Top 10 Most Successful Saturday Night Live Weekend Update Anchors

May 2024 · 10 minute read

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Long earlier than Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert dominated late-night television with their comedic current occasions techniques, Saturday Night Live offered the Weekend Update to lampoon main news tales. Dating back to the show's preliminary season in 1975 (even though the phase went underneath more than one other names from 1980-1985), the Weekend Update is the show's longest-running section, making a laugh of the whole thing from skyrocketing oil and fuel costs within the 1970s to...well, skyrocketing oil and gasoline costs this decade (I guess some issues never exchange). It has also introduced a large number of well-known comedians the opportunity to show off their talents. Many of them went on to successful careers out of doors the show, which turns into the focal point of this article.

Lorne Michaels, the author of Saturday Night Live, has long been heralded as considered one of comedy's most important figures, each on account of the display itself and the techniques in which its former stars have shaped recent comedy. This list, therefore, stands as one of the many testaments to his legacy. It may just no longer exist, on the other hand, if the folks in this list had no longer long past directly to do some implausible paintings outside of the display's confines. From communicate presentations to television roles to movie stardom, these ten former Weekend Update anchors have left, or are leaving, an indelible mark upon pop culture. No matter what technology of Saturday Night Live you favor (this listing includes SNL members from all five many years of the display), or what taste of comedy will get you laughing the most, there's most probably no less than one member of this record who has helped to create one thing that has made you chuckle.

10. Seth Meyers

While Seth Meyers has had small parts in several films, such as Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist, New Year's Eve and Journey to the Center of the Earth, in addition to guest appearances on presentations like Spin City, The Mindy Project and The Office. However, his biggest talent is as a host. Over 8 seasons from 2006-2014, Meyers hosted Weekend Update 154 times, greater than someone else within the show's history, and served because the show's head author.

During his stint on SNL, Meyers branched out to also host the ESPY awards in 2010 and 2011, in addition to the 2011 White House Correspondents Dinner. After making his final look on SNL on February 1st, 2014, Meyers made the transition to website hosting full-time and debuted his new show, Late Night With Seth Meyers, on February 24th, 2014. While he is additionally set to host the 2014 Emmy Awards, it's his nascent talk show which will resolve his legacy.

9. Kevin Nealon

After a advice from Dana Carvey, Michaels hired Nealon for SNL in 1986, the place he would continue to perform until exiting the show in 1995. Nealon served as Weekend Update Anchor for three seasons, from 1991-1994, and has since loved a various and stable occupation. He starred as probably the most major characters at the TV show Weeds from 2005-2012, and voiced the main persona of the short-lived animated show Glenn Martin DDS from 2009-2011. His film occupation has incorporated a number of appearances in projects starring (*10*) or advanced by way of his production corporate Happy Madison, equivalent to Happy Gilmore, The Wedding Singer, Little Nicky, Eight Crazy Nights, Grandma's Boy and You Don't Mess With the Zohan. Nealon has additionally visitor starred on many successful presentations, together with The Larry Sanders Show, third Rock from the Sun and Curb Your Enthusiasm, and wrote a guide entitled Yes, You're Pregnant, But What About Me? about his more than a few experiences right through his spouse's being pregnant.

8. Dennis Miller

After serving as Weekend Update anchor from 1985-1991, the longest run of any anchor for the phase ahead of 2000, Miller has long gone on to have one of the crucial most diverse careers of any SNL alumni. Miller has evolved several well-known stand-up comedy routines and hosted several tv and radio displays, most significantly Dennis Miller Live on HBO from 1994-2002, which gained 5 Emmy Awards, and his current radio show The Dennis Miller Show, which averages neatly over two million listeners.

Miller was also one of the most colour commentators on Monday Night Football for 2 years, and has served as a major contributor on a couple of political presentations. Known for his darkish brand of humor and his libertarian perspectives, Miller may also be unpopular with some audiences, however is well loved by many for his more than a few paintings and has been influential upon subsequent generations.

7. Jane Curtin

Another of SNL's unique solid, and a bunch of Weekend Update from 1976-1980, Curtin excelled at playing the straight lady to stability out the cast's extra eccentric members, like John Belushi, Gilda Radner, Dan Aykroyd and Bill Murray. After departing from SNL in 1980, Curtin eager about creating a profession in tv, slightly than embarking upon a film profession, and the verdict paid off. As Allie Lowell at the sitcom Kate and Allie (1984-1989), Curtin received two Emmys for Best Leading Actress in a Comedy. She also later starred as Dr. Mary Albright on 3rd Rock from the Sun from 1996-2001, alongside John Lithgow and a tender Joseph Gordon-Levitt. While she has made some newer film appearances, such as the function of Paul Rudd's mom within the 2009 movie I Love You, Man and the mum of Melissa McCarthy's character within the 2013 action-comedy The Heat, her reputation might be outlined by means of her exceptional tv performances.

6. Dan Aykroyd

While Aykroyd's career has lacked the consistency of others in this listing, it's arduous to deny the brilliance of his two most iconic films: The Blues Brothers and Ghostbusters. In each movies, Aykroyd is regularly overshadowed through his co-stars (the late great John Belushi and Bill Murray), however you will need to recognize that Aykroyd additionally wrote both movies as neatly. The two tasks have turn out to be cultural touchstones, and his significance in growing them alone makes him one in every of Saturday Night Live's most successful alumni.

