Saturday Night Live
December 19th, 2009
Host: James Franco
Musical Guest: Muse.
I missed the beginning because I was watching the snow storm on the news. Hope the audience gets home okay.
What Up With That?
Third time out, it’s getting a bit tired, but I still get some enjoyment from it. Sadly, this installment felt the most off. Maybe because everyone seemed tired. I’d like to see them find a way to change up the format or at least the song. The best part was just seeing Jack McBrayer sitting next to Mike Tyson.
Awkwardly kissing family.
You gotta give them all credit for going at it with such vigor. Something about it seems to be a classic SNL sketch.
Digital Short: Jammy Party.
Not much of an original spin on the innocent kid show going horribly wrong…but it still worked for me.
Manuel Ortiz Show.
How many Spanish television parodies is Fred Armisen in? Mildly amusing if just for the amount of energy the cast put into the non-stop dancing.
Musical Guest: Muse.
I don’t know that much about the band except that they sometimes sound like old Radiohead and a bit like the band, Ours. Something about this particular song reminds me a bit of Brian Setzer with an electronic twist. I like it well enough.
Weekend Update.
Bill Hader as the Jersey Shore’s The Situation had a tight six pack on his back!
I enjoyed Fred Armisen and Kristen Wiig’s matching outfits and wigs for Garth & Cat. Not sure I got what they were trying to do though.
College Kids.
Kind of zoned out during this one.
Vincent Price Christmas Special.
Still using that Harry Potter font. I’ve never been a big fan of this reoccurring sketch but I enjoyed this one a bit more than normal. Mostly because of Katherine Hepburn fighting the raccoon.
Christmas Tree Lot.
James Franco is a man who really loves his Christmas trees. I LOVED THIS SKETCH!
“Carol, Hold My Calls” is one SNL quote that will never be on a t-shirt (god willing).
Mark Walberg talks to Christmas animals.
Not much new here. But it's short enough that it goes down easy.
FAVORITE CLIP:
Saturday, December 19, 2009
Tuesday, December 8, 2009
SNL Christmas: good news/bad news
So I WOULD HAVE been very excited about the upcoming SNL Christmas Special, since it combines two of my favorite things: SNL & Christmas specials...but then I heard it's going to be hosted by my LEAST FAVORITE SNL character: Gilly.
FULL STORY
I think Kristen Wiig is one of the most talented people on SNL, but I can't express how much I HATE Gilly! And not just because teh sketches have a lot of Will Forte. The character itself makes me nauseous and the inane repetition of it makes me crazy.
Even the Target lady would have been a better host. And it would make for easy corporate sponsorship!
I guess I'll just have to record it and fast forward through the Gilly intros.
I'm mostly hoping the new special will include all of the Horatio Sanz Christmas songs and any stuff that isn't already on the SNL Christmas collection DVD.
FULL STORY
I think Kristen Wiig is one of the most talented people on SNL, but I can't express how much I HATE Gilly! And not just because teh sketches have a lot of Will Forte. The character itself makes me nauseous and the inane repetition of it makes me crazy.
Even the Target lady would have been a better host. And it would make for easy corporate sponsorship!
I guess I'll just have to record it and fast forward through the Gilly intros.
I'm mostly hoping the new special will include all of the Horatio Sanz Christmas songs and any stuff that isn't already on the SNL Christmas collection DVD.
Saturday, December 5, 2009
Saturday Night Live December 6th, 2009
Saturday Night Live
November 21th, 2009
Host: Blake Lively
Musical Guest: Rihanna
Cold Open.
Funny for about 1 minute and then dragged on too long.
Monologue.
The cast members seem to really like playing the Muppets. You get the sense that Bill Hader really gets into playing Animal. And I really appreciate how the make up artists do Gonzo’s nose. I wish they did more than the old hand-up-the-ass jokes, though.
Random fact: Blake Lively is the 4th young blonde woman to host this season so far.
ESPN Classic/Women’s bowling.
Basically the same format as the Women’s Pool sketch from a few weeks back. Like last time the best part is the way Jason Sudeikis repeatedly emphasizes the word “Vagisil” (a la Tampax) and comes up with new ways to plug the product sponsor.
The Situation Room: Tiger Woods.
I have a feeling that Kenan’s impression of Tiger Woods was way off, and yet I think it added a strange charm to the sketch.
Digital Short: Rihanna and Shy Ronnie.
This was a fun bit, well executed. I loved hearing Rihanna sing random sentences like “Speak up!” and “I forgot my purse.”
Gossip Girl Staten Island.
I thought Bobby Moynihan was pretty good in this. His dog/baby tanning booth was the best gag. Bill Hader’s Staten Island accent is pretty much his New Jersey one.
Kicksplit Rock Festival
I think they tried too hard with this. Nasim Pedrad did a decent Amy Poehler impression, though.
Musical Guest: Rihanna.
Yikes, chainmail, and comfy couch! The mood and content of the song “Russian Roulette” seems like it would make a good Depeche Mode song.
Weekend Update.
Kenan does a good Bill Cosby impression, but his rapping felt rushed and didn’t hit the mark. But I like when he complained about “Kanye Kangaroo.”
Seth Meyer’s best line: “How can you expect Cookie Monster to resist that much brown sugar?”
Department Store.
Not much about this sketch stood out to me. I’m not even sure what it was really about except Kenan in drag playing Blake Lively’s mother.
UPS Commercial.
I don’t think I’ve seen the commercial they were referencing (assuming it was a parody). But I like that they sorta played the Postal Service in the background without paying the royalty fees.
Late Night with Chris Hansen.
This is one of those SNL sketches that I can’t exactly peg why I like.
But the back and forth moments between Tony Blades and Chris Hansen made me happy.
Also Andy Samberg was a surprisingly good Keanu Reeves.
UPS Commercial.
This one was funnier.
Musical Guest: Rihanna.
Something about her outfit seemed to evoke Rufio from the movie Hook. And I guess ripped pants are back in style? This was actually the first Rihanna song that I’ve heard that I didn’t at least like the beat to.
NASA interview.
This sketch made me want to kill myself. I thought it was one of the worst sketches in the history of the show. Yes, even worse than the January Jones farting in Rear Window sketch from two weeks ago. That at least had decent celebrity impressions. This just had random yelling and excruciating pointlessness. I thought was over my dislike of Will Forte, but after this episode I think I would pay money to have him leave the show.
November 21th, 2009
Host: Blake Lively
Musical Guest: Rihanna
Cold Open.
Funny for about 1 minute and then dragged on too long.
Monologue.
