After barely getting renewed following the 1985-86 season, the next year was a make-or-break year for Saturday Night Live. Fortunately for Lorne Michaels, the show, and NBC, this reprieve paid off with the strongest season since the original cast’s heyday in the late 70’s.
Read MoreSketches include “Easy Rider”, “Church Chat”, “Frank Booth’s ‘What’s That Smell?’”, “Problem Drinkers From Outer Space”, “This Week with David Brinkley”, “Cannibalism Interview”, “Last Chance”, and “Sweeney Sisters”. Roy Orbison performs “Crying”, “Oh, Pretty Woman”, and “In Dreams”.
Read MoreSketches include “Iran-Contra Hearings”, “Returning A Sweater”, “The Puppy”, “Support Group”, “Teeny Cafe”, “Redneck Airline”, “Hollywood Mom”, and “Happy Couple”. Los Lobos performs “Is This All There Is?” and “One Time, One Night”.
Read MoreSketches include “The New Charlie’s Angels”, “The Sexiest Man Alive 1986”, “Very Smart Theater”, “Iran-Contra Hearings”, “Einstein Express”, “Salmon Spawning”, “Dave’s Party”, “He’s The One”, “Pet Chicken Shop”, “Myowling Bible”, and “Portrait Artist”. Suzanne Vega performs “Luka” and “Marlene On The Wall”.
Read MoreSketches include “Pagan Easter Special”, “Sold Out Gold”, “Mother-In-Law”, “Collecting Evidence”, “Instant Coffee”, “Heaven”, “ICM” and “Enigma”. Timbuk 3 perform “Just Another Movie” and “Hairstyles and Attitudes”. The cast also presents a tribute to retiring cameraman Al Camoin.
Read MoreSketches include “U.S. Embassy”, “Laramie Vice”, “Reverend Dwight Henderson, World’s Meanest Methodist Minister”, “The Pat Stevens Show”, “Master Thespian”, “Discover”, “Cross Country” and “The Fighter”. Anita Baker performs “Sweet Love” and “Same Ole Love”
Read MoreSketches include “Oral Roberts University”, “The Fruiting”, “The New Paper Chase”, “The President Has Mustard On His Chin”, “Brookfield Zoo Banquet”, “The Hustler of Money”, “The Slave Drivers” and “UNLV”. Wynton Marsalis performs “J Mood” and “Juan (E. Mustaad)”.
Read MoreSketches include “Contract”, “New York Telephone”, “One Night Stand”, “Donahue”, “Nick Slammer”, “It’s A Girl”, “Il Returno De Hercules”, “Tough Parents” and “Taxi”. Percy Sledge performs “When A Man Loves A Woman”.
Read MoreSketches include “Affair”, “Dinner at the Van Halen’s”, “Hard News Cafe”, “Discover”, “Pet Chicken Shop”, “Washington Center (two parts)”, “Let’s Go To The Movies”, “On Broadway” and “Opera Singer Doctor”. The Robert Cray Band performs “Smoking Gun” and “Right Next Door”. Eddie Van Halen performs “Stompin’ 8H” with G.E. Smith and the Saturday Night Live Band.
Read MoreSketches include “Afterlife Styles of the Rich and Famous”, “Great Moments in the History of White Trash (three segments)”, “Police Wire”, “Church Chat”. “Redneck Tanning Parlor”, “Bar”, “The Boyfriend Song”, and “Truck Stop Cafe”. Willie Nelson and the Family perform “Nightlife”, “Partners After All”, and “Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain”.
Read MoreSketches include “Heaven”, “Amerida”, “Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue”, “Jingle”, “Valentine’s Day”, “The Life of Golda Meir”, “Sketch Artist”, “Hardware Store” and “Miss Connie’s Fable Nook”. Paul Young performs “War Games” and “in The Long Run”. Buster Poindexter performs “Heart of Gold”. Supermodel Paulina Porizkova also appears.
