Saturday Night Live Transcripts
Season 1: Episode 19
75s: Madeline Kahn / Carly Simon
Reagan’s Hipness
Ronald Reagan…Chevy Chase
Saxophonist…..Garrett Morris
[Open on Reagan playing improvised blues on an organ, accompanied by a band. The black saxophonist sits on a stool behind Reagan, smiling]
Ronald Reagan: [Stops playing and addresses camera] Oh, hi. I’m Ronald Reagan. [Super: “THIS IS NOT RONALD REAGAN”] Oh, sure, I play the organ, too. [chuckles] Did you think I was just a politician or an actor? Nahhh! [to Saxophonist] Take it, boy! [Resumes organ playing]
[Saxophonist’s smile vanishes as he gets up from his stool and walks over to Reagan, obviously offended by Reagan’s “boy” remark. Saxophonist looks at the band and points to Reagan in disbelief]
Ronald Reagan: You know, I’m doing this to kinda prove a point. I wanna show the people of this great nation of ours that a conservative like me can, well, also get with the hep, pop, young music generation. Take it, boy!
[Reagan resumes playing. Saxophonist starts to put the saxophone reed in his mouth. He takes it out and leans on the organ, again shocked by Reagan’s remark.]
Ronald Reagan: And that’s not all. I like to get down with the colored people. People with the real soul. That natural rhythmic sense that, well, that brought them out to the polls in North Carolina and Texas to vote for me. Take it, boy!
[Reagan resumes playing again. Saxophonist removes the saxophone’s strap from his shoulder and glares at Reagan.]
Ronald Reagan: That’s right. See, I’m an ex-governor, an ex-actor, and a keyboard player. And there’s nothing I like better than to get with the underprivileged. Take it, boy!
[Saxophonist sets his instrument down, grabs Reagan as he utters another “Take it, boy” and punches him in the face. Reagan flies off the organ bench and into a pair of folding chairs as the music stops. Slowly getting up, he looks into the camera]
Ronald Reagan: “Live from New York, it’s Saturday Night!”
Submitted by: John Ravetti
