This fall, NBC’s “Saturday Night Live” returns to the airwaves for its 50th season. The first episode will be aired this weekend. The late-night live sketch comedy show, featuring a large cast, band, and performances by musical guests and celebrity hosts, was created by Lorne Michaels and first aired on NBC on October 11, 1975. The host of the show was George Carlin. .
“SNL” often parodies modern American culture and is known for its political humor, especially during presidential election years. There’s a long history of iconic presidential parodies. “SNL” is expected to see an increase in the number of political sketches as SNL alum Maya Rudolph returns to play Vice President Kamala Harris ahead of the presidential election. “SNL” is scheduled to air six episodes before the Nov. 5 election, giving comedians plenty of time to perfect their portrayals of political leaders.
Here are some of the show’s unforgettable political impressions from across the decades.
Movie “Saturday Night”
If you’re looking for more “SNL” fun, mark your calendars for “Saturday Night” to hit theaters on Oct. 11. “Saturday Night Live” has been relevant since it first aired on Oct. 11, 1975. The film is directed by Jason Reitman and written by Gil. Kenan. “Saturday Night” is a movie based on a true story that depicts what happened behind the scenes in the 90 minutes leading up to the first broadcast. “Saturday Night” had its world premiere on August 31st at the 51st Telluride Film Festival.
Source: USA TODAY Network reporting and research. NBC; Universal; Getty Images