Read MoreSketches include “Hip”, “What’s My Addiction?”, “Synthesizer”, “The Grenada Experience”, “The Pat Stevens Show”, “Chinese New Year”, “Ticket Line”, “Asociacion Mexicana del Riñon”, and “SNL Memories”. Bruce Hornsby and The Range perform “The Way It Is” and “Mandolin Rain”.
Read MoreSketches include “NFL Video Countdown”, “Bar”, “The Honest Man”, “Crack”, “The NFL Today”, “Mace”, “Chick Hazard, Private Investigator”, “Church Chat”, “The Michael Jackson Workout Tape” and “United Way”. Debbie Harry performs “French Kissin’ in the USA” and “In Love With Love”.
Read MoreSketches include “Ballad of the Mute Marine”, “Trekkies”, “Christmas Party”, “T.J. Hooker”, “Star Trek V: The Restaurant Enterprise”, “Look At That!”, “Christmas Memories”, “It’s A Wonderful Life” and “The True Life Story of Frankie Toussaint”. Lone Justice performs “Shelter” and “I Got Love”. G.E. Smith and the Saturday Night Live Band with Buster Poindexter performs “Zat You, Santa Claus?” Kevin Meaney also appears.
Read MoreSketches include “Iranian National Assembly”, “McSooshi”, “Derek Stevens”, “Two Guys”, “Sideshow of the Stars”, “Movie Talk”, “The Back Page”, “Marge and Steve”, “Casting Director”, “Bob Roberts”, and “Christmas Tree”. The Pretenders perform “Don’t Get Me Wrong” and “How Much Did You Get For Your Soul?”. G.E. Smith and the Saturday Night Live Band with Buster Poindexter performs “A Rockin’ Good Way (To Mess Around And Fall In Love)” with Chrissie Hynde. Penn & Teller also appear.
Read MoreSketches include “Stumblebums Anonymous”, “Couch Cushions”, “The Devil & Ed Grimley”, “A Christmas Wish”, “Mastermind”, “The Eggshell Family”, “The Pat Stevens Show”, “Church Potluck Luncheon”, and “Halsey & Roarke: British Customs”. Randy Newman performs “Longest Night” and “Roll With The Punches”.
Read MoreSketches include “Earpiece”, “Ticket Line”, “Hamlet”, “New York Word Exchange”, “Baycrest Jewish Retirement Home”, “And So Adieu”, “Translator” and “Automobile Club of America”. Paul Simon performs “Diamonds on the Soles of her Shoes” (with Ladysmith Black Mambazo), “The Boy In The Bubble”, and “The Late Great Johnny Ace”.
Read MoreSketches include: “Church Chat”, “Adobe”, “Parent-Teacher Conference”, “The Jungle Room”, “These Things”, “Pet Chicken Shop”, “Love Connection”, “Leaping Lord”, and “Krypton Survives”. Lou Reed performs “I Love You, Suzanne” and “The Original Wrapper”.
Read MoreSketches include “Preemption Newsreel”, “Dressing Room”, “The People’s Court”, “Church Chat”, “Helmsley Spook House”, “Pork (two parts)”, “A Couple of Sammies”, “Dog Baseball”, “Make Joan Baez Laugh”, “Miss Connie’s Fable Nook”, “I Saw God”, and “Pango, Giant Dog of Tokyo!”. Ric Ocasek performs “Emotion In Motion” and “Keep On Laughin’”.
Read MoreSketches include “Bartles & Jaymes”, “Team Xynex”, “Donahue”, “The Crosby Show”, “Instant Coffee with Bill Smith”, “Parent-Teen Contract”, “Old Hollywood” and “Dover Chalk Works”. Run-DMC performs “Walk This Way” and “Hit It Run”. G.E. Smith and the Saturday Night Live Band with Buster Poindexter performs “Hit The Road, Jack”. Spike Lee and Sam Kinison also appear.
