Father Guido Sarducci, the chain-smoking, fast-talking priest character portrayed by Don Novello, might seem like an unconventional choice to host Saturday Night Live. Yet, on January 14, 1984, Sarducci took the stage, delivering a monologue and participating in various sketches that proved surprisingly entertaining. This episode, featuring musical guest Huey Lewis and the News, is a quirky piece of SNL history worth revisiting, especially for fans of the show’s more unconventional moments.
The episode kicked off with a cold opening centered around the “SNL National Phone-In Democratic Primary.” Hosted by Joe Piscopo and Mary Gross, this segment parodied the political climate, allowing viewers to call in and vote for their favorite Democratic candidate. This interactive concept, reminiscent of past SNL stunts like the Larry the Lobster and Andy Kaufman vote-ins, set a peculiar tone for the night. Interestingly, a mention of Andy Kaufman was reportedly removed from rebroadcasts, likely due to Kaufman’s passing before the episode re-aired.
Image depicting Joe Piscopo and Mary Gross announcing the SNL National Phone-In Democratic Primary during the cold opening of the Father Guido Sarducci hosted episode.
Sarducci’s monologue was a highlight, playing on his signature persona. He humorously suggested that Americans should be more concerned about Canada than Central America, delivering lines that were both absurd and insightful. His comparison of Canada’s proximity to the US versus Manhattan to Brooklyn drew considerable laughter from the studio audience. Despite initial reservations about a recurring character hosting, Sarducci’s monologue proved to be a strong start to the show.
Promotional image of Father Guido Sarducci delivering his monologue on Saturday Night Live, joking about Canada and Central America.
The sketches that followed were a mixed bag, but often featured Sarducci in comedic situations that played to his strengths. “Buckwheat’s Ghost” was a particularly bizarre sketch where the ghost of Buckwheat from The Little Rascals appears when publishers want a tell-all book from Alfalfa. Gary Kroeger’s portrayal of Buckwheat’s translator, interpreting “Buckwheat speak,” added another layer of absurdity. A dark joke about Darla also being deceased raised eyebrows, considering Julia Louis-Dreyfus had recently played Darla in a Robert Blake monologue the previous season.
Still image from the “Buckwheat’s Ghost” sketch, featuring the cast interacting with the spectral Little Rascal.
Julia Louis-Dreyfus showcased her versatility in “What’s New,” a musical sketch parodying Linda Ronstadt. Her singing ability and the humorous, pointed lyrics made this sketch feel reminiscent of classic SNL musical parodies from the show’s original era, perhaps echoing Laraine Newman’s Barbra Streisand impersonation.
Julia Louis-Dreyfus performing as Linda Ronstadt in the “What’s New” musical sketch, satirizing the singer’s style.
“Countdown 84” was a recurring segment throughout the episode, effectively replacing the typical “Saturday Night News” segment. This segment updated viewers on the Democratic Primary phone-in poll. Joe Piscopo, in character, painstakingly read through vote totals and phone numbers, injecting ad-libs to keep it somewhat engaging. Father Guido Sarducci then provided commentary, hilariously nominating ZZ Top into the poll. This led to a surreal moment where a ZZ Top music video was shown, followed by a montage of Democratic candidates set to ZZ Top’s music. The segment also introduced Julia Louis-Dreyfus’s recurring impression of MTV VJ Nina Blackwood. This unconventional approach to news parody was a product of the time, with Brad Hall, the usual anchor, having been recently fired.
Joe Piscopo hosting the “Countdown 84” segment, detailing the results of the SNL Democratic Primary poll.
Father Guido Sarducci commenting on the “Countdown 84” poll, adding ZZ Top as a nominee.
“Tasteless Choice” featured Joe Piscopo in a dark comedic sketch, revealing a shocking secret to his wife, played by Mary Gross. The unexpected reveal and Mary Gross’s deadpan reaction provided strong laughs, leading into a coffee commercial parody.
Joe Piscopo and Mary Gross in a scene from “Tasteless Choice,” a sketch that takes a dark comedic turn.
“The Man Who Loved Swimmin'” was a filmed piece featuring Sarducci in a surprisingly visual and somewhat repetitive sketch about maintaining chastity. Julia Louis-Dreyfus made another appearance in this segment, adding to her prominent role in the episode.
Father Guido Sarducci starring in “The Man Who Loved Swimmin’,” a filmed sketch about his unique lifestyle.
Eddie Murphy appeared in “Nice Boys Don’t Get Girls Pregnant,” a short sketch parodying Michael Jackson. While Murphy’s impression was considered generic, relying on a high-pitched voice and vague portrayal, it was a notable attempt to spoof the pop icon, who was then at the height of his fame. The sketch utilized sets previously seen in the “Poly-Rock” sketch, demonstrating some resourcefulness in production.
Eddie Murphy as Michael Jackson in “Nice Boys Don’t Get Girls Pregnant,” a brief sketch parodying the music star.
Stand-up comedian Steven Wright made a return appearance, delivering his signature deadpan humor. While this appearance wasn’t as consistently strong as his previous one, Wright still provided hilarious one-liners that resonated with the audience, particularly his jokes about stolen and replaced possessions and his unique interpretation of the dictionary.
Steven Wright performing stand-up comedy, showcasing his unique and dry comedic style on Saturday Night Live.
The final “Countdown 84” segment revealed ZZ Top as the winner of the phone-in poll. Brad Hall made a surprise appearance in this segment, seemingly as a way to appease him after his removal as “Saturday Night News” anchor. This episode marked a historic moment as the first SNL episode without a traditional fake news segment, highlighting the unusual nature of Ebersol’s production choices during this era.
Brad Hall anchoring “Countdown 84,” announcing ZZ Top as the winner of the viewer poll.
“Airport” was a late-show sketch featuring Sarducci encountering a friendly TransEastern employee, played by Jim Belushi, after his flight is delayed. Sarducci’s initial temper tantrum gave way to a slice-of-life interaction, although the sketch’s ending with the “I work on tips” line was considered somewhat odd.
Father Guido Sarducci at the airport counter in the “Airport” sketch, dealing with a flight delay.
The episode concluded with “Phone-In Results,” where Dick Ebersol himself made a brief cameo to deliver the final vote tally, confirming ZZ Top’s victory. The cast, along with Steven Wright and Huey Lewis, held up signs with candidate faces, adding a visual element to the announcement. Eddie Murphy’s absence from this and other parts of the episode was noted, marking a trend of his limited live appearances that season.
Dick Ebersol announcing the final phone-in poll results, with the cast and guests displaying candidate signs.
Overall, the Father Guido Sarducci hosted SNL episode is an unusual and memorable entry in the show’s history. While dominated by the “Countdown 84” concept, which sometimes overshadowed the traditional sketch format, the episode still delivered moments of genuine humor, largely thanks to Sarducci’s surprisingly effective hosting and strong performances from Julia Louis-Dreyfus and Steven Wright. It stands as a testament to SNL’s willingness to experiment and deviate from the norm, even if it meant an episode that felt distinctly different from its predecessors. While perhaps not a top-tier episode, it’s certainly a fascinating snapshot of SNL in the 1980s and the unique comedic sensibilities of Father Guido Sarducci.
