Live from L.A.and San Bernardino Mountains and the East Coast, it's Saturday.I mean, it's not it's Wednesday, but it's how do we human?It's the podcast where we overanalyze all the weird and uncomfortable micro moments in life.
I'm one of your hosts, Evan Cox.I'm one of your hosts, Chris Binning. And today we it's been a while.We have a guest.We're very excited.We've got John Schneider, creator and executive producer, creator, executive producer and host.
I'm giving you all the titles of the Saturday Night Network.John, welcome.
Thank you so much for having me.What an honor.Thank you, guys.
Uh, and you know, we mentioned in our little, uh, uh, intro there that this podcast, uh, normally we talk about, uh, you know, situations that make us feel awkward or uncomfortable, but anybody that's been listening to us for the last 285 episodes know that sometimes we like to throw our entire premise out the window.
and just do something for fun.And that's what we're doing today in honor of SNL's 50th anniversary.We're doing a draft, building out our...
You know all star yeah dream teams a better way to put it because I feel like when you say all-star And then you see how many people are inevitably gonna be left undrafted it feels Untrue, but yeah kind of creating what could be a dream one-off episode of SNL And
see kind of who ends up with the most intriguing episode on paper.You know, there have been plenty of episodes that seem good on paper and then turn out not so good.So maybe all of our episodes would be bad.But we're going to find out that part.
Oh, Lorne Michaels is good at this.Yeah, exactly.
Got it.OK. Well, that's the beauty of podcasting, guys, is that you can really do whatever the hell you want.
So yeah, and there's no way to fact check whether or not we did a good job.So no rules.Yes.John, for the for the listeners, what's your history with the show?Ben, what how long have you been watching Saturday Night Live on a consistent basis?
And what do you think of SNL 50 so far?
Oh OK, lots of good questions.
So I I always like grew up, you know, hearing about the show and checking out some episodes, but it was really when I got into high school that I had like the very traditional SNL experience of, you know, not being like old enough to go out and like.
go clubbing and like miss what's going on, but be be old enough to actually stay up with my friends on Saturday nights.And we would very much look forward to watching the show on a weekly basis.
And I got very lucky that when I was in high school, it was a, you know, quote, unquote, golden era of the show, where, you know, things were doing really well there.
Some of the best cast members ever were there, you know, your Kristen Wiggs and Bill haters, Jason Statham, Fred Armisen, Keenan, like, you know, like all those,
people work together and producing great stuff week after week so much so that we would you know go to school on Mondays and then everyone would be talking about the sketches so like SNL for me like became a pretty big part of my life at that point.
And then I got to the 40th anniversary of the show, which was about 10 years ago.And I realized, I thought I was a fan, but I didn't realize how much had happened prior to that.
So my obsessive nature led me to going back and watching every SNL episode since 1975. Um, you know, just learning about the entire series, uh, taking some like detailed notes on stuff and like statistics and all that stuff.
And I ended up starting a podcast called SNL stats, um, over COVID when I was, you know, sort of looking for something to do.
And, uh, fortunately, uh, you know, people were interested and then eventually we grew it into what is the Saturday night network now.
Uh, and you know, we're fortunate that we get to cover the show on a week to week basis and interview cast members and, uh, go to the show sometimes.
So like, it's, it's been like quite the journey over the last few years, but that's basically like the cliff notes version.That's so fun.
Why did we choose to talk about awkward things?We could just be talking about SNL every week.
SNL can be awkward.Yeah, absolutely.There have definitely been some real awkward moments on that show.Any stress, any worries you have about this draft, John?I'll say that for myself, I'm really worried that even though we're drafting
The whole eras of the show.You can pick anybody.I'm really worried that I'm about to just draft that same golden era that is also when I started watching of Sudeikis and Hater and Wig and just building that same cast again and and
Forgetting what we were supposed to be doing of pulling from all areas.
Well, I'm not so nervous about it.I just I've done a few SNL drafts, so I'm like pretty experienced in that area.
What I think is pretty unique about this draft and what would be fun for any SNL fan to listen to is the caveat that you guys put in the instructions, which was that like if you choose like Chevy Chase, you're not like choosing him in the 70s.
You're choosing like the bumbling Chevy Chase. It's a very like different.So you have to sort of think like, OK, like who still got it?
Yeah, exactly.We were just talking before we started recording.It's interesting to me to think because you don't see like the closest thing I can think of is like Leslie Jones was a bit older than everybody when she started on the show.
But you generally aren't seeing like, oh, all these people in their 20s and one person who's 65.Yeah, right.
Could that work?And I think it might.I don't know.I'm not giving away my draft secrets, but see what happens.
Well, yeah, so we are going to be drafting eight cast members.At least one of them will be hosting Weekend Update.
I think that, you know, with a cast as small as eight cast members, you can assume that that Weekend Update person doesn't have to strictly be on the desk, but And then we are also drafting a host and a musical guest.
All of these people that we're drafting have to be alive as of Wednesday, October 9th, when we're recording.Oh man, don't put a curse out there.
You know, depending on who you pick, maybe that'll be different by the time this episode comes out on Monday.Yeah, exactly.To determine the draft order, We're going to take a little five question quiz.
Whoever gets the most points correct will get to choose where they go in the draft order.It will be a snake draft, even though there's only three of us, we're still going to snake it around.All right.
