THE SKETCH THAT NEVER MADE IT TO AIR
Some of the funniest comedy moments are not necessarily the sketches that receive the biggest spotlight during a live broadcast.
Sometimes a sketch gets cut for time and disappears into the archives.
Then years later, someone discovers it again and suddenly audiences realize what they missed.
“Gus Chiggins, Old Prospector” is exactly that kind of SNL treasure.
The sketch was originally performed in 2001 and was cut from the broadcast.
Years later, Saturday Night Live released the sketch online, giving viewers a chance to finally see Will Ferrell’s bizarre old-prospector character in action.
MEET GUS CHIGGINS
Will Ferrell plays Gus Chiggins, an elderly prospector who somehow finds himself attached to a military unit preparing for deployment.
That setup is already strange enough.
But the real comedy begins when Gus starts behaving exactly like the old prospector he imagines himself to be.
He has the beard.
He has the hat.
He has the exaggerated voice.
And most importantly, he has absolutely no intention of acting like a normal member of the group.
SNL’s official description identifies the sketch as a story about an old prospector...
