SNL Transcripts: Lily Tomlin: 11/22/75: A Message From President Ford



 Saturday Night Live Transcripts


  Season 1: Episode 6





75f: Lily Tomlin

A Message From President Ford

President Gerald Ford…..Chevy Chase

[ open on image of “The Unofficial Seal, United States of America” ]

Announcer: Ladies and gentlemen, the President of the United States.

[ dissolve to President Ford sitting at his desk; glass of water, and red and black phones sit atop his desk ]

[ SUPER: “This is not a good impression of Gerald Ford” ]

[ SUPER: “But Rich Little won’t work for scale” ]

President Gerald Ford: My fellow Americans.. I’ve called upon the networks tonight to make two pressing issues clear to the American public. [ sneezes into his tie ] #1: The possible default of New york City.. and #1: My stand on the Ronald Reagan announcement. [ red phone rings; Ford picks up the glass of water, splashing water all over his suit ] Hello! [ red phone keeps ringing ] Hello?! Hello, Nessen! I can’t hear you! What, are you in the pool? [ red phone still ringing ] Uh, I guess the other phone’s ringing, I don’t know. Alright. [ hangs up glass, allowing the red phone to continue ringing ]

Firstly, the default of New York City. Let me be clear on my feelings about this. As President, I will change my mind wherever I want. [ finally answers red phone ] Hello. Hotline. Anwar, uh.. just a second.. I’m on the air right now, I’ll get you Kissinger, alright? [ picks up black phone, dials Kissinger ] Hank? Can you call to talk to Sadat for a minute? Thank you. [ holds the two phones to one another, then drops them on the desk ]

The point is: Do I really know what the issue is? Relevent? Irrelevent? Fault? Default? These are just hard words. [ black phone starts buzzing; Ford picks up black headset ] Yes, Hank? Alright, I’ll talk to Anwar. Alright, alright.. [ hangs up black headset on red phone, then answers red headset ] Anwar! Hello? [ jiggles with hang-up button ] Hello?! [ hangs up red headset on black phone ] The Bayall Bill before the House of Representatives does not.. address.. the current situation! And I would veto it! The current situation being that, the longer I hold out on New York, the better chances I have with those conservative Republicans who might otherwise support Ronald Reagan! Pretty smart, eh?

Which brings me to my first point. Let’s take a look at the recent popularity polls, shall we? [ smacks his head on the desk top ] Whoops! [ stands and walks over to polls staked on easel ] Now, as we can see, the.. Ford popularity is.. [ lifts poll, turns it sideways ] ..certainly on a sharp rise here.. Whereas, the.. [ flips card, accidentally smacks it across the desk, as he follows and tumbles over it onto the floor ] “Live, from New York, it’s Saturday Night!

SNL Transcripts

Author: Don Roy King

Don Roy King has directed fourteen seasons of Saturday Night Live. That work has earned him ten Emmys and fourteen nominations. Additionally, he has been nominated for fifteen DGA Awards and won in 2013, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, and 2020.

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