At 11:30pm on October 11th, 1975, a ferocious troupe of young comedians and writers changed television forever. Find out what happened behind the scenes in the 90 minutes leading up to the first broadcast of Saturday Night Live.
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00:00Okay, let's see if we can get through one of these skits.
00:02Sketches? Baby, please.
00:04Okay. You ready, camera one?
00:05Oh!
00:06Oh, shit!
00:07Oh, shit!
00:08Oh, shit!
00:09You want me to break your fucking jaw?
00:11You want me to break your fucking jaw?
00:13Yeah, maybe. Maybe, motherfucker.
00:15You want me to break your fucking jaw?
00:18Uh, okay. Do we go again?
00:20Actors on their marks.
00:22My name is Lorne Michaels.
00:23I'm the producer and creator of Saturday Night.
00:26We're excited because there's never been
00:29a television show like this.
00:31Okay, but what kind of show is it, Lorne?
00:32Do you even know what the show is?
00:34Did anyone ask Edison what a lightbulb was
00:36before he harnessed electricity?
00:39Who are you in the metaphor?
00:41Chevy Chase.
00:42Gilda Radner.
00:44Dan Ayik.
00:45Uh, how the fuck do you pronounce this?
00:48Ackroyd.
00:49These can't be the right size.
00:50Yeah, you're right.
00:51They should be a little bit smaller.
00:53Oh!
00:55Ha, ha, ha, ha.
00:56And action on rehearsal.
00:58And now, weekend update.
01:01Good evening.
01:03Uh, gentlemen, how long have you been standing there?
01:06Long enough.
01:08They want you to fail. They're betting on it.
01:10That's logical, Dick.
01:11That's why they're paying us all to be here.
01:13NBC makes more money playing reruns of The Tonight Show.
01:17I mean, Lorne, 90 minutes of live television
01:19by a group of 20-year-olds who have never made anything.
01:22Okay, so this is a bit?
01:24Look, I don't get half the shit that they do.
01:27You haven't locked the script.
01:28Your actors are missing.
01:29Have you seen John Belushi?
01:31Your crew is in open rebellion.
01:33Jesus Christ.
01:34Your kids aren't ready for primetime.
01:36Everyone down to the eighth floor now!
01:39Whoo-hoo!
01:40Aah!
01:42What is this?
01:43That was kind of exciting.
01:45We need to let the audience in.
01:46Oh, you don't.
01:48Aah!
01:49What the hell is happening?
01:50Oh!
01:51I'm not gonna be able to protect you.
01:52Look out for the bus!
01:57We just have to make it to air.
01:59Live from New York!
02:02The writers tied a belt around Big Bird's neck
02:05and hung him from my dressing room door.
02:07Hey, I heard about Big Bird.
02:09So sorry.
02:10Autoerotic asphyxiation, who knew?