SNL France
Live from Paris, It’s SATURDAY NIGHT!
You read that right. SNL has gone global.
More accurately, SNL has had it’s toe dipped into the international swimming pool for decades. Several versions & variations of the show have aired worldwide (Author’s Note: in France, a quarter pounder is actually called a ‘Royale with Cheese’).
And in France, Saturday Night Live is called…? Le Saturday Night Live.
In January of 2017 ‘Le Saturday Night Live’ debuted with 3.8 million viewers, & very positive reviews. In a classic French twist, the show actually ran on a Thursday night (as the show’s host, Gad Elmaleh, explains to Conan below).
https://youtube.com/watch?v=1mPOLxc1KH4%3Fautoplay%3D0%26%23038%3Bmute%3D0%26%23038%3Bcontrols%3D1%26%23038%3Borigin%3Dhttps%253A%252F%252Fwww.saturdaynightproject.com%26%23038%3Bplaysinline%3D1%26%23038%3Bshowinfo%3D0%26%23038%3Brel%3D0%26%23038%3Biv_load_policy%3D3%26%23038%3Bmodestbranding%3D1%26%23038%3Benablejsapi%3D1%26%23038%3Bwidgetid%3D9
“Stealing” American sketches & sketch structure seemed to be the show’s plan (from where I’m sitting, at least). They did change one critical aspect of the format however: they did not air a weekly episode, but instead a handful of episodes throughout the year.
SNL Quebec
Our neighbors to the north also have a French version of the show dubbed ‘SNL Quebec’. The show was broadcast from February 2014 – March 2015. Originally slated two standalone specials only, it soon morphed into a once-a-month series.
Unlike their French companions, ‘SNL Quebec’ had its own original content. One popular & well-received sketch involves several “accidental” murders, and a suicide at the hands of a masseuse.
Watch below:
https://www.youtube.com/embed/P2gWPxcE11M?autoplay=0&mute=0&controls=1&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.saturdaynightproject.com&playsinline=1&showinfo=0&rel=0&iv_load_policy=3&modestbranding=1&enablejsapi=1&widgetid=11
‘SNL Quebec’ was cancelled due to cutbacks in 2015.
Parting Thoughts & Questions
We know that the NYC SNL sketches occasionally have a cast member speaking a “foreign” language, which is actually gibberish that theoretically sounds like the actual “foreign” language. Does SNL France or SNL Quebec have any sketches in “English” gibberish?
Comment, reply, message, email us, smoke signal etc, and answer this: If you could choose an SNL ambassador to help create international versions of the show, who would it be and why? Who could be Lorne outside the US?