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“Saturday Night Live” defined the art of the comedy sketch show when it premiered in 1975.
Jane Curtin and John Belushi were two of the first cast members of the iconic NBC series, but it wasn’t all laughs behind the scenes.
“The Heat” star, 75, reflected on her experiences on the show recently, especially on her issues with the late Belushi.
The “National Lampoon’s Animal House” alum died at the age of 33 in March 1982 at Los Angeles’ infamous Chateau Marmont.
“I got along with everyone,” Curtin told People in a new interview.
“But I did have problems with John,” the funny woman added. “But that was because John wasn’t John. He was an addict.”
Belushi’s drug problem plagued his short life and career and he died via an overdose from a speedball mix of heroin and cocaine.
Original “SNL” cast member Chevy Chase revealed last year that the “Blues Brothers” star’s addiction was so severe that he stole Chase’s own stash of cocaine.
“Back then, the big drug was cocaine,” the “Community” actor, 79, said on the “Club Random With Bill Maher” at the time.
“Obviously John turned out to be a cokehead but I had a little jar of cocaine with a little spoon that hung from it. Anyway, I had it on the piano of the stage,” Chase went on.
“So I’m just playing the piano, the crowd isn’t in yet, and it’s just sitting,” Chase said. “After I played just a little bit, it’s gone. I had no idea how. Obviously I was looking at my hands at the moment that John swooped in and took it.”
“So I immediately said, ‘Belushi, did you take my coke?'” he asked, to which Belsuhi replied to him: “No, what are you talking about?”
One month later, Chase was invited to dinner at Belushi and his wife Judy’s apartment. “And I see my little vial empty and washed, just sitting on a shelf by the books,” the comedian recollected.
Chase has been sober since that experience and noted to Maher: “I’m so glad I just put that stuff aside.”
He also remembered how he found out about Belushi’s passing. The comedian said that he was at home with his wife, Jayni, and there was a knock on their door.
“I opened the door and there was, it seemed like 12 news people,” Chase said. “‘How do you feel about the death of John?’ I didn’t know yet that John Belushi died. It just shocked me. There I was stuck with these people … What a horrible thing.”
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