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“Saturday Night Live” has not shied away from inviting athletes to flex their comedy muscles. Peyton and Eli Manning have both made appearances on the program, as well as sports superstars like Tom Brady, Michael Phelps, and even Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce following his Super Bowl victory. However, one of the greatest athletes of all time, Michael Jordan, only made one hosting appearance on the show in 1991, the same year he won his first of three consecutive NBA titles.
Fortunately, Michael Jordan’s likability among basketball fans was echoed by those who worked at “Saturday Night Live.” According to cast member David Spade, Jordan was the type of host who was game to do anything, which is a stance quite beloved by comedy writers. One comedy writer who got a lot of mileage out of Jordan was Al Franken, a writer and featured player on the show who became known for his character Stuart Smalley, host of the self-help program “Daily Affirmations with Stuart Smalley.”
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In this edition of “Daily Affirmations with Stuart Smalley,” Smalley coaches Jordan on having a positive outlook on his life as a basketball player, even when he might not feel good enough. Jordan, suppressing laughter from Franken’s committed performance, looks at himself in a mirror and repeats the mantra: “I’m good enough, I’m smart enough, and doggone it, people like me!” For a man years away from making basketball history, perhaps Smalley’s encouragement was all he needed to succeed.
