Father Guido Sarducci

Chain-smoking, sun glass-wearing United States correspondent/gossip columnist/rock and roll critic for the Vatican Enquirer. Broadcast live on Weekend Update.

American stand-up comedian Don Novello created the character of Father Guido Sarducci after purchasing a priest's costume at a thrift store in 1970. Novello played the part of a chain-smoking, sun glass-wearing priest who has his own ideas about religion and the people who worship. Father Guido Sarducci appeared on television shows in the early 1970's such as Rowan and Martin's Laugh-In and The Smothers Brothers Show. While he was a writer on Saturday Night Live, the producers decided to give him a skit of his own on the Weekend Update segment, as Father Guido Sarducci. That's how I remember him, on Saturday Night Live. Maybe you do too!

Above photo from YouTube video below.

Television Career

It spans decades

Father Guido Sarducci's television career has spanned decades. He's appeared on such shows as Blossom, Married...with Children and Unhappily Ever After, just to name a few. After leaving Saturday Night Live Sarducci returned several times as the guest host. In 2005 he appeared on MSNBC's Countdown with Keith Olbermann to discuss his Da Vinci Code Decoder Ring and in 2010 Sarducci appeared on The Colbert Report to discuss the interview he conducted with Glenn Beck at the Vatican.

Five Minute University

This is one of Father Guido Sarducci's funniest skits...at least I think so. It's his solution for an affordable education...

The 5 Minute College Education for $20!

Saturday Night Live - Full Season Episodes

Available in several formats at Amazon


Saturday Night Live: Season 5, 1979-1980 View on Amazon	Saturday Night Live Lost & Found: SNL... View on Amazon

Recording and Movie Career

In addition to recording two comedy albums Breakfast in Heaven and Live at St. Douglas Convent, Father Sarducci has recorded with Joe Walsh, been in a Jefferson Starship video for the song 'No Way Out', portrayed a priest attempting to perform an exorcism in the movie Casper. Also appearing in Casper was fellow SNL cohort Dan Aykroyd in his Ghostbuster role.

Father Sarducci in Casper

Casper (Widescreen Special Edition)

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Father Sarducci Breaks the Law

The year was 1981 when Father Guido Sarducci visited Vatican City wearing his priest costume. He was there with a photographer from Time magazine doing a photo shoot. They were taking pictures in an area where photography is prohibited, and they were both promptly arrested by the Swiss Guards. Novello/Sarducci was charged with impersonating a priest. The film was confiscated from the photographer and the charges were later dropped.