Not Ready For Prime Time Players

I was watching some recent SNL on Hulu, and I noticed something. As they introduced all the cast members, there were A LOT of them. And I thought back to the originals. The first cast members were Second City alumni Dan Aykroyd, John Belushi, and Gilda Radner and National Lampoon "Lemmings" alumnus Chevy Chase (whose trademark became his usual falls and opening spiel that cued the show's opening), Jane Curtin, Laraine Newman, and Garrett Morris. And I thought, they had these few. They didn't try to make Chevy Chase LOOK like Ford, no. He just ACTED liked him. Notice I said, ACTED. Something that I think a lot of the alum of SNL didn't do. Not all, just a lot of them! Hell I couldn't tell you who has been on SNL over its 35 yr run. I just know who was there first. The ground breakers, and they were.

I am always reminded by the tape-Best of Belushi. At the end he was the last to be alive, and he was one of the first to go. Irony I know, and Belushi is loving that. I was also looking over the bio for John Belushi and I can not help but still get teary eyed thinking about him. Dam he was funny. I guess I cry as much for him as I do the time I remember seeing him. I just wonder how he would have translated to this time. Not well I think if he fellow SNLers of the time are any indication. In some ways, those who go out, on top, never are seen as fallen. I mean they live sometimes tragic and 'flash in the pan' lives. And while it is tragic, I just wonder. I mean look at Chevy Chase now, in that, IMO, horrid, insipid comedy "Community." Jane Curtin did some more stuff as did Aykroyd, and there will always be hard core "Animal House" and "Blues Brothers" fan, and yeah, count me as one of them! But for the most part, they have faded. A lot from time, but also for the 'times they are a-changin.' Like old soldiers: I don't know if John wanted to go out they way he did. But I also think he wouldn't want to waste away on a porch playing checkers either. I always like to think when they go like John did, that God wanted someone with him to give him a good laugh. And the Lord knows that Belushi could do that.

I hope SNL keeps going. I just wish they would get some more quality than quantity actors/actresses. I know Jamie Foxx has kinda gotten out of the slap stick comedy and has even tackled serious stuff. But, he was also a ground breaker, along with all the Wayen brothers. There are people out there that deserve the rich awards they get. Thank goodness for them, and I hope all are remembered as favorably as I remember Belushi, Aykroyd, Chase, Radner, Morris, Curtain and Newman.

R.I.P. John and Gilda. And all those we have lost from other SNL's. Phil, Chris, etc. Don't cry as they would want us to laugh for them. God Bless.