The "Nerds Christmas Pageant" sketch started a heated battle between the show and NBC's Standards & Practices. NBC officials were vehemently against the sketch which they believed spoofed the birth of Christ. The battle continued until just before the sketch began when the show relented and made changes to the script.
G.E. Smith, who later would be SNL bandleader and co-musical director, was at the time the guitarist for musical guest Desmond Child & Rouge and had featured screen time during the two songs performed.