Ep 10. Deborah Harry/The Funky Four Plus One More

In Saturday Night Live season 6 episode 10, Deborah Harry, best known as the lead singer of the rock band Blondie, takes on hosting duties. Harry brings her unique style and energy to the show, delivering a solid performance that showcases her comedic talents.

The episode begins with a cold open sketch featuring the late great John Belushi as a disheveled, heavily-bearded Santa Claus, who breaks into a song titled "Little Chocolate Donuts," which becomes an instant classic. Harry then appears in a monologue where she talks about her career, including her recent acting gigs and her time as a punk rock icon.

The first sketch of the night is a parody of a classic game show called "The Battle of the New York Stand-up Comics." Harry plays a contestant named Karen Janzen, who is up against a group of comedians, including guest star Rodney Dangerfield, who delivers his signature one-liners to the delight of the audience. The sketch is a hilarious take on the cutthroat world of stand-up comedy.

Next up is a commercial parody for a product called "Suel For Men," which is marketed as a cologne that women can never resist. In the sketch, Harry appears as a femme fatale who is seduced by the scent of the product, but soon realizes that it has some strange side effects.

The musical guest of the night is the Funky Four Plus One More, a pioneering hip hop group from the South Bronx. The group performs two of their early hits, "Rappin' and Rocking the House" and "That's the Joint," accompanied by a crew of breakdancers. The performances are a thrilling glimpse into the early days of hip hop and a reminder of the genre's revolutionary spirit.

Back from commercial, the show features a sketch called "A Town That's Really, Really Brave," where Harry plays a resident of a fictional town where people go to extreme lengths to prove their bravery. The sketch is a biting satire of American machismo and the way it manifests in small-town culture.

The next sketch features Harry as a patient in a hospital who is visited by a series of doctors with questionable credentials and strange manners. The sketch, titled "Bad Medicine," is a hilariously absurd take on medical malpractice and the vulnerability of patients in the healthcare system.

The final sketch of the night is a parody of a classic children's show, where Harry plays a mysterious character named the Great Twambley who dispenses wisdom in a cryptic and confusing manner. The sketch is a surreal and absurdist take on children's television and delivers plenty of laughs.

Overall, the episode showcases Deborah Harry's versatility as a performer and the creative energy of the SNL cast at the time. With memorable sketches, a classic musical performance, and a guest host who brings her unique style to the show, this episode is a must-watch for fans of the classic comedy series.