# Ranking every "SNL" cast member, from worst to best



## Malcontent (Sep 5, 2004)

http://www.nerve.com/entertainment/...t-live-em-cast-member-ever-from-worst-to-best



> We are gathered here today to rank the  what is it? Jesus!  ninety-two past and present cast members of Saturday Night Live, in ascending order of their contribution to the show. This is no way to make friends. But while no one will be completely happy with the results, let's at least stress one of the ground rules: for the purpose of this experiment, these performers are being graded solely on the work they did on SNL itself.


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## Cearbhaill (Aug 1, 2004)

I refuse to read articles like that that force me to click to a new page 10 times just to read a [email protected]#%^& article.
Just print the freaking list.


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## DeDondeEs (Feb 20, 2004)

Cearbhaill said:


> I refuse to read articles like that that force me to click to a new page 10 times just to read a [email protected]#%^& article.
> Just print the freaking list.


Although it was annoying at least they put 10 or so on each page. The worst are those ones where you have to load a whole new page for each person.

I agree with the list overall. There were a lot of people that I didn't know were cast members, or I had completely forgotten about.


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## YCantAngieRead (Nov 5, 2003)

THANK YOU. I do not get Chris Kattan.


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## YCantAngieRead (Nov 5, 2003)

Er, Molly Shannon and Will Forte in the 50s? Er, no.


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## YCantAngieRead (Nov 5, 2003)

And Rachel Dratch should be in the very, very bottom. No way should she be ahead of Andy Samberg.

And NO way should number 1 be number 1.


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## lambertman (Dec 21, 2002)

Gilda belongs in the top 10. Pains me to do so, but I'd bump Tina to get her in there.

Commenters don't seem to get that the list excludes those who never rose above Featured Players, although the writer might have done well to actually explain that. 

I have lots of other quibbles beyond Gilda's ranking but it's really not that important.

EDIT: Oh, nothing on Nasim Pedrad? DOUBLE EDIT: Denny Dillon?


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## SullyND (Dec 30, 2004)

The current (awful) cast is typically too highly ranked. Amy in the top 10? I wouldn't put Tina in the top 10 either, but am not too surprised by it.


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## DVC California (Jun 4, 2004)

_Robert Downey Jr (62) *>* Jimmy Fallon (80)_


Seems flawed :down:


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## busyba (Feb 5, 2003)

The fact that the bottom of the list didn't start with the entire '80-'81 and '81-'82 casts immediately makes the entire list suspect.


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## aadam101 (Jul 15, 2002)

I had no idea that Christine Ebersole was on SNL. I love her. I'm going to see if I can find some old skits.


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## dswallow (Dec 3, 2000)

BEST (1) [Every cast member during the Dan Aykroyd / John Belushi / Chevy Chase / Jane Curtin / Laraine Newman / Bill Murray / Garrett Morris / Gilda Radner era]
.
.
.
.
. [Random people off the street]
.
.
. [Random people off the street trying to get counted twice]
.
.
. [Various fictional characters]
.
.
. [All the other fictional characters]
.
.
.
.
WORST (∞) [Every cast member not from that era]
.
.
.
. [Will Ferrell]


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## CharlieW (May 30, 2001)

Lists like this are usually terrible.

This one wishes it was even _that_ good.


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## murgatroyd (Jan 6, 2002)

I haven't read the list, but:
1) Gilda Radner

92) Tracy Morgan

I agree with Doug that most of the Dan Aykroyd / John Belushi / Chevy Chase / Jane Curtin / Laraine Newman / Bill Murray / Garrett Morris / Gilda Radner era players need to be near the top.

Dana Carvey and Mike Myers deserve to be near the top, too.


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## YCantAngieRead (Nov 5, 2003)

You know, I've been watching SNL consistently for ten years. And I watched it growing up (missed some in the 90's.)

The current set of players are just as talented as the first, and I get annoyed with all the "crappy current cast" comments (not necessarily here, but in the SNL threads in general.)

People have been saying that for over 20 years. You're really going to tell me you Phil Hartman was untalented? Tina Fey?


