Saturday Night Live - Celebrates 50 Years Of Relevant, Edgy And Topical American Comedy

 Thursday February 20th, 2025

My Dear America:

It certainly doesn't seem to me as though 50 Years have passed since my Wife (Who was my girlfriend at the time) and I first started watching Saturday Night Live at 11:30 PM on Saturday Nights.  The first episode of this unusually funny and topical show that we watched was not actually the first show aired.  The actual first show that aired was Broadcast on October 11th, 1975 and was rebroadcasted this past Saturday Night shortly after a 3 hour Saturday Night Live Special featuring the music and musicians that Saturday Night Live featured over the years.  Often times just being featured on Saturday Night Live could make or kickstart a musicians career.  

The first show that aired featured George Carlin, Billy Preston and my Talented Gray Haired Facebook Friend, Janice Ian, who was a teenager when the first episode of Saturday Night Live was taped.

Over the years watching Saturday Night Live has become a Saturday Night Ritual that my Wife and I continue to enjoy together.  We have seen some of the funniest people in the world as hosts and as cast members on this fabulous Comedy Playground.

The list of comedy stars who got their start on Saturday Night Live is endless and the list of hosts is just as long.  Even Donald Trump and Elon Musk, who I'm sure will never be invited back to do it again, took their turns as hosts.

This past Sunday's Spectacular Four hour extravaganza featured many of the stars that have been featured over the 50 year history of SNL.  Musical guests Paul Simon began the show and Paul McCartney put the finishing touches on the show.  Comedians were featured throughout.  Steve Martin, Martin Short, Tracy Morgan, Chris Rock, Adam Sandler and so many more were there.

The fact that this show has survived for 50 years is truly a miracle.  

I was lucky enough back in the day in I think it was 1977 or 78 to spend a week backstage with the Saturday Night Semi Original Group Cast that were called at the time "The Not Ready For Prime Time Players".  I had called NBC and spoken to someone there stating that I wanted to write a piece for Rolling Stone Magazine about Saturday Night Live and I was invited by SNL to spend a week backstage as the group produced the Miracle Show at the end of the week.  Robert Klein was the host and Bonnie Raitt was the musical guest for the week that I was there.  I simply hung out for the week backstage feeling tremendously intimidated and not talking to anyone except Bill Murray, who was nice enough to talk to me first.  I wrote the piece and sent it to Rolling Stone but they never published it.  I plan to include the piece in a book I am presently working on called "Recovered Memories".

I had the privilege in that week that I spent behind the scenes of SNL to watch as all of the separate pieces of the Saturday Night Live Puzzle were seemingly randomly put in place over the course of the week that produced what looked like and actually was in the end an Incredibly Precise Entertaining Funny and Musical Performance that I could have sworn at the beginning of the week would never and could never have actually worked out in the professional way that it did.  

And this production mostly helmed over the 50 year period by Producer Lorne Michaels not only produced SNL Episodes but also produced some very funny movies based on characters initially created on Saturday Night Live.  The Blues Brothers, Coneheads, Waynes World and other SNL Characters made their way to the big screen after being created on the small screen.

It must also be realized that Saturday Night Live existed through some very difficult and frightening times during the course of its years on Television.  The Vietnam War, Watergate, Iran Contra, The Clinton and Trump Impeachments, The Iraq War, Three Mile Island were all subjects of Comedy and sometimes Tragedy on Saturday Night Live.  

Some of SNL's best sketches skewered very well known real life characters. Those characters included Presidents Jimmy Carter, Gerald Ford, Bill Clinton, George Bushes 1 and 2., as well as Donald Trump.

My Friend Larry Let me know recently that he had watched some additional Saturday Night Specials on Peacock that he thought were pretty entertaining.  Also Lawrence O'Donnell just recently featured an interview with the author of "Lorne", a book about SNL's Longtime Producer, Lorne Michaels. Another special to watch for is a movie called "Saturday Night", which features actors playing the cast and crew of Saturday Night Live producing their First Live Broadcast.  This movie has been in theaters but I am assuming will be streaming soon. 

Indeed, on the first SNL show my wife and I watched the host was Ron Nessen, who was at the time of the show's airing Gerald Ford's Press Secretary.  The fact that Gerald Ford, who was portrayed on Saturday Night Live by Chevy Chase as kind of a bumbling fool, allowed his Press Secretary to host this show and still keep his job blew our minds. Once we saw that show we knew that this show was something very special and it has continued to be very Special for 50 years on Television and I hope will remain a relevant and funny Saturday Night Special for at least 50 more years to come.

Sincerely Yours

Jerry Gallagher 

   

Donald Trump - Emperor Of The Arts

February 11th, 2025

My Dear America:

 If There was any doubt about the fact that Donald Trump sees himself as The 2025 Fuhrer of the United States of America Trump just destroyed that doubt by firing the board members of the Kennedy Center For the Arts including the Chairman of that board.  In addition to that disturbing development, Trump derangely appointed himself to be the replacement for the Kennedy Center Board Chairman.

