All that said, Saturday Night Live (SNL) is at a remarkable fork in the road—that of 50 years on air since its debut in 1975. Originally developed by Lorne Michaels, the show has since transformed into an American institution, combining sketch comedy and live musical acts. As the years have gone by, it has become known for stinging political satire. It particularly seeks to undermine U.S. presidents, reflecting the highly partisan and contentious political environment in today’s America.
The show took to the airwaves only a year after the Watergate scandal which forced Richard Nixon from the presidency. That perfect timing placed SNL to address and satirize political figures at the height of a seismic shift in American history. The show has continued to thrill audiences with its satirical features on presidents—starting with Gerald Ford and continuing through Joe Biden. It frequently employs humor to attack their actions and policies.
Interestingly enough, former president Donald Trump has been one of the most consistent subjects of SNL’s political satire. Still, both Alec Baldwin and James Austin Johnson have taken on the role of the former president and elicited an audience’s love-hate reaction on SNL. Trump’s relationship with the show has been tumultuous. He has publicly criticized SNL over the years, reflecting his sensitivity to media portrayals.
SNL’s ability to maintain relevance amidst ever-changing political landscapes is underscored by its response to events such as the September 11 attacks. The production returned with renewed vigor just 18 days after the tragedy. It proved to be an invaluable touchstone of joy and inspiration, soothing the spirits of people when they required it most. As SNL executive producer Lorne Michaels has observed, during the most difficult of times, “people look to the show.”
Despite its decades-old reputation as a city that leans into political humor, SNL has not been immune to charges of liberal bias, especially from conservative critics. In a 2003 interview, former head writer Tina Fey acknowledged this reputation. She noted the difficulty of avoiding partisanship satire while still practicing comedic satire.
Michaels insists that SNL remains nonpartisan, emphasizing the importance of mocking both sides of the political spectrum. “To quote Jim Downey, one of the show’s longtime writers, you never want the show to seem like it’s the comedy division of the DNC,” said Downey. “Lorne is committed to that and that will help here as well.”
As the nation approaches another pivotal election cycle, some speculate about SNL’s ability to tackle pressing political issues with humor. David Litt recalled previous times when the show had a hard time resonating with viewers in politically fraught moments. He recounts an experience attending a cold open about the Obamacare website crash, stating, “I’m not having fun. Everyone else in the audience seemed to be having a better time than I was.”
SNL just had its 50th anniversary, and recently won a record-setting 12 Emmy awards. This remarkable feat solidifies its position as one of the most powerful forces in television comedy. As it navigates future challenges, analysts suggest that SNL should focus on its comedic roots rather than approaching political satire as journalists might. “I can’t imagine that people are going to be sitting around a writers’ room saying, how do we address this as though they were journalists,” Litt noted.
Political analyst Stephen Farnsworth noted that SNL’s historic ability to bounce back in times of turmoil might inform the show’s approach moving forward. In the past, when Saturday Night Live has faced a major challenge, they’ve risen to the occasion, he remarked. He explained that the next election season is pretty much the best use of cold openings. This could be the most significant change in the show’s entire history.
Lorne Michaels himself has posed an essential question about the show’s direction: “Can we be funny?” This dovetails with a bigger concern amongst the creative team of how to use humor or funny characters to tackle serious issues. Susan Morrison seconded that concern, adding that Michaels’ decades of experience makes him supremely suited to steer through these challenges. Lorne and his extremely talented writers will figure out a really cool but very obvious way of addressing this.
As SNL prepares for its upcoming season, they do so under a watchful eye. Critics, especially those who judge the show from a political, not artistic, standpoint, are waiting in the wings. Critics like Rudy Giuliani have questioned whether SNL will address current events fairly or continue down a path perceived as biased. “Why start now?” Giuliani quipped.