DaRK PaRTY ReVIEW
::Literate Blather::
Monday, February 26, 2007
Ha! Ha! Ha! -- Saturday Night Live's Funniest Comedians

“Saturday Night Live” is a comedy factory – churning out some of the funniest actors in America since the show aired for the first time on October 11, 1975. Choosing the top seven is a difficult endeavor – and no list will please everyone (especially when it becomes apparent that neither Chevy Chase nor Dan Aykroyd made the cut).

While DaRK PaRTY was doing the painstaking research to select the cream of the crop – a trend emerged. SNL is a man’s game. There have been few women comedians who have successfully used SNL as a springboard for greater success. It would be difficult to get a woman on a top 15 list, never mind the top seven. The closest candidates would be Gilda Radner, Molly Shannon and Tina Fey.

For the purposes of this list, DaRK PaRTY had two criteria:

  1. The actor had to have made his first mark with SNL (which eliminated Billy Crystal, Chris Elliot and Michael McKean)
  2. The actor had to have left SNL for greater success (which eliminated the underrated and very funny Darrell Hammond)

So without further delay DaRK PaRTY presents the 7 Funniest Comedians from “Saturday Night Live.”


Bill Murray

Age: 56

Years on SNL: 1977-80

Style: A classic wiseass personae – known for his dry, sarcastic wit

Best Known Characters: The nerd Todd DiLamuca, who wore his pants up around his chest and gave nuggies, and Nick the Lounge Singer

Break-out Movie: “Meatballs” (1979)

Funniest Movie: “Caddyshack” (1980)

Worst Movie:Garfield” (2004)

Useless Trivia: Murray replaced the much-hated Chevy Chase and in 1978, during a show Chase was hosting, the two men got into a fistfight shortly before the show went live.

Quote: “We've been going about this all wrong, this Mr. Stay Puft's okay, he's a sailor, he's in New York, we get this guy laid we won't have any trouble.” – From “Ghostbusters” (1984)

Quote #2: “Lee Harvey, you are a madman. When you stole that cow, and your friend tried to make it with the cow. I want to party with you, cowboy. If the two of us together, forget it. I'm gonna go out on a limb here. I'm gonna volunteer my leadership to this platoon. An army without leaders is like a foot without a big toe. And Sergeant Hulka is always gonna be here to be that big toe for us. I think that we owe a big round of applause to our newest, bestest buddy, and big toe... Sergeant Hulka.” – From “Stripes” (1981)


Eddie Murphy

Age: 45

Years on SNL: 1980-84

Style: A racy ham known for his scathing insults and wink-wink relationship with his audience

Best Known Characters: Mr. Robinson, Buckwheat, Gumboy and Stevie Wonder

Break-out Movie: “48 Hours” (1982)

Best Movie: “Trading Places” (1983)

Worst Movie: “The Adventures of Pluto Nash” (2002)

Useless Trivia: When Murphy’s career sputtered in the late 1990s, SNL’s David Spade during his Hollywood Minute segment, flashed a photo of Murphy on the screen and shrilled: “Look children, a falling star. Make a wish!”

Quote: “Now, a brother's dick is too big, so it'll fuck up his balance... Every time you see a brother in a wheelchair, he ain't always crippled.” – From “Delirious” (1983)

Quote #2: “Before I go, I just want to say one thing. The supercop story... was working. And you guys just messed it up. I'm still trying to figure you guys out, but I haven't yet. But it's cool, though. You just fuck up a perfectly good lie.” – From “Beverley Hills Cops” (1984)


Will Ferrell

Age: 39

Style: Master impressionist

Years on SNL: 1995-02

Best Known Characters: Alex Trebek, Neil Diamond, Harry Caray, Music Teacher Mary Culp, Spartan cheerleader Craig Buchanan and night clubber Steve Butabi

Break-out Movie: “Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery” (1997)

Best Movie: “Old School” (2003)

Worst Movie: “A Night at the Roxbury” (1998)

Useless Trivia: Ferrell’s nickname since high school is “Wilf.”