Completely unrelated...Steve Martin/Alec Baldwin/Justin Timberlake should so be on this list. JT in particular. He owns this show when he appears.


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## donnoh (Mar 7, 2008)

Even though I've never seen Melanie Hutsell on the show, I used to work with her dad. He is a hell of a nice guy. Not in the least comedic, if that's a word.


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## MLR930 (Dec 26, 2002)

Kristen Wiig above Chris Farley um no!


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## TonyD79 (Jan 4, 2002)

Yikes. What a bad list. Complete nobodies ranked ahead of people who actually wrote for the show. Totally I knowledgeable listing.


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## YCantAngieRead (Nov 5, 2003)

donnoh said:


> Even though I've never seen Melanie Hutsell on the show, I used to work with her dad. He is a hell of a nice guy. Not in the least comedic, if that's a word.


Oh lord. Yeah. She was not good. She would probably be in my last three. And possibly my very last. She may be nice, but she's not terribly funny.

Maybe I have issues with toothy gals. I don't care for whatsername from this season, either.


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## RandomTask (Jun 30, 2011)

Malcontent said:


> http://www.nerve.com/entertainment/...t-live-em-cast-member-ever-from-worst-to-best


Just based on success after the show those rankings are clearly pretty goofy.

Aside from everything else, this is just lazy journalism. Bunch of idiots sit in a room and make up stuff.


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## appleye1 (Jan 26, 2002)

I agree with who's in the top 10, but I would definitely change the order around. No way Eddie Murphy should be ahead of Phil Hartman, and no way Bill Murray should be ahead of Dan Aykroyd.


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## LoadStar (Jul 24, 2001)

RandomTask said:


> Just based on success after the show those rankings are clearly pretty goofy.


 Why would success after SNL be a factor?


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## RandomTask (Jun 30, 2011)

LoadStar said:


> Why would success after SNL be a factor?


It indicates that they were likely better on snl than these fools thought.


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## VegasVic (Nov 22, 2002)

YCantAngieRead said:


> The current set of players are just as talented as the first


Disagree. I don't consider the current cast "crappy" but average at best.


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## LoadStar (Jul 24, 2001)

RandomTask said:


> It indicates that they were likely better on snl than these fools thought.


I don't follow. The list is looking at how they were ON snl, not how they were AFTER (or before, for that matter).


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## SullyND (Dec 30, 2004)

VegasVic said:


> Disagree. I don't consider the current cast "crappy" but average at best.


The only one who has an inkling of talent IMHO is Andy Samberg.

Bobby Moynihan has his moments.

I've seen roadkill funnier than Kristen Wiig.


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## Turtleboy (Mar 24, 2001)

The "this cast isn't as good as the one in the past" comments started in the _second_ season, after Chevy Chase left and was replaced by Bill Murray.

It gets a little bit better or a little bit worse, but if you think it totally sucks, it's more likely that you're just getting old.


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## RandomTask (Jun 30, 2011)

LoadStar said:


> I don't follow. The list is looking at how they were ON snl, not how they were AFTER (or before, for that matter).


I don't know how much clearer I can be. If they were good later, they were probably good earlier and i believe that they did a poor job of evaluating how well they performed on SNL. Let's be honest , with 92 people, have of the evaluators probably never saw a few of them but voted anyway. This is the lazy journalism I mentioned earlier.


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## Turtleboy (Mar 24, 2001)

It also seems to be missing some or all of the Featured Players (the ones after the main cast who Don Pardo announces as "Featuring") who never became part of the main cast.


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## kcarl75 (Oct 23, 2002)

No one asked but here would be my top 10. (I like making lists)

10. Cheri Oteri
9.Tracy Morgan
8. Jimmy Fallon
7. Mike Myers
6. Adam Sandler
5. Dana Carvey
4. Norm MacDonald
3. Eddie Murphy
2. Chris Farley
1. Will Ferrell


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## DevdogAZ (Apr 16, 2003)

kcarl75 said:


> No one asked but here would be my top 10. (I like making lists)
> 
> 10. Cheri Oteri
> 9.Tracy Morgan
> ...


