Comedy legend Milton Berle's SNL hosting gig has gone down as one of the most infamous - and disastrous - events in late-night television history. In this episode of Saturday Night Live - widely considered one of the worst of all time (not just of the original era) - “Mr. Television” brings his 1950s showmanship, sensibility, and bravado to the comedy landscape of the late 1970s. And the results are… A-mazing!
From the opening monologue (cringeworthy in any era), Berle's constant adlibbing, camera-mugging, and pre-planned "spontaneous" moments derail the show, creating palpable tension that resonates through every painful bit. Behind the scenes, Berle's legendary ego only amplified the problems. Luckily, there are a few sketches that do NOT include the host, and they work quite well (for the most part). And, although only given one number, Ornette Coleman delivers as musical guest.
As with all “train wrecks” from this era, we bring in The SNL in Review’s Andy Hoglund to pontificate on all that went wrong with this outing, what few bright spots there might be, and to help get to the bottom of who is to blame for this fiasco.
Is this one really as bad as history (and Lorne Michaels) would have us believe?
---------------------------------
Subscribe today!
Follow us on social media:
X (Twitter): NR4PTProject
Bluesky: nr4ptproject.bsky.social
Instagram: nr4ptproject
Facebook: The Not Ready for Prime Time Project
Contact Us:
Website: https://www.nr4project.com
Email: nr4ptproject@gmail.com
Popular Podcasts
Are You A Charlotte?
In 1997, actress Kristin Davis’ life was forever changed when she took on the role of Charlotte York in Sex and the City. As we watched Carrie, Samantha, Miranda and Charlotte navigate relationships in NYC, the show helped push once unacceptable conversation topics out of the shadows and altered the narrative around women and sex. We all saw ourselves in them as they searched for fulfillment in life, sex and friendships. Now, Kristin Davis wants to connect with you, the fans, and share untold stories and all the behind the scenes. Together, with Kristin and special guests, what will begin with Sex and the City will evolve into talks about themes that are still so relevant today. "Are you a Charlotte?" is much more than just rewatching this beloved show, it brings the past and the present together as we talk with heart, humor and of course some optimism.
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.