Best Second City Fanatics Podcasts (2024)

1
That Show – The Malcolm McDowell Tragedy 49:38

11h ago49:38

49:38

On November 22nd, 1980, actor Malcolm McDowell hosted “Saturday Night Live,” and to put it kindly, it was a disaster. The episode started with a lousy Cold Open, followed by an uninspired monologue (which you will hear), a brutal bit involving an S&M “Leather Weather” report, many sight gags that bombed HARD, and a sketch featuring McDowell and Gil…

1
That Show – Colonel Angus 43:14

7d ago43:14

43:14

Nick takes a hilarious look back at one of the funniest (and dumbest) sketches in SNL history: “Colonel Angus.” Written by Tina Fey and featuring the weird and hilarious Christopher Walken as the Colonel, this crude, one-joke piece revolves around making as many sexual references as possible connected to the main character’s name, filled with nudge…

1
That Show – That Night That Python Bombed on SNL 52:45

14d ago52:45

52:45

“Monty Python’s Flying Circus” was a major influence on the early days of “Saturday Night Live.” As Monty Python gained huge popularity in America, SNL was also making its mark. In this episode, Nick looks back at the time Michael Palin and John Cleese appeared on SNL in 1997—and absolutely bombed. They not only bombed, but they did so while perfor…

1
That Show – Season 49: That’s a Wrap 1:06:06

21d ago1:06:06

1:06:06

Season 49 of “Saturday Night Live” has wrapped, and in this episode, Nick takes a comprehensive look back at the entire season. He reviews all 20 episodes, sharing dates, details, behind-the-scenes stories, and more. Nick ranks the episodes from best to worst, discussing the standout hosts and musical guests, both good and bad. He also highlights t…

1
That Show – P.T. Anderson is a ‘FANatic’

28d ago

—

Paul Thomas Anderson is one of the most acclaimed writer/directors in the history of film, with such credits as: “Boogie Nights,” “Magnolia,” “Punch-Drunk Love,” There Will Be Blood,” “Licorice Pizza,” and more. In this episode, Nick looks back at P.T.A.’s connection to “Saturday Night Live,” including talking about his early love of watching SNL, …

1
That Show – Live from New York, It’s The Eddie Murphy Show! 54:43

1M ago54:43

54:43

On Saturday, December 11, 1982, actor Nick Nolte was supposed to be the host of “Saturday night Live,” but (for unexplained, and possibly booze related reasons) he was a no-show. Instead, for the first – and only – time, a current cast member stepped in as host, and it was: Eddie Murphy. In this episode of “THAT SHOW…”, Nick looks back at that infa…

1
That Show – Underrated Characters 50:45

1M ago50:45

50:45

Nick looks back at some of the most memorable characters in “Saturday Night Live” history that never took really off and became as legendary as they should have. The outrageous ESPN commentators Pete Twinkle and Greg Stink (played by Jason Sudeikis and Will Forte) are featured here, along with Lilith-Fair standup comedian/singer Cinder Calhoun (por…

1
That Show – Well, The Cast Thought It Was Funny 57:44

2M ago57:44

57:44

Breaking character and laughing during a sketch on “Saturday Night Live” used to be frowned upon back in the day, but over the years, performers cracking up and losing it on stage, has become a thing that audiences love, and that Lorne Michaels more than tolerates. In this episode, Nick plays back some classic examples of “breaking” during sketches…

1
That Show – Uncle Miltie Hosts SNL! 1:10:06

2M ago1:10:06

1:10:06

Nick looks back, analyzes, tells some secret stories, and plays back a good portion of one of the most notorious episodes in the history of “Saturday Night Live.” It’s the night that “Mr. Television Himself” (as he insisted on being introduced that evening) Milton Berle hosted the show, and the results were altogether insane. While SNL, at that poi…

1
That Show – The Return of Jon Rudnitsky 54:16

2M ago54:16

54:16

In this brand-new episode, Nick is joined by comedian, writer, and actor Jon Rudnitsky, who was not only a cast member for one season of “Saturday Night Live,” but he was also the very first guest on this podcast!! Nick and Jon catch up, chat about the best SNL bits ever, and talk about what Jon has been up to for the past two years (including stan…

