While the average SNL fan might not know Andy Aaron by name, they almost certainly know his work—his short films have been showcased on the show several times. His most well-known, "Push Button to Cross Street," was featured in Season 7 and shows an unknowing Tom Davis accidentally push the wrong button and cause a building to collapse.

But Andy's connection with Saturday Night Live goes way back. His friendship with Chevy Chase predates the show and his first short film was one of the best pieces included in Mr. Mike's Mondo Video. He also has a really great one in the Burt Reynolds episode from Season 5 - so good that it prompted us to go out and track him down.

We talk to Andy about ALL his short “disaster” films (including some he did for Sesame Street), his time as a writer on the short-lived The Chevy Chase Show, and working on such film classics as Apocalypse Now, The Empire Strikes Back, and Return of the Jedi.

Note to listeners: We talk to Andy about many particulars of his work. We highly encourage you to check out Andy’s YouTube page to watch his short films before listening to this episode. Don’t worry, they’re very short (and fun)!

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Not all episodes of SNL are created equal. Some of them…well, they just miss the mark. That is a polite way of describing Burt Reynolds’ hosting of Saturday Night Live’s late Season Five entry.

This episode is well-known for the difficulties it had finding material for the host and it shows. Much of what was delivered manages to offend early and often. And, Burt pretty much plays Burt this episode regardless of what the name of his character is and doesn’t seem to be having too much fun doing so. But, he sure likes to chew gum.

However, the show does finish strong with a GREAT short film and a couple of decent sketches with Burt and Gilda (including the final appearance of Baba Wawa).

Oh, and Anne Murray is back (somehow) as the musical guest.

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Veteran comedy writer Matt Neuman, whose story starts all the way back in the early 70s, joins us today to share his SNL story. He talks about the creation of his own sketch comedy show, The Chicken Little Show (where Father Guido Sarducci made his television debut 6 years before appearing on Saturday Night Live), working with a pre-SNL Al Franken & Tom Davis, and putting together a TV pilot with Rob Reiner. All this led him to work on the Emmy-nominated Lily Tomlin special where he would meet a young Canadian-born producer named Lorne Michaels.

Matt shares why he turned down the offer to write for Saturday Night Live in Season 1, eventually joined the show for Season 5, and then returned once more after the firing of Jean Doumanian in Season 6. In addition to his time working on SNL, Matt talks about visiting the show during its first season, contributing sketches during its second, and helping write the Bob & Ray, Jane, Laraine, & Gilda special during Season 4.

As the one established writer to join the staff at the start of Season 5, Matt has a unique perspective on how the final season of the original era unfolded. He takes us from the pre-season “retreat” that was held in upstate New York all the way through the final send-off of the season finale – on which he is featured in the monologue (which he helped write).

Along the way we are treated to a firsthand account of one of the most infamously bad sketches in show history (by the man who wrote it), getting a private concert by Bob Dylan, and what impact– if any – the first competition to Saturday Night Live’s dominance would have.

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