Saturday Night Live has been airing live from New York since 1975.
Each decade of this iconic, quintessential, hilarious show has brought with it new hilarities, and new big names to storm the comedy scene, providing the footing for every essential rung in the ladder of Lorne Michaels's legacy.
But has there been a decade of 'SNL' more impactful than the 90s? We're not sure there has.
The 90s revealed a new era of performers like Adam Sandler, Mike Meyers, Chris Rock, Dana Carvey, and Will Ferrell.
If we forgot your favorite sketch, we sincerely apologize. There were so many amazing sketches and characters to choose from, so we went with the ones that made us laugh the hardest.
Still not satisfied?
We'll apologize to you in person at The Dopest TBT Ever, a 90s throwback party we're throwing at Hudson Terrace on Thursday, September 17th-- with a one-hour open bar.
Now sit tight and get ready to laugh until your stomach hurts at the following sketches that really, really bring us back to the glory days of the 90s.
Schweddy Balls
In this perfect, inspired sketch, SNL spoofs the set of an NPR radio show. Alec Badwin plays Season's Eatings bakery owner Pete Schweddy, while Molly Sannon and Ana Gasteyer play the hosts of the Delicious Dish.The hosts of Delicious Dish stir up laughs when they discuss the tap water and rice they'll leave for Santa and Molly Shannon's incessant rat problem, but the real laughs come when Pete Schweddy is invited to dish about his delicious dishes.
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Namely, his seasonal balls cause a sensation. Since, you know, he's branded these balls with his last name.
"Schweddy Balls" sketch aired on December 12th 1998, but its perfection still rings true today.
Chippendale's Audition
This skit rang in the 90s right, airing on October 27th 1990 and starring Patrick Swayze, Chris Farley, Victoria Jackson, Mike Myers, Kevin Nealon, and and Jan Hooks.It's obvious that Patrick Swayze's set the bar too high when it comes to dancing, but the hilarious twist is that Christ Farley makes it work, and doesn't fall too far behind.
How could he fall behind? He does the worm. Doesn't that dance move automatically catapult everyone to dancing greatness? Just look at how agile and nimble Farley was.
Down by the River
Matt Foley, played impeccably in this iconic sketch by Chris Farley, is a motivational speaker lecturing two kids in the living room.The cleaning lady found their weed, so, concerned (as they very well should be), the parents reached out to Foley to try and right the ship.
Drugs are bad, right? We can all agree on that. But what does Matt Foley lecture the kids on? Well, you'll have to re-watch this video to see for yourselves, but the gist is essentially lamenting about being 35, divorced, and living in a van "down by the river." Oh, and also, eating government cheese.
Farley died in 1997 at the age of 33, but his hilarity has been immortalized in this sketch, which aired on May 8th, 1993. We still miss you, Chris. A lot.
The Ambiguously Gay Duo: Safety Tips
The "Ambiguously Gay Duo" aired on The Dana Garvey Show before moving to SNL in 1996.Stephen Colbert animates the voice of Ace, and Steve Carell is the voice of Gary.
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This united pair fought crime in 13 different shorts on SNL between 1996 and 2011, when Jon Hamm and Jimmy Fallon brought the pair out of animation and into reality.
"Safety Tips" aired on April 19th, 1997.
Wayne's World: Academy Awards
Party on Wayne! Party on Garth! Shawiiing."Wayne's World," was one of the most successful ever sketch series on SNL. Filmed from Wayne's basement, Wayne and Garth spit fire about everything they love and what's been going on with them. In this sketch, they discuss who they think should win the Oscars. And it's hilarious.
This sketch stars two of the 90s most symbolic SNL cast members: Mike Myers as Wayne and Dana Carvey as Garth.
Of course, the most important thing to remember here is that the first Wayne's World movie is easily the most (on a very short list) successful SNL spinoff movies.
,Spartan Cheerleaders
The Spartan Cheerleaders debuted on SNL on November 11th, 1995.In this sketch, Spartan Cheerleaders Craig and Arianna sneak into the school gym to practice their routine for tryouts. They brought their Starbucks. They brought their routine. And this is going to be their year.
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Though this sketch aired live twenty years ago, their routine and lyrics would continue to ring in the hearts and heads of all the would-be improv, theater nerds who watched it for many, quite possibly too many years afterward because this iconic sketch was nearly perfect.
The Weekend Update: "The Hanukkah Song"
Odds are, you've heard Adam Sandler's, "The Hanukkah Song."At least a lot of Jewish people have because amidst America's emphatic Christmas celebrations, we have found a way to cling to that song as our only caroling anthem (or, at least the only one in English).
Well, folks, "The Hanukkah Song" originated on SNL as part of the Weekend Update with Adam Sandler on December 3rd, 1994, vacillating around the all-too cogent theme theme of Jewish children feeling alienated during the Christmas season.
While he hasn't gotten any funnier since that moment, it's important to remember that moment as one of his few successes. Pour one out for Jack and Jill.
Trainee Mary Katherine Gallagher
Mary Katherine Gallagher is an iconic SNL character who was seamlessly invented and portrayed by Molly Shannon from 1995 to 2001.Because there was a whole lot of actor turnover on SNL in 1995, Mary Katherine Gallagher was considered the first breakout character from the new '95 cast.
The sketch in question aired on March 7th, 1998 as a part of SNL's Season 23.
In this sketch, Mary Katherine Gallagher is training to work at Friday's, not Thursday's. And at Friday's, knowing the core temperature for mozzarella sticks is a necessity for success.
Celebrity Jeopardy
"Celebrity Jeopardy" is a classic, hilarious sketch series that aired 14 times between the span of 1996 and 2002.Will Ferrell portrayed a flawless Alex Trebek, and Darrell Hammond's Sean Connery is nearly perfect.
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We also can't really say enough about Norm Macdonald's portrayal of Burt Reynolds and the giant cowboy hat.
The Roxbury Guys
The Roxbury guys were a few over-confident, under-capable ladies men who stormed the dating scene on SNL in the 90s.
Played by Chris Kattan (Doug) and Will Ferrell (Steve), they made sure to bob their heads and dance up against as many non-consenting women as possible.
These same characters later hit the big screen in the movie A Night at the Roxbury.
Maybe you've seen it (we mentioned Wayne's World as possibly the most successful SNL spinoff movie, well, this is a close second), but we all saw it first on SNL on May 18th, 1996.
Check out 9 Hilarious Times 'SNL' Perfectly Spoofed Real-Life Situations in NYC.
[via Yahoo Screen, Ranker, and Complex]