SNL Unleashed: 13 Behind-the-Scenes Tales from Almost 50 Years of Saturday Night Live

      As Saturday Night Live marks its 50th season, here are some behind-the-scenes anecdotes that showcase how some of the most outrageous moments often occur offstage.

      Bill Murray vs. Chevy Chase

      In Nick De Semlyen's outstanding book, *Wild and Crazy Guys*, an incident is recounted where Bill Murray punched Chevy Chase when Chase came back to host the eleventh episode of Season 3 on February 18, 1978. Murray took Chase's place after he left the show midway through Season 2, and the SNL staff felt that Chase had “abandoned them,” as noted by Semlyen. His return, the author points out, “left a bad impression on everyone involved.” Prior to the taping, Murray and Chase exchanged insults, which culminated in Murray throwing a punch. This turned into “a huge altercation,” as described by John Landis, an eyewitness cited in the book. “They were both big guys and really going at it.” However, Murray later characterized it as “really a Hollywood fight; a don’t-touch-my-face kinda thing.” The show proceeded as planned, and Chase and Murray later reconciled amicably for the film *Caddyshack* in 1980.

      The Mask of Jeff Daniels

      Before Jeff Daniels hosted the episode on October 5, 1991, he went to the makeup department for a face mask, a common practice for many hosts. As detailed by SNL star David Spade in his engaging memoir, *Almost Interesting*, “if the makeup department needs to create a dummy that resembles you, or if a shot requires your head blowing up, a plaster-like substance is applied to your face to create a mold for a replica.” This process typically takes around 15 minutes. However, Daniels' mask hardened to the extent that it wouldn’t come off. Spade noted that Lorne Michaels summoned a plastic surgeon to 30 Rock, and after some struggle, they managed to remove the plaster, though it required using an X-Acto knife, resulting in some cuts to Daniels’ eyebrows and eyelashes. Ultimately, the mask was removed, and Daniels successfully went on with the show the following night. “If you watch that episode, you can spot his eyebrows were painted on,” Spade mentioned.

      Chris Farley Showers with Mike Myers

      The late Chris Farley was renowned as one of the funniest SNL cast members and a prominent movie star known for films like *Tommy Boy*. Behind the scenes, he was known for his relentless pranks and boundary-pushing antics. Mike Myers reminisced on the *Fly on the Wall* podcast about an odd ongoing joke where Farley would unexpectedly join him in the shower, pressing against him and proclaiming his love. Myers would shout, “Farley, get the f— out of here!” Yet, despite the humorous nature of the situation, he couldn’t hit Farley due to the absurdity of the moment. Interestingly, Farley persisted week after week, catching Myers off guard despite his preoccupation with the show’s demands.

      Richard Pryor Hosts

      When it came to convincing NBC executives to let Richard Pryor host the seventh episode on December 13, 1975, SNL creator Lorne Michaels took considerable measures. The network was concerned that Pryor might be overly profane and unpredictable, so Michaels agreed to implement a five-second delay for broadcasting, making it the first time SNL was not live when it aired. The delay proved useful; while Pryor avoided any explicit language, he did use a three-letter word that rhymes with "sass" on two occasions. According to *Saturday Night: A Backstage History of Saturday Night Live*, by Doug Hill and Jeff Weingrad, both instances of the word slipped past the censor in charge of the delay device, although they were later cut from the taped version shown on the West Coast.

      The Fight to Save Charles Rocket

      Charles Rocket was part of the notoriously challenging 1980-81 season, which followed the departure of all the original Not Ready for Prime Time Players, along with the exit of SNL creator Lorne Michaels, who returned midway through the decade. A memorable moment from Rocket's time on the show occurred during a February 21, 1981 segment inspired by the popular *Dallas* storyline “Who Shot J.R.?” when he accidentally uttered a curse word live on air: “It's the first time I've ever been shot in my life. I'd like to know who the f— did it.” According to the book *Saturday Night: A Backstage History of Saturday Night Live*, SNL producer Jean Doumanian, appointed to replace Lorne, embarked on an extensive effort to retain Rocket’s job. Together, they attended numerous meetings with NBC executives, repeatedly apologizing and sometimes laughing afterward. Doumanian even told an executive, “If you’re going to fire him, you can fire me.” Ultimately,