Saturday Night Live

Saturday Night Live

Saturday Night Live is a live American late-night television sketch comedy and variety show developed by Lorne Michaels and Dick Ebersol. The show premiered on NBC on October 11, 1975, under the original title of NBC's Saturday Night.The show's sketches often parody contemporary American culture...

aired its twenty-third season during the 1997–98 television season on NBC

NBC

The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...

. The twenty-third season started September 27, 1997 and ended on May 9, 1998, with 20 episodes being produced. A few changes happened before the start of the season, Mark McKinney

Mark McKinney

Mark Douglas Brown McKinney is a Canadian comedian and actor, best known for his work in the sketch comedy troupe The Kids in the Hall. Following the run of their television series and feature film , he went on to star in Saturday Night Live from 1995 to 1997...

 left the show while Fred Wolf left in the start of the twenty-second season

Saturday Night Live (Season 22)

Saturday Night Live aired its twenty-second season during the 1996-1997 television season on NBC. The twenty-second season began on September 28, 1996 and ended on May 17, 1997 with 20 episodes in all....

. This season was also notable for not having any featured players or any new cast members. This season was also the only season to have an opening sequence that didn't show any shots of New York City.

This season was notable for the controversy surrounding Weekend Update

Weekend Update

Weekend Update is a Saturday Night Live sketch that comments on and parodies current events. It is the show's longest running recurring sketch, having been on since the show's first broadcast, and is typically presented in the middle of the show immediately after the first musical performance...

. Then current anchor Norm Macdonald

Norm MacDonald

Norman Gene "Norm" Macdonald is a Canadian stand-up comedian, writer and actor. He is best known for his five seasons as a cast member on Saturday Night Live, which included anchoring Weekend Update for three years...

 angered NBC executive Don Ohlmeyer

Don Ohlmeyer

Don Ohlmeyer is an American television producer and former president of the NBC network's West Coast division. Currently, Don Ohlmeyer is a Professor of Television Communications at Pepperdine University in Malibu, California...

. Macdonald often told O. J. Simpson

O. J. Simpson

Orenthal James "O. J." Simpson , nicknamed "The Juice", is a retired American collegiate and professional football player, football broadcaster, and actor...

 jokes in the Update segment which upset Ohlmeyer, who was good friends with Simpson and did not find the jokes funny. Ohlmeyer then fired Macdonald from the segment, but not from the show, since Ohlmeyer thought he did better in sketches than on Update. His final Update was in the episode hosted by Helen Hunt

Helen Hunt

Helen Elizabeth Hunt is an American actress, film director, and screenwriter. She starred in the sitcom Mad About You for seven years, before being cast in the romantic comedy As Good as It Gets...

. Quinn was then promoted to the job and began anchoring the segment in the episode hosted by Samuel L. Jackson

Samuel L. Jackson

Samuel Leroy Jackson is an American film and television actor and film producer. After becoming involved with the Civil Rights Movement, he moved on to acting in theater at Morehouse College, and then films. He had several small roles such as in the film Goodfellas before meeting his mentor,...

. Even though Macdonald still performed in sketches, he was not happy and his stay on the show was short-lived. He ended up quitting the show a few months after getting demoted from Weekend Update. His final show was in the show hosted by Julianne Moore

Julianne Moore

Julianne Moore is an American actress and a children's book author. Throughout her career, she has been nominated for four Oscars, six Golden Globes, three BAFTAs and nine Screen Actors Guild Awards....

.

This season saw the deaths of two former cast members. Six weeks after coming back to host, Chris Farley

Chris Farley

Christopher Crosby "Chris" Farley was an American comedian and actor. Farley was a member of Chicago's Second City Theatre and cast member of the NBC sketch comedy show Saturday Night Live from 1990 to 1995....

 became the fifth SNL cast member to die prematurely. Much like his idol, John Belushi

John Belushi

John Adam Belushi was an American comedian, actor, and musician, best known as one of the original cast members of the NBC sketch comedy show Saturday Night Live, The Star of the Films National Lampoon's Animal House and the The Blues Brothers and for fronting the American blues and soul...

, Farley died of a drug overdose at aged 33 consisting of cocaine

Cocaine

Cocaine is a crystalline tropane alkaloid that is obtained from the leaves of the coca plant. The name comes from "coca" in addition to the alkaloid suffix -ine, forming cocaine. It is a stimulant of the central nervous system, an appetite suppressant, and a topical anesthetic...

 and heroin. Two weeks after the season finale, long-time performer Phil Hartman

Phil Hartman

Philip Edward "Phil" Hartman was a Canadian-American actor, comedian, screenwriter, and graphic artist. Born in Brantford, Ontario, Hartman and his family moved to the United States when he was 10...

 was killed by his wife who later shot herself.

Cast

Repertory players

• Jim Breuer
  Jim Breuer
  Jim Breuer is an American stand-up comedian, actor and radio host. He is most noted for his time as a cast member on Saturday Night Live and starring in the 1998 cult "stoner comedy" Half Baked, alongside Dave Chappelle....
  
  
• Will Ferrell
  Will Ferrell
  John William "Will" Ferrell is an American comedian, impressionist, actor, and writer. Ferrell first established himself in the late 1990s as a cast member on the NBC sketch comedy show Saturday Night Live, and has subsequently starred in the comedy films Old School, Elf, Anchorman, Talladega...
  
  
• Ana Gasteyer
  Ana Gasteyer
  Ana Kristina Gasteyer is an American actress of stage, film, and television. She is best known for her comedic roles when she was a cast member on Saturday Night Live from 1996 to 2002.-Early life:...
  
