Ask President Carter - SNL

President Jimmy Carter (Dan Aykroyd) takes unscreened calls from the public and demonstrates a knowledge of everything from programming automatic letter sorting machines to reassuring panicky teens on acid. [Season 2, 1977]
#SNL
Subscribe to SNL: goo.gl/tUsXwM
Get more SNL: www.nbc.com/sat...
Full Episodes: www.nbc.com/sat....
Like SNL: / snl
Follow SNL: / nbcsnl
SNL Tumblr: / nbcsnl
SNL Instagram: / nbcsnl
SNL Pinterest: / nbcsnl

[@picklesthewise]

Every time I see this, I'm more and more convinced that Dan just knew the Marvex schematics by heart and wanted to include them in a sketch 🤣

[@charlesgreen8703]

“Well,Mrs. Ah Horbath…Vice President Mondale and myself were just talking about the marvek ah 3000 this morning as a matter of fact!”

[@richardsiciliano7117]

No doubt about it, Dan actually was an encyclopedia of knowledge, especially about stuff that he worked with when he needed actual jobs to make ends meet. When he played a plumber on SNL, he was talking about real plumbing facts, while having his ass crack showing. 😂😂😂

[@hellokittyangel211]

I feel that same way about Kenan’s and Chris Redd’s drug dealer sketch w/ Harry Styles.

[@cka2nd]

One of the best SNL skits ever. Tight script and Ackroyd is amazingly real without just doing a compendium of Carter's ticks.

[@lockandloadlikehell]

He had tics?

[@honiideslysses12]

One of my favorite skits, too.

[@asdfasdf734]

Dan Ackroyd is a true genius. And I miss the real Jimmy Carter.

[@kthorning4459]

The only one I remember is that he used to break into a broad smile halfway through what he was saying. Dan had this down.

[@namcat53]

The kid on acid bit was absolutely perfect in every way....I can guarantee 100% Dan knew exactly what he was talking about from personal experience. Thanks Dan!

[@rickstalentedtongue910]

You mean Jimmy.

[@granthurlburt4062]

@@rickstalentedtongue910 He means Dan.

[@nelsonhunter-valls3206]

This whole thing was subtly referenced in the film Saturday Night, as Dan was the one who successfully talked down poor SNL assistant Neil Levy when he was having a bad trip on the show's premier night!

[@Jayk129]

The one time I tried acid I kept repeating to myself “Just remember you’re a living organism in this planet, you’re very safe, you’ve just taken a heavy drug. Do you have any Allman Brothers?”

[@jamesmueller8812]

Classic🕊️❤️😎

[@anonymoushuman8344]

There's a funny SNL sketch from 2002 starring Senator John McCain (who hosted the episode) that refers to this one. McCain plays a hippie art teacher at a middle school. Towards the end of the sketch one of the students eats tempered paint. McCain says, "Oh man, we’re gonna have to talk him down. I’m gonna need some Vitamin B, some orange juice, and some Allman Brothers records."

[@scubadiva666]

*tempera paint-not to be confused with tempura paint!

[@joeblow9210]

I love President Carter, still one of the funniest SNL skits to me.

[@loyevangelists]

no one talking about how Bill Murray killed the Walter Cronkite impersonation? He absolutely nailed Walter Cronkite. i am 61 i remember Walter Cronkite

[@i8ntnuts]

Lol I’m a lot older than you, and I remember Walter Cronkite.

[@danadesimone9322]

This is one of the all time great sketches that is not mentioned much..

[@alexanderangelo7284]

I'm 31 and I love this sketch. I didn't know that was Bill Murray until you mentioned it. Totally blown away

[@diamonddog13]

I'm also fond of Dave Thomas's Cronkite on SCTV.

[@BigSmoke-bu6ib]

I personally liked how he untucked half his shirt and messed up his tie

[@CodyWhitlock]

I love all the old SNL skits!! I’m glad they post so many!

[@jpsned]

For those who don't know this is based on a real call-in show that President Carter had on March 5, 1977. 🙂

[@HughJass-313]

❤❤

[@lockandloadlikehell]

I did not know that

[@justcurious3119]

As I understand that there is a comment line now for the White House, as well as internet communication through email.

