Brian Fellow sure has a way with animals.
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As the animal-loving talk show host on Saturday Night Live, Tracy Morgan portrayed a guy who could really get to the heart and soul of the creatures he had as guests. Sure, he's "not an accredited zoologist," but he can definitely tell, based on absolutely nothing but vibes, that every animal he meets holds offensive or controversial views.
In a 2002 sketch from Season 28, Brian is introduced to a porcupine named Willy, who he immediately diagnoses as "a rat who needs a haircut." He understands that the rat's appearance is a natural defense against predators, but when handler Dale (Horatio Sanz) starts to explain how the porcupine's quills help with mating, Brian shuts him down.
"Hush up, that dirty talk!" he yells. "We don't talk about the birds and the bees on this show, unless our guests are birds or bees, and sometimes not even then. Keep it clean, please!"
He kicks Dale and the porcupine off the stage and welcomes Sean (Matt Damon) and Zivon, a miniature pot-bellied pig.
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"I don't care what he is," says Brian. "He better not talk dirty like that cactus rat."
As Sean tries to explain how clean pigs are and what great pets they make, Brian has a question about the pig's offensive religious beliefs.
He then makes fun of the pig's gut and then gets distracted by a hallucination of a porcupine threatening to expose himself, so he tries to get Sean and the pig to kill the porcupine....and that's the end of the show. Cue the theme song. Classic Brian Fellow.
Brian Fellow started as a sports correspondent on "Weekend Update"
Matt Damon and Tracy Morgan during the Brian Fellow's Safari Planet sketch on Saturday Night Live Season 28, Episode 1 on October 5, 2002. Photo: Dana Edelson/NB
In Season 24, Morgan appeared on "Weekend Update," then hosted by Colin Quinn, to talk about sports. Morgan was able to fine tune the character and find a much better topic for him to cover just a few months later.
"Brian Fellow's Safari Planet" debuted in the Season 24 finale on May 15, 1999 and featured a "crazy" monkey and a box turtle named Henry. Henry was accompanied by Karen (Sarah Michelle Gellar), who was shocked and confused by Brian's worries about being bitten by the turtle. Back then, the opening of the show claimed that Brian had a ton of experience with animals, including as director of animal operations at the San Diego Zoo and Undersecretary of the Interior for Wildlife Management. His guests quickly realized his credentials were lies, and henceforth, the opening of the show changed to:
"Brian Fellow is not an accredited zoologist, nor does he hold an advanced degree in any of the environmental sciences. He is simply an enthusiastic young man with a sixth-grade education and an abiding love for all God's creatures."
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In total, "Brian Fellow's Safari Planet" aired 12 times, including the SNL episodes hosted by Morgan in 2009 and 2015.
Tracy Morgan is planning a return to NBC
Morgan is reuniting with his former 30 Rock co-star Tina Fey for an upcoming NBC comedy called The Fall and Rise of Reggie Dinkins. He will play a disgraced former athlete trying to rehabilitate his image, and Fey will executive produce alongside 30 Rock co-creator Robert Carlock. Daniel Radcliffe plays a filmmaker named Arthur Tobin who moves in with Reggie to film a documentary about him, while Bobby Moynihan plays Reggie's former teammate. Erika Alexander plays Reggie's ex-wife and agent.
The series will debut on NBC during the fall 2025 season.
Watch "Brian Fellow's Safari Planet" from Season 28, Episode 1 of Saturday Night Live above, and stream every season on Peacock anytime.