The cast members seem to really like playing the Muppets. You get the sense that Bill Hader really gets into playing Animal. And I really appreciate how the make up artists do Gonzo’s nose. I wish they did more than the old hand-up-the-ass jokes, though.
Random fact: Blake Lively is the 4th young blonde woman to host this season so far.
ESPN Classic/Women’s bowling.
Basically the same format as the Women’s Pool sketch from a few weeks back. Like last time the best part is the way Jason Sudeikis repeatedly emphasizes the word “Vagisil” (a la Tampax) and comes up with new ways to plug the product sponsor.
The Situation Room: Tiger Woods.
I have a feeling that Kenan’s impression of Tiger Woods was way off, and yet I think it added a strange charm to the sketch.
Digital Short: Rihanna and Shy Ronnie.
This was a fun bit, well executed. I loved hearing Rihanna sing random sentences like “Speak up!” and “I forgot my purse.”
Gossip Girl Staten Island.
I thought Bobby Moynihan was pretty good in this. His dog/baby tanning booth was the best gag. Bill Hader’s Staten Island accent is pretty much his New Jersey one.
Kicksplit Rock Festival
I think they tried too hard with this. Nasim Pedrad did a decent Amy Poehler impression, though.
Musical Guest: Rihanna.
Yikes, chainmail, and comfy couch! The mood and content of the song “Russian Roulette” seems like it would make a good Depeche Mode song.
Weekend Update.
Kenan does a good Bill Cosby impression, but his rapping felt rushed and didn’t hit the mark. But I like when he complained about “Kanye Kangaroo.”
Seth Meyer’s best line: “How can you expect Cookie Monster to resist that much brown sugar?”
Department Store.
Not much about this sketch stood out to me. I’m not even sure what it was really about except Kenan in drag playing Blake Lively’s mother.
UPS Commercial.
I don’t think I’ve seen the commercial they were referencing (assuming it was a parody). But I like that they sorta played the Postal Service in the background without paying the royalty fees.
Late Night with Chris Hansen.
This is one of those SNL sketches that I can’t exactly peg why I like.
But the back and forth moments between Tony Blades and Chris Hansen made me happy.
Also Andy Samberg was a surprisingly good Keanu Reeves.
UPS Commercial.
This one was funnier.
Musical Guest: Rihanna.
Something about her outfit seemed to evoke Rufio from the movie Hook. And I guess ripped pants are back in style? This was actually the first Rihanna song that I’ve heard that I didn’t at least like the beat to.
NASA interview.
This sketch made me want to kill myself. I thought it was one of the worst sketches in the history of the show. Yes, even worse than the January Jones farting in Rear Window sketch from two weeks ago. That at least had decent celebrity impressions. This just had random yelling and excruciating pointlessness. I thought was over my dislike of Will Forte, but after this episode I think I would pay money to have him leave the show.
Saturday, November 21, 2009
Saturday Night Live November 21st, 2009
Saturday Night Live
November 21th, 2009
Host: Joseph Gordon-Levitt
Musical Guest: Dave Matthews Band
I missed the first half of the episode. Hope they upload the What Up With That sketch soon!
Weekend Update.
Seemed really short this week. Al Gore seemed even dryer than usual and certainly not very funny.
Thanksgiving Family.
Painful and confusing. I liked it better when they did it the first time (10 years ago?):
Woman to Woman.
Fred Armisen as a sexist jerk filling in on an advice show for women.
It mostly worked for me, even though it didn’t actually make me laugh.
Dave Matthews Band.
I kind of tuned out. But my wife commented that Dave Matthews still looks exactly the same as he did when he first started out.
Say Anything.
This felt like a Dane Cook stand-up routine turned into a sketch.
Closing.
Joseph Gordon-Levitt needs to calm down before he turns into Mickey Dolenz.
I wish I cold watch that other Will Ferrell dinner sketch where he keeps tossing his plate and says "F$^K this, I'M LEAVING!"
November 21th, 2009
Host: Joseph Gordon-Levitt
Musical Guest: Dave Matthews Band
I missed the first half of the episode. Hope they upload the What Up With That sketch soon!
Weekend Update.
Seemed really short this week. Al Gore seemed even dryer than usual and certainly not very funny.
Thanksgiving Family.
Painful and confusing. I liked it better when they did it the first time (10 years ago?):
Woman to Woman.
Fred Armisen as a sexist jerk filling in on an advice show for women.
It mostly worked for me, even though it didn’t actually make me laugh.
Dave Matthews Band.
I kind of tuned out. But my wife commented that Dave Matthews still looks exactly the same as he did when he first started out.
Say Anything.
This felt like a Dane Cook stand-up routine turned into a sketch.
Closing.
Joseph Gordon-Levitt needs to calm down before he turns into Mickey Dolenz.
I wish I cold watch that other Will Ferrell dinner sketch where he keeps tossing his plate and says "F$^K this, I'M LEAVING!"
Saturday, November 14, 2009
Saturday Night Live November 14th, 2009
Saturday Night Live
November 14th, 2009
Host: January Jones
Musical Guest: Black Eyed Peas
Cold Open.
It’s kind of cool that Jason Sudeikis’ Joe Biden is more of a character than a straight-up impersonation. But it still only mildly amuses me.
Monologue.
Nice and short!
Kathie Lee and Hoda Kotb.
Jenny Slate stepped in as Hoda, but didn’t add too much to the straight-woman role.
I was surprised to find out that that song Everyone Has a Story was not made up for this sketch! I think the real version is even funnier!
Rear Window.
One joke: Pretty girl farting. Jason Sudeikis’ Jimmy Stewart was pretty good, but it made me think of Dana Carvey. Bobby Moynihan was decent as Hitchcock.
WIIX/Michelle Dison
“I like it!” Kristen Wiig at her absolute best. Rare example of a one-joke character managing to milk a surprising amount of material. I laughed through the whole thing. When January Jones walked away, freaked out, I was disappointed there wasn’t a twist ending. But then the bee gag made up for it.
Crown Instructional Films: Dinner Party
Really nice use of color. And the bit got better as it went along.
Best line: “Cats are girls, and dogs are boys.”
Black Eyed Peas.
Probably the definition of “guilty pleasure.” The song is getting overplayed, but I’m not exactly tired of it just yet. Still a bit too catchy!
Weekend Update.
Nice of Daryl Hammond to stop by his own show!
My heart dies a little every time the Bon Jovi opposite band comes back.
Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde.
An okay sketch that would have seemed clever 10-15 years earlier.
Digital Short.