Quote: “Dear little baby Jesus, who's sittin' in his crib watchin the Baby Einstein videos, learnin' 'bout shapes and colors. I would like to thank you for bringin' me and my moma together, and also that my kids no longer sound like retarded gang-bangers.” – From “Talladega Nights” (2006)

Quote #2: “I'm gonna punch you in the ovary, that's what I'm gonna do. A straight shot. Right to the babymaker.” – From “Anchorman” (2004)


Mike Myers

Age: 43

Style: Smarmy, know-it-all with a heart of gold

Years on SNL: 1989-95

Best Known Characters: Dieter, Linda Richman and Wayne Campbell,

Break-out Movie:Wayne’s World” (1992)

Best Movie: “Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me” (1999)

Worst Movie: “The Cat in the Hat” (2003)

Useless Trivia: When Myers was nine years old he starred in a TV commercial with Gilda Radner

Quote: “Are those fricken' sharks with fricken' laser beams attached to their fricken' heads?” – From “Goldmember (2002)

Quote #2: “I say hurl. If you blow chunks and she comes back, she's yours. But if you spew and she bolts, then it was never meant to be.” – From “Wayne’s World” (1992)


Dana Carvey

Age: 51

Style: Classic impressionist

Years on SNL: 1986-93

Best Known Characters: Church Lady, George H.W. Bush, Hans, Garth Algar and Jimmy Stewart

Break-out Movie: “Tough Guys” (1986)

Best Movie: “Wayne’s World” (1992)

Worst Movie: “Halloween II” (1981)

Useless Trivia: Comedy Central lists Carvey at the 90th best in their list of 100 Best Stand-ups of All Time.

Quote: “As Prometheus said to the Athenians, "I need another beer". – From “Opportunity Knocks” (1990)

Quote #2: “Uh, Wayne, you know, I don't think you should mention that Jim Morrison thing anymore. It's just that people have started to talk, you know. They're saying things like, "Hey, there goes Garth and his friend Wayne... the psychopath." – From “Wayne’s World 2” (1993)


Adam Sandler

Age: 41

Style: Loudmouth buffoon (who sings!)

Years on SNL: 1990-95

Best Known Characters: Cajun Man, Opera Man, Bono and Charles Manson

Break-out Movie: “Billy Madison” (1995)

Best Movie: “50 First Dates” (2004)

Worst Movie: “Little Nicky” (2000)

Useless Trivia: One of Sandler’s best friends is fellow SNL alumni Norm MacDonald

Quote: “I'm not a homophobe, I'm a pulling-out-my-penis-in-front-of-you-ophobe.” – From “Anger Management” (2003)

Quote #2: “I am good. You know what, you're a lousy kindergarten teacher. I've seen those finger-paintings you bring home and they SUCK.” – From “Happy Gilmore” (1996)


John Belushi

Age: Died at age 33 in 1982

Style: Overbearing buffoon and party animal

Years on SNL: 1975-79

Best Known Characters: Samurai Futaba, Jake Blues, Elvis Presley, Joe Cocker and Larry Farver

Break-out Movie: “Animal House” (1978)

Best Movie: “Animal House” (1978)

Worst Movie: “1941” (1979)

Useless Trivia: Belushi was the hero of SNL’s Chris Farley and once said he wanted to live his life like Belushi. Both comedians died of an overdose of heroin and cocaine at the age of 33

Quote: “Over? Did you say "over"? Nothing is over until we decide it is! Was it over when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor? Hell no!” – From “Animal House” (1978)

Quote #2: “It's so quiet up here, you could hear a mouse get a hard on.” – From “Continental Divide” (1981)


Runners-up: Martin Short, Chris Farley, Dan Aykroyd, Chevy Chase, Phil Hartman, Chris Rock and David Spade


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