Whoops! Here's the SNL newshead poll

[mdp7751]

I hope

[mdp7751]

Dennis Miller by a nose over Norm McDonald, but both very intelligently-good and spot-on comics in the timing department.

[Steve-oh]

I'm just the reverse - picked Norm by a nose over Dennis Miller. Kevin Nealon? Uh, no way.

[mdp7751]

Yeah, I think Nealon is the worse too. Although his opening (spinning in his chair) is the best. He always seemed a little nervous.

[Oatsdad]

Hey - why aren't Jane Curtin/Bill Murray part of the poll?

[poweragemk]

Originally posted by Oatsdad
Hey - why aren't Jane Curtin/Bill Murray part of the poll?

Yeah, really...or Point Counterpoint...with Curtin/Ackroyd...:D

I think Fey/Fallon are consistently funnier, but Norm was my favorite for a long time...until he got canned by Don Ohlmeyer for making too many OJ jokes (OJ and Ohlmeyer are friends). Colin Quinn can't even say a sentence without stumbling over his words - though I think his new show is a better forum for his marble-mouthed-ness.

[mdp7751]

Originally posted by Oatsdad
Hey - why aren't Jane Curtin/Bill Murray part of the poll?

I thought about that and was actually a little hazy on how that went down. I know Ackroyd was never a full-fledged ancor, and my memory of Murray is that his stay was either eratic or short-lived. As for Curtain, my recollection of her is saying " . . . and have a pleasant tomorrow."

None of that means they shouldn't be on the poll, it just explains my weird hazyness-then-issue-avoidance.

I do love Bill Murray and Jane Curtain, though, for what that's worth.

[pdenny]

For me it's a tie: Dennis and Norm. The only ones who knew it was bull***** and weren't afraid to say it. Norm gets extra points for pissing off Don Ohlmeyer (sp?) and saying "Now here's the fake news" at the start of his segment.

Best Norm bit:

"Number 1 on the charts this week: Better Than Ezra. At number 2: Ezra."

[Oatsdad]

Okay, it's an outdated list - it states that Colin Quinn's the current anchor - and it comes from some AOL dude's fansite, so it might just be wrong. But here's a list of all the various anchors - looks pretty accurate to me based on my memory:

Chevy Chase (1975)
Jane Curtin (1976-1980)
Dan Aykroyd (1977-1978)
Bill Murray (1978-1980)
Charles Rocket (1980-1981)
Gail Matthius (1981)
Brian Doyle-Murray (1981-1982)
Mary Gross (1981-1982)
Brad Hall (1982-1983)
Christopher Guest (1984-1985)
Dennis Miller (1985-1991)
Kevin Nealon (1991-1994)
Norm MacDonald (1995-1997)
Colin Quinn (1998-present)

[JonUrban]

I agree that the Bill Murray/Jane Curtin team was a favorite. Especially when Emily Latella would pop in for words about "Viloins on Television", or something like that. THAT was classic.

[Dugan]

I voted for Chedder Cheese.... and Your Not!:D

[AKA]

Dennis Miller was, by far, the best "Weekend Update" host. Unfortunately, he hasn't been funny in two years...

Norm is a very close second, while Chevy comes in third.

http://www.blacktable.com/images/0305pics/millerscrossing.jpg

And remember, folks, if it hasn't been edited at least once, it's not an AKA post. :) :edthumbs:

[JohnG]

I like Norm!

miss him.

[Chris R]

Dennis Miller by a long shot, follwed by Tina and Jimmy. The two current news readers are very funny. :laugh:

[Dan C]

I vote for Norm but Fey and Fallon are a very close second. Fey in particular is brutally funny and brilliant.

Personally I think Chase has always been overrated. His smart *** persona was humorous at first but it doesn't really hold up over time. He's had a few good films but for the most part his shtick is boring, IMHO.

The worst by far was the regrettable Charlie Rocket, who was part of the worst cast in SNL's history. I have one of those wretched shows on tape (the one where a desperate Rocket said the "F-word" live) and it's perhaps the most painful and longest 90 minutes of television imaginable!:eek:

Dan C

[Dan C]

Originally posted by pdenny
For me it's a tie: Dennis and Norm. The only ones who knew it was bull***** and weren't afraid to say it. Norm gets extra points for pissing off Don Ohlmeyer (sp?) and saying "Now here's the fake news" at the start of his segment.

