Tracy Morgan
This week on the program we welcome our friend Deremy Dove into the hallowed halls to discuss the career of funny man Tracy Morgan. Join us won't you?
Transcript:
[0:41] Thank you so much, Doug and Nance. It is fantastic to be here with you all.
And there are quite a few of you. I can see you queued up outside the SNL Hall of Fame.
My name is J.D., and it is just a thrill to be with you here on this lovely Monday.
We have got a fantastic show for you.
But before we go any further, I feel it necessary to tell you to wipe your feet
before coming into the hall. all.
Now, back when I was a wee lad, my mother scolded me once for making a mess
of the floor, and ever since then I feel compelled to tell people to wipe their feet.
There. I've said it. It's finally out in the public, and I feel great.
Thanks for being my therapist by proxy. The check is in the mail.
The SNL Hall of Fame podcast is a weekly affair fair where each episode we take
a deep dive into the career of a former cast member, host, musical guest,
or writer and add them to the ballot for your consideration.
Once the nominees have been announced, we turn to you, the listener,
to vote for the most deserving and help determine who will be enshrined for perpetuity in the hall.
And that's how we play the game. It's just that That simple. You listen.
You vote. We tabulate. We announce.
Track 2
[2:06] Repeat after me. You listen. You vote.
We tabulate. And we announce. Speaking of announcements, our good friend Matt
Ardill is standing around loafing.
It looks like, hey, if you've got time enough to lean, you've got time enough to clean, young man.
Track 3
[2:25] Hey, JD, I saw the new exhibits on the way in. I really like the Norm Macdonald
hat collection that we've got going on.
Turd Ferguson, that Turd Ferguson hat and that big hat. It's funny.
Yeah, you can't go wrong with a funny hat. That's right.
How are you doing? I'm excellent right now. Yeah, I'm pretty good.
What have you got for us this week? I have got an awesome player of Tracy Morgan.
So I'm really looking forward to sharing some facts about him. Well, let's do it.
Great. Well, Tracy's 5'9", born November 10th, 1968.
He has 67 acting credits, five producer credits, and eight writing credits.
Born in Brooklyn and raised in Marlborough Houses and Tompkins Houses in Bedford.
He was actually named after a platoon mate of his father who shipped off with
his dad to Vietnam, but was killed in an action within days of deployment.
Track 3
[3:31] So his dad was very close to this guy, and so that's why he got that name.
Um yeah he went on to
marry his high school sweetheart and began his
comedy career at the age of 17 by performing stand-up
on street corners in new york he had his date
first debut as hustle man
on the television show martin so
he's been working hard since he was a
kid um and it shows i mean
he lists his influences as carol burnett lucille ball
jackie gleason which i actually see the most
in a lot of what he does uh martin lawrence
eddie murphy and richard prior uh but
he learned about that is a great pedigree huh yeah that's a
that's a really good good lineup but yeah the thing
is he he says he learned his comedy first from
his dad who taught him about jonesing which
is basically roasting people he put put him
on his lap and they would roast people on the the street
and he also drew from his uncles who he said were also very funny so you know
it runs in the family um you can actually see his first stand-up gig which is
an apollo theater amateur night on youtube so if you want to go out and see
his first big break it's there for you to find.
Track 3
[4:52] I'm going to have to watch that. Yeah. Yeah. You don't get that.
See that with a lot of comedians. No. Yeah.
He nicknamed all the talk show hosts that he's appeared with.
So David Letterman is D rock.
Jimmy Fallon is Jimbo and Conan O'Brien is C black.
Track 3
[5:08] The line between Tracy Morgan and Tracy Jordan is remarkably thin. That's right.
Yeah. So he has lobster for dinner every day.
He does in fact own sharks. He has, at this point, 15, and he has a backyard tank.
And now, to be fair, he has a very close relationship with his daughter,
who wants to be a marine biologist.
So at least partially he's doing this for her. Oh, it's a shark pony.
Track 3
[5:40] Yeah, it's a shark pony. Yeah, some people get pony ponies.
She got a shark pony. um yeah to
entertain his daughter uh and her friends he turns
his basement into a haunted house and he goes all
out to the point he every halloween
he actually won't go into the basement because he's afraid of
the haunted house that he sets up in his own house um
that's spectacular now he when
drinking he does have a alter ego uh named
chico divine that he describes as the
the coolest dude who would never hurt anybody but chico
did at least piss piss one person off as prince
kicked chico out of his house uh
following a pre-grammy party he got a little out of control um now the thing
is this actually helped turn tracy's life around because he got a dui which
led to a confrontation between himself and his son and from that point on he's been sober.
Track 3
[6:39] Wow. Good for him.
Track 3
[7:09] So it was a real uh great great thing for him to do to honor his dad that is great,
what a tear-jerking end to trivia this week yeah a little bit more serious and and uh,
intense uh trivia but it was one of those things where it's like you know i
was reading it i'm like should i you know leave this out because it's a little
down but it's like it really helps explain explain a lot of his comedy and the
character behind Tracy.
I mean, I've met people who've done shows with him and they say he's like a really sweet dude.
And this is where a lot of this comes from. Awesome.
Well, our friend, Jeremy Dove is here and he is down with Thomas right now.
So let's turn it over to those two.
Track 4
[8:30] All right. Matt Ardill, JD, thank you so much for that.
And I am excited today because we have, first of all, a great guest.
Second of all, really interesting nominee.
Track 4
[8:45] Very different nominee. And I think my guest today and I talking before we hit
record, that's kind of the word that came up was different.
Tracy Morgan is such a different cast member. He has such a different vibe compared
to a lot of people that have been on the show.
So this is going to be a fun one to get into. So to talk all things Tracy Morgan
and SNL, I have with me my guest for today, my friend, a great guest on the
SNL Hall of Fame in the past.
He's been on for Dick Ebersole, Adam McKay, been on a roundtable.
Track 4
[9:21] Great guy, I think, to chat about Tracy Morgan. Deremy Dove.
Deremy, how's it going, man?
Thomas, I'm honored by your kind words, and I'm honored to be here to talk about
someone who is, as you said, just so different in SNL history.
We're going on near 50 years, and it's always you think like, oh, you've seen it all.
But with Tracy Morgan, he is one of one.
He's definitely one of one. With Tracy Morgan, it's a lot about vibes.
So we're going to vibe out today on some Tracy Morgan.
So you're a podcaster, obviously.
So you have the Bigger Than The Game podcast with Jose Ruiz. I'm a fan.
Tell everyone what's been going on over at Bigger Than The Game, man.
Well, we just did our most recent episode was on the 60th anniversary of Sonny
Liston versus Cassius Clay, who later became Muhammad Ali.
And it was just, like, incredible that, like, man, it's been 60 years since
that legendary and epic match.
And it was kind of fun to look at. I know you'll enjoy this, Thomas.
Track 4
[10:29] In the same month, February of 1964, the Beatles went on Ed Sullivan and young
Cassius Clay Muhammad Ali upset Sonny Liston to become heavyweight champion.