And then we will, whoever, you know, if there's a tie for points, we can, figure out how we want to handle that at the end.
So wait, these are not SNL questions?These are just general.
Not SNL questions because we knew you would crush us if this was SNL questions.
I was playing so coy for like 10 minutes being like, yeah, sure, do a quiz.Like, that's fine.See what happens.This is maybe an SNL question.
What's a penny for?Yeah, exactly. Which question number one here, the penny farthing was a popular type of what train, car, boat or bicycle?I feel like I know what the answer is.Yes.
Who guesses?This is the we're all going to guess.
It's just the honor system that none of us are looking it up or changing where we're going.But.
Get OK, so yeah, do we say it out loud before you pick?
Sure, yeah, go ahead and say it out loud and then we'll just kind of even though I'm going to be clicking here, we'll just keep track of who has gotten the most correct.
I feel like the only fair way to do it is that we all say it out loud at the exact same time, so that there will be a slight delay probably, so we'll just all have to trust that we said it at the same time.But yeah, here we go.
It will count it down 322. One bicycle.Did we all say bicycle?
I said boat.I said boat.Okay, you said boat.
Okay, Evan and I both said bicycle.It was bicycle.So Evan and I will each get one point.
What was the first commercially available console video game that allowed the video game to be saved?Atari Pong, The Legend of Zelda, Tetris, or Super Mario Brothers?Interesting.
Yeah. I mean, I have my answer, I think.OK.Evan, you feel ready to lock in your answer?I don't feel good at all, but I'll answer.All right.All right.Three, two, one.The Legend of Zelda.
OK, so John and I both picked Pong and Evan, you picked The Legend of Zelda.That's correct. Oh wow, I thought you were wrong for sure, but you got that right, Evan.Look at that.Hey, here's a great question I think we all know.
Where are dolphins' nipples located?Under their chin, behind the fins, on their tail, or anus?
See, I don't know if this is cheating, but I have experience with a picture of me and a dolphin.Oh, man.So I'm trying to see if I could see them.
You know, yeah, we said you can't look it up on the Internet.
But if it's in the room, if you have photographic evidence somewhere in the room, it's OK.
Yeah, I've got to guess based on a completely different, unrelated animal.But I learned that about them recently. and I'm going to attribute it here.
Yeah, I'm just gonna say an answer and I have no clue if it's right.John, you feel ready to pick an answer?
I don't, but let's do it.Okay.
Uh, three, two, one behind the chin.Okay.
Um, I think we all answered different.
Yeah.What did, what did you say?Uh, John, real quick, just so I can mark it down.
Unfortunately, I, you make me say it twice, but I chose anus.I didn't think I would say today.
Great, so we did all pick different ones, so this will be interesting.You got it right, John.
John, be proud of that anus, as we like to say here.Big anus guy here.
Yeah, big anus.What kind of plant does vanilla come from?Orchid, sunflower, rose, or carnation?This is new information to me.
Yeah, I, uh, yeah, I had no idea.I'm going to, I have an answer.I'm going to lock it in, but I'll lock mine in.
I don't like it.I'm good.
All right.Three, two, one carnation. All right, you both chose carnation, I chose orchid and I was correct.
Is anybody keeping score?I am keeping score, yes.Okay, okay.I can always trust Chris's.
This is the last question.Currently, Evan and I each have two points and John, you have one point.So if John, you are the only one to get this right, this whole quiz will have been for nothing.So please, please do that.
what technology was named after a danish king xerox zune microwaves or bluetooth wow also new information old king microwave
I have my answer also.Alright, 321 zoom.Oh, we all pick soon.Alright, we were all wrong is Bluetooth.
Well, there was a king named Bluetooth.
Yeah, I don't know what that what that means.
So well, so Evan and I both tied.I'll defer to you, Evan.Where would you like to go in the draft order?Does you like to be first, second or third?
Listen, I'm going to take that first pick.OK, like a greedy little guy.
Um, I had the next most points.I want to be second because I get stressed out on the end of the snake draft.So, uh, John, uh, we treat our guests a little better than this normally, but you're going to go last.Oh, it's OK.
I actually would have picked third if I had my car.
And it works out for all of us.
You can draft in any order that you would like in terms of like you can draft the host first or last or weekend update person first or last.It doesn't matter, but. Can I clarify one thing?Yes, of course.
So we're drafting eight people total, including the host and musical guest, or eight cast members plus the host and musical guest?
Eight cast members plus host and musical guest.
Excuse me, yes, ten total.In honor of Jean Smart, her premiere episode, I am also doing this episode a little bit sick. And then take it away with your first pick.
Listen, this is I mean, I want this, but this is also purely defensive because I think everybody wants this number one pick off the board.It's Bill Hader.I'm taking it.You can't have him.
You were right to do that because that was also my first pick.I but you know, when he gets his anxiety attack during the episode.It can be on you instead of on me.All right, that's a solid choice, Evan.
It helps me in terms of not drafting the golden era.So I'm going to choose for my first pick, Someone who is only on the show for one season, but has come back many times.I'm going to draft Martin short.Oh, wow.In my first spot here.
You're going, right?Yeah, I like that.
Who do you think I was picking?
OK, yeah, no, no, no, no.All right, he's a good pick.
He was he didn't have a great time, like a great long career as a cast member, but very solid in one season and has hosted four times.So I could get him a little bit later. Um, yeah, I thought you could have too.
