SNL at 40

The 40th anniversary salute to Saturday Night Live was a big ratings hit for NBC.   I can't say I was surprised.   Nor was I surprised by the harsh criticism of the half-live/half-classic clips event.   Yes, I could have done without Kanye West too.  Lorne Michaels said that people generally think most fondly of the SNL they knew from high school.   That didn't apply in my case, seeing as the show didn't even exist until the middle of my college years.    I have always been absolutely fascinated with the history of SNL.   This iconic franchise has had its low points with changes in cast, especially right after the original Not Ready for Prime Time Players were gone in 1980.  However, SNL has consistently proven the naysayers wrong about predictions of its demise.  The first five years set a high bar for future seasons, but my sense of nostalgia has never clouded the fact that talent doesn't die off in a generation.   The up and down cycle will undoubtedly continue.   Despite a  solid format, the live element will always make for some messy, interesting and sometimes controversial moments.    That makes it a very American institution... warts and all.   Given the background of many SNL key people over the years, we could call it a Canadian institution too.