I can't remember a time when I didn't tune into Saturday Night Live pretty much every single weekend there was a new episode. Even as a kid, I was usually granted permission to stay up late and enjoy the laughs.
Since its premiere in 1975, the SNL stages have been home to some of the funniest people on the planet. It's where legends like Will Ferrell and Eddie Murphy made names for themselves before conquering the world of comedy and becoming household names.
Of course, the cast and crew of the show have also had their share of controversy over the years. But you might be caught off guard by some of the more surprising behind-the-scenes stories — from the earlier days, in the '70s and '80s, through to the '90s and beyond — that have slipped through the cracks and gone unheard by most fans.
Take a look to see if you really know everything about the hilarious folks behind SNL.
Let us know if we missed your favorite fact about the show, and be sure to SHARE the fascinating stories with your friends!
1. Eddie Murphy Was Very, Very Persistent
The actor joined the cast at just 19 years old, after calling the show's talent coordinator every single day for a week and begging for a job. At first, they were just going to use him as a background extra. But Eddie's audition impressed them so much that he was given a full contract instead.
2. Dan Aykroyd And John Belushi Hosted After Parties At Their Own Bar
They dubbed their establishment "The Blues Bar," obviously fitting in with their fictional Blues Brothers, and would invite their famous musical friends like Keith Richards and James Taylor to perform for the after-parties.
3. Chevy Chase And Bill Murray Came To Blows
Bill was brought in to replace Chevy following his abrupt, bad behavior-related departure — just six episodes into the second season.
They did ask Chevy to come back and host in 1978, as the first former cast member to take the job. However, Chevy's actions at the time reportedly got on the cast and crew's nerves — so much so that Bill confronted him about his rudeness just an hour before the episode was set to air.
Chevy later found Bill in John's dressing room and supposedly challenged him to a fistfight. Bill's older brother, Brian Doyle-Murray, who was a featured player at the time, was able to pull them apart.
Though he has made short appearances, Chevy has since been banned from ever hosting again.
4. Johnny Carson Got The Whole Thing Started
The legendary Tonight Show host wanted the network to stop airing reruns of his old episodes on Saturday nights so that he could stockpile them to air during the week when he wanted a day off.
So, the network hired Lorne Michaels to develop a show to take its place in 1975.
5. Seeing A Cow Was A Bad Sign
For years, there was a life-sized canvas stuffed cow hanging from the rafters of the studio. It would be lowered to interrupt a performance whenever a joke or sketch wasn't cutting it.
The idea was inspired by Monty Python and the Holy Grail.
6. John Would Purposely Sabotage Sketches
His costar Jane Curtin revealed that the late actor was apparently not a fan of the show's female writers. According to Jane, he'd say, "Women are just fundamentally not funny."
Though his wife later said John changed his tune, the star made his feelings clear by pulling stunts like whispering lines at table reads if he knew they were penned by a woman.
7. Very Few Hosts Have Been Booked Far In Advance
Though some hosts are chosen for specific dates to promote a new movie or album, most of the time the show reaches out to several different celebs with an offer, and Lorne makes his decision in the weeks just before the Saturday slot.
8. Eddie Filled In For Nick Nolte's Hosting Gig
The two were co-stars in the film 48 Hrs., which was the reason Nick was invited to host. However, the actor had too much fun at Studio 54 the night before and Eddie ended up being offered the opportunity while still a cast member of the show — making him the only cast member to ever host while still on the show.
He kicked things off controversially, ending his monologue by saying, "Live, from New York, it's The Eddie Murphy Show!"
9. Chris Farley Stole John's Pants
While on the show in the '90s, Chris stumbled upon a pair of his comedy idol's pants in the wardrobe room and quickly snuck away with them as a souvenir.
10. Chris And Adam Sandler Were Fired At The Same Time
Despite their popularity on the show, both funny guys were given the boot at the same time, when ratings began to slip in 1995.
Of course, neither of their film careers took much of a hit from the news.
11. The Audience Ousted Andy Kaufman
Though he was involved with the show since its premiere in 1975, the unconventional comedian was eventually axed in 1983, after the show gave out a 900-number for viewers to call in their votes to "Dump Andy" or "Keep Andy."
He received 195,544 votes for "dump," beating the 169,186 for "keep."
12. The Balcony Seats Were "Borrowed" From Yankees Stadium
Former owner George M. Steinbrenner III was gracious enough to loan them out to the studio when they were looking for the quickest, cheapest option for extra seating. He assumed he would get them back when the show quickly failed.
They're still being used today.
13. Writers Thought Wayne's World Would Be A Flop
When Mike Myers brought forward his idea for the much beloved sketch to be turned into a movie, Conan O'Brien, the head writer at the time, advised against it. Of course, it not only went on to become a fan favorite — it remains the most lucrative film that began as a sketch on Saturday Night Live.
Did we miss your favorite behind-the-scenes trivia from SNL? Let us know in the comments, and be sure to SHARE with your friends!
