In this inaugural Wasn't That Special episode, we answer all your questions: What is this show? Who are we? Why is this podcast necessary? How did Saturday Night Live even come to be?
Your hosts Christian and Scot discuss the roots of SNL - where the Not Ready for Prime Time Players came from, how NBC ended up greenlighting the show, and how revolutionary the show was given the context of what was on television at the time. We hear from some of the cast members, writers, and creators on what it was like to get the show off the ground.
We start from the early days of National Lampoon, where the Lemmings stage show brought the likes of John Belushi and Cornelius “Chevy” Chase to New York. We delve into the question of who really came up with the idea for SNL - was it Lorne Michaels, Dick Ebersol, or Herb Schlosser, each of whom take credit? And we take you behind the casting decisions - how did Gilda Radner, Jane Curtin, Dan Aykroyd and the others end up being cast? And why was Bill Murray cut from the first season?
Join us on this maiden voyage, and be sure to tune in for our first proper episode on Season One!
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'Wasn't That Special' Introductory Episode