Recurring ''Saturday Night Live'' characters and sketches introduced 1995–1996
The following is a list of recurring Saturday Night Live characters and sketches introduced between September 30, 1995, and May 18, 1996, the twenty-first season of SNL.
Get Off The Shed!
A Will Ferrell and David Koechner and Nancy Walls sketch. Ferrell plays a dad hosting a barbecue who, although friendly most of the time, threatens his kids whenever they start climbing on his shed. Debuted September 30, 1995.
Leg Up
Molly Shannon impersonates Ann Miller and Cheri Oteri impersonates Debbie Reynolds, hosting a faux show about dancers.
- Appearances
Season | Episode | Host | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
21 | September 30, 1995 | Mariel Hemingway | Elizabeth Berkley (Mariel Hemingway) is the guest. |
21 | November 11, 1995 | Quentin Tarantino | Quentin Tarantino plays himself as the guest. |
21 | December 16, 1995 | Madeline Kahn | Ludmilla Veshenkova (Madeline Kahn) is the guest. |
21 | March 23, 1996 | Phil Hartman | Frank Sinatra (Phil Hartman) is the guest. |
Nightline
A parody of the late-night news program Nightline, with Darrell Hammond impersonating its host Ted Koppel.
- Appearances
Season | Episode | Host | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
21 | September 30, 1995 | Mariel Hemingway | |
21 | December 2, 1995 | Anthony Edwards | |
21 | December 9, 1995 | David Alan Grier | |
21 | January 20, 1996 | Alec Baldwin | |
21 | April 13, 1996 | Steve Forbes | |
21 | May 18, 1996 | Jim Carrey | |
22 | February 15, 1997 | Chevy Chase | |
22 | April 12, 1997 | Rob Lowe | |
22 | May 17, 1997 | Jeff Goldblum | |
23 | November 22, 1997 | Rudy Giuliani | |
25 | February 19, 2000 | Ben Affleck | |
29 | February 7, 2004 | Megan Mullally | |
29 | March 6, 2004 | Colin Firth |
Spade in America
David Spade's Season 21 segment where he gives his thoughts, guest interviews, and Hollywood Minute jokes. Makes up fifteen of his nineteen sketch appearances in 95-96.
Episode | Host | Notes |
---|---|---|
September 30, 1995 | Mariel Hemingway | David Spade makes snide comments about the Unabomber and no-show musical guest, Prince. |
October 7, 1995 | Chevy Chase | David Spade comments on the decline of popular music. |
October 21, 1995 | David Schwimmer | Jennifer Aniston is nonplussed by David Spade's Hollywood Minute style jokes about "Friends." |
October 28, 1995 | Gabriel Byrne | David Spade delivers a taped report from the World Series. |
November 11, 1995 | Quentin Tarantino | David Spade introduces Robert Hegyes to Quentin Tarantino with the hopes of launching a film career for John Travolta's former sitcom co-star. |
November 18, 1995 | Laura Leighton | Sean Penn agrees to an interview with David Spade as long as he can give the "SNL" star a tattoo. |
December 2, 1995 | Anthony Edwards | David Spade re-enacts a Thanksgiving barroom encounter with his father. |
December 9, 1995 | David Alan Grier | David Spade gives a year-in-review Hollywood Minute. |
December 16, 1995 | Madeline Kahn | David Spade unveils his wish list for 1996. |
January 13, 1996 | Christopher Walken | Christopher Walken mans the desk so David Spade can deliver a live outdoor remote at the scene of the blizzard, but technical problems result in David Spade never realizing he's on the air as he makes fun of Christopher Walken and the cast of "Saturday Night Live." |
February 10, 1996 | Danny Aiello | Special guest Newt Gingrich (Chris Farley) delivers a desperate plug for "Black Sheep." |
March 23, 1996 | Phil Hartman | David Spade delivers a movie-oriented Hollywood Minute. |
April 20, 1996 | Teri Hatcher | David Spade (Teri Hatcher) and Teri Hatcher (David Spade) insult one another's careers. |
May 11, 1996 | Christine Baranski | David Spade's biggest fans, Lucien (David Koechner) and Fagin (Mark McKinney), spend the day with him. |
May 18, 1996 | Jim Carrey | David Spade pokes fun at the new cast, then looks back on his favorite moments from the "Hollywood Minute." |
Mickey The Dyke
A Cheri Oteri sketch. Debuted September 30, 1995.
