Recurring Saturday Night Live characters and sketches introduced 1990–91
The following is a list of recurring Saturday Night Live characters and sketches introduced between September 29, 1990, and May 18, 1991, the sixteenth season of SNL.
Larry Roman the Talent Scout
A Dana Carvey sketch. Debuted September 29, 1990.
Simon
Simon is a sketch about a young British boy, played by Mike Myers, who likes to draw, and has his own BBC television program, Simon. The sketches always begin by showing the BBC logo with a faux British announcer back-announcing some ridiculously insipid sounding programming on right before it. The show borrows its theme song from a British children's television series called Simon in the Land of Chalk Drawings, though, aside from the concept of a young boy who draws, the premises are completely dissimilar. Simon broadcasts his program from his bathtub, in which he appears to be nude. On the show, Simon displays his drawings (pronounced drawerings in an exaggerated British accent), which he bends over to pick up, whereupon he scolds the audience, by yelling his catch phrases, "Are you looking at my bum?" and calling the audience "Bum Lookers!" and "Cheeky Monkeys!"
His drawings often depict scenes that are disturbing or morbidly violent, presented with a naïve and childlike innocence. His mother is deceased (or, as he refers to it, "with the angels"), and his father is somewhat of a reprobate who associates with nefarious figures (and his "new auntie who sleeps over") and leaves Simon unattended for long periods of time while he gambles. Simon has a typically juvenile sense of humour. He sometimes has guests on his show, who appear in the bathtub with Simon, and also show their drawings (which are equally as disturbing as Simon's). Simon typically ends his show when he determines that he has been in the tub too long, as indicated by his "prune hands." Debuted November 10, 1990.
- Appearances
Season | Episode | Host | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
16 | November 10, 1990 | Jimmy Smits | |
17 | October 5, 1991 | Jeff Daniels | |
17 | November 23, 1991 | Macaulay Culkin | |
18 | January 9, 1993 | Danny DeVito | |
19 | January 15, 1994 | Sara Gilbert |
The Dark Side with Nat X
In the early 1990s, Chris Rock portrayed "Nat X", a militant talk show host with a huge Afro hairstyle. He once remarked that he had only a 15-minute show because, as he explained, if he had any more, "The Man" would regard it as welfare. Many of Rock's original comedy bits were incorporated into Nat X's dialogue.
Segments on The Dark Side include the "White Man Cam" in which a video cam with a police siren sound effect walks up to Nat X's desk and places a graphic image of prison bars in front of him as he screams and mimics being in prison until the White Man Cam goes away. Another segment includes the Top 5 lists because "Ten would make The Man lose sleep.".
Nat X was cruel to all of his guests, "greeting" nearly all of them with, "Sit yo' ass down!" Perhaps the most memorable episode featured host Kevin Bacon as Vanilla Ice. Nat told Ice that he could not dance, and even persuaded his other guest, Colin Powell, to dance with him in order to show Ice how to do it.
When Sinbad hosted, he appeared as Joseph Jackson, who tries to make excuses for the infamous abuse his children suffered, as depicted in the then-current TV miniseries The Jacksons: An American Dream. However, Nat insists on complimenting Jackson for his proficiency with violence, marveling that Jackson "hit Jackie so hard, his Afro wig flew off!"
Spike Lee made a surprise appearance as himself on another episode, donning an "X" cap that was made popular by his film Malcolm X. Not knowing this at first, Nat explained to him that he had been seeing these caps all over town but had personally not seen a dime in profits.
Chris Farley often appeared as "Sandman", a manic clown armed with a broom who swept guests away when Nat had had enough of them. Sandman was modeled after Howard "Sandman" Simms from Showtime at the Apollo, who performed the same function on that show's famed "Amateur Night" episodes, when substandard performers fell short of audience approval.
- Appearances
Season | Episode | Host | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
16 | November 10, 1990 | Jimmy Smits | |
16 | February 9, 1991 | Kevin Bacon | |
16 | April 20, 1991 | Steven Seagal | |
17 | September 28, 1991 | Michael Jordan | |
17 | December 14, 1991 | Steve Martin | |
17 | May 9, 1992 | Tom Hanks | |
18 | November 21, 1992 | Sinbad | |
22 | November 2, 1996 | Chris Rock |
The Doormen
A Rob Schneider and Kevin Nealon sketch. Debuted November 10, 1990.
