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Wayne's World

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For the films based on the sketch, see: Wayne's World (film) and Wayne's World 2.

Wayne's World was one of the most popular recurring sketches to come from the NBC television series, Saturday Night Live. It actually evolved from a segment titled "Wayne's Power Minute" on the CBC television series It's Only Rock and Roll as the main character first appeared in that show. The Saturday Night Live sketch spawned two films, and several catchphrases which have since entered the pop-culture lexicon. The sketch centered around a local cable access television program in Aurora, Illinois, hosted by Wayne Campbell (Mike Myers, the same actor from "Wayne's Power Minute"), an enthusiastic and sardonic long-haired metalhead, and his timid and sometimes high-strung sidekick, Garth Algar (Dana Carvey). Wayne lived with his parents, and he broadcast his show "live" from the basement of their house every Friday evening at 10:30.

The "show" would open with Wayne and Garth singing the lyrics to the opening theme, "It's Wayne's World! Wayne's World! Party time! Excellent!", accompanied by Wayne's frantic strumming of his guitar, and Garth drumming on his lap with drum sticks. The two would introduce themselves ("I am your excellent host, Wayne Campbell, and with me as always is Garth.") and then proceed to go into their various exploits, including discussions of their love of hard rock bands and "babes", as well as juvenile antics, such as the "Extreme Close-Up" (where a camera would zoom in on Wayne and Garth as they screamed) and tricking their unsuspecting guests into saying vulgar words. Garth would frequently get over-excited and lose control to which Wayne would have to tell him, "take your Ritalin".

In the early sketches, Wayne and Garth are high school students, and their guests on the show included their teachers (including one played by Ed O'Neill, who would later play a very similar character in both films), and other students from school (such as Nancy, a "babe" played by Jan Hooks). Other frequent guests included Garth's father, "Beev", (so named because of his teeth, Phil Hartman) who was often ridiculed by Wayne despite the fact that he was married to a "babe" (Candice Bergen). In later appearances, however, Wayne and Garth appear to be young adults, (although Wayne still lives with his parents—a theme which would carry over to the first film), and their discussions shifted more towards current events and pop-culture phenomena, and the show featured actual celebrity guests.

Probably the most memorable appearance of the sketch featured Wayne and Garth in a jam session with their idols, the rock band Aerosmith, performing an extended, hard rock version of the "Wayne's World" theme song.

Catchphrases

  • "Party on, Wayne." "Party on, Garth."
  • "Excellent!"
  • "Schwing!" (an onomatopoeic representation of a male having sexual intercourse)
  • "We're not worthy!" (repeated, while bowing, to guests who the two deem themselves unworthy to interview)
  • "...NOT!"
  • "Shyeah, right."
  • "No Way." "Way."
  • "Fished in!"
  • "I think I'm gonna hurl!" (Garth, when he gets over-excited)
  • "Wayne's World, Wayne's World, party time, excellent!"
  • "Ex-squeeze me? A-baking powder?" (Instead of, "Excuse me, I beg your pardon?")
  • "Yeah, and monkeys might fly out of my butt." (A response to a doubtful scenario)

The films

In 1992, the sketch was adapted into a film, Wayne's World. It was followed by a sequel, Wayne's World 2 in 1993.

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