I mean, uh, you guys just left me some powerhouses, so I will, uh, pick two here, John.
So who are you picking?All right.
First up, uh, give me, um, maybe the greatest cast member of all time.Uh, Will Ferrell, I'll take your solid still got it, you know, hosted five times on a season for like on the show for like six, seven years, just crushed it.So.
I'm going to go there.And, uh, you know, back to back here, I'm going to take, uh, another, you know, Mount Rushmore cast member who, um, you know, I've seen work a lot with Will Ferrell.
So I like, you know, thinking about the dynamics of my cast right now, I'm going to go with Kristen Wig here.Love it.
Okay.Solid choice. And once we get outside of some of these classic picks, maybe we'll talk some more about some of these cast members, but right now we're just kind of, a lot of us are picking Top names off the board, yeah.
I'm also going to pick someone that works well with Will Ferrell.Not that it'll matter.Who's not on your cast.Who's not on my cast.But I am going to choose, you know, my strategy is to pull this out of your potential roster here.
And I am going to take Amy Poehler off the board.Nice. Maybe that'll be my weekend update person.I haven't decided.I want to see what I can mix around.
I love that pic.I'm a huge fan of Amy.I had her in my top 10 cast members of all time, so it's a good one.
Yeah, it'd be.I hope that she comes back to host.We haven't seen her around.I feel like in a while other than the cameo, I think in Opry Plaza's episode.
Yeah, yeah, I think last time she hosted was with Tina in 2015.
All right, Evan, are you ready to pick two people?
Oh, man, no.But I'm ready to pick one person and then I'll figure it out from there.It's funny.You were both saying you're you're, you know, golden age years from your like high school times.
I'm a smidgen older and did start watching more in those Will Ferrell years. But you guys are picking all of them, and I'm picking all the people from your golden age.I need someone who can do it all.And I mean, oh, and that is my Rudolph.
Yeah, solid choice.Thank you.
I mean, she maybe could play the president.
Hey, yeah, could be.I mean, you already see it.Yeah, sorry not to throw you off. I'm back.Oof.
Okay.Let's see.I just, yeah, I don't want to go too heavy on that.What don't I have?The problem is I feel like I've got so many people who I feel like I can get later, but I hope I'm not wrong.Oh.
Okay, I got I feel like I gotta just cuz this is a big name He's back, baby All-timer I'm going Dana Carvey Okay, that one stressed me out Really had to think about that I mean, I wouldn't have got past me for sure.
Yeah.I this is who I thought you were about to take, Evan, and I thought you were going to steal another pick from me.But I'm going to also pick somebody who can do it all.An all timer, a paragon, if I'm using that correctly, a sketch comedy.
I'm going to take Kenan Thompson off the board.
That was right there for me.I was thinking about Kenan.I broke these down into categories of people who do impressions, people who do all the sketch stuff, stand ups.And then I have a category just called Kenan Thompson with Kenan there.
So I'm going to have to figure out someone else to be Kenan Thompson.I don't know.
Yeah, that's a good one.I think Kenan.See, I thought you were going to say somebody else.I love Kenan, obviously, been on the show forever.But I thought you were going to say someone else.And I'm really glad you left him for me.
Again, caveat being that we're doing this in 2024.But I still think this guy still got it and would absolutely crush it on the show.So I'm going to take Eddie Murphy off the board here.Yeah.Yeah.
Solid choice.You got a solid group here going with the feral wig and Murphy.He brought it.
I feel like three just absolute powerhouses.Then now we're now now we're going to get a little interesting here because I think we took a lot of some a lot of really, really good ones.Just trying to think about who might fall back to me.I think.
I think there's only one person.Who's in my personal top 10 who's still alive and can can fill it out here and do great on my team.I'm going to pick Kate McKinnon here.
Oh interesting, that's not who I thought you were going to pick, just. based on, you know, one of your favorites who's still alive and having listened to some of your podcasts.That's not who I, that was not the name I expected to have come up, but.
Okay.I can't wait to hear who you think that was.Yeah.I just, I just feel like, um, you know, like I want to get a good amount of women on my team.
Um, as Kate's just like this all time great, like I just feel like her and Kristen together, I mean, like to imagine that team together, I mean, it would be just unbelievable.
Yeah, a solid reasoning.If the person's name comes up later, I'll shout it out as who I thought you were going to pick.I don't want to remind Evan if he forgot this person even existed.For my next pick, I also have these broken down into
to categories.You know, I have utility players, I have, you know, the star or the face.
And then I have this other group that I've deemed weirdos, who are just like people with such a different brain for sketch comedy that you never know where it's gonna go.And Joining this is just a wild card choice.
I feel like cause it's similar to Martin short.This is somebody who was around for one season and I'm going to pick Tim Robinson and add Tim Robinson to my team.I'm interested to see if we, if there's any shot at all that Tim Robinson
appears in this 50th season of SNL, whether at the anniversary or, I mean, I doubt it would be more likely I feel like in the anniversary than a cameo in another regular episode.
But I would be interested to see if Tim Robinson ever shows his face in 8-H after that one season he was on.
I think he'll be there.Um, he also wrote for the show for a couple of years after, so it's not like he didn't have any connection there.So I think he'll be around at the 50th and it would be really funny to get him in something.
