Saturday Night: A Backstage History of Saturday Night Live

This is a great complement to the books dedicated to SNL, but it also stands on its own as a truly behind the scenes insight source. Other books report the influence and effects of SNL inside out. This book provides all the and drills inward to what makes the show, what the different human cogs big and smallhad to do with a weekly creation. Within that is an expansion of the people who made it and how they worked and didn’t work, but still put something out together.There is a great amount that is given to the original five years, yet the years of post Lorene which could be deemed as not worthy to recall, are given their time to be explored and appreciated for what they were left with. That being the biggest challenge of continuing success short of biblical publication. Though it was a small portion of the book, the beginning of the 1980’s for SNL was an onslaught of high expectations, that gives some much insight as well, with the second coming of comedy in the form of Eddie Murphy. Yet, beside this obvious and legitimate choice there were many new and returning players that did their part to wage onto the new TV landscape on the tattered and dilapidated vehicle that served the previous decade as a catalyst for new comedy, but now had turned into something recognizable and dated.Still, there were historical pieces that may have fallen in obscurity because of time or other nefarious episodes taking their place. Still Live from New Orleans sounded as close to the full resurrection of all the mischief deities all live on TV.Then there were moments away from the show, but that could not exist because of the show, Paul McCartney hiring Belushi for a birthday party.Still, those that made it, actually survived, their stories are compelling. Lorraine Newman did just enough to stay on, but at a cost of her going against her subdued nature that lead to health issues.Garrett Morris dealt with so much and him coming out the other side was miraculous. He did not have the magnitude that drew writers around him, he mainly played the straight man in sketches, but with that time that dealt with racist undertones and just by letting him fall by the wayside lead him to crazy drug abuse that had him detached from reality. This was, unfortunately, par for the course.Still, this book put you there.

I really enjoyed this book. It's packed with great information about what went on behind the scenes - especially in regards to Lorne Michaels & his on-again/off-again relationship with the show. There are some serious times too, with the cast and those who got along & those who loathed each other, which was interesting, but not surprising for fans, as rumors spread throughout the years in various documentaries about those who didn't get along so well. There are a lot of positives about the book and I was surprised to find out ***SPOILER ALERT COMING UP**** that Gilda Radner, Jane Curtin, and Laraine Newman didn't get along. I can't say I was surprised about Curtin, but Newman seemed to portray a sweeter side to her that came out in her sketches. But I'm sure in 1975 it was rough being a woman on this show & competing with men, let along more talented women. Another tidbit that I thought was awesome was that Radner and Bill Murray dated while on the show. And, I wasn't surprised that after Lorne left the show sucked; although, I don't know what his excuse is today. (LOL)Although I liked his book very much, I thought it was a bit un-balanced & a little biased towards some of the cast members. The book focused heavily on Chevy Chase (I really didn't think - and still don't - that he's that funny.) And it mentioned nothing of Garrett Morris & what it must have been like to be the 1st African-American on such a popular, sketch show in the 1970s. Rumors for a long time state that Chase wasn't thrilled with Morris (for racial reasons) and I wondered them to be true. (Hence, why I think Chase is a jerk.) I also thought that the book could've spoken more to the bond between Belushi & Aykroyd. The book also focused a lot on Jean Doumanian and the train-wreck that she made of the show (which totally explained why it sucked during 80-81), but I didn't think that it needed to focus on that much detail of her. (She was a jerk, we get it!)Overall, it's a great book that helps you to remember the sketches of old - and when the show was actually funny. (Sorry, Lorne!) It also provides valuable information about the 1975 cast members & how they made it through rough times of the network producers & their corporate antics!

Great book if you love SNL.Full of things you didn't know, no matter how much you thought you knew.A history of the first 10 of the astounding 40 years the show has been on American television.

A perfect mix of production detail, interpersonal information, and contextual TV history. A must for every SNL or TV aficionado.

I would have paid more for this. This was a great, entertaining read on a show I religiously watched and admired.

A great history of SNL and the growings pains associated with the show, it's people (in front and back of the lenses) and the ones who took a chance in broadcasting this now iconic program.

Excellent.