Champion and it's like man in that month two things
that really changed not only the decade but the way we
look at pop culture sports everything two
of the biggest figures of the 20th century the Beatles and Muhammad Ali really
emerged all in that same month so it's just really fun to kind of get into just
what this match set up for the rest of the decade and the rest of the 20th century
as far as sports I love it you guys talk sports history but you break it down
you put Put it into that context.
You talk about all the narratives surrounding the sporting event or whatever
topic you're talking about at the time.
You and Jose do such a great deep dive into all the topics that you cover.
So I love it. Thank you. Go check out Bigger Than The Game with Jeremy and Jose.
And I'm told you have another podcast. Why don't you tell everyone about that?
So it's this show called Pop Culture 5.
It's me and this guy. What's his name? I think it's Thomas Senna oh my gosh
that's right we do have a podcast together we have a show I mean who would have thought it so,
that has been just so fun to do the show with you man my friend and.
Track 4
[11:53] We look at anything in music, movies, TV shows, and we're picking five essential things from that.
So if it's TV, it's episodes, music, it could be songs for an actor, a director, movies.
And we're just kind of talking about our five essentials. And depending on who's
the host, if you're the host that week, you get three.
The co-host gets two, but gets veto power.
So it's really like a fun twist on it. And we've gotten nothing but great responses,
and I've just really enjoyed doing the show with you, man.
Yeah, I look forward to it every week, recording episodes.
I love deep diving into our topics at any given week.
So one week, I'm all about Nirvana.
One week, I'm deep diving into Spike Lee movies and Spielberg.
And so it's just been a lot of fun, man. And I think when this Tracy Morgan
episode gets released, we'll be up to 25 episodes around then, something like that.
Yeah. Yeah. So being released because we have some banked. So this has been
– I think we found a really nice groove.
Absolutely. Absolutely. Big credit to you for that, man.
And you too. So everybody go check out my podcast and Deremy's podcast, Pop Culture 5.
Track 4
[13:14] Today, we're here on the SNL Hall of Fame. See, I got to get into SNL Hall of Fame mode.
Yeah. Yeah, I was going to do this introduction like I was on Pop Culture 5,
but we got to get into SNL Hall of Fame mode here.
I know, it's a brain shift. It is a brain shift.
So, today we're talking about Tracy Morgan here on the SNL Hall of Fame.
Tracy joined the cast when he was 27. He auditioned at the same time as Stephen Colbert.
Track 4
[13:38] Stephen Colbert and Tracy Morgan auditioned, and Tracy auditioned with a little
kid character named Biscuit. Have you seen his audition?
I have. I have seen it. Well, can you describe his audition and who Biscuit is?
Because it was a really memorable audition to me. I'll be honest, right?
Track 4
[13:57] It's really weird. For the whole audition, there's certain people,
like when you watch Phil Hartman's and Will Ferrell, and to me,
it's just like, oh, that's a lock.
Track 4
[14:06] That guy has to be on. or even Jimmy Fallon for
Tracy's it was really like I'm like
man like it's not that it's not funny but it's
just so it's just so different and unique and
I'm just like I wonder what they talked about
in the room once he like got done and said
thank you like you know what I mean because like you mentioned Biscuit
and Biscuit was just this I'm probably gonna
struggle to describe but like just this odd character that
he kind of like had I feel like he did it from his stand-up days yeah
it was like a little kid who was this kind
of shy kid but not almost a socially awkward kid
but he would but then the premise was that he was asked to
recite like a christmas poem or something yeah so
it was like he was this shy kid but like he
was awkward but would kind of say these like weird
like i don't know sassy kind of stuff at times like it
was was just really like it was different
it was just so weird for a character to biscuit little
kid named biscuit that's like definitely a tracy morgan touch
on this and so like i mentioned he he and steven colbert were two of the finalists
and i've heard norm mcdonald even say like norm mcdonald was part of the selection
process and he watched the uh all the uh people audition and And he even said,
he's like, I just assumed that Stephen was going to get it.
Track 4
[15:31] Yeah. We saw both of them. And even Norm said, I just thought,
oh, Stephen Colbert is going to be a cast member. Right.
Track 4
[15:38] But I don't know. His audition, Tracy's audition won the show over, Jeremy.
So one, I mean, what do you think?
Track 4
[15:50] It was about Tracy that might have won SNL over.
And two, that's quite the what if between Stephen Colbert and Tracy. Yeah.
Well, number one, I believe Tracy just has raw charisma.
There's some people who they're just naturally funny.
It's like the guys, like the class clown when you're in school or at the lunch table.
Track 4
[16:16] They just are funny. and they can almost like read
the phone book to you and they'll crack you up
and Tracy has that you know a lot of times comedians they're
they're you know it's an art form and it's trained it's timing and
all those things but then there's just some who break through
who it's just something about them they just make you all their mannerisms just
make you laugh and you can't pinpoint one specific thing you're like I like
this guy he just cracks me up and Thomas I don't know this is a hot take for
you or not but when i'm thinking about tracy morgan and getting ready for this episode.
Track 4
[16:52] I think this is lauren michaels most unique
hire and i also think when
it comes to judging how good of a talent evaluator lauren michaels is i go to
tracy morgan as number one yeah because of it's such a unique hire like this
shows me like lauren he thought outside the box when it comes to who who he's bringing on the cast.
No, I don't think that's a hot take. I think I used a different word,
but I think it encapsulates the same thing.
We were probably both thinking along the same lines. I think it's one of Lorne's most inspired hires.
That's a good word. It's a better word. No, it's a different word,
but I think unique's a great word too for it. A unique hire, an inspired hire.
I have to give Lorne and the other producers, I think Steve Higgins was probably,
Obviously, Steve Higgins has been there forever.
He's been there longer than Keenan. That's how long Steve Higgins has been there. Yes, yes.
So I have to think whoever is in charge, Morrissey. Mm-hmm.
Track 4
[17:52] Choosing Tracy Morgan, they could have gone the easy route and chose Stephen
Colbert and, you know, just plugged him in.
But choosing Tracy was just like such a – it was a conscious,
it was a deliberate choice to choose somebody like Tracy.
Yeah, I'm wondering, like, if you look at the cast, like, do you think at the
time that they needed somebody like Tracy, like, to feel some sort of thing to add?
Well, it's interesting because he came in 96, so he's not part of that 95 cast
who saved the show again with Will Ferrell and Sherry O'Terry and everything.
But he's still remembered as part of that group, even though he came a year later.
He's still kind of grouped in with those guys as part of the group that kind of saved the show.
So it's interesting because that's one season kind of removed from the toughest
time Lorne has really had on the show where like the network executives were
kind of breathing down his neck and being like, you got to get the show funnier.
And, you know, you kind of lost. And we've talked about this before.
We kind of understand where they're coming from. That 94, 95 season was not really that good.
So I think he was looking for people to kind of had an original voice.
I think you hear Lawrence say that a lot when he's doing those interviews.
I think he wanted people who were original and kind of got back to.
Track 4
[19:21] Snl really is and i think he wanted someone to
tracy's credit who people like to
work with and was easy to work with too and i
think that's also a big thing that people don't talk about for tracy
i'm glad you mentioned about the show's original
vibe and hearken back to that because there's an element of tracy that i think
is part of the spirit of the original snl and that's almost that danger aspect
yes yes like that unpredictability and that's that's a good thing and tracy
could be unpredictable but in like a controlled way he's still a professional,
he's still you know it's not like he sabotaged sketches or
did anything like that tracy was a professional but he had this aura vibe about
him that was uh dangerous or unpredictable i think that did harken back to the
original time then that was something to me they probably wanted to shy away
from that in season 21 because they had just come off of sandler and farley and they were.
