The Killer Bees (SNL)

The following is a list of recurring Saturday Night Live characters and sketches introduced between October 11, 1975, and July 31, 1976, the first season of SNL.

A satirical news segment, initially starring Chevy Chase. Debuted October 11, 1975. It is considered the longest running recurring sketch in the show's history. Like the show itself, it has seen many changes over the years and has a revolving door of anchors, such as Bill Murray, Jane Curtin, Dan Aykroyd, Charles Rocket, Gail Matthius, Brian Doyle-Murray, Mary Gross, Christine Ebersole, Brad Hall, Christopher Guest, Dennis Miller, Kevin Nealon, Norm Macdonald, Colin Quinn, Tina Fey, Jimmy Fallon, Amy Poehler, and Seth Meyers.

The Killer Bees were the first characters to recur on SNL. According to a Lorne Michaels interview for the book Live From New York, "The only note we got from the network on the first show was 'Cut the bees.' And so I made sure I put them in the next show." The bees were played by all the repertory players at the time, who wore yellow and black horizontal stripes, wings, and overly springy antennae. Much of the humor from these scenes came out of puns or metaphors that had to do with well-known activities and body parts of bees.

The bees were a staple of the first season, appearing 11 times. However, the cast and crew quickly tired of them, and the Bees only appeared 3 further times during the original cast's five-year tenure.

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