Dana Carvey Was Terrified To Play Saturday Night Live's Church Lady
Comedian Dana Carvey appeared as a regular cast member on "Saturday Night Live" from 1986 to 1993, and it could be argued those were some of the best years of the long-running sketch comedy show. And many of the accolades from that era go to Carvey. The list of his memorable characters is long and led to two successful "SNL"-inspired films, "Wayne's World" and "Wayne's World 2." Party on, Garth!
But Garth Algar is just the tip of the iceberg for Carvey's "SNL" career. President George Bush Sr., presidential candidate Ross Perot, Johnny Carson, and Tom Brokaw (Brokaw's pre-tapes remain one of my favorite "SNL" skits) were some of his memorable impersonations. Original characters included Hans from the weightlifting Hans and Franz duo, The Grumpy Old Man, and singer/songwriter Derek Stevens (you know you sang along about "Choppin' Broccoli").
But Church Lady ... oh, Church Lady. The indelible host of the fictional show "Church Chat" might just be Carvey's most beloved character. And her debut on Carvey's first-ever episode of the show had the comedian terrified.
Carvey was so nervous his palms were sweating
SNL creator Lorne Michaels didn't give Dana Carvey much time to get comfortable before asking him to break out a potentially controversial character. Season 12 of the show premiered on October 11, 1986, and Carvey was featured in the cold open of the program. In an interview with the "New York Post" Carvey discussed his "SNL" debut:
"I was in the cold opening with Jan [Hooks] and Phil [Hartman] and I was a game-show psychic. I would answer before Phil could ask the question and kept saying 'meteor' using the Garth character I got from my brother Brad — and then a meteor comes down and knocks Jan out."
It was a funny debut, but certainly not memorable. That moment would come minutes later when Carvey adorned the now-familiar purple dress suit, black loafers, cat-rimmed eyeglasses, and gray wig, to transform into the pious Enid Strict. The character, of course, would become better known as Church Lady, the host of "Church Chat." Heading into the skit on his debut episode, Carvey was terrified. The comedian said:
"It was terrifying ... I can show you 'Church Chat' episodes early on where my hand is held up and it's drenched in sweat. I vetted the rhythms of the character in comedy clubs but wasn't sure it would work. I was on with Victoria Jackson and I went, 'Well, isn't that special?' and it got a huge laugh and that relaxed me. It was like, 'OK, they get it.'"
That line and others would soon enter the pop culture zeitgeist with great aplomb.
The legacy of the Church Lady
It's fascinating to watch the iconic debuts of iconic characters such as Carvey's Church Lady. Audiences aren't yet programmed to the familiar hooks, and you can hear them figure out the charm of the act in real-time. In Carvey's debut of the Church Lady in October of 1986, there's a smattering of laughter at her first quip of, "Well isn't that special." By the second time she uses the line, the audience's laughter doubles as they catch on to one of her signature lines.
Carvey had impeccable timing with the debut of the character. "SNL" has always been able to reflect the pulse of the nation. When "Church Chat" debuted, the popularity of televangelists had made Jim and Tammy Faye Bakker and Jimmy Swaggart household names. Most of us saw right through their acts. You just knew Church Lady was glued to the TV soaking it all in, all the while doing her "superior dance."
Church Lady became a recurring character during Carvey's SNL run and would appear in later episodes when he returned to host. She would also appear on the short-lived "Dana Carvey Show." The sketch made phrases like, "Could it be .... Satan!?" and "Well isn't that special?" everyday pop culture vernacular throughout Carvey's SNL run (and still today for some of us).
And whatever became of Enid Strict? According to her creator, she's found herself in a precarious situation. While guest hosting "Jimmy Kimmel Live" last year, Carvey offered an update. "The Church Lady is in jail," he joked. "The Church Lady is in jail for defrauding members of her mega-church, and we still have no idea where she was on January 6th."
Isn't that special, indeed?