May 17, 1986 – Jimmy Breslin / Level 42, E.G. Daily (S11 E17)

Segments are rated on a scale of 1-5 stars

COLD OPENING
AMH & manager Tommy Flanagan at weigh-in for upcoming bout with Marvin Hagler [real]

— A fairly funny premise of Marvelous Marvin Hagler and Anthony Michael Hall being paired against each other in a boxing match.
— I liked Dennis warning Anthony “Two minutes in the ring, you could come out like Jerry Lewis.”
— Here’s our obligatory weekly Tommy Flanagan appearance, this time showing up as Anthony’s manager.
— Flanagan’s Marvin Hagler/Marvin Hamlisch mix-up made me laugh.
— God, I hate whenever a sketch gives Anthony Michael Hall the excuse to ham it up and overact, and this cold opening is a prime example.
— In my copy of this episode, there seemed to be an abrupt cut to the ending with Hagler segueing into his delivery of “Live from New York…” (where he proceeds to mistakenly look into the wrong camera at first). Also, why did the screen strangely look enlarged and blurry during that shot? Is that shot a dress rehearsal insert?
— Speaking of Hagler’s “Live from New York”, he does a slight variation of the usual tagline, saying “I’m live… in New York… on Saturday Night!” Interestingly, this is the second episode in a row where someone did that type of twist on the LFNY tagline; Paul Simon opened the last episode by saying “We are live from New York on a Saturday Night.”
STARS: **

OPENING MONTAGE
— There’s a misconception in many SNL episode guides that Marvelous Marvin Hagler is a co-host of this episode. Not sure what started that, as Hagler is VERY CLEARLY announced as a special guest in this opening montage. I guess we can file this with other similar misconceptions such as Chevy Chase supposedly being the host of the final season 6 episode, there supposedly being no host in the 100th episode, Funky 4 + 1 More supposedly being the billed musical guest of the Deborah Harry-hosted episode, Dan Aykroyd supposedly being a co-host of the John Goodman-hosted episode from season 20, and Buster Poindexter supposedly being the billed musical guest of the upcoming Sigourney Weaver-hosted season 12 premiere. (There’s probably other similar misconceptions I’m forgetting at the moment)
— Also, if Hagler really HAD been the co-host tonight, the odd pairing of him and Jimmy Breslin wouldn’t be TOO unusual for this season, as the back half of this season has developed a strange habit of randomly pairing together two hosts who have absolutely no connection to each other (George Wendt and Francis Ford Coppola, Catherine Oxenberg and Paul Simon, and the upcoming pairing of Anjelica Huston and Billy Martin).
— Instead of being credited as a special guest like he usually is on SNL, Sam Kinison is credited as a featured player in tonight’s opening montage. What the…? Does this mean Kinison technically counts as an SNL cast member, even if it’s just for this one episode? I guess not, but the way he was credited tonight would make you think so. Heh, who knew Sam Kinison was once part of the SNL cast?

MONOLOGUE
(no synopsis available)

— Pretty random choice for SNL to get a journalist/author to host. I wonder if this is because they were having trouble booking guests at this point due to the season’s infamous quality.
— He’s already coming off pretty funny with his New York-ish blunt remarks.
— Good callback, with him likening hosting SNL to a childhood story he told earlier in this monologue about his choir teacher.
— Overall, a good monologue. I was surprised at how likable and relatable he came off here.
STARS: ***

REAGAN’S COMMAND
a USA sub has Kaddafi in its sights, but Ronald Reagan (RAQ) can’t act

— First time we’ve seen Randy’s Reagan in what feels like a pretty long time. I also believe this ends up being the last time we’ll ever see his Reagan.
— A few laughs from the devil and angel Reagan heads advising Reagan.
— Though probably a cliched gag nowadays, I liked the Jeopardy theme playing when Randy’s Reagan is in deep thought, trying to figure what to do.
— I find it amusing that Gaddaffi strangely hasn’t moved from his spot in three long hours.
— Seems to be some timing issues throughout this sketch.
— This sketch started losing steam and dying off towards the end, though the ending was okay.
STARS: **½

MIDDAY WITH JENNIFER HICKS
advice from Bond villains Goldfinger (host), Blofeld (JOL), Largo (RAQ)