It's pretty clear what era you went to HS/college in. I don't think Will Ferrell should be anywhere near the top 30, let alone #1.


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## DevdogAZ (Apr 16, 2003)

YCantAngieRead said:


> Er, Molly Shannon and Will Forte in the 50s? Er, no.


Molly Shannon should be much lower. One of the most annoying cast members ever. Will Forte should be a little higher, but not too much.


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## Turtleboy (Mar 24, 2001)

The ranking of Victoria Jackson dead last is clearly based upon the person she's become today, and not on her performance on the show.


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## lambertman (Dec 21, 2002)

Turtleboy said:


> It also seems to be missing some or all of the Featured Players (the ones after the main cast who Don Pardo announces as "Featuring") who never became part of the main cast.


Merry Smeekmas indeed!


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## Turtleboy (Mar 24, 2001)

lambertman said:


> Merry Smeekmas indeed!


LOL.

I was looking for Sarah Silverman but didn't find her.


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## CharlieW (May 30, 2001)

YCantAngieRead said:


> And NO way should number 1 be number 1.


I completely agree. I understand his importance to the show as something of a savior, and he's certainly Top 20 -- but definitely not #1.

Also, how can #15 be that high up on the list, yet they had nothing at all to say about her?


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## kcarl75 (Oct 23, 2002)

DevdogAZ said:


> It's pretty clear what era you went to HS/college in. I don't think Will Ferrell should be anywhere near the top 30, let alone #1.


Agreed, but I think that's pretty much the fun of SNL. Everyone has an era they grew up with and think is the best.

As far as Will, he is in my two favorite sketches of all time (Will in an American Flag thong, and the Jim Carey Lifeguard sketch). Plus the cheerleaders, Jeopardy, cowbell, "I drive a dodge stratus".

And I don't care how many times they show them on Best of's I don''t find the Bass'omatic or Coneheads even remotely funny. To each his own I guess.


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## DevdogAZ (Apr 16, 2003)

lambertman said:


> Gilda belongs in the top 10. Pains me to do so, but I'd bump Tina to get her in there.
> 
> Commenters don't seem to get that the list excludes those who never rose above Featured Players, although the writer might have done well to actually explain that.
> 
> ...


Denny Dillon is #45.


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## DevdogAZ (Apr 16, 2003)

RandomTask said:


> I don't know how much clearer I can be. If they were good later, they were probably good earlier and i believe that they did a poor job of evaluating how well they performed on SNL. Let's be honest , with 92 people, have of the evaluators probably never saw a few of them but voted anyway. This is the lazy journalism I mentioned earlier.


Clearly you didn't read the prologue to the list:


> But while no one will be completely happy with the results, let's at least stress one of the ground rules: for the purpose of this experiment, these performers are being graded solely on the work they did on SNL itself. If we were talking about their entire careers, Robert Downey, Jr., Chris Rock, and Joan Cusack would be clustered at the top. As it is, they're not even serious contenders for the top twenty.


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## RandomTask (Jun 30, 2011)

DevdogAZ said:


> Clearly you didn't read the prologue to the list:


I understand the rules. My point is that even using the rules, later success or lack thereof would lead me to believe they did not evaluate their SNL work fairly.


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## LoadStar (Jul 24, 2001)

RandomTask said:


> I understand the rules. My point is that even using the rules, later success or lack thereof would lead me to believe they did not evaluate their SNL work fairly.


And I contend that later success has _no_ relation to their success on the show... just as success on the show is no indication to success after they leave the show (e.g. Dana Carvey).


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## YCantAngieRead (Nov 5, 2003)

My ratings right now would be...

1. Phil Hartman
2. Tina Fey
3. Bill Hader
4. Gilda Radner
5. Dana Carvey/Mike Meyers (I can't decide.)
6. Kristen Wiig (yeah, I said it.)
7. A Whitney Brown (for his commentary)
8. Chris Farley
9. Amy Poehler
10. Jason Sudekis/Andy Samberg (Again, I can't decide.)