[@jeffreyexposito3803]

These 70s vintage SNL skits are absolutely gold and bring so many memories.

[@wendyparker7363]

We may laugh, but had it been possible there's no doubt in my mind that President Carter would have done exactly this for the American people if he could have. Gold from the golden age of SNL!

[@jpsned]

He actually DID do this, on March 5, 1977. That's what the show is spoofing. 😀

[@wendyparker7363]

Oh, I know. I meant he would have answered Every kind of question :)

[@jpsned]

@@wendyparker7363 Got it. 🙂

[@KJ-vc3sw]

Doggone it, Wendy.

[@Tmanaz480]

LOL...around 1980, "Just remember you are a living organism on planet Earth,,," Was a catchphrase among my college friends if someone had overindulged. Carter was known to be a very hands-on, detail oriented President.

[@borderlineiq]

@networkdeath1 Now, now. Don't leave out the Kennedy machine actively working to defeat him during his entire term. Ted was plenty pissed at losing the nomination. It's almost as if a few families in this country run the political machine.

[@kenflowerday5980]

@networkdeath1 Yeah, that's what the pundits say, but I was alive, I was there and I never saw what his critics saw. He was clearly a born again Christian and has lived the most service-based life of any president in the 20th century.

[@sandrasimpson5734]

SNL has the best skits. SO many political skits over the years are killer, especially Alec Baldwin as Trump

[@mycroft414414]

@@sandrasimpson5734 I notice you are still using the T-word. In the interest of suppressing conflict, please begin using the more socially-conscious construction '45*' pronounced 'Fourty-five (asterisk)' Personally, I'm still having trouble adapting, myself, and still inadvertently use my two original creations; The Orange Mandarin The Mean Tangerine

[@paulcanis6297]

@Rickie j While the bad man was orange, not all orange men are bad. I do not think that was the claim, at all, was it? I'm sure there are fine orange men.

[@tomyamartino]

I watched this when it aired. I was a freshman in college, and I must have watched it in my dorm because I do remember laughing hysterically at "Orange Sunshine", and there was no other way I could have seen it back then! I've always remembered it, this is the first time I'm seeing it again. Amazing.

[@TheaterPup]

Btw, that's Dan Aykroyd playing Nixon at the end, talking to himself playing Carter, lol.

[@brazengaming1813]

Thought it was Mister Ed at first!

[@waynej2608]

Yep, that's Dan, on tape doing Tricky Dick too.

[@kshinokevin]

hilarious !

[@kthorning4459]

The David Frost interview with Nixon was great, too. Dan was so good at imitating Nixon’s odd digressions, like describing the water faucets and eating a bowl of corn flakes.

[@belljo]

Bill Murray completely underrated in this scene! so good!

[@whuppy]

One of the rare times he disappears into a role.

[@DickyHertz]

"Do you have any Allman Brothers?" He totally would have recommended them.

[@markusmclaughlin2414]

Pres. Carter, Thank You For Your Humanity, Humour, and Service... :)

[@atlantaguitar9689]

I haven't seen this since it originally aired. Aykroyd's Carter impression was a big hit at the time.

[@robertmorganfisher]

Funny because it's completely plausible. Godspeed to you Mr. Carter. We Love You.

[@Folma7]

Dan Aykroyd was my favorite SNL player. Always gave 100% into his characters.

[@borderlineiq]

Note the good-natured lampoon rather than vicious satire which has become the norm.

[@YTEdy]

​@@borderlineiq He did some skits on Carter that cut pretty deep, maybe not the buffoonery that Baldwin does on Trump, but not always in a good light.

[@cubswin3838]

It goes back to his improv days. The language of "yes".

[@MrGamerman001]

"Okay you've taken some orange sunshine. Do you have any beer you can drink? Do you know when you took it?" - This is how a president should be.

