![Will Ferrell Revives Notoriously Failed SNL Sketch on Late Night 2 df5880a66773a47b7b2db1ab36b476d9](https://i0.wp.com/theubj.com/uae/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/df5880a66773a47b7b2db1ab36b476d9.png?w=1170)
![Will Ferrell Revives Notoriously Failed SNL Sketch on Late Night 3 John Oliver, Bowen Yang, Will Ferrell, and Rachel Dratch on Late Night With Seth Meyers](https://i0.wp.com/theubj.com/uae/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/df5880a66773a47b7b2db1ab36b476d9.jpg?w=1170)
In celebration of House Of The Dragon premiere week, a pertinent phrase from Westeros comes to mind: “What is dead may never die.” Surprisingly, this phrase aptly describes resurrected comedic blunders as it does fallen knights. On last night’s Late Night With Seth Meyers, a cadre of comedic talents including Will Ferrell, John Oliver, Rachel Dratch, and Bowen Yang brought life back to “Mr. Kotter,” a sketch from SNL fame that never saw the light of day due to its disastrous run during rehearsals—until now.
The reason for its initial failure isn’t elusive. The sketch, which Ferrell measured at “a confident 13 pages”—a stretch beyond the typical 11-page format—is more akin to a lackluster college improv performance than anything worthy of Studio 8H’s spotlight. Portraying an outlandish office worker fixated on the ‘70s sitcom Welcome Back, Kotter and its star Gabe Kaplan, Ferrell’s character adopts his entire aesthetic from the actor. Trouble ensues when Kaplan visits the office, and Ferrell’s character is thwarted at every attempt to meet his idol.
Several reasons piled up for the downfall of this sketch, chiefly being that the Gabe Kaplan reference fell flat, with a contemporary audience finding it neither relevant nor humorous. “The SNL dress audience maybe hadn’t thought about Gabe Kaplan for a long time, so you asked them to do a lot of work,” Meyers suggested during the Second Chance Theater Q&A. In response, Ferrell joked that they might have been better off distributing a leaflet at the door to provide context. Kaplan wasn’t scheduled for a guest appearance or cameo—his selection for the parody was seemingly random.
Without that insight, Ferrell recalled draining all enthusiasm from the room during rehearsals. “I was startled by the fact that you didn’t oversell just how unflinching and unremitting the silence was,” said Oliver, having viewed the original rehearsal tape. “This was a comedic catastrophe.”
Although last night’s attempt fared “demonstrably better” than the aforementioned debacle, accolades are still far out of reach for the spectacle. Nonetheless, there’s a charm in revisiting such SNL lore, and it’s even more memorable when it reunites comedic powerhouses like this formidable foursome.
FAQ Section
Why was the “Mr. Kotter” sketch never aired on SNL originally?
It was due to its poor performance during rehearsals, where it failed to engage the audience and was met with silence rather than laughter.
Who stars in the revived “Mr. Kotter” sketch on “Late Night With Seth Meyers”?
The sketch stars Will Ferrell, John Oliver, Rachel Dratch, and Bowen Yang.
What made the “Mr. Kotter” sketch unsuccessful?
The main reason was the reference to Gabe Kaplan was outdated and not funny to the audience. Additionally, the sketch was overly long and did not click with the audience’s sense of humor.
What is “Second Chance Theater” on “Late Night With Seth Meyers”?
“Second Chance Theater” is a segment where past SNL sketches that never made it to air are given another chance to be performed.
Has the reception to the “Mr. Kotter” sketch improved since its revival?
According to Will Ferrell, the revived performance was “demonstrably better” than the original, though it’s still not considered a success in a conventional sense.