Track 4
[20:18] Dangerous quote-unquote and unpredictable but it got to be
a disruption on the show i think right i think
they maybe consciously didn't hire somebody like that for the immediate season
following sandler and farley and those guys but maybe they re-evaluated and
like let's get somebody who can add that danger that unpredictability i mean
is there something to Am I just being a weird SNL fan? No, no. I think there is.
It was that tamed. Like you said, it's a controlled danger.
It wasn't someone that, oh, he's off the rails and is not willing to work.
And I think also he brought a confidence, too, where just from Tracy's background,
his upbringing, you know, doing stand-up, I think, as well.
Like there's a difference between being an improv actor and being a stand-up
comic. and I think Tracy just kind of did...
Track 4
[21:11] Not to say he's in this person's ballpark overall as far as SNL,
but one thing about Eddie Murphy,
when he was a part of that cast that replaced the original people from the first
five years, a lot of those guys, and I understand, rightfully so,
they're replacing the epic first five years. They were scared.
They were nervous, all this pressure, the presses on them, and everyone always
said Eddie just had a confidence where he didn't care.
He's like, I know I'm good. I'm doing it. And I'm not saying Tracy's Eddie Murphy,
but Tracy kind of always gives a confidence of, I know who I am.
I don't care what you think. I'm here. I'm ready to go.
And I think that's what Tracy kind of really brought. I feel like Lorne and
the others kind of saw in him.
He wouldn't be scared of the moment. No, I definitely agree.
And Tracy was confident in the material. He's like, I know this is funny.
I know my inflection's funny. I just know what's funny about this.
And so I'm going to get on screen and show you. So that, yeah,
that's such a good point.
And I think another element, especially around this time, 96,
when Tracy got hired, that fascinates me.
It's hard to think about Tracy getting cast around this time,
to me, without thinking about SNL's history, somewhat tenuous history with black cast members.
Track 4
[22:26] So I'm wondering, Jeremy, like, can you talk about the show's history with black
cast members, like up until that point, and even like on?
On yeah yeah it's always it's been
something um i remember when i
first saw tracy do stand-up comedy was after he
had left snl but people in the crowd were
yelling out like you know brian fellows and everything and he
made the joke that honestly my whole life i heard which is like black people
don't watch snl except for when eddie murphy was on there right in my whole
life people my own family a lot of said i felt weird because me and my brother
liked it but they were like oh
we don't watch that except for when Eddie Murphy was on and it was always,
you saw what happened in the original cast with Garrett Morris and how,
you know, he really was neglected and just kind of stereotyped and.
Track 4
[23:15] Made to just either wear drag or just play this token black.
And I think Eddie Murphy, he talked about his struggles and he had those battles
too, but he was such a star and the show had no stars.
So he kind of really emerged and became that guy.
But then you see Damon Wayans came and he had struggles and just frustrations
of being that only black voice.
Track 4
[23:40] And you're seeing a room filled with white people who don't understand you.
Not willing to really understand you because
they're going to go to this performer who they either know
or feel like will get their work over better they're not
sitting down trying to understand your comedic sensibility understand
your background and you know you saw that from damon
it went to you know chris rock had the same battles and he
really struggled there where everyone here knows chris
rock and legendary stand-up comic but if he
wasn't who he became came after SNL no one really
remembers what Chris Rock did in that time and that's
a glorious time those early 90s of SNL so
really you look at from Eddie Murphy by the
time Tracy comes on there you know Tim Meadows was on
but he you know did his roles and
stuff like that but didn't really like stripe it and I feel like
now he gets a little more appreciation for
his time on SNL but I feel like he was kind of like an underrated he
could do a lot of things but minus like
you know the oj when the oj trial happened
i feel like that kind of helped him out and then the ladies man a little bit
but never really got that shining star treatment that i think tim meadows should
have gotten too so i think tracy is really an interesting um i guess like a
marker for blacks being on the show where.
Track 4
[25:05] He still battled it too, and I know we'll talk about that, but he kind of really
set the stage to me for Kenan, for Leslie Jones, Jay Pharoah.
He was that guy to kind of really set the stage for seeing SNL starting to improve
on that relationship with Black cast members.
Oh, that's really great perspective and well put. And even though we're all
SNL fans, love the show, I wouldn't be doing an SNL podcast if I didn't love the show.
But there's also in the show's 49-year history stuff that they need to reckon with.
You know, this is their treatment of women, their treatment of black cast members,
maybe not enough representation.
Yeah. Even like as a Latino myself, I always kind of look like about Latino
representation as well.
I mean, that's just the reality of it and something that I know.
You know, SNL, about when Leslie got hired, that's something that they made
a conscious effort to get a black woman onto the show.
And that was almost spearheaded by Kenan, telling them, you know what,
look, you need to hire a black woman.
Track 4
[26:16] Plenty of qualified black women to do a lot of these roles. You need to get one on the gas.
No. Oh, and I think it was shown in the conversations. Like,
you look at it when In Living Color came out in the early 90s and just like,
okay, then what are we saying here?
Like, there's this show on Fox that's reaching this other demographic.
And then people are kind of, like, I think kind of trying to say,
like, oh, there's not that whole excuse of, well, there's no one to bring on.
And it's like, that was a lie. You saw from the Weyans to all these different people.
You know, it's funny that Damon Wayans, this great comedic talent,
was on Saturday Night Live and was just misused and then becomes an all-time
sketch performer on In Living Color, you know, four years later.
Like, what's that say to you? Exactly. He was so frustrated on SNL that he sabotaged a sketch. Yeah.
The Monopoly Man sketch with John Lovitz. Like, Damon just sort of sabotaged it and he wanted out.
Right. Right, and Chris Rock leaves SNL to go to In Living Color because he's
like, hey, that's where my voice will be heard.
Now, he picked bad timing because it was the way in –.
Track 4
[27:26] They left One Living Color, so his timing was off. But the decision to me was
correct, where it's like, yeah, who's going to get your voice heard and understood?
It's like, not Saturday Night Live. And Chris Rock has said there were so many
great comedic minds from Jim
Downey, Al Franken, Lorne, and great cast members, great friends of his.
But still, he wasn't being represented and wasn't being heard there.
Yeah, I think it's an important discussion. and that's why
I think Tracy's one of the many reasons why Tracy's such an
interesting figure to me as far as Tracy goes Jeremy like
how did you get introduced to him how are you like most familiar with
Tracy was it SNL you see you mentioned his stand-up yeah so he was someone I
being you know I know you are too big fan of stand-up comedy you I would see
him on different things and different tapes and stuff like that but honestly
it was Saturday Night Live where it It was like, I was like, oh, that dude.
I saw him on like the Apollo doing stand-up and everything.
Back when the, you know, Steve Harvey used to host the Apollo and it would air Saturday nights.
And I remember seeing Tracy Morgan. And then when I saw him on Saturday Night
Live, I was like, oh, that guy.
