Season 8
Overview
Saturday Night Live aired its eighth season during the 1982–1983 season on NBC. The 8th season started on September 25, 1982 and ended on May 14, 1983. This was the third season to air since Lorne Michaels had left his first tenure as executive producer. Many changes happened before the start of the season. Brian Doyle-Murray, Christine Ebersole and Tony Rosato were dropped from the show to make room for new cast members. Hired in their places were Brad Hall, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, and Gary Kroeger. Dick Ebersol brought back the show's cold openings that ended with "Live from New York, it's Saturday Night!" and the monologues by the host. Ebersol also changed Weekend Update's name for the second time, to Saturday Night News. Since Doyle-Murray and Ebersole had both been dropped, a new anchor was needed for the segment. Hall got the gig and became the new anchor. Notable moments of this season included Drew Barrymore hosting the show—the youngest ever person to host the show. During the episode hosted by Barrymore, the audience at home was given the chance to vote on whether or not Andy Kaufman should be banned from the show. The vote was conducted by a 1-900 number. At the end of the show Kaufman was banned from ever performing on SNL again.
Episodes
1. Chevy Chase/Queen
1982-09-25
Sketches are ""Chevy Live from Burbank,"" ""Tyrone Green Art Gallery,"" ""Joe Piscopo In Love,"" ""John Hinckley for President,"" ""Mystery Theatre,"" ""Popeil Galactic Prophylactic,"" ""Late Night with David Letterman,"" and ""PTC Club."" Queen performs ""Crazy Little Thing Called Love"" and ""Under Pressure.""
2. Louis Gossett Jr./George Thorogood and the Destroyers
1982-10-02
Sketches include Mister Robinson's Neighborhood #4.
3. Ron Howard/The Clash
1982-10-09
Sketches include "Opie's Back", "Whiners Want a Baby" and "Focus On Film". The Clash performs "Rock The Casbah".
4. Howard Hesseman/Men at Work
1982-10-23
No overview available.
5. Michael Keaton/The New Joe Jackson Band
1982-10-30
No overview available.
6. Robert Blake/Kenny Loggins
1982-11-13
Sketches include ""The Merv Griffin Show,"" ""Shuttle Mission,"" ""PBS Promo,"" ""Talent Show,"" ""Little House on the Prairie,"" ""Masterful Theatre,"" ""Eddie Murphy,"" ""No More Andy Kaufman,"" ""DTV""
7. Drew Barrymore/Squeeze
1982-11-20
Sketches include ""Dressing Room Opening,"" ""Gertie Kills E.T.,"" ""The Whiners,"" ""Mr. Blunt,"" ""Tim Kazurinsky Babysits Drew,"" ""My Friend Zeus,"" ""Robin Duke's Biological Clock""
8. The Smothers Brothers/Laura Branigan
1982-12-04
No overview available.
9. Eddie Murphy/Lionel Richie
1982-12-11
Sketches include ""A Message From Eddie,"" ""Merry Christmas, Dammit!,"" and ""April May June's Holiday Message.""
10. Lily Tomlin
1983-01-22
Sketches include ""Lily Confronts Eddie,"" ""Geraldine,"" ""Irish-American Radio Hour,"" and ""Coffees of the World.""
11. Rick Moranis, Dave Thomas/The Bus Boys
1983-01-29
No overview available.
12. Sid Caesar/Joe Cocker and Jennifer Warnes
1983-02-05
No overview available.
13. Howard Hesseman/Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers
1983-02-19
Sketches are ""Howard Works on his Monologue,"" ""Sleepy Boy 2000,"" ""Elvis Presley, Back and Black,"" ""The A-Team,"" and ""Dion and Margie's Dreams."" Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers perform ""Change of Heart"" and ""The Waiting.""
14. Beau Bridges, Jeff Bridges/Randy Newman
1983-02-26
No overview available.
15. Bruce Dern/Leon Redbone
1983-03-12
No overview available.
16. Robert Guillaume/Duran Duran
1983-03-19
Tim Kazurinsky was attacked by the monkey during the dress rehearsal of ""I Married A Monkey."" Tim was able to escape, but the monkey (actually a male) ripped off the dress he was wearing and began pleasuring himself.
17. Joan Rivers/Musical Youth
1983-04-09
No overview available.
18. Susan Saint James/Michael McDonald
1983-04-16
No overview available.
19. Stevie Wonder
1983-04-16
Sketches include ""VD,"" ""Kannon AE-1,"" ""Stevie Wonder Impersonator,"" ""Hitler: The Secret Diaries,"" ""The Story of Stevie Wonder,"" ""Stevie at Dion's Salon,"" ""Cotton Land,"" and ""The Hunchback Busboy."" Wonder performs the songs ""Fingertips,"" ""Overjoyed,"" and ""Go Home.""
20. Ed Koch/Dexys Midnight Runners
1983-05-14
Sketches include ""What's the most disgusting thing you've seen in New York?"" ""Mr. Robinson's Neighborhood,"" ""Crowded Ledge,"" ""The Enquirer,"" ""Late Night with David Letterman,"" and ""Woman's Auxillery Meeting."" Dexy's Midnight Runners perform ""Come On, Eileen,"" while Kevin Rowland performs ""The Celtic Soul Brothers.""