Saturday Night Live (season 6)

Saturday Night Live (season 6)
The title card for the sixth season of Saturday Night Live.
Country of origin	United States
No. of episodes	13
Release
Original network	NBC
Original release	November 15, 1980 (1980-11-15) – April 11, 1981 (1981-04-11)

The sixth season of Saturday Night Live, an American sketch comedy series, originally aired in the United States on NBC between November 15, 1980, and April 11, 1981.

This season was alternatively known as Saturday Night Live '80.

Background

According to Tom Shales' book Live from New York: An Uncensored History of Saturday Night Live, Executive Producer Lorne Michaels cited burnout as the reason behind his desire to take a year off, and had been led to believe by NBC executives that the show would go on hiatus with him, and be ready to start fresh upon his return.

However, Michaels learned from associate producer Jean Doumanian that the show would go on with or without him, and that she had been chosen as his replacement, much to Michaels' surprise and dismay.

Angered by this news, the entire cast and all but one writer (Brian Doyle-Murray) followed Michaels out the door. The sixth season began with a completely new cast and new writers, with Doumanian at the helm.

Doumanian hired Denny Dillon, Gilbert Gottfried, Gail Matthius, Joe Piscopo, Ann Risley, and Charles Rocket as repertory players, and Yvonne Hudson, Matthew Laurance, and Patrick Weathers as featured cast members, passing on such then-unknown comics as Jim Carrey, John Goodman and Paul Reubens. Doumanian sought a non-white cast member to fill Garrett Morris's previous role. As SNL scholars Doug Hill and Jeff Weingrad phrase it,

Jean still needed an ethnic, and a special series of auditions was set up to find one. For two days in mid-September some thirty black actors and comedians filed through the writers' wing on the 17th floor [of Rockefeller Center] to read for Jean and her people. At the end, Jean told her group she was leaning toward hiring a stand-up by the name of Charlie Barnett. But talent coordinator Neil Levy had another black performer he wanted her to see, a kid from Roosevelt, Long Island, named Eddie Murphy.

Some accounts state that Doumanian preferred instead Robert Townsend, but Eddie Murphy was added (as a featured player) starting with the fourth episode, after much convincing from her colleagues and staff.

With its team of entirely new writers and cast members, the show was plagued by problems from the start and deemed a commercial disappointment by both critics and by viewers as reflected in the Nielsen ratings. For much of the season, the show was in turmoil and many critics wrote the show off as a pale imitation of its former glory due to budget cuts, lack of support that was promised to Doumanian by either the network or her staff, and stiff competition from ABC's Fridays, which, at the time, enjoyed critical acclaim and was gaining popularity with a similarly-"edgy", late-night sketch show that aired on a weekend.

On February 21, 1981, the show featured a parody of the "Who Shot J.R. Ewing?" episode from the hit TV show Dallas. In a cliffhanger titled "Who Shot C.R.?", cast member Rocket was "shot" in the last sketch of the episode, after a running gag in which other members of the cast shared their grievances about Rocket with one another. Onstage for the goodnights, Dallas star and that week's host, Charlene Tilton, asked Rocket (who was still in character and sitting in a wheelchair) his thoughts on being shot. "Oh man, it's the first time I've been shot in my life", he replied. "I'd like to know who the fuck did it." The cast, along with some of the audience, reacted with laughter and applause.

Though this was not the first nor last time the expletive would be uttered live on SNL, Rocket's line, unknown to him, would cause him and everyone else (save Eddie Murphy and Joe Piscopo) to be dismissed. The next show would be Doumanian's last episode. "This woman was a trainwreck," said then NBC President and CEO Fred Silverman in the Shales book. "The shows were just not watchable." Doumanian, Gottfried, Risley, and Rocket were fired before the show returned from a month-long break.

The Ebersol Era begins

SNL was given one more chance when Dick Ebersol, one of the original developers of SNL in 1974 and the man responsible for hiring Lorne Michaels as show-runner in 1975, was hired to replace Doumanian. In his first week, Ebersol fired Gottfried, Risley, and Rocket, replacing them with Catherine O'Hara, Tim Kazurinsky, and Tony Rosato. At the end of the season, he would eliminate the rest of the 1980 cast except for Murphy and Piscopo. Ebersol made offers to John Candy and O'Hara of SCTV to join the cast. Candy turned down the offer, so Tony Rosato was added to the cast in his place. O'Hara initially accepted, but changed her mind after Michael O'Donoghue – the show's original head writer, who had been brought in to rejuvenate the show – screamed at the cast about the season's poor writing and performances. O'Hara suggested Robin Duke as her replacement, and Duke was brought in. O'Hara never appeared on SNL as a cast member. Laurie Metcalf and Emily Prager joined as featured players.