Rita DelVecchio
Rita DelVecchio (Cheri Oteri) is a grouchy, sharp tongued, Italian-American, Brooklyn housewife. Rita hates it when the neighborhood kids's toys wind up landing in her front yard, so she claims the item saying that it's "hers now, I keep it!" and tells the kids to go away. Other times Rita tries to one-up any of her neighbors when it comes to things like the who has the best decorated front lawn on Christmas, or who has the better car, etc.
- Appearances
Season | Episode | Host | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
21 | October 21, 1995 | David Schwimmer | |
21 | January 13, 1996 | Christopher Walken | |
21 | April 13, 1996 | Steve Forbes | |
22 | October 26, 1996 | Dana Carvey | |
22 | December 14, 1996 | Rosie O'Donnell | |
23 | September 27, 1997 | Sylvester Stallone | |
23 | November 22, 1997 | Rudy Giuliani |
Mary Katherine Gallagher
A Molly Shannon sketch. Debuted October 28, 1995.
- Appearances
Season | Episode | Host | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
21 | October 28, 1995 | Gabriel Byrne | Mary auditions for a school play. |
21 | December 2, 1995 | Anthony Edwards | Mary makes a toast at a wedding. |
21 | January 13, 1996 | Christopher Walken | Mary visits the guidance counselor. |
21 | February 24, 1996 | Elle Macpherson | Mary competes in a beauty contest. |
21 | April 20, 1996 | Teri Hatcher | Mary crashes a West Side Story rehearsal. |
22 | October 5, 1996 | Lisa Kudrow | Mary is a contestant on Singled Out. |
22 | November 16, 1996 | Robert Downey Jr. | Mary plays Seven Minutes in Heaven. |
22 | December 14, 1996 | Rosie O'Donnell | Mary performs at a Christmas concert. |
22 | February 22, 1997 | Alec Baldwin | Mary meets Tina Turner. |
22 | March 22, 1997 | Mike Myers | Mary auditions for an Aerosmith video. |
22 | May 17, 1997 | Jeff Goldblum | Mary bonds with a popular teacher. |
23 | October 25, 1997 | Chris Farley | Mary attends a school dance. |
23 | November 22, 1997 | Rudy Giuliani | Mary competes in a spelling bee. |
23 | March 7, 1998 | Scott Wolf | Mary trains at a TGI Fridays. |
24 | November 21, 1998 | Jennifer Love Hewitt | Mary auditions to be a deodorant spokesperson. |
24 | February 6, 1999 | Gwyneth Paltrow | Mary tries to join a gang at school. |
25 | October 2, 1999 | Jerry Seinfeld | Mary tries to woo a Jewish basketball player. |
26 | February 17, 2001 | Sean Hayes | Mary sings School's Out. |
32 | May 12, 2007 | Molly Shannon | Mary crashes American Idol. |
The Spartan Cheerleaders
Although they did not make the East Lake High School Spartan cheerleading squad, Craig (Will Ferrell) and Arianna (Cheri Oteri) decide to cheer anyway, showing up at events where they were not wanted. Debuted November 11, 1995.