  
• Darrell Hammond
  Darrell Hammond
  Darrell Hammond is an American actor, stand-up comedian and impressionist. He was a regular on Saturday Night Live from 1995 until 2009, the longest tenure of any cast member. Upon his departure, Hammond, at age 53, was the oldest cast member in the show's history...
  
  
• Chris Kattan
  Chris Kattan
  Christopher Lee "Chris" Kattan is an American actor/comedian, best known for his work on Saturday Night Live.-Early life:Kattan was born in Sherman Oaks, California. His father, Kip King, was an actor and voice actor who appeared on the series Reno 911! as Larrie Plum. His mother, Hajnalka E....
  
  
• Norm Macdonald
  Norm MacDonald
  Norman Gene "Norm" Macdonald is a Canadian stand-up comedian, writer and actor. He is best known for his five seasons as a cast member on Saturday Night Live, which included anchoring Weekend Update for three years...
  
  (final episode: March 14, 1998)
• Tim Meadows
• Tracy Morgan
  Tracy Morgan
  Tracy Morgan is an American comedian who is best known for his eight seasons as a cast member on Saturday Night Live and currently known for playing the role of Tracy Jordan on the NBC series 30 Rock.-Early life:...
  
  
• Cheri Oteri
  Cheri Oteri
  Cheri Oteri is an American comic actress, best known for her roles as a cast member on Saturday Night Live from 1995 to 2000.-Personal life:...
  
  
• Colin Quinn
  Colin Quinn
  Colin Edward Quinn is an American stand-up comedian and writer best known for his five years in the cast of Saturday Night Live, as the sidekick/announcer of MTV's late 1980s gameshow Remote Control and as host of Tough Crowd with Colin Quinn on Comedy Central from 2002–2004.-Early years:Quinn was...
  
  
• Molly Shannon
  Molly Shannon
  Molly Helen Shannon is an American comic actress best known for her work as a cast member on Saturday Night Live from 1995–2001 and for starring in the films Superstar and Year of the Dog. More recently, she starred in NBC's Kath & Kim from 2008–2009 and on the TBS animated series Neighbors from...
  
  

Featured players
(none)
bold denotes Weekend Update anchor

Writers

Tina Fey

Tina Fey

Elizabeth Stamatina "Tina" Fey is an American actress, comedian, writer and producer, known for her work on the NBC sketch comedy series Saturday Night Live , the NBC comedy series 30 Rock, and films such as Mean Girls and Baby Mama .Fey first broke into comedy as a featured player in the...

 joins the writing staff in this season. Jim Downey

Jim Downey (comedian)

James Downey is an American comedy writer and occasional actor. Downey is best known as a long-time writer for Saturday Night Live.-Writing:Downey attended Harvard University, graduating in 1974 with a degree in Russian...

 leaves the show after Norm Macdonald

Norm MacDonald

Norman Gene "Norm" Macdonald is a Canadian stand-up comedian, writer and actor. He is best known for his five seasons as a cast member on Saturday Night Live, which included anchoring Weekend Update for three years...

 was taken off Weekend Update (Since Downey co-wrote Update with Macdonald).

Specials

Special	Original airdate	Notes
SNL Halloween '97	November 1, 1997	A clip show hosted by Mike Myers and Dana Carvey Dana Carvey Dana Thomas Carvey is an American actor and stand-up comedian, best known for his work as a cast member on Saturday Night Live and for playing the role of Garth in the Wayne's World movies.-Early life:...  featuring material from previous shows.
SNL Sports Extra '98	January ?, 1998	A clip show featuring material from previous shows.
Best of the New Season '97-'98	January 31, 1998	A clip show featuring some of the best material from the first half of the '97-'98 season. Some of the sketches shown were "Well Babies Tragedy", "Cookie Dough Sport", "The View", "The Ladies' Man", "The Ambiguously Gay Duo".
SNL Remembers Chris Farley	February 21, 1998	The special featured some of the best material featuring the late Chris Farley Chris Farley Christopher Crosby "Chris" Farley was an American comedian and actor. Farley was a member of Chicago's Second City Theatre and cast member of the NBC sketch comedy show Saturday Night Live from 1990 to 1995....  during his stint on the show. The title of the special was called SNL Remembers when it first aired on television. However, it would be renamed and packaged for sale as The Best of Chris Farley. Sketches included: "Chippendales Auditions," "Superfans," "The Chris Farley Show," "Bobby Watches Grandma," "Schmitts Gay," "Focus On Beauty II," "Matt Foley, Motivational Speaker," "Giuliani's Inauguration," "Tater Junction," "Lunchlady Land", "Lillehammer", "Clinton Auditions," "Good Morning Brooklyn," "Japanese Game Show," "Juggernaut Force," "Zagat's," and "Hidden Camera Commercials."
SNL Remembers Phil Hartman	June 13, 1998	The special featured some of the best material featuring the late Phil Hartman Phil Hartman Philip Edward "Phil" Hartman was a Canadian-American actor, comedian, screenwriter, and graphic artist. Born in Brantford, Ontario, Hartman and his family moved to the United States when he was 10...  during his stint on the show. The title of the special was called SNL Remembers when it first aired on television. However, it would be renamed and packaged for sale as The Best of Phil Hartman. Sketches included: "Donahue," "The Crosby Show," "Star Trek Convention," "Discover," "On Broadway," "Church Chat," "Cumpulsion," "Anne Boleyn," "Succinctly Speaking," "All-Drug Olympics," "Nicknames," "Win, Lose, or Tie," "Love is a Dream (film)," "Nancy Reagan Visits," "Robot Repair," "Cooking with the Anal Retentive Chef," "A Betty Ford Straight Arrow Christmas," "Celebrity Lawyer Court," "Greenhilly," "The Sinatra Group," "Clarence Thomas Hearings," "Campaign '92," "Sprockets," "Dick Clark's Snotty Receptionist," "Unfrozen Caveman Lawyer," "Johnny Carson's Last Episode," "Perot and Stockdale Car Trip," "Clinton at McDonald's," "Sassy's Sassiest Boys," and "Acting Class."
The Best of Eddie Murphy	August 22, 1998	The special featured some of the best material featuring Eddie Murphy Eddie Murphy Edward Regan "Eddie" Murphy is an American stand-up comedian, actor, writer, singer, director, and musician....  during his stint on the show. Sketches included: "The Little Richard Simmons Show," "Prose and Cons" (film), "Velvet Jones School Of Technology," "Career Corner," "Ebony & Ivory," "Buckwheat Dead," "Stevie Wonder Impersonator," "Rock & Roll... and then some," "Black History Minute," "Mr. Robinson's Neighborhood," "Gumby," "Buckwheat Sings," and "James Brown's Hot Tub Party."