Dick Ebersol's first produced episode was on April 11, 1981. After Ebersol's first episode, the 1981 Writers' Guild of America strike started, forcing the show into a hiatus during which it was extensively retooled.

Cast

Repertory cast members (episodes 1-12)

• Denny Dillon
• Gilbert Gottfried
• Gail Matthius
• Eddie Murphy (first episode: December 6, 1980, upgraded to repertory status on January 24, 1981)
• Joe Piscopo
• Ann Risley
• Charles Rocket

Featured cast members (episodes 1-12)

• Yvonne Hudson (first episode: December 20, 1980)
• Matthew Laurance (first episode: December 20, 1980)
• Patrick Weathers (first episode: December 6, 1980 / final episode: February 14, 1981)

Repertory cast members (episode 13)

• Denny Dillon
• Robin Duke
• Tim Kazurinsky
• Gail Matthius
• Eddie Murphy
• Joe Piscopo
• Tony Rosato

Featured cast members (episode 13)

• Yvonne Hudson (uncredited)
• Laurie Metcalf
• Emily Prager (credited, but did not actually appear)

bold denotes Weekend Update anchor

Writers

Main article: List of Saturday Night Live writers § Season 6

Brian Doyle-Murray returned as the only writer from the previous season. Pamela Norris and Terry Sweeney were also hired; the latter would become a cast member in 1985. Musician and Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour writer Mason Williams was the head writer but left after clashing with Doumanian. Michael O'Donoghue was rehired after Doumanian's firing.

This season's writers included Larry Arnstein, Barry W. Blaustein, Billy Brown, Ferris Butler, John DeBellis, Jean Doumanian, Brian Doyle-Murray, Leslie Fuller, Mel Green, David Hurwitz, Judy Jacklin, Sean Kelly, Mitchell Kriegman, Patricia Marx, Douglas McGrath, Tom Moore, Matt Neuman, Pamela Norris, Michael O'Donoghue, Mark Reisman, David Sheffield, Jeremy Stevens, Terry Sweeney, Bob Tischler, Mason Williams and Dirk Wittenborn. Mason Williams was the head writer until he left the show at the end of 1980, with Jeremy Stevens and Tom Moore replacing him in January 1981.