- Appearances
Season | Episode | Host | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
21 | November 11, 1995 | Quentin Tarantino | Football Game |
21 | December 16, 1995 | Madeline Kahn | Basketball Game |
21 | January 20, 1996 | Alec Baldwin | Chess Tournament |
21 | February 24, 1996 | Elle Macpherson | Swim Meet |
21 | April 20, 1996 | Teri Hatcher | Math Competition |
21 | May 18, 1996 | Jim Carrey | Wrestling Tournament |
22 | September 28, 1996 | Tom Hanks | Ping-Pong Tournament |
22 | November 16, 1996 | Robert Downey Jr. | Bowling Tournament |
22 | December 14, 1996 | Rosie O'Donnell | Hickory Farms |
22 | February 8, 1997 | Neve Campbell | Sidney's Party |
22 | April 19, 1997 | Pamela Anderson | Baywatch |
23 | October 4, 1997 | Matthew Perry | Practice |
23 | December 6, 1997 | Nathan Lane | Spartans Dream |
23 | March 7, 1998 | Scott Wolf | East Lake Cinema |
23 | May 9, 1998 | David Duchovny | Cheerleading Camp |
24 | November 21, 1998 | Jennifer Love Hewitt | Maternity Ward |
25 | December 4, 1999 | Christina Ricci | Holiday Parade |
Stan Hooper
A Norm Macdonald sketch. Debuted November 11, 1995.
- Appearances
Season | Episode | Host | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
21 | November 11, 1995 | Quentin Tarantino | Stan appears on Clara Turley's Bible Challenge. |
21 | November 18, 1995 | Laura Leighton | Stan goes to a psychic (Laura Leighton). |
21 | February 24, 1996 | Elle Macpherson | Stan emerges from a coma and meets his sister (Elle Macpherson). |
21 | April 13, 1996 | Steve Forbes | Stan appears on Seattle Today as a courtroom sketch artist. |
The British Fops
The British Fops, or Lucien Callow (Mark McKinney) and Fagan (David Koechner) appeared in several episodes during SNL's 1995-1996 season. The characters first appeared on "Weekend Update" as the presidents of the Norm Macdonald fanclub, but later appeared in several other sketches, namely monologues. The Fops would appear in late restoration period clothing, and used a silly take on the period's language, mannerisms, and culture, not sparing the subsequent perversion also known for the time. Debuted November 11, 1995.
- Appearances
Season | Episode | Host | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
21 | November 11, 1995 | Quentin Tarantino | |
21 | November 18, 1995 | Laura Leighton | |
21 | December 16, 1995 | Madeline Kahn | |
21 | January 20, 1996 | Alec Baldwin | |
21 | February 24, 1996 | Elle Macpherson | |
21 | May 11, 1996 | Christine Baranski |
Joe Blow
Joe Blow was played by Colin Quinn. A blue collar worker by trade, Blow came onto Weekend Update as a New York public service to deliver local news from Brooklyn, New York. Most of his "news" included family problems and neighborhood gossip. Joe Blow regularly concluded his commentary by asking anchor Norm Macdonald if he would join him for "a beer", which Macdonald (who clearly did not want to socialize with him) would avoid by making up an excuse, or putting it off until a later date. Debuted November 18, 1995.
- Appearances
Season | Episode | Host | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
21 | November 18, 1995 | Laura Leighton | |
21 | January 20, 1996 | Alec Baldwin | |
21 | February 17, 1996 | Tom Arnold | |
21 | April 20, 1996 | Teri Hatcher | The Local News |
22 | October 26, 1996 | Dana Carvey | |
22 | December 14, 1996 | Rosie O'Donnell | The Local News |
23 | November 15, 1997 | Claire Danes |
Gary Macdonald
Gary Macdonald was the fictitious younger brother of anchor Norm Macdonald. Played by David Koechner, he was supposed to be the funnier of the two Macdonald brothers, but would be overcome by fear and freeze on camera and end nearly everything he said with "no". Because of this, his commentary consisted of choppy, nervously delivered lines such as, "Hey, Janet Reno. Hey, how does that song go, '(Dude) Looks Like A Lady,' no." Debuted December 2, 1995.
