAY... DATE: MARCH 7, 1981

SNL: S06E12... HOST: BILL MURRAY... DATE: MARCH 7, 1981

The Wicker Breakdown:

  1. This week the show starts in Bill Murray's dressing room as the entire cast enters to ask for advice on how to deal with being compared to the original cast. Bill tried to remind them that it just doesn't matter as going through and giving backhanded compliments to everyone before claiming that he saved the original cast before promising he’ll do the same for this crew. He gets them all to chant, "It just doesn't matter," before getting so nervous that he starts to feel sick, but then they manage to get him chanting again and excited to host the show, which triggers him to announce, "Live from New York..."

  2. Bill Murray then officially opens the show by coming out and running around like a crazy person, almost dropping some lady on her head. Eventually, he is joined by Murphy who reminds him that he's got to stop messing around and do the monolog. Murray then tells Murphy that the problem with this cast is that they lost the wild side and goes on to try to get him to lighten up.

  3. Formula For The Good Life is an educational short that promote a company called United Chemical, and we see an interview with Piscopo's, "I'm from Jersey," character whose job is to clean up their toxic waste and does so without any protection. We then follow him to the mall where he sings, "If You Love Jersey Like I Love I Love Jersey..."

  4. Bill Murray then plays a writer who talks as the types away on his latest mystery. The people behind him act out the story having to shift gears and adjust every time Murray makes an edit to the story. They seem annoyed to be under this control but commit when they have to. They also have to go at double speed as he does a quick reading to see if the page needs a rewrite and get pissed when he decides to start over from scratch.

  5. This is followed by a parody of the movie Altered States called Altered Walter only in this story it's Walter Cronkite who is experimenting with sensory deprivation, and it's the scene where he realizes he needs to add drugs to his routine to really dig into this experiment. We then go down to South America where Walter goes on an Ayahuasca trip where he ends up visually pretty much a modern day YouTube Psychedelic Compilation filled with all kinds of crazy Photoshopped images highlighting pop culture from the day. He then returns to the isolation tank with the drugs, and he experiences astral body projections.

  6. Delbert McClinton and Bonnie Bramlett then hit the stage to perform Givin' It Up For Your Love.

  7. Saturday Night NewsLine is a science news break hosted by someone that I've never seen this season, and I'm going to have to look him up to see who he is.

  8. We then go to a fake ad for Chapstick where Denny and Gail meet a bunch of celebrities that are really promoting the brand.

  9. Saturday Night NewsLine returns with Billy Murray doing the arts. It feels like it's trying to be Weekend Update but this next to last episode of the season MAJOR CHANGE is too jarring to really except with it is and like it but that said, it's Bill's Oscar picks, so that helps. He then goes on to give SNL awards to the former cast mates who've all gone on to star in movies except for Garrett who just gets an honorary reward.

  10. Cut Flowers is a short film where we see a bunch of guys working in a flower shop that has way more employees than guests. Bill's brother Brian comes into buy something special and wants it to be something exotic. Bill finds an exotic five dollar flower and Brian eats it there on the spot and leaves as if this were common which triggers Murray to give it a try.

  11. Bill Murray then returns as his lounge singer character, and it's still the same exact fun but repetitive sketch.

  12. Saturday Night NewsLine returns for yet another segment. This time Rocket gives us more of what you'd expect from Weekend Update, but I'm still not a fan of the format, name change or the fact that they got rid of Gail. This week Piscopo gives us the sports.

  13. Gail then comes out as a character that must have been in the news at the time who was let go after her boss made an announcement that they were not having sex which turned into a weird controversy. She's there to announce her new job and all of her co-worker claim to understand it was wrong that it happened while also making the announcement that there is no sex involved in their working relationship, going directly against the point.

  14. We then get to an apartment building where Murray and Ann are in a rush to meet up with their friend, but they seem extra concerned that they can't remember his cat's name. We then see why because the owner seems like the type that would be offended if they had managed to forget, so they have to go behind his back to figure it out which puts too much pressure on Murray.

  15. Delbert McClinton and Bonnie Bramlett then return to the stage to perform Shotgun Rider.

  16. Bubba's Wash, Fayetta's Dry is a sketch where Murray owns the washing machine side of a laundromat and Denny owns the dries due to the rulings of their divorce, and the two do nothing but bicker.

  17. Finally, Bill Murray closes the show by thanking the audience and saying his goodnights.

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SNL: S06E13... HOST: NO HOST SEASON FINALE... DATE: APRIL 11, 1981

SNL: S06E13... HOST: NO HOST SEASON FINALE... DATE: APRIL 11, 1981

The Wicker Breakdown:

  1. This week's show starts Chevy Chase wondering through the show's storage as he checks out old props from the show. He eventually finds Mr. Bill who in the world of the sketch is real, and the two take a moment to reminisce, and of course, Chevy accidentally ends up abusing Mr. Bill, while killing spot as he falls to the ground to announce, "Live from New York..."

  2. Instead of a host's monolog, Joe Piscopo comes out as Frank Sinatra with a song and a reminder to buy American cars. This went on while new cast member Tony Rusato comes out with an example of how American cars are built really strong. This was before Sinatra goes on to bash the Japanese just for being the competition, in a way that would never fly today.

  3. Eddie Murphy then plays Bill Cosby who is pitching lite beer to kids.

  4. This was followed by a soap opera style sketch called I Married A Monkey where Sweetchuck from Police Academy is a stay at home husband for his monkey wife. We also get to meet their baby monkey which freaks out to the point where I was worried for Sweetchuck's face.

  5. Robin Duke then introduces herself as well as Jr. Walker & The All Stars who hit the stage to perform Road Runner and Shotgun back to back.

  6. Once again we get the news, with both Gail and Rocket gone, Chevy Chase fills in as the host. Though it now seems more planned out, his reading of the notes is still a little strange. This week, Eddie Murphy reviews the movie Stir Crazy only he saw Alerted States, Laurie Metcalf does man on the street interviews asking people if they would take a bullet for the president, and Al Franken discusses his views on what's happening with Saturday Night Live explicitly declaring that he had nothing to do with this season. Though he mainly blames the producers this season's cast gets hit with a lot of shrapnel. That said, it is a pretty cutting criticism filled with interesting inside scoops. He mentions that he will be hosting next week, but his harsh criticism may have led to the early end of the season. (Clip 2)

  7. Same is a parody of Fame where Gail sings a parody of the theme song about how the song is the same as Fame.

  8. The Self-Righteous is a sketch where a self-righteous nurse argues with a self-righteous nurse that eventually leads more and self-righteous people into the discussion.

  9. Sweetchuck gets dressed for his wedding day when he is joined by his father who wants to share a story He then goes on to tell the tale about some Italian couple he heard about back in Italy. I think the accent is supposed to be the funny part because I don't find the sketch to be funny at all. This goes on forever and eventually becomes a straight-up drama.

  10. We then get a fake ad for The Famous Broadcasters School Of Cue Card Reading.

  11. Chevy Chase is then joined by Robin Williams and Christopher Reeve to once again discuss the plan to improve the show and then goes on to introduce the band.

  12. Jr. Walker & The All Stars then returns to the stage to perform How Sweet It Is and What Does It Take, also back to back.

  13. We then get an ad for the Wild Country Gun Cards, a flashcard set for learning everything about every type of gun. The sketch ends with the family killing Eddie Murphy who was just supposed to be there to read the meter.

  14. Bag Lady is apparently a short film that makes fun of a homeless lady that I can't find anywhere on the internet.

  15. Finally, Chevy kisses a monkey while Sweetchuck says the goodnight and Gail sings Same again.

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