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  • Avatar of HelloStuart

    HelloStuart

    [1]Sep 8, 2007
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    Hey guys,

    A few weeks ago, someone in this forum suggested that I should start a thread for any random questions a casual fan might have about the show. I was only hesitent because I thought it felt somewhat arrogant, but after some consideration I decided it was worth a shot.

    For those of you who don't know me, my name is Stu and I'm been watching SNL since grade school. I'm also the editor of the SNL episode guide and I've been writing episode reviews at this site since 2003.I'd like to think I'm fairly well-versed in show-related trivia or any other information you might be looking for. One drawback, though- if you're looking for tapes or MP3s of old episodes, I don't have any to lend out, sorry.

    The lines are open, and I'm always here to help.

    EDIT: Please do not ask more than three questions at a time. Thank you.

    Edited on 04/16/2008 7:23pm
    Edited 2 total times.
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  • Avatar of thecomedianky

    thecomedianky

    [2]Sep 9, 2007
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    Hi, Stu. Why did E! get the rights for SNL and air it so much fewer times a week than Comedy Central? Don't they know us SNLcoholics need our SNL viewing each day?
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  • Avatar of HelloStuart

    HelloStuart

    [3]Sep 9, 2007
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    thecomedianky wrote:
    Hi, Stu. Why did E! get the rights for SNL and air it so much fewer times a week than Comedy Central? Don't they know us SNLcoholics need our SNL viewing each day?

    Good question, Daniel. I don't know what E's motive is, but my theory that they're going to let their syndication contract run out; problem is, I don't know if it expires next year or in '09. Either way, SNL and E! were an odd combo to begin with, and I wouldn't be surprised if the 60-minute edits were airing on another channel by the end of the decade. If it's any condolence, however, I'm starting to see fewer and fewer MADtv repeats on Comedy Central. Whether there's a connection or not, I'll leave that to the conspiracy theorists.
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    Willy105

    [4]Sep 9, 2007
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    Why don't they show this like earlier? So that people can actually see it!
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  • Avatar of HelloStuart

    HelloStuart

    [5]Sep 9, 2007
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    Willy105 wrote:
    Why don't they show this like earlier? So that people can actually see it!

    Because E! is clearly much more interested in Paris Hilton's bowel movements than it is for sketch comedy. Like I said before, complete mismatch.
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  • Avatar of mp34mp

    mp34mp

    [6]Sep 9, 2007
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    #1. What's SNL's budget?

    #2. What percentage of the budget goes towards costumes & props? (something I think we're seeing less and less of)

    #3. Does SNL pay the hosts & musical guests? #4. Why hasn't Buck Henry hosted since the '70s?
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  • Avatar of HelloStuart

    HelloStuart

    [7]Sep 9, 2007
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    mp34mp wrote:
    #1. What's SNL's budget?

    #2. What percentage of the budget goes towards costumes & props? (something I think we're seeing less and less of)

    #3. Does SNL pay the hosts & musical guests? #4. Why hasn't Buck Henry hosted since the '70s?

    I like your spunk, Mark.

    1. NBC won't give the official numbers, but I've heard it's in the vicinity of $5-6 million a year, slightly more than Leno and Conan.

    2. I'll be honest with you- I've noticed that too, but the show has always been recycling costumes and backdrops, sometimes within the same broadcast. If my limited experience with stage and theater serves me right, it's about 10% of the budget.

    3. About $5,000 a pop. It's not like they need the money...

    4. There are various theories about Buck. The "popular" theory is that by 1985 he was too old for the demographic Lorne was looking for when he resumed control of the show. The "tabloid" theory is that there was some falling out with Lorne when Buck was a cast member on "The New Show," a short-lived sketch-comedy program that aired on NBC in the Spring of 1984.
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  • Avatar of JerrySteveDave

    JerrySteveDave

    [8]Sep 10, 2007
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    How much longer, realistically, can Lorne Michaels produce the show, and who are some likely replacements?
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  • Avatar of HelloStuart

    HelloStuart

    [9]Sep 10, 2007
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    JerrySteveDave wrote:
    How much longer, realistically, can Lorne Michaels produce the show, and who are some likely replacements?

