Saturday, October 22, 2016

RIP Kevin Meaney (We Are the World and SNL's Musicians For Free Range Chickens)

Here's my favorite of his bits, pantomiming "We Are the World"


Several obits have mentioned he "appeared on SNL."  He was actually scheduled for one episode and was cut for time (12/20/1986 with host William Shatner, featuring the infamous "get a life," Trekkies sketch).  Whether or not he was going to be a castemember has been hotly debated, but after the Christmas hiatus, he was nowhere to be seen.  Interestingly, SNL would do its own masterful "We Are the World" parody, 6 years later: "Musicians For Free Range Chickens."  Note the terribly dubbed vocals when "Wilson Phillips" appears... they were not as croaky on the original broadcast.  Also note the effect at the end doesn't go off, and that Dana Carvey actually plays two different roles in the piece.  The show did a weak rewrite ("Fire Bad) two years later, as well (with host Kirstie Alley, 4/17/93). #SNL4kidz

As long as I'm here, this is The Simpsons' take on it ("We're Sending Our Love Down the Well").  It's cut out, but later the song is replaced at #1 by a group called "Funky See, Funky Do."  Classic.

No comments:

Post a Comment