Lot of bathroom humor in this episode. The visual ending made the sketch worthwhile.
First Date.
A simple, but very enjoyable sketch.
Third song by Black Eyed Peas.
Some of the lyrics are cheesy, but I love the beats on this one.
Closing thoughts.
January Jones was a solid host, but it seemed like she played a naive wife or girlfriend in every other sketch. There seemed to be no sight of Kenan Thompson, just his voice singing a song on Weekend Update.
November 14th, 2009
Host: January Jones
Musical Guest: Black Eyed Peas
Cold Open.
It’s kind of cool that Jason Sudeikis’ Joe Biden is more of a character than a straight-up impersonation. But it still only mildly amuses me.
Monologue.
Nice and short!
Kathie Lee and Hoda Kotb.
Jenny Slate stepped in as Hoda, but didn’t add too much to the straight-woman role.
I was surprised to find out that that song Everyone Has a Story was not made up for this sketch! I think the real version is even funnier!
Rear Window.
One joke: Pretty girl farting. Jason Sudeikis’ Jimmy Stewart was pretty good, but it made me think of Dana Carvey. Bobby Moynihan was decent as Hitchcock.
WIIX/Michelle Dison
“I like it!” Kristen Wiig at her absolute best. Rare example of a one-joke character managing to milk a surprising amount of material. I laughed through the whole thing. When January Jones walked away, freaked out, I was disappointed there wasn’t a twist ending. But then the bee gag made up for it.
Crown Instructional Films: Dinner Party
Really nice use of color. And the bit got better as it went along.
Best line: “Cats are girls, and dogs are boys.”
Black Eyed Peas.
Probably the definition of “guilty pleasure.” The song is getting overplayed, but I’m not exactly tired of it just yet. Still a bit too catchy!
Weekend Update.
Nice of Daryl Hammond to stop by his own show!
My heart dies a little every time the Bon Jovi opposite band comes back.
Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde.
An okay sketch that would have seemed clever 10-15 years earlier.
Digital Short.
Lot of bathroom humor in this episode. The visual ending made the sketch worthwhile.
First Date.
A simple, but very enjoyable sketch.
Third song by Black Eyed Peas.
Some of the lyrics are cheesy, but I love the beats on this one.
Closing thoughts.
January Jones was a solid host, but it seemed like she played a naive wife or girlfriend in every other sketch. There seemed to be no sight of Kenan Thompson, just his voice singing a song on Weekend Update.
Saturday, November 7, 2009
Saturday Night Live November 7th, 2009
Saturday Night Live
November 7th, 2009
Host: Taylor Swift
Musical Guest: Taylor Swift
Cold Open.
Moderately funny jab at Fox News. Kristen Wiig’s Greta Van Susteren impression was perfect, but Jason Sudeikis’ Glenn Beck felt a bit light after Jon Stewarts extended riff on him earlier this week. Ironic since, Stewart’s definitely not known for impersonations.
Monologue.
I found this painful. Especially every time her voice cracked. Taylor Swift is no Laurie Berkner.
Commercial Parody: Swine Fever.
Even though I didn’t think much of the bit, I found Bobby Moynihan a bit more appealing than usual for some reason.
The View.
Jenny Slate stepping into the role of Barbara Walters (formerly played by Michaela Watkins) did a pretty good job. The mannerisms are perfect, but the voice seems too high pitch.
I feel guilty that every word Fred Armisen says as Joy Behar still makes me smile after all this time.
Digital Short.
Weak Twilight parody that seemed straight out of Cracked magazine.
Hollywood Dish.
Not really a funny enough idea to sustain a whole sketch. And what a twist ending!
T.R.A.A.A.P.E.D.
This sketch made me fear the episode was intentionally written to appeal to the Disney Channel audience.
Taylor Swift.
I hate this song partially because I don’t hate it as much as my teenage self would want me to. It’s obvious and cheesy but a bit too catchy to be completely evil. Sigh.
Weekend Update.
I give them credit for not bringing Nicholas Fehn back till at least the 5th episode of the season. If any SNL character should get a movie—it’s this one! Just to see Fred Armisen rise to the challenge. I, too, am glad they banned Claymation in the 70’s.
Abby Elliot was pitch perfect as Sarah McLaclan talking about molested dogs.
Happiness every time Amy Poehler pops in.
Penelope at a wedding.
Still one of Kristen Wiig’s most consistently funny characters. This installment had quite a few laughs.
Scared Straight.
They’ve done this bit one too many times. And Taylor Swift added absolutely nothing.
Roommate.
There was something really old-timey, classic SNL about this sketch, without being funny to me.
Taylor Swift.
Her voice alternates between good and excruciating, like playing around with the knobs on a radio.
Bunny Business Soundtrack.
Decent excuse for hit-and-miss celebrity impressions.
Winner: Kristen Wiig as Natalie Merchant.
November 7th, 2009
Host: Taylor Swift
Musical Guest: Taylor Swift
Cold Open.
Moderately funny jab at Fox News. Kristen Wiig’s Greta Van Susteren impression was perfect, but Jason Sudeikis’ Glenn Beck felt a bit light after Jon Stewarts extended riff on him earlier this week. Ironic since, Stewart’s definitely not known for impersonations.
Monologue.
I found this painful. Especially every time her voice cracked. Taylor Swift is no Laurie Berkner.
Commercial Parody: Swine Fever.
Even though I didn’t think much of the bit, I found Bobby Moynihan a bit more appealing than usual for some reason.
The View.
Jenny Slate stepping into the role of Barbara Walters (formerly played by Michaela Watkins) did a pretty good job. The mannerisms are perfect, but the voice seems too high pitch.
I feel guilty that every word Fred Armisen says as Joy Behar still makes me smile after all this time.
Digital Short.
Weak Twilight parody that seemed straight out of Cracked magazine.
Hollywood Dish.
Not really a funny enough idea to sustain a whole sketch. And what a twist ending!
T.R.A.A.A.P.E.D.
This sketch made me fear the episode was intentionally written to appeal to the Disney Channel audience.
Taylor Swift.
I hate this song partially because I don’t hate it as much as my teenage self would want me to. It’s obvious and cheesy but a bit too catchy to be completely evil. Sigh.
Weekend Update.
I give them credit for not bringing Nicholas Fehn back till at least the 5th episode of the season. If any SNL character should get a movie—it’s this one! Just to see Fred Armisen rise to the challenge. I, too, am glad they banned Claymation in the 70’s.
Abby Elliot was pitch perfect as Sarah McLaclan talking about molested dogs.
Happiness every time Amy Poehler pops in.