[@tiagoaguiar4876]

Like Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa about cocaine and marijuana lol

[@andrewsutherland133]

I feel like bush jr could be like that

[@preciousroihomeshoppingnet7908]

@@andrewsutherland133 I could totally see W talking some kid down...that's not that much of a compliment, just an acknowledgement that he's done enough drugs to be able to pull it off without being too square about it. "Heh heh, shit pard, you're just a little high man, drink you some beers and put "Black Water" on infinite repeat and you'll be fine. Chillax."

[@jonp72]

I kept wishing they would redo this with Barack Obama but instead he answers a question from some club kid crashing from Ecstasy. I could also see Kate McKinnon’s Elizabeth Warren doing this.

[@davidryan5376]

Someone with more experience would recomend a couple valium and Percocets...actually I've found opiates to bring me down considerably when ive taken too much of a hallucinogen to where I feel somewhat back to reality.Obviously haldol or thorazine would work but lets be honest....how many homes have anti psychotics in thier medicine cabinet.Beer (or Whisky if you got it)works okay if you have nothing else I guess.Ive used it to mellow me out from amphetamines so it does work.Be responsible kiddos...of you take a trip...dont leave the farm😏

[@matthewstromer]

Dan Aykroyd at the top of his game.

[@animechic420]

Like always.

[@wizardmix]

I thought he did amazing work in the film "Coneheads". I mean the plot was soso but really I just enjoyed the dialog. It has to take an intense level of focus to maintain that character.

[@adaomauche3882]

1:55 "You stupid mother-" *Jimmy quickly hangs up* My favorite part!

[@skeletonmakesgood]

Dr. Midnight really liked Rosalyn!

[@DrMidknight]

​@@skeletonmakesgoodRIP 🙏

[@dougrhonable]

I think its Cronkite who hangs up.

[@prosen8966]

I’ve always loved this sketch! I can’t even count how many times I’ve rewatched it just for fun but considering what’s happening with President Carter right now, I just want to say that while I was fairly young at the time, I DID know that he was brilliant, but I obviously DIDNT know that he would then spend the next 40+ years of his life helping other people, literally building them houses, working in the fields, to give them food and shelter. I’ve always been proud to be a Democrat but never so much as I am right now while I think about everything Carter has done with his life. Thank you so much and God Bless!! 🥰🥰👏👏🕊️🕊️

[@smadaf]

Aren't humanity and being an inhabitant of the Earth more important things to have in common with Jimmy Carter than political party?

[@autumnlutz2785]

I love Dan's smile at the end of the sketch

[@guitarvocs]

In the last days of President Carter's stay on earth, I was reminiscing about this wonderful sketch. Thank you for everything, Jimmy. We love you.

[@AmosAmerica]

@gyutarvics - Jimmy Carter is very much alive as of March 06, 2023.

[@yacan1]

I like how it's been two weeks

[@annissa5356]

Why are ppl saying he’s dead??🤔

[@ESGrey-eo8ui]

@@annissa5356 he is in hospice care.

[@cyborglion4179]

He isn't dead?

[@skeletonmakesgood]

"Is Rosilyn there? I really like her!" Garrett Morris was fantastic!

[@charlesgreen8703]

That was actually The Late Great John Belushi as Doctor Midnight

[@CyberUK]

This sketch was genius. Perfect acting from Dan

[@kvonjaco]

One of the best sketches ever in my opinion.

[@TBH-nu2so]

Honestly, Carter was kind of this way in real life. Built his own home, ran a peanut farm, and became a nuclear sub engineer while in the Navy. One of the first sailors to help prevent/resolve a core meltdown.

[@douglasdavis8395]

Geordie: "Estimate an imminent warp core breach in three minutes!"

[@KevinJohnson-ws1nh]

If you have a beer, go on and drink it. Hilarious!

[@rayherbst6655]

President Jimmy Carter is STILL constitutionally eligible, folks, and at 94, he is still mentally sharp, and as he has aged, he has continued to learn and I support most of his views. God bless him

[@cliffschleifer191]

And the worst president in our lifetime

[@borderlineiq]

@@cliffschleifer191 Please get help. The fever has from all evidence cooked your brain. May God help you.

[@j.kaymetcalf-benton6600]

I’m glad to get the perspective of Carter being as as mentally sharp at 94 as he was as President. This totally explains his 4 years acting as a President.

