SNL Cast - Round 3cd

 

SNL Cast Members

It's been in our lives for almost 50 years now, and it's more than just a cultural institution. It's part of the very fabric of pop culture. And over the years, we've seen some amazing comedians come through the cast (we've also seen some pretty lame ones, but that's for another bracket). But who is the best of the best? There's only one way to find out! Let's vote!

Cheeseburger Cheeseburger & Roseanne Roseannadanna

Round 3

(1) John Belushi v (4) Adam Sandler

Jake Blues, Joe Cocker, Samurai Futaba, Owner of the Olympia Cafe: indelible characters performed by the man who received the top spot in Rolling Stone’s ranking of all 141 cast members in 2015, writing, “Belushi was the 'live' in Saturday Night Live”

Sandler was as well known for his songs as he was recurring characters. Thanksgiving Song, Chanukah Song, and Lunch Lady Land are classic SNL bits that have stood the test of time. Not to mention recurring characters like Opera Man and Canteen Boy.

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(3) Mike Myers v (2) Kristin Wiig

If you have a memory of SNL in the 90s there is no doubt this man is part of it. Wayne, Dieter, Linda Richmond, and the list goes on. Myers was an institution at SNL and helped bring relevance and out and out laughs back to a show that had been struggling.

From 2005-2012, no one did it better on SNL than Wiig. Whether it was Gilly, The Target Lady, or Doonese, Wiig was ever present and always funny. She was equally adept at leading the scene or sharing it with any one of her talented cast mates.

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(1) Gilda Radner v (5) Bill Hader

The first person to be cast as a “Not Ready For Primetime” Player, Radner wowed on SNL from 1975-1980. Unforgettable sketch characters like Roseanne Roseannadanna and Barba Wawa earned Radner an Emmy in 1978. Radner was the comedy bridge between Mary Tyler Moore and Seinfeld's Elaine and few if any, have ever been better in Sudio 8H.

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Hader wanted to fill a “Phil Hartman type role” during his tenure on SNL from 2005-2013. While not quite as prolific as Hartman, Hader nailed impressions and was a great troupe player for 8 years. Not to mentioned that he created one of the most memorable Weekend Update characters in Stefon, the New York City correspondent who was ultimately “married” to Seth Meyers.

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(3) Chris Farley v (2) Phil Hartman

The heir to John Belushi, Farley cracked audiences up with his loud, physical style on SNL. Whether living in a van down by the river or dancing alongside Patrick Swayze, Farley had no equal on SNL from 1990-1995.

"He kind of held the show together. He gave to everybody and demanded very little.” With this quote, Lorne Michaels encapsulated Phil Hartman’s run on SNL from 1986-1994. During his run, Hartman portrayed over 70 different characters on SNL. Original characters like The Anal Retintive Chef and Unfrozen Caveman Lawyer were seamlessly mixed with impressions of Frank Sinatra or Bill Clinton, sometimes in back to back sketches. Hartman was unique and definitely earned his nickname “Glue”.