1
That Show – Kristen Wiig: 5-Timer! 1:07:13

2M ago1:07:13

1:07:13

Kristen Wiig is widely considered to be one of the best cast members in the history of “Saturday Night Live,” and her contributions to the show are legendary. She was a cast member for seven terrific seasons, came back for eight uproarious cameos, and now, she has hosted SNL five times, officially making her a member of “The 5-Timers’ Club.” In thi…

1
That Show – Game Show Madness 57:24

3M ago57:24

57:24

Game show parodies/satires have been a huge part of “Saturday Night Live” since the very beginning back in 1975. In fact, it seems that there is a game show sketch in almost every episode of the show (and it’s usually the first one of the night), because it’s a winning formula that’s rich with possibility, they are easy to cast, and they almost wri…

1
That Show – The Monologues Pt.1 52:33

3M ago52:33

52:33

A very important part of every episode of “Saturday Night Live” is the opening monologue performed by the host. It establishes the tone, introduces the audience to the star, and hopefully entices viewers enough to continue watching for at least a few more minutes. In this episode of “That Show…,” Nick looks back at four of the most memorable monolo…

1
That Show – SURPRISE!!! SNL Cameos Pt. 1 53:00

3M ago53:00

53:00

We all know that “Saturday Night Live” has had some pretty incredible and funny surprise celebrity cameos over the years. Since the very beginning, SNL has had a wonderful habit of bringing out celebrities to have some fun, and shock audiences at home and in the studio by simply popping on stage. In this episode, Nick looks back at some of the more…

1
That Show – Fred Armisen Brings The Punk! 45:07

3M ago45:07

45:07

In this episode, Nick focuses on the great musical talent and knowledge of former “Saturday Night Live” cast member Fred Armisen. Before Armisen entered the world of comedy, and became a cast member on SNL, he was a musician in many bands, including the legendary Chicago punk band Trenchmouth. His connection to the world of punk rock snuck into thi…

1
That Show – Jock Hosts, Pt 1 58:25

3M ago58:25

58:25

It’s always a gamble when a professional athlete hosts “Saturday Night Live,” simply because many of these jocks are just not cut out to perform comedy, or even be on a stage. Sometimes the gamble pays off, oftentimes, it does not. In this episode, Nick looks back at 5 SNL episodes that were hosted by jocks, and analyzes what worked and what didn’t…

1
That Show – A Song For Daddy 46:56

4M ago46:56

46:56

Sometimes sketches bomb so badly that they never make it to air. In this episode of “That Show…”, we look back at a supremely weird sketch called: “A Song For Daddy,” that is widely considered to be one of the biggest trainwrecks in the history of SNL. The components were all there: a completely absurd premise; an inexperienced, unfunny host who wa…

1
That Show – Special Guest: Steve Cochran 1:08:00

4M ago1:08:00

1:08:00

Nick welcomes his special guest Steve Cochran to the podcast. Steve is a legendary broadcaster, stand-up comedian, writer, actor and host of the outstanding WLS-AM morning drive show “The Steve Cochran Show.” Nick and Steve worked together for years, and they talk a bit about that, the comedy work they’ve done, and their shared love of all things S…

1
That Show – FULL THROTTLE! The Best of Bobby Moynihan 50:03

4M ago50:03

50:03

Nick focuses on one of the best, and most underappreciated cast members in “Saturday Night Live” history: Bobby Moynihan. This remarkably talented comedic actor spent 9 seasons of SNL, creating some of the funniest characters and hilarious moments to ever happen on the stages at Studio 8H. Nick will play back some of the most memorable stuff, inclu…

1
That Show – Opie’s Back! 49:50

4M ago49:50

49:50

Nick looks back at the only time that Ron Howard hosted “Saturday Night Live,” it was on October 9, 1982, and it featured some purposely edgy material, including Ron’s monologue in which he downs a beer on stage, and a controversial sketch called “Opie’s Back!” In the sketch, Howard returns to his classic role of Opie Taylor, only this time Opie is…