[@kyleshiflet9952]

I agree with you Ray Herbst

[@flatearthcryptocurrencyman6740]

id vote 4 carter. perhaps well get windmills on the white house lawn this time.

[@brianduffy2361]

Best SNL skit ever. Go Jimmy.

[@ThalesWell]

“The ceiling is dripping” has stuck with me for over 20 years

[@easyenetwork2023]

This also illustrates how intelligent Carter was. He was a NAVAL Sumbmariner and was essentially just a step below being a nuclear engineer.

[@smokinhalf]

carter in his time in service with the navy was the one who started the nuclear powered ships of the united states navy

[@mjwatts1983]

@@smokinhalfHyman Rickover was the one who started the nuclear propulsion program that powers our submarines and aircraft carriers Rickover was in the Navy for so long that Carter eventually became his superior

[@GeneDexterExperience]

You did some orange sunshine, Peter.

[@VAWineNB]

Al Franken is the acid kid.....orange sunshine....perfect!

[@bwj8]

I could be wrong, but I think it sounds like Franken's comedy partner and longtime SNL writer Tom Davis. Davis' voice used to crack in that very same way.

[@thebarky1988]

I miss the old skits. Thank you. I am laughing so much. In these days, I need to laugh!

[@feltongailey8987]

This is pure gold! This is closer to fact, than fiction. The poor guy. They handed him a barrel of excrement and I succinctly believe that, given enough time, like oh say, 20 years in office, he could've sorted it all out. He shares my birthday, how could I not like him.

[@Distortedthoughts]

Do you have any Allman Brothers lol

[@paulciarrochi2362]

Hey they're from Georgia

[@Cactina]

Oh Goodness, I laughed so much!

[@cornonthecob1268]

@@paulciarrochi2362 didn't think about that ,Allman brothers being from Georgia .

[@archerevan823]

Eat a Peach for Peace

[@jacobdehaan4114]

Dan Aykroyd and Bill Murray are hilarious!

[@Liesel925]

I remember seeing this live when it aired, and laughing our butts off!

[@tomc.7520]

Happy 100th Mr. President.

[@MoïsePicard-ef8fr]

Jimmy Carter is turning 100 years old. Let's wish him a Happy Birthday‼️🎂🎈🥳🧁☺️🎉🎊🍰🎁🎺💌🕯️❤

[@mattholt3585]

Well Walter I'll call Peter back on Monday to see if he got down ok! 🤣

[@dominickdirienzo8266]

The real Jimmy Carter just turned 💯!

[@mrdorf2784]

The turning the radio down was a nice little touch.

[@stevek2340]

As was "Cronkite" mispronouncing the name of that first caller. :)

[@irisheyzgrl24murphy92]

Priceless !! I remember back then Watching this with a bunch of freaks. We were laughing hysterically ! ,😅

[@mllruss1]

One of the advantages of being an old f**k is I saw all these when they were live. It was breakthrough television that was simply funny and clever as hell!!

[@i8ntnuts]

I hear ya. sometimes I wonder if the world might be in better shape had we not all been stoned all the time. Ya know? Shame the world didn’t follow our lead? Guess we will never really know.

[@kasteman1]

"Do you have any Allman Brothers?" 😂

[@justinestes6400]

The audience slept on "I can't read my watch." That killed me the 1st time I watched it.

[@tommyz5189]

This is the era when SNL had great actors and writers.

[@JohnHWelch63]

I'm so old I watched this skit when it aired live in 1977. I was 15.

[@chevychase]

This skit is a vivid reminder of how wonderful the 70s were!!

[@cannistrar1]

I remember laughing and laughing so hard.

[@GregInEastTennessee]

That's so good! It stands the test of time. 😀

[@kristentindle6258]

Jimmy Carter kicked ass!! He still does! Murray and Aykroyd together classic SNL!

[@nicholasgambill7431]

@Jen Fon TRUE!

[@waynej2608]

@Jen Fon Bullshit!

[@borderlineiq]

@Hairway to Steven No, you'd be remembering the satire of the man, not the man.

