- published: 14 Feb 2016
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Saturday Night Live (abbreviated as SNL) is an American late-night live television sketch comedy and variety show created by Lorne Michaels and developed by Dick Ebersol. The show premiered on NBC on October 11, 1975, under the original title of NBC's Saturday Night. The show revolves around a series of sketches parodying American culture and politics, performed by a large and varying cast of repertory and newer cast members. Each episode is hosted by a celebrity guest who delivers an opening monologue and takes part in sketches with the cast, and features a musical guest who also performs. SNL normally begins with a cold open sketch that ends with someone breaking character and proclaiming, "Live from New York, it's Saturday Night!", beginning the show proper.
Michaels left the series in 1980 to explore other opportunities, and he was replaced by Jean Doumanian who led the show to disastrous reviews and was replaced by Ebersol after one season. Ebersol continued to run the show until 1985, when Michaels returned and where he has remained since. Many of SNL's cast found national stardom while appearing on the show and achieved success in film and television, both in front of and behind the camera. In particular, SNL has helped launch the careers of Dan Aykroyd, John Belushi, Chevy Chase, Jimmy Fallon, Will Ferrell, Tina Fey, Eddie Murphy, Bill Murray, Mike Myers, and Adam Sandler. Additionally others associated with the show such as writers have gone on to successful careers, including Conan O'Brien, Max Brooks, Stephen Colbert, Larry David, Al Franken, Sarah Silverman, and Robert Smigel.
Saturday Night Live (SNL) is a late-night sketch comedy and variety show created by Lorne Michaels. It premiered on NBC, a terrestrial television network, on October 11, 1975, under the title NBC's Saturday Night. The show often satirizes contemporary American popular culture and politics. Saturday Night Live features a two-tiered cast: the repertory members, also known as the "Not Ready for Prime-Time Players", and newer cast members, known as "Featured Players." Each week, the show features a host, often a well-known celebrity, who delivers an opening monologue and performs in sketches with the cast. A musical guest is also invited to perform several sets (usually two, and occasionally more). Every so often a host or musical guest will fill both roles, such as was the case with Britney Spears in 2000 and 2002, Jennifer Lopez in 2010, and most recently Elton John in 2011. With the exception of Season 7 and several other rare cases, the show has begun with a cold open that ends with someone breaking character and proclaiming "Live from New York, it's Saturday Night!"