'90s SNL Favorites: Where Are They Now?

Then: Adam Sandler had small roles on The Cosby Show and bits on the MTV game show Remote Control. His first film, 1989’s Going Overboard, wasn’t that good, but his standup was getting him noticed. Dennis Miller saw his act and recommended him to Lorne Michaels, who brought Sandler on to the show. 

Looking at his work on Saturday Night Live, one could see Sandler’s career going either way. The audience either loved the guy or wanted him dead. Whether he was doing "The Chanukah Song" or Opera Man, Sandler laughed at himself all the way through every bit. Sandler and Chris Farley got fired at the same time in 1995, proving that doing your own thing on SNL is not always the best idea.

Now: Sandler jumped right into films after leaving SNL, first appearing in Coneheads and then Airheads with Brendan Fraser. After getting panned in Billy Madison, Sandler continued on, unfazed. He has proven to be so bulletproof, he’s survived making some of the worst-reviewed films such as Little Nicky, Jack and Jill, Blended,  and both Grown Ups films.

Why? There are a ton of teenage boys who will watch those films and there are a ton of discerning adults who loved Happy Gilmore, The Wedding Singer, Spanglish, Punch-Drunk Love, Reign Over Me, Men, Women & Children, not to mention the recent sensation, Uncut Gems. It’s this wild swing in projects that makes Sandler still interesting and watchable. Plus, no matter how much money or how many flops he makes, audiences consider Sandler a highly-watchable, regular Joe hero. 

Then: Cheri Oteri is from a music publishing family and worked at A&M Records for four years before joining The Groundlings in Los Angeles. Oteri joined the SNL cast in 1995, at the same time as the mass exodus of Will Ferrell, Chris Farley, Adam Sandler, and others. 

On a show filled with and run by dudes, Oteri always held her own. Her Arianna and Cass Van Rye opposite Will Ferrell made them both stronger. Her Barbara Walters and Judge Judy still rule. Oteri brought that hint of Carol Burnett and that touch of old school chutzpah that audiences couldn’t get enough of.

Now: Oteri has spent her post-SNL years making films and voice acting in Liar Liar, Scary Movie, Southland Tales, Grown Ups 2, and Shrek the Third. She’s also keeping busy, appearing on The New Normal, Hot in Cleveland, and Sit Down, Shut Up. 

Then: Phil Hartman was plucked from The Groundlings in Los Angeles to join the SNL cast and was an instant hit. Because he had a huge inner comedy well to draw from, he could be called upon for a hilarious Bill Clinton or his original Unfrozen Caveman Lawyer plus myriad others.

Hartman played memorable characters on NewsRadio, 3rd Rock from the Sun, and So I Married An Axe Murderer. He was also an essential voice on The Simpsons. Hartman was just hitting his stride as a contributor to projects far and wide when it all abruptly ended.

Now: Unfortunately for the world, Hartman is no longer with us. In 1998, Hartman’s third wife, Brynn Hartman, shot him with in the head while he slept. Hartman is still talked about with reverence among fans and fellow comedians, with many wondering what might have been.

Then: The Groundlings alum helped define SNL in the '90s and essentially saved the sagging franchise with his infectious energy and flair for the unexpected. He was a team player alongside cast mates, but his George W. Bush, Harry Caray, Marty Culp, Craig Buchanan, James Lipton, Janet Reno, Alex Trebek, and fictional Blue Öyster Cult Gene Frenkle made him a household name.

Now: Besides returning to host SNL, Ferrell has had a hugely successful run of films from Old School, Elf, Zoolander, Blades of Glory, Brothers, Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy, Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues, and Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby to a surprising turn as a dramatic actor in films such as Stranger Than Fiction and Everything Must Go. He’s also a popular voice actor with titles that include The Lego Movie, Megamind, and The Oblongs. Ferrell and producing partner Adam McKay (a former SNL head writer) also created the comedy video website Funny or Die in 2007.