Gilda Radner

Gilda Radner, one of the original cast of Saturday Night Live, developed a variety of characters. Emily Litella was an elderly woman who made appearances on Weekend Update to offer commentary on current events. Unfortunately, Ms. Litella often misunderstood a key word, so her commentary was, ultimately, irrelevant. Her signature closing, “Never mind,” came after the host explained what or how she had misunderstood.

emily-litella2.jpg.

Landsbaum, Mark. “Say Goodnight, Earth.” 23 Apr. 2010. Orange Punch. Orange County [California ] Register. Web. 20 Dec. 2012.

Link: http://orangepunch.ocregister.com/2010/04/23/say-goodnight-earth-day/25115/

Mark Landsbaum uses the “endangered feces [species]” commentary of Gilda Radner’s character Emiky Litella in his column about an Earth Day observation:

“What’s all this fuss I keep hearing about endangered feces? Now, that’s outrageous! Why–why are feces endangered?! How can you possibly run out of such a thing?! Why–why, just look around you, you can see it all over the place! Besides, who wants to save that, anyway?! My goodness, where would we keep it?! It’s dangerous, especially in the summer!! Then–then, it could really hit the fan!” (qtd. in Landsbaum)

Gilda, Radner. “Weekend Update: Emiiy Litella on Violins on Television.” 8 May 1976. Saturday Night Live. (1.19) NBC. Hulu.com. 2012. Web. 20 Dec. 2012.

Introduced as providing an opposing position to an editorial opposing “violence” on television, Emily Litella responds with her argument supporting “violins” on television.

1:07

Link: http://www.hulu.com/watch/2364

Radner, Gilda. “Commencement Speech: Columbia School of Journalism.” Gilda Live (1980). Youtube.com. Web. 20 Dec. 2012.

Radner’s speech is presented by the Rosananrosana Dana character as a part of her show Gilda Live (1980).

6:54

Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qd_syuD-N_k (link is no longer active)

Radner, Gilda. “Lisa Loopner Recital Performance.” Gilda Live (1980). Youtube.com. Web. 20 Dec. 2012.

Radner’s character Lisa Looper, introduces and performs the title song from a contemporary movie The We Were, which she also summarizes. Loopner engages the audience who sing along on the song’s refrain. At the conclusion of the performance, Looper runs off the stage.

Note: The Looper character, a naïve adolescent whose recurring role was in Nerd skits that paired her character with that of Bill Murray’s character of the nerd boyfriend, acknowledges her parents, introduces the song and its composer (on whom she has a crush). As Looper plays the song in the simplistic style of a beginning piano student, she is overcome with emotion and breaks down. Addressing the audience, she summarizes the movie, addresses its broader context and shares her fascination with the movie. Capitalizing on the popularity of the song, Looper asks the audience to sing along, something expected of a more seasoned performer; however, when the performance ends, Looper is again the nervous adolescent, running from the stage.

5:34

Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B4VRqFUSIvY&feature=endscreen