1
That Show – Special Guest: Esmeralda Leon 1:01:53

5M ago1:01:53

1:01:53

Nick welcomes Esmeralda Leon to the podcast, who is his buddy and the co-host of the final segment of every episode of “The Nick D Podcast.” Esma has worked in the radio and broadcast business for years as a host, news anchor, traffic reporter, voiceover artist, contributor to comedy shows, and more. She has been a fan “Saturday Night Live” for yea…

1
That Show – Your Son’s a Witch 41:24

5M ago41:24

41:24

Nick delves into “Dr. Beaman’s Office: Test Results,” one of the most bizarre sketches in “Saturday Night Live” history. Written by Adam McKay and Will Ferrell, and starring Ferrell alongside Molly Shannon, Chris Parnell, Rachel Dratch, and Tim Meadows as “Dr. Poop,” this sketch is analyzed in depth. Nick plays the entire sketch for listeners, prov…

1
That Show – SNL Takes on Disney 52:57

5M ago52:57

52:57

Nick looks back, talks about, and plays some very funny “Saturday Night Live” sketches that satirize the films and culture of the Disney empire. From hilarious takedowns of “Frozen 2” and “Mary Poppins,” to great sight gags involving the flying carpet rides in “Aladdin,” and the underwater antics in “The Little Mermaid,” nothing is off limits here.…

1
That Show – A Van Down By the River 51:51

5M ago51:51

51:51

Nick reminisces about one of the most iconic “Saturday Night Live” characters, motivational speaker Matt Foley, created by Bob Odenkirk and famously portrayed by Chris Farley. The episode traces the character’s origins back to 1990, inspired by Odenkirk’s childhood in Naperville, Illinois, and highlights how Farley made the role his own. It feature…

1
That Show – Political Impressions, Pt 1 58:27

6M ago58:27

58:27

Nick revisits some of the most iconic political impressions on “Saturday Night Live” performed by guest stars rather than cast members. This episode showcases five outstanding impersonations of real-life politicians. Highlights include Tina Fey’s acclaimed portrayal of Sarah Palin, Melissa McCarthy’s uproarious take on former Trump Press Secretary …

1
That Show – Rick! Rick! Rick! Rick! 42:26

6M ago42:26

42:26

Nick explores the memorable “Saturday Night Live” characters Kaitlin and Rick, played by Amy Poehler and Horatio Sanz. These characters, appearing seven times over three years, are celebrated for their quirky humor and endearing dynamics. Kaitlin, a lively 10-year-old, constantly navigates her fears with the help of her patient stepfather, Rick. Th…

1
That Show – Guested, But Never Hosted 54:03

6M ago54:03

54:03

Join Nick as he spotlights six incredibly talented and uproarious performers who, surprisingly, have never taken the reins as hosts on “Saturday Night Live.” These comedic geniuses have graced the SNL stage with guest appearances in sketches, monologues, and unexpected cameos, yet the spotlight of hosting has eluded them. Nick delves into why these…

1
That Show – …And The Oscar Goes To 54:36

6M ago54:36

54:36

The Oscars and “Saturday Night Live,” believe it or not those worlds have crossed paths several times. In this episode, Nick tells you about everyone who has worked in the hallowed halls of Studio 8H, that has ever been nominated for, or won, an Academy Award. From some surprising acting nominations (yes, Dan Aykroyd has really been nominated for a…

1
That Show – 20 Years of Kenan! 1:07:59

7M ago1:07:59

1:07:59

Nick celebrates 20 years of Kenan Thompson, who holds the record for longest tenured SNL cast member of all time. You will hear about Thompson’s early life and career, his time performing on Nickelodeon kid’s shows, his own sit-com, movies, and his 20 seasons on “Saturday Night Live.” You’ll learn about how he almost left the show after his disastr…

1
That Show – An SNL Christmas 1:00:10

7M ago1:00:10

1:00:10

It’s Christmas time, and in honor of the holiday, Nick plays back some of his favorite holiday themed sketches/songs/films/bits from “Saturday Night Live” years past. You hear classics like: Schweddy Balls, Christmastime For The Jews, Adam Sandler’s Chanukah Song, and, of course, D*** In A Box. Plus, hilarious Christmas commercial parodies, a visit…

