Milton Berle SNL Ban: Truth vs. Fiction in the New Movie 'Saturday Night'

Saturday Night: Unmasking the Truth Behind Milton Berle's SNL Ban!

Saturday Night: Fact vs. Fiction Regarding Milton Berle's SNL Story

Saturday Night, that hilarious new comedy about SNL's chaotic first episode, features J.K. Simmons as the legendary Milton Berle. The movie portrays Berle as arrogant; and that is only half the truth; because the real Milton Berle was actually banned from SNL! The movie focuses on those 90 minutes before the very first episode, showing Lorne Michaels and that original cast dealing with production madness. It's packed with familiar faces, even featuring several characters and moments only found in that famous inaugural SNL episode, building intrigue and adding additional importance regarding its narrative.

Berle was a huge star—"Mr. Television"—his career spanned decades, starting as a child performer and eventually reaching the apex of fame as the star of Texaco Star Theater; which earned his famous moniker and established him as a TV icon; demonstrating how famous he already was to several members of that earlier television audience. His presence at that initial SNL episode, therefore matters hugely even though Saturday Night doesn't show this and doesn't fully explain it in the best way! We’re unpacking the truth— separating fact from that cleverly exaggerated movie fiction.

Also Read: Saturday Night Live: From Wild Beginnings to a Comedy Icon

The True Story Behind Berle's SNL Ban

J.K. Simmons as Milton Berle looking pleased while standing between two female dancers in Saturday Night Image

Saturday Night's Berle is pretty unlikeable. Why? Because Berle was banned from SNL! This incredible true story comes from Saturday Night: A Backstage History of Saturday Night Live (via Cracked). He was supposed to host in 1979, and right from the start this guy acts as if he is a supreme genius. He threw out terrible jokes: “Now this might be over your heads”, this is extremely funny considering just how famous he is as an older performer already; he proceeded to make these outrageous faces directly at the cameras.

Then came that truly awful opening monologue—full of horribly racist, homophobic, and plain bad taste jokes. His September Song encore (which completely failed and the performance itself didn’t get anywhere close to the standing ovation he promised), finished off this disastrous appearance.

Also Read: Saturday Night: The Movie Celebrating SNL's Legacy

Was Berle REALLY There at the First SNL Show?

J.K. Simmons as Milton Berle in Saturday Night Image

Saturday Night shows Berle. But was Berle actually present at SNL's first show? There's no confirmation he was at 30 Rock in October 1975, though he hosted in 1979, This isn’t totally surprising. During that decade, his career began to decline and this meant he had lost a great deal of influence and thus, he started bouncing from show to show, this fact remains somewhat possible.

His inclusion matters despite his probable absence! The inclusion is actually critical. It works on multiple levels, highlighting this contrast: It represents that fading Hollywood glory compared to those visionary talents behind that original SNL team, thus highlighting the impact of that show's early importance and how unique and great that production was!

Also Read: Jason Reitman's SNL Origin Movie: Release Date Honors Show's Legacy

The Flashing Incident: Fact and Fiction

This most memorable thing involves Berle? Allegedly flashing Chevy Chase in the film after some flirty argument? That's entirely fabricated. While Berle's size is well known (even part of the comedic persona that established him in that era). That was really Alan Zweibel (a writer). This comes from Live From New York (via Entertainment Weekly), which details the moment: Zweibel mentioning writing jokes about Berle’s anatomy caused him to make an indecent exposure in that moment to him; witnessed by Gilda Radner.

Conclusion: Saturday Night's Creative License and the Legacy of a True Legend

Saturday Night 2024 Updated Poster Image

Saturday Night takes creative license while remaining largely true to that incredible first SNL night! The creators clearly understood the value of exaggeration, they emphasized it in those humorous portions and using those very elements from its narrative! Berle's infamous appearance made for a totally fun narrative moment– even adding value to what might otherwise not have succeeded; this very detail created another dramatic moment and also added even more thematic weight.