Saturday Night Live/Peter Boyle/Al Jarreau

Peter Boyle/Al Jarreau
Season 1, Episode 13
Airdate	February 14, 1976
Production Number	014
Written by	Anne Beatts Chevy Chase Al Franken & Tom Davis Lorne Michaels Marilyn Suzanne Miller Michael O'Donoghue Herb Sargent Tom Schiller Rosie Shuster Alan Zweibel Howard Grunwald (home movie)
Directed by	Dave Wilson Howard Grunwald (home movie) Gary Weis ("Homeward Bound")
← 1x12 Dick Cavett/Jimmy Cliff	1x14 → Desi Arnaz
Saturday Night Live — Season One

Peter Boyle/Al Jarreau is the thirteenth episode of the first season of Saturday Night Live, and the thirteenth episode overall. It is the first appearance by either its host or its musical guest.

Guest Stars: Peter Boyle (Host), Al Jarreau (Musical Guest)

Special Guests: The Shapiro Sisters (Special Musical Guests)

Episode Breakdown

• St. Valentine's Day Massacre: On St. Valentine's Day, 1929 in Chicago, Roger (Aykroyd) and his date (Newman) are eating dinner in an Italian restaurant in the garage and warehouse district. (Radner is also briefly visible as one of the patrons.) They see the waiter (Morris) seat a woman (Curtin) who has snow on her coat, and Roger's date suggests they check to see if their window is open. Roger starts to leave to do it himself, but his date calls over the restaurant's proprietor, Mr. Bushakis (Belushi). Bushakis calls over the valet Jimmy (Chase), who leaves to move the car to the garage. After Jimmy leaves, there is the sound of machine gunfire, which the patrons hardly notice. The bullet-riddled Jimmy staggers back down the stairs and falls over Roger's table.
• Peter Boyle's Monologue: In honor of Valentine's Day, Boyle says he has a new love in his life, and he points her out in the audience. He sings her "My Funny Valentine," but as he does, she starts making out with the man sitting next to her and leaves with him.
• Ambassador Training Institute: A working-class man (Aykroyd) complains about eating sandwiches again, and his wife (Newman) says she can't afford more because of his job. The announcer says viewers should apply for a better job as an international ambassador, which pays better. To apply, they should take an easy test at home and send $300,000 as an "illegal campaign contribution" to Mexico City.
• Samurai Futaba - Samurai Divorce Court: A judge (Boyle) helps make the final decisions on the divorce settlement between Samurai Futaba (Belushi) and his wife (Curtin). He asks if their period of separation has made them change their minds, but they nearly duel with their katanas. As the judge goes over Mrs. Futaba's mental anguish, she pleads with him in Japanese, but Samurai Futaba's reasons can be summed up simply by shifting his katana in its sheath. The judge nearly refuses the divorce, but the Futabas threaten to cut off his head, so the judge changes his mind. For the not yet appropriated items, there is an heirloom concertina, which Samurai Futaba cuts in half. He also chops a rare artwork in half with his head. The judge presents them with a check for their liquid assets, and Samurai Futaba nearly cuts it in half, but Mrs. Futaba distracts him by saying "Godzilla," so she can cut the check (and the judge's desk) in half. At last, their daughter enters, and the couple starts to play tug-of-war with her. Samurai Futaba moves to cut her in half, but Mrs. Futaba stops him, although she indicates the child should be sliced across her waist, not head to toe. They lift the little girl up on the table, and Samurai Futaba swings back with his katana, but the sketch ends there with a freeze frame.
• The Shapiro Sisters: The Shapiro Sisters perform a dancing and lip-synching act to the song "This Will Be (An Everlasting Love)," as recorded by Natalie Cole.
• New Dad Insurance: Framed as a life insurance commercial, New Dad Insurance shows a father (Akroyd) what will happen if he were suddenly no longer in the picture. After he disappears from the commercial, a new father figure (Chase) appears thanks to the insurance policy. The wife (Jacqueline Carlin) starts making out with her new husband as he pastes his own face over that of his predecessor's.
• The Hippies - Acid Trip Slide Show: Jason (Aykroyd) and Chloe (Newman) are at home listening to music when they get a buzz on their door from their neighbor Bob (Boyle), who says he got a package for them from the "Mountain Snow Baby Powder Company of Bolivia." Bob expresses surprise that Bolivia exports baby powder and wonders why they don't just buy regular baby powder, but Jason says it is for a special rash he has. Bob says he knew there was a mix-up after a previous mix-up with "Afghani Astroturf" for Jason's "organic miniature golf course." Jason pulls Chloe out of meditating to show her the package. The couple show Bob a slide show from their trip to "inner space," but the slides are all close-ups of ordinary objects, such as their record player, Chloe's hand and a box of Chinese food. There are also pictures of Jason's foot, which he tried to photograph evolving, but he missed it. As they show a picture of a telephone, Jason and Chloe find it "mind-blowing" how "super-real" the slide is, because they can hear the phone ringing, but Bob points out the phone is ringing. Jason talks in code about the arrival of the Bolivian package and hangs up. Bob starts to leave, and Chloe hints to him about having a threesome or a foursome with his wife, but he misses the references. Jason says he is expecting a package of fudge from Nepal, also. As Chloe makes another pass at Bob, he reveals he is a parole officer. Jason tells him to take the package to the super and throws him out.
• We Got By: Al Jarreau song.
• The Corrida: A Spanish actor (Aykroyd) hams it up as he talks about the Corrida, a car which he claims is luxurious, but from his description, it is obvious it is not a very good car at all. The actor ends by saying it is "just as good a car as I am an actor."
• Weekend Update.
  • "Rhonda Coulet" files a report on the Patty Hearst trial, while the screen show's "Artist's Renderings," which are various works of Renaissance and surrealist art. As the camera cuts back to the studio, it is revealed Chase himself is providing the voice of Coulet by plugging his nose.
  • Morris is at the Winter Olympics in Innsbruck, Austria. Morris shivers as he reports from against a solid blue background. He talks about how deserted the downhill skiing competition is. Chase points out the event ended earlier that week, and the Olympics ended the day before. Morris says he's cold and doesn't know anything about skiing.
  • Newman reports from the Blaine Hotel, where she says producer Raul Santiago makes snuff films which depict the murder of prostitutes. She says Santiago insists his films are autopsy training videos for medical students in South America. Off screen, there is the sound of a gunshot, and a director yells to "cut." Newman says she may be getting a screen test when she interviews Santiago.
  • As they cut back from the commercial, the Blaine Hotel gets a promotional consideration as the place where guests of the show get accommodations.
  • Emily Litella (Radner) gives an editorial reply against donating money to canker research, because canker sores are too unimportant to justify that much research. Chase reveals she is responding to an editorial in favor of cancer research, and Litella apologizes.
• K-Put Stamp Gun: A commercial which airs during WU for a new pricing gun with which shoppers can save lots of money by putting new, extremely low prices on their shopping items.
• All-Pro Wrestling: Johnny Panteluke (Aykroyd) acts as commentator and Frank Agelenow (Morris) as referee in a tag team wrestling match between the Bees (Belushi & Boyle) and suburbanite couple John and Pat Brewster (Chase & Radner), the WASPs. At first, the Bees have the advantage, but as they start to beat up on Pat, the tables are turned, and the WASPs declare victory.
• Nixon Reflects: Curtin hosts the talk show Rememberance of Things Past, where she interviews a mysterious guest in a rubber monkey mask, whom it is clear is former President Richard Nixon (Aykroyd). Nixon talks about all the introspection he has been through since his public humiliation. He says he has paid his "kharmic debt," and he talks about the concept of kharma. He says he will be moving to Red China, where he will be a monk, but he will keep some business interests. He ends by slipping into an Eastern meditation chant.
• The Pledge of Allegiance: A short film shows black children reciting the Pledge of Allegiance, but it ends with Rubin "Hurricane" Carter (Morris) saying the "with liberty and justice for all" line, but Carter emphasizes "for all."
  