1
That Show – Emma Stone: 5-Timer! 54:51

7M ago54:51

54:51

Emma Stone became a member of the “SNL 5-Timers Club” this past weekend, and in this episode, Nick talks about, and plays sketches from her most recent hosting gig, including her 5-Timers monologue (featuring cameos by Tina Fey, Candice Bergen and Lorne Michaels). Then he goes back and visits the other four times she hosted the show in 2010, 2011, …

1
That Show – Regrets…I’ve Had a Few 59:05

7M ago59:05

59:05

Nick revisits five moments from past “Saturday Night Live” episodes that the cast and writers now see as mistakes. These include scenes with outdated or offensive language, inappropriate portrayals of real people, insensitive jokes about serious events, or simply unfunny content. The actors who regret these moments are Dana Carvey, Tina Fey, Fred A…

1
That Show – Conan O’Brien & SNL & Penises! 58:10

8M ago58:10

58:10

Nick chats about Conan O’Brien’s time at “Saturday Night Live.” From ’88 to ’91, Conan was on the SNL writing crew, penning or helping to pen some epic sketches like “Girl Watchers” with Jon Lovitz and Tom Hanks, and the laugh-out-loud “Mr. Short Term Memory” acts. He popped up in skits, usually playing doormen, lent his voice to bits, and was part…

1
That Show – An SNL Thanksgiving 1:01:47

8M ago1:01:47

1:01:47

Nick shares his 10 favorite Thanksgiving themed sketches/songs/bits from “Saturday Night Live” over the years. They include scary Thanksgiving parade floats terrorizing a family; Debbie Downer ruining everyone’s dinner with stories about war, death and feline AIDS; a group of adults sitting at the “kids’ table” acting like 9-year-olds; a Thanksgivi…

1
That Show – Let’s Get Sassy!! 45:35

8M ago45:35

45:35

Nick looks back a pair of weird sketches that aired on “Saturday Night Live” in 1993, bombing the first time and killing the second. The sketches, featuring a hilarious Phil Hartman as the fictional editor of the real teen magazine “Sassy,” interviewing teenage heartthrobs, were meant to be satires of early 90s pop culture and hunky male celebritie…

1
That Show – Special Guest: Sean Abley 1:21:15

8M ago1:21:15

1:21:15

Nick Digilio welcomes one of the founders of Chicago’s Factory Theater, Sean Abley, who is also a successful playwright, author, actor/director, and journalist who studied at Second City, and is a “Saturday Night Live” fanatic. Sean discusses how he began watching SNL at a very young age (too young, some would say), how the show influenced his own …

1
That Show – Norman Bates Hosts SNL 1:01:59

8M ago1:01:59

1:01:59

Actor Anthony Perkins (Norman Bates from “Psycho”) hosted “Saturday Night Live” just once (on March 13th 1976, during the show’s first season), and while he did a surprisingly great job, the episode was filled with weird moments, terrible sketches, a musical guest that had a terrible night, and some insane technical problems that didn’t support the…

1
That Show – F Bombs on SNL 43:04

9M ago43:04

43:04

Live TV can be a tricky and sometimes scary adventure, no one knows that more than the people who have worked on “Saturday Night Live’ throughout the years. In this episode, Nick takes a look at the rare times that the dreaded “F” Bomb has been uttered on the stage in Studio 8H for the entire nation to hear. The whole history of the “F'” Bomb incid…

1
That Show – The 10 Most Popular SNL Clips On YouTube 56:31

9M ago56:31

56:31

Like seemingly everyone in the world, “Saturday Night Live” has a YouTube channel, and in this episode, Nick looks at the Top 10 Most Viewed SNL Clips on that channel. It’s important to note, that this list ONLY represents the SNL YouTube Channel specifically, not the internet in general. The list is sometimes predictable (with two “Celebrity Jeopa…

1
That Show – Special Guest: Chris Margetis 1:09:24

9M ago1:09:24

1:09:24

Nick welcomes actor/writer/producer/professional wrestler Chris Margetis to the podcast to discuss his love of “Saturday Night Live,” its influence on his writing and performing, and his history of watching the show since he was 7 years-old. They talk about the sketches from childhood that Chris loved, and the latest work on the show that cracks hi…

