There
are many reasons I love living in New York. Sometimes I forget these reasons
while I am battling a long commute, getting stuck in the rain, or shoving
tourists out of my way so I can cross the street before the light changes.
During my regular life I may seem like I am taking New York City for granted
but deep down I am a huge fan of my concrete jungle.
Although
my future life plans include spending half the year in other cities I love,
perhaps even a foreign one, I know I will always have a home in N.Y.C. I will
always have to be here to indulge in the many cultural and edible riches. It
will remain a base for my family and friends. No matter what appeals to me
about other places I always seek to bring that back to my slice of the big
apple. There is no way I could imagine living my life without ever having a
presence in my city of origin. It provides much of what my soul needs and
thrives on.
One of
the most recent activities New York City has enchanted me with lately is the
exhibit based on “Saturday Night Live”. Over the last forty years this show
managed to change the kind of programming we come to expect and grabbed a hold
of our culture in a way no other show could have. We knew it was okay to laugh
after 9/11 because S.N.L. told us so. It is the show that comments on daily
life, politics, celebrity behavior, and so on. This show sets an example of how
we as a society react and lets us laugh out loud once a week based on things in
our everyday life. It is the opposite of a show about nothing. On the contrary
it is about everything.
When
this exhibit opened a few months ago I was quite interested but it wasn’t
necessarily on the top of my list. Over the last few years I haven’t watched
the show nearly as much. I am unfamiliar with the cast and when I watch for the
guest host I am disappointed with the skits no matter the talent they are
working with. A big part of me would like it to star Jimmy Fallon, Tina Fey,
Justin Timberlake, Chris Kattan, and Cheri Oteri on a permanent basis.
That
being said the show’s big anniversary this year revitalized my interest. I knew
the exhibit would cover all decades that S.N.L. has been on the air. There
seemed to be something for everyone. Thus making it the perfect event to share
with my family to celebrate my father’s birthday as a pre-dinner activity.
The
exhibit is being housed at Premier 5th Avenue, a facility in midtown
Manhattan. I have never heard of it before or of any other events they have
held. But it was a great big space, properly utilized, and I would go back in a
heartbeat.
The
tour begins with a short video that ends with the infamous words that starts
every show “live from New York its Saturday night!!!!”
Upon
entering that first room many things were rushing through my mind. Among the
first were how prepared I was for this visit just because I happen to love
Chicago and have followed the trail that led to the creation of Saturday Night
Live in the first place. The only place I haven’t been is Loren Michael’s
country of origin, Canada, though it is most definitely on my list.
The
Billy Goat Tavern (http://thequeenoff-ckingeverything.blogspot.com/2014/05/for-wonderful-weekend-in-windy-city_17.html)
you’ll remember was the inspiration for the “Cheezburger, Cheezburger” skit in
the 1970’s. Since several of the cast members at that time were creating their
comedic craft at Second City (http://thequeenoff-ckingeverything.blogspot.com/2014/05/for-wonderful-weekend-in-windy-city_26.html)
it was a place they all knew well.
Speaking
of Second City I have been there more than once and it is never the same
experience. It is always fresh and funny. I can so picture many cast members of
S.N.L. there. I can only imagine the atmosphere they created. It was surely
magical as it traveled all the way to New York City.
Unlike
typical museum exhibits that contain only a few relics and a lot of boring
stories on walls you have to read, this was totally interactive. The exhibit is
designed to tell us how the show comes to be from Monday morning until the
moment the show goes live. Each “day” contained original objects, television
screens showing skits, and lots of amazing behind the scenes goodies.
This is
by FAR one of the best exhibits of ANY kind I have seen. I am talking about the
best exhibit of all time. Even the Smithsonian museums in D.C. aren’t this well
laid out or have as many cool things to see. As I wandered around in and out of
rooms I was completely enthralled. From skits I loved to those I hardly knew,
this exhibit held onto my attention as if nothing else is the world existed.
Besides the creative process there were rooms filled with costumes, makeup, and
props from nearly every skit in their history. It is incredible to see how much
they have saved and how much more has yet to be created. The displays
demonstrate how hard the crew works and how involved everyone is in order to
make it to the live show on Saturday night. There is no part that was excluded
and everything I saw was riveting. It must be such an incredible high living
like that for one week never mind every week. I bow down to their stamina.
I got a whiff of it just traveling through this exhibit.
I read one of the supervising producers said: “I can’t believe
I work here. I can’t believe I get to do this”. I couldn’t believe it either.
I will
leave the final details of this exhibit as a secret for me to know and you to
find out, and I suggest you find out soon. I don’t know how long this exhibit
will run but if there is one thing you need to do in New York City its to have
your chance to say “live from New York its Saturday night!!”
For
More Information:
http://www.rollingstone.com/tv/news/go-inside-the-immersive-new-saturday-night-live-exhibit-20150609
Great job as usual. It was really amazing seeing it and reliving some old times. Thanks for thinking of it. xoxo
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