Because like this mid-90s era is when I really started watching SNL live.
Track 4
[28:40] I would watch the reruns before, but like watching it live was kind of like around 93, 94.
So I was really kind of getting into my SNL
like fandom you know the year before and then when
Tracy arrived so it was kind of cool to see and of
course as a black man when you saw like that other oh they brought on a black
cast member male or female you kind of like oh okay let's see what how they
do and Tracy Tracy in his own way shined through yeah yeah that's awesome so
So we mentioned he started in 96 at SNL was on the show until 2003.
What's a we'll dive into it. What's the character sketch that kind of first
sticks out to you during Tracy's time?
Track 4
[29:25] It's one that I kind of, I'll be honest, I didn't really like at first,
and a lot of people, like, disagreed with me, like friends, but Brian Fellows is funny.
Like, I will give Brian Fellows, and I kind of thought it was,
like, overdone and stuff like that, but as I look back on it,
and I'm like, you know what, that is, it's classic Tracy.
And just the way he does that and just him being this Safari,
Brian Fellows, Safari planet and this animal enthusiast, but doesn't have any
idea about any of the animals and always kind of got freaked out by him.
And it is really, he's playing Brian Fellows, but in all honesty,
it's just different forms of Tracy in all these sketches.
That's really funny to me. Our first guest is like a human cactus.
Please welcome our porcupine.
Track 4
[30:16] Ooh, and who are you? I'm Dale Dudley from the Texas Wildlife Sanctuary in Austin. Hello, Austin.
Track 4
[30:26] No, I'm from the Wildlife Sanctuary in Austin. My name is Dale Dudley. I'm Brian Fellow.
Hello, Brian. I want you to meet my porcupine friend. His name is Willie.
That rat needs a haircut.
So that one and then the classic Christmas band member. I thought, yeah, I loved that.
I loved it when it happened. I remember watching it live and loving it.
And I still love it to this day when they kind of all got back together like
a few years ago to do it. I always loved that.
And I love Tracy in it. And just his facial expression always cracked me up.
Those are just a couple of the memorable sketches or in moments with Tracy that
I have. I'm glad you brought up Brian Fellow's safari plan at first,
and not just because I think this was the most times that he did a character.
I think he did it nine times on SNL, so I think that was his most recurring character.
But it just, to me, the story behind this just totally encapsulates Tracy's time at SNL and why...
Track 4
[31:29] He's successful, I think, in a major way.
So Norm MacDonald, again, Norm, said that this came about because he and Robert
Smigel wrote the Brian Fellows sketch as kind of a rib on Tracy because of the
way Tracy would pronounce his S's.
Like they wanted to mess with Tracy at the table read and give him something
hard to read because of how he pronounced stuff.
And as far as i
know they did like tracy like norman smigel i
don't know like as far as i know yeah yeah smigel saying
anything bad about tracy so i guess it
was all in good fun but i love this because
tracy took something that was supposed to be a joke
on him and turned it into something that was his own and
super memorable like he's he he basically was
like yeah screw this like in his own little way like
this is supposed to be a rib on me but the joke's on
you because i'm going to make this like a really successful sketch and a character
so that's a big reason why like to me that almost encapsulates big reason why
tracy's just successful just in general right he just keeps on yeah and and
you hit on a couple things here which is like,
you know rip norm and you know smigel is a great great all-time writer but just
like Like, how messed up that is.
Track 4
[32:53] And, like, that's a small example of that cultural difference where,
like, that wouldn't happen to him on In Living Color.
You know what I mean? Or, like, whatever that day's Key and Peele or Chappelle
show, that wouldn't have happened to him.
Right. He would have had writers in there who understood, who knew him,
like, know his background.
They can relate to him. They kind of, like, did it as a spoof.
And to your point, Tracy took it. And I think that's what makes Tracy great
is there's just a confidence about him and a no fear kind of mentality.
Like because he has that background and I think like, hey, I was out here,
you know, selling different items in front of Yankee Stadium a few years ago,
you know, just trying to make, you know, $30.
So I'm on NBC on Saturday Night Live. What do I have to lose?
So he has that kind of fear that was like, all right, you want to like mock it?
Fine, let's go. Oh, and he takes it and makes it his most memorable character. Yeah, absolutely.
Track 4
[33:53] And the sketch itself, his delivery is so great.
I think the just genius part about it is Tracy does these characters and he
has this delivery to where it seems like it's an accident.
It seems like he's not putting a lot into it, but it's by design.
A lot of his inflection, his timing, him being amped up Tracy Morgan,
it's by design because he knows that that's going to get the laughs.
He knows how to pull laughs from people. Like Brian Fellowes.
Track 4
[34:26] Just how he pauses or how somebody will say their name on the show and then
how he'll pause and say, he'll say, well, I'm Brian Fellow.
Track 4
[34:35] Tracy knows that that pause and then his kind of shoulder shake,
the delivery is going to pull the laugh.
So it seems like he makes it look so easy and natural, but it's just by design
because Tracy has that comedic mind.
I always was entertained by the Brian Fellow Safari planet because of that.
No, and to me, like you said, it was by design. It's just that inflection.
But what he did, which I feel like Chris Rock didn't do, and I think a lot of
the people who were stand-ups on the show before him didn't do,
is when you're not an improv person who knows how to do that,
like working with others and different characters and acting,
a lot of times they say if you're on SNL as a stand-up, it's best to be on a
weekend update or have a solo thing where you're on a show.
You're looking in camera and kind of doing your own thing, almost like you're
doing standup and Chris rock didn't really figure that out. Right.
But I think Tracy, when you have like, you know, he would have a guest on, but from Brian fellows,
astronaut Jones, different things, he kind of found his lane and kind of poked
and reconstructed like improv and sketch by doing this, these individual characters
that really highlighted his sensibility.
Yeah. And with astronaut Jones again, like he made it look like,
Oh, oh, that's just Tracy playing himself.
Track 4
[35:57] But he just knew his delivery. Maybe there's danger.
He knew how to tap into just how to say something.
That one in particular, Ashton Jones, is almost like anti-comedy in a way.
There's a big old theme song.
Track 4
[36:38] The sketch itself is anticlimactic. Oh, yeah.
But that's like a lot of anti-comedy. And then Tracy just has to do like just a few little things.
I'm just, the Britney Spears astronaut Jones is the one that I always went back to.
My name is Craig Ellera. I'm the queen of Orpheoleans. A proud and peace-loving
race. My people have been awaiting your arrival for some time now.
We're in desperate need of your help. The Galaxians have besieged our cities
and plundered our riches. What?
Say what? Right. Dig. Uh-huh. Right.
Well, why don't you drop out of that green jumpsuit and show me that fat ass?
