Aahana Swrup
‘Saturday Night’ dramatizes the chaotic story of the 90 minutes that led up to the first-ever airing of the iconic sketch comedy show, ‘Saturday Night Live.’ The film follows Lorne Michaels, the creator behind the variety show who has staggering ambitions for his creation. However, on the night of the pilot’s first airing, Lorne finds himself putting out metaphorical and real fires as he scrambles to get the show on the road until the last minute. From unsigned talent contracts and unfinalized scripts to station higher-ups that need convincing, Lorne’s plate remains full as the clock ticks toward 11:30 into an evening that might just revolutionize late-night television.
In the disorder of a studio full of young haywire comedians and writers, the issue of what last name to use for Rosie—one of the writers and Lorne’s wife—in the credits remains small but consistent. Therefore, as the narrative nears its end and brings the conclusion to that storyline, Rosie’s decision becomes intriguing. SPOILERS AHEAD!
Rosie and Lorne’s Unique Relationship
From the get-go, the film’s central focus remains all the chaotic build-up to the airing of Lorne and his team’s unconventional show. The narrative emphasizes each minute that ticks by, keeping the storytelling fast-paced and single-minded. Yet, on the sidelines, characters develop, subplots emerge, and interpersonal dynamics are established. Lorne’s relationship with Rosie remains a peculiar one from the start. The two are evidently married to one another and sport a close relationship where they can rely on each other—especially creatively, as Rosie serves as a significant writer on the set.
Even so, despite their close relationship, Rosie and Lorne aren’t necessarily in a loving marriage. As the former likes to say, she’s married to Lorne but isn’t his wife. Therefore, the tumultuous nature of their marriage becomes known from early on. Furthermore, Rosie seems to be in a flirtatious situationship with Dan Aykroyd, one of the comedians, who appears to have a similar dynamic with other characters as well. Considering the no-drama nature of this love triangle—it remains evident that whatever Rosie and Lorne’s marital status may be, the two are no longer in a romantic relationship.
For the same reason, the matter of Rosie’s last name regarding the show’s credits becomes a point of confusion. Although it’s never explicitly stated, it’s possible that the pair were considering a divorce due to the dead nature of their marriage. Therefore, if they separate in the near future, it wouldn’t make sense for Rosie to use Michaels as her last name. However, deciding to go by her maiden name, Shuster, would be too concrete of a step. Thus, the indecision on the matter persists.
Rosie Decides to Use Her Maiden Name
At the very end of the night—with 11:30 p.m. seconds away—Rosie and Lorne are in the control room. Right before the show airs, the operator asks for Rosie’s last name again—and the pair simultaneously blurt out Shuster. As such, Rosie is credited under her maiden name for the show’s pilot episode, establishing her professional identity. The moment signifies Rosie’s decision to shape her identity away from Lorne despite their complicated relationship. Similarly, Lorne’s like-minded compliance showcases him supporting her as an individual artist with a legacy of her own.
Although this makes for a compelling conclusion to the narrative thread, it remains a fictionalization of the film. In real life, Rosie Shuster was credited on ‘SNL’ as Rosie “Bud” Michaels for the first two episodes. (“Bud” was supposedly an additional nickname applied to the name of every cast member as a nod ‘Monty Python’s Flying Circus’) Furthermore, as far as one can tell, there was no long-running confusion about what last name to use for the writer hours before the pilot aired on October 11, 1975. However, Shuster began using her real name shortly after. The film’s inclusion of this fictitious storyline seems to be a nod to the same as well as an efficient way to explore Rosie and Lorne’s complicated relationship.
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