    I think Lorne probably has another good ten years left in him. As for succeeding him, that's somewhere between the unthinkable and the impossible to guess. Odds are, either Steve Higgins or Marci Klein will probably get promoted.
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  • Avatar of mp34mp

    mp34mp

    [10]Sep 10, 2007
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    What's the status on Don Pardo on this upcoming season, and whose in line for his irreplaceable position? The man is 89 years old.
    Edited on 09/10/2007 8:09pm
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  • Avatar of HelloStuart

    HelloStuart

    [11]Sep 11, 2007
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    mp34mp wrote:
    What's the status on Don Pardo on this upcoming season, and whose in line for his irreplaceable position? The man is 89 years old.

    I think he's gonna go as long as he wants to. It's not like the work is grueling anymore; he does the opening credits, pre-records the teaser for next week, and maybe once in a while he'll pop up in a sketch. It's almost like he's semi-retired as it is.
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    TheDiamondDog

    [12]Sep 11, 2007
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    How much do hosts and musical guests get paid to be on the show?
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  • Avatar of HelloStuart

    HelloStuart

    [13]Sep 11, 2007
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    TheDiamondDog wrote:
    How much do hosts and musical guests get paid to be on the show?

    I actually answered that in Post #7.
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  • Avatar of TVsensai95

    TVsensai95

    [14]Sep 11, 2007
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    1.how much longer can the show go on for? 2.When will they get new cast members.
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  • Avatar of mp34mp

    mp34mp

    [15]Sep 11, 2007
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    Is there any hope for a cast member to leave mid-season & we'll get a new one?
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  • Avatar of HelloStuart

    HelloStuart

    [16]Sep 11, 2007
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    TVsensai95 wrote:
    1. how much longer can the show go on for? 2. When will they get new cast members.

    I'm taking it that you have a somewhat negative stance on the show's current state, Sensai.

    1. As long as there is a crop of young and capable comedy talent, SNL will continue to air. Some people compare the show to a "comedy college" of sorts, but to me it's a like triple-A baseball team. Some players will make it to the big leagues, while others just stagnate.

    2. From the looks of it, there won't be any new cast members at the start of next season, but if someone gets wanderlust we might see at least one new featured player during the year.

    mp34mp wrote:
    Is there any hope for a cast member to leave mid-season & we'll get a new one?


    If you're referring to Maya and DH, all bets are off. I think it's getting to the point where they're not on the show to advance their careers, but rather hang around for the hell of it. They're both capable character actors, but I doubt either of them will have a strong post-SNL career, if and when that happens.
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    TheDiamondDog

    [17]Sep 11, 2007
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    HelloStuart wrote:
    TheDiamondDog wrote:
    How much do hosts and musical guests get paid to be on the show?
    I actually answered that in Post #7.

    Oops. I really should read these closer. And I had something else to ask but forgot again.

    Oh yeah, which 5 cast members are the highest paid (of this season)? And who is the highest paid castmember of all time so far?

    Edited on 09/11/2007 8:40pm
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  • Avatar of HelloStuart

    HelloStuart

    [18]Sep 12, 2007
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    TheDiamondDog wrote:

    HelloStuart wrote:
    TheDiamondDog wrote:
    How much do hosts and musical guests get paid to be on the show?
    I actually answered that in Post #7.

    Oops. I really should read these closer. And I had something else to ask but forgot again.

    Oh yeah, which 5 cast members are the highest paid (of this season)? And who is the highest paid castmember of all time so far?

    The highest-paid are usually the ones with the most seniority, but again, NBC won't release the figures.

    As for the highest-paid in the show's history, Will Ferrell was offered $400,000 an episode to stay for Year 27, his last season on the show.
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    geraldo44

    [19]Sep 22, 2007
    • member since: 09/22/07
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    How do I obtain past episodes of SNL. I would really like either a video or a transcript of Episode #504, Season #26 (5/12/01) the Masterpiece Theatre "Scarlet Letter" episode with Will Farrell. Is there any possiblity of purchasing this somewhere?
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  • Avatar of Water78

    Water78

    [20]Sep 22, 2007
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    What would you say is the reasonwhy Amy is sticking around for?

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