  

  Boyle vs. Belushi in Brando vs. Brando.

• Duelling Brandos: Two Marlon Brando impersonators (Belushi & Boyle) face off in their Brando impressions, quoting famous lines from such movies as On the Waterfront, The Godfather and A Streetcar Named Desire.
• Appliance Men: A husband (Boyle) comes home and hears his wife (Curtin) up to hanky-panky in the kitchen, but when he enters, he finds her alone. He opens the fridge to find a man (Belushi), but Curtin says he is New Janitor in a Fridge, which kills odors and keeps food fresh. The husband opens the closet to find a doorman (Aykroyd), but his wife says it is New Doorman in a Closet, whose job it is to greet the clothes in the closet. The husband opens the pantry and finds New Mailman (Chase) and the Maid (Radner), which performs a variety of services. In the bedroom, he finds New Milkman in the Bed (Morris). The milkman and the wife leave for their bedroom, where they are heard cackling madly, and the other appliance people join them as the husband sits cuckolded. He opens the door to find New Lady in the House Next Door (Newman), who offers him some relief of his own as she leads him away.
• Home Movies - A Home Movie: The credits for this home movie go on for a long time before at last the "home movie" begins. It is merely a long shot of a home for several seconds.
• Garrett's Gilda Valentine: Morris brings Radner a valentine, but she apologizes for not sending Morris a valentine, although she has sent them to other people. Radner says she didn't want to give Morris "the wrong idea," because she likes him as a friend. He reassures her he only wants friendship. He reads her his card, which starts off sweet, but he soon talks about having kinky sex with her in great detail.
• Somebody's Watching You: Al Jarreau song.
• Speed: A busy housewife and career woman talks about all her jobs and hobbies, but she keeps talking and doesn't stop. The announcer says her secret is a diet pill, Speed.
• Homeward Bound: To celebrate Valentine's Day, they re-air this popular film. The film shows people arriving at the airport and greeting their families as the song "Homeward Bound" by Simon & Garfunkel plays.