Penelope at a wedding.
Still one of Kristen Wiig’s most consistently funny characters. This installment had quite a few laughs.
Scared Straight.
They’ve done this bit one too many times. And Taylor Swift added absolutely nothing.
Roommate.
There was something really old-timey, classic SNL about this sketch, without being funny to me.
Taylor Swift.
Her voice alternates between good and excruciating, like playing around with the knobs on a radio.
Bunny Business Soundtrack.
Decent excuse for hit-and-miss celebrity impressions.
Winner: Kristen Wiig as Natalie Merchant.
Saturday, October 17, 2009
Saturday Night Live October 17th, 2009
Saturday Night Live
October 17th, 2009
Host: Gerard Butler
Musical Guest: Shakira
Cold Open.
The return of The Rock Obama was surprisingly enjoyable. I think I smiled through the whole thing.
Monologue.
There was something very early 90s about this bit. I mostly liked when Kristen Wiig screamed "take your shirt off!"
Urban Champagne.
I'm not sure I buy Kenan Thompson as "gangsta," but this was still funny.
SNL Flashback/promotional gimmick.
Felt like a random DVD extra. The Jason Sudeikis intro made it sound like there wouldn't be any other commercials thanks to Bud Light, but it was followed by a car commercial.
Game Time with Randy and Greg.
I spent most of the sketch wondering if Greg the alien was a character created while Bill Hader was drunk at a party.
SNL Backstage/promotional gimmick.
Tim Meadows in "Perspectives" still cracks me up.
First time I've ever seen Comedy Central advertise on NBC.
Beauty and the Beast
Follow up to the Aladdin sketch? For the most part this was a really strong sketch. But for some reason by the time Bobby Moynihan showed up as the clock it ran out of steam.
SNL Backstage/promotional gimmick.
I was surprised I didn't remember the Harvey Keitel episode.
Musical Guest: Shakira.
Her performance came across as surprising shy and awkward. The stretching came across like she was trying it out for the first time. The howling was also borderline cheesy.
SNL Backstage/promotional gimmick.
Blooper reel.
Weekend Update.
Return of two guys from NJ. Bill Hader and Fred Armisen make a cute couple.
The balloon from Colorado sounded like a character from Pee-wee's Playhouse.
Kristen Wiig as Tamara Parks was funny, but I hope they don't make her a reoccurring character more than once more.
SNL Backstage/promotional gimmick.
More assorted blooper reels.
300 Parody.
Gets credit for being timely. Had some funny bits to it.
What Up With That?
The most amazing sketch so far this year. Kenan seemed to be channeling Eddie Murphy's classic "James Brown's Hot Tub" but made it totally his own. Everything about it made me laugh out loud. I couldn't take my eyes off Jason Sudeikis dancing in the background. And the randomness of the James Franco cameo added to the greatness.
Best line of the night: "ET likes Reese's Pieces."
SNL Backstage/promotional gimmick.
That robot eats old people's medicine for food.
Trina.
Kristen Wiig certainly has her share of brilliant performances, but this wasn't one of them. Not exactly as painful as her Gilly character, but still pretty bad.
Musical Performance: Shakira.
I liked this song better. Good use of the taiko drums for a hip hop beat. Not sure the Beyonce hairstyle works on Shakira.
Daveheart.
Started off a bit lame, but actually got better!
"Whew! It's just a goat. I thought it was a dragon!"
Closing thought.
A fairly consistent episode. I've never seen a Gerard Butler movie, but I was impressed by his effort. He certainly threw himself into as many different characters and sketches as possible.
CLIP:
October 17th, 2009
Host: Gerard Butler
Musical Guest: Shakira
Cold Open.
The return of The Rock Obama was surprisingly enjoyable. I think I smiled through the whole thing.
Monologue.
There was something very early 90s about this bit. I mostly liked when Kristen Wiig screamed "take your shirt off!"
Urban Champagne.
I'm not sure I buy Kenan Thompson as "gangsta," but this was still funny.
SNL Flashback/promotional gimmick.
Felt like a random DVD extra. The Jason Sudeikis intro made it sound like there wouldn't be any other commercials thanks to Bud Light, but it was followed by a car commercial.
Game Time with Randy and Greg.
I spent most of the sketch wondering if Greg the alien was a character created while Bill Hader was drunk at a party.
SNL Backstage/promotional gimmick.
Tim Meadows in "Perspectives" still cracks me up.
First time I've ever seen Comedy Central advertise on NBC.
Beauty and the Beast
Follow up to the Aladdin sketch? For the most part this was a really strong sketch. But for some reason by the time Bobby Moynihan showed up as the clock it ran out of steam.
SNL Backstage/promotional gimmick.
I was surprised I didn't remember the Harvey Keitel episode.
Musical Guest: Shakira.
Her performance came across as surprising shy and awkward. The stretching came across like she was trying it out for the first time. The howling was also borderline cheesy.
SNL Backstage/promotional gimmick.
Blooper reel.
Weekend Update.
Return of two guys from NJ. Bill Hader and Fred Armisen make a cute couple.
The balloon from Colorado sounded like a character from Pee-wee's Playhouse.
Kristen Wiig as Tamara Parks was funny, but I hope they don't make her a reoccurring character more than once more.
SNL Backstage/promotional gimmick.
More assorted blooper reels.
300 Parody.
Gets credit for being timely. Had some funny bits to it.
What Up With That?
The most amazing sketch so far this year. Kenan seemed to be channeling Eddie Murphy's classic "James Brown's Hot Tub" but made it totally his own. Everything about it made me laugh out loud. I couldn't take my eyes off Jason Sudeikis dancing in the background. And the randomness of the James Franco cameo added to the greatness.
Best line of the night: "ET likes Reese's Pieces."
SNL Backstage/promotional gimmick.
That robot eats old people's medicine for food.
Trina.
Kristen Wiig certainly has her share of brilliant performances, but this wasn't one of them. Not exactly as painful as her Gilly character, but still pretty bad.
Musical Performance: Shakira.
I liked this song better. Good use of the taiko drums for a hip hop beat. Not sure the Beyonce hairstyle works on Shakira.
Daveheart.
Started off a bit lame, but actually got better!
"Whew! It's just a goat. I thought it was a dragon!"
Closing thought.
A fairly consistent episode. I've never seen a Gerard Butler movie, but I was impressed by his effort. He certainly threw himself into as many different characters and sketches as possible.
CLIP:
Saturday, October 10, 2009
Saturday Night Live October 10th, 2009
Saturday Night Live
October 10th, 2009
Host: Drew Barrymore
Musical Guest: Regina Spektor
Cold Open.
