The Instituition that is Saturday Night Live Will Welcome Elton John and Helen Mirren in the Month of April

There are not too many shows on the air today that can boast the outstanding tenure achieved by Saturday Night Live. Born in the early seventies under the watchful eye of producer Lorne Michaels, SNL grew in popularity by leaps and bounds with early cast members that included John Belushi, Gilda Radner and Chevy Chase.

The show would become a launching pad for young comedic talent, aspiring to be come the next be thing in Hollywood. A number of alumni went on to tremendous success in film including Billy Crystal, Eddie Murphy and Dan Akroyd.

Despite resistance from the network and a production change up that actually saw Michaels leave the show for a season, the show survived. It became known as the hip venue to catch what would be new in comedy at the water cooler the next morning as well as the next catch phrase bound to be overused at the most inappropriate of times.

The show also developed a reputation for showcasing some of the greatest talent in music ranging from pop to jazz to rap. The show achieved such iconic status that it seemed to be able to weather the storms associated with weaker casts, network unrest and general disinterest. There even seemed to be times when it was fashionable to not dig the show at all.

Despite all of it, SNL continues to stand head and shoulders above most programming as one of the longest running in broadcast history. At present it would appear the show moves along at its own pace. Although the episodes may not be as memorable as they once were, every once in a while a great moment is created or even a polarizing event might occur. Tina Fey's Sarah Palin impression comes to mind.

With a remarkable history and the potential to reinvent itself, SNL should shine during the month of April as it welcomes Elton John and Dame Helen Mirren to the cast. Both incredible talents in their own rights and capable of delivering the numbers for the show. It should be interesting to see what the plans are for John who is slated for both sketch and musical performances. The last time he appeared on the show was in 1982 when he performed Empty Garden and was joined by then host, Johnny Cash.