Least Favorite:
Chris Kattan (HATE him), Jon Lovitz, Jay Pharoah, Rachael Dratch

Member I never understood...Darrell Hammond.

Speaking of which, has anyone read his book? It seems he is one messed up dude.


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## DevdogAZ (Apr 16, 2003)

RandomTask said:


> I understand the rules. My point is that even using the rules, later success or lack thereof would lead me to believe they did not evaluate their SNL work fairly.


I'm not sure who "they" is that you're talking about. If you're talking about the writers of this article, I don't get where you're coming from. The writers determined the criteria, and if they only wanted to evaluate the time the castmembers spent on SNL, that's their decision.

However, if the "they" you're talking about is the writers of SNL at the time these people were in the cast, and they didn't recognize these people's talent and provide the necessary material for them, then I can see your point, but it's not what this article or thread is about.


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## smak (Feb 11, 2000)

YCantAngieRead said:


> My ratings right now would be...
> 
> 1. Phil Hartman
> 2. Tina Fey
> ...


Bingo at Phil Hartman being #1.

-smak-


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## jilter (Oct 4, 2002)

Well, we all agree on something. This article is really off the mark.
I agree with Angie...Steve Martin owns this show.
Not saying he is a top ten, but is Buck Henry on the list?


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## Hoffer (Jun 1, 2001)

Don't really have any complaints with their top 10. Eddie Murphy at number 1 was who I was hoping for. His best of SNL stuff is some of the funniest stuff I've ever seen.


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## Steveknj (Mar 10, 2003)

Tim Meadows at #12? For the life of me, I can't even remember a character he did on the show. And I would say about 1/4 of these people I never heard of. Granted I stopped watching pretty much during the Will Farrell years, and only occasionally now if there's nothing on or a good musical guest. I am partial to the original cast, and I can't believe Belushi or Chevy aren't higher ranked, or Gilda. I was never a huge fan of Eddie Murphy but he deserves to be in the top 10, but not number one.

My top 10:

1) Gildar Radnor
2) Dan Ackroyd
3) Dana Carvey
4) John Belushi
6) Chevy Chase
7) Billy Crystal
8) Mike Myers
9) Jane Curtain
10) Eddie Murphy

I liked Piscapo more than most. Crystal's one season was gold (You look Mahvalous). Seth Meyers gets honorable mention...I think he's the second best anchor after Chevy and just ahead of Dennis Miller, who I like better then than I do now. I can't say I have seen enough of Tina Fey on SNL, but she gets a shout out because her Palin was spot on!


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## lambertman (Dec 21, 2002)

jilter said:


> Well, we all agree on something. This article is really off the mark.
> I agree with Angie...Steve Martin owns this show.
> Not saying he is a top ten, but is Buck Henry on the list?


Like Steve, not a cast member.


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## Fish Man (Mar 4, 2002)

Turtleboy said:


> The ranking of Victoria Jackson dead last is clearly based upon the person she's become today, and not on her performance on the show.


You are absolutely correct.

She's considered by many people to be a total nutcase today, but she was pretty damn funny on SNL. Not in the top 10% or anything, but probably actually the top half.

So, to address LoadStar's issue of equating success on the show to success after the show, the writers of the list we're discussing _clearly_ did some of that themselves (which I agree with LoadStar is inappropriate, ranking ON SNL should be ranking *ON* SNL).


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## VegasVic (Nov 22, 2002)

jilter said:


> Well, we all agree on something. This article is really off the mark.
> I agree with Angie...Steve Martin owns this show.
> Not saying he is a top ten, but is Buck Henry on the list?


Was Buck Henry a cast member? He was funny on the show but not a cast member.

As far as the article being "off the mark". It was a list. A subjective list. Covering 35+ years. Of course no one will agree with it. And no one would agree with a list any of us come up with either. Lists are something people do to bring about discussion of a subject. There is no "right" or "wrong".