Pretty weak intro about President Obama winning the Nobel Prize. The joke about him also winning the lottery already seems old only a day after the events in question.
Monologue.
Clips of people doing Drew Barrymore impressions making fun of the way she talks. I guess she deserves the credit of being a good sport.
No commercial parody here.
Gilly.
From the moment I heard the tone of Will Forte's voice I started cringing…not another Gilly sketch. I instantly guessed that Drew Barrymore was gonna play a variation on Gilly; and sadly I was correct. Although, I thought she would be an arch-rival instead of it being a team up. Either way, it was twice as annoying (although Drew's Gilly isn't as freakish as Kristen Wiigs!) If I wasn't writing this blog I would have changed the channel just so I wouldn't have nightmares.
What's with all the old SNL cast members in the T-Mobile commercial?
Celebrity Ghost Stories.
As if to pay off the gag of the opening monologue, Drew Barrymore's Sharon Osborne impersonation highlights her inability to do an English accent. The mannerisms were good though.
What is with the hosts' significant others making cameos? Didn't she broke up with Justin Long? I guess I don't keep up. Kenan as Ray Parker Jr. admitting that he is, in fact, afraid of ghosts was the best part. I'm surprised I haven't seen that joke before.
Commercial Parody: University of Westfield Online.
I thought this was a decent idea, even though it didn't make me laugh.
La Rivista Della Televisione.
These sketches are usually okay, but I thought this installment was unfunny and ended awkwardly.
My wife's revelation: The only time Bobby Moynihan plays something other than the straight man in a sketch, it's to play a child.
Musical Guest: Regina Spektor.
I'm glad that Drew Barrymore told us that she was "talented" when she introduced her.
The song sounded like Fiona Apple covering Vanessa Carlton.
Weekend Update.
Bill Hader as James Carville was perfect. They should make a whole show around him.
I like that Andy Samberg keeps finding new cartoon characters to impersonate. His Scrooge McDuck was creepy but effective.
Women's Billiards.
Will Forte was actually pretty decent in this. But I mostly just liked the way Jason Sudeikis says "Tampax".
Best line of the night: Speaking of pulling some strings…Tampax!
Cooking Al Fresco.
The only good part was the puppet crow dipping bread in the marinara sauce. Drew Barrymore forget to mess up her hair during the cut scenes and ended up doing so on camera, making the sketch more pathetic than funny.
Larry King Live.
It took me a moment to figure out if it was Drew Barrymore or Abby Elliot!
The word "wieners" isn't as funny as it should be. But I guess the sketch was okay.
Digital Short.
They got a lot of use out of those crow puppets.
Book Reading.
Ugh. Not as painful as the Gilly sketch, but still pretty bad.
Closing thoughts…
I kind of felt bad for Drew Barrymore. This was the least funny episode of the season so far. Hope things pick up next week.
October 10th, 2009
Host: Drew Barrymore
Musical Guest: Regina Spektor
Cold Open.
Pretty weak intro about President Obama winning the Nobel Prize. The joke about him also winning the lottery already seems old only a day after the events in question.
Monologue.
Clips of people doing Drew Barrymore impressions making fun of the way she talks. I guess she deserves the credit of being a good sport.
No commercial parody here.
Gilly.
From the moment I heard the tone of Will Forte's voice I started cringing…not another Gilly sketch. I instantly guessed that Drew Barrymore was gonna play a variation on Gilly; and sadly I was correct. Although, I thought she would be an arch-rival instead of it being a team up. Either way, it was twice as annoying (although Drew's Gilly isn't as freakish as Kristen Wiigs!) If I wasn't writing this blog I would have changed the channel just so I wouldn't have nightmares.
What's with all the old SNL cast members in the T-Mobile commercial?
Celebrity Ghost Stories.
As if to pay off the gag of the opening monologue, Drew Barrymore's Sharon Osborne impersonation highlights her inability to do an English accent. The mannerisms were good though.
What is with the hosts' significant others making cameos? Didn't she broke up with Justin Long? I guess I don't keep up. Kenan as Ray Parker Jr. admitting that he is, in fact, afraid of ghosts was the best part. I'm surprised I haven't seen that joke before.
Commercial Parody: University of Westfield Online.
I thought this was a decent idea, even though it didn't make me laugh.
La Rivista Della Televisione.
These sketches are usually okay, but I thought this installment was unfunny and ended awkwardly.
My wife's revelation: The only time Bobby Moynihan plays something other than the straight man in a sketch, it's to play a child.
Musical Guest: Regina Spektor.
I'm glad that Drew Barrymore told us that she was "talented" when she introduced her.
The song sounded like Fiona Apple covering Vanessa Carlton.
Weekend Update.
Bill Hader as James Carville was perfect. They should make a whole show around him.
I like that Andy Samberg keeps finding new cartoon characters to impersonate. His Scrooge McDuck was creepy but effective.
Women's Billiards.
Will Forte was actually pretty decent in this. But I mostly just liked the way Jason Sudeikis says "Tampax".
Best line of the night: Speaking of pulling some strings…Tampax!
Cooking Al Fresco.
The only good part was the puppet crow dipping bread in the marinara sauce. Drew Barrymore forget to mess up her hair during the cut scenes and ended up doing so on camera, making the sketch more pathetic than funny.
Larry King Live.
It took me a moment to figure out if it was Drew Barrymore or Abby Elliot!
The word "wieners" isn't as funny as it should be. But I guess the sketch was okay.
Digital Short.
They got a lot of use out of those crow puppets.
Book Reading.
Ugh. Not as painful as the Gilly sketch, but still pretty bad.
Closing thoughts…
I kind of felt bad for Drew Barrymore. This was the least funny episode of the season so far. Hope things pick up next week.
Saturday, October 3, 2009
Saturday Night Live October 3rd, 2009
Saturday Night Live
October 3rd, 2009
Host: Ryan Reynolds
Musical Guest: Lady Gaga
Cold Open.
Like many presidential openings of the past: sad but true.
Monologue.
Sad, but not funny. Although I liked the lantern jab.
Commercial Parody: Mostly Garbage Dog Food.
Great delivery from Jason Sudeikis made the moderately funny idea more enjoyable.
Celebrity Family Feud.
As soon as they introduced the Phillips family I thought this sketch was going to be pretty awkward. But it showed restraint and was surprisingly short.
Digital Short: Threw It On the Floor.
Will probably rank pretty low on the spectrum of songs by The Lonely Island…but they can't all be "On a Boat." I still enjoyed it for being silly.
