As 鈥淪aturday Night Live鈥 marks its 50th anniversary, 好色tvlooks back on some of the sketch comedy show鈥檚 most notable 好色tv musical performances.
Musical guest: Barenaked Ladies
Song: 鈥淚t鈥檚 All Been Done鈥
Host: Gwyneth Paltrow
Date: Feb. 6, 1999
THE SHOW: This episode poked fun at the impeachment trial of then-U.S. president Bill Clinton, who would be acquitted days after the broadcast. One sketch centred on E! red carpet coverage of the trial with Paltrow impersonating actress Sharon Stone and Chris Kattan as unhinged comic Andy Dick. In the opening monologue, Paltrow mocked her fake British accent in recent films and took questions from the audience, including from one-time boyfriend Ben Affleck. Two months later, Paltrow took the Oscar stage to accept the best actress trophy for 鈥淪hakespeare in Love.鈥
BACKSTAGE: Ed Robertson, then co-frontman of Barenaked Ladies, remembered their dressing room as a revolving door of visiting celebs, including star-struck Hollywood pals Affleck and Matt Damon who were self-professed early BNL followers. "They were like, 鈥楽eriously guys, we鈥檙e the hugest fans from back in the day,鈥 Robertson said, noting that Affleck proved it by referencing their semi-obscure 1991 take on Bruce Cockburn鈥檚 鈥淟overs in a Dangerous Time.鈥 鈥淗e was air guitaring and singing our cover,鈥 he said. 鈥淪o we knew Ben and Matt were legit.鈥
THE REHEARSAL: Robertson recalls fewer details about the band's performance than he does the rest of the planned "SNL" episode. One sketch stood out because it was ultimately cut: Paltrow as a PBS pledge driver asking viewers to donate by listing the broadcaster's many programs, all of them bawdy British imports. 鈥淲here else can you see shows like, 鈥榃ho Rogered Me Mum?鈥欌 Robertson recalls her saying. 鈥淭hat one had us in stitches.鈥 Now the bit mostly exists as a Barenaked Ladies inside joke.
LIVE ON AIR: At the time, NBC executives were pulling back on music on "SNL" in favour of more comedy, so artists were usually invited to play one song rather than two. The Toronto band had to choose between their chart-topping summer smash 鈥淥ne Week鈥 and the second single they were promoting at the time, 鈥淚t鈥檚 All Been Done.鈥 They went with the latter, and then-lead singer Steven Page kicked off the performance by springing off the stage while strumming his guitar. 鈥淵ou can be grumpy about it,鈥 Robertson said about only getting one song. 鈥淏ut I think we chose to focus on the fact that we were on 'SNL.'鈥
THE LEGACY: Barenaked Ladies still tour extensively with Robertson as the sole frontman and are planning a run of North American dates this summer. Robertson said the "SNL" appearance is among several old clips that find a new life online every so often. "I just remember it feeling really cool," Robertson said of the experience. "It was a real feather in the cap of the band, I guess. A real accomplishment that we got to do it at all."
This report by 好色tvwas first published Feb. 14, 2025.
