In the latest That Show..., Nick revisits a standout episode of Saturday Night Live that aired on November 21, 2009, when actor Joseph Gordon-Levitt hosted for the first time. This episode is legendary for containing what many consider one of the best opening monologues in SNL history. Gordon-Levitt wowed audiences by recreating Donald O'Connor's iconic "Make 'Em Laugh" number from the classic musical Singin' in the Rain, delivering the routine with incredible skill and energy. It's...

Nick Digilio welcomes film critic, writer, financial analyst, and corporate governance speaker Nell Minow (AKA: The Movie Mom) to the podcast to discuss her love of Saturday Night Live and much more. Nick and Nell chat about how she's watched every episode of the show since its very beginning, and how her father—the great Newton Minow—is forever connected to SNL. They also delve into the historical importance of the show, especially during an election year. Nell unveils her five favorite...

Nick takes a look back at the four times iconic and beloved actor Michael Keaton hosted Saturday Night Live, sharing behind-the-scenes stories and highlights from each appearance. Keaton first hosted in 1982 when he was still transitioning from being a stand-up comedian and had just gotten his big break in Ron Howard's Night Shift. In this episode, you'll hear his very first sketch ever (alongside Eddie Murphy, of course) and his first monologue from that show. It took ten years for Keaton...

The one and only Flip Wilson was one of the funniest and most important stars of the 60s and 70s. Not only did he host a top-rated variety show, break barriers for African-American artists, and create some of the most memorable characters in comedy history, but he also changed the face of television variety shows forever. Flip Wilson only hosted Saturday Night Live once, and while it wasn't a particularly memorable episode, it represented a specific time in SNL's history and had some great...

Nick looks back at the work of actor, writer, and director Buck Henry during the first five seasons of Saturday Night Live. Henry, who already had a rich history in TV and film during the 60s and 70s, became a mainstay in the early years of SNL, hosting the show a record 10 times in less than five years. Known for his sharp humor, Buck was always hilarious in sketches, delivered wonderfully meta monologues, and created recurring characters that stood toe-to-toe with anything the regular cast...

The one and only time the multi-talented Donald Glover hosted *Saturday Night Live* was on May 5th, 2018, and it's high time he returns to host again. The actor, writer, director, comedian, singer, and musician did an outstanding job, not just as the host but also as the musical guest, performing under his stage name, Childish Gambino. This episode from Season 43 was a solid, often hilarious show packed with timely sketches, weird parodies, lots of music, and plenty of celebrity cameos,...

Nick takes a look back at the legendary Olympia Diner sketches from the early days of *Saturday Night Live*. These classics are known for their memorable characters, the bustling diner atmosphere, the functioning flattop grill (LIVE on stage!), and of course, the catchphrases like “Cheeseburger, Cheeseburger…no Coke, Pepsi…no fries, chips!” This popular recurring sketch was performed a record six times in less than 15 months, between January 1978 and May 1979. Every member of The Not Ready...

In the 50 years that *Saturday Night Live* has been on the air, there have been plenty of controversial sketches and moments. Some were so outrageous that public apologies had to be issued—sometimes unsuccessfully. In this episode, Nick revisits four of the most controversial sketches that were either misguided, misinterpreted, or just plain offensive. Hosts like Christoph Waltz, Bea Arthur, and Joshua Jackson, along with cast members such as Jimmy Fallon, Bill Murray, Gilda Radner, Chevy...

Nick looks back at the very first time Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson hosted "Saturday Night Live," which aired in March of 2000. At that time, Johnson was still known primarily as his wrestling persona, The Rock, and hadn't yet become the Hollywood megastar demanding millions of dollars per film. He was simply a beloved WWE pro-wrestler with a massive fan base. But The Rock wasn't the only wrestler to take the SNL stage that night. In this episode, you'll relive the pro-wrestling invasion on...

Nick takes a look back at the one and only time William Shatner hosted "Saturday Night Live," which aired live on December 20th, 1986, as the Season 12 Christmas episode. The show featured special guests Buster Poindexter, comedian Kevin Meaney, and musical guest Lone Justice. At the time, Shatner was riding high on the success of the latest "Star Trek" film and his hit TV series "TJ Hooker," both of which were hilariously satirized on the show that night. In this episode, you'll hear about...

In the past 49 seasons of "Saturday Night Live," there have been hundreds of terrible sketches—it's just the nature of the game. In this episode, Nick looks back at five truly awful sketches from more recent years that are among the worst ever performed on the show. You'll hear these bombs and learn about why they were written, performed, and included on the show at all. Sometimes it's the writing, sometimes it's the cast, sometimes it's the host, and sometimes it's EVERYTHING, but whatever...

We all know that "Saturday Night Live" has had some pretty incredible and funny surprise celebrity cameos over the years. Since the very beginning, SNL has had a wonderful habit of bringing out celebrities to have some fun and shock audiences at home and in the studio by simply popping on stage. In this episode, Nick looks back at some of the best surprise cameos that delighted audiences everywhere. Included are the out-of-the-blue appearances by Arnold Schwarzenegger, Daniel Craig, Colin...