— The set-up of this whole thing with a talk show host interviewing three guests together reminds me of the Late Show with Joan Rivers sketch that we just saw in the last episode. However, I’m loving the idea of tonight’s sketch much more, with the three talk show guests being James Bond villains.
— Not sure, but I think the cat that Jon’s holding is the same fluffy white cat who’s been appearing in various sketches starting way back in season 5’s Canadian Wizard of Oz sketch with Elliott Gould.
— I like how Jimmy Breslin’s using his natural voice and how humorously out of place it is for his Goldfinger role.
— A lot of laughs from the villains’ tips on what not to do when dealing with James Bond.
— Ha, Joan actually points out how Goldfinger is missing his German accent, which he offers a pretty funny explanation for.
— A really solid sketch overall.
STARS: ****

KNOCKOUTS
Marvin Hagler’s [real] tips for the knocked out- breathe, don’t twitch, say “Las Vegas”

— Boy, this was a quick segment that just came and went. Marvin’s tips on what to do if he knocks you out were only okay at best; not anything particularly good.
STARS: **

MUSICAL PERFORMANCE
Level 42 performs “Something About You”

WEEKEND UPDATE
unlike phony Chernobyl footage shown on other broadcasts, the real stuff
DEM shows pictures from Hitler’s WWII photo album

— The Chernobyl “footage” being an old black-and-white silent film was just okay, but felt like a gag that was pulled off better other times.
— Good visual bit with the Pope’s 1987 tour jacket that Dennis displays.
— I loved Dennis’ random bunions/Jerry Lewis telethon one-liner.
— Very funny joke with Dennis likening Sylvester Stallone’s acting “range” to that of Larry Stork on F-Troop.
— The Hitler photo album bit didn’t work for me.
— I absolutely LOVED the meta-ness of Dennis’ punchline to the story about The Love Boat being canceled: “If there was any justice in the universe, Chevy would’ve read this story 10 years ago.”
— No guest commentaries in tonight’s overall Update. Thankfully, we also got no appearance from the Weekend Update Dancers, for the second week in a row. Only one more episode left this season before the Update Dancers are gone forever.
— Quite a hit-and-miss Update overall tonight, but the hits made it worth it.
STARS: ***

LONE WOLF MCCORD
the crybaby renegade cop (RAQ) decides to quit

 

— What’s with the audience’s applause when Jon walks on at the beginning as a generic unnamed character?
— I’m already getting a good laugh from Randy’s entrance, with his whispery tough-cop voice.
— Funny turn with Randy dropping his tough attitude and breaking out into childish tears in the locker room because “the commissioner yelled at me!”
— Pretty funny reaction when Randy finds out his nickname among his fellow cops is Lone Wolf McCord
— Haha, I love the part with Jimmy breaking out into a badly-sung guitar song to cheer Randy up.
— Overall, a very well-executed sketch.
STARS: ****

SAM KINISON
Sam Kinison [real] does stand-up about Chernobyl & the bombing of Libya

— Sam gets his own badass theme music upon his entrance this time, which is new.
— Some laughs from him talking about how President Reagan is nonchalantly handling the Libya situation.
— This stand-up material is pretty hit-and-miss so far, but it’s nice to see Sam not doing YET ANOTHER stand-up set about bitter relationship issues.
— Uh-oh, I spoke too soon. Now he’s launched into the usual “marriage is hell” subject. This could have some laughs, though.
— Pretty funny bit about the devil giving married men a tour of hell.
— Another mention of SNL recently getting renewed for a 12th season. After bringing that up here, Sam laughs at all the naysayers who thought the show would get canceled, and then does a great victory dance.
— This overall stand-up segment was a little below Sam Kinison’s usual standards. He REALLY seemed to double down on his trademark screaming outbursts tonight, as if he was using them to hide the lack of actual funny material in this piece. Don’t get me wrong, I usually always crack up at Sam’s screaming outbursts, but not when he does it every 10 damn seconds. The outbursts are funnier when they’re used a little more sparingly to emphasize the points he makes.
STARS: **½