All right, Evan, you're back.Gonna need you to unmute yourself.
while i've just been probably since your last turn i think oh my god uh well what i've been saying i didn't realize i was muted uh yeah that was tim robinson was going to be my next pick uh you stole him from all right you said weirdos and i said don't take my weirdos because i have a category called bizarro land okay and i really wanted tim robinson uh but he's gone and there's nothing i can do about that
Oh, OK.In that case, do do do do do looking through my list.I just can't trust anything.If Tim Robinson's gone, anyone can go.
One of my categories, I think one thing every sketch show needs is a good, you know, old old old fashioned term, but the straight man and or straight woman. This is one of my favorites.
One of the most reliable cast members ever doesn't ever get his flowers.But I'm bringing Tim Meadows to my team because I think he can make any scene better.After that though...
Just I'll say about him.I mean, he he definitely does not get the credit he deserves.He was fantastic on the show.It took him a few years, but he just was so solid.
And now he's in like every other sitcom out there and every scene he's in is amazing.The guy cracks me up.You both love Tim's.Yeah, true.Yeah.We had to separate him.We didn't want a full Tim team.Can't have a Tim team, man.
Well, hey, yeah, oof, ah, eef.Yeah, this is, I gotta do this.Big name on the board.Ah, no, I changed my mind.Man, I'm wishy-washy today.Take a Bobby Moynihan.
Yeah, love Bobby got to interview him a couple times.He's just awesome.
I stood behind him in line once and he was a great guy Good order.
He got a sandwich and I saw him at the airport.So we've all around Bobby, a man of the people.
Um, well, I guess I'm shocked that this person is still on the board, so I'm going to take them like an idiot now.Uh, and I'm going to pair them with Amy on the weekend update desk.I'm going to take Tina Fey off the board.
That's who I was thinking when I changed my mind, but I realized she's so tied to Weekend Update and just being a head writer, and that's not what I need, because I know who I want for Weekend Update.It was probably a mistake, but you're welcome.
I'm still happy to have her.
Yeah, I think it's a it's a great call.I probably would have taken her here on one of these two picks if you didn't take her.But you did leave me with two of my favorite cast members of all time.
And I'm going to go for them now here because I feel like I have enough powerhouses with Will and Kristen and Eddie and Kate.And I feel like now I just want to round out my team with like what I enjoy in Saturday Night Live.Yeah.
So first up, give me Will Forte, my favorite.
That's who I thought you were going to pick when you picked Kate McKinnon.
Yeah, but if I didn't take a fair, I feel like one of you guys would take it and take it.Sorry on the way back, maybe.But but yes, I got ended up getting will fall to me here.I mean, he's my favorite cast member ever.Just pure hilarity.
So having him on my cast would be awesome.I'm going to also pick Andy Samberg here and get some shorts in.I get the Lonely Island guys back in the building.So for me, does a lot for me.
Man, absolutely.Back to back was who I have to, I did mine.I'm like, Oh, I want Will Forte next.And then you said that I'm like, then I'll take Andy Samberg.All right, back to you, Chris.
Um, you know, I'm, I'm between two on this one.I think I'm going to
I'm going to take someone who I, you know, a lot of my preferred cast members, I guess, are some of the utility people who you can plug in anywhere, as opposed to like some of the big powerhouses
Um, and so I think that this person is still a powerhouse, but also still functions as a utility player.I'm going to add Cecily Strong to my team.
Oh, wow.She missed my list.I forgot.Oh, that's a good call.Thank you.I mucked that up.All right, back to moi.Yes. Alright, well, I'm taking... It's funny how this has become a category in and of itself.
I'm taking someone else who's great with Will Ferrell.Though I don't have him.But one of my favorite older cast members.Sorry, I didn't mean to call her older.I'm taking Sherry O'Terry.Oh, interesting.Big energy.She cracks me up.
I think she'll bring a lot to the squad.
See, that's so interesting because, you know, Sherry obviously loved her on the show.Hasn't done much over the last, like, 10 years.I think she was doing Barbara Walters on, like, the CNN New Year's specials.
But besides that, she's been mostly, like, out of it.So I just don't know, like, how Sherry Oteri, like, would be on an SNL cast in 2024.But obviously, like, one of the best five seasons and done that I've ever seen.
She did one episode of Curb Your Enthusiasm some years ago.That made me laugh, so I think she's still got it.After that, man, what do I need?
You still need someone to do Weekend Update, and then you have one other cast member spot left, aside from Weekend Update.
Do I?I think I have two cast member spots.Am I wrong?
You currently have six people on your team.You have Bill Hader, Maya Rudolph, Dana Carvey, Tim Meadows, Bobby Moynihan, Sherry Oteri.You need two cast members, but one is doing weekend update.Oh, really?
I thought it was two cast members and then one doing weekend update.
All right.Thanks for paying attention.I'm doing great.
Doing great over here.Listen, listen, listen up.I got a weekend update host. I don't think, like, best to ever do it necessarily, but who I do think was best to ever do it has died.
And I like this person a lot as a Weekend Update host, so I am going to take them right now.It's Kevin Nealon.
Another interesting choice.
Still crushing. Yeah, I love Kevin in sketches.On update, he wasn't my favorite.
I feel that way also.I do enjoy like thing.Uh, when Kevin is interviewed on like Conan or when he's been on comedy, bang, bang.I'm like, wow, this guy's really funny.And then I see some of those older weekend update things.It's not for me.