[@irondirigible4216]

I'm pretty young, so I didn't grow up watching Dan Akyroyd, and never understood why people thought he was so funny. Then I watched the first 5 seasons of SNL, and I totally get it now.

[@richardharmon647]

Agree with previous poster Murrray did a spot on impression of Cronkite

[@dianarobinson2087]

Love it!! These were the best SNL cast!!

[@sandrasimpson5734]

The reason it is so funny is Carter was so strait laced. His BIG scandal while he was in office was Playboy Magazine published an article in which he was quoted as saying "he lusted after his neighbors wife"

[@tomjoad3868]

...and his son smoked a joint on the roof with Willie Nelson :)

[@craigeverhart4755]

Carter was/is one cool dude.

[@mjwoodworth5247]

That's not quite what he said.... The article was published during the campaign and nearly detailed it, not when he was president.

[@tomshea8382]

@@mjwoodworth5247 It was in the November 1976 issue, and the Republicans tried to make it stick. It did not.

[@tbewin1z143]

@@tomshea8382 Idk man, Carter went from a 33 point lead in July 1976 to only winning by 2 points!!! Everything stuck, Ford just ran out of time!!!

[@drewhunkins7192]

Yes! I've been searching for this clip for some time. Absolutely hilarious.

[@kurtweldon5646]

I miss the days when we could make jokes about the president being knowledgeable...

[@micheldura2]

Amen

[@jjwwqq]

The joke was that President Carter foolishly involved himself in matters that should have been handled by others, freeing him up to focus on things that only the President could handle. A notable example was his approving White House tennis court reservations.

[@MegaChoo2]

Yeah the last two guys are senile ole bats

[@MidnightMob209]

That's most certainly not the joke

[@NotSoOpposite]

As a 90s kid I've yet to be able to see this outside of Obama, I suppose

[@collegeman1988]

The calls to President Carter are live, except there’s a 7 second delay just in case something goes wrong.

[@theeJordanTaylor]

This is gold lmao.

[@kfyre976]

Ugh I love Dan!! 😂😂

[@jeffw1267]

Garrett Morris was brilliant even when it was just his voice.

[@ClueSign]

Rosalyn Carter RIP, and somewhat related, excellent Walter Cronkite by Bill Murray.

[@jimratliff2753]

The very best times ever....the 70's. Genius stuff!

[@kthorning4459]

I believe that was Al Franken’s voice playing the 17 year old on the acid trip

[@KozenaDrzka]

That last call was Nixon right?

[@TheaterPup]

Yup, also played by Dan Aykroyd, lol.

[@jonchaney]

I thought it was mr ed.

[@carlpage4952]

Known at the time as Tricky Dicky.

[@megahappy2bemeIntheStarz]

Yes.

[@ultimateazhole]

I don't recollect :)

[@irisheyzgrl24murphy92]

Today President Carter turned 96 yrs old. Oct 1 2020. 💙

[@majorskepticism7836]

In 1980 Jimmy Carter made a campaign stop in Kentucky. A woman asked him if he could do something about the dismal local telephone service. I don’t remember what he said to her. This was just before that sketch appeared on SNL. I remember that, and I remember that the phone service was pretty bad.

[@DisobedientSpaceWhale]

For those of us in the UK, the post office problem at the beginning reminds us of the Horizon IT post office disaster. But we don't have a President Carter to sort it out 😞

[@ThatsGuy-ri6ul]

And the modern day equivalent of this is Tim Walz helping people understand about, and fix their cars better

[@phillipkopp5809]

For some reason this sketch popped into my head. I saw it when I was a kid. KZbin came through!

[@Ibhenriksen]

2:12 That's Bobcat Goldthwait

[@austindowney325]

Love President Carter!!

[@theflorgeormix]

Recorded this on tape recorder as a kid. Would fall asleep 2 it. Genius. Is Roslyn there ?

[@AllanOstermann]

Ackroyd is a ventriloquist. He was Carter and "John Smith from San Clemente.. Luis Obispo"... yep.

[@vormax2007]

And he was Nixon at the end.