Track 4
[37:25] It's like a one-joke thing, but it's like anti-comedy in a way, but that's just like,
you brought up such a good point, Jeremy, me earlier about
tracy's just a different funny person
he's like that got the your friend at the lunch table your
friend who just makes you you should read the phone book and crack
you up and things like astronaut jones are
like a perfect example to me no for sure actually
and you you nailed it on what makes that you know that because i remember
that britney spears and it was almost what was funny
was just a dichotomy of having britney and tracy together
and it's like the odd couple effect was
like that cracked you up just being like britney spears
and tracy morgan like having even though like it's scripted and
stuff but like having a conversation it just was odd but like it
was that alone made you laugh but i remember um i think it was season 25 and
jamie fox was the host and it was a time where uh it was like you know in between
we're like you know jamie's walking and tracy's like oh what's up jamie what's
up man he goes i'm glad we got some some brothers on the show,
and Jamie's like, oh, yeah, yeah.
Because Tracy's like, yo, these writers don't understand me.
They don't get me or that dude with the white hair.
And Jamie's like, you mean Lorne Michaels?
Track 4
[38:38] He's like, I don't know, whatever. He's like, he's your boss.
He's like, yeah, he's just always saying weird stuff and doing weird things.
And he's like, I'm going to be on the show a lot this week with you here,
and we're going to take over. Revolution will be televised.
And Jamie's like, yeah, you know, he kind of looks all quiet,
like he's sneaking something.
He's like, you're right, man, we're going to take over. I got mad lines,
man, and this week I'm blowing up the spot.
That's what I'm saying. All right, come on, let's go. We're in the middle of
a show. Okay? Yeah, yeah, all right.
Jamie? Give me a soda, bitch!
Track 4
[39:16] Okay all right but it was one of
my favorite tracy morgan moments because he just just that
line get me a soda like he just nailed
it bitch yeah yeah bitch and lauren just goes okay
like i'm like that was great that was like that dangerous
aspect of tracy i always love like
he's he's like one of the only ones that could pull that off
convincingly quite honestly we're in
season 49 and i think the current cast is
missing someone like that for sure if they try
to do a backstage and like i wouldn't andrews music is my
favorite cast member currently i don't think he
could pull that off convincingly james austin johnson i
don't think keenan can it's not in keenan's nature necessarily
to like pull that off convincingly they don't have
someone currently like tracy morgan that
adds that kind of unpredictability danger this
backstage stage stuff with lauren that he did he because he did that a few
times the garth brooks one was another yes funny one
to me when he was talking to garth brooks and he was like man
that chris gaines i don't know like uh you're doing
a great job garth but like what's up with that chris gaines guy and whatever
and then lauren comes to talks to tracy and and he's like hey tracy you know
and then tracy's like no i know i know i know garth is chris gaines i know that
so it's almost like yeah yeah like a turnabout like he's just telling lauren
like i know that you like you got to give Give me some credit.
Track 4
[40:37] And then I don't know if it was this one or another one where all he has to
do is look at Lauren and Lauren goes, orange soda, right? Yeah.
Track 4
[40:47] So credit to Lauren for playing along. But Tracy's the only one or one of the
few, I think, over the last 25 years or so that could pull something off like
that convincingly. And I think you're right.
And it's not a knock on cast members past or present. you said Kenan's great
that's just not who he is and the people who were on with Tracy that's not who they were like.
Track 4
[41:13] You can't find like you can't teach that what tracy
had like just like it just comes from
it's part natural part upbringing in
your experiences but like i i always
think about something um jim brewer
told a story uh i forget what radio
show he was on but he talks about you know
him and tracy kind of were high around the same time and it
was the week that you know tragically like when farley came
and hosted and how he was just not in not in
good good shape and uh marcy
he said marcy went to because he was not doing
well during the week and not showing up and was not all there
so he was trying to hang out with
like different people in the cast and jim brewer's like me and
tracy weren't doing that but then like marcy and
people were looking at those to and kind of put
it on them like oh you two must be getting chris into trouble
and so they said marcy went into
like the office talked to jim and tracy and was
like you two need to stay away from chris so do
all these things and like leave him alone and jim brewer
was like you know i'm new so i got nervous and scared and
he said credit to tracy he said tracy stood up
and said i'm a grown man with children's you can't talk to
me that way i got children's you ain't gonna talk to
me like that and he was like but credit to him he's like
he's i didn't do nothing i'm a grown man with children's and
i'm like yeah and jim brewer said and
i'm like right like he was like no new or not you're not going to come in and.
Track 4
[42:43] Accuse me something i didn't do and disrespect me i'm gonna stick up for myself.
Track 4
[42:46] And jim brewer's like he got courage from seeing tracy to be like yeah we didn't
do anything we didn't take chris out we're not the bad influences here don't
yell at us but that But Tracy was new,
and him doing that to Marcy, who's a high-up person,
that shows the kind of courage he came in with.
Well, yeah, that's that thing where you were right.
You alluded to, I mean, he was selling things outside of Yankee Stadium just
a few years back, and now he's on SNL. He made it.
Track 4
[43:18] He's making that salary. That's why he said during a...
When he was going to his audition, he was confident because he was like,
I shouldn't even be here.
The fact that I'm in this last audition, I got nothing to lose.
I'm going to go in here and just show my stuff and just be confident.
That's just how he carried himself. He's almost like, I shouldn't be here.
I already won. The fact that I'm in this room, I already won,
so I'm not going to compromise myself and stand down to Marcy Klein or something like when she comes in.
Track 4
[43:52] And tries to yell at us for something that we didn't do, especially.
That just speaks a lot to how Tracy even got to the show. Right.
No, for sure. For sure. It just kind of shows, especially by the time you get
to the 90s and on, even before then, but that is the goal of so many improv actors.
Whether you're at Second City or the Groundlings or whatever,
is to make it to Saturday Night Live.
That's the goal. So then, of course, no matter how talented you are,
if you're on that level and trying to get to SNL, if you get there,
you're going to be, especially early on, nervous.
And I'm not knocking anyone, but scared because this was your dream.
This is the big time SNL. I can make it here.
I can maybe be a movie star or a TV star from here.
So then you're trying to kiss up to the writers and the big time producers.
Juicers i think it was an advantage for a guy like tracy
morgan you know same like it was for eddie back in the
early 80s that wasn't his they were stand up like
that wasn't their goal and it was just like all right like we know what it's
like to be in front of this crowd on our own and having to make someone laugh
and when i come here like i'm not intimidated by this stage i made it the fact
that i'm already here i made it here let's go what's the worst that could happen to me Yeah,
that speaks to why we're even talking about him right now and why he...
Track 4
[45:18] Resonates as such a fan favorite because it's
his personality it's kind of the vibe that that
Tracy gives off that that compel people
to watch that draw people to him and it comes through in the sketches and his
and his work on SNL for sure like I have a bunch of example I don't know if
you remember this one it's toward the end if it's like his second to last season
and he and Rachel Dratch had a it was a one-off thing it was a talking to the
stars with Rachel and Tracy and they were talking to Jon Stewart.
All right, well, hosting an awards show of that caliber must be quite stressful.
Y'all like to get high, right?
Track 4
[45:59] Uh, no, no, I don't. What? Get real, Dratch.
I've been backstage at those awards shows, man. The Source Awards was like Weed City, bruh.
Come on, tell me. Y'all like to get lifted, right? Uh, lifted.
Lifted um i find if tracy says a
word that i don't know it usually means hi oh okay and
this showed like that loose loose canon element of
tracy and just like how tracy might
be if you're just hanging out with him and the bit was like that
rachel dratch is taking the interview with john store.