Episodes

Episode #	Air Date	Host(s)	Musical Guest(s)	Remarks
427 (23.1)	September 27, 1997	Sylvester Stallone Sylvester Stallone Michael Sylvester Gardenzio Stallone , commonly known as Sylvester Stallone, and nicknamed Sly Stallone, is an American actor, filmmaker, screenwriter, film director and occasional painter. Stallone is known for his machismo and Hollywood action roles. Two of the notable characters he has portrayed...	Jamiroquai Jamiroquai Jamiroquai is a British jazz funk and acid jazz band formed in 1992. Jamiroquai were initially the most prominent component in the early-1990s London-based acid jazz movement, alongside groups such as Incognito, the James Taylor Quartet, and the Brand New Heavies. Other Acid Jazz artists such as...	The initial 1996 Olympics 1996 Summer Olympics The 1996 Summer Olympics of Atlanta, officially known as the Games of the XXVI Olympiad and unofficially known as the Centennial Olympics, was an international multi-sport event which was celebrated in 1996 in Atlanta, Georgia, United States....  bombing suspect Richard Jewell Richard Jewell Richard A. Jewell was an American security guard who became known in connection with the Centennial Olympic Park bombing at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, Georgia, United States...  makes a guest appearance, where, in a highly publicized sketch, he punches Janet Reno Janet Reno Janet Wood Reno is a former Attorney General of the United States . She was nominated by President Bill Clinton on February 11, 1993, and confirmed on March 11...  (played by Will Ferrell) in the gut, with Reno responding, "Same time next week?". Jewell also appeared alongside Norm Macdonald on Weekend Update. During the original broadcast, the final sketch of the night featuring Will Ferrell as Elton John Elton John Sir Elton Hercules John, CBE, Hon DMus is an English rock singer-songwriter, composer, pianist and occasional actor...  is cut off by commercials halfway through because of time issues. The Elton John sketch "aired in full a few weeks later, when it was edited into a repeat of an episode hosted by Rob Lowe from the previous season." Also on this episode: fan-favorite sketch starring Sylvester Stallone as the employee of a long-defunct Orange Julius store who now works and lives in the computer store that opened in its place. A similar version of the SNL theme which will be used for Seasons 24 - 25 is heard.
428 (23.2)	October 4, 1997	Matthew Perry Matthew Perry (actor) Matthew Langford Perry is a Canadian-American actor and comedian, best known for his Emmy-nominated role as Chandler Bing on the popular, long-running NBC television sitcom Friends...	Oasis Oasis (band) Oasis were an English rock band formed in Manchester in 1991. Originally known as The Rain, the group was formed by Liam Gallagher , Paul "Bonehead" Arthurs , Paul "Guigsy" McGuigan and Tony McCarroll , who were soon joined by Liam's older brother Noel Gallagher...	Oasis performs "Don't Go Away Don't Go Away "Don't Go Away" is a song by English rock band Oasis from their third album, Be Here Now , written by the band's lead guitarist Noel Gallagher. The song was released as a single only in Japan, peaking at number 48 on the Oricon chart. It was also a success in the United States, where it hit #5 on... " and "Acquiesce Acquiesce "Acquiesce" is a song by the English rock band Oasis, written by Noel Gallagher. The song originally appeared as a B-side to Oasis' first UK #1 single, "Some Might Say", in April 1995... ." This episode marked the first appearance of Tim Meadows' popular "The Ladies Man The Ladies Man The Ladies Man is a 1961 American comedy film directed by and starring Jerry Lewis. It was released on June 28, 1961 by Paramount.-Plot:... " sketch.
429 (23.3)	October 18, 1997	Brendan Fraser Brendan Fraser Brendan James Fraser is a Canadian-American film and stage actor. Fraser portrayed Rick O'Connell in the three-part Mummy film series , and is known for his comedic and fantasy film leading roles in major Hollywood films, including Encino Man , George of the Jungle , Dudley Do-Right , Monkeybone ,...	Björk Björk Björk Guðmundsdóttir , known as Björk , is an Icelandic singer-songwriter. Her eclectic musical style has achieved popular acknowledgement and popularity within many musical genres, such as rock, jazz, electronic dance music, classical and folk...	This episode marked the first appearance of Mango Mango (Saturday Night Live) Mango was a character performed by Chris Kattan on the American sketch comedy show Saturday Night Live. The character was co-created and developed by Kattan and SNL writer Scott Wainio along with initial creative contributions by Roy Jenkins. Mango is a male exotic dancer who performed in a strip... . A Roxbury Guys sketch was cut after dress rehearsal (though footage from the week's rehearsal was shown on Access Hollywood Access Hollywood Access Hollywood is a weekday television entertainment news program covering events and celebrities in the entertainment industry. It was created by former Entertainment Tonight executive producer Jim Van Messel, and is currently directed by Robert Silverstein. In previous years, Doug Dougherty and... ) Guest appearance by Eric Dickerson Eric Dickerson Eric Demetric Dickerson is a former professional running back in the National Football League who in his career played for the Los Angeles Rams, Indianapolis Colts, Los Angeles Raiders, and Atlanta Falcons.-College career:...