Best Norm bit:

"Number 1 on the charts this week: Better Than Ezra. At number 2: Ezra."

One bit a while back, Norm was talking about Kenny G's new Christmas CD. He then said "Happy birthday, Jesus. Hope you like CRAP!" :laugh:

Dan C

[njwiv]

Originally posted by Dan C


One bit a while back, Norm was talking about Kenny G's new Christmas CD. He then said "Happy birthday, Jesus. Hope you like CRAP!" :laugh:

Dan C

I remember that one, Dan. That may be my favorite Norm moment of all! Then, of course, there was his ability to work the term "crack-wh#re" into almost every newscast. :eek:

Jay

[Ron Stone]

I'd vote for Tina Fey, but she's kind of undone by Jimmy Fallon, who seems to botch half his lines. And he doesn't remotely have the gravitas of a real news anchor, or even an adult, to make the conceit funny -- he always strikes me as someone who might be reading the "news" on MTV or Disney Channel.

Then again, I laughed when Adam Sandler left to do movie work, thinking, "Who would pay money to see the absolute worst cast member in SNL history do that stupid voice for ninety minutes?" So I'm no judge of what people find amusing.

[nashreed]

Norm rules!

"Last year's number #1 worst job, crack whore, has been replaced. This year's #1: Assistant Crack Whore"! (or something like that)

I didn't realize that there was a different news person every year during the SNL "dark times" of '80-'85. You just never see those episodes at all do you? (I'd love to see that Charles Rocket episode!)

James

[mdp7751]

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Ron Stone
I'd vote for the [b]Tina Fey, but she's kind of undone by Jimmy Fallon, who seems to botch half his lines. And he doesn't remotely have the gravitas of a real news anchor, or even an adult, to make the conceit funny -- he always strikes me as someone who might be reading the "news" on MTV or Disney Channel.

Completely agree and the Tina Fey evaluations, and would simply add that she's also quite hot (in a "white hot" kinda way). Fallon is very, very funny, but at every thing ELSE he does on SNL.

I intentionally left the Charles Rocket's and Mary Gross(es) off the poll because, well, they were just very bad---and those shows are not really repeated very often (nor are the first/second Chase/Murray era shows either, for some unknown reason. Wish they were, somewhere.

[mdp7751]

I really need to start proof-reading my postss. Becuz I don't I don't think my streams of concisionsciousness flavin is doingg me justis

[Dan C]

Originally posted by nashreed
Norm rules!

"Last year's number #1 worst job, crack whore, has been replaced. This year's #1: Assistant Crack Whore"! (or something like that)

I didn't realize that there was a different news person every year during the SNL "dark times" of '80-'85. You just never see those episodes at all do you? (I'd love to see that Charles Rocket episode!)

James

I actually loved the 84-85 season with Crystal, Guest, Short, etc. They did some truly hilarious work that short season. Those shows still pop up now and then on Comedy Central (or is it E! that has them now?)

However, Guest's work as news anchor was very disappointing. He's redeemed himself quite nicely since then. :)

Dan C

[czeskleba]

Originally posted by Dan C
However, Guest's work as news anchor was very disappointing. He's redeemed himself quite nicely since then. :)


Both Guest and Dan Aykroyd had the same thing to say about being the news anchor: they hated it because it required them to be themselves, and they felt like they did their best work when immersed in a character. That's why Aykroyd gave up the job after just one season. The best anchors were the ones who had fairly strong, distinctive personas: Miller, McDonald, Bill Murray. It is interesting that nobody has ever developed a newsreader character... everybody always plays a version of themselves on Weekend Update.

[Beatlesfan03]

Originally posted by njwiv


I remember that one, Dan. That may be my favorite Norm moment of all! Then, of course, there was his ability to work the term "crack-wh#re" into almost every newscast. :eek:

Jay

And his Frank Stallone jokes.

I'd have to say Norm with Dennis a close second.

[mdp7751]

Originally posted by czeskleba


Both Guest and Dan Aykroyd had the same thing to say about being the news anchor: they hated it because it required them to be themselves, and they felt like they did their best work when immersed in a character. That's why Aykroyd gave up the job after just one season. The best anchors were the ones who had fairly strong, distinctive personas: Miller, McDonald, Bill Murray. It is interesting that nobody has ever developed a newsreader character... everybody always plays a version of themselves on Weekend Update.

Absolutely! You nailed THAT!