Weekend Update first aired halfway through the original broadcast of Saturday Night Live on October 11, 1975. Conceived by writers Herb Sergent and Al Franken and original cast member and Update host, Chevy Chase, the program was written to parody the NBC monthly magazine “Update.” During his time as host, Chase used several catchphrases, always opening the show with “I’m Chevy Chase… and you’re not,” and closed it out with “That’s the news… good night and have a pleasant tomorrow.” Chase would also use a recurring bit where he announced “Generalissimo Francisco Franco is still dead.”
Chase left SNL in 1976, and his place at the Update desk was filled by Jane Curtin, who would fill in for him in the previous season when he was out with an injury. Curtin was joined in season three by co-anchor Dan Aykroyd who was then replaced in season four with Bill Murray. Both Murray and Curtin remained co-hosts until 1980 and introduced several iconic bits to the program, including “point, counterpoint,” and Gilda Radner’s Rosanne Roseannadanna.
The segment underwent changes during the 1980s under the management of executive producer Dick Ebersol. From 1981 to 1982 the program was known as “SNL NewsBreak” and then from ‘82 to ‘85 became “Saturday Night News.” During both segments anchor turnover was frequent, and on December 8, 1984, the segment didn’t air at all.
In 1985 Weekend Update officially returned along with producer Lorne Micheals. For six years, Dennis Miller anchored the program solo – the longest run for a solo update host. Miller was replaced with Kevin Nealon in 1991 after he left the program. In 1994, Norm Macdonald took over, starting every segment with his catchphrase, “… and now the fake news.” Macdonald was later fired from the position due to continuous jokes about OJ Simpson, which NBC executive producer, and close friend of Simpson, Don Ohlmeyer found “unfunny.”
Colin Quinn brought the program into the 21st century, who introduced an unsuccessful “pre-desk” monologue to the segment. Quinn was later replaced in 2000 by Jimmy Fallon and Tina Fey, the latter of which was a writer for the show. From 2004 to 2006 Fey continued to host, but was joined by Amy Poehler, becoming the first and only female duo to head the desk. After Fey left SNL to write and star in 30 Rock, Poehler continued to anchor the show, next with co-anchor Horatio Sanz, then with future Late Night host, Seth Meyers. The pair introduced the iconic segment “Really?!” which Meyers would continue on his own program.
After Poehler left, Meyers continued to anchor Weekend Update solo. In 2013 he was joined by Cecily Strong, who continued to co-anchor the following season with Colin Jost. Strong stepped back from the news desk in season 40, and was replaced by Micheal Che who has continued to co-host with Jost for the last ten years. The pair regularly end the season by reading highly offensive jokes written by each other in an attempt to get their co-host canceled. Weekend Update is the most recognizable recurring segment on SNL, airing in nearly every episode since the show’s premiere in 1975. The successful fake news format has inspired several other comedy news programs, such as The Daily Show and The Colbert Report.
