She and I had our best moments together on television, and sometimes late at night in our offices where we were talking and not writing, and sometimes out in a so-so tavern in midtown Manhattan while we were drinking too much. It takes a long time, a long history, to know that the best things, the best moments in life, are gone in what seems like a flash. I knew she wasn't well, but we always think things will get better. No matter how long we are here, it's not long enough. It's sorrowful, and there isn't one comedian worth her weight in salt if she doesn't understand that. I'm not ready to accept that Jan died, at 57. I think both Jan and Nora were in the right place at the wrong time. After Will Ferrell bludgeoned his way to becoming famous, Michaels allowed Kristen Wiig to do the same thing saying, "See? It's not just an alpha male thing!! We have alpha females, too!" Lorne Michaels quickly put Tina Fey in that spot and played up her role as head writer to the press. Until SNL was accused of sexism (and proven to be sexist) by the book on SNL by the LA Times critic, there hadn't been any female head writers. Ana Gasteyer hasn't had anywhere the career or no-talents Adam Sandler and Rob Scheider. She's nowhere near the asshole he is and was, but she can't get decent work. Let's compare her to the world's biggest asshole, Chevy Chase. He's still doing drug commercials with his $5 wig on, but where are Cheri Oteri, Molly Shannon, Julia Sweeney? Nora Dunn has some kind of reputation for being weird, but she sure seems normal to me. Kevin Nealon was a nonentity and look at how much work he got after SNL. It was the career highlight of their lives, with the exception of Jane Curtain who was an old school pro who could sing, dance, act and not give two shits about John Belushi and nasty Michael Mc Donogh's misogyny. But in those days, most SNL women had nothing to look forward to after being on the show. How sad to want to become an alcoholic recluse. Phil had another model waiting in the wings. Jan Hooks was not in the running to be Mrs Hartman 4.0. Third Mrs Hartman decided he wouldn't do to her what she and he did to Number Two. Phil Hartman already had the fourth Mrs Hartman lined up. She just lost all interest in performing or appearing in public. Yes, it sounds like she was loved and respected by all who knew her. Her death wasn't suicide the cancer cut off her airway and she collapsed one night coming out of the bathroom. Nor did she quit smoking or drinking until the end. She had the choice of a laryngectomy, but chose not to do it. They discovered a cancerous node in her throat that didn't respond to chemo. Jan stalled him and finally said she just didn't want to do it. At a tribute to Marc Shaiman at Carnegie Hall, he wanted to reunite the Sweeney Sisters. She turned down work (not just auditions, but offers) regularly and said she only wanted to work enough to keep her SAG insurance. She was a heavy smoker and drinker for years and had no intention of quitting either (implication is her changed appearance was due to tons of booze). Her handyman (who became a good friend) said the isolation was intense, but she craved being alone with her pets. Eventually she just moved to the farmhouse full-time. She had an apartment in New York and a farmhouse upstate. This answers a lot of questions DL has had in various threads.
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