Now, Isn't That Special.

Clearly Trump was not in agreement regarding the many Artists of all kinds chosen for the Kennedy Center honors

Where was Kid Rock, for instance, in the winners box at the Kennedy Center Honors.  I'm sure that he will be there in that winners box very soon getting his just due from the Fuhrer.  How could the Kennedy Center have passed over K Rock and The Village People for Kennedy Center Honors.  Jesus, how could it be that these talented Artists have been overlooked  for Kennedy Center acknowledgement of their remarkable talents.

Yes, Friends,  Not only does the Emperor have no clothes on He also has nothing to qualify him as a judge of artistic talent.  Well ,yes he was the judge and jury on his Fake TV Show, "The Apprentice" but everybody knew that this show wasn't real life.  Didn't they?

Well, based on MAGA and the last Presidential Election, apparently not everyone thought that "The Apprentice" was just a Fake TV Show.

The Make America Great Crowd apparently felt and still feel that Donald Trump was a talented businessman who knew much more than how to fire people.  The MAGA crowd still refuses to accept the facts about Donald Trump which include the following:

Donald Trump is a notorious Liar who lies about everything but MAGA seems to want to believe that everything he says is the truth despite the fact that they can often times see with their own eyes that he is not telling the truth.

Donald Trump has been a businessman who has not had a great deal of luck or talent as a businessman.  He was initially financed by his Father. He has lost fortunes in business and has declared bankruptcy in several of his business ventures.

I have made it a habit to watch the Kennedy Center Honors on Television almost every year.  It has been a pleasure to see the honoring of so many truly talented Artists of all kinds getting recognized by the Kennedy Center for their artistic achievements.

I have the feeling that my days of watching The Kennedy Center Honors are over.

I will certainly not be tuning in to watch Artists Fawning all over Trump since that is the only way that anyone calling themselves an Artist is going to receive Kennedy Center Accolades from Donald Trump.

I just hope that Donald Trump does not do to the Kennedy Center what he has done to so many of his failed businesses, namely Bankrupt and Destroy it.

Well, The Kennedy Center was nice while it lasted.

I sincerely hope that the Kennedy Center Outlasts the Trump Administration but I wouldn't bet big money on it.

Sincerely Yours

Jerry Gallagher

Republicans, What In God's Name Have You Done To Our Country

Monday, February 3rd,  2025

My Dear America:

After two Hellish Weeks following Donald Trump's return to the White House all I can think of is "How in the Hell are we going to put up with Four Years of this Reckless Bullshit?"

Certainly no one in their right mind expected Trump's Election and Inauguration to lead to prosperous and wonderful times but these two weeks have been Awful beyond belief and every day seems to lead to something more Stupid and Harmful than the day before.

Good God, How the hell are we expected to last through this.

And speaking of God, one of the first things Donald Trump did as he began his Administration was to attend Christian Services at The District of Columbia Episcopal Cathedral to put on a phony show of how religious he claimed to be.

The Service Trump attended along with his Vice President and their wives was conducted by Bishop Marian Budde, the DC Episcopal Bishop who as a part of her Sermon Pleaded directly to Donald Trump as President to show Mercy to Gay and Transgender Children as well as Immigrants, legal and Illegal and others who were "Scared".

In other words, Bishop Budde in her own Honest, Peaceful and Respectful Approach urged President Trump to show some manner of adherence to the humanistic teachings of Jesus, who Trump Claims to revere.  As the Bishop was gently talking Mercy Donald Trump showed his Angry Face, while Melania Trump and JD Vance were observed to be smiling and possibly chuckling as if what the Bishop was saying was funny. 

Jesus Christ, You would have thought by the reaction of Trump and Vance and other supposedly reputable Republicans that Bishop Budde might have revealed herself to be a Sadistic Pervert instead of a Purveyor of Peace, Love and Mercy.

I have often asked "What is wrong with the Republican Party" but rarely have I seen something that so clearly shows what's wrong with it as the Republican response to this Peaceful Bishop's Gentle and Soft Pedaled Urge to be Merciful to those individuals who are frightened by the prospect of a certified Mentally Unstable Racist Megalomaniac in the White House who has promised to root out Gay, Transgender and Illegal Immigrant Human Beings who Trump has called "Vermin".

Instead of Prominent Republicans calling out Donald Trump's horrible actions over the past couple of weeks many Republicans have instead chosen to focus their anger and attention toward The Bishop who had the Audacity to speak about Actual Christian Values to people who at least claim to be Christians but don't show much evidence of it.

What Republicans have shown, however and continue to show is that those Republicans who are still in office are spineless puppets who never would have made the grade in Ronald Reagan's Republican Party. Those Few Republican Heroes who have shown the courage to speak out against the madness have been largely thrown out of their party.  