Mike's Fountainry.
I love that they made a sequel to the "You gotta get a chandelier" sketch from last year, possibly just because Scarlett Johannsen is married to Ryan Reynolds? If so it's all worth it. I wanna get a porcelain fountain.
Deep Dish.
Kristen Wiig's had the best song and interview segment. Did they have to show a Facebook screencap to explain Ryan Reynold's "status update" song? The Madonna & Lady Gaga catfight seemed more awkward than funny. Probably should have practiced more. But everyone piling on Kenan was a cute ending.
Musical Guest: Lady Gaga.
As a fan of dance music and freestyle, I like most of the Lady Gaga songs I've heard so far. She seemed dizzy and off balance, but there's something charming about how hard she tries to be weird in that 80s kind of way, that is a far contrast from most current pop acts.
Weekend Update.
I sometimes forget that Daryl Hammond is still on SNL!
A bit surprised they told an A-Rod joke with Madonna in the house.
2nd best line of the night:
"Oh my God, 'Ghostbusters 2' was right!"
-Charles Barkley (played by Kenan Thompson)
You Committed a Crime & You Think You Can Dance?
Nice to see a sketch that has various funny aspects and performances by most of the cast.
Best line of the night:
"Remember when I made an album?"
-Kevin Federline (played by Andy Samberg)
International Masterworks.
I thought this was all around weak. The worst sketch of the season so far.
Musical Guest: Lady Gaga.
I like the piano bits, but would have liked to see it framed by the dance beats.
Closing thoughts…
Ryan Reynolds didn't really win me over because he didn't seem to have any memorable performances.
I liked that Andy Samberg wore the same bubble outfit as Lady Gaga.
Best Clip:
October 3rd, 2009
Host: Ryan Reynolds
Musical Guest: Lady Gaga
Cold Open.
Like many presidential openings of the past: sad but true.
Monologue.
Sad, but not funny. Although I liked the lantern jab.
Commercial Parody: Mostly Garbage Dog Food.
Great delivery from Jason Sudeikis made the moderately funny idea more enjoyable.
Celebrity Family Feud.
As soon as they introduced the Phillips family I thought this sketch was going to be pretty awkward. But it showed restraint and was surprisingly short.
Digital Short: Threw It On the Floor.
Will probably rank pretty low on the spectrum of songs by The Lonely Island…but they can't all be "On a Boat." I still enjoyed it for being silly.
Mike's Fountainry.
I love that they made a sequel to the "You gotta get a chandelier" sketch from last year, possibly just because Scarlett Johannsen is married to Ryan Reynolds? If so it's all worth it. I wanna get a porcelain fountain.
Deep Dish.
Kristen Wiig's had the best song and interview segment. Did they have to show a Facebook screencap to explain Ryan Reynold's "status update" song? The Madonna & Lady Gaga catfight seemed more awkward than funny. Probably should have practiced more. But everyone piling on Kenan was a cute ending.
Musical Guest: Lady Gaga.
As a fan of dance music and freestyle, I like most of the Lady Gaga songs I've heard so far. She seemed dizzy and off balance, but there's something charming about how hard she tries to be weird in that 80s kind of way, that is a far contrast from most current pop acts.
Weekend Update.
I sometimes forget that Daryl Hammond is still on SNL!
A bit surprised they told an A-Rod joke with Madonna in the house.
2nd best line of the night:
"Oh my God, 'Ghostbusters 2' was right!"
-Charles Barkley (played by Kenan Thompson)
You Committed a Crime & You Think You Can Dance?
Nice to see a sketch that has various funny aspects and performances by most of the cast.
Best line of the night:
"Remember when I made an album?"
-Kevin Federline (played by Andy Samberg)
International Masterworks.
I thought this was all around weak. The worst sketch of the season so far.
Musical Guest: Lady Gaga.
I like the piano bits, but would have liked to see it framed by the dance beats.
Closing thoughts…
Ryan Reynolds didn't really win me over because he didn't seem to have any memorable performances.
I liked that Andy Samberg wore the same bubble outfit as Lady Gaga.
Best Clip:
Saturday Night Live September 26th 2009
Here are some quick notes on LAST WEEK'S episode, which I watched in a hotel room (and missed the beginning of).
Saturday Night Live
September 26th, 2009
Host: Megan Fox
Musical Guest: U2
Overall...
I thought this was an okay episode. Lots of focus on random humor, which is okay by me. But nothing really worth getting too excited about. It's always telling when the host plays themselves in every sketch. "Your Mom Talks to Megan Fox," "Megan's Roommate," etc.
Flight Announcement.
Some funny moments, but dragged on a bit too long. Reminded me of a lot so-so sketches from mid 90s SNL.
Digital Short: The Date.
Definitely the most random bit of the episode. Will Forte at his most cringe-worthy--but mostly to good effect here.
Grady Wilson's Burning Bedsheets.
Having watched Kenan Thompson grow up on Nickelodeon, I'm not sure I really wanted to ever think about the different ways he has sex. But this was still a pretty funny sketch that was just ridiculous enough.
Digital Short: Megan's Roomate.
The blurred out, slow naked transforming was what made the bit work for me.
Weekend Update.
I'm surprised I'm still fond of Jean K. Jean. Kenan seems to find ways of keeping it from seeming too redundant.
Judy Grimes is borderline. I'm mostly just impressed by how fast Kristen Wiig can read the teleprompter.
Russian Brides.
Moderately funny, but also went on a bit too long.
CLIP:
Saturday Night Live
September 26th, 2009
Host: Megan Fox
Musical Guest: U2
Overall...
I thought this was an okay episode. Lots of focus on random humor, which is okay by me. But nothing really worth getting too excited about. It's always telling when the host plays themselves in every sketch. "Your Mom Talks to Megan Fox," "Megan's Roommate," etc.
Flight Announcement.
Some funny moments, but dragged on a bit too long. Reminded me of a lot so-so sketches from mid 90s SNL.
Digital Short: The Date.
Definitely the most random bit of the episode. Will Forte at his most cringe-worthy--but mostly to good effect here.
Grady Wilson's Burning Bedsheets.
Having watched Kenan Thompson grow up on Nickelodeon, I'm not sure I really wanted to ever think about the different ways he has sex. But this was still a pretty funny sketch that was just ridiculous enough.
Digital Short: Megan's Roomate.
The blurred out, slow naked transforming was what made the bit work for me.
Weekend Update.
I'm surprised I'm still fond of Jean K. Jean. Kenan seems to find ways of keeping it from seeming too redundant.
