Saturday Night Live premiered in October 1975, right after I turned 10 years old. My mother, a progressive woman, was more than happy to allow me to stay up to watch it with her. We lived in New York, and we got the inside jokes. It became our Saturday night ritual – and we found connection through that entertainment.  

Humor can make the intensity of the world more manageable, and it can illuminate issues that some seem to ignore. When combined with music, glimpses into the personalities of famous icons, cultural opinions, and clever commentary, the results are long-lasting. SNL celebrated 50 years this past weekend in New York, and watching so many past hosts, musical stars, actors, and others celebrate Lorne Michaels and the show’s success made me think about human connection and the power of humor. 

Durkheim’s theory on collective consciousness talks about how a sense of social cohesion is achieved when diverse people can form a community through shared traditions, laws, or cultural rituals. I’ve seen these groups form at sporting events, music concerts, or at the theater. The most profound places I’ve experienced this, though, are at comedy shows or in nature.

In professional services, we all strive to be unique, while communicating our similar skills. We want to make meaningful connections with our clients and our teams, and, when done well, time together at our events allows us to forge deeper relationships in safe spaces. I’ve seen this done so well here at Riveron, and I believe that collective consciousness can be created on a small level too, especially when humor is present.

We all want to have longevity and success in our respective areas. Perhaps we need to review the brilliant recipe of SNL. 

"S.N.L. Celebrates 50 Years With Star-Studded Prime-Time Special - Stage and audience alike at Studio 8H were packed with cast, alumni and other celebrities in a night that was in turns sweet and self-satirizing." --Headline from The New York Times

https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/17/arts/television/saturday-night-live-50th-anniversary-special.html?smid=nytcore-ios-share&referringSource=articleShare