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Saturday Night Live in the 1990s

Live from New York....It’s SATURDAY NIGHT! Strike up the band, G.E. Smith, because this SNL recap is going to ROCK!

Saturday Night Live has been on for decades and continues to entertain audiences each weekend. The 70s and 80s brought us Belushi and Akroyd, Martin and Murphy, Chase and Short. An endless list of top rate talent. The 90s proved to be no different.

While some may argue that the golden age of SNL was long gone by the 90s, I beg to differ. The decade brought on a whole new onslaught of incredibly talented comedians and characters. Mike Myers, Adam Sandler and Chris Farley brought a fresh and flagrant flavor to the stage. Rob Schneider and David Spade, though small in stature, were huge on hilarity. And let’s not forget the ladies of “Live.” Julia Sweeney showed us the funny in androgyny with “Pat” and always had the audience guessing just what the heck “it” was. The group started the decade with skits that were true hits. Wayne’s World encouraged everyone to “Party On,” while Adam Sandler sang about “Hoagies and Grinders” and “Eight Crazy Nights” (the Chanukah Song). Farley’s Chippendale duet with Patrick Swayze remains one of the most memorable television moments of ANY show in the 90s.

As the decade started to turn, a new comedy crew offered their services to SNL. Will Ferrell, Cheri Oteri and Molly Shannon were just some of the fresh faces we saw on Saturday night. Ferrell exploded in popularity with each dead on impression of Harry Carey or Janet Reno, or of course, when he teamed up with Oteri as the spunky, yet hopeless, Spartan Cheerleaders. Ferrell also buddied up with Chris Kattan as Steve and Doug Butabi, the clueless clubbers that bobbed their heads to the beat and fancied Richard Grieco as much as they did girls. Molly Shannon showed that nerves can cause anxiety-stricken armpit aromas and worked with fellow cast member Ana Gasteyer, in character, to help promote Alec Baldwin’s Schweddy Balls on the “Delicious Dish” radio talk show.

The show produced so many stars in the 90s and helped catapult so many of them to fame. Chris Kattan, Tracy Morgan, Tim Meadows -- each and every character had their own flair and memorable moments. The show continues to bring the laughter and bring the house down. It will always live on in the hearts of America. And you will be living in a van down by the river!!!

> Watch videos of your favorite 90s SNL skits
> Visit the official Saturday Night Live site