THE PAT STEVENS SHOW
driving exercises; Pulitzer winner host walks off

— Oh, god, here comes this sketch making its 3,820th appearance of the season.
— Nora demonstrating how steering a wheel can be done as a rhythmic exercise routine is okay.
— Just now, something got muted out at the end of Jimmy’s line where he defends himself by summing up all the work that he does. It looked like the censored words might’ve been “for god’s sake”. I’m guessing it was a no-no to say that on TV back in those days.
— I got a laugh from Nora’s line about poverty being so sad because “there’s nothing we can do about it”.
— Haha, I loved Jimmy abruptly walking off the show mid-interview while asking “What moron got me onto this show?” I wish the interviewees in these sketches had that type of attitude more often, but maybe that’s just because I’ve recently begun to kinda sour on these sketches due to their extreme overuse.
STARS: **½

TORNADOVILLE
between twisters, Tornadoville residents (RAQ) & (AMH) chit-chat

— Decent visual with that hanger sticking out of Anthony’s head.
— What the HELL is up with Anthony slowly looking around with a dazed facial expression when Nora makes a joke about how she won’t be able to recognize him without the hanger in his head? (second-to-last screencap above)
— I initially liked the premise, but the sketch has really not been working for me so far.
— This is yet another instance where I can tell season 11 is up to its old tricks of sweetening audience reactions in reruns. The audience’s laughter sounds SO canned and unnatural in portions of this sketch.
— I kinda like Nora’s mock-dramatic speech about living in a place without having to worry about various tornado-related annoyances. I think I’m just desperate to find something to like in this dull-as-hell sketch.
— The whole “I was born in that house over there” bit fell REALLY flat, not helped by typical bad Anthony Michael Hall delivery. (Thank god I only have one more episode to put up with him)
— I think in the original live airing, this was the lead-off sketch of the night right after the monologue. I can definitely see why they moved this to a late time slot in the rerun version I’m reviewing.
STARS: *½

ASSEMBLY
at school assembly, Cabrini Green sings a song to prevent teen pregnancy

— Strangely, this begins with Nora randomly playing Pat Stevens AGAIN tonight, introducing Cabrini Green in a school assembly. What the hell???
— First time we’ve seen Danitra all night. In fact, it feels like quite a lot of the cast has barely gotten anything to do tonight. Terry Sweeney hasn’t appeared in this episode AT ALL. Guess the writers didn’t have any drag roles available this week.
— The name of Cabrini’s back-up singers, The Mell-O White Boys, is actually from Danitra’s real-life off-Broadway stage show “Danitra Vance and the Mell-O White Boys”. I’m assuming the two Mell-O White Boys members onstage in this sketch are the same ones from Danitra’s stage show.
— The musical number is okay if nothing particularly great, and I liked the part where Danitra REALLY got into her singing.
STARS: ***

A MESSAGE FROM JODY HAGLER
flight attendant Jody Hagler (Marvin Hagler) says “I’m no boxer, leave me alone”

— I like the amusing detail of Marvin Hagler’s brother being a flight attendant.
— That’s it? The whole sketch just turns out to be him asking people to leave him alone? This was even more pointless than the last “A Message from Marvin Hagler” piece!
STARS: *

MUSICAL PERFORMANCE
E.G. Daily sings “Say It, Say It” as Biff watches

— Hard to believe this is the same woman who would later go on to be a voice actress in some of my childhood favorite animated series from the 90s, most famously doing the voice of Tommy on Rugrats.
— Throughout the performance, Jon Lovitz is randomly seen in the background, inside the home base stage’s theater booth.
— And now he’s come out from the booth and becomes part of the performance, joining E.G. Daily in a little dance before leaving. He appears to be playing his Biff character from the Biff & Salena sketches. A really random though fun idea to include him in this musical performance. Did Jon and E.G. have some kind of pre-SNL connection? Perhaps they knew each other from The Groundlings or something?

GOODNIGHTS

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IMMEDIATE POST-SHOW THOUGHTS:
— A fairly up-and-down episode, with a few more downs than ups, especially once we got to the last 25 minutes of the show. Some of the ups were surprisingly strong for this season (Midday With Jennifer Hicks, Lone Wolf McCord), while the downs were the usual tepid season 11 material. I will say that Jimmy Breslin gave the episode a bit of a boost, as he was a surprisingly fun and likable host.

HOW THIS EPISODE STACKS UP AGAINST THE PRECEDING ONE (Catherine Oxenberg and Paul Simon):
— a slight step up

My full set of screencaps for this episode is here

TOMORROW:
The troubled season 11 comes to an end, with hosts Anjelica Huston and Billy Martin, and featuring an epic season-ending cliffhanger regarding the future status of the cast