430 (23.4)	October 25, 1997	Chris Farley Chris Farley Christopher Crosby "Chris" Farley was an American comedian and actor. Farley was a member of Chicago's Second City Theatre and cast member of the NBC sketch comedy show Saturday Night Live from 1990 to 1995....	The Mighty Mighty Bosstones The Mighty Mighty Bosstones The Mighty Mighty Bosstones are an American ska punk band from Boston, Massachusetts, formed in 1983. Since the band's inception, lead vocalist Dicky Barrett, bassist Joe Gittleman, tenor saxophonist Tim "Johnny Vegas" Burton and dancer Ben Carr have remained constant members...	Chevy Chase Chevy Chase Cornelius Crane "Chevy" Chase is an American comedian, writer, and television and film actor, born into a prominent entertainment industry family. Chase worked a plethora of odd jobs before moving into comedy acting with National Lampoon...  and Chris Rock Chris Rock Christopher Julius "Chris" Rock III is an American comedian, actor, screenwriter, television producer, film producer and director. He was voted in the US as the 5th greatest stand-up comedian of all time by Comedy Central...  have cameo appearances in the cold opening and monologue. Chicago news anchor and reporter Bill Kurtis Bill Kurtis Bill Kurtis is an American television journalist, producer, narrator, and news anchor. He is also the current host of A&E crime and news documentary shows, including Investigative Reports, American Justice, and Cold Case Files...  along with George Wendt George Wendt George Robert Wendt III is an American actor, best known for the roles of Norm Peterson and Tug Clarke on the television shows Cheers and Modern Men.-Early life:...  and Mike Ditka Mike Ditka Michael Keller Ditka, Jr. is a former American football NFL player, television commentator, and coach. Ditka coached the Chicago Bears for 11 years and New Orleans Saints for three years. Ditka and Tom Flores are the only two people to win Super Bowls as a player, an assistant coach, and a head...  appear in a short film showing the lives of the "Bill Swerski's Superfans Bill Swerski's Superfans Bill Swerski's Superfans was a recurring sketch about Chicago sports fans on the American sketch comedy program Saturday Night Live. It was a prominent feature from 1991–1992, and its characters have made various other appearances since its inception.... " after their run on SNL. This would turn out to be Farley's last-ever appearance on the show. The 60-minute syndicated version edits out the cold opening where Lorne Michaels Lorne Michaels Lorne Michaels, CM is a Canadian-American television producer, writer, and comedian best known for creating and producing Saturday Night Live and producing the various film and TV projects that spun off from it.-Early life:...  doesn't want Chris Farley to host, but Tim Meadows and Chevy Chase convince him. Also cut is the monologue where Chris Rock and Tim Meadows stall for time when Farley fails to show up. Throughout the episode, Farley's voice was hoarse, as a result of him having blown it out during the dress rehearsal. The cast and crew were unsure if Farley would be able to perform on Saturday. Chris Rock hung around all week and had prepared a monologue and a few sketches in case Farley was unable to go on.
431 (23.5)	November 8, 1997	Jon Lovitz Jon Lovitz Jonathan "Jon" Lovitz is an American comedian, actor, and singer. He is best known as a cast member of the NBC sketch comedy show Saturday Night Live from 1985 to 1990.-Early life:...	Jane's Addiction Jane's Addiction Jane's Addiction is an American alternative rock band formed in Los Angeles, California in 1985. The band's original line-up featured Perry Farrell , Dave Navarro , Eric Avery and Stephen Perkins . After breaking up in 1991, Jane's Addiction briefly reunited in 1997 and again in 2001, both times...	Jane's Addiction performs "Jane Says Jane Says "Jane Says" is a song by alternative rock group Jane's Addiction. It was first released in live format on the group's 1987 live debut album, Jane's Addiction. It was re-recorded in the studio for their first studio album, Nothing's Shocking... ." Former cast member Dana Carvey Dana Carvey Dana Thomas Carvey is an American actor and stand-up comedian, best known for his work as a cast member on Saturday Night Live and for playing the role of Garth in the Wayne's World movies.-Early life:...  makes a surprise appearance in this episode.
432 (23.6)	November 15, 1997	Claire Danes Claire Danes Claire Catherine Danes is an American actress of television, stage and film. She has appeared in roles as diverse as Angela Chase in My So-Called Life, as Juliet in Baz Luhrmann's Romeo + Juliet, as Kate Brewster in Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines, as Yvaine in Stardust and as Temple Grandin in...	Mariah Carey Mariah Carey Mariah Carey is an American singer-songwriter, record producer, and actress. She made her recording debut with the release of her eponymous studio album in 1990, under the guidance of Columbia Records executive Tommy Mottola, whom she later married in 1993...	Colin Quinn plays Joe Blow during Weekend Update.
433 (23.7)	November 22, 1997	Rudy Giuliani Rudy Giuliani Rudolph William Louis "Rudy" Giuliani KBE is an American lawyer, businessman, and politician from New York. He served as Mayor of New York City from 1994 to 2001....	Sarah McLachlan Sarah McLachlan Sarah Ann McLachlan, OC, OBC is a Canadian musician, singer and songwriter. Known for her emotional ballads and mezzo-soprano vocal range, as of 2006, she has sold over 40 million albums worldwide. McLachlan's best-selling album to date is Surfacing, for which she won two Grammy Awards and four...	Sarah McLachlan performs "Sweet Surrender Sweet Surrender (Sarah McLachlan song) "Sweet Surrender" is a song written and co-produced by Sarah McLachlan, from her multi-platinum album Surfacing, first released in 1998.The song was released as the album second single with a video directed by Floria Sigismondi... ." The 60-minute rerun version of this episode only shows a minute of the "Freakin' Giuliani" sketch where a cab driver (played by Rudolph Giuliani) complains about the changes in New York thanks to the mayor at the time (Giuliani). The sketch fades to black after the cab driver says, "Freakin' Giuliani!"
