Inside the Untold Truth: Hilarious Insights from a SNL Legend

Summary

Jane Curtin, an original cast member of SNL, admits that watching the show's first five years back, she realized "not one thing was funny."

Curtin recognizes that live and current television shows can become outdated over time and holds the belief that SNL's earlier episodes did not age well.

However, despite her less favorable evaluation, Curtin continues to find the sketch "Bassomatic" from the early seasons to be amusing.

Jane Curtin, an original cast member of Saturday Night Live, candidly discusses the challenges faced during the show's early seasons. Upon its debut in 1975, the NBC sketch series featured only seven regular performers. Despite the eventual success and renown achieved by Curtin and her fellow cast members, SNL still experienced the inevitable difficulties that come with a show's initial stages.

In a PEOPLE interview, Curtin shares her experience of watching a compilation video of SNL's first five years with her family. She openly admits that upon viewing those old episodes, she realized that "not one thing was funny." However, she also highlights certain aspects of those early episodes that did leave an impression in a positive manner. In the quote below, Curtin frankly acknowledges the flaws of the show:

A few years ago, we received a compilation video of Saturday Night Live's first five years. I gave a copy to my daughter. During Christmas, while visiting her and her husband, he asked if I had ever watched any of the videos. Surprised by the question, I admitted that it had been a long time since I last saw them. He then suggested watching one, and I enthusiastically agreed. So, we gathered around the television with anticipation, wearing that familiar grin of excitement. However, the disappointing truth was revealed. None of it was funny. Not a single moment elicited laughter or even a giggle. It simply fell flat.

Reflecting on this experience, I realized that it was one of those situations where being present in the moment made all the difference. Live and topical television tends to lose its relevance over time. We must remember that this particular show aired almost 50 years ago. Upon rewatching, I couldn't help but think, "That was truly a poorly executed production. It was dreadful."

“See the Bassomatic, I still think it’s funny.”

Who Was In The Original SNL Cast?

In addition to Curtin, the initial SNL lineup showcased renowned talents such as Chevy Chase, John Belushi, Dan Aykroyd, Laraine Newman, Gilda Radner, and Garrett Morris. George Coe, though only part of the cast for the inaugural episode, and Michael O'Donoghue, who joined for the final episode of the season, were also included. SNL played a crucial role in propelling comedy icons like Chase, Belushi, Radner, Newman, Morris, and Aykrod to prominence.

The cast members of SNL have had successful careers beyond their time on the show. Notably, Curtin has appeared in various films and TV shows, including her iconic role as Dr. Mary Albright on 3rd Rock from the Sun and her Emmy-winning performance as Allie Lowell in Katie & Allie. This demonstrates that the success of SNL is not solely dependent on talented performers. While SNL has had its ups and downs throughout the years, during its early days, it had a different feel with less reliance on recycled jokes and recurring sketches. However, Curtin acknowledges that even back then, the show had its flaws and shortcomings.

Source: PEOPLE