Judy Grimes is borderline. I'm mostly just impressed by how fast Kristen Wiig can read the teleprompter.
Russian Brides.
Moderately funny, but also went on a bit too long.
CLIP:
Monday, September 7, 2009
NEWS & COMMENTARY: Hello and Goodbye
TV Guide's website has a story about SNL's newest cast members Jenny Slate and Nasim Pedrad...
I've never seen either of these two performers before, so I'm hoping they bring something new and different to the show!
I'm always happy to give the featured players a chance, and enjoy seeing if they can work their way to the front.
But I also enjoyed reading all the comments below the article complaining about not hiring an African American actress. Not that they should hire someone just because they are black and can impersonate Michele Obama...but I imagine there must be some funny black women that would kill for that kind of break.
Yahoo.com has a story about which cast members were fired: Michaela Watkins and Casey Wilson.
I'm not particularly disappointed by either of these loses. Casey Wilson always seemed to have potential, but only her Katy Perry parody "I Held a Cat" stood out to me as genuinely funny. The rest of the time she was playing a random "cougar" and "friend to the main character".
I never had too much nice to say about Michaela Watkins, beyond her decent impression of Barbara Walters. Her blogger character really annoyed me, and I can't remember much else she did. Sorry!
I've never seen either of these two performers before, so I'm hoping they bring something new and different to the show!
I'm always happy to give the featured players a chance, and enjoy seeing if they can work their way to the front.
But I also enjoyed reading all the comments below the article complaining about not hiring an African American actress. Not that they should hire someone just because they are black and can impersonate Michele Obama...but I imagine there must be some funny black women that would kill for that kind of break.
Yahoo.com has a story about which cast members were fired: Michaela Watkins and Casey Wilson.
I'm not particularly disappointed by either of these loses. Casey Wilson always seemed to have potential, but only her Katy Perry parody "I Held a Cat" stood out to me as genuinely funny. The rest of the time she was playing a random "cougar" and "friend to the main character".
I never had too much nice to say about Michaela Watkins, beyond her decent impression of Barbara Walters. Her blogger character really annoyed me, and I can't remember much else she did. Sorry!
Saturday, May 16, 2009
Saturday Night Live May 16th, 2009
Saturday Night Live
May 16th, 2009
Host: Will Ferrell
Musical Guest: Green Day
Cold Open.
Dick Cheney and Will Ferrell are adorable. Watching this sketch felt like putting on an old warn in sweater.
Monologue.
First time I've ever heard the phrase "Goofbag."
"Please, no laughter" best set up ever. I'm sure this sort of showboating won't win Will Ferrel any new fans, but I enjoy it.
Wade Blaisengane.
An old commercial, but one that still cracks me up. Nice to see Chris Parnel and Tracey Morgan, even in reruns.
Lawrence Welk show (round 2).
"And by wonderful, I mean interesting."
Still borderline offensive, but moving closer to guilty pleasure.
I might have to watch the MTV Movie Awards this year!
Celebrity Jeopardy
When I saw that Tom Hanks was doing a guest appearance, I declared this to be quite the episode for SNL nostalgia. Sure he was there because he's hyping a big summer movie, but he was silly in that old Tom Hanks hosting SNL way (it's been too long!). He even said "sibilance" into a microphone! But holy crap Norm MacDonald showed it up, and it just tipped the scales. For an SNLphile like myself, it's a pleasure to see current stars like Kristen Wiig playing with the old guard. And this installment of Jeopardy had as many brilliant gags as ever.
Sidenote: Next season, I'd love to see Tom Hanks host, and have lots of cameos from Jon Lovitz.
Off topic: I never thought I'd see a Sleestak in a commercial for Subway.
Football commentary.
I loved this sketch! Charles Barkley laughing at 'Mark' dancing in the lower half of the screen was genius, and it just kept getting better. "It's just playfulness!"
Green Day.
Aged like fine wine. But who were the extra guys playing with the trio?
Weekend Update.
Not sure if Amy Poehler has been gone long enough to get that nostalgic, but it's always great to see her back and add to the fan service. To that end: Hey! It's Harry Carey!
Aww, hugs at the end.
Funeral speakers.
Talent show format with lots of silliness. Fred Armisen was my favorite of the batch. I love Maya Rudolph, but her cameo felt a bit forced by this point in the episode.
Vietnam song.
It's sketches like this that remind you that SNL really is the only true variety show on TV.
Was it THAT funny? No, but it was different, and I enjoyed the heck of it. Too many cameos to list, but Artie Lang and Bobby Moynihan together is like worlds colliding.
The music number was so over the top, you'd think this was the last episode of SNL ever!
It wouldn't have been a bad way to go out. The sketch even had an ending!
A great finale, that left we wanting more.
May 16th, 2009
Host: Will Ferrell
Musical Guest: Green Day
Cold Open.
Dick Cheney and Will Ferrell are adorable. Watching this sketch felt like putting on an old warn in sweater.
Monologue.
First time I've ever heard the phrase "Goofbag."
"Please, no laughter" best set up ever. I'm sure this sort of showboating won't win Will Ferrel any new fans, but I enjoy it.
Wade Blaisengane.
An old commercial, but one that still cracks me up. Nice to see Chris Parnel and Tracey Morgan, even in reruns.
Lawrence Welk show (round 2).
"And by wonderful, I mean interesting."
Still borderline offensive, but moving closer to guilty pleasure.
I might have to watch the MTV Movie Awards this year!
Celebrity Jeopardy
When I saw that Tom Hanks was doing a guest appearance, I declared this to be quite the episode for SNL nostalgia. Sure he was there because he's hyping a big summer movie, but he was silly in that old Tom Hanks hosting SNL way (it's been too long!). He even said "sibilance" into a microphone! But holy crap Norm MacDonald showed it up, and it just tipped the scales. For an SNLphile like myself, it's a pleasure to see current stars like Kristen Wiig playing with the old guard. And this installment of Jeopardy had as many brilliant gags as ever.
Sidenote: Next season, I'd love to see Tom Hanks host, and have lots of cameos from Jon Lovitz.
Off topic: I never thought I'd see a Sleestak in a commercial for Subway.
Football commentary.
I loved this sketch! Charles Barkley laughing at 'Mark' dancing in the lower half of the screen was genius, and it just kept getting better. "It's just playfulness!"
Green Day.
Aged like fine wine. But who were the extra guys playing with the trio?
Weekend Update.
Not sure if Amy Poehler has been gone long enough to get that nostalgic, but it's always great to see her back and add to the fan service. To that end: Hey! It's Harry Carey!
