25 + plus seasons of the groundbreaking comedy-variety show are revisited through the words of the cast, hosts, writers, and production crew. This oral history approach has its downside as the authors provide little context to go with the interview quotes. I was also interested in learning more about the creative process of making the show and its most famous sketches and less interested in the tell-all tales of sex, drugs, and backstabbing. At least, on the latter note there is just as much mutual admiration among the participants of the show. Some of the greatest accolades go to performers whose voices are missing from the text due to their early deaths - John Belush, Gilda Radner, Chris Farley and Phil Hartman. It would have been nice if the authors could have culled some passages from old interviews so that these great performers' voices could be heard as well. It was interesting how in their own words that some people came off unpleasantly (Chevy Chase, Nora Dunn, Harry Shearer) and some people were more interesting than I ever imagined (Jane Curtin, Tim Kazurinsky, Victoria Jackson). Despite its bulk this book is a fun and interesting read, although I can't imagine anyone who isn't already a long time fan of the show finding it all too appealing. I watched the show regularly from about 1982-1994 but found the whole story intriguing and makes me want to go back and watch the old shows. Even those dreadful 10-minutes to 1 am sketches. ( )

Great inside stories from the earlier years of SNL. This is definitely a book a reader can pick up, read a few pages, and put down for a later time. Some of the best known people from the early years were not terribly nice human beings. ( )

AWESOME! An absolute must for anyone interested in SNL and TV production. ( )

I'm a huge Saturday Night Live fan, not quite yet a "buff" in the history of the show but I'm well on my way. This book is a good companion to the hardcore fan but maybe not to the casual viewer. I certainly enjoyed it from start to finish. One thing became clear after watching it - everyone hates Chevy Chase. ( )

This is a great book. It's "written" in a style that feels more like you are watching a documentary or eavesdropping on a bullshitting session. This holds the full accounts of every half-story you've heard about SNL told by the people who were there. Accurate? Maybe. Entertaining? Defiantly! The one thing I noticed is that a lot of the lesser known cast members are not really present. I'd suggest reading "Gasping for Airtime: Two Years in the Trenches of Saturday Night Live" by Jay Mohr for another view in a similar style. ( )