InSaturday Night, J.K. Simmons plays Milton Berle, a real-life TV personality who is unabashedly arrogant; the real Berle was actually banned fromSaturday Night Live.The recent comedySaturday Nighttells the story of the chaotic first episode ofSNL.Starting from 90 minutes before the show to the opening sketch, the movie depicts the show’s original cast and its creator, Lorne Michaels.Saturday Night’scastis full of familiar faces portraying even more familiar faces, who offer additional lore connected toSNL.
Milton Berle was an actor and comedian known as “Mr. Television.” Berle’s career spanned his entire life, from performing on stage as a child to hosting the variety show,Texaco Star Theater. Berle was considered the very first television star, which is what earned him his nickname. He was one of the first celebrities to become a household name because of TV, giving him a massive reputation. Therefore, when he appears on the set ofSNL’sfirst episode,his presence is important, even if he himself comes across as an awful person.
Milton Berle Banned From Saturday Night Live True Story Explained
Berle’s Ego Made Him The Worst SNL Host
Saturday Night’sdepiction of Berle is unsavory, probably becauseBerle was actually banned fromSNL. According to the bookSaturday Night: A Backstage History of Saturday Night Live(viaCracked), Berle was asked to hostSNLin 1979. Right off the bat, the comedian came in believing he was better than everyone.
Reportedly, when Berle pitched jokes, he would say:“Now this might be over your heads.“He would also make over-the-top faces right at the camera, which was appropriate during his peak in the 1950s, but came across as strange in the late 1970s. However, Berle’s true downfall came on the night of his performance.
Jane Curtin
Kim Matula
During his opening monologue,Berle made terrible jokes that were racist, homophobic, and simply in bad taste. The end of the episode wasn’t any better. The comedian concluded by singing the overly sentimental “September Song,” and despite promising Lorne Michaels a standing ovation, only ten audience members stood for “Mr. Television.” Ultimately, Berle’s performance was so bad that he was banned from hostingSNLever again.
Was Milton Berle Backstage At Saturday Night Live’s Premiere Episode?
Why Did Saturday Night Include Berle?
Although Berle makes an appearance inSaturday Night,there’s no proof that the real Berle was present on the night ofSNL’sfirst episode. Berle hosted in 1979, but it’s unclear whether he was wandering around 30 Rock on that monumental night in October 1975. Considering Berle’s career at the time, it isn’t impossible. In the 1960s and 1970s, Berle’s career was on the decline. He continued to bring in large audiences but didn’t have the same power he had in the previous two decades. Berle bounced from show to show, which could have put him near NBC in 1975.
On top of that, Berle’s appearance buckles down onSaturday Night’sthemes of old Hollywood being replaced with young visionaries like Lorne Michaels and his cast of comedians.
Ultimately, this leads many to wonderwhy Berle was even included inSaturday Nightif he wasn’t present during the first episode. The most obvious answer is that his character offers extra entertainment. Berle may not have played a real role onSNLin 1975, but his performance in 1979 was unforgettable. His behavior has gone down inSNLhistory as awful and inappropriate. Thus, it warrants a place in the movie. On top of that, Berle’s appearance buckles down onSaturday Night’sthemes of old Hollywood being replaced with young visionaries like Lorne Michaels andhis originalSNLcast.
Did Milton Berle Flash Chevy Chase After Hitting On The Comedian’s Fiancé?
Berle’s History Of Flashing Explained
The final question thatSaturday Nightaudiences may be wondering is whether Berle really flashed Chevy Chase. InSaturday Night,Berle and Chase get into a snarky and intense argument afterBerle begins flirting with Chase’s fiancé, then pulls out his genitals.This shocking display is the most memorable part of Berle’s character in the movie. However, this situation didn’t happen, at least not in this way. It is true that Berle was well-known for having particularly large genitals, but it wasn’t Chase or Carlin that he flashed. According to the bookLive From New York(viaEntertainment Weekly),it was writer Alan Zweibel.
10 Ways Saturday Night Changes The True Story Of SNL’s First Episode
Saturday Night makes some deliberate tweaks to the true story behind the first Saturday Night Live, while remaining faithful to the show’s legacy.
InLive From New York,Zweibel describes the moment when Berle flashed him in his dressing room during Berle’s episode in 1979. Allegedly, Zweibel told Berle that he got his start writing jokes about Berle’s genitals, and as a result, Berle showed him his private parts. Zweibel may not have been as shocked and disgusted as Chase was inSaturday Night,but he did note that Gilda Radner walked in right as this exchange was happening. In this way, Berle did play a notable role inSNL,just not in the waySaturday Nightportrays.
Source:Saturday Night: A Backstage History of Saturday Night Live(viaCracked),Live From New York(viaEntertainment Weekly)
Saturday Night
Cast
Saturday Night (2024) is a forthcoming film with an undisclosed director. The movie centers on the vibrant nightlife of a bustling city, capturing the intertwining lives and stories of a diverse ensemble cast navigating personal and social challenges over the course of a single evening.