Nick takes a hilarious look back at Will Ferrell's famous Harry Caray impression. While the impersonation itself might not be the most accurate or perfect recreation of the legendary sportscaster, it's undeniably funny, bizarre, and one of the most memorable characters Ferrell brought to life during his tenure on "Saturday Night Live." You'll hear the very first time Ferrell did the impression (during his SNL audition!), along with a montage of unbelievably funny moments from his appearances...

Cast member Punkie Johnson has announced her departure from "Saturday Night Live" after four seasons. In this episode, Nick reflects on her time on the show, highlighting some of her most memorable moments and discussing her comedy career—past, present, and future. The episode features hilarious segments, mostly from Weekend Update, where Punkie did some of her best work. Nick plays back some of her funniest moments, including her impression of a convict who jumped over a barrier to attack a...

Nick looks back once again at the work of the best cast member in the history of "Saturday Night Live," Phil Hartman. While Hartman's best-known work—like his great impressions of Bill Clinton and Frank Sinatra, and unforgettable characters like Unfrozen Caveman Lawyer and The Anal-Retentive Chef—is always talked about and shared, this time Nick showcases four of his more obscure sketches. "Robot Repair" features Hartman as a robot obsessed with syntax. "Only in New York" stars Hartman and...

It's an election year, so Nick revisits some of the most iconic political impressions in "Saturday Night Live" history. In Part 1 of this series, Nick focused on impressions performed by guest stars and hosts rather than regular cast members. In Part 2, cast members are showcased, and you'll hear the background stories about the impressions, who wrote the bits and sketches, and the full sketches themselves. You'll hear Dan Aykroyd's classic Jimmy Carter, Kate McKinnon's hilariously grotesque...

In this episode, Nick looks back at the night that consumer advocate, author, attorney, and future presidential candidate Ralph Nader hosted "Saturday Night Live." It was a notable show, not just for Nader's appearance, but because it was a night of many firsts. It marked the debut of cast member Bill Murray, who made an incredible impression right from the start with fresh characters, funny writing, and hilarious performances. This episode also featured the very first "Coneheads" sketch,...

In this episode, Nick reviews the performance of "The Summer Jobs" tour of stand-up comedy that he recently attended in Chicago. The hilarious show was performed by "Saturday Night Live" cast members James Austin Johnson, Devon Walker, and Andrew Dismukes. Nick not only reviews the comedy show but also provides a bio of each performer, sharing their comedy background and playing back some of their best work on SNL. You'll hear highlights from Studio 8H, including terrific Weekend Update...

Dave Attell is one of the best and most influential stand-up comedians of the past three decades. His uproarious nightclub shows, brilliant TV specials, guest appearances on talk shows, regular spots on "The Daily Show," and his groundbreaking and hilarious show "Insomniac with Dave Attell," have cemented his reputation as a comedy legend, especially in New York. However, his stint on "Saturday Night Live" was short-lived and rather unmemorable. Attell was hired as a writer and background...

On November 22nd, 1980, actor Malcolm McDowell hosted "Saturday Night Live," and to put it kindly, it was a disaster. The episode started with a lousy Cold Open, followed by an uninspired monologue (which you will hear), a brutal bit involving an S&M "Leather Weather" report, many sight gags that bombed HARD, and a sketch featuring McDowell and Gilbert Gottfried in drag. To top it off, the talent-free Charles Rocket appeared as a stripping/flashing Prince Charles. These elements combined...

Nick takes a hilarious look back at one of the funniest (and dumbest) sketches in SNL history: "Colonel Angus." Written by Tina Fey and featuring the weird and hilarious Christopher Walken as the Colonel, this crude, one-joke piece revolves around making as many sexual references as possible connected to the main character's name, filled with nudge-nudge gags for about five minutes straight. The result is a classic, riotous, and often-quoted sketch that has lasted far longer than anyone...

"Monty Python's Flying Circus" was a major influence on the early days of "Saturday Night Live." As Monty Python gained huge popularity in America, SNL was also making its mark. In this episode, Nick looks back at the time Michael Palin and John Cleese appeared on SNL in 1997—and absolutely bombed. They not only bombed, but they did so while performing one of Python's most beloved and hilarious sketches: "The Dead Parrot." Nick provides a complete history of the "Dead Parrot" sketch and...

Season 49 of "Saturday Night Live" has wrapped, and in this episode, Nick takes a comprehensive look back at the entire season. He reviews all 20 episodes, sharing dates, details, behind-the-scenes stories, and more. Nick ranks the episodes from best to worst, discussing the standout hosts and musical guests, both good and bad. He also highlights the top five funniest sketches of the year. Featured hosts include Timothee Chalamet, Emma Stone, Josh Brolin, Kristen Wiig, Sydney Sweeney, Ryan...

Paul Thomas Anderson is one of the most acclaimed writer/directors in the history of film, with such credits as: "Boogie Nights," "Magnolia," "Punch-Drunk Love," There Will Be Blood," "Licorice Pizza," and more. In this episode, Nick looks back at P.T.A.'s connection to "Saturday Night Live," including talking about his early love of watching SNL, some of the sketches he has written for the show in the past, and the fact that his life-partner is legendary former cast member Maya Rudolph....