Jake and Elwood page 7

 Jake and Elwood page 7 by ric gustafson

Right before the premiere of season two, Tom Shales of the Washington Post informed Michaels and ' Saturday Night' that Chevy Chase might leave. His contract was up. Chase made a new deal with NBC to produce specials. The salaries of the cast jumped because of the Emmys and the rising ratings. 

The first show of 1976 had Lily Tomlin as host. On the October 2 show, Joe Cocker was the musical guest. He was not happy with Belushi's portrayal. Belushi quit doing the character. The October 30 show was the last for Chevy Chase. The host for the show was Buck Henry. After the show, Dan and John took a weeklong road trip. After Chase left, cast members began to wonder how long they were going to be there before leaving?.

Judy kicked John out of the house because of his increasing drug use. John crashed at Penny Marshall's. Dan's love life was improving. Dan had dated Gilda Radner and Laraine Newman. After Chase's departure, the mood of the cast was grim. Everybody was defensive.

Hosting the show's Christmas episode was Candice Bergen. During the show, Bergen was sad. By the end of the show, she could tell the show had lost it's soul. 

John and Judy got married on December 31 1976.

research help: ' The Blues Brothers' by Daniel de Vise

Peace and God's blessings. Love Ric