- Appearances
Season | Episode | Host | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
16 | November 10, 1990 | Jimmy Smits | |
17 | December 14, 1991 | Steve Martin |
Pat
Julia Sweeney plays an androgynous character. Debuted December 1, 1990.
- Appearances
Season | Episode | Host | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
16 | December 1, 1990 | John Goodman | |
16 | February 16, 1991 | Roseanne Barr | |
16 | April 13, 1991 | Catherine O'Hara | |
16 | May 18, 1991 | George Wendt | |
17 | October 12, 1991 | Kirstie Alley | |
17 | November 16, 1991 | Linda Hamilton | |
17 | January 11, 1992 | Rob Morrow | |
17 | April 11, 1992 | Sharon Stone | |
18 | October 10, 1992 | Joe Pesci | |
18 | October 24, 1992 | Christopher Walken | |
18 | January 16, 1993 | Harvey Keitel | |
18 | March 20, 1993 | Miranda Richardson |
Uri Shulenson (Sabra)
A Tom Hanks sketch, variations on which included Sabra Shopping Network and Sabra Price is Right. This character was the obnoxious, oversexed owner of an electronics boutique. Debuted December 8, 1990.
Bill Swerski's Superfans
A group of Chicago sports fans discuss upcoming sporting events. Bill Swerski (played by Joe Mantegna) appeared only in the initial sketch. Subsequent editions featured George Wendt as Bill's brother Bob Swerski, who inevitably explained that Bill's absence was due to "another heart attack." Debuted January 12, 1991.
- Appearances
Season | Episode | Host | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
16 | January 12, 1991 | Joe Mantegna | |
16 | May 18, 1991 | George Wendt | |
17 | September 28, 1991 | Michael Jordan | |
17 | November 23, 1991 | Macaulay Culkin | |
17 | January 18, 1992 | Chevy Chase | Bob Swerski's Quiz Masters |
17 | March 21, 1992 | Mary Stuart Masterson | Denise Swerski (Beth Cahill) on Weekend Update |
17 | May 16, 1992 | Woody Harrelson | Weekend Update |
18 | December 5, 1992 | Tom Arnold | |
18 | January 9, 1993 | Danny DeVito | An Open Letter to The Chicago Bears |
20 | March 25, 1995 | John Goodman | Dan Aykroyd appears as Irwin Mainway, Todd's cousin |
23 | October 25, 1997 | Chris Farley | The Super Fans Revisited - Mike Ditka makes an appearance |
29 | October 18, 2003 | Halle Berry | Weekend Update: Bob and Bart Swerski (Horatio Sanz) |
I'm Chillin'
I'm Chillin was a spoof of public-access television cable TV rap shows. Its host was played by Chris Rock and the show's sidekick was played by Chris Farley. Farley's character was introduced by Rock with a string of nonsensical rhymes such as "My Ace in the hole, my buttered roll, my grassy knoll, my Esther Rolle" etc. This show was notable for its "Mother Joke of the Day" which would be sent in from (fictitious) viewers, all of whom lived in one housing project or another. The winner would typically receive some early-Nineties-themed gangster item (a red, yellow and green jacket with an 8-ball on the back, for example). Chris Rock's character was named Onski and Chris Farley's character was B-Fats. Onski also plugged local fictitious sponsors, like "Bullet Hole tampons: 'cause sometimes you bleed in other places!", and "F'ed Up Malt Liquor." The sketch usually came to an end when Onski received a beeper page from his "baby's mama" and he'd have to go pick her up somewhere (from work at Popeyes, or the check cashing place). Onski's parting words each episode were "Always wipe, stay off the pipe, and if someone gets in your face, tell em 'I'm Chillin!'" Debuted January 12, 1991.
- Appearances
Season | Episode | Host | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
16 | January 12, 1991 | Joe Mantegna | |
16 | February 23, 1991 | Alec Baldwin | |
16 | May 18, 1991 | George Wendt | |
17 | November 2, 1991 | Kiefer Sutherland | |
17 | April 18, 1992 | Jerry Seinfeld | |
18 | February 20, 1993 | Bill Murray | |
22 | November 2, 1996 | Chris Rock | with B Real (Jim Breuer) |
Deep Thoughts
Jack Handey offers interstitial one-liners. Debuted January 19, 1991.