- Appearances
Season | Episode | Host | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
21 | December 2, 1995 | Anthony Edwards | |
21 | February 10, 1996 | Danny Aiello | |
21 | March 16, 1996 | John Goodman | Meeting Sketch |
21 | May 11, 1996 | Christine Baranski |
The Joe Pesci Show
This sketch starred Jim Breuer as Pesci, the host of his own late-night talk show. The heard-but-not-seen cameraman was meant to be Pesci's brother. The sketch would usually begin with Italian accordion music and Breuer cheerfully saying "Hey. I am Joe Pesci. I got my own show, my cameraman, and all my friends." Debuted December 2, 1995.
Pesci's personality on the show does not so much resemble the real Joe Pesci as it does Tommy DeVito or Nicky Santoro, his characters from Goodfellas and Casino respectively. While interviewing his guests, each guest would invariably, inadvertently say something that Pesci took as an insult. He would then produce a baseball bat, and proceed to beat the guest senseless.
There were a few guests who were notable exceptions to this fate. The first sketch featured Anthony Edwards as Macaulay Culkin, Pesci's co-star in Home Alone. Pesci hit him on the head with a paint can as he was angered by the fact people laughed at Macaulay Culkin doing it to Pesci. On one episode hosted by Jim Carrey, Carrey played legendary actor James Stewart, while regular cast member Mark McKinney played Carrey. Pesci and Stewart teamed up to beat up Carrey, with Stewart going on to beat up Pesci himself. One episode featuring then Mayor Rudy Giuliani was about to get beaten when his security detail grabs Pesci, then Giuliani grabs a stickball stick and proceeded to beat Pesci. Pesci also spares actors who, like him, are of Italian ancestry and who came to prominence in films about the Sicilian mafia. However, while Italian-Americans were often spared physical assault, Pesci made disparaging remarks, such as when he had his My Cousin Vinny costar Marisa Tomei, Pesci mentions her Academy Award and comments that it must have been quid pro quo ("Whose Joe did you DiMaggio to win that?"), prompting an angry Tomei to state she won it fairly and storm off the set. Kevin Spacey appeared as Al Pacino in one episode, in which the two of them teamed up against Rodney Dangerfield (portrayed by Darrell Hammond). Alec Baldwin, John Goodman and Colin Quinn made appearances as Robert De Niro, though he is reduced to monosyllabic responses to Pesci's prompts: his lines are usually "I heard some things" (a line from Oscar winner Raging Bull, the first movie to star both De Niro and Pesci), and "Li'l bit" (a shortened version of a line from Goodfellas (where De Niro accuses another mobster of being a "little bit out of line" for insulting Pesci's character), another film starring the two actors). The real Pesci and De Niro appeared on one episode, criticizing Breuer for playing caricatures of their film characters. Quinn suddenly says he is not De Niro, but "Colin Quinn from Remote Control." Breuer's and Quinn's weak defense of themselves insults Pesci, who asks De Niro if they were just insulted, to which De Niro responds, "I heard things." The two of them then proceed to beat up Breuer and Quinn.
At the end of the show, Pesci tell the cameraman to turn off the camera, and when they didn't turn it off, Pesci and/or De Niro would take the bat and shatter the camera lens.
A cel-shaded rendering of an episode of The Joe Pesci Show appears in a scene of the movie Waking Life where the television is scanning through several channels.