Aww, hugs at the end.
Funeral speakers.
Talent show format with lots of silliness. Fred Armisen was my favorite of the batch. I love Maya Rudolph, but her cameo felt a bit forced by this point in the episode.
Vietnam song.
It's sketches like this that remind you that SNL really is the only true variety show on TV.
Was it THAT funny? No, but it was different, and I enjoyed the heck of it. Too many cameos to list, but Artie Lang and Bobby Moynihan together is like worlds colliding.
The music number was so over the top, you'd think this was the last episode of SNL ever!
It wouldn't have been a bad way to go out. The sketch even had an ending!
A great finale, that left we wanting more.
Saturday, May 9, 2009
Saturday Night Live May 9th, 2009
Saturday Night Live
April 9, 2009
Host: Justin Timberlake
Musical Guest: Ciara
Cold Open: Geitner’s Stress Test on the Banks.
Mildly amusing, but never really took off and petered out at the end.
Monologue.
One of the better monologue song-and-dance numbers. I give Justin credit for sitting on that dude's lap and for giving shout outs to all the other hosts these past years. Classy.
Commercial: Mom celebrity translator.
Totally need one. Wherever mom product are sold.
Target Lady.
Felt a bit phoned in. But, nice use of the classic cartoon speed-away visual gag (wind blowing, etc.).
Immigrants.
A little self-serving and self-congratulatory, and yet I can't deny I laughed a few times.
Where DID sexy go before his grandson brought it back? I liked Andy Samberg's set up for the digital short.
Digital Short: Dick In A Box follow up.
Motherlover. Lightening strikes twice? The Lonely Island keeps pumping out the hits for Justin Timberlake. By the time I make this post I'm sure Motherlover will be all over the internet.
Take it on down to Plasticville.
Will Forte was just dead weight in this sketch; not exactly the straight man or a funny contrast to Timberlake.
Ciara.
Introduced by Justin Timberlake's girlfriend?
Straight up now tell me that this didn't feel like a Janet Jackson and/or Paul Abdul and/or Madonna dance number from the 90s?
Weekend Update.
Patterson and Spitzer are a good comedy team!
It seems in bad taste for the new Star Trek cast to make fun of the old show's fanbase the weekend the new movie opens. I know there's a long history of making fun of Trekkies, but I thought they came across as even more condescending and sincerely dismissive than intended.
Barry and Robin Gibbs show.
Jimmy Fallon returns. I shrug my shoulders. I guess they tried their best?
Pirates vs. Pirates.
Loved Fred Armisen's parrot ventriloquism and Kristen Wiig taking out the tourists.
CLIP:
April 9, 2009
Host: Justin Timberlake
Musical Guest: Ciara
Cold Open: Geitner’s Stress Test on the Banks.
Mildly amusing, but never really took off and petered out at the end.
Monologue.
One of the better monologue song-and-dance numbers. I give Justin credit for sitting on that dude's lap and for giving shout outs to all the other hosts these past years. Classy.
Commercial: Mom celebrity translator.
Totally need one. Wherever mom product are sold.
Target Lady.
Felt a bit phoned in. But, nice use of the classic cartoon speed-away visual gag (wind blowing, etc.).
Immigrants.
A little self-serving and self-congratulatory, and yet I can't deny I laughed a few times.
Where DID sexy go before his grandson brought it back? I liked Andy Samberg's set up for the digital short.
Digital Short: Dick In A Box follow up.
Motherlover. Lightening strikes twice? The Lonely Island keeps pumping out the hits for Justin Timberlake. By the time I make this post I'm sure Motherlover will be all over the internet.
Take it on down to Plasticville.
Will Forte was just dead weight in this sketch; not exactly the straight man or a funny contrast to Timberlake.
Ciara.
Introduced by Justin Timberlake's girlfriend?
Straight up now tell me that this didn't feel like a Janet Jackson and/or Paul Abdul and/or Madonna dance number from the 90s?
Weekend Update.
Patterson and Spitzer are a good comedy team!
It seems in bad taste for the new Star Trek cast to make fun of the old show's fanbase the weekend the new movie opens. I know there's a long history of making fun of Trekkies, but I thought they came across as even more condescending and sincerely dismissive than intended.
Barry and Robin Gibbs show.
Jimmy Fallon returns. I shrug my shoulders. I guess they tried their best?
Pirates vs. Pirates.
Loved Fred Armisen's parrot ventriloquism and Kristen Wiig taking out the tourists.
CLIP:
Saturday, April 11, 2009
Saturday Night Live April 11th, 2009
Saturday Night Live
April 11, 2009
Host: Zac Effron
Musical Guest: Yeah Yeah Yeahs
Cold Open.
Joe Biden chews Obama's ear off for mild comic effect. I found it an almost-cute dramatization of the awkward conversations that Obama and Biden probably have. The vice president putting his family photos on the president's desk while he was away was a nice touch. I also liked Obama saying "Relax, Joe. You've already got the job."
Monologue.
"Hey, Tweens!" seems like a condescending way to address your fan base in an attempt to appeal to the older audience. Do tweens refer to themselves as such?
Today.
Kristen Wiig is (expectedly) perfect as the completely out of touch Kathy Lee Gifford. When she mentioned her son Cody, I had flashbacks to Dana Carvey and Jan Hooks as Regis and Kathy Lee. I haven't thought much about Cody since then. I guess he would be Zac Effron's age by now!
Mikhaela Watkins is a decent straight-woman co-host (even if I can't remember the name of who she's playing).
Science Fair: Gilly returns.
The first thing this sketch did was remind me how rarely Bobby Moynihan is on the show these days (not a great sign for a featured player). The second thing this sketch did is remind me that not everything Kristen Wiig does is enjoyable.
Gilly is easily the most disturbing of her characters. It makes me glad that the trend of SNL character-based movies is on a downturn so I don't have to know the fear that would be an hour and a half of Gilly on the big screen. Although in the right hands I guess it COULD be the next POPEYE.
Junk Mail Commercial.
A bit more of a straight up rant than the usual SNL satirical approach, but a noble attempt at relevancy compared to the inane sketch that preceded it.
Kids at the Bar.
Totally hilarious. It had a funny set up, and the images of the kids drinking at the bar is pretty classic.
I wonder if they made up the phrase "Gerbils are the opposite of cougars"?
Musical Guest: Yeah Yeah Yeahs.
I've always been indifferent to this band, despite their critical acclaim. The singer reminds me of a mild PJ Harvey without the passion. But I did like the overall shoegazing sound of the song they played.
Weekend