All right.Well, I got to slam your pick here.I apologize.But do keep in mind, I've got Hans and Franz on my team now.
So that's true.You did, you did reunite Hans and France.I cannot argue with that.Uh, I, you know, my team is, I think, you know, a group that's appreciated, but I don't really have like a powerhouse yet.Um, I,
I'm going to open the studio doors and announce, you know, enter Sandman, as it were.I'm gonna put Adam Sandler on my team here in this later pick.
Um, somebody who I thought was kind of hit or miss as a cast member, but since he hosted, uh, however many years ago, that was two or three, uh, I thought was a really solid host.And so it makes me feel like he still has that sketch comedy ability.
Good pick here.I'm going to choose.So when I choose a host and a musical guest, you guys cannot choose those people for a musical guest, correct?Yes.OK, so I'm going to do my host and musical guest here.
I'm going to take two people off the board right now, and I'll leave myself with two cast members, one of whom will be Weekend Update that I'll take down the road.Give me the greatest host of all time who's still got it, Steve Martin.
Going to take him here, take him off the board.
Yeah, have my host here.That's great.Then for my musical guest, give me somebody who is my one of my favorite performers ever.I actually just saw him in concert last Friday and he can also appear in sketches.
Give me Justin Timberlake as my musical guest so you guys can't take him as a host.
Oh, man, is this going to ruin the tour, Evan?I don't know.Let's see.Justin Timberlake.OK, great.Yeah, I mean, those are solid, solid choices.Big, big historical members of the show's history.That's what we say, right?Historical members of history.
Man, now I really have no idea what to do with my pick here.I'm going to, I'm going to pick my musical guest at this point.I'm going to choose someone who, one of the biggest musical stars of all time, certainly of right now.
And despite this big super stardom, seems to still have a like, good relationship with the show, good respect for the show, likes to come back, and is arguably the biggest powerhouse that I've drafted thus far.
So hopefully she makes an appearance in a sketch, but at least we'll be getting eyes on my episode.I'm going to pick Taylor Swift as my musical guest.
Makes sense.Yeah, we'd love to see your host again.
Yeah, I mean, just it's a solid way to to get listener votes.I feel like Taylor Swift out there and then you say, Oh, what would you want to watch?
Oh, this this is rough.All right.So two for me.I have one cast member, a host and a musical guest.Yes.You guys have both already taken.
musical guests I can take that last doesn't matter no one's taking my pics uh I don't think anyone's taking my host either because I got I've got a real out of left field pick so I might as well pick it here I'm going with someone who has never hosted before can you do that strategy oh I can
Yeah, I mean I think you can it'll you know, but how can you do that?
Cuz I can't be like, oh I'm picking John Schneider who was never a cast member to be my cast member on the camera I think I think cast no, I think the host and musical guest you can pick people who haven't been
I think so.Been on the show, but I do think cast.Yeah, I would have.
But they have to be alive.And then it has to be from today.You can't like pick like like like King whatever from 700.
Yeah, but King Bluetooth.Yeah, you can't draft King Bluetooth.
Yeah.All right.Didn't expect this to be as controversial as it has been so far.
Or like picking like Jesus to host or something.
I approached hosting musical guests in a slightly different way than the two of you.And that is, I'm thinking about this show like in the next month or so.Like this is coming out.Who's relevant?Who would be fun?
And for a host who's never hosted before, which is insane, Who is going to be in the upcoming Gladiator 2?I'm taking Denzel Washington.Okay.I mean, that's a wild choice.
It might not work out. But I would watch that episode.I'm crafting a show I would watch.
Yeah, there's like 650 hosts in the history of the show, probably like 300 of them have at least been like good to great.And you chose somebody who we don't even know would be good.So yeah, that's my camera.
That's such an interesting.I mean, yeah, that is an interesting choice for sure.I'm an interesting guy.Yeah, no argument there.Who are you picking next?
okay i think i've got it my last cast member i've got between two people and yeah i think i'm also i'm gonna go a little uh off the beaten path i'm gonna pick a current cast member uh we've only seen a few seasons of them but they're
Uh, equally, I'd say a powerhouse that could do anything.Anytime they're in a sketch, they get laughs, even if they're not the funny part, quote unquote.I'm going to take Eggo Wotem here.
Wow, Evan, I really thought I could get Ego in the last round.
Yeah, I mean, hey, you and I both saw Ego perform before she was even on the show at UCB.
Have that parasocial kinship with her.So it's a solid choice.All right, all right, all right.You're back.I am.I think I'm going to save.
I don't know if I should draft my host now or if I should... You know what, I think I will draft my host now and get it out of the way.I am of several minds on who to draft as host.
It's like, do I pick my favorite actor who has hosted once, which is Sam Rockwell.I don't know if they'll ever let him come back after he dropped an F-bomb on air.I don't know if he's welcome back.He's very good though.
I also, you know, was thinking, you know, it'd be fun to, to pull a name that would, that could potentially be in that Peyton Manning, Betty White, great one time hosts.
Uh, anyway, it's not alive anymore.It's true.It's true.
I meant to, to join that group, not to pick one and bump them up.
Um, uh, but I'm going to, Instead, you know, I'm going to pick someone solid.You know, it's October.We love to celebrate David S. Pumpkins himself.I'm just going to, I'm going to take Tom Hanks.
One of the strongest hosts from many, many eras of the show to cover that as well.So I'll have Tom Hanks as my host.