The Elevator Fans
A Dana Carvey and Kevin Nealon sketch. Debuted January 19, 1991.
- Appearances
Season | Episode | Host | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
16 | January 19, 1991 | Sting | |
16 | March 16, 1991 | Michael J. Fox | |
17 | September 28, 1991 | Michael Jordan |
The Richmeister (Copy Room Guy, "Makin' Copies!")
Rob Schneider plays an obnoxious office worker who sits around the copy room all day riffing on the names of his coworkers as they make copies. Debuted January 19, 1991.[1]
- Appearances
Season | Episode | Host | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
16 | January 19, 1991 | Sting | |
16 | February 9, 1991 | Kevin Bacon | |
16 | March 23, 1991 | Jeremy Irons | |
16 | April 20, 1991 | Steven Seagal | Presented as an episode of a fictional TV series, Tenelli: One-Man Army, spoofing the name of Seagal's character from Above the Law |
17 | October 5, 1991 | Jeff Daniels | |
17 | November 23, 1991 | Macaulay Culkin | Culkin portrays a younger version of the character in a flashback to his schooldays. |
17 | February 8, 1992 | Susan Dey | |
18 | October 31, 1992 | Catherine O'Hara | |
18 | March 13, 1993 | John Goodman |
Coffee Talk with Linda Richman
The January 19, 1991 episode introduced a talk show called "Coffee Talk with Paul Baldwin", with Mike Myers playing host Paul Baldwin. However, the sketch was thereafter retooled, becoming "Coffee Talk with Linda Richman" as of its third appearance on October 12, 1991. Mike Myers now played the show's new host, an older Jewish woman.
- Appearances
Season | Episode | Host | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
16 | January 19, 1991 | Sting | |
16 | May 11, 1991 | Delta Burke | |
17 | October 12, 1991 | Kirstie Alley | |
17 | February 22, 1992 | Roseanne Arnold, Tom Arnold | |
18 | December 12, 1992 | Glenn Close | |
18 | February 20, 1993 | Bill Murray | |
18 | May 8, 1993 | Christina Applegate | |
19 | September 25, 1993 | Charles Barkley | |
19 | October 30, 1993 | Christian Slater | |
19 | December 4, 1993 | Charlton Heston | |
19 | January 8, 1994 | Jason Patric | |
19 | March 19, 1994 | Helen Hunt | |
19 | May 14, 1994 | Heather Locklear | |
20 | October 15, 1994 | John Travolta | |
22 | March 22, 1997 | Mike Myers |
Daily Affirmation with Stuart Smalley
Al Franken plays the effeminate host of a self-help show. Debuted February 9, 1991. The Stuart Smalley character became the basis for a feature film released in 1995.
- Appearances
Season | Episode | Host | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
16 | February 9, 1991 | Kevin Bacon | |
16 | March 16, 1991 | Michael J. Fox | |
16 | April 13, 1991 | Catherine O'Hara | |
17 | September 28, 1991 | Michael Jordan | |
17 | November 2, 1991 | Kiefer Sutherland | |
17 | November 23, 1991 | Macaulay Culkin | |
17 | February 22, 1992 | Roseanne Arnold, Tom Arnold | |
18 | October 3, 1992 | Tim Robbins | |
18 | October 31, 1992 | Catherine O'Hara | |
18 | December 12, 1992 | Glenn Close | |
18 | February 13, 1993 | Alec Baldwin | |
19 | September 25, 1993 | Charles Barkley | |
19 | November 13, 1993 | Rosie O'Donnell | |
19 | February 19, 1994 | Martin Lawrence | |
20 | October 1, 1994 | Marisa Tomei | |
20 | March 18, 1995 | Paul Reiser | |
20 | May 6, 1995 | Bob Saget | |
28 | December 14, 2002 | Al Gore |
Frank Gannon, P.I. P.I.
Kevin Nealon plays a "P.I. P.I.", an abbreviation for "Politically Incorrect Private Investigator." He is a private investigator who is always saying politically incorrect statements, or making politically incorrect conclusions. Debuted April 13, 1991.
References
- "The 10 Most Obnoxious Recurring SNL Characters". September 6, 2007.