Saturday Night Live Season 16 Episode 4 Patrick Swayze/Mariah Carey

In the fourth episode of the sixteenth season of Saturday Night Live, Patrick Swayze hosted alongside musical guest Mariah Carey. This episode originally aired on October 27, 1990.

The episode began with a Halloween-themed cold open featuring Dana Carvey as George Bush Sr. talking about the upcoming presidential election and the imminent threat of Saddam Hussein. The sketch’s humor was derived from the juxtaposition of political topics with silly Halloween costumes.

Following the opening monologue from Patrick Swayze, a series of skits ensued, including a parody of “Cops” entitled “Pigs,” in which Swayze played a cop with a sensitive side and a hidden talent for dance. Another skit parodied the home shopping network with the “Q-Schmucks” selling ridiculous products like a “cash-guzzling machine” that simply ate money.

A standout skit of the night was “The Chris Farley Show,” a recurring segment in which Farley played an awkward and starstruck interviewer. In this episode, his guest was none other than Patrick Swayze himself, playing himself. The segment became an instant classic and was later included in Saturday Night Live's "Best Of" compilations.

Mariah Carey performed two of her hit songs, “Vision of Love” and “Love Takes Time.” She was joined on stage by backup singers and a full band, making for an energetic and entertaining performance.

The Weekend Update segment featured anchor Dennis Miller delivering humorous commentary on current events, including a bit about the attempted assassination of President Reagan’s press secretary, James Brady. Miller also interviewed a fictitious spokesperson for the organization “Sensible Nation” who spoke about the dangers of Halloween and called for a ban on the holiday.

One of the final skits of the night was a parody of a “Baywatch”-type show featuring a team of lifeguards who were, in reality, low-level government spies. This skit featured Swayze as a villainous drug lord.

The episode closed with a heartfelt thank-you message from Swayze, who expressed gratitude for the opportunity to host the show and praised the cast and crew for their hard work and creativity.

Overall, the episode was a success, with strong performances by both Swayze and Carey and plenty of laughs for the audience. The Chris Farley Show skit in particular became an instant classic and a highlight of the season.