OK, interesting, because yeah, this this is a little bit different than I was.I was maybe going to take a go, but then you took her so well.
That's crazy that we were all going to take.
Yeah, I mean also like I want my team to be diverse.So like for me, yeah, absolutely important not to take away anything from her like accolades in the show, but I'm just saying she's also like really, really solid.
But yeah, given that my original plan, I believe was going to take a male weekend update anchor. with a female cast member like echo and now I'm thinking I might go.Female for the weekend update host and go male for the cast member.OK, which case?
I know this is like a little bit of a stretch given her age, but she did do weekend update 10 years ago at the 40th anniversary special, and I've seen her in interviews, and I think she's still got it, and it's absolutely hilarious.
I'm going to take Jane Curtin, one of the original cast members. 77. in my opinion, like can still do it for it.You know, we're talking about this season.You know, I think she can still do it now.She doesn't have to be in sketches.
She could just do update.So I'll take Jane Curtin as my weekend update anchor.Truly like one of the all time greats.
So there you go.And then, you know, if we need to come into something, we can always have her there. And then I think to round out my team.
I know you guys talked a little bit about like like the straight man role, like the person who could just really like anchor down a sketch like I got.
Will Ferrell, Kristen Wiig, Eddie Murphy, Kate McKinnon, Will Forte and Andy Samberg who are all like sort of wild cards, but I need somebody to sort of just be like the everyman in a sketch.So I'm going to go Jason Sudeikis here.Nice.
That's a good pick.Yeah.And you get Forte and Sudeikis in that same team.Maybe we get a John Bovee reunion or whatever their ESPN classic characters were.Great.Yeah.Love that duo.
I truly have no idea what I need still on my team, which is kind of a problem, but I currently have a cast of Martin Short, Amy Poehler, Kenan Thompson, Tim Robinson, Cecily Strong, Adam Sandler, and then I have Tina Fey in the mix as well.
I don't know what I still need, which makes things extra difficult.I am going to take someone who I have felt the absence of, maybe not so much this in 49, but definitely the season after he left,
definitely felt this big absence in the cast, which makes me feel like I would benefit from adding him.I'm going to put Beck Bennett on my team in this last spot.Good call.Someone who can be the straight man and also be an outrageous wild card.
Yeah, I could do impressions.He's, you know, very underrated.
Yeah, I yeah, definitely would put him in that same group as Tim Meadows of like somebody who's very versatile on the show, but doesn't really get their flowers.Evan, you have the last pick here.So it's your musical guest.
I know it's kind of an unceremonious way to go.Yeah, I will say I'm I'm mad at myself.I messed up and I knew I was going to and I can't believe I messed up this bad. And I'm like, I'll do an episode with no musical guests.
If I could change that answer, I can't believe.And it's just because you guys, you guys are out here shit talking Kevin.But I was like, oh my God, no one took Seth Meyers.I could have had Seth Meyers do Weekend Update.
I was going to take Seth if you didn't take Ego.
I completely slipped my mind.But there's nothing that can be done about that now.Kevin, you're still gonna do a great job.Wear a GoPro and climb a mountain and do Weekend Update.I mean, shit.I'm sold.Musical guests, like I said, I'm going
Current what's I'm going current.So I'm picking a group from the 90s But they're the big musical news right now it's actually happening they've reunited and Lorne's got to get them on the horn the Lorne horn So we're getting Oasis in here
Oasis, a Denzel Washington and Oasis episode of Saturday Night Live is insane to me.
It's it sounds crazy, but it is relevant to within this month.And like I said, it is very clear that there there's my like age right there.
But at least Oasis has been a musical guest on the show already.Like they were on the they were on the Matthew Perry episode back in the late 90s. Good memory.
No, they'll be back.Yeah, I need Denzel, I need Oasis, and I need Sherry O'Terry.
Yeah, so as a recap, the episodes here, Evan, you have Denzel Washington hosting with Oasis as the musical guest, featuring a cast of Bill Hader, Maya Rudolph, Dana Carvey, Tim Meadows, Bobby Moynihan, Sherry O'Terry, Ego Wotem,
and Kevin Nealon on the Weekend Update desk.
I have Tom Hanks hosting with Taylor Swift as the musical guest with a cast of Martin Short, Amy Poehler, Martin Short, Kenan Thompson, Tim Robinson, Cecily Strong, Adam Sandler, and Beck Bennett with Tina Fey and Amy Poehler doing double duty on the Update desk, I should say.
And then John, your episode, Steve Martin hosting with Justin Timberlake as the musical guest.
with a cast of Will Ferrell, Kristen Wiig, Eddie Murphy, Kate McKinnon, Will Forte, Andy Samberg, Jason Sudeikis and Jane Curtin on the weekend update desk.
Does I mean, I guess, you know, there are a lot of people still that didn't get drafted that have still been great on the show.Does anybody want to remove a pick and pick anybody left on the board?We'll leave that option available.
I already said who I would swap out Seth Meyers for Kevin Nealon.
Is that something you want to do, Evan?I mean, you've been giving Kevin such a positive encouragement the last several rounds.
Here's the thing.With my current cast, I have the opportunity to keep a potential Hans and Franz reunion or reunite Stefan and Seth Meyers. And that feels more important right now.In this economy.
So you are going to you're going to remove if that's allowed.
I mean, I'm fine with it.