Track 4
[46:32] Very seriously she has her cards and she's
asking him questions and tracy's just being tracy he's
just goofing around he's ribbing dratch he's asking john
store inappropriate questions ends and that's just
like the vibe like that that one uh that
sketch with with rachel dratch like that perfectly encapsulates
just that whole vibe to me darren like
like there's a reason like i heard you kind of break
into a tracy morgan voice like there's a
reason why people want to like imitate tracy so
i'm gonna take you outside and get you pregnant like people
just want to get you you pregnant doodoo pampas
yeah jay moore does a great there's a great oh yeah
but uh there's a reason why people
just want to imitate him and love him and want to
imitate his mannerisms and the way he you know because he
just gives off that like vibe yeah there's
something that he has that is rare that
sometimes it's more valuable than if you're the most polished or
the best the best writer or the best you know setup
guy and you you can see it with certain people
and you know pop culture even like in politics there's
certain people who have they just have a likability that comes through the screen
and people just you like no matter what they might even portray the worst characters
that are you know they're delivering bad news but you know what people just
really like this person and i think tracy even in that sketch with rachel dratch.
Track 4
[48:00] You just like Tracy Morgan. I think a lot of us fans just always liked him and
gravitated toward him, which is why then and now, for those years,
for that era, you hear Will Ferrell, Sherry O'Terry,
Molly Shannon, but you're going to hear Tracy Morgan being mentioned too.
To me, not just because of what he's done post-SNL, just talking about that
era SNL, for as he wasn't someone who was always used, I think it's incredible
that we still talk about that era in the show's history,
and one of the first names we're going to talk about is Tracy Morgan.
Track 4
[48:35] Yeah, yeah, right. That's why this is probably a different feeling episode,
even for the SNL Hall of Fame, which is fitting to me with Tracy Morgan.
He was just a different feeling kind of cast member, just a different dude that we all love.
You had mentioned his stand-up, and I've seen a little bit of it.
How would you describe his stand-up comedy? but
he raw and all over the place i've
seen him twice and i'll be honest the first time was
at i was at temple university um and
he was about an hour and a half late and he
came out and he seemed unprepared he
had some funny lines just because tracy's funny
but he seemed unprepared and it was kind of like underwhelming
i'll be honest okay i went a couple years later and
saw him new york in New York at a comedy club and he
seemed much he was still that like we talked about
that raw like danger feel but like
he was more prepared he was on time and he was a lot better as a stand-up comedy
so he it's almost in a way what he brings to SNL he still brings to stand-up
which is I would never say Tracy's like number one stand-up of all time but
I would tell anyone like would Would you like,
should I buy a ticket to see Tracy Morgan do state? I would say,
yeah, because you're going to laugh.
Track 4
[49:56] You're going to have a good time because of all the things we're talking about.
He's just charisma, that sense of danger. You don't know what he's going to say.
He doesn't care. He's not afraid of being canceled or not afraid of like someone
from the crowd may shout something.
Track 4
[50:10] He's not like worried about that. He's going to fire right back or go along with it.
You're going to be entertained and you're going to end up liking him.
If you don't know him or you're not sure, you're going to like Tracy.
So it's that same kind of vibe.
Same vibe. So there's a sense of danger when he does stand-up.
But maybe it's a little more chaotic because he doesn't have Lauren or Steve
Higgins or Marcy Klein or the censors on him.
But similar vibes. Yeah, that's how I felt with some of the stand-up that I've
seen just on YouTube or going back and watching some of bits and pieces of his
specials or whatever. Yeah.
Uh just some quick hitters too from SNL like probably some stuff that a lot
of people would remember Dominican Lou.
I love to watch the movies the Sling Blade, the Eddie Maguire and the English Pages.
It's a good movie a lot of people they enjoy this movie they love to see it
they love to see the Tom Cruise it's very good for them they like it.
Track 4
[51:18] What was your favorite part of the movie i don't know
i didn't see it i have no
time i'm working all the time you know but i
hear it's a good movie it's a good movie people in the building they're talking
about it a lot they love the movie they like to see the movie all the time they're
talking about it oh hell yeah he did three times i love dominican lou because
it was like Like, Dominican Lou was this, it was a perfect,
like, it's a very specific archetype of a person.
It's the person who wants to be part of the conversation, but they haven't really,
like, lived it themselves.
So, Dominican Lou's always like, yeah, like, this thing was good.
I hear everybody talking about it. So, he's not really giving his opinion.
He's saying that, like, I heard people in the building talk about it.
So, it's like this person who really wants to be part of the conversation.
They want to be clued in. but they don't have like the firsthand experience
themselves so they only have a certain amount of,
like i said firsthand experience to go off of so he's always like living vicariously
through others yeah and he's fine with it yeah you know what you just said something
that and maybe i don't know how people will react to this but.
Track 4
[52:31] When it comes to, like, you look at, like, the legacy of a Dan Aykroyd,
one of the things people talk about is the everyday, everyman characters that
he brought to, you know, sketch comedy and Saturday Night Live.
That, like, blue-collar guy that everyone knows, but you didn't really see on,
you know, sketch and on TV yet, like, being portrayed that way.
And I'm wondering, I feel like Tracy Morgan, even though he has some outrageous
characters, some of his characters kind of—he kind of brought that, too, where—.
Track 4
[53:01] But not like his main one, not like Brian Fellows or anything,
but like Dominican Lou and some other ones like that, where it's like, you know that guy.
Yeah. You know that guy, and it was the kind of representation you weren't really
seeing on Saturday Night Live before.
I think you're absolutely right. I see a little bit of that,
too, in his Woodrow character.
Yes. Obviously, it's like a heightened kind of thing, but I mean,
you've come across someone like that.
Mm-hmm. And I can see that. And the commonality, too, is like there's some heart
underneath there, too, because somebody like Woodrow, even Brian Fellows,
like I root for him. Yeah. He's likable.
And we had brought up Britney Spears with the Astronaut Jones,
but it was like Britney Spears and Woodrow had had she did a Woodrow sketch
with him and they went they were hanging out in the sewer and having a little conversation.
And there's something about how tracy portrayed woodrow
who's this uh he's a homeless gentleman yeah
an eccentric homeless gentleman who told britney spears that uh that he has
the the post office box down there because the because that's where they were
having keeping secrets on him so he stole it and put it down in the sewer so
he says kind of goofy stuff like that but But there's a lot of human quality.
There's a lot of humanity in a character like that. I think it's easy for Tracy
to bring that humanity, I think, too.
Track 4
[54:31] And I kind of wonder, because you mentioned... I know that episode,
and I remember all the sketches.
Those were two different episodes, by the way. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah,
okay, they're two different ones. I'm wondering, do you think...
Track 4
[54:45] Britney Spears kind of requested to be with Tracy in some sketches, you think?
Or something because it's like, Britney Spears, I mean, people still,
I think, know how big she is.
But at that point, she's like, you can make a case like the hottest star out
there is Britney Spears.
It's not Will Ferrell in these weird ones. It's Tracy Morgan doing these things.
So I'm just like, I wonder if Britney was a fan or it could have been the writers
just thinking that's an odd couple pairing.
