A little over 25 years ago, my brother-in-law called to ask if I was interested in meeting him in New York to catch a live airing of “SNL” at the Rockefeller Center.
I’ve ticked off several items on my bucket list over the years, but seeing “Saturday Night Live” from the studio audience was one that I always thought would slip by. My brother-in-law knew this and was generous enough to make it happen via his connections with NBC.
The date was December 5, 1998, and the holiday charm was in full swing throughout midtown Manhattan. I remember it being snowy and cold as we made our way through the crowded streets when my wife and I first arrived in the Big Apple. My brother-in-law asked us to show up early for a special surprise, so after a nice dinner with cocktails, we headed over to 30 Rockefeller Center.
Once we got through security, my brother-in-law revealed that he had coordinated a tour of the studios. Moments later, a young intern arrived and ushered us in. I was beside myself thinking that, not only was I seeing “SNL” live, but I was also being granted access to a behind-the-scenes look at the hallowed ground of countless classic television shows.
At one point, we were brought into the empty studio where “Late Night with David Letterman” was filmed (another show that I watched religiously). I sheepishly asked if I could sit at the maestro’s desk and was met with zero resistance, so I walked up and excitedly sat in Dave’s chair.
In today’s world, a photo of that moment would have been on social media within seconds, but in 1998, that wasn’t the case. We had to live events in the moment back then (which is why I probably remember it so vividly).
The next memorable moment happened while we were waiting for the elevator. Our tour guide was discussing a historical fact about the building when the doors opened and a young man walked out. He greeted us with a jovial “Hello” and passed by. When we got into the elevator, our guide said, “That’s a new cast member named Jimmy Fallon. Keep an eye on him. He’s going to be big.”
After the tour was over, we gathered with the other guests and made our way into Studio 8H. We had great seats in the upper level just off from the center. To say that the environment was intimate would be an understatement. Every seat felt close, making the experience that much more intoxicating.
The host that night was Vince Vaughn, whose career was just taking off after a memorable appearance in the indie film, “Swingers,” and his first major starring role as Norman Bates in the remake of “Psycho.” But as much as I was excited to see Vaughn, I was wholly disappointed with Lauryn Hill as the musical guest. “SNL” is known for breaking in new artists and reigning in classic acts, so Hill, personally, was a let-down for me.
One other memory I carried away from that evening happened just before the show started. While we were settling into our seats, I started scanning the audience out of curiosity. My eyes roamed about but quickly became fixated on a young woman sitting in the same row as us about seven or eight people to the right. I spotted her not because of her beauty, but because she was wearing a purple replica “Cat in the Hat” top hat. I remember staring at her and thinking how angry I would be if I was sitting behind her.
After pointing it out to my brother-in-law, he quickly enlightened me to the fact that it was the supermodel Kate Moss, and sitting right next to her was her date, Johnny Depp. After a secondary stare, I confirmed that it was definitely them.
That was a memorable night for me and one I will never forget. Apparently, the very first episode of “Saturday Night Live,” which aired on October 11, 1975, was also a memorable night, so much so that they decided to make a movie about it.
“Saturday Night” is a reimagining of the 90 minutes leading up to the launch of the very first episode of “SNL.” And while many of the events portrayed in this film are historically accurate, just as many liberties were taken to make the occasion seem that much more iconic.
This film ran at a frantic pace, which made watching it a bit difficult. It also plays to the viewer who has an immense knowledge of “SNL” lore. Without this knowledge, most viewers will feel left out of the joke.
Check this one out if you love the show or if you’re curious how fragile “SNL” was at the beginning.
A laughable “C+” for “Saturday Night,” now playing in theaters everywhere.
Got a question or comment for Dom? You can email him at moviediary@att.net.