You picked Denzel.So anything's allowed.
I love my show.Let's put in there.Yeah.I mean, I. Seth is my favorite late night host.And I think that like I don't know if this played into anyone's thoughts with like Jost and Che also.Yeah.
Where we see Jost and Che do update on a regular basis already.
I feel like I see at least not so much necessarily the guests element of hosting weekend update aside from whenever Andy Samberg has like a character idea and goes on late night with Seth Meyers.
But I feel like with the monologue, I see Seth also doing a shorter version, I guess, or a different version of weekend update every week also, or every almost every night.
So that, you know, made it feel less special than seeing Jane Curtin, Amy Poehler, Tina Fey, or even Kevin Nealon returning to that desk.
Just gonna find a way to talk shit about my choice.Yeah.
I mean, we are going to have to lobby on which episode is going to be the one to choose John.Anybody that you would like to substitute out or you feel happy with your.With what you with who you've drafted, excuse me.
I think I'm good.Yeah, I feel pretty good.I think I crushed you guys.
I mean, yeah, I got some heavy hitters.You do have a lot of heavy hitters in there.I also feel content with my draft as well.I mean, there are some people that I had sitting in the in the in the honorable mentions there with
John Lovitz and Molly Shannon and Julia Louis-Dreyfus.That was my next group I was looking at, but yeah, I don't want to really want to pick Dan Aykroyd, but at this point in his life, I don't know that it would work.
Yeah, I mean, maybe he would come on to host, promote his skull vodka brand or whatever that that drink is called.It comes in a skull.Yeah.
Well, now is the point where we can lobby, give one last case to the listeners who will give their input on which episode they'd like to see the most.
Evan, you were the first pick, so give us a quick little pitch on why everyone should tune in to Denzel Washington and Oasis hosting SNL.
I love that show.What I will say though is since no one else is switching, I will go back to Kevin Nealon because that feels like cheating.And that's who I drafted. And I like it.I still like that choice.
All right.Fair enough.Kevin Nealon's back on your team.
Listen, if you're a fan of SNL, we've seen some of these people.We've seen Tom Hanks host.We've seen Steve Martin host.It's always good to great. But how exciting is it when there's someone that you've not seen before?A legend.
Imagine a training day sketch with Denzel Washington and Bill Hader.Bill Hader doing Angel Dust.This is comic gold.I mean, Bill Hader, Maya Rudolph, Dana Carvey.Right there, that's three of the best cast members ever.
We've got impressions on my team.We've got big sketch energy.We got some goofballs.We got it all.It's a well-rounded team, a solid weekend update, and Denzel fucking Washington.And that is my pitch.
All right.Well, I have the next draft pick.So I'll say that my Tom Hanks and Taylor Swift hosted episode, I think, pandering. You know, it's is it pandering or is it giving the people what they want?What they want.That's not how I run Saturday.
I think, you know, we're getting, you know, titans of SNL, you know, the longest tenured cast member, Kenan Thompson, alongside beloved Weekend Update hosts and comedy duos in Tina Fey and Amy Poehler.
You're also getting, you know, the high energy of Martin Short, the crowd favorite of Adam Sandler or Cecily Strong.And then you've also got Beck Bennett and Tim Robinson in there to really shake things up.
You'll maybe get a wacky little pre-tape sketch in the vein of something that you might now see on I Think You Should Leave. Um, you know, it's not, I struggle to see Denzel Washington in a wig doing a wacky character.
And, uh, you know, John's got a solid lineup, but maybe it's too many powerhouses colliding with each other.Who knows?Uh,
I think that Tom Hanks and Taylor Swift could lead a great episode to celebrate the history of Saturday Night Live in its 50th season.John, your pitch for Steve Martin and Justin Timberlake.
Yeah, I mean, what else is there to say?But no, seriously, I mean, like two of the great host musical guests ever just to have them on the show and get them to see, you know, add to their resumes, I think would be so exciting.
And again, like we're not just picking a cast here for season, you know, 46 or 47 or 48 or 49.This is for 50, right?So, you know, when you say too many powerhouses, there's no such thing in season 50.It's about celebrating the history of the show.
So I feel like my cast definitely ranges through SNL history when you're talking about
you know, the absolute greatest of three different eras in Will Ferrell, Kristen Wiig, and Eddie Murphy, and then even Kate McKinnon, who's probably the most recent great cast member to come out of the show.
So just those four to top it off, I mean, then I get a little bit personal with what I like to see in the show, which I think is, you know, people like, you know, Forte and Sudeikis, who are just amazing together, just being a straight guy and the weirdo, and then Andy Samberg, who, you know, changed the game of
pre tapes on the show.Even just this past weekend, we got to see a new digital short with him on there.So for me, I feel like my team is stacked.And then I have one of the greatest weekend update hosts anchors ever.
Somebody who you know, if you're going to think about the history of the show and celebrate it going back, you know, 45 years to her being on the update desk, I I'm just would watch if this episode ever existed.The season ever existed.
I feel like everybody would be watching it.So that's why I'm happy about my team.
Here's the main thing I have to say.How... I mean, you don't want to, like, screw over the main cast and just go, you're not involved this season.But how fun would it have been if season 50 was just a mash-up season?
Like, these were just three episodes, every episode was a new mash-up group, the people in line going to see the show don't know who the cast's gonna be.That would have been fun as hell.
