Twenty-two years ago this week, Utahns were howling at the first "Saturday Night Live" to broadcast on NBC's Salt Lake City affiliate in almost two decades.

• This is Old News, our uncensored version of Utah history.

The big picture (on the small screen): When KSL, which is owned by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, switched from CBS to NBC in 1995, it stopped airing the popular, subversive comedy show.

What they said: "'SNL's' content is frequently objectionable, not to mention its overall quality has been in decline for years," KSL's then-manager told the Ogden Standard-Examiner.

• Instead, KSL ran a locally produced sports show at 10:30pm.

Between the lines: KUTV, which had swapped networks with KSL, continued airing "SNL" as the new CBS affiliate — but only for a few months.

• Then the show was unavailable here for about two years.

Why it mattered: Utahns missed iconic sketches like:

• "The Roxbury Guys"
• "Cobras and Panthers"
• "Janet Reno's Dance Party"
• the early "Celebrity Jeopardy" and "Delicious Dish" installments
• most appearances of Mary Katherine Gallagher and the Spartan Cheerleaders.

Meanwhile, radio shock-jock Howard Stern launched a CBS alternative to "SNL," but that proved too edgy for KUTV.

Between the lines: Household internet access was nascent in the '90s, so Utah's weekly comedy blackout was more of a black hole.

Catch up quick: A local WB station picked up the show in 1998, where it ran until KSL restored the program to its schedule for season 39 in 2013.

• That year saw the rise of Kate McKinnon, Aidy Bryant and Cecily Strong.

Yes, but: Earlier that year, KSL pulled "Hannibal" due to "graphic" content, prompting the show's producer to compare the station to a Soviet-era newspaper.

• In the two years prior, KSL canceled "The Playboy Club" and "The New Normal."

Flash forward: Utah's TV viewers were plunged back into late-night comedy darkness this month, as Nexstar-owned ABC 4 temporarily replaced "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" with news programs.

The latest

The University of Colorado Boulder released an apology on Sunday strongly condemning some fans' chanting slurs targeting Latter-day Saints during the football game against Brigham Young University one day prior.

The big picture: BYU fans and their faith have been constant targets at athletic events — a trend Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah), a Latter-day Saint and BYU graduate, said is becoming "far too common."

• The University of Arizona in February apologized to BYU for fans' "unacceptable chant" following a basketball game.

Catch up quick: The incident unfolded at Folsom Field, where the Cougars defeated the Buffaloes 24-21.

• "Such behavior is deeply disappointing and does not reflect the values of respect, inclusion and integrity we expect of our campus community," CU said in a statement on Sunday.
• In response, BYU Athletics denounced religious discrimination, saying it appreciated CU's "example in rooting out these inappropriate actions."

The latest: CU athletics spokesperson Steve Hurlbert told Axios Boulder yesterday afternoon the university had not yet been able to identify who started the chant.

Zoom out: The apology comes after a painful weekend for church members mourning Church president Russell M. Nelson, who died at age 101. Separately, at least 10 people were shot, and four killed, at a Michigan meetinghouse on Sunday.

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🕯️ The funeral for Russell M. Nelson, president of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, is scheduled for Oct. 7 at the Conference Center. (KSL.com)

• The public viewing is set for 9am-9pm Oct. 6 at the same location.

🍸 Lagoon plans to open a bar inside its amusement park after securing a liquor license. (ABC 4)

The University of Utah recorded a high number of rape cases in 2024 for the second consecutive year, according to a campus safety report released last week. (Utah News Dispatch)

• 110 of the 146 total cases tallied were filed by a single person who experienced months of "interpersonal violence" during a relationship, according to a statement from the school.

Solo electric vehicle drivers in Utah, will no longer be allowed to use the HOV lanes during peak traffic hours, starting today.

Why it matters: Unrestricted access to highway carpool lanes is a big motivator for commuters to switch to electric or hybrid vehicles.

State of play: The federal rule that permits states to open their HOV lanes to alternative fuel vehicles, regardless of the number of riders, expires at the end of the month.

• Without last-minute congressional intervention, solo EV drivers in a dozen states will be stuck in the slow lanes.

Between the lines: A bipartisan group in Congress is pushing for an extension, but has been unsuccessful so far.

What we're watching: The Utah Department of Transportation suspended its Clean Vehicle Passes in August, but there could be some confusion on the roads next week.

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New litmus test for determining where someone lives: Does coconut coffee creamer sound good or gross?

By the numbers: Utah, along with Oregon, Idaho, Nevada, New Mexico, Texas, Arizona, Alaska and Hawaii, are into the coconut flavor, according to Instacart data.

Kim's thought bubble: If you haven't added coconut creamer to your cold brew or hot chocolate, you're missing out.