What happens when Steve Martin takes one of history’s most famous pharaohs and turns him into a funky 1970s music sensation?
You get “King Tut,” one of the most recognizable musical comedy performances in early Saturday Night Live.
The performance originally aired on April 22, 1978, when Steve Martin hosted SNL with The Blues Brothers as the musical guests.
SNL officially describes the piece as Martin’s funky musical parody of the popularity surrounding the King Tut exhibition.
THE KING TUT CRAZE BECOMES COMEDY
The joke begins with something completely real.
The treasures of Tutankhamun had become a major cultural attraction in the United States.
People were lining up to see the famous Egyptian artifacts.
Steve Martin takes that enormous public fascination and asks a wonderfully ridiculous question.
What if King Tut were actually a funky music star?
That simple idea becomes the foundation for one of the most memorable musical comedy pieces SNL produced during the 1970s.
STEVE MARTIN PLAYS IT COMPLETELY STRAIGHT
One of the funniest things about “King Tut” is how seriously Steve Martin performs it.
He does not behave like someone who knows he is doing...