Notes

"Live from New York, It's Saturday Night!"

• Chevy Chase as Jimmy the valet, riddled with bullets by the Chicago mob.

Music

• My Funny Valentine, performed by Peter Boyle: This jazz standard was written in 1937 for the musical Babes in Arms by composer Richard Rodgers and lyricist Lorenz Hart. It is one of the most frequently recorded songs in the world, although the most famous version is the one recorded by Chet Baker, who skipped the first verse, which made it clear the song is intended to be sung by a woman to a man. As a result of Baker's recording, most subsequent male singers—including Boyle here—have also skipped the first verse.

• This Will Be (An Everlasting Love), performed by Natalie Cole: The song to which the Shapiro Sisters dance and lip-synch is the #1 hit single off Cole's 1975 debut album Inseperable, which won the R&B singer a Grammy.

• In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida, performed by Iron Butterfly: This 17-minute psychedelic rock epic became one of the classics of 1960s rock when it was released on the album of the same name in 1968. It is widely credited with being a crucial turning point in the development of heavy metal. Its famous guitar riff can be heard at the beginning of the "Acid Trip Slide Show" sketch, as it is what Jason and Chloe are listening to on their record player.
  

  

  Al Jarreau performs "We Got By."

• We Got By, performed by Al Jarreau: The title track off Jareau's 1975 debut album. The album and song launched Jarreau to international acclaim, and he won the German Grammy for the year.

• Somebody's Watching You, performed by Al Jarreau: The hit single off Jarreau's 1976 album Glow, his follow-up to his hit album We Got By.

• Homeward Bound, performed by Simon & Garfunkel: This single became one of Simon & Garfunkel's biggest hits when it was recorded and released in 1966. Paul Simon supposedly wrote it at Widnes railway station. Never released on a studio album, the most famous version was recorded live, which explains the burst of applause heard at the opening.

Trivia

The Show

• MIA: Cast members George Coe and Michael O'Donoghue are not credited and do not appear in this episode.

• Repeat Sketches: The sketch "Ambassador Training Institute" was first used in episode 1x04 - Candice Bergen/Esther Phillips. "New Dad Insurance" first aired on episode 1x01 - George Carlin/Billy Preston, Janis Ian. The sketch "Price-Is-Rite Stamp Gun" is a reairing of the sketch "K-Put Stamp Gun" from episode 1x05 - Robert Klein/ABBA, Loudon Wainwright III. "Speed" was first used for episode 1x06 - Lily Tomlin/Howard Shore and His All Nurse Band. Finally, the short film "Homeward Bound," used here to celebrate Valentine's Day, first appeared to celebrate Christmas on episode 1x08 - Candice Bergen/Martha Reeves, The Stylistics.

• First Appearance: The sketch "Acid Trip Slide Show" marks the first appearance of Dan Aykroyd and Laraine Newman as Jason and Chloe, aka the Hippies.

Allusions and References

• "MacArthur Park": In the sketch "Acid Trip Slide Show," Jason and Chloe start quoting/paraphrasing this 1968 Richard Harris song written by songwriter Jimmy Webb. The drug-referencing lyrics to the famous chorus to which Jason and Chloe allude are:

MacArthur Park is melting in the dark,
All the sweet, green icing flowing down.
Someone left the cake out in the rain.
I don't think that I can take it,
'Cause it took so long to bake it,
And I'll never have that recipe again.
Oh, no!

Chloe: Oh, that's the cake I made for our picnic in the park, but it was raining, so we left it out on the fire escape.
Jason: We watched it melt for hours, all the sweet cream icing flowing down.
Chloe: I really... I didn't think I could take it.
Jason: It took so long to bake it.
Chloe: And I'll never have that recipe again, man.
Bob: Oh, no!

Memorable Moments

• Duelling Brandos.