434 (23.8)	December 6, 1997	Nathan Lane Nathan Lane Nathan Lane is an American actor of stage and screen. He is best known for his roles as Mendy in The Lisbon Traviata, Albert in The Birdcage, Max Bialystock in the musical The Producers, Ernie Smuntz in MouseHunt, Nathan Detroit in Guys and Dolls, Pseudolus in A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to...	Metallica Metallica Metallica is an American heavy metal band from Los Angeles, California. Formed in 1981 when James Hetfield responded to an advertisement that drummer Lars Ulrich had posted in a local newspaper. The current line-up features long-time lead guitarist Kirk Hammett and bassist Robert Trujillo ...	Metallica performs "Fuel Fuel (song) "Fuel" is a song by Metallica. The theme of the song could be applied to the fact that people like to drive their lives too fast... " and "The Memory Remains The Memory Remains -Personnel:Metallica*James Hetfield – vocals, rhythm guitar*Kirk Hammett – rhythm and lead guitar*Jason Newsted – bass*Lars Ulrich – drumsAdditional performer*Marianne Faithfull – additional vocals on "The Memory Remains"Production... ," the latter of which featured Marianne Faithfull Marianne Faithfull Marianne Evelyn Faithfull is an award-winning English singer, songwriter and actress whose career has spanned five decades....  (singing off-key) on additional vocals. Lane's The Lion King The Lion King The Lion King is a 1994 American animated film produced by Walt Disney Feature Animation and released by Walt Disney Pictures. It is the 32nd feature in the Walt Disney Animated Classics series... co-star, Ernie Sabella Ernie Sabella Ernest "Ernie" Sabella is an American actor, who is best known for his role as the official voice of Pumbaa from the The Lion King.-Life and career:... , makes a cameo appearance during the monologue, in which both sing a few bars of "Hakuna Matata Hakuna Matata Hakuna matata is a Swahili phrase that is literally translated as "There are no worries." It is sometimes translated as "no worries", although is more commonly used similarly to the American English phrase "no problem".-Jambo Bwana:... ." In the 60-minute rerun of this episode, the monologue where Nathan Lane, Ernie Sabella, and Ana Gasteyer go around Studio 8H singing "Hakuna Matata Hakuna Matata Hakuna matata is a Swahili phrase that is literally translated as "There are no worries." It is sometimes translated as "no worries", although is more commonly used similarly to the American English phrase "no problem".-Jambo Bwana:... " cuts off after Ernie Sabella's surprise appearance. Guest appearance by the Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders. Adam Sandler Adam Sandler Adam Richard Sandler is an American actor, comedian, screenwriter, musician, and film producer.After becoming a Saturday Night Live cast member, Sandler went on to star in several Hollywood feature films that grossed over $100 million at the box office...  is given an additional sketch writing credit.
435 (23.9)	December 13, 1997	Helen Hunt Helen Hunt Helen Elizabeth Hunt is an American actress, film director, and screenwriter. She starred in the sitcom Mad About You for seven years, before being cast in the romantic comedy As Good as It Gets...	Hanson Hanson (band) Hanson are an American pop rock band formed in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by brothers Isaac , Taylor , and Zac Hanson . They are best known for the 1997 hit song "MMMBop" from their major label debut album Middle of Nowhere, which earned three Grammy nominations...	Hunt's As Good as It Gets As Good as It Gets As Good as It Gets is a 1997 American romantic comedy film directed by James L. Brooks and produced by Laura Ziskin. It stars Jack Nicholson as a misanthropic, obsessive-compulsive novelist, Helen Hunt as a single mother with an asthmatic son, and Greg Kinnear as a gay artist. The screenplay was... co-star Jack Nicholson Jack Nicholson John Joseph "Jack" Nicholson is an American actor, film director, producer and writer. He is renowned for his often dark portrayals of neurotic characters. Nicholson has been nominated for an Academy Award twelve times, and has won the Academy Award for Best Actor twice: for One Flew Over the...  makes a cameo appearance during the monologue and in a "Roxbury Guys" sketch. Todd Hundley Todd Hundley Todd Randolph Hundley is a former Major League Baseball catcher and outfielder. He is the son of former Chicago Cubs catcher Randy Hundley... , Scott Rolen Scott Rolen Scott Bruce Rolen is a Major League Baseball third baseman for the Cincinnati Reds. He is an eight-time Gold Glove winner and seven-time All-Star.-Philadelphia Phillies:... , Mark Wohlers Mark Wohlers Mark Edward Wohlers is a former right-handed relief pitcher in Major League Baseball best known for his years with the Atlanta Braves from to... , Marty Cordova Marty Cordova Martin Keevin "Marty" Cordova [cor-DOH-vuh] , is an American former Major League Baseball left fielder. He played for the Minnesota Twins , Toronto Blue Jays , Cleveland Indians and Baltimore Orioles... , Jeff Fassero Jeff Fassero Jeffrey Joseph Fassero is a former Major League Baseball pitcher.