My favorite show in the entire world is Saturday Night Live; I watch it like it’s a sitcom series, and have not missed an episode in forever. As a theatre major, my ultimate goal is to be a cast member on the show, so naturally I find myself rooting for it. Recently, I have found myself in a defensive position as I see more a lot more hate directed towards the show. The thing that bothers me is that people don’t realize how much impact SNL has had on America – and how much more dull we would be without it.
The first thing that comes to my mind is the show’s reaction to the September 11th attack on the World Trade Center. Since it takes place in the heart of New York City, it was hard for people to figure out how to get back to business as usual – a feat that was especially hard for the comedians of Saturday Night Live, as they didn’t want to offend anyone. As a way to curb this, producer Lorne Michaels himself stepped in front of the camera with mayor Rudy Giuliani and the other people who had helped directly during the terrorist attack; he gave Giuliani an opportunity to speak regarding the attacks, and then delivered the line, “Can we be funny?” with Giuliani’s, “Why start now?” Through this, SNL provided the lighthearted demeanor that this country was so desperately grasping for.
A more recent example of SNL stepping forward as being so important is the recent election. With Hillary Clinton’s loss bringing a sense of unknowing to so many American people, Kate McKinnon – one of the show’s frontrunners – opened the following show with a simple rendition of Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah” while she was dressed as Clinton. A small gesture, this was a sign of hope to so many people across the country, especially since McKinnon is a member of the LGBT+ community.
Despite the source of strength SNL gives in times of hardship, the most important part of the show is simply the comedy of it. For many people, including myself, SNL is an important time of the week where people can unwind and relax. Week after week, they present sketches that are relevant, silly, or just plain weird. Even more importantly, Weekend Update – the show’s mock news segment – is a great way for people to poke fun at all the bad stuff that’s going on in the news.
I tend to get pretty worried when I hear people talking about taking Saturday Night Live off of TV. I truly believe this show is a staple of this country; for over 40 years, it has provided laughter, fun, and genuineness to the people of the United States of America. It’s a show that is always relevant, as it stays up to date and provides the world with new talent. They say laughter is the best medicine and, well, I’d say Saturday Night Live is a good prescription.