- Appearances
Season | Episode | Host | Guests |
---|---|---|---|
21 | December 2, 1995 | Anthony Edwards | Macaulay Culkin (Anthony Edwards), Jim Carrey (Mark McKinney), Sharon Stone (Nancy Walls). |
21 | January 20, 1996 | Alec Baldwin | Robert DeNiro (Alec Baldwin), Mel Gibson (Mark McKinney), Danny Glover (Tim Meadows), Brad Pitt (David Spade). |
21 | March 16, 1996 | John Goodman | Robert DeNiro (John Goodman), Marisa Tomei (Cheri Oteri), Richard Dreyfuss (Darrell Hammond). |
21 | May 18, 1996 | Jim Carrey | Jimmy Stewart (Jim Carrey), Jim Carrey (Mark McKinney). |
22 | November 23, 1996 | Phil Hartman | Frank Sinatra (Phil Hartman), Michael Jackson (Tim Meadows), Debbie Rowe (Molly Shannon). |
22 | January 11, 1997 | Kevin Spacey | Al Pacino (Kevin Spacey), Rodney Dangerfield (Darrell Hammond), Dennis Rodman (Tim Meadows). |
22 | April 12, 1997 | Rob Lowe | Robert DeNiro (Colin Quinn), Eric Roberts (Rob Lowe), David Spade (Chris Kattan).
|
23 | November 22, 1997 | Rudy Giuliani | Rudy Giuliani as himself, Marion Barry (Tracy Morgan). |
G-Dog
A 1990s sitcom about a bald-headed, foul mouthed gangsta rapper played by Tim Meadows who usually appeared wearing only a Speedo or leather pants. He first appeared in a sketch with Teri Hatcher about a sitcom called "The Princess and the Homeboy". Debuted December 2, 1995.
Lenny the Lion
Visiting from the Bronx Zoo, Lenny the Lion (Colin Quinn in a lion suit) would come onto Weekend Update to talk about his life problems. His accent and set of problems (including a violent father, a chaotic family situation and an addiction to tranquilizer darts) are meant to suggest an ethnic working-class man in the Bronx. Lenny would always end his rant with the line "fur is murder". Debuted December 9, 1995.
- Appearances
Season | Episode | Host | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
21 | December 9, 1995 | David Alan Grier | |
22 | December 14, 1996 | Rosie O'Donnell | |
22 | May 17, 1997 | Jeff Goldblum |
The Rocky Roads
A Will Ferrell, Tim Meadows and David Alan Grier sketch. Debuted December 9, 1995.
- Appearances
Season | Episode | Host | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
21 | December 9, 1995 | David Alan Grier | |
22 | January 18, 1997 | David Alan Grier |
Gerald "T-Bones" Tibbons
A David Koechner sketch. Debuted January 13, 1996.
- Appearances
Season | Episode | Host | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
21 | January 13, 1996 | Christopher Walken | |
21 | February 17, 1996 | Tom Arnold | |
21 | February 24, 1996 | Elle Macpherson | |
21 | April 13, 1996 | Steve Forbes |
Bill Brasky
A Will Ferrell, David Koechner, Mark McKinney and Tim Meadows sketch. Debuted January 20, 1996.
- Appearances
Season | Episode | Host | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
21 | January 20, 1996 | Alec Baldwin | |
21 | March 16, 1996 | John Goodman | |
22 | February 22, 1997 | Alec Baldwin | |
22 | May 10, 1997 | John Goodman | |
24 | December 12, 1998 | Alec Baldwin | |
39 | December 7, 2013 | Paul Rudd |
Kevin Franklin
A Tim Meadows sketch. Debuted February 10, 1996.
Suel Forrester
A Chris Kattan sketch. Debuted March 16, 1996. In each appearance by Suel Forrester he has a different occupation in which good, articulate clarity of speech is very important (a teacher, a trial attorney, an air traffic controller), yet he speaks almost entirely in unintelligible gibberish.
