We got some great travel advice and learned some crazy facts last week with the Our Great States giveaway. For example, did you know that
- the world’s largest hockey stick is in Eveleth, Minnesota?
- a town in Michigan celebrates Christmas year-round? (Plus, we hear Michigan’s great for camping!)
- some parks in New York City used to be graveyards?
And now, for the winner… Congratulations to Lisa Hunt! She gave us a great tip on how to avoid committing a misdemeanor in Pennsylvania: don’t sleep on top of your refrigerator outside!
Lisa, you’ve won Our Great States! Please send us a DM on Twitter or an email to publicityinfo@lernerbooks.com with the subject line “Free Book Friday” and tell us your mailing addresses so we can get your books in the mail.
This week’s free book is Saturday Night Live, a fascinating look at SNL through its four decades on the air–that’s right, SNL turns forty next fall!
In 1975 Saturday Night Live came out of the gate swinging, with a daring, bold, and rebellious vibe that was new to television back then. With a cast of comedic actors known as the Not Ready for Prime Time Players, television producer Lorne Michaels launched a style of live television comedy that appealed specifically to young viewers with a taste for questioning authority—and that style stood the test of time. From hilarious characters—the Conehead family, Wayne Campbell, the Spartan cheerleaders, the Target Lady, and Stefon—to impressions of US presidents and politicians performed with spot-on precision, the late-night comedy show has shaped American comedy for four decades.
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With millions of loyal fans across a wide range of viewership demographics, Saturday Night Live has made a significant impact on American culture. It introduced catchphrases such as “Well, isn’t that special?” and “More cowbell!” It influenced public opinion through satirical political sketches and news commentary. It provided rich material for box office hits such as The Blues Brothers and Wayne’s World. It created megastars out of dozens of comedians. And in the process, the show earned an impressive roster of accolades including thirty-six Primetime Emmy Awards, a Peabody Award, and three Writers Guild of America Awards. It’s been ranked as one of the greatest shows of all time and has been inducted into the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) Broadcasting Hall of Fame. Discover how the SNL brand of raucous humor has stayed meaningful and fresh over the years and continues to draw audiences today.
And because it would be cruel to not link to a single video SNL video, click here to find a treasure trove hilarious SNL clips, including Digital Shorts, “Samurai” sketches, and the infamous Palin Rap. Enjoy!
If you’d like to win Saturday Night Live, please leave a comment (including your name) or tweet us to answer to this question: What’s your favorite SNL character, performer, or sketch? Include #freebookfriday and bit.ly/1OrSN. For example, I’d tweet, “Lazy Sunday. I’m all about the Hamiltons, baby. #freebookfriday bit.ly/1OrSN”
We’ll announce the winner on Friday, July 25, so check the blog then to see if you’ve won!
Good luck!
Sue Morris
Sue Morris
I was late to the Saturday Night craze that began in the 1970's. Still, in retro shows I have come to love Roseanne Rosannadanna. But my favorite sketch is always the news segment, whether it is Point-Counterpoint, or Tina Fey playing the comic news stories straight-up.
morris.suem@att.net