When some people from TMZ asked Chevy Chase to name the funniest four people from all of Saturday Night Live, it took him some time, but he answered with Gilda Radner, Dan Aykroyd, John Belushi, and Bill Murray. And I’m sorry, but no.
I never was a huge fan of the early episodes of SNL. Maybe I was too young when I watched them to get it, maybe I grew up with a different cast and that taints my view, but I’ve never understood it when people speak of the old days of this show like not a single good, funny thing was shown post-1980, and I just think that’s so sad. And I’m not saying that SNL doesn’t suck now, because it kind of does sometimes, but there have definitely been some funny moments in recent years, and the show has definitely featured some insanely funny people throughout its history.
If I had to name my top four favorite cast members, it would probably be Tina Fey, Chris Farley, Will Ferrell, and Molly Shannon, with very honorable mentions to Amy Poehler, Bill Hader, David Spade, and Phil Hartman. What would yours be?
Sorry, epic fail not to include Eddie Murphy at the top of your list. And leaving off John Belushi? Inexcusable.
Teehee you said “taints.”
Honestly everyone is biased. The comedy is very decade biased and it’s when you’ve started watching that you’ll find the most humor in. A lot of the 1975-80 cast material is hard for most young people today to get. It’s Humor that was funny then. If you were in your teens, twenties, and thirties then you completely got it. Same for if you were in that age range for the 80’s, 90’s, 00’s+.
Bill Murray, Gilda Radner, Will Ferrell, Phil Hartman, Kristin Wiig
Phil Hartman, Chris Farley, Tina Fey and Will Ferrell. Phil Hartman was *solid*. He elevated even the dopiest of skits. And I like Christ Farley and Will Ferrell for the same reason: I can’t resist the cast members who worked to make the others fall apart during skits. And Tina Fey? She’s just a genius.
Kristin Wiig has done a lot of funny stuff, but a lot of unfunny stuff too. Bill Hader is pretty darn good most of the time. I *love* Darrell Hammond’s President Clinton. And I don’t know if many people will mention her…and I don’t even know if she was a regular cast member, but Rachel Dratch was usually pretty funny.
I like a lot of the people mentioned, but any list without Kevin Nealon, Norm MacDonald or Will Forte is incomplete for me