But it's interesting. now that's a good thought so she did the
woodrow one with him in season 25 at the end of season 25
and she came back in season 27 that's where they did the astronaut jones and
if you watch re-watch the astronaut jones sketch at the end when he says his
like famous when he says his famous line as astronaut jones oh why don't you
drop out of that green jumpsuit and show me that fat ass.
Track 4
[55:38] When he says that you could see britney laugh
and i don't know or she's like smiled and i don't know if
that was supposed to happen like the character because if
she was supposed to be this robotic alien but when tracy
says that you see britney crack a smile at the end and then they go to the theme
to the ending credits for the sketch i kind of do think that britney likes tracy
and enjoyed and enjoyed working working with him that's like that's a good thought
man that's It's something that's a good thing to pick up.
Yeah, I was just like, because it's just not, for all the people who were on
SNL at the time, it's like you could have put a lot of people with Britney Spears,
but it's very memorable. So, yeah, I was just wondering, yeah.
Yeah, no, I love that. One of my other favorite ones, one of my last favorite
ones is Uncle Jemima's Pure Mash Liquor. Yes, yes.
Classic. I love the concept of Aunt Jemima's husband having his own product.
And he even says in the commercial, like, they asked me, like,
why mash liquor? And he's like, well, sell what you know.
And I know, like, so Tracy's whole delivery of this sketch was just so great
to hear me. Oh, it was classic.
Track 4
[56:46] Now she says that selling booze is degrading to our people.
I always say that black folk ain't exactly swelling up with pride on account
of you flipping Framjack.
Ain't I right, Sammy? Listen, don't get me in this mess. Then she say,
but why booze? I said, sell what you know.
And I know about booze.
Uncle Jemima's Pure Man Snicker has a 95% alcohol content, and that's per volume.
Track 4
[57:15] What the hell does that mean? That means you get up for less money.
And that might be my low-key favorite one.
Track 4
[57:26] Great like you said like just who would
have thought about that like to like you know everyone and jemima
and how controversial and jemima can be looked on and for him to kind of go
in there and do like her husband and kind of doing that like you know i get
no respect and i gotta sell something to here and don't forget about me feel
it was just classic tracy morgan i'm like that's it's a genius character honestly
yeah it's great they only did it one time i would have led to see Uncle Jemima pop up,
even more and he has those cartoon birds around him and
he's swatting at them and then at the end Tim Meadows calls it
out he's like what are you swatting at he asked him that's hilarious I forgot
yep that's so good yeah that's so good that's from season 25 Uncle Jemima's
Pure Mash Liquor yeah that was awesome is there anything else like well I think
this was after his tenure but,
you know everyone I know is excited for the,
the big SNL 50th celebration and, you know, how epic the S the 40th was,
but Tracy had had that accident that, you know, his friend tragically passed away.
And a lot of people thought Tracy, you know, weren't sure if he was going to survive that accident.
And Tracy was absent from SNL 40.
And I know Alec Baldwin and Tina Fey gave, he had a special little segment where
they gave shout out to him. And I thought how even in the moment then and even more like now I.
Track 4
[58:53] How big that was that a lot of times, you know, it's sad, but that those kind
of things go to like the cast members or people who have passed away.
And Tracy wasn't hadn't passed. He was, you know, just injured.
Track 4
[59:04] But like he had that kind of lore and Alec Baldwin, you know,
did a great impression of him, too.
And that part, you know, was dead on. Actually, I was really good by Alec Baldwin.
But in that moment, it kind of hit me like, yeah, that was somebody who was
so missing from that celebration.
Inspiration and I'm like yeah I wish Tracy Tracy would
have been so good in that sketch or in that thing
like oh but awesome but just also like the
impact that Tracy made that for at that point 40 years of SNL history and he
had that own his own little segment where people were talking about like hey
Tracy's missed that that was huge to me and that kind of showed me where his
legacy is at Yeah, people loved him.
Of course, Alec and Tina doing that, Tracy being on 30 Rock,
which was his main thing that he was known for after SNL, playing Tracy Jordan on 30 Rock.
So definitely playing himself, like a heightened version.
Again, a lot of this is all heightened versions of this likable Tracy Morgan
that we all love. But yeah, so he was great, great, great in 30 Rock.
Track 4
[1:00:15] You had mentioned the accident. Like he didn't make a public appearance for a year after that crash.
And he actually came back and hosted for a second time in October of 2015.
So after that, that was a really special moment. That was so emotional.
That standing ovation he got when he came out.
Track 4
[1:00:34] Then and now, I got emotional. like because every and I think he was in a weird
spot where he was hurt but he kind of got to see.
Track 4
[1:00:45] In a weird way, he was getting eulogized a lot because no one really knew how
he was and will he come back? Is he going to be okay?
So then I think that was just huge to see the impact he made in SNL and in pop
culture where everyone was talking about him and all the different people coming
to go see him and visit him.
It was just kind of like, wow. And then to see him come back to 30 Rock and
be able to host it and then the way that crowd gave him a standing ovation and
the love that you could feel through the screen that he felt.
It was, to me, one of the great emotional moments in SNL history.
Oh, yeah. Talk about memorable emotional moments like that one.
Track 4
[1:01:25] Sandler singing the Chris Farley song. Absolutely. There's like a handful of moments like that.
And I got chills when Tracy came out and got that ovation. I'm getting chills now.
Yeah. Just thinking about that. So I hope Tracy has a prominent role in SNL 50.
I hope so too. And I think like you almost have to with someone like that.
Like you just kind of, he's going to get at least one sketch or one kind of
moment, but like you got to really highlight trait.
He's just too good, too lovable, too charismatic to, to not use.
Like it's just, you got to have it, especially because he couldn't make it for
the exactly, Exactly. Exactly. Like make up for that for sure. Yeah. Yeah.
So what would you, if you had to kind of like sum it up for everybody and everything,
like what, what is Tracy's legacy on SNL, his place in SNL history?
Yeah. I think to me, he's a surefire hall of famer.
And it's because to me, he's, if you look at unicorns in the near,
you know, going on 50 year history of the show, uh.
Track 4
[1:02:35] I would call him maybe number one, but to me, if you want to go a little bit
expanded, if you're not sure he's number one, he's on the Mount Rushmore of
greatest just unicorns in the history of this show, meaning like he's just one of one.
You can't replicate Tracy you're not going to see someone come after and be
like oh he's a Tracy Morgan type it's like Tracy is that guy he's a part of even though he came in 96,
to me part of an era of SNL that brought it back to its roots that really helped
the show was kind of falling off the rails in the mid 90's he is a part and
I think a big part of helping to bring the show back and the show to have a
great run in the late 90's into the the 2000s,
you know, we think of Will Ferrell and different people like that and Tina Fey
coming on the writing staff and all that.
Tracy Morgan is one of those names. I think anytime for me as a guy who loves
SNL and SNL history, we look at legacy.
If you were a part of helping to save the show, quote unquote.
Track 4
[1:03:36] You always go up a few notches in my boat.