He was once also nominated for an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor for his efficiency in Driving Miss Daisy (1989). Other vital initiatives include his starring function in Trading Places (1983) alongside Eddie Murphy, and appearances in Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (1984), Canadian Bacon (1994), Tommy Boy (1995), Grosse Pointe Blank (1997) and Behind the Candelabra (2013). Some will argue his efforts to create Blues Brothers 2000 and makes an attempt at a 3rd Ghostbusters film have sullied his recognition, but his previous paintings has stood the test of time and will proceed to take action for decades extra to come back.

5. Amy Poehler

Starting her profession with Chicago's influential Upright Citizens' Brigade improv crew, Poehler joined SNL in 2001 and was best the third individual, after Eddie Murphy and Harry Shearer, to be promoted to complete cast member in their first season at the display. She served as Weekend Update anchor from 2004 till her departure from the display in 2008, and gained Emmy nominations for her remaining two years of labor at the display. During her time on SNL, she also held two ordinary sitcom roles, the first as an RA on Judd Apatow's one-season marvel Undeclared from 2001-2002 (if you haven't observed it, I extremely recommend it) and the second one because the wife of Gob Bluth (performed by means of her now ex-husband Will Arnett) on Arrested Development.

After leaving SNL, Poehler co-created, government produced, wrote and voiced the lead personality for the animated display The Mighty B! from 2008-2011, which won six Annie Awards nominations and 4 Daytime Emmy nominations, winning one. In 2009, Poehler in a similar fashion became an govt producer, writer and superstar on Parks and Recreation. She has won the 2012 Critics' Choice Award and 2014 Golden Globe for Best Actress in a Comedy Series, and has won 4 consecutive nominations for the Emmy for Best Actress in a Comedy series, as well as nominations from the Emmys and Writer's Guild of America for her writing at the display. She has also re-joined her former Weekend Anchor host Tina Fey to host the Golden Globes in 2013 and 2014.

4. Jimmy Fallon

The nicest and best favored of tv's present late-night hosts, Fallon's earnestness, goofiness and exuberance have endeared him to audiences for years. After hosting Weekend Update from 2000-2004, Fallon took over Late Night from Conan O'Brien in 2009 after which moved on to succeed Jay Leno as The Tonight Show host in February 2014. Fallon has a great deal expanded his audience throughout the popularity of his segments on Youtube, reminiscent of his lip sync battles, and has enjoyed a successful musical partnership with Questlove and his band The Roots on his presentations. With his popularity seemingly nonetheless rising, Fallon might soon stand alongside Leno, Letterman or even Johnny Carson as one of the vital biggest late-night hosts of all time, if he isn't already.

3. Chevy Chase

The unique Weekend Update anchor from 1975-1976, Chase gained Emmys for Best Writer and Best Supporting Actor in a Variety or Music sequence in 1976. Leaving the show after 12 months, in standard Chevy Chase type, Chase started a movie occupation and went directly to famous person in classics like Caddyshack, National Lampoon's Vacation, Fletch, Three Amigos and National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation. Chase also hosted the Oscars in 1987 and 1988, and had his own short-lived talk show, The Chevy Chase Show, in 1993.

After appearing in 3 episodes of Chuck's 2d season as the villainous Ted Roark, Chase changed into a sequence common on the TV sitcom Community because the wealthy, bumbling and now and again offensive Pierce Hawthorne, introducing him to a brand new technology. Chase left the show right through its fourth season, in typical Chevy Chase style, upset with how his character had been written and upset with performing in sitcoms.

2. Tina Fey

A robust candidate as the funniest and most influential lady in comedy lately, Tina Fey served as Weekend Update anchor for six seasons from 2000-2006 and received an Emmy for Best Writing in 2002 before departing the display to create her hit sitcom 30 Rock. Running from 2006-2013, the display gained the Best Comedy Emmy in 3 consecutive years from 2007-2009 and was nominated every other four directly years from 2010-2013. As the big name of the display, along Alec Baldwin, and one of the vital show's writers, Fey won Emmys for Outstanding Lead Actress in 2008 and Outstanding Writing in a Comedy Series in 2008 and 2013, and Best Actress in a TV Comedy awards from the Golden Globes in 2007 and 2008, in addition to from the Screen Actors Guild from 2007-2009 and 2012.

Fey may be well-known for her impersonations of Sarah Palin in a habitual guest position on SNL in 2008, teaming up with Poehler, who equipped a Hilary Clinton impersonation. Fey moreover wrote and gave the impression in Mean Girls, and seemed in films like Baby Mama (with Poehler again), Date Night, Admission and Muppets Most Wanted. Fey and Poehler have additionally hosted the past two Golden Globe Awards to crucial acclaim.

1. Bill Murray

Cast on SNL to switch the departing Chevy Chase, Murray appeared on SNL from 1977-1980, profitable an Emmy for Best Writing in 1977. From 1979 to 1993, Murray went directly to famous person in some of the greatest comedy movies ever: Meatballs, Caddyshack, Stripes, Tootsie, Ghostbusters, Scrooged, What About Bob? and Groundhog Day. In 1998, his performance in Rushmore received him a number of awards for Best Supporting Actor and began a fruitful skilled courting with director Wes Anderson. Murray has seemed in all six films Anderson has since directed. His efficiency in Lost in Translation additionally won him a Golden Globe for Best Actor and an Oscar nomination, proving his dramatic talents. His different fresh acting credit vary from a hysterical surprise cameo in Zombieland to more dramatic or low-key roles in Broken Flowers, Get Low and The Monuments Men.

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