Saturday Night Live season 23

The twenty-third season of Saturday Night Live, an American sketch comedy series, originally aired in the United States on NBC between September 27, 1997, and May 9, 1998.

Saturday Night Live
Season 23
No. of episodes	20
Release
Original network	NBC
Original release	September 27, 1997 (1997-09-27) – May 9, 1998 (1998-05-09)
Season chronology
List of episodes

This season saw the deaths of two former cast members. Six weeks after he came back to host, Chris Farley became the fifth SNL cast member to die. Influenced by his idol, John Belushi, Farley died of a speedball overdose at the age of 33. Two weeks after the season finale, long-time performer Phil Hartman was murdered by his wife who then committed suicide. Following their deaths, NBC aired two SNL specials as tributes to Farley and Hartman in dedication to their legacies during this season.^[1][2]

Cast

Before the season, Mark McKinney left the show after three seasons.^[3] Colin Quinn was promoted to repertory status. This season is the first season to not include any featured players or new cast members.

During the season, a controversy arose in which Weekend Update anchor Norm Macdonald was removed from the Update segment. Macdonald's final episode as Update anchor was on December 13, 1997.^[4][5] Quinn was then promoted to the job and anchored the segment in the next live episode, which aired January 10, 1998. Even though Macdonald still performed in sketches, he was not happy and eventually quit the show; his final appearance was on March 14, 1998.

This was also the final season for Jim Breuer as he left the show at season's end to move on to other acting opportunities.^[6]

It was also the only season to have an opening sequence that did not show any shots of New York City, instead featuring a 1950s-inspired design.^[7]

Cast roster

Repertory players

• Jim Breuer
• Will Ferrell
• Ana Gasteyer
• Darrell Hammond
• Chris Kattan
• Norm Macdonald (final episode: March 14, 1998)

• Tim Meadows
• Tracy Morgan
• Cheri Oteri
• Colin Quinn
• Molly Shannon

bold denotes Weekend Update anchor

Writers

Main article: List of Saturday Night Live writers § season 23

Future cast member/head writer Tina Fey joins the writing staff in this season.

Adam McKay continues as the sole head writer, while Tim Herlihy is promoted to a producer alongside Steve Higgins.^[8]

With the Sarah Michelle Gellar-hosted episode, future Parks and Recreation/The Good Place creator Michael Schur joined the writing staff.^[9]

Longtime writer Jim Downey is fired coinciding with Norm Macdonald being taken off of Weekend Update.^[10][11] Downey is still credited as a writer until the end of the season.^[12]

