Saturday Night Livehas come a long way over the course of its50 year run. Sketches have becomeicons of comedy, careers have been forged, andexistential criseshave been faced. Yet, for all the show has endured, there are somethings that remain a cornerstone of the series, withWeekend Updatebeing a highlight week after week. The farcical news program has been hosted by powerhouses such asTina FeyandSeth Meyersover the years, but one can’t speak of the segment without talking about its original star,Chevy Chase. However,Chase wasn’t first in line to host the tradition, as suggested by the movie,Saturday Night. But Chase’s rise to prominence on Weekend Update came from a much more heartfelt place than one may realize and set the stage for the decades of hosts since.
Lorne Michaels Nearly Hosted Weekend Update
Lorne Michaelsis true television royalty.A pioneer when he created SNL, Michaels has continued to challenge the medium with his boundary-pushing insight andmasterful leadership.But his role wasn’t always meant to be exclusively behind the camera. According tothe New Yorker,Michaels was actually going to host Weekend Update, originally. The idea of a fake news program had always been a part of Michaels’ plan for the show, so it’s really of no surprise that he envisioned himself in the part of its seminal anchor. Michaels would have filled the same role thatChase would eventually take overbut soon ran into a problem.
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Each week,countless sketches are written for SNL, many of which never actually make it to the air. Michaels didn’t like the idea of having to cut others' material while leaving his own bit intact.Michaels called the practice: “a little too Orson Welles, even for me.”The New Yorker also states that it would have forced Michaels to show more vulnerability, something he didn’t wish to do in his role. Thus, the esteemed creator decided it would be best to let one of the show’s ensemble members host Weekend Update. Michaels quickly turned to Chase. The comedian had a habit of making Michaels laugh and quickly became the frontrunner as his replacement for the slot. Thus, a tradition was born, andChase soon became the face of Weekend Update. Interestingly, the switch up was portrayed on screen on the movie,Saturday Night. But a jarring change was made that seems to have missed the point.
‘Saturday Night’ Simplified Michaels’ Weekend Update Saga
Saturday Nightistruly an excellent film. Centered on the 90 minutes beforeSaturday Night Live’s first-ever broadcast, the film is a wonderful blend of chaos, anxiety, and nostalgia. However,like most movies based on true stories, the picture takes a number of liberties with the story, including Michaels handing off the Weekend Update to Chase. The movie shows Michaels struggling with Weekend Update in rehearsal, which ultimately leads him to handing the part over to Chase in the middle of the broadcast. It’s certainly agreat movie momentand serves as a fantastic ending to the movie’s chaotic progress, but considering Michaels’ nuanced and selfless outlook on the ordeal, it seems a strange shift. After all, it changed the course of SNL’s history forever, and ultimately it feels a little flat once one knows the entire story.It doesn’t completely do either party justice, nor the legacy that the shift left behind.
Still, Lorne Michaels decision to let go of Weekend Update ultimately led to some of the greatest television comedy of all time. It takes a wise person to trade their own ego for quality and fairness, and Michaels proved that he possesses just that.His decision helped create the show’s longest-running tradition, and 50 years later, we’re so grateful it’s the one Michaels made.
Saturday Night Liveis available to stream on Peacock.
Saturday Night Live
A famous guest host stars in parodies and sketches created by the cast of this witty show.
