What I've Learned from Saturday Night Live

Promotional image from NBC's Saturday Night Live

Debuting on October 11, 1975, Saturday Night Live has been a fixture on Saturday night television for 42 seasons and over 800 episodes. It has been guest hosted by a variety of celebrities, from Tom Hanks to George Carlin to even politicians such as Bob Dole. Speaking of politicians, SNL has spawned out a mass amount of stars to go on to bigger and better things including Senator Al Franken.

A show that has been on for so long is bond to accidentally teach a lesson or two to the audience. Believing to have watched all 42 seasons, I will now share with you XXXX lessons I have learned from my years of enjoying the comedy skit show.

1. "I'm good enough, I'm smart enough, and doggone it, people like me." - Often the lessen given to the audience and the guest of the Stuart Smalley skits performed by now Senator Al Franken, the message was both positive and hilarious at the same time. Smalley would impart his message with those who even didn't necessarily need it (i.e. see Michael Jordan). The character of Smalley is obviously a flawed one (fictionally), but he always tried to see the best side of life anyway by trying his hardest to stay positive.

2. "Consume Mass Quantities!" - Perhaps the worst aliens in disguise as humans, the Remulak natives known as the Coneheads (Dan Aykroyd, Jane Curtain, and Laraine Newman) found themselves stranded on Earth. Trying to blend in, they lived life to fullest. That included drinking a whole six-pack of beer at once and smoking a pack of cigarettes simultaneously. Unfamiliar with their alien biology, I'm sure that this is probably something that doesn't bug them. The family mislead others by claiming they were French, but unlike any European, the Coneheads ability to consume "consumables" was more American than anything else.

3. "Devon? What are you doing here?" - The Californians mock the accent of those who live in the Los Angeles area, but one of the reoccurring themes is that the unexpected is likely to happen. You have to be prepared and not caught off guard like Stuart (not Smalley) is when he see Devon. (Stuart-Fred Armisen; Devon-Bill Hader)

4. "Sorry." - A sincere apology is always appreciated, but when Gilly (Kristen Wiig) gradually ramps up the violence and still gives the same apology, one could surmise that the apology is fake. Some people will do things to get under your skin, but when they say sorry and continue to do it, they don't mean it. Gilly is an extreme example, but there are people out there that will intentionally mess you and try to come off as apologetic the whole time.

5. "I am filled with anticipation, and it is most delicious." - Sometimes the anticipation of an event is more enjoyable than the event itself. Dieter (Michael Myers) from the "Sprockets" skit teaches us that, usually just before dancing to techno music by Kraftwerk. And he's right. Sometimes an event such as a holiday doesn't live up to the build-up of the day itself. That's why it's sometimes better to enjoy the build up to the event than the event itself.

6. "...living in a van down by the river." - Motivational speaker Matt Foley (Chris Farley) is a down-on-his-luck man who famously points out that he lives in a most unfavorable place to reside. Often tasked to scare kids straight, Foley has driven his point home by (accidentally) crashing down on a table while the kids laugh while breaking character. But it does prove that while you might be down, you can help others from meeting a similar fate and still be a positive influence in someone else's life.

7. "We're not worthy!" - Wayne and Garth (Michael Myers and Dana Carvey) praise those that they idolize such as Madonna with the phrase, "We're not worthy!" Now this is not to say that you have to gush over someone in an embarrassing way, but just letting them know that you are appreciative of the work someone has done isn't a bad thing. People, including artists, often doubt whether what they do has a positive impact on other's lives. Finding out that others are appreciative of what you do can not only make their day, but also give them motivation to keep doing what they do.

8. Deep Thoughts by Jack Handey - While there is not a single quote by the Deep Thoughts skits that stand out more than others, it does reveal that you're not the only one with odd and sometimes disturbing thoughts. While you may have grown up thinking you're awkward, others grew up thinking the same thing.

9. "When I see a solar eclipse, like the one I went to last year in Hawaii, I think 'Oh no! Is the moon eating the sun?' I don't know. Because I'm a caveman -- that's the way I think." - Unfrozen Caveman Lawyer, Cirroc (Phil Hartman) said things like this while in the courtroom. It reminds us that there are people out there that haven't been able to enjoy the wonders of everyday life that many others have. Don't take life for granted. While you may have witnessed a natural wonder many times, others may have not. Soak up your experiences and don't be afraid to share them with others if you have the chance.

10. "Lambortini" - The Former Porn Star Commercials remind people to always aim higher. I'm not kidding. Even though the former porn stars (Cecily Strong and Vanessa Bayer) aren't the sharpest tools in the shed, they aspire to be something more than just porn stars. In this case, they want to be spokespeople for various brands such as Lamborghini and Swarvoski. They just have trouble pronouncing the brand names. Even with that said, they want to better themselves and that is commendable.