Episodes

Main article: List of Saturday Night Live episodes

No. overall	No. in season	Host	Musical guest(s)	Original air date
427	1	Sylvester Stallone	Jamiroquai	September 27, 1997 (1997-09-27)
Jamiroquai performs "Alright". The initial 1996 Olympics bombing suspect Richard Jewell makes a guest appearance, where, in a highly publicized sketch, he punches Janet Reno (played by Will Ferrell) in the gut, with Reno responding, "Same time next week?" Jewell also appeared alongside Norm Macdonald on Weekend Update.
428	2	Matthew Perry	Oasis	October 4, 1997 (1997-10-04)
Oasis performs "Don't Go Away" and "Acquiesce". This episode marked the first appearance of Tim Meadows' popular "The Ladies Man" sketch.
429	3	Brendan Fraser	Björk	October 18, 1997 (1997-10-18)
Björk performs "Bachelorette". Eric Dickerson made a guest appearance in the Monday Night Football sketch. This episode marked the first appearance of Chris Kattan's Mango character.
430	4	Chris Farley	The Mighty Mighty Bosstones	October 25, 1997 (1997-10-25)
The Mighty Mighty Bosstones performs "The Impression That I Get". Chevy Chase and Chris Rock have cameo appearances in the cold opening and the monologue. Chicago news anchor and reporter Bill Kurtis along with George Wendt and Mike Ditka appear in a short film showing the lives of the "Bill Swerski's Superfans" after their run on SNL. Chris Farley reprises his characters Matt Foley and Todd O'Connor. This was Chris Farley's final television appearance before his death on December 18, 1997. The Vice TV network series "Dark Side of Comedy" made Farley's hosting return the center of their series premiere, noting that he had no movie or other entertainment event to promote and was tabbed to return as host in hopes that being around his friends and Lorne Michaels would lead him to get professional help to battle his multiple addictions. Sadly, the effort failed as Farley was off the wagon and both sick and out of shape during the filming process and was nearly replaced as host before barely completing his work. It was the last time most of the SNL community saw him before he died.
431	5	Jon Lovitz	Jane's Addiction	November 8, 1997 (1997-11-08)
Jane's Addiction performs "Jane Says" with Flea. Former cast member Dana Carvey makes a cameo appearance in this episode as Ross Perot in the "Wedding Reception" sketch and as George Michael in the "Set Our Nanny Free!" commercial.
432	6	Claire Danes	Mariah Carey	November 15, 1997 (1997-11-15)
Mariah Carey performs "Butterfly" and "My All". During the monologue, show writer and future cast member Tina Fey makes a brief appearance as an audience member.
433	7	Rudolph Giuliani	Sarah McLachlan	November 22, 1997 (1997-11-22)
Sarah McLachlan performs "Sweet Surrender". She also appeared in the Weekend Update segment.
434	8	Nathan Lane	Metallica	December 6, 1997 (1997-12-06)
Metallica performs "Fuel" and "The Memory Remains", the latter featuring Marianne Faithfull on vocals. Lane's The Lion King co-star, Ernie Sabella, makes a cameo appearance during the monologue, in which both sing a few bars of "Hakuna Matata". The Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders make a guest appearance in the "Spartans Dream" sketch.
435	9	Helen Hunt	Hanson	December 13, 1997 (1997-12-13)
Hanson performs "MMMBop" and "Merry Christmas Baby". They also appeared in the "MMMBop Elevator Hostages" sketch. Hunt's As Good as It Gets co-star Jack Nicholson makes a cameo appearance during the monologue and in a "Roxbury Guys" sketch. Pedro Borbón Jr., Marty Cordova, Russ Davis, Jeff Fassero, Cliff Floyd, Mark Grudzielanek, David Howard, Todd Hundley, Gregg Jefferies, Scott Rolen, Mike Sweeney, Rondell White, Gerald Williams, Mark Wohlers and Todd Zeile make an appearance in the "Baseball Dreams" sketch.[13] Norm Macdonald's final episode as Weekend Update anchor.
436	10	Samuel L. Jackson	Ben Folds Five	January 10, 1998 (1998-01-10)
Ben Folds Five performs "Brick". Colin Quinn's first episode as Weekend Update anchor.
437	11	Sarah Michelle Gellar	Portishead	January 17, 1998 (1998-01-17)
Portishead performs "Only You".
438	12	John Goodman	Paula Cole	February 7, 1998 (1998-02-07)
Paula Cole performs "I Don't Want to Wait". Dan Aykroyd cameos in this episode, reprising two of his popular recurring characters, Elwood Blues from The Blues Brothers during the monologue and Irwin Mainway from "Consumer Probe" in the Judge Judy sketch. He also impersonates Bob Dole in the cold opening. Aykroyd and Goodman performed "Lookin' For a Fox" with the Blues Brothers Band.
439	13	Roma Downey	Missy Misdemeanor Elliott	February 14, 1998 (1998-02-14)
Missy Elliott performs "Sock It 2 Me" and "Beep Me 911". She is joined during the performance by Timbaland & Magoo.
440	14	Garth Brooks	Garth Brooks	February 28, 1998 (1998-02-28)
Garth Brooks performs "Two Piña Coladas". Robert Duvall makes a guest appearance in the "Who's More Grizzled?!" sketch and the "Lay Lady Lay" sketch as well as introducing Garth Brooks' musical performance.
441	15	Scott Wolf	Natalie Imbruglia	March 7, 1998 (1998-03-07)
Natalie Imbruglia performs "Torn". In the cold open, show writer and future cast member Tina Fey appears as Kathleen Willey on Larry King Live. This episode is referenced in Jordan Peele's movie Nope when Yeun describes a childhood tragedy that was parodied in the fictitious "Bad Gordy" sketch.
442	16	Julianne Moore	Backstreet Boys	March 14, 1998 (1998-03-14)
Backstreet Boys performs "As Long as You Love Me". Norm Macdonald's final episode as a cast member.
443	17	Steve Buscemi	Third Eye Blind	April 4, 1998 (1998-04-04)
Third Eye Blind performs "How's It Going to Be". Lewis H. Lapham cameos in the cold open. Writer Tina Fey appears in the monologue. John Hurt made a guest appearance as the Hare in the "Mad Tea Party" sketch. Didi Conn appears in the "Morning Latte" sketch. Natasha Henstridge appears in the "Job Interview" sketch. Jason Alexander, Whoopi Goldberg, Gilbert Gottfried and Molly Ringwald lend their voices in the animated TV Funhouse segment.
444	18	Greg Kinnear	All Saints	April 11, 1998 (1998-04-11)
All Saints performs "Never Ever". Bob Hoskins made two guest appearances in the "Walk The Plank" sketch and the "Former Hosts of Later Reunion" commercial. Saturday TV Funhouse "Fun with Real Audio" cartoon – about Tom Snyder's being obsessed with Dolly Parton – was written by Robert Smigel, Smigel's wife, Michelle, and Stephen Colbert.
445	19	Matthew Broderick	Natalie Merchant	May 2, 1998 (1998-05-02)
Natalie Merchant performeds "Kind & Generous". Tenacious D appears as a special guest, performing "The History of Tenacious D" and "Double Team". Regis Philbin appeared in the pre-filmed "Viagra" commercial.
446	20	David Duchovny	Puff Daddy & Jimmy Page	May 9, 1998 (1998-05-09)
Puff Daddy and Jimmy Page perform "Come with Me". Duchovny's The X-Files co-star Nicholas Lea made a cameo appearance in the cold open. Paula Abdul made a guest appearance in the “Cheerleading Camp” sketch. John Goodman, Matt Lauer and Al Roker appeared in the "Mango" sketch. Jim Breuer's final episode as a cast member.

