It’s Saturday Night!

Love him or hate him, Donald Trump has had a huge impact on Saturday Night Live viewership. In a downward spiral not so long ago, the metrics for the overall viewership of the iconic show are up by 22%. Folks are tuning in for the cold open every Saturday night, or (like me) watching it on their devices the next morning to see what the SNL crew comes up with to reflect the week’s turmoil. Who will they skewer next? Will Rosie get a spot? With what new tricks will Melissa McCarthy’s lectern be outfitted?

For readers wanting to know more about the iconic show, libraries will want to have a copy of TFCB’s Saturday Night Live: Shaping TV Comedy and American Culture, by New York-based writer Arie Kaplan. It’s a fascinating look at the show, its early creators and contemporary talent lineup, its best-loved characters, its impact on and reflection of American culture and politics, and the way it handles diversity. It has lots of fun photos–and even a catchphrase quiz on page 56. Try it out with the readers in your library. Who’s famous for saying, “Attention, teachers and students!”