Rocket was a cast member on NBC's "Saturday Night Live" during the 1980-81 season. The profanity incident happened during a spoof of the "Who Shot J.R.?" plot line on "Dallas," which created a nationwide sensation at the time.
The incident sparked complaints from viewers and prompted NBC to apologize. Rocket was later dismissed along with other cast members and writers on the show amid weak ratings at the time.
"Who Shot C.R." was a running gag throughout that episode. Toward the end of the show, Rocket came out in a wheelchair and a head bandage, and said, "I just want to know who the f*** did it."
NBC used the incident to dismiss executive producer Jean Doumanian, who was running the show into the ground after Lorne Michaels' departure. Dick Ebersol came in to rescue the show, and is credited with helping make Eddie Murphy a star.
Here's an alternative history question--suppose Rocket had said "who the
hell did it"? Would SNL have limped along for the rest of the season and then been cancelled? If so, the history of American comedy over the next two decades might have been very different. Eddie Murphy, Mike Myers, and Adam Sandler might not have been stars at all.