11. "Toonces, no!" - Cats can't be trusted to drive a car. Enough said.

The 10 Best Cars In Movies Or TV

Everyone who is a fan of movies or television, has at some point or another, wished they an automobile that their favorite fictional characters drove around. Many kids had Hot Wheels, or model toys, or some other toy of their favorite cars. No matter how ridiculous the car might be if it existed in real life, you still wanted it. I give you my list of the top ten best cars in movies or TV, starting first with my number one choice...

1. The Batmobile: There are too many variations of Batman's favorite mode of transportation to identify a specific version as being THE top one. The old Adam West series was iconic and cool, but not the best equipped. The Nolan-verse Batmobile was perfect from a functionality standpoint, but not as stylish as the past versions. Tim Burton stuck a real jet engine in his version. But no matter, what, more people than not, would want the Batmobile if given an option.

2. The DeLorean: The Back To The Future trilogy made the 1982 DeLorean DMC-12 an iconic car, despite being considered an iffy car at best as far as how well it ran, Doc Brown was able to make this car the ultimate time travel device. It could take you anywhere in time you wanted (until it was destroyed in the 1800's) and was sporty enough to look cool in present day as well. Doc fixed it up to even run on garbage, making it an early version of a fuel efficient car.

3. Ecto 1: From Ghostbusters, this 1959 Cadillac Miller-Meteor Hearse was essential to capturing mischievous ghosts. With the screeching alarm and the classic "no ghosts" logo on the side, this was one of the coolest cars in the 1980's. The Kenner toy version was one of the hottest sellers in it's time. The white wall tires, red trim, and the gadgetry on top made this car standout in it's environment.

4. The Flintstones Car: Obviously animated, it would have been the dream car for any man living in the days of the dinosaurs. With it's large rock wheels, it could have doubled for an early steamroller...before steam was even used. The top, made of what is presumably some sort of animal skin and the red wood trim, made it the hottest car in the road in the prehistoric age. If it wasn't a television show, you know you would argue with your friends about how Fred could afford a car that nice with his income. At least it saved him money in gas.

5. The Munsters Koach: The Munsters family traveled in style. This car was designed by George Barris who was also the designer of the Adam West Batmobile. The body of the Munsters Koach is eighteen feet long and pieced together from three Model T cars. Even though the TV series was in black and white, the interior was blood red and the engine was brass. The small details made it an awesome car to drive, even for a monster family.

6. KITT: The Knight Industries Two Thousand, a customized 1982 Pontiac Trans Am, was perhaps a SIRI capable device before Apple developed it. With the voice of Mr. Feeney and the memory capacity of 1,000 megabits, this was the perfect car for Michael Knight. Unmatched computer A.I., the ability to withstand fire, turbo boost, the ability to see and smell, oil jets and smoke screens, flame thrower, tear gas launcher, a telephone Comlink (before cellphones), and much more. If you were a crime fighter for FLAG, you too would need a car with this amount of functionality.

7. Wayne's Pacer: From Wayne's World, Wayne drove a 1976 Pacer, baby blue in color, with flames on the side. Did this car talk? No. Did this car help fight crime? No. Was this car eco-friendly? Probably not. But this was the best car in the 1990's to lip sync to "Bohemian Rhapsody" by Queen. The perfect car to pick up Tia Carrere in.

8. The Mystery Machine: If you were looking for old guys dressed up as ghosts and goblins, this was the essential form of transportation. The 1963 Ford Econoline Customer Van was how The Scooby Gang got around. Inside, the van had shag carpets and enough room to transport a talking Great Dane. As to what made the dog talk, that's a whole different story. Every time the door opened, smoke would flood out, but it went well with the psychedelic paint job.

9. Phoebe's Taxi Cab: After inheriting her car from her deceased grandmother, Phoebe Buffet from Friends often gave her friends a ride in her 1977 Checker Taxi Cab. Perhaps one of the nicest taxis in television, that car took the cast everywhere. It made trips from New York to Las Vegas and took the crew to vacation beach houses.

10. Black Beauty: From the Green Hornet television series in the 1960's, this 1966 Imperial Crown was loaded with weapons and surveillance equipment for Green Hornet and Kato to fight crime in, while pretending to be villains themselves. It was sleek looking with it's glossy black paint and even without it's weapons, would be a smooth car to drive in.

(photo credit to Jennifer Graylock/Ford Motor Company on Wikipedia)