Over the decades, Detroit has played a role in the legendary "Saturday Night Live," which turned 40 this year.
Julie Hinds of the Detroit Free Press writes:
Everyone, it seems feels a connection to the late-night TV staple, and Detroit is no exception. The region and Michigan at large have contributed regulars, hosts, musical performers and sketch material to "SNL." She lists 12 examples.
Some of those examples include the fact some of the cast has come from Detroit including Gilda Radner and Tim Meadows.
Of Radner, she writes:
This original Not Ready For Primetime Player was born in the Motor City and studied at the University of Michigan before leaving college to pursue the career that made her a legend before she died from cancer at age 42. Funny, tender, vulnerable, sexy, fearless and vanity-free in pursuit of laughs, she created the modern template for women in comedy during her 1975-80 "SNL" stint. When you watch clips of Radner as classic characters Emily Litella, Baba Wawa, Lisa Loopner and Roseanne Roseannadanna, it's always something ... magical.
Of Tim Meadows, she writes:
A graduate of Detroit's Pershing High, he is one of the longest-serving cast members ever. From 1991 to 2000, Meadows provided solid supporting acting and a welcome dose of diversity to a show that's often struggled to give a meaningful presence to African-American performers. His splashiest breakthrough character, the Ladies Man, went on to a movie spinoff, so raise your glass of Courvoisier in a toast.
But we love him most in a 2000 skit as the harried census taker to Christopher Walken's wacked-out apartment
dweller who's married to a bobcat.
Madonna and Eminem have been among musical guests from thsi area.