[@hayshammond5499]

“ do you have any Allman zBrothers”? Classic

[@keepgrindingup7661]

I remember when this aired it is still one of the greatest of all time SNL skits and that line just kills

[@bartlebyscrivener674]

Sad, that at one point, we made fun of the President for being TOO knowledgeable...........

[@bornyesterday21]

The first and last president for whom i voted. 1976 and 1980.

[@nathanjamesbaker]

There certainly has not been a better president since Carter. Do you not vote for president any more, or have you voted for losing candidates since 1984?

[@cynthiacarle9436]

Yeah? okay, vote for Bernie Sanders in 2020.

[@KonElKent]

As in you haven't voted since 1980? Or just that all the candidates since weren't really Presidential? I can sympathize with the latter, because just once I would like to cast a vote for someone who is more than simply the lesser of two evils...

[@budlewis721]

So YOU'RE the reason Trump won! You'll be doing some deadtime in Purgatory for that one.

[@tbewin1z143]

@@budlewis721 Say the same about you and Mr WWIII!!!

[@fieonshakespearenut]

Bill Murray looks like Jeremy Renner in this for some reason.

[@terrilhurst9737]

With all due respect to President Jimmy Carter, he was one of the best presidents we ever had! People need to look at the whole of his life and model after him!

[@carlr8061]

Correction. He was a good person with a lot of dumb ideas. Look at his record as President not his whole life after all he was in office to do a good job which mostly, he didn't. Thats the part of his life that affected us. Not the years he wasn't President.

[@DrMidknight]

😂 ... are you on Acid?

[@Bradyvilleboy]

That is actually sound advice for someone who is tripping on acid......so I'm told.

[@edgarmelenedez6702]

Funny as hell

[@NCS61]

Do you have any Allman Brothers? Lolololol

[@squamish4244]

Carter is actually like this. He's one of the few presidents to have an engineering degree.

[@KJ-vc3sw]

Orange sunshine was a real thing. I took it many times. Good stuff (What are all those eyeballs floating around and looking at me? Why are their voices talking to me from out of the sky?).

[@rayherbst6655]

Carter is still constitutionally eligible! He may have been mocked for having a vast knowledge, but I would welcome him again to be my president any day

[@charlesgreen8703]

“Is Roselyn there?…I really like her!”-Doctor Midnight P.S. “Hey Cronkite…you stupid mother,” 😂😂😂😂😂🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@kemperwatson3490]

I saw this the first time it was on

[@jalakat3024]

Great advice. It worked On CNN Jan 3 2021. Rock and roll president. Of course Jimmy Carter

[@DebbieMcVegan]

Happy birthday President Carter!

[@LuvvyDuck]

This was fun to watch!

[@robready3690]

Comic genius Ackroyd.

[@kbitchkal8765]

This guy next to Dan looks like an older version of Jeremy Renner Is that Bill murray?

[@SeriouslySketchy]

Yup!

[@ANC2002]

Love him so much!

[@recessinthering8425]

It might be his brother Brian Doyle Murray

[@rudranshu65sengupta14]

As Walter Mondale

[@Philobaccus]

Yes, that's absolutely Bill Murray (not Brian) and he's playing then-CBS News anchor (and "most trusted man in television") Walter Cronkite, not V.P. Mondale. If he looks "older", it's all makeup - Murray was 27 or 28 here; even in the first Avengers in 2012, Renner was 41.

[@KonElKent]

Now all I can think about is Carter dropping Orange Sunshine... Although, there is a story that (depending on which version you believe) Nixon either came close to, or actually did, take an acid trip during his presidency. The story goes he invited some college friends of his daughter to a reception at the White House to show the young people he was with it. One such guest brought some special sugar cubes that may or may not have made their way into his tea. That was June 1969, and now it all makes sense...

[@waynej2608]

It was close, but no cigar. Grace Slick of Jefferson Airplane, later Starship, was among some white house visitors from the bay area. She brought some lsd, and planned on slipping it into Nixon's beverage. Unfortunately, secret service I'D her and escorted her out.

[@privateprivate1865]

I was there!! In deed times were different . I remember this Snl scene from 5 minutes and 8 seconds ago.