The TV Gods have smiled upon us finally and handed over a moment in TV history that NBC can truly be proud of. To say that this new TV show: Studio 60, Live from the Sunset Strip is a good show is an understatement. Alan Sorkin and Tommy Schlamme team up and bring out the best in each other. It is a great moment in art, history and the examination of human nature. I discovered it by accident, after half watching ‘Deal or No Deal’, I saw the trailer, it looked interesting so I tuned in to see the show that is clearly based on the early years of “Saturday Night Live” - back when it was great cutting edge comedy. It has since been watered down immensely, and this is exactly the issue that “Studio 60″ addresses as the show unfolds and gives us moments remeniscent of the Academy Award winning movie “Network”. The next 10 minutes was one of those rare, “Oh my God, I can’t believe what I am seeing.” mixtures of shock and joy. It’s good. It’s really good. My next thought after realizing just how cutting edge and good this show is, was to call my friend Laila.

I’ll tell you why I instantly had to call Laila in a moment, but first lets back up to the early years of Saturday Night Live - the years of Steve Martin, John Balushi, Chevy Chase, Gilda Rander, Dan Akroyd, Garrett Morris, Jane Curtin, Lariaine Newman  and political satire like it hasn’t been seen since in this country. Sure John Stewart is good - but he’s just one guy, Saturday Night Live was a confluence of talent that together took each other to a higher level. I wasn’t even a teenager then, and it was on way past my bedtime but I remember going to sleep and hearing it on TV as my parents watched it in the other room. I knew then that it was something special. Having the good luck to catch an old episode where Steve Martin performed his legendary “King Tut” sketch recently left me rolling on the ground, it stood the test of time. And it can’t just be me who thought those guys were geniuses, almost every single one of them launched huge movie careers after being on the show. This is why I had to call Laila, you see she used to produce Saturday Night Live back then (sorry for dating you Laila). And she agreed, Studio 60 was like flashing back to those days for her. Laila isn’t really one to toot her own horn, but she gave Tom Hanks his first big break, right there on Saturday Night Live.

Laila Nabulsi is the only person I have ever met who’s birthday is on New Years Eve - Dec. 31. This is also the only day of the year that is governed by the Joker card. It’s sure not a stretch to see that the Joker should be working in comedy. And this brings me to a secret of esoteric proportions. Back in the days of Kings and feudal lords, every court had a resident Joker, Jester or Fool. Once a year it was the Joker’s job to step up to the throne and take the place of the King and make fun of him, his court and human nature. From these ancient roots was born our current tradition of “The Roast” where friends gather to tease, taunt and generally harass a guest of honor. When done well, this can be excruciatingly funny. Check out the Stephen Colbert presidential roast of GW Bush. Of course, true to Studio 60’s themes - this roast of GW never made it onto Network Television; dispite the fact that Stephen Colbert is truly hilarious. Good luck finding it on Google. It is so on the mark that even Google has edited it out of their results, the link above seems to be the only place left that even has the video anymore!

December 31 is in the Sign of Capricorn which is ruled by Saturn. If any planet is capable of crushing cruelty, it is Saturn. In Tarot Saturn is the Devil card, and I have often seen people turn white as a sheet when this card shows up in their reading. But the fear is a manifestation of not understanding what the Devil represents. He repesents all of our human false beliefs, beliefs that lead us to do and be or confront the darkest parts of the human soul. Capricorn people often have to face and confront the darkest aspects of human nature, either in themselves or others. This is particularly true for those born during the 3 darkest days of the year - the Winter Solstice, Dec 22, 23, and 24 (depending on the year it can vary to the 21st and the 25th). This is why we celebrate Christmas on the 25th - to bring light and celebration to this darkness. The timing of Christmas is also co-opted from the ancient pagan rituals that were designated for just this purpose.

The esoteric secret of the Devil - and therefore Saturn is that humor and laughter are the most powerful and effective weapons that we have against his darkness. The fastest way to clear dark energy from a building is with laughter, the same is true for people. Where there is humor dark spirits can’t hang out for long. By offering ones self up as a joke, we clear away the garbage. This is probably why so many comedians are tortured souls. We often laugh because otherwise we’d cry. It is the most palatable way to confront the truth. If a joke makes someone angry - that is usually because there is some truth in it, and they don’t like that truth or are somehow invested in keeping the truth buried and hidden. And secrets are that Devil Saturn’s playground.

The Devil called Saturn, in all his manifestations at the core represents the false belief that physical reality dominates the spiritual intangible aspects of humanity. This is NOT true, but believing this falsehood paves the way for all sorts of perversions of the human condition. Everything from the desire for power over others, to war, control, greed, powermongering, the abuse of children, violence, rape, laziness, ego, addiction, illness and vanity can be the resuts. The antidote is laughter, because after all, what your mother told you is true; Laughter IS the best medicine. And comedy in it’s most inspired form confronts us with a profound truth in such a way that we can triumph over it and be left with the one thing that humorless, or Saturn dominated people can never experience - Hope.