Emily Litella
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"Emily Litella" was a fictional character played by comedian Gilda Radner (1946-1989) on Saturday Night Live (SNL).
Emily Litella was an elderly woman with a hearing problem seen on the op-ed Weekend Update segment in the late 1970s. Dressed in a simple dress and a sweater, "Miss Emily Litella" was introduced with professional dignity by the news anchors, who could sometimes be seen cringing slightly in anticipation of the faux pas which they knew would be inevitable as their "guest" would launch into tirades on various topics.
Radner's character peered through her bifocals and read a prepared letter addressing some public issue, becoming increasingly agitated as her statement progressed, only to discover in the middle of her report that she had gotten the theme of her story wrong. A typical example:
- "What is all this fuss I hear about the Supreme Court decision on a "deaf" penalty? It's terrible! Deaf people have enough problems as it is!
When the on-air reporter interrupted to point out her error (death vs. deaf), she would crinkle her nose, usually say, "Oh, that's quite different...", and then humbly say to the audience, "Never mind."
Other misunderstood topics included Saving Soviet Jewelry ("Jewry"), Endangered Feces, Flea Erections, Making Puerto Rico a Steak ("..next thing you know, they'll also want a baked potato with sour cream!"), Presidential Erections, Pouring Money into Canker Research, the Eagle Rights Amendment, Busting School Children, Conserving our Natural Racehorses, and Sax and Violins on Television.
Typically, she would also refer to anchors Chevy Chase and Jane Curtin as "Cheddar Cheese" and "Bitch!"
Emily's answering machine message said: "Hello, This is Emily Litella. I'm not home right now, but I will call you back as soon as possible. Just leave your name, number and what time you called after you hear the sound of the Jeep."
Radner based Litella on her nanny, Elizabeth Clementine Gillies, known as "Dibby," who was allegedly hard-of-hearing. The line "Never mind" became a light-hearted slang phrase of the era.
Outside of Saturday Night Live, Radner played the character briefly in episode 304 of The Muppet Show.
