A Love Letter to SNL from Mischief Partners

Well, la-di-frickin’-da!

As Saturday Night Live celebrates its 50th anniversary tonight, we are deep in our appreciation of the show that proves there’s always something to laugh about.

SNL didn’t just inspire our love of comedy—it’s also what brought us together. We bonded over a shared love of sketch comedy, specifically Chris Farley, and Tommy Boy.

What SNL memories stand out for you? Are you watching the special tonight? I watched the music dealio last night; it was fun. Do I want to have sex with Bad Bunny now? That suit!? Join the discussion HERE.

---

1. First SNL memory that hooked you?

Pam: Molly Shannon/Mary Katherine Ghallager, Tim Meadows The Ladies Man

Sheila: Picture it. Toronto. 1989. Little 13 year old Sheila renting The Best of Eddie Murphy: Saturday Night Live over and over and over and over again.

2. The SNL cast you grew up on?

Pam: Mid-90s cast members, Molly Shannon, Al Franken, Mike Myers, Tim Meadows, Will Ferrell, Cheri Oteri, Chris Farley, David Spade, Chris Farley.

Sheila: A blend of 90s powerhouse cast & mid 90s shake up cast.

3. Who’s your ultimate SNL MVP?

Pam: Keenan Thompson. So consistent.

Sheila: Chris Farley, but Pam’s answer is genius ^^^ I just can’t be disloyal to Chris.

4. Favorite recurring character or sketch?

Pam: Celebrity Jeopardy

Sheila: Brian Fellows

5. The SNL sketch that still makes you laugh like it’s the first time?

Pam: Keenan Thompson who wants to be a millionaire hosted by Steve Harvey.

Sheila: Herlihy Boy

6. Dream SNL host (past or present)?

Pam: Conan

Sheila: John Candy

7. If you could be in one iconic SNL sketch, which one would it be?

Pam: Of course any sketch with Chris Farley, Down by the River comes to mind as such a classic, but any.

Sheila: What Up With That - I wanna be Jason Sudekis’ dance partner.

8. Funniest Weekend Update moment?

Pam: Def Tina Fey Amy Poehler moments.

Sheila: Opera Man

9. SNL moment that was ahead of its time?

Pam: Self-help guru Stuart Smalley’s Daily Affirmations. "I'm good enough, I'm smart enough, and doggone it, people like me!"

Sheila: Sinead O’Connor’s acapela performance of Bob Marley’s “War” that ended with her ripping up a picture of the pope in protest against child abuse within the Catholic Church. This was TEN YEARS ahead of The Boston Globes investigative series that was dramatized in the 2015 movie Spotlight. The Globe won a Pulitzer and Sinead got cancelled.

10. How has SNL influenced your own approach to comedy?

Pam: SNL taught me to be very silly and to not be afraid to push out of my comfort zone. It inspired me to get into comedy because I was always such a huge consumer of comedy: sketch and standup. In addition to SNL, Kids in the Hall and In Living Color were huge influences for me as well. They inspired me to audition for, and very briefly join, an improv group in San Francisco. In the audition, I played a character I created that was a New England-accented “Mall Walker.” It was excruciating, but I did it and got the part. I did exactly one show with that group, and after the show, I stood with Michelle and Barack Obama outside the theater. They’d been at a theater next door to where my show was and were waiting for a car to pick them up. So that was a win.

Sheila: What she said ^^^ minus the Obama encounter and improv.