Top 10 Classic SNL Sketches of the 1980s
#10: “Synchronized Swimming”
Martin Short only enjoyed a single-season run with “Saturday Night Live,” but he certainly made the most of that tenure. This otherwise forgotten sketch has seen some revival lately on social media as of late, and we’re going to co-sign all of the flowers. Short collaborated with future “Simpsons” star Harry Shearer as a man who can’t swim, yet who dreams of winning Olympic gold for the Men’s Synchronized. Short’s character, named Lawrence, flops around in a life preserver, and is hilariously over-the-top with his clumsy mannerisms. It’s something of a hidden SNL gem that we love to revisit.
#9: “Pumping Up with Hans & Franz”
It’s seriously impressive to gauge now just how popular Arnold Schwarzenegger was during his heyday in the 1980s. “Saturday Night Live” certainly seemed to take notice, as evidenced by Kevin Nealon and Dana Carvey’s characters of Hans and Franz. This pair of bodybuilders echoed the era’s focus on physical fitness, particularly in the wake of Schwarzenegger’s meteoric success. The Hans & Franz set was even completed by real-life cutouts of Arnold at the peak of his competition powers. “Weak” men didn’t stand a chance against the pulsating pecs of Hans and Franz, who were determined to “pump up” anything that stood in their way, from the ‘80s and into the ‘90s.
#8: “Sprockets”
You don’t necessarily need to understand the importance of Krautrock pioneers Kraftwerk to appreciate the hilarity of “Sprockets.” That electronic group may have provided the theme song to Mike Myers’ fictional West German talk show, but it was the SNL cast member that brought all of the yuks. “Sprockets” parodied German cultural stereotypes in a manner that felt both celebratory and silly. It was the sort of irreverent comedy with which “Saturday Night Live” could excel, under the proper circumstances. Myers was willing to go all in as the “Sprockets” host, Dieter, and deliver a performance that was without modesty…in the best possible way.
#7: Ed Grimley
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Martin Short is rightfully celebrated for his stints hosting and co-hosting “Saturday Night Live,” but let’s not sleep on his recurring character of Ed Grimley. The character actually dates back to Short’s improv days, and debuted on Canada’s “SCTV” prior to making the jump to SNL. Ed Grimley is chaotic in all of his forms, playing the triangle with abandon, and…we’ll go with “thrilling” everyone with his knowledge about Pat Sajak and “Wheel of Fortune.” It’s the sort of character that’s clearly been developed with time. All of these little, subtle nuances come together to create a recurring sketch that SNL fans, including us, thought was, to quote Grimley, “totally decent.”
#6: “Frank Sinatra and Stevie Wonder Duet”
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It was the real-life musical collaboration between ex-Beatle Paul McCartney and Stevie Wonder, titled “Ebony and Ivory,” that served as the inspiration for this sketch. However, this time it was Joe Piscopo’s impression of crooner Frank Sinatra that replaced McCartney, while Eddie Murphy took to task impersonating the legendary Stevie Wonder. The end results are note-perfect, as Piscopo captures Sinatra’s occasionally brash personality, together with a desire to appeal to “the kids.” Murphy, in the meantime, actually faced real-world flack for his take on Wonder, with some SNL fans considering Stevie to be something of a sacred musical cow. For our money, however, this duet is music to the ears.
#5: The Sweeney Sisters
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Just as Bill Murray’s character of Nick the Lounge Singer perfectly encapsulated lounge culture of the 1970s, so too did The Sweeney Sisters echo this sentiment for the ‘80s. Lounge singer hopefuls never really went away in this new decade, they just started learning some new songs. Candy and Liz Sweeney were portrayed by SNL alums Jan Hooks and Nora Dunn, and both absolutely nail this hopeful sentimentality that often goes along with this subculture. The pair sings their hearts out, and try to give on a show for comparatively apathetic audiences, while always brandishing million dollar smiles.
#4: Buckwheat
We don’t expect younger SNL fans to go out and research this history of Buckwheat and “The Little Rascals.” Yet, those who do will find yet another layer to just how funny this impersonation by Eddie Murphy was, back in the day. The main hook here is how Murphy lovingly riffs on the character of Buckwheat, who possesses a speech impediment. This is achieved to particularly hilarious effect during the sketch “Buckwheat Sings the Classics,” as Murphy deliberately picks songs that emphasize this point. Yet another important aspect of this recurring sketch is how it never feels mean-spirited, either: it’s just side-splittingly funny.
#3: Church Chat
Dana Carvey’s Church Lady just has to be one of the best recurring “Saturday Night Live” characters from the 1980s. Carvey’s Enid Strict possesses a covert malevolence as the host of “Church Chat.” This is in spite of the wonderful little jig she performs that’s colloquially known as “The Superior Dance.” That’s about as far as her good will goes, however, since The Church Lady basically invited guests onto the “Church Chat” stage solely in order to admonish them for their sinful lifestyles. Carvey brought a smug sense of self-satisfaction to the character, but never made The Church Lady so beyond-the-pale that she couldn’t connect with the SNL audience. The end results became a fan-favorite sketch that would live on forever.
#2: “James Brown’s Celebrity Hot Tub Party”
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If it seems as if we’re discussing Eddie Murphy a lot during this list, we have a very good reason. The man frankly helped keep the good ship SNL afloat during some difficult times, creating sketches that we’re still discussing today. James Brown’s Celebrity Hot Tub Party absolutely deserves to be mentioned in that conversation, too; a very funny idea that’s anchored by a supremely memorable performance. Murphy’s mannerisms as Brown are solid gold, focusing on the soul icon’s uncontainable energy. It’s an impression that helped solidify Murphy’s tenure on “Saturday Night Live” as a period that helped define a legend.
Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.
“Fernando’s Hideaway”
Simply Maah-vel-ous!
Master Thespian
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Toonces the Driving Cat
With Disastrous Results!
“Weekend Update: Bill Murray's 1981 Oscar Predictions”
Nepotism at Its Finest
#1: “Mister Robinson’s Neighborhood”
The sixth season of “Saturday Night Live,” sometimes known as “SNL ‘80,” isn’t for everyone. Its uneven reputation enjoys a contentious and controversial reputation amongst fans to this day, but this sketch proved to be pure comedy gold. “Mister Robinson’s Neighborhood” parodies “Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood” to wonderful effect, and is hilariously funny. Eddie Murphy’s Mr. Robinson seems to possess the similarly down-to-earth and approachable mannerisms of Fred Rogers, but with a noticeable swerve in tone. The real-life Mr. Rogers was reportedly a fan of this sketch, which plays with economic and social disparities in an uproarious and no-holds-barred kind of way. It’s great stuff.
Did you watch any of these sketches when they originally aired, or in reruns? Let us know in the comments!
