The 401
ARTS & CULTURE
BY AL DANIEL
T
DON PARDO EUGENE LEE HARRY ANDERSON JANEANE GAROFALO
Live , from Rhode Island ...
‘ Saturday Night Live ’ turns fifty this year . Here are some southern New Englanders who played a role in the pop culture juggernaut ’ s success .
HE FIRST VOICE TO TELL “ SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE ” viewers what they were watching was honed heavily in Rhode Island . Many of the sets the audience beheld for the past half-century were crafted by a Providence resident . The show ’ s mock newscast was once helmed by a one-time southern New England anchor .
Rhode Island can take great pride in contributing to the groundbreaking sketch comedy show that ’ s celebrating its fiftieth season this year . Ahead of SNL ’ s formal anniversary special — airing Sunday , Feb . 16 , on NBC 10 — here is a rundown of some southern New Englanders who helped make the show what it is today .
Don Pardo , the announcer for much of SNL ’ s first thirty-nine seasons until his passing in 2014 , split his childhood between Massachusetts , Connecticut and Rhode Island . At age twenty , while still attending college in Boston , he returned to Providence to launch his career at WJAR radio , beginning an inextricable affiliation with NBC . He was enshrined in the Rhode Island Radio Hall of Fame in 2009 .
Joining Pardo at SNL ’ s inception was set designer Eugene Lee . Already a seasoned crew member at Trinity Repertory Company , he juggled his duties between 201 Washington St . and 30 Rockefeller Plaza — and kept his home in Providence — until his death in February 2023 .
Rhode Island School of Design alum Charles Rocket stuck around Providence and effectively proved he had every requisite skill to host “ Weekend Update .” He performed in the local underground art movement and dabbled in newscasting on WPRI Channel 12 before anchoring “ Update ” in 1980 – 81 — two seasons after his RISD contemporaries , the Talking Heads , performed as SNL ’ s musical guest .
Shortly after Rocket ’ s 30 Rock stint , Newport ’ s multitalented Harry Anderson ( of “ Night Court ” fame ) repeatedly performed magic and standup as an “ SNL ” guest in the early-to-mid 1980s .
Meanwhile , in the mid- ’ 80s , Janeane Garofalo was fresh out of Providence College when she won a standup contest for the title of “ Funniest Person in Rhode Island .” The protracted career that platform launched included fourteen episodes on SNL in 1995 . While her time at 30 Rock was short and , by her own assessment , unmemorable , she later cracked Time Magazine ’ s list of the 10 best post- “ SNL ” careers .
New Hampshirite Seth Meyers has savored success on and beyond “ SNL ,” and owes both chapters , in no small part , to Fall River native Wally Feresten . From 1991 to 2019 , Feresten held cue cards for “ SNL ” performers , including “ Update ” anchors , and has done the same for Meyers on NBC ’ s “ Late Night .” 🆁
PHOTOGRAPHY : ( PARDO ) EVERETT COLLECTION INC / ALAMY STOCK PHOTO ; ( LEE ) COURTESY OF TRINITY REPERTORY COMPANY ; ( ANDERSON & GAROFALO ) PICTURELUX / THE HOLLYWOOD ARCHIVE / ALAMY STOCK PHOTO ; ( NBC STUDIOS SIGN ) GETTY IMAGES / RAY ORTON .
RHODE ISLAND MONTHLY I FEBRUARY 2025 27