Saturday Night Live Heroes

Saturday Night Live is a live variety show filmed in New York City that has been running since 1975.  It is one of the longest running programs on television in American History.  Saturday Night Live has given birth to many great careers in show business for it's cast members.  Many former members  are now famous actors, writers, and directors.  And many current cast members already have promising careers due to their performance just on the show.  Saturday Night Live has given birth to many heroes, present and past cast members.

Past Heroes

Tina Fey

Tina Fey began working on Saturday Night Live in 1997, and by 1999 she became a head writer.  Since her work on SNL, she has become a successful actress, writer, and producer.  She is currently starring in the show 30 Rock and has reappeared on SNL as Sarah Palin.  Tina Fey wrote and performed in the movie Mean Girls, and recently had a lead role in Baby Mama.  Tina Fey's career carried on past Saturday Night Live and now is an SNL hero.

"Fey has satirised the governor of Alaska in a series of wildly popular sketches, more than doubling ratings for the long-standing sketch show." (Alex Starritt, Telegraph.com/uk news)

Will Farrell

Will Farrell first joined the Saturday Night Live cast in 1995 and continued on for another 7 years.  Will Farrell grew famous for his many impressions throughout the show.  Will went on the become a writer and actor.  Will played Sky Corrigan in Superstar, a spin off of an SNL sketch.  He starred in many more movies, some including Elf, Bewitched, Stranger Than Fiction, and Semi-Pro.  Will Farrell has won many acting awards throughout his career.  Will Farrell, having begun his career in Saturday Night Live is an SNL hero. 

"As a cultural artifact, "Talladega Nights" is both completely phony and, therefore, utterly authentic.  Or, to put it differently: this movie is the real thing.  It's finger lickin' good.  It's eatin' good in the neighborhood.  It's the King of Beers.  It's Wonder Bread." (Scott, The New York Times)

Present Heroes

Kristen Wiig

Kristen Wigg first began working for SNL in 2005, and she is still a present actor and impressionist on the show.  Kristen Wiig is well known for her many characters she plays throughout the sketches.  She has acted in various movies s1nce 2004.  Kristen Wiig has impacted SNL in a great way and is therefore a present hero. 

"Dead-on impressions, like the excitable Target clerk and jacket-loving Suze Orman." (Thelma Adams, Marie Claire)

Amy Poehler

Amy Poehler joined the SNL cast in 2001 as and anchior woman for the weekend update.  She soon began appearing in other sketches as an actress and writer.  She has appeared in various movies like Blades of Glory and Baby Mama, and has received awards for her acting.    Amy Poeher in a present day hero for her comical rolls on the show. 

"Comedian Amy Poehler is on a roll.  She recently hit a network home run with her Saturday Night Live skit with Tina Fey and landed a starring role in a spinoff series from The  Office."

(Jenna Wortham, Blogwired.com)

Conclusion: I think it is important to have people like these Saturday Night Live heroes in our society because they give us entertainment and another view on important issues in our culture.  The media and television are big part of our lives now, and even though Saturday Night Live is not going to change to history of the United States, it still reflects the time period and the issues going on in life today.  I think these four writers and many alike are talented people who have an impact on our society weather they are on television or in movies.

Information From:

http://tv.yahoo.com/show/37064/photos/10

http://www.reellifewisdom.com/eleven_quote_quiz_1_will_farrell

http://blogs.amctv.com/movie-news/2008/04/tribeca-film-festival-poehler-press.php

http://movies.nytimes.com/2008/04/25baby.html

http://www.weblo.com/domain/available/lilwaynesnl.com/

http://www.nbc.com/Saturday_Night_Live/

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/uselection2008/sarahpalin/3240284/Tina-Fey-impression-of-Sarah-Palin-is-to-the-ears.html

http://movies.nytimes.com/movie/323754/Talladega-Nighys-The-Ballad-of-Ricky-Bobby/overview

http://www.marieclaire.com/hair/celebrity/blog/kristen-wiig-interview

http://blog.wired.com/underwire/2008/09/snl-alum-amy-po.html

http://filmdrunk.com