1
That Show – Black Jeopardy with Doug 43:05

9M ago43:05

43:05

Nick looks back at one of the best, most surprising, and most subtle political sketches in SNL history: “Black Jeopardy with Doug.” The sketch appeared on an episode of “Saturday Night Live” from October 2016 (during the intense height of the Trump/Clinton campaign) in which host Tom Hanks plays a MAGA hat-wearing Trump supporter who appears on “Bl…

1
That Show – Goober The Clown 49:01

10M ago49:01

49:01

Nick talks about Cecily Strong’s incredible Weekend Update Feature piece in which she played “Goober The Clown.” On September 1st, 2021, Texas effectively banned abortions, leading to other bans and changes in policy and law. So, in response to the ban, on the November 6th 2021 episode of SNL, Strong wrote an Update piece in which she revealed her …

1
That Show – Weekend Update Writer, Katie Rich 1:19:33

10M ago1:19:33

1:19:33

Nick has a fantastic conversation with Katie Rich, an incredible writer/performer who spent 6 seasons writing on “Saturday Night Live,” exclusively working on Weekend Update. They talk about Katie’s early life growing up on the Southside of Chicago (as a Cub fan!), her days working at “iO” with people like Charna Halpern and Cecily Strong, the time…

1
That Show – Larry David & SNL 42:52

10M ago42:52

42:52

Larry David is now considered a great host, and recurring star on SNL (his impression of Bernie Sanders is legendary, and his character Kevin Roberts has become a cult favorite), but that wasn’t always the case. In this episode, Nick looks back at the one season that the “Seinfeld” & “Curb Your Enthusiasm” creator spent on “Saturday Night Live,” an…

1
That Show – Subversive SNL 48:33

10M ago48:33

48:33

Nick looks back at acts, sketches, films, characters and moments that were not only edgy and took some risks, but were (and still remain) completely subversive. From the start, Saturday Night Live was inherently ballsy, risky, edgy and counter-cultural. From the drug-fueled humor, to the young cast and attitude, to the progressively anti-establishm…

1
That Show – The Anchors of Weekend Update 58:05

11M ago58:05

58:05

Nick talks about the history of Saturday Night Live’s ‘Weekend Update,’ including the name changes (it was called other things including ‘SNL Newsbreak’ for a bit), the format tinkering, and the seasons when, inexplicably, they thought it was a good idea to actually let the guest hosts anchor Update (yes, that terrible idea turned out to be a disas…

1
That Show – Hosts With Recurring Characters 56:45

11M ago56:45

56:45

We all know about “The Five-Timers Club,” which consists of celebrities who have hosted “Saturday Night Live” five times or more, but there is also a more exclusive club that consists of some hosts who are so good, that they actually have recurring characters that show up every time they host. They are characters that the fans love. They have their…

1
That Show – Pee Wee Hosts SNL 55:40

11M ago55:40

55:40

In remembrance of Paul Reubens, who passed away this week, Nick looks back at the connections that Reubens had with “Saturday Night Live,” including the story of how he was passed over to be a cast member, to the hilarious Digital Short he made with Andy Samberg in 2011 called “Andy and Pee Wee’s Night Out,” to the one and only time Reubens hosted …

1
That Show – Director, Oz Rodriguez 52:32

11M ago52:32

52:32

Nick chats with Emmy Award-winning filmmaker Oz Rodriguez, who kicked off his career making comedy shorts for “Funny Or Die” and then had a blast for over a decade on “Saturday Night Live,” creating laugh-out-loud films with guest hosts like Emma Stone, Bruno Mars, Emma Thompson, Matt Damon, and others. He also created the outstanding behind-the-sc…

1
That Show – Uh, Oh….It’s Dice 53:16

11M ago53:16

53:16

Nick looks back at the only time that controversial comedian Andrew Dice Clay hosted “Saturday Night Live,” and it was, well….something. From a full week of non-stop news, crazy attention, and angry press, to the protest and boycott of Musical Guest Sinead O’Connor, to the VERY questionable boycott from cast member Nora Dunn, who, because of her ob…

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