Specials

#	Special	Original airdate
1	"SNL Halloween '97"	November 1, 1997 (1997-11-01)
A clip show hosted by Mike Myers and Dana Carvey featuring material from previous shows.
2	"SNL Sports Extra '98"	January 24, 1998 (1998-01-24)
A clip show featuring material from previous shows.
3	"Best of the New Season '97-'98"	January 31, 1998 (1998-01-31)
A clip show featuring some of the best material from the first half of the '97-'98 season. Sketches include "Well Babies Tragedy," "Cookie Dough Sport," "The View," "The Ladies' Man," and "The Ambiguously Gay Duo".
4	"SNL Remembers Chris Farley"	February 21, 1998 (1998-02-21)
The special, introduced by Tim Meadows, featured some of the best material featuring Chris Farley during his stint on the show. Sketches include "Chippendales Auditions," "Superfans," "The Chris Farley Show," "Bobby Watches Grandma," "Schmitts Gay," "Focus On Beauty II," "Matt Foley, Motivational Speaker," "Giuliani's Inauguration," "Tater Junction," "Lunchlady Land", "Lillehammer", "Clinton Auditions," "Good Morning Brooklyn," "Japanese Game Show," "Juggernaut Force," "Zagat's," and "Hidden Camera Commercials".
5	"SNL Remembers Phil Hartman"	June 13, 1998 (1998-06-13)
The special featured some of the best material featuring Phil Hartman during his stint on the show. Sketches include "Donahue," "The Crosby Show," "Star Trek Convention," "Discover," "On Broadway," "Church Chat," "Cumpulsion," "Anne Boleyn," "Succinctly Speaking," "All-Drug Olympics," "Nicknames," "Win, Lose, or Tie," "Love is a Dream (film)," "Nancy Reagan Visits," "Robot Repair," "Cooking with the Anal Retentive Chef," "A Betty Ford Straight Arrow Christmas," "Celebrity Lawyer Court," "Greenhilly," "The Sinatra Group," "Clarence Thomas Hearings," "Campaign '92," "Sprockets," "Dick Clark's Snotty Receptionist," "Unfrozen Caveman Lawyer," "Johnny Carson's Last Episode," "Perot and Stockdale Car Trip," "Clinton at McDonald's," "Sassy's Sassiest Boys," and "Acting Class".
6	"The Best of Eddie Murphy"	August 22, 1998 (1998-08-22)
The special featured some of the best material featuring Eddie Murphy during his tenure on the show. Sketches include "The Little Richard Simmons Show," "Prose and Cons" (film), "Velvet Jones School Of Technology," "Career Corner," "Ebony & Ivory," "Buckwheat Dead," "Stevie Wonder Impersonator," "Rock & Roll... and then some," "Black History Minute," "Mr. Robinson's Neighborhood," "Gumby," "Buckwheat Sings," and "James Brown's Hot Tub Party".

References

1. "NBC to Air Chris Farley Tribute". Chicago Tribune. May 11, 1998. Retrieved May 27, 2024.
2. "'SNL' Salute to Hartman Pure Genius". New York Daily News. June 16, 1998. Retrieved May 27, 2024.
3. Wright, Megh (June 6, 2012). "Saturday Night's Children: Mark McKinney (1995-1997)". Vulture. Retrieved April 20, 2024.
4. Hugar, John (February 13, 2015). "The Bizarre Circumstances And Shaky Aftermath Of Norm Macdonald's Dismissal From Weekend Update". UPROXX. Retrieved April 19, 2024.
5. Garrity, Katie (September 16, 2021). "Norm Macdonald Was Fired From 'Saturday Night Live' in 1998, but Why Exactly?". Distractify. Retrieved April 19, 2024.
6. Evans, Bradford (November 22, 2013). "Adam McKay Responds to Jim Breuer Saying He Got Him Fired from 'SNL'". Vulture. Retrieved April 20, 2024.
7. "Season 23: Opening Montage Variants (The WORST Ever!)". r/LiveFromNewYork. March 31, 2020. Retrieved April 20, 2024.
8. "Sylvester Stallone/Jamiroquai". Saturday Night Live. Season 23. Episode 01. September 27, 1997. Event occurs at Closing credits. NBC.
9. "Sarah Michelle Gellar/Portishead". Saturday Night Live. Season 23. Episode 11. January 17, 1998. Event occurs at Closing credits. NBC.
10. Itzkoff, Dave (March 3, 2008). "'SNL' Writer Narrows the Gap Between Politics and Farce". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved May 27, 2024.
11. Sacks, Mike (June 24, 2014). "'SNL's James Downey on Working with Norm Macdonald and Getting Fired for Making Fun of OJ Simpson". Vulture. Retrieved May 27, 2024.
12. "David Duchovny/Puff Daddy". Saturday Night Live. Season 23. Episode 20. May 9, 1998. Event occurs at Closing credits. NBC.
13. Lindbergh, Ben (December 13, 2022). "The Oral History of the "Baseball Dreams Come True" 'Saturday Night Live' Sketch". The Ringer. Retrieved December 13, 2022.