During Weekend Update, Adam Sandler performs his now-legendary "Chanukah Song" for the first time on SNL. After explaining that there's a lack of Hanukkah songs compared to Christmas tunes, Sandler sits down with his guitar and sings a humorous tune listing famous Jewish celebrities that Jewish children might not know about. The song mentions David Lee Roth, James Caan, Kirk Douglas, the Three Stooges, Captain Kirk (William Shatner), Mr. Spock (Leonard Nimoy), Goldie Hawn, Paul Newman, Harrison Ford, and many others. The crowd-pleasing highlight comes when Sandler declares "O.J. Simpson... not a Jew!" to thunderous applause (notably a joke for fellow Weekend Update anchor Norm Macdonald who frequently trolled O.J. on the segment). The song also humorously mentions that Rod Carew "converted" (though this was inaccurate). Sandler can barely contain his laughter throughout the performance, making it even more endearing. The song became an instant classic and launched a cultural phenomenon.
This performance happened during the 1994 O.J. Simpson trial, making the O.J. Simpson joke particularly timely. The song was later included on Sandler's 1996 comedy album "What the Hell Happened to Me?" Several celebrities mentioned in the song responded: Henry Winkler was deeply flattered and began a long collaboration with Sandler; Harrison Ford corrected Sandler about being "half" Jewish not a quarter; Rod Carew found it funny despite the inaccuracy. The Seattle SuperSonics owner Barry Ackerley (who was not Jewish) confronted Sandler about the reference to the team's owner being Jewish. There are both radio edit and uncut versions of the song with different lyrics regarding marijuana. The song charted on Billboard Hot 100 (#80), Adult Pop Airplay (#28), and Alternative Airplay (#25). The song was certified Gold by the RIAA (500,000+ units). The video has over 8 million views on YouTube as of the data collection. Sandler appeared visibly nervous and shaky before starting the song but loosened up during the performance. Weekend Update was anchored by Norm Macdonald during this episode (his first few months as anchor).
| Person | Role | |
|---|---|---|
| Adam Sandler | Writer | |
| Lewis Morton | Writer | |
| Ian Maxtone-Graham | Writer |