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## Steveknj (Mar 10, 2003)

VegasVic said:


> Was Buck Henry a cast member? He was funny on the show but not a cast member.
> 
> As far as the article being "off the mark". It was a list. A subjective list. Covering 35+ years. Of course no one will agree with it. And no one would agree with a list any of us come up with either. Lists are something people do to bring about discussion of a subject. There is no "right" or "wrong".


Buck was a writer and occasional host, I don't think he was ever billed as a cast member. So no, he shouldn't be on the list. Steve Martin, probably brought legitimacy to the show, but also, not a cast member.


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## VegasVic (Nov 22, 2002)

Bringing up Buck Henry made me look it up, he hosted 10 times between 75 and 80 and then never again. And I forgot that he got hit in the forehead by Bulushi during a samurai sketch and had to have a bandage on his head the rest of the show. Good stuff


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## Fish Man (Mar 4, 2002)

In no particular order, here are cast members that I think are too low on the list (should be higher):


VICTORIA JACKSON
HORATIO SANZ
CHRIS KATTAN
JIMMY FALLON (#80, Fallon, are you kidding me??!! He belongs in the top 10, top 20 at minimum).
DENNIS MILLER
KENAN THOMPSON
MOLLY SHANNON
WILL FORTE
SETH MEYERS
ABBY ELLIOTT
NORM MACDONALD
CHRIS FARLEY (#22 is in the upper half, but that's still too low for Farley).

Cast members that I think are too high on the list (should be lower).


CHRISTINE EBERSOLE (Probably should be on the bottom. Hired while Dick Ebersole was the producer because she was his daughter, and totally useless on the show, a good part of the reason it was almost canceled.)
JOE PISCOPO (Should be lower than even #60, where they've got him. Another member of the useless cast that Eddie Murphy single-handedly supported.)
KEVIN NEALON
NORA DUNN
BILLY CRYSTAL, CHRISTOPHER GUEST, and MARTIN SHORT (Couldn't stand any of these guys on SNL. Wish I had FF back then.)
JON LOVITZ
MIKE MYERS (#8 is pushing it, and is probably another case of the list-makers considering his work post-SNL. He should be mid-list for his work on SNL.)

I was tempted to put JANEANE GAROFALO on the second list, but I realized that would be judging her for what she's become *now* (as the list makers clearly did with VICTORIA JACKSON). Garofalo is the out-of-touch-with-reality liberal whackjob counterpart to Jackson's out-of-touch-with-reality conservative whackjob.

I agree with Eddie Murphy being #1. They actually got it right that he, alone, saved the show from cancellation during his tenure there, as the *only* cast member who was the least bit funny for a couple of seasons, at least.


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## lambertman (Dec 21, 2002)

Fish Man said:


> [*]CHRISTINE EBERSOLE (Probably should be on the bottom. Hired while Dick Ebersole was the producer because she was his daughter,


Not exactly.


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## brebeans (Sep 5, 2003)

1) Gildar Radner
2) Dan Ackroyd
3) Dana Carvey
4) John Belushi
6) Chevy Chase
7) Mike Myers
8) Jane Cuertin
9) Eddie Murphy
10 Molly Shannon/Cheri Oteri


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## Fish Man (Mar 4, 2002)

lambertman said:


> Not exactly.


Little Sister?

Neice?

I can't fathom what she was doing on the show if it wasn't nepotism. As I said, she'd be on the bottom of my list.


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## frombhto323 (Jan 24, 2002)

kcarl75 said:


> No one asked but here would be my top 10. (I like making lists)
> 
> 10. Cheri Oteri
> 9.Tracy Morgan
> ...


I have no idea why anyone thinks Adam Sandler is funny.