Episodes

Main article: List of Saturday Night Live episodes

No. overall	No. in season	Host	Musical guest(s)	Original air date
107	1	Elliott Gould	Kid Creole & the Coconuts	November 15, 1980
Gilbert Gottfried, Gail Matthius, Joe Piscopo, Ann Risley, Charles Rocket, and Denny Dillon's first episode as cast members The cold opening has Elliott Gould (sixth time hosting) in bed with many of the cast members (a play on Gould's 1969 film Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice), who tries to allay their anxieties, and tells Matthius she is "kind of a cross between Jane [Curtin] and Gilda [Radner]." Rocket announces that he is a cross between Chevy Chase and Bill Murray, Risley says that she is "a cross between Gilda and Laraine [Newman]" and Gottfried calls himself a cross between John Belushi and "that guy from last year" who did a Rod Serling impression (Harry Shearer). In his monologue, Gould waxes nostalgic about his old underwear. The first sketch, set in the Oval Office, showed Rosalynn Carter (Risley) trying to seduce Jimmy Carter (Piscopo), with Amy played by Dillon. In a later sketch, Matthius demonstrates how to give a breast self-examination Kid Creole & the Coconuts performed "Mister Softee" and "There But for the Grace of God Go I". In the debut of the "Rocket Report" segment, Charles Rocket pesters people around The Dakota for information about John Lennon's upcoming album. Wendie Malick appeared in the background of the Nose Wrestling sketch.
108	2	Malcolm McDowell	Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band	November 22, 1980
Charles Rocket interviews John Lennon (played by Malcolm McDowell) during "Weekend Update" Eddie Murphy makes his first appearance in this episode in an uncredited cameo, in a sketch called "In Search of the Negro Republican," written by David Sheffield Matthew Laurance, previously an assistant director on the show during seasons 3–5, makes an appearance Joe Piscopo's "Saturday Night Sports" segment during Weekend Update debuts on this episode Dillon, in dominatrix leather gear, abuses Rocket, who is chained, spread-eagle, to a weather map "Jack the Stripper" "had something to do with Prince Charles being a royal flasher—exactly what it was about was impossible to decipher." Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band performed "Hot Head" and "Ashtray Heart" Many SNL veterans consider the McDowell show the single worst night in the program's history.
109	3	Ellen Burstyn	Aretha Franklin Keith Sykes	December 6, 1980
Aretha Franklin performed "United Together" and "Can't Turn Me Loose" Keith Sykes performed "B.I.G. T.I.M.E." A short film entitled "Fish Heads" for a song of the same title, stars Bill Paxton and Bill Mumy First episode for Eddie Murphy and Patrick Weathers as cast members. Eddie Murphy began a run as a "Weekend Update" commentator with a successful diatribe about basketball players. Doumanian wanted to run a sketch about a nun who was not a virgin, but it was cut by NBC's Standards and Practices department
110	4	Jamie Lee Curtis	James Brown Ellen Shipley	December 13, 1980
James Brown performed "Rapp Payback (Where Iz Moses)" and an extended medley of his early hits "I Got You (I Feel Good)", "Small Man", and "Please, Please, Please" Ellen Shipley performed "Fotogenic" Danny DeVito appeared in a black and white film short
111	5	David Carradine	Linda Ronstadt The Cast of The Pirates of Penzance	December 20, 1980
Linda Ronstadt and the cast of The Pirates of Penzance performed a medley of tunes from The Pirates of Penzance production ("I Am the Very Model of a Modern Major-General", "Oh, Is There Not One Maiden Breast", "Poor Wandering One", and "Go Ye, Heroes") and a medley of Christmas carols ("O come, O come, Emmanuel", "Joy to the World", and "The First Noel"). This is Matthew Laurance and Yvonne Hudson's first episode as credited cast members.
112	6	Ray Sharkey	Jack Bruce & Friends	January 10, 1981
Jack Bruce & Friends performed "Dancing On Air" and "Living Without Ja" Eddie Murphy delivers the line Live from New York, it's Saturday Night! Gail Matthius's first episode as Weekend Update co-anchor Murphy impersonates Stevie Wonder and Bill Cosby, mocked Garrett Morris, and performed his stand-up act when the show threatens to run five minutes short
113	7	Karen Black	Cheap Trick Stanley Clarke Trio	January 17, 1981
Cheap Trick performed "Baby Loves to Rock" and "Can't Stop It But I'm Gonna Try." Stanley Clarke Trio performed "Deep in the Night." SNL historians Hill and Weingrad wrote that this show "was actually funny all the way through."
114	8	Robert Hays	Joe "King" Carrasco & the Crowns 14 Karat Soul	January 24, 1981
Joe "King" Carrasco & the Crowns performed "Don't Bug Me Baby" 14 Karat Soul performed "I Wish That We Were Married" and "This Time It's for Real." Eddie Murphy announces that he has been promoted from featured player to repertory player in this episode.
115	9	Sally Kellerman	Jimmy Cliff	February 7, 1981
Jimmy Cliff performed "I Am the Living" and "Gone Clear." Sally Kellerman performed "Starting Over Again." A sketch "Lean Acres" features a sadistic fat camp counselor (Sally Kellerman) who punishes two women (Denny Dillon and Ann Risley) for cheating on their diets. The sketch is interrupted by an audience member (portrayed by an unnamed writer) who hates the sketch and vocally speaks out against the sketch's cruel take on plus-sized women. The protester is forcibly removed from the studio after a commercial break.
116	10	Deborah Harry	Deborah Harry Funky Four Plus One	February 14, 1981
With this show, Funky Four Plus One become the first hip-hop act to perform on SNL, as well as the first to appear on national television. They performed "That's the Joint". Deborah Harry performed "Love T.K.O." and "Come Back Jonee". Patrick Weathers' final episode as a cast member.
117	11	Charlene Tilton	Todd Rundgren Prince	February 21, 1981
The debut of Eddie Murphy's "Mister Robinson's Neighborhood" sketch Gail Matthius's final episode as Weekend Update co-anchor Don King guest starred Todd Rundgren performed "Healer" and "Time Heals" Prince performed "Partyup" During the goodnights, Charles Rocket (in a wheelchair after "getting shot" during the last sketch, in a parody of the Who shot J.R.? promotion for Dallas, on which Tilton had played Lucy Ewing) grumbles, "I'd like to know who the fuck did it" in response to Tilton's query on how Rocket felt after being gunned down
118	12	Bill Murray	Delbert McClinton	March 7, 1981
In the cold opening, Murray encourages the cast members not to worry about ratings or reviews Mark King appeared as Dr. Jonathan Lear during "Weekend Update," now called "Saturday Night Newsline." The news section appears in three segments (King's science portion, an Oscar predictions segment with Murray and a newscast with Charles Rocket). Murray reprised his Nick the Lounge Singer character from his 1977–80 stint on the show Paul Shaffer made a cameo as Nick's pianist Delbert McClinton performed "Givin' It Up for Your Love" and "Shotgun Rider," with Bonnie Bramlett joining him on vocals Murray announced that the next episode would be hosted by Robert Guillaume with musical guest Ian Dury and the Blockheads, but this episode was cancelled when Ebersol replaced Doumanian. Ann Risley, Gilbert Gottfried, Charles Rocket, and Matthew Laurance's final episode as cast members Jean Doumanian's final episode as executive producer
119	13	none	Jr. Walker & the All-Stars	April 11, 1981
Robin Duke, Tim Kazurinsky and Tony Rosato's first episode as cast members Laurie Metcalf and Emily Prager's first and last episode as cast members (Metcalf only appeared in a pre-taped segment during "Weekend Update"; Prager, despite her billing in the credits, did not appear in the show at all; both hold the record for shortest stint as an SNL cast member) Chevy Chase appeared in the cold open along with Mr. Bill, reminiscing about the good old days, then stumbles and crushes Mr. Bill; also returned to anchor Weekend Update Al Franken joined Chase on "Weekend Update" to discuss season six, frequently using the phrase "me, Al Franken", as he had done in previous seasons when arguing that the 1980s be known as "The Al Franken Decade" Franken announced that he and Tom Davis would host the next episode with musical guest The Grateful Dead, but this episode was cancelled due to the writers' strike. Prior to introducing Jr. Walker & the All-Stars' second musical number, Chase appeared with Robin Williams and Christopher Reeve to tell the audience that the show was improving Denny Dillon, Gail Matthius, and Yvonne Hudson's final episode as cast members (although Hudson, not credited in this episode, would continue to make uncredited appearances until 1984) Jr. Walker & the All-Stars performed "(I'm a) Road Runner", "Shotgun", "How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved by You)" and "What Does It Take (To Win Your Love)" Don Pardo's last episode as announcer until his return in season eight Dick Ebersol's first episode as executive producer

