SNL Season 1, Episode 17: Ron Nessen

Having the White House Press Secretary host was a bold, headline-grabbing move. Ron Nessen was surprisingly game, but his lack of acting experience was often apparent. The show tried to build sketches around his political world, with mixed results. While the idea of a presidential press conference sketch was clever, the execution felt a bit stiff. The cast did their best to support him, and Chevy Chase’s Gerald Ford impression was, as always, brilliant. The real highlight was the musical guest. Patti Smith’s raw, powerful performance was electrifying and brought a much-needed dose of rebellious energy to the proceedings. An interesting experiment, but not one of the season’s comedic high points.