#SNL50 Sketch of the Day - Saturday, Feb. 15, 2025
Michael Sarrazin as "Josh Ramsey, V.D. Caseworker" from 1978
In 1978, my third grade classmates and I had no business throwing words like penis, yeast infection and venereal disease around, but that didn’t stop us from quoting this epic third-season Saturday Night Live sketch in the cafeteria the following Monday. And by epic, I mean it included every cast member (a mere seven at the time) and various writers (Rosie Shuster! Al Franken!), along with host Michael Sarrazin (who appears to be caught off guard when Don Pardo announces him as “Peter Fonda as Josh Ramsey, V.D. Caseworker.”
The sketch plays like a whacked-out version of an After School Special, which may be why it resonated with me and my pals. All of the Not Ready for Prime Time Players shine, particularly John Belushi (his reaction to Bill Murray’s off-camera screaming is a hoot) and Dan Aykroyd and Gilda Radner (hilariously overacting as Laraine Newman’s parents).
Sadly, I could not find the full sketch on YouTube, which makes me happy that I bought the SNL Season 3 DVD set. Say, where is my SNL Season 3 DVD set?!
Further Reading: A good article about the Michael Sarrazin SNL episode, written by an obvious Tom Schiller fan.