And also just what he did, you know as far
as being a trailblazer and we
know like what eddie murphy and how he striped it and
he's a top five cast member of all time but
there was a huge gap a huge void and they wanted damon to fill that void and
for a lot of reasons he couldn't they wanted chris rock to do it and he couldn't
and i'm not saying that tracy morgan was eddie murphy but he was that first
in my opinion even more than Tim Meadows, and I love Tim Meadows,
but that first, you know, black cast member, that male, to really kind of stripe
and stand out, and I really feel he was a good link and a good influence for
Kenan, for Jay Pharoah, for Leslie Jones,
for this wave of black male and female cast members you see in the 2000s and
the 2010s and the 2020s who are coming on,
and really, And I can honestly say from my time growing up where it was hard
to find any black people who liked SNL besides saying, I watched when Eddie
Murphy was on, to now that's totally different.
And I know a lot of black people who like SNL.
Track 4
[1:04:47] I think maybe not the only reason, but a big part of that is because of what
Tracy Morgan laid down that foundation and set the table for those to come after him.
Track 2
[1:05:13] So there's that really interesting take there toward the end that Jeremy brought
to the table with his unique lived experience.
I wouldn't have even considered that. I wouldn't have even thought about that.
But that makes a tremendous amount of sense to me.
Thank you so much, Jeremy, for bringing that to light.
And Thomas, another fantastic conversation.
Track 2
[1:05:42] You can listen to more of Deremy and Thomas on their podcast called Pop Culture 5.
It's available on Dover Podcasts and such. You can find it anywhere you find fine podcasts.
And I highly recommend it. Their last episode they released was WrestleMania matches.
So it's very timely as WrestleMania is coming up this coming weekend.
Yeah, brother. I know my wrestling. Brother. brother.
Uh, let's get right to the Tracy Morgan sketch.
This is, you know, just one of his, I don't even know how you say it.
It's, it's, it's a bizarre character.
It's very Tracy Morgan and it is Brian fellows, safari planet.
This used to be, uh, when I was going to performance school and going to the
Groundlings, Tracy Morgan was a regular on it.
And I had stopped watching Saturday Night Live after university,
but I started again when I went back to school at 29 years old.
Track 2
[1:06:48] And Tracy Morgan was one of the highlights for me. I just thought he was so
absurd and so off the beaten track in a way that is different than,
say, Will Forte or Kyle Mooney.
Uh, just unique and this sketch shows that I think Thomas and Deremy picked a good one.
So buckle up and let's listen to Brian Fellows, Safari Planet.
Track 5
[1:07:31] Brian fellow is not an accredited zoologist nor
does he hold an advanced degree in any of the environmental sciences he is simply
an enthusiastic young man with a sixth grade education and an abiding love for
all god's creatures share his love tonight on brian fellows brian fellows Brian
Fellow's Safari Planet.
Good evening, and welcome to Brian Fellow's Safari Planet. I'm Brian Fellow.
Track 5
[1:08:02] Tonight we're going to meet some animals that aren't cute or cuddly.
They're weird, and I'm very excited and a little scared. So let's get going.
Our first guest enjoys eating tin cans and whatnot. Please welcome a goat. A goat.
And who are you? I'm Heather Rosenfeld of the Mid-Vermont Animal Allies Educational
Cooperative in Rutland. Of the what?
The Mid-Vermont Animal Allies Educational Cooperative in Rutland. I'm Brian Fellow.
Yes, I know. That goat is weird.
This is Thunder. She's a spotted Nubian milking goat, and she was birthed during
a severe rainstorm, hence the name. He has devil eyes.
Well, it's actually a she, Dr. Fellow, or a doe in goat talk.
-"Goats can't talk? That's crazy.",
What I mean by goat talk is the lingo that goaters like myself use.
Of course, I'm not a goat.
That's what i said yeah they can't talk i bet if this goat could talk he would
say things like curse words and call people doodoo head and sing naughty songs he's weird,
well it's a she i'm brian fellow.
Track 5
[1:09:30] I know i know he just smiled at me your devil goat smiled at me take him away
all right come I know goats can't talk, but they can smile, and I don't like that.
Sorry, our next guest is very special. Please welcome a miniature horse.
Track 5
[1:09:55] And who are you? I'm Morty Kittle from the Animal Rescue Center in Phoenix,
Arizona. I'm Brian Fellows.
This is Apples. She's a miniature horse, and she's one of our rescued animals.
She was saved from a circus fire after a disgruntled clown set fire to some
oily rags and burned down the Hoaxy Brothers Big Top.
Unfortunately, the Monkees weren't so lucky. I'm Brian Fellows. Hello.
That's the biggest dog I've ever seen. What's wrong with that dog?
Um, it's actually not a dog. It's a miniature horse. I want to see that dog catch a Frisbee.
Well, people sometimes mistake him for a Shetland pony, but he's,
you know, never a dog. Did you see that weird goat?
Yeah. He had devil eyes. I hope he gone.
Well, as I was saying, there's an interesting difference between a Shetland
pony and a miniature horse like Apple's here. You think goats can't talk,
don't you, Brian Fellow?
That's why everyone called you a doo-doo head.
Brian Fellow's a doo-doo head. Ah!
Shut up! Did you just tell me to shut up? I was talking to that goat.
Track 5
[1:11:23] What goat? I'm Brian Fellow's. I know that.
I'm Morty, and we're talking about my miniature horse, Apples.
If that goat is still here, I'm going to wait outside his dress room and just kill him.
It's terrible, herding a little goat. Can I bring your dog with me to help me trick that goat?
Well, that's all the time we have today. Join me next time when we're going to meet a tree frog.
That's funny, a tree frog. I'm Brian Fellow.
Track 2
[1:11:58] Oh, man.
Track 5
[1:12:00] Man.
Track 2
[1:12:01] I...
I should probably wait until the sound stops, but that is just good stuff.
It's so wonky. It's so bizarre.
You know, laughing at a tree frog to punch the sketch.
But the baby goat, just his catchphrase. I'm Brian Fellows.
It's all just so out there and so wonderful.
Will Tracy Jordan be wonderful? I just said Tracy Jordan. Oh my gosh.
There is a listener who is going to want me to put a nickel in the Tracy Jordan jar.
You know who you are. And I just did it.
Gosh, darn it. At any rate, Tracy Morgan, is he wonderful enough to be enshrined
in perpetuity inside our Hall of Fame?
Well, that's for you to decide. Did Deremy make a cogent enough argument for you?
Were you reminded of the greatness of Tracy Morgan?
Track 2
[1:13:07] That's all on you. We are going to open voting in mid-May, and you'll have a
chance to cast a vote in favor or against.
Not necessarily against Tracy Morgan.
Track 2
[1:13:21] That's what I've got for you this week. I want to thank Matt Ardill.
I want to thank Thomas Senna. And of course, I want to thank our guest,
Deremy Dove. He was absolutely wonderful.
Next week on the program, we have got a good one for you.
We are going to be talking all about John Mulaney, only this time in the writing category.
That's right. Mr. Mulaney will be on the ballot in two different categories.
This is an SNL Hall of Fame first.
Thomas will be joined in that conversation by Victoria Franco.
Go, so you don't want to miss that one.
Track 2
[1:13:58] Now, if you would do me a favor, and on the way out, as you pass the weekend
update exhibit, turn out the lights, because the SNL Hall of Fame is now closed.
Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/snlhof/donations
Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands
Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
