From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Delicious Dish was a recurring comedy sketch from the Saturday Night Live television comedy series. A parody of public radio shows, the skit features Margaret-Jo McCullen (Ana Gasteyer) and Teri Rialto (Molly Shannon) as bland radio personalities who discuss numerous food and cooking ideas on National Public Radio. At the end of every sketch, they tell us to "tune in next time," then mention an equally bland topic. The sketch parodies public radio's programs The Splendid Table and Good Food and its stereotypically dispassionate style, sometimes seeming monotonous. As a satirical take on public radio's niche audience [1], it also addresses topics that would probably be perceived by the average person as uninteresting or useless. After Shannon left SNL, Rachel Dratch replaced her to play the program's new co-host, Lynn Bershad. This sketch was originally written and performed by Ana Gasteyer and Leslie Newton at the improv-sketch comedy troupe, The Groundlings before being performed on Saturday Night Live. Ana knew a girl from school named Margaret Jo Rialto, and Leslie knew a girl from school named Teri McCullen so they switched up the names. Leslie added her phrase, "Good Times," and the characters were created.

It is probably best known for its "Schweddy Balls" sketch, in which Alec Baldwin plays Pete Schweddy, a baker whose tasty "balls" are a sexual double entendre referring to testicles. In a similar vein, in a later sketch Schweddy talks about his "wiener", in reference to his penis. In the T.V. Special Saturday Night Live: 101 Most Unforgettable Moments, this particular sketch is moment #3.

A memorable moment in the "Schweddy Wiener" sketch consisted of Gasteyer almost accidentally saying "penis" (she actually said "peiner") instead of "wiener", sending the audience into uproarious laughter. When the laughter died down, Gasteyer, back in character, followed with "a little bit of verbal diarrhea, there" and continues with her scripted line which she accidentally screwed up.

Appearances

• November 16, 1996
• December 14, 1996
• February 8, 1997
• May 10, 1997
• October 18, 1997
• December 13, 1997
• March 14, 1998
• October 3, 1998
• December 12, 1998
• December 11, 1999
• October 21, 2000
• February 17, 2001
• April 7, 2001
• March 16, 2002

Characters

• Lynn Bershad ...Rachel Dratch
• Margaret-Jo McCullen ...Ana Gasteyer
• Pete Schweddy ...Alec Baldwin
• Teri Rialto ...Molly Shannon

Quotes

• "Hello, I'm Margaret-Jo McCullen."
• "And I'm Teri Rialto."
• "We have a lot of great things in store for you."
• "Yes, hang on, it's going to be a wild ride."

• "These links are great, they really are. You did a good job of picking them."
• "Thank you, I tried really hard. It took a lot of time."
• "It shows, they're as good as your delicious marmalade pastries."
• "You flatter me."

• "These are the best recipes. I looked long and hard for them."
• "You have such good taste...."
• "So do you."
• "We both have good taste."
• "Good times..."
• "It's been years since I've seen...any balls."
• "Y2K really came in with a bang didn't it?."
• "And then there was another really..., really...., big... bang."

References

Martinez, Richard. Delicious Dish: Parody or Problem? Current newspaper, February 5, 1999.

See also

• Recurring Saturday Night Live characters and sketches