Republicans, like the rest of us, can clearly see what Donald Trump is trying to do and so far he is mostly successful in his efforts.  Those efforts include pushing Unfit Candidates to fill Cabinet seats and setting up an outrageous agenda and then forcing Republican Leaders to go along with his reckless policies and awful picks for Cabinet positions and other Government Leadership Positions.

Among Donald Trump's Reckless actions during the past couple of weeks are the following:

Withdrawing America from the World Health Organization.

Pushing Congress to Confirm his terrible Cabinet Picks including Pete Hegseth, who is now in charge of the Pentagon and has followed through on Trump's desire to take away General Mark Milley's Security Detail apparently with the hope that Iran might be successful in assassinating Milley.  Other Terrible Cabinet Picks include Kristi Noem, Robert Kennedy Junior and Tulsi Gabbard.

Establishment of the Department of Government Efficiency with Elon Musk in charge of trimming Government Spending.  What could go wrong there.

Eliminating Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Programs throughout the government. 

Sending The American Military to the border.

Establishing 25 Percent Tariffs on Our long established trading partners Mexico and Canada and a 10 Percent tariff on China with promises of more tariffs to come.

Eliminating Birthright Citizenship even though it is a long established Constitutional Right.

Reversing countless Biden Administration principles apparently because they were Biden's including doing away with the cap on Insulin costs.  

Withdrawing from the Paris Climate Agreement.

Eliminating what The Trump Administration determines are "Burdensome Rules & Regulations" including such things as food inspection regulations.  

Mass Firings of individual Prosecutors and others in the FBI, Justice Department and other Government Agencies such as the Federal Administration Authority (Although the chaos in the FAA may or may not be related, we have had two disastrous Airplane crashes in the past week. One in DC and One in Philadelphia resulting in extensive loss of life and injuries.  

All of these actions are cause for concern but probably the most Outrageous act that Donald Trump was responsible for was the Pardoning of all of the January Sixth Convicted Felons releasing all of those violent offenders from Prison.

One more outrage is the revoking of Security Clearances for at least 50 Long Time Intelligence Professionals.

Trump has also begun the process of taking Thousands and eventually probably Millions of Illegal Immigrants from wherever they can be rounded up and put them on Military flights to their country of origin or to Guantanamo Bay Where they will be housed with the accused Terrorists left from past wars.

And Much, Much More.

Clearly these early and outrageous acts are meant to establish that Trump is in charge in these early days of his Administration and although Trump made a big issue during his campaign of distancing himself from Project 2025 almost every outrageous action he has taken so far is taken from suggested actions featured in Project 2025.  

Surprise.

What is clear to me is that Democrats will largely unite against the outrageous conduct and Cabinet picks but Those Republicans who remain in office largely feel that they are indebted to Donald Trump.

It is time for Republicans to unite around something other than Donald Trump.  They may feel indebted to Trump but they truly owe Trump Nothing.  He has virtually destroyed the Republican Party and it is time for Republicans to stand up and be counted not as Trump Loyalists but to join with their Democratic Colleagues and recognize where we are now and what we are now and what we should do about it.

We are No longer going off a cliff.  We are off the cliff and crashed at the bottom of the Mountain and our Government is racing toward destruction just as disastrous as the planes that crashed over the Potomac this week.  

Republicans need to wake up to Reality.  Donald Trump doesn't need you any more and doesn't care about you any more.  And for that matter he never cared about you.  He led you down the Garden Path to the Eve of Destruction and he is leading you further and further into the Destruction of not only our Country but our Constitution and our Democracy.  Clearly some of you don't give a shit about the Constitution and Democracy.  But i am sure that some of you Republicans who still possess consciences are still capable of saying STOP to Donald Trump.  Now is the time to say STOP to Trump and to recognize where we are going to end up if this Ruthless Dictator is allowed to Ruin our Country as he appears to be poised to do.

Republicans in Congress can and should put the brakes on this Madman before he causes any more rupturing of our Agreements with our Neighbors and Friends around the world.

Donald Trump is shredding the Constitution just because you have been letting him do whatever he pleases.  Once you cave into him on his outrageous Cabinet picks he will own you and he will own this country and bankrupt it like his has bankrupted every Company and person he has ever touched.  If Republicans want to recognize where this is going and how destructive it is going to be please look at what Donald Trump has done to the Reputation and Finances of Rudy Giuliani, who was once a prominent Republican Lawyer, Prosecutor and Mayor and even a Presidential Candidate.  Now he is a Broke Ass Wreck of a man because he believed in serving Donald Trump instead of the Constitution.  Take a Lesson, Republicans.  This can and will happen to you if you count on Donald Trump to be your savior

Wake up Republicans. It may already be too late but it certainly is Very Late in the Game and this Monster needs to be stopped Now.

Sincerely Yours

Jerry Gallagher