Work Text:
NICO'S POV
For as long as Nico can remember, he had always wanted to be on Saturday Night Live (he forgets the first six years of living). He was the youngest out of 12 siblings to parents who could not care about his name: Nicholas Jameson Sparrow. They called him Nico just because he was just that: Nico. Nothing else. But every night while his parents stayed up doing their taxes (he would later find out that it was actually sex) he had saw SNL. He had growed up when Bill Murray was the on the show, and suddenly, he cannot get out the image of Nick, the Lounge Singer singing "Star Wars! More Star Wars!" and loving it. When Bill left the show (and came back to host twice before never appearing again until Season 12), he felt like the show lost a star. Bill was obviously in movies, but it did not feel personal to Nico anymore cause Bill had simply outgrown the show.
Nico had also been a bit of a loner. He did not grow up with any friends or any of his siblings cause to them Nico was a freak. He was a stupid kid who always tried to impersonate Bill Murray or any dumb comedian ever.
Nico loved SNL, but it was not until 1984, when he saw Don Rickles host (a big inspiration for Nico) and saw how the sketches were better when Don was improvising, that Nico decided to become a comedy writer and would eventually write on SNL. It was a dream to him and he wanted it so badly. Nothing else mattered. He never had a girlfriend or any friends (aside from comedy friends such as comedian J. Michael Pauls and Jack Stiller, who both became famous comedic actors due to their appearance on new sketch show Comedy Hour) so he was mostly lonely.
Nico also had a bit of a trouble streak. He was always trying to write plays for his drama class that he never attended and was shocked to see people did not understand the point of them. They always said "Nico, you cannot just end on a character arc not being completed" or "Nico, this is too dark for a kid's play", or "Nico, this is a science class, not a writer's room" and could not understand his self proclaimed genius. To them Nico was never going to make it out there, but Nico, he had faith in himself. He had learned it from the many years of watching his brothers and sisters getting all praises, while he gets a grown up so shocked to see him that they got a heart attack.
Nico loves comedy and would practise many George Carlin bits in the mirror including the "Seven Words You Can Never Say on Television" and his parents did not care. He was a goner to them.
In 1987, his dad would pass away, Nico felt nothing. He was confused about it cause a comedic friend, the first friend he ever made sadly, named J. Michael Pauls, had his father Jonathan Pauls, died a few months back and he had been sad by it.
Nico tried to think of good things his dad did for him, but other than not pulling out of his mom, he had nothing. He was scared. He had heard many stories of serial killers being like this and Nico suddenly had a joke idea that could be used on a stage.
His punchline was a clear way to get to people's heads and be remembered. He had been a hit or miss comedian, but never able to make people remember his name. Always "Jack" or "Mike" and never Nico.
This could be his moment. This could be his "Seven Words You Can Never Say on Television." It will be remembered and be an inspiration for a different young loner comedian.
So he set up a list of set ups, but cannot choose one. So he decided to just say "Screw it, let us try this all" and came onto the stage.
He was nervous. He had always been confident in his jokes, but this time, he was not. The punchline was too far for people to laugh at or understand. Even Nico had to convince himself to even write it down. But he told the set up and managed to make some chuckle. He then delivered the punchline. The laughter never...felt so relieving to hear. It worked. It was dark enough for some oh's in the audience and laughter just filled out and he decided to leave cause once you tell a great punchline that gets a big laugh, it is just time to book it.
The next morning, he had heard from many people that the joke he told was popular and was seen by a producer...for Saturday Night Live. And they are looking for Nico Sparrow. Nico. Sparrow.
He had done it. He got their attention. He is basically on the show. But not yet. He still needed to audition for the show.