Read MorePersonal website of photographer and writer Bronwyn Douwsma.
I’m on the bus. It’s too early to be human and I haven’t had my coffee yet so I don’t really want to do much; maybe read or listen to music, things that help tune out the other people or the monotony of the commute. When I leave the suburbs, it's usually dark. I sometimes look out the windows, but more to see how far I’ve traveled than at anything interesting. By the time I arrive downtown, I can see the sun coming up over the harbour.
The year is winding down. I’m preparing to go to New Brunswick for my regular Christmas visit with the family; my travel arrangements up there have all been taken care of. I haven’t bothered with Christmas shopping yet; my cash flow was a little tight until my last paycheque came in, and my tolerance for the malls has dropped over the years. Everything costs too much money now.
“Midnight Express Special” sketches include “Sunrise Semester: Basic Photography”, “Mamorex Video Tape”, “Kanadian Korner”, “Promo: Tomorrow, Today, Tonight”, “Bill Needle’s Mailbag”, “Message From Guy: Midnight Express Special”, and “Midnight Express Special”.
“Cookery Crock” sketches include “Sunrise Semester: Disasters In The Home”, “Nasex Nasal Deodorant”, “Bill Needle’s Mailbag”, “Kanadian Korner”, “Promo: The Freddie De Cordova Show”, “Cookery Crock” and “Quincy: Cartoon Coroner”.
“Two-Way TV” sketches include “Sunrise Semester: Astrology”, “Promo: Monster Chiller Horror Theatre”, “Kanadian Korner”, “SCTV News”, “Comment with David Brinkley”, “Promo: Cruisin’ Gourmet”, “Two-Way TV”, “Bill Needle’s Mailbag”, “Promo: Crazy Crafts”, and “Sermonette: Rabbi Karlov”.
“Alpha Channel” sketches include “Gordon Lightfoot Sings Every Song Ever Written”, “Cooking With Marcello”, “Kanadian Korner”, “Crazy Crafts”, “Message From Guy: Alpha Channel”, “Promo: Alpha Channel”, “Bill Needle’s Mailbag”, and “Dialing For Dollars”.
“The Irwin Allen Show” sketches include “Men On Women”, “Message From Guy: Men On Women”, “Kanadian Korner”, “Cooking With Marcello”, “Promo: Taxi Driver”, “Bill Needle’s Mailbag”, “Message From Guy: The Irwin Allen Show”, and “The Irwin Allen Show”.
“Big Brother” sketches include “Got A Minute?”, “Kanadian Korner”, “Promo: Taxi Driver”, “Message From Guy: The New Year”, “Message From Prickley: The New Year”, “SCTV New Year’s Eve Party 1983”, “Komrade Kangaroo”, “Comrade Allen”, “Promo: Doublethink”, and “The Praise Big Brother Show”.
“Star Wars” sketches include “Sunrise Semester: Do-It-Yourself Advertising”, “Promo: Chick Monk: Roadie For The Defense”, “Kanadian Korner”, “SCTV News”, “Joni Mitchell’s For Dogs Only”, “Bill Needle’s Mailbag”, “SCTV Premiere: Star Wars”, and “Dialing For Dollars”.
“Hollywood Salutes Its Extras” sketches include “Message From Prickley: Extras”, “Mamorex Cassette Tape”, “Bill Needle’s Mailbag”, “Promo: Taxi Driver”, “Kanadian Korner”, “Howard’s Bristol Cream”, “Sneak Previews”, “Promo: Hawaii Five-Ho”, “Hollywood Salutes Its Extras”, and “Promo: White Man, Black Girl”.
There’s a podcast called The Loudest Girl In The World, hosted by Lauren Ober. The show concerns Ober’s autism diagnosis at 42, as well as her experience dealing with this information and opening up to others about it. When I listened to it last summer, I related pretty heavily to what she was talking about. I’ve also started to make peace with how my own brain works in the last few years. It’s been a rough road, though.