Well, I think they're doing that a little bit because, you know, they're they're bringing back some old cast members for this season and they're integrating them into the show.
So like we just got an SNL digital short, but they did integrate the current cast.So that was a throwback.
Having Dana Carvey on the show, you know, all these people between like 40 and 60 are like, you know, just so excited that they're having, you know, Dana back on the show.Like we got a church chat this week.Everyone would go nuts.
So I think they can do it without disrupting the integrity of season 50.So it's happening.
I do think also there's a, you know, coming back to do Biden, Dana's really positioned himself in a good spot to join the Five Timers Club hosting at some point in the next couple months.Well, those are our three episodes.
We will hope to hear from you both on social media or on in our email or anywhere that you want to let us know which episode you think would be most exciting to check out.
You can let us know on our social media at HowDoWeHuman or send us an email to HowDoWeHumanPod at gmail.com.John, anything you'd like to plug as we start to wrap up here?
Sure.So for those who don't, uh, follow the Saturday night network, uh, if you love SNL, whether it's SNL from, you know, many years ago or from now, uh, we do like full coverage of everything.So, you know, during live weeks, we do an after show.
Um, you know, right after the show is over at 1 AM, we're live on YouTube to break down all of the sketches that happened that night.We got a live chat going as well.So it's a great way to meet SNL fans from around the world.
Uh, we have a Monday night round table where we talk about, you know, the context of that episode and how it stacks up in the history of the show.
We also have a statistics show that airs on Wednesday nights called By the Numbers, where we look at all the screen time and analytics of the cast that week.
So if you're really into sports and you love live television that way, you could look at it through our By the Numbers shows.
And then if you're a fan of vintage SNL and you want to catch up the way that I did, well, not exactly the way I did, but if you want to catch up in a little bit more of a Cliff Notes way with looking back at the seasons, we are producing a new series on our YouTube channel right now called Everything You Need to Know.
about Saturday Night Live, where we have like 15 to 20 minute videos on each season, telling the story of season one, two, three, and so on.So it's a really fun way to catch up on this special anniversary season.
So search the Saturday Night Network, YouTube, Apple podcast, Spotify, wherever you listen.And you can follow us on social media at the SNL network on any social platform.
That's awesome.I'd love to check those out.
Are you going to?Are you trying to hit the season 49 everything you need to know right before the 50th anniversary special?Are you trying to do it before the end of the season?What's what's the timeline like?
I've you just did season 14 just came out, so we have 15 coming out this week, so we'll be through that big milestone.I would say like likely by the time it's season 51 premieres, we will have all 50. seasons out.That's the plan right now.
You know, they take time, but I mean, ideally, ideally, like in a perfect world, we would have had everything done in time for the 50th anniversary special.
But we're really like putting like our love and care into all of these videos to like make sure that they do the they celebrate the show and they do the show justice.
So for us, like I'd rather make them as good as they possibly can be and then have them out like eventually rather than, you know, force them out before over the next few months.So I'd say like,
Yeah, probably by this time next year, like all 50 will be out.
Great.Well, I hope that everybody enjoyed this draft.We are in that big momentous season for SNL.Before we go, anything, John or Evan, that you hope to see before SNL season 50 is up?
Maybe somebody joining that five-timers club, maybe somebody coming back to either host or cameo.Any just wild card choices other than Denzel Washington and Oasis.Those are mine.Any wild choices, Grace?
Denzel Washington will host this season.
I think he's been asked before, but I don't know about that.
This is the I think he's been asked.
I'm not sure if he's would do it or not.But yeah, I think for me, it's been on.Not if it.Yeah, if this is it for Kenan Thompson, then I would like him to host.I think that that would be really fun.Eddie Murphy wants to do this.
I would love to see if, you know, they do the same thing where Kenan maybe host the finale of season 50, if that's his last episode.Like, I think that would be a great way to wrap up this special anniversary season.
Yeah, that would be exciting.I'll say for me, we've seen a lot of great writers come back and be great hosts, like Larry David and John Mulaney.
I don't know if this person has been asked and just chosen not to do it, but I would like to see Bob Odenkirk come in and host.
Feels like the time he would have been asked has maybe passed, but hey, I'd still like to get him in there for the anniversary of the show.
I can tell you that I got to hang out with him a little bit when I was there in the spring and I did talk to he was at the show and I did talk to him and ask him if he would ever host and he said he'd love to do it.
OK, well, Lauren Bob's interested, so let's get him in there.
And I'll talk to Denzel and see what we can do.Every time we do a draft, I find out that I'm the strangest person in the world and no one agrees with my takes.So I don't know why I do this.
Is that the concept of the podcast?That you're trying to figure out how to be human?It's a fix.True.
I mean, it did end up tying back into the theme of our podcast.Evan, this has perhaps been a very awkward moment for you.
But I feel like I crushed it and I hope to find one other person out there that agrees with me is my goal.Great.
Well, yes, good luck.Thank you again, John, for being on the podcast.Maybe we'll, you know, invite you back to do a regular episode of the show.You don't have to only talk about Saturday Night Live anytime you're in front of a microphone.
Dolphins nipples.I could talk about.That's true.We are.
Let's plan an episode on dolphin nipples and fill an hour talking about those wonderful ocean creatures. Thank you again, John.And I guess with that, you know, those great initials SNL are going to be replaced with O-K and the letter B for bye.
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