- Appearances
Season | Episode | Host | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
21 | March 16, 1996 | John Goodman | Suel is a substitute teacher. |
21 | April 13, 1996 | Steve Forbes | Suel is an army drill sergeant. |
22 | October 5, 1996 | Lisa Kudrow | Suel is an air traffic controller talking a flight attendant (Kudrow) through landing a disabled plane. |
22 | February 8, 1997 | Neve Campbell | Suel is the host of a quiz style game show and the contestants can not understand any of the questions. |
22 | May 10, 1997 | John Goodman | Suel is a talk show host. |
24 | November 14, 1998 | Joan Allen | Suel is a trial attorney. |
24 | March 13, 1999 | Ray Romano | Suel is an NCAA coach. |
26 | March 17, 2001 | Julia Stiles | Suel is a movie director. |
The Roxbury Guys
The Roxbury Guys was a recurring sketch that debuted March 23, 1996 as a satire of nightclubs and clubbing culture. It followed the exploits of brothers Doug and Steve Butabi (portrayed by Chris Kattan and Will Ferrell respectively), habitual clubbers dressed in rayon suits, as they attempt to pick up women on their outings. Their trademark was bobbing their heads in unison to the song "What Is Love" by Haddaway, which always played throughout the duration of each sketch. The brothers were extremely unfortunate with the women at the clubs, often gyrating against them in an attempt to get them to dance, but always causing a negative reaction. They were frequently joined by a third person, often the host, who would dress and act in a similar fashion (notably Tom Hanks, Jim Carrey, Sylvester Stallone, Martin Short, and Alec Baldwin); this character was usually credited as "Barhop". Skits starring Pamela Anderson and Cameron Diaz were also featured. The sketch spawned a film titled, A Night at the Roxbury.
- Appearances
Season | Episode | Host | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
21 | March 23, 1996 | Phil Hartman | |
21 | May 18, 1996 | Jim Carrey | This episode's sketch is the most popular one within the internet community, particularly the head bobbing scene which later became an Internet meme |
22 | September 28, 1996 | Tom Hanks | |
22 | December 7, 1996 | Martin Short | |
22 | February 22, 1997 | Alec Baldwin | |
22 | April 19, 1997 | Pamela Anderson | |
23 | September 27, 1997 | Sylvester Stallone | |
23 | December 13, 1997 | Helen Hunt | Jack Nicholson makes an appearance as the therapist's boyfriend. |
24 | September 26, 1998 | Cameron Diaz | The final run of the sketch featured another team of two club-hopping brothers: Steve Martin and Dan Aykroyd, reprising their early-SNL roles as "Two Wild and Crazy Guys". |
Bobby Coldsman
A Phil Hartman sketch about an overbearing, self-obsessed acting class teacher. Debuted March 23, 1996.
- Appearances
Season | Episode | Host | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
21 | March 23, 1996 | Phil Hartman | |
22 | November 23, 1996 | Phil Hartman |
Goat Boy
Goat Boy was a half-human half-goat hybrid SNL character who hosted the fake MTV show, "Hey, Remember the 80s?" He was played by Jim Breuer. At the outset, Goat Boy was a typical veejay-talk show host who would introduce 80s video clips and guests from the era. During the sketches, he would start braying and kicking and would be subdued by scientists standing by with electric prods. Debuted May 11, 1996.
- Appearances
Season | Episode | Host | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
21 | May 11, 1996 | Christine Baranski | |
22 | September 28, 1996 | Tom Hanks | Hey, Remember the 80s? |
22 | October 26, 1996 | Dana Carvey | Hey, Remember the 80s? |
22 | December 14, 1996 | Rosie O'Donnell | |
22 | February 15, 1997 | Chevy Chase | |
22 | April 19, 1997 | Pamela Anderson | Hey, Remember the 80s? |
23 | October 4, 1997 | Matthew Perry | |
23 | February 28, 1998 | Garth Brooks | Hey, Remember the 80s? |
23 | April 4, 1998 | Steve Buscemi | |
23 | May 9, 1998 | David Duchovny |
Rolf
A Colin Quinn sketch. Debuted May 11, 1996.
- Appearances
Season | Episode | Host | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
21 | May 11, 1996 | Christine Baranski | |
22 | February 8, 1997 | Neve Campbell | |
22 | March 15, 1997 | Sting |