-Montreal Expos:Fassero was drafted by the St. Louis Cardinals in the 22nd round of the amateur draft, but he bounced around in the minors for several years until he joined the Montreal Expos in... , Gregg Jefferies Gregg Jefferies Gregory Scott "Gregg" Jefferies is a retired infielder/outfielder in Major League Baseball who had a 14-year career from 1987 to 2000.-New York Mets:... , Mark Grudzielanek Mark Grudzielanek Mark James Grudzielanek is a retired Major League Baseball second baseman and shortstop. Grudzielanek played six different teams during his 15-season career. He batted and threw right-handed.-Early years:... , Rondell White Rondell White Rondell Bernard White is an outfielder and designated hitter in Major League Baseball. His career batting average currently stands at .284 and his career slugging percentage is .462.... , Todd Zeile Todd Zeile Todd Edward Zeile is a former catcher, third baseman, and first baseman in Major League Baseball who played from 1989 to . After graduating from UCLA, where he played as a catcher, Zeile played for 11 Major League teams during his career: the St... , Russ Davis Russ Davis Russell Stuart Davis is a former Major League Baseball third baseman who played for the New York Yankees, Seattle Mariners, and San Francisco Giants from 1994 to 2001. A highly touted prospect in the Yankee organization, he was packaged along with Sterling Hitchcock in a December 1995 trade for... , Cliff Floyd Cliff Floyd Cornelius Clifford Floyd, Jr. is a former Major League Baseball outfielder.-Early years:Floyd was born to parents Cornelius Clifford Floyd, Sr. and Olivia Floyd. After spending 13 years as an only child, Floyd was joined by brother Julius... , David Howard David Howard (baseball) David Wayne Howard , is field coordinator of minor league instruction for the Boston Red Sox of Major League Baseball, and a former utility player in MLB who played from through for the Kansas City Royals and St. Louis Cardinals . Listed at 6 feet and 175 lb... , Mike Sweeney Mike Sweeney Michael John "Mike" Sweeney is a former Major League Baseball first baseman. Sweeney played his first 13 seasons in the majors with the Kansas City Royals, originally as a catcher and then moving to first base. Sweeney has also played for the Oakland Athletics, Seattle Mariners, and Philadelphia...  and Gerald Williams make an appearance in one sketch. This episode features Norm Macdonald's last appearance as Weekend Update anchor.
436 (23.10)	January 10, 1998	Samuel L. Jackson Samuel L. Jackson Samuel Leroy Jackson is an American film and television actor and film producer. After becoming involved with the Civil Rights Movement, he moved on to acting in theater at Morehouse College, and then films. He had several small roles such as in the film Goodfellas before meeting his mentor,...	Ben Folds Five Ben Folds Five Ben Folds Five is an alternative rock trio formed in 1993 in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. The group comprises Ben Folds , Robert Sledge , and Darren Jessee . The group achieved mainstream success in the alternative, indie and pop music scenes...	Ben Folds Five performs "Brick Brick (song) "Brick" is a song performed by Ben Folds Five released on their 1997 album Whatever and Ever Amen and later on Ben Folds Live. The verses were written by Ben Folds about his high school girlfriend undergoing an abortion, and the chorus was written by the band's drummer, Darren Jessee... ." Colin Quinn takes over as Weekend Update anchor in this episode. He begins the segment with a bartender analogy which essentially asks the audience to give him a chance.
437 (23.11)	January 17, 1998	Sarah Michelle Gellar Sarah Michelle Gellar Sarah Michelle Prinze , known professionally by her birth name of Sarah Michelle Gellar , is an American actress, singer and executive producer...	Portishead	The Buffy the Vampire Slayer/Seinfeld Seinfeld Seinfeld is an American television sitcom that originally aired on NBC from July 5, 1989, to May 14, 1998, lasting nine seasons, and is now in syndication. It was created by Larry David and Jerry Seinfeld, the latter starring as a fictionalized version of himself... sketch is not shown in the 60-minute rerun versions, due to issues with the owner of Buffy, 20th Century Fox 20th Century Fox Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation — also known as 20th Century Fox, or simply 20th or Fox — is one of the six major American film studios... , and the owner of Seinfeld, Castle Rock Entertainment Castle Rock Entertainment Castle Rock Entertainment is a film and television production company founded in 1987 by Martin Shafer, director Rob Reiner, Andrew Scheinman, Glenn Padnick and Alan Horn. It is a subsidiary of Warner Bros... . Portishead performs "Only You" to a puzzled audience. After the final notes of the performance, a stagehand begins to applaud, sparking a delayed response from the audience.
438 (23.12)	February 7, 1998	John Goodman John Goodman John Stephen Goodman is an American film, television, and stage actor. He is best known for his role as Dan Conner on the television series Roseanne for which he won a Best Actor Golden Globe Award in 1993, and for appearances in the films of the Coen brothers, with prominent roles in Raising...	Paula Cole Paula Cole Paula Cole is an American singer/songwriter. Her single "Where Have All the Cowboys Gone" reached the top ten of the Billboard Hot 100 in 1997, and the following year she won a Grammy Award for Best New Artist.-Early life:...	Dan Aykroyd Dan Aykroyd Daniel Edward "Dan" Aykroyd, CM is a Canadian comedian, actor, screenwriter, musician, winemaker and ufologist. He was an original cast member of Saturday Night Live, an originator of The Blues Brothers and Ghostbusters and has had a long career as a film actor and screenwriter.-Early...  cameos in this episode, reprising two of his popular recurring characters, Elwood Blues from The Blues Brothers The Blues Brothers The Blues Brothers are an American blues and soul revivalist band founded in 1978 by comedy actors Dan Aykroyd and John Belushi as part of a musical sketch on Saturday Night Live...  (during the monologue) and Irwin Mainway from "Consumer Probe" (in the Judge Judy sketch). He also impersonates Bob Dole Bob Dole Robert Joseph "Bob" Dole is an American attorney and politician. Dole represented Kansas in the United States Senate from 1969 to 1996, was Gerald Ford's Vice Presidential running mate in the 1976 presidential election, and was Senate Majority Leader from 1985 to 1987 and in 1995 and 1996...  in the cold opening.
