When “Wayne’s World” made its Saturday Night Live debut, nobody could have predicted it would become one of the sketch show’s most beloved sketches.
“Wayne’s World” was the brainchild of Mike Myers, then SNL’s newest cast member. His Wayne Campbell character actually dated back to the 1987 TV series It’s Only Rock N’ Roll. which aired in Myers’ native Canada.
“It was just basically [based on] the people I grew up with,” Myers explained in a 1990 interview. “There’s a certain homogeneous suburban adolescent heavy metal experience… Just hanging out and being a goof.”
Watch Mike Myers as Wayne Campbell Prior to ‘Saturday Night Live’
When Myers arrived at Saturday Night Live, he brought Wayne Campbell with him. The comedian had a broader idea for the character, giving him a cable access show and a best buddy, Garth Alger. One of the first people at SNL to hear Myers’ “Wayne’s World” idea was Conan O’Brien, a writer for the show at the time.
“I remember very clearly when Mike Myers showed up. He was wearing a leather jacket with an American flag on the back,” O’Brien recalled in the book Live From New York. “And then he came to us and he described to us this idea, this character he had named Wayne who had a cable show in his basement, and the show was called ‘Wayne’s World.’”
O’Brien and his fellow writers were unimpressed by the pitch.
“We politely told him that we didn’t think it was his best idea,” the late night host recalled.
Despite O’Brien’s doubts, Myers brought “Wayne’s World” to the broader SNL team for approval.
“I remember very clearly sitting at read-through in my little folding chair, and I turned the page of my script and there’s the ‘Wayne’s World’ we had dismayed him from submitting,” O’Brien recalled. “And I felt sorry for him. I thought, ‘This poor kid is going to have to learn the hard way.’”
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Somewhat surprisingly, “Wayne’s World” got the green light, however it was far from a resounding vote of confidence. The sketch was given the final slot in the show, airing around 1AM on Feb. 18, 1989. It was also filmed in a corner of the studio that cast members loving called the place” where all sketches go to die.”
“The dead corner,” Myers recalled during an interview with Jimmy Fallon decades later, “that doesn’t have an audience looking at you at all. They have to watch you on the monitors.”
The Debut ‘Wayne’s World’ Was Far From Excellent
In hindsight, the first “Wayne’s World” sketch only offered a glimmer of what its characters would become. Early on, Wayne and Garth were meant to be high schoolers and only later got updated to young adults who still lived with their parents. The initially sketch included some questionable humor, including Wayne calling Garth’s dad (played by Phil Hartman) a “big fag.” Still, ingredients such as “Party Time! Excellent!” and the self-sung theme song were in place. Most importantly, Myers and Dana Carvey (as Garth) had great chemistry.
“I remember I always thought, ‘Aren’t we just doing Bill and Ted?’” Carvey admitted. “I thought we’d be nailed for doing a Bill and Ted ripoff. But I think Mike’s a clever writer and he put his own stamp on ‘excellent’ and ‘way, no way.’”
Watch a Compilation of ‘Wayne’s World’ Moments
Reaction to the first “Wayne’s World” sketch was hard to gauge, given its late airtime. Still, Myers had a hint about its potential when he came into work the following Monday.
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“I heard somebody working in the building singing the theme song to ‘Wayne’s World,’” the comedian remembered. “I was like, ‘Were you in the audience?’ The guy goes, ‘No, no. We saw it on TV.’ I go, ‘Of course.’ And that was a really magical moment. The only thing I can describe it as is magic.”
Saturday Night Live would end up airing 20 “Wayne’s World” sketches, with Myers and Carvey also reprising their roles at anniversary specials. Meanwhile, the 1992 feature-length spinoff became a massive box office success. It remains the highest-grossing film ever based on a Saturday Night Live sketch.
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Gallery Credit: Corey Irwin