Critical reception

Responses to Doumanian's SNL were negative. The Associated Press, mocking the Carters-in-the-Oval-Office sketch, wrote, "The new Saturday Night Live is essentially crude, sophomoric and most of all self-consciously 'cool.' It is occasionally funny... Under producer Jean Doumanian, Saturday Night Live will define 'risk-taking' as a little naughtier, perhaps a little raunchier; it won't wander too far off the beaten path... They're all clones. This is television. If they can be funny once in a while, that's all we can ask."

The New York Times said the season "looked almost exactly as it in previous years, but actually only the shell remained". The review went on to state that the "missing ingredient was the very quality that made the old show so special: an innovative vision", and that the new show was "nothing so much as an unfunny parody of its predecessor".

Hill and Weingrad summarized other reviews:

The Washington Star said the show "strained and groaned" while the humor was "almost completely lost, despite desperate attempts to wring it out of raunch." Newsday's Marvin Kitman, as expected, ravaged the show gleefully, calling it "offensive and raunchy," and worse, not funny. "This new edition is terrible," he wrote. "Call it 'Saturday Night Dead on Arrival'."

Tom Shales's review in The Washington Post was devastating.

Shales had always been Saturday Night's strongest and most prestigious booster, and thus his reaction to the new show was more important than most. The headline on his review read FROM YUK TO YECCCH. The first sentence was: "Vile from New York—It's Saturday Night." The show, Shales said, was a "snide and sordid embarrassment." It imitated the "ribaldry and willingness to prod sacred cows" of the Lorne Michaels years without having the least "compensating satirical edge." It was, he wrote, "just haplessly pointless tastelessness." Shales concluded that despite one or two imaginative moments from the show's filmmakers, "from the six new performers and 13 new writers hired for the show, viewers got virtually no good news." ... Jean made it clear that she thought the writing was primarily at fault. "It's just got to be funnier," she said. Then she put a tape of the show on her videocassette machine to begin a sketch-by-sketch critique. According to writer Billy Brown, as she did she said, "Watch this. And I hope you hate it, because you wrote it."

In his book What Were They Thinking? The 100 Dumbest Events in Television History, author David Hofstede included this season as one of 25 runners-up to the list.