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## Bob_Newhart (Jul 14, 2004)

1. Wild & Crazy Guys
2. Jack Handy
3. Mr Robinson's Neighborhood
4. Jane you ignorant slut.
5. Bass-o-matic and bag of glass.
6. Land shark
7. Mr Subliminal
8. Joe Montana masturbating
9. Van down by the river
10. Cheeseburger cheeseburger


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## frombhto323 (Jan 24, 2002)

kcarl75 said:


> Agreed, but I think that's pretty much the fun of SNL. Everyone has an era they grew up with and think is the best.
> 
> As far as Will, he is in my two favorite sketches of all time (Will in an American Flag thong, and the Jim Carey Lifeguard sketch). Plus the cheerleaders, Jeopardy, cowbell, "I drive a dodge stratus".
> 
> And I don't care how many times they show them on Best of's I don''t find the Bass'omatic or Coneheads even remotely funny. To each his own I guess.


The Bass-o-matic sketches must be viewed in the context of late-night commercials of the time. And if you did not like Aykroyd's delivery in those sketches, you probably would not like him in the movie _Dragnet_.


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## lambertman (Dec 21, 2002)

Fish Man said:


> Little Sister?
> 
> Neice?
> 
> I can't fathom what she was doing on the show if it wasn't nepotism. As I said, she'd be on the bottom of my list.


Christine Ebersole is completely unrelated to Dick Ebersol.


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## Steveknj (Mar 10, 2003)

frombhto323 said:


> I have no idea why anyone thinks Adam Sandler is funny.


Or Will Farrell


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## Bob_Newhart (Jul 14, 2004)

I've always looked at Will Farrell and thought he seems like he'd be a fun guy to hang out with and have a beer with. So I've always figured that I would enjoy his movies. But to me, they've all sucked enough to make me want to *****-slap the guy.


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## VegasVic (Nov 22, 2002)

Agree about Ferrell. He seems funny enough in interviews but most of his movies suck.


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## YCantAngieRead (Nov 5, 2003)

He has funny moments. But he has some radically, terribly unfunny moments, too.


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## zalusky (Apr 5, 2002)

VegasVic said:


> Agree about Ferrell. He seems funny enough in interviews but most of his movies suck.


I still think back to the patriotic underwear episode.


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## Fish Man (Mar 4, 2002)

lambertman said:


> Christine Ebersole is completely unrelated to Dick Ebersol.


Hmmm...

I guess she was just the least funny of a spectacularly unfunny cast then.

She's apparently had a respectable career since SNL, but sketch comedy is not he forte.


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## Wil (Sep 27, 2002)

Fish Man said:


> [Victoria Jackson is] considered by many people to be a total nutcase today, but she was pretty damn funny on SNL


When a performer draws laughs for going out on the stage and delivering lines like a total nitwit, but later turns out to be, in fact, a total nitwit, reassessing her talent may be appropriate.

IMO Victoria Jackson got the job on SNL only because she was Michael Jackson's mother.


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## DevdogAZ (Apr 16, 2003)

Wil said:


> IMO Victoria Jackson got the job on SNL only because she was Michael Jackson's mother.


LOL :up:


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## YCantAngieRead (Nov 5, 2003)

This was an interesting article in that I spent an amusing 20 minutes making up my own top 10.


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## jr461 (Jul 9, 2004)

Ferrell and Sandler, I think, are highly overrated.

As far as Tracy Morgan, by the writer's own comments, he wasn't given much to do yet he's ranked 33 

I think any combination of Belushi, Aykroyd and Radner as top 3 works.

Tim Meadows higher than Gilda??


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## Steveknj (Mar 10, 2003)

jr461 said:


> Ferrell and Sandler, I think, are highly overrated.
> 
> As far as Tracy Morgan, by the writer's own comments, he wasn't given much to do yet he's ranked 33
> 
> ...


The epic fail of that ranking.

I agree with your assessment.


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## appleye1 (Jan 26, 2002)

Another one that probably shouldn't be ranked so low is #88 Rob Schneider. I always liked him. He's funny but he has no delusions he's a Jim Carrey or anything. He's kept steady work over the years and now has his own show "Rob" starting 1/12 on CBS. Not bad for the "making copies" guy. :up:


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## hefe (Dec 5, 2000)

zalusky said:


> I still think back to the patriotic underwear episode.


One of my favorite sketches ever.

Also, the morning news parody with Ferrell going nuts after the teleprompter fails. I think he really did some funny stuff.


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