The Magnificent 10 Samurai
In the classic Japanese film Shichinin no Samurai, Yul Brenner plays a cowboy who along with six other gun slinging samurai protect a small Japanese village of Mexican peasants from marauding Mexican Samurai bandits. The heroes not only protect the village, but teach the townspeople to fight for themselves as well.
The Magnificent 10 Samurai will do the same and not only protect you from bandits in this league whose aim is to steal your laughter, but they will teach you poor villagers to laugh again.
THE HEAD SAMURAI:
The unmatched comic legends John Belushi and Gilda Radner lead my team of comedic Samurai. Each brings to the fight a wealth of characters and imitations that transcend time. Blush’s wields mighty swords and brings his shinning steel swinging: The Samurai Futaba, “Cheeboyger, Cheeboyger”, Joe Cocker, The Bee, and of course the only Blues Brother that matters, “Joliet” Jake Blues. Radner enters this competition with guns a blazing: Baba Wawa, Emily Litella, the nerd Lisa Loopner, and of course the incomparable Roseanne Roseannadanna.
THE SECOND BANANA SAMURAI
I could sideline both my leads for a week and you’d barely know they’re gone, because Billy Crystal and Jan Hooks will be there to keep the laughs flying. You don’t believe me? Billy Crystal brings Fernando Lamas, Joe Franklin, Muhammad Ali (an impression even the Champ loved) and Sammy Davis Jr. Jan Hooks can transform herself into a hilarious interpretation of any female in the news and her experience with Hillary Clinton will surely come in handy for the next two years.
WEEKEND UPDATE SAMURAI
When Saturday Night Live is at it’s worst, usually Weekend Update is still worth waiting for. Weekend Update was the Daily Show before Jon Stewart told his first joke. There have been some mighty fine anchors through the years, but none brought the intelligent wit that Ms. Tina Fey has charmed us with. She’s one of the top 3 weekend update anchors of all time, logging more time behind the desk than any other SNL alum. When you’re tired of laughing at Belushi, Radner, Crystal and Hooks, Fey’s gonna ride into town and give you even more to laugh at.
THE REST OF THE SAMURAI
If I were a good sport I would tell my top players to knock off early every show and we’d catch up with them at the after party. I could, without fear, leave the final third of the show to my remaining cast and no one would turn the channel before the final wave goodnight. Just look at the rest of my field: Fred Armisen, Maya Rudolph, Garrett Morris, Don Novello, and of course Terry Sweeney. Rudolph has the funny singing chops to skewer any pop sensation past, present or future. Her ambiguous race gives her the power to slip into any character regardless of being black, white, Hispanic or space alien. Her and Fred Armisen give me versatility in characters unmatched by any cast in this competition.
Garrett Morris is my secret weapon against whitey. Morris was woefully underused in his stint on SNL, but as a member of the Magnificent 10 Samurai that mistake will not be repeated.
I’ve been told Don Novello is just a one trick pony. Well, duh! That’s why I picked him; I picked him for his fabulous one trick. In the current political and religious climate the world needs Father Guido Sarducci more than ever. Why SNL didn’t have the good father back on the air at the height of the pedophile priest scandal is a mystery to me.
Finally, I present Terry Sweeney. There’s nothing more funny in comedy than a man in a dress, if you don’t believe me ask the Kids in the Hall, Monty Python and Uncle Miltie. Cross Dressing is funny and that’s a fact and no one on SNL did it better.
There you have it, the best team in this fantasy league. The Magnificent Ten Samurai.