439 (23.13)	February 14, 1998	Roma Downey Roma Downey Roma Downey is an actress, singer, and producer, from Derry, Northern Ireland. She is best known as Tess's angel/employee, Monica, the main character of the TV series Touched by an Angel. She is also the wife of television producer, Mark Burnett.-Early life:Downey was born and raised in Derry...	Missy "Misdemeanor" Elliott	While not appearing in any sketches and not billed in the opening credits for the past few weeks, soon-to-be-ousted cast member Norm Macdonald surprised Downey and others by rushing onstage to join the cast during the show's good nights. Newt Gingrich Newt Gingrich Newton Leroy "Newt" Gingrich is a U.S. Republican Party politician who served as the House Minority Whip from 1989 to 1995 and as the 58th Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives from 1995 to 1999....  was scheduled to host this episode.
440 (23.14)	February 28, 1998	Garth Brooks Garth Brooks Troyal Garth Brooks , best known as Garth Brooks, is an American country music artist who helped make country music a worldwide phenomenon. His eponymous first album was released in 1989 and peaked at number 2 in the US country album chart while climbing to number 13 on the Billboard 200 album chart...		Robert Duvall Robert Duvall Robert Selden Duvall is an American actor and director. He has won an Academy Award, two Emmy Awards, four Golden Globe Awards and a BAFTA over the course of his career....  made a guest appearance in two sketches, one of which is the game show parody "Who's More Grizzled?" where he tells the game show host (played by Norm Macdonald) that he doesn't like him. In a bit of an in-joke, Norm replies, "Yeah, I get that a lot".
441 (23.15)	March 7, 1998	Scott Wolf Scott Wolf Scott Richard Wolf is an American actor, known for his roles on the television series Party of Five as Bailey Salinger and on Everwood as Dr. Jake Hartman. Since 2009, he has appeared in the Sci-Fi series V as the morally ambiguous journalist, Chad Decker.-Early life:Wolf was born in Boston,...	Natalie Imbruglia Natalie Imbruglia Natalie Jane Imbruglia is an Australian singer-songwriter, model and actress. In the early 1990s, Imbruglia was known to audiences as Beth Brennan in the popular Australian soap Neighbours. Three years after leaving the programme, Imbruglia launched a singing career with the international hit,...
442 (23.16)	March 14, 1998	Julianne Moore Julianne Moore Julianne Moore is an American actress and a children's book author. Throughout her career, she has been nominated for four Oscars, six Golden Globes, three BAFTAs and nine Screen Actors Guild Awards....	Backstreet Boys Backstreet Boys The Backstreet Boys are an American vocal group, formed in Orlando, Florida in 1993. The band originally consisted of A. J. McLean, Howie Dorough, Brian Littrell, Nick Carter and Kevin Richardson. They rose to fame with their debut international album, Backstreet Boys...	All reruns on NBC NBC The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago... , Comedy Central Comedy Central Comedy Central is an American cable television and satellite television channel that carries comedy programming, both original and syndicated.... , and E! E! E! Entertainment Television is an American basic cable and satellite television network, owned by NBCUniversal. It features entertainment-related programming, reality television, feature films and occasionally series and specials unrelated to the entertainment industry.E! has an audience reach of...  edit out the "Conspiracy Theory Rock" TV Funhouse cartoon. This sketch can now be seen on some video websites and the DVD version of the SNL clip show special "The Best of TV Funhouse". Norm Macdonald makes his final appearance as a cast member in this episode. Backstreet Boys performe Everybody (Backstreet's Back) Everybody (Backstreet's Back) "Everybody " is the first single from the Backstreet Boys' second international album Backstreet's Back in 1997, and the third single and fourth track from their debut US album in 1997. It is one of their signature songs. The US debut was originally released without the song, which references the...  and As Long as You Love Me As Long as You Love Me "As Long As You Love Me" is the second single by the Backstreet Boys from their debut album in the United States and the second single from Backstreet's Back internationally. It was released in September 1997 internationally and in October of the same year in the United States. It is one of the... .
443 (23.17)	April 4, 1998	Steve Buscemi Steve Buscemi Steven Vincent "Steve" Buscemi is an American actor, writer and film director. An associate member of the renowned experimental theater company The Wooster Group, Buscemi has starred and supported in successful Hollywood and indie films including New York Stories, Mystery Train, Reservoir Dogs,...	Third Eye Blind Third Eye Blind Third Eye Blind is an American alternative rock band formed in the early 1990s in San Francisco. The songwriting duo of Kevin Cadogan and Stephan Jenkins signed the band's first major label recording contract with Elektra records in 1996 resulting in two multi platinum albums. The band's lineup...	This episode features a number of guest appearances including John Hurt John Hurt John Vincent Hurt, CBE is an English actor, known for his leading roles as John Merrick in The Elephant Man, Winston Smith in Nineteen Eighty-Four, Mr. Braddock in The Hit, Stephen Ward in Scandal, Quentin Crisp in The Naked Civil Servant and An Englishman in New York... , Didi Conn Didi Conn Didi Conn is an American film, stage and television actress.-Personal life:Conn was born in Brooklyn, New York, the daughter of a clinical psychologist. "Didi" was her childhood nickname... , Lewis H. Lapham Lewis H. Lapham Lewis H. Lapham is an American writer. He was the editor of the American monthly Harper's Magazine from 1976 until 1981, and from 1983 until 2006. He also is the founder of the eponymous publication about history and literature entitled Lapham's Quarterly. He has written numerous books on... , and Natasha Henstridge Natasha Henstridge Natasha T. Henstridge is a Canadian fashion model turned actress. Her most notable on-screen roles include Species, The Whole Nine Yards, It Had To Be You, Ghosts of Mars, She Spies, the TV series Eli Stone, and the Canadian TV mini-series Would Be Kings, for which she won the Gemini Award for... . Jason Alexander Jason Alexander Jay Scott Greenspan , better known by his professional name of Jason Alexander, is an American actor, writer, comedian, television director, producer, and singer. He is best known for his role as George Costanza on the television series Seinfeld, appearing in the sitcom from 1989 to 1998... , Whoopi Goldberg Whoopi Goldberg Whoopi Goldberg is an American comedian, actress, singer-songwriter, political activist, author and talk show host.Goldberg made her film debut in The Color Purple playing Celie, a mistreated black woman in the Deep South. She received a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Actress and won... , Gilbert Gottfried Gilbert Gottfried Gilbert Gottfried is an American actor, voice actor and stand-up comedian, best known for his trademark comedic persona of speaking in a loud, grating tone of voice. He has played numerous roles in film and television, perhaps most notably voicing the parrot Iago in Disney's Aladdin , and... , and Molly Ringwald Molly Ringwald Molly Kathleen Ringwald is an American actress, singer and dancer. Having appeared in the John Hughes movies Sixteen Candles , The Breakfast Club , and Pretty in Pink , Ringwald has been frequently named the greatest teen star of all time...  lend their voices in the animated TV Funhouse segment.
444 (23.18)	April 11, 1998	Greg Kinnear Greg Kinnear Gregory "Greg" Kinnear is an American actor and television personality who first rose to stardom in 1991. He has appeared in more than 20 motion pictures, and was nominated for an Academy Award for his role in As Good as It Gets.-Early life:Kinnear was born in Logansport, Indiana, the son of...	All Saints All Saints (band) All Saints were a British/Canadian girl group. Founded in 1993 as All Saints 1.9.7.5, the group consisted of founding members Melanie Blatt and Shaznay Lewis, and sisters Nicole Appleton and Natalie Appleton...	Guest appearance by Bob Hoskins Bob Hoskins Robert William "Bob" Hoskins, Jr. is an English actor known for playing Cockney rough diamonds, psychopaths and gangsters, in films such as The Long Good Friday , and Mona Lisa , and lighter roles in family films such as Who Framed Roger Rabbit and Hook .- Early life :Hoskins was born in Bury St... .
445 (23.19)	May 2, 1998	Matthew Broderick Matthew Broderick Matthew Broderick is an American film and stage actor who, among other roles, played the title character in Ferris Bueller's Day Off, Adult Simba in The Lion King film series, and Leo Bloom in the film and Broadway productions of The Producers.He has won two Tony Awards, one in 1983 for his...	Natalie Merchant Natalie Merchant Natalie Anne Merchant is an American singer-songwriter and musician. She joined the alternative rock band 10,000 Maniacs in 1981 and left it to begin her solo career in 1993.-Early life:...	Tenacious D Tenacious D Tenacious D is an American rock band that was formed in Los Angeles, California in 1994. Composed of lead vocalist and guitarist Jack Black and lead guitarist and vocalist Kyle Gass, the band has released two albums – Tenacious D and The Pick of Destiny...  appear as a special guest.
446 (23.20)	May 9, 1998	David Duchovny David Duchovny David William Duchovny is an American actor, writer and director. He has won Golden Globe awards for his work as FBI Special Agent Fox Mulder on The X-Files and as Hank Moody on Californication.-Early life:...	Puff Daddy	Guest appearance by John Goodman John Goodman John Stephen Goodman is an American film, television, and stage actor. He is best known for his role as Dan Conner on the television series Roseanne for which he won a Best Actor Golden Globe Award in 1993, and for appearances in the films of the Coen brothers, with prominent roles in Raising... . Guest appearance by Jimmy Page Jimmy Page James Patrick "Jimmy" Page, OBE is an English multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, and record producer. He began his career as a studio session guitarist in London and was subsequently a member of The Yardbirds from 1966 to 1968, after which he founded the English rock band Led Zeppelin.Jimmy Page... . Jim Breuer's final episode as a cast member.