David Spade’s Weekend Update reunion goes off the rails
By Matt Moore
Lights Out with David Spade featured former Weekend Update hosts Norm MacDonald, Kevin Nealon, and Dennis Miller.
Just like Saturday Night Live fans have their favorite cast member, chances are they have their favorite “Weekend Update” host too. Lights Out with David Spade had three of best in one place Monday night when Norm MacDonald, Kevin Nealon, and Dennis Miller visited the show and did not disappoint.
“Weekend Update” is the longest running sketch on Saturday Night Live, having debuted when the show did in 1975. It has had an undeniable impact on the show’s legacy as well as influencing other satirical and mock news style programming outside of SNL.
The list of names given the honor of anchoring “Weekend Update” is just as impressive: Chevy Chase, Jane Curtain, Colin Quinn, Tina Fey, Jimmy Fallon, Amy Poehler, and Seth Meyers. All brought a unique sense of humor and tone to “Weekend Update” that reflected not only their own style but that of the entire cast during their given tenure.
It is hard to pick a better run for “Weekend Update” than 1985 to 1997. During that period, anchors Dennis Miller, Kevin Nealon, and Norm MacDonald each did something different with “Weekend Update” in addition to knowing how to let guests shine.
Lights Out with David Spade has become a must-watch for fans of Saturday Night Live during those years. Spade has brought in a number of his fellow SNL alumni to tell jokes on Lights Out and share stories from SNL.
Monday night’s episode featuring Miller, Nealon, and MacDonald when about as you’d expect. The comedians gave Spade a hard time during his monologue, especially MacDonald who is known for not letting things go without commentary.
All things considered, Spade may have gotten off easy. He still managed to deliver most of his punchlines uninterrupted and managed to get through the monologue before things went completely sideways. The reaction and one-liners from MacDonald, Nealon, and Miller perhaps best exemplified each comedian’s style and what made them such standout anchors on “Weekend Update.”
Spade shared a story of having his “Weekend Update” bit cut during Miller’s time as anchor. Few if any of Spade’s SNL stories on Lights Out are positive ones but such is Spade’s style. It all worked out though. Spade’s “Weekend Update” segments mocking celebrities and pop culture helped lead him to Lights Out on Comedy Central.
The episode also featured a Q&A segment in which Spade and the “Weekend Update” anchors shared their thoughts on the best guests and jokes from the segment. Once again it was Norm MacDonald who derailed things just a bit when O.J. Simpson was mentioned.
It is believed that MacDonald was fired from Saturday Night Live for his relentless jokes about O.J. Simpson. MacDonald doesn’t quite see it that way and thinks it was more his experimental brand of comedy than mocking Simpson that brought his SNL tenure to an end. And even if it was the Simpson jokes, it is clear that MacDonald has changed his ways in the “cancel culture” era and regrets rushing to judge the NFL legend. That is, if you (foolishly) take what Norm MacDonald says at face value.
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Who was your favorite “Weekend Update” anchor? What about your favorite segment from David Spade? Let us know in the comment section below. Keep checking in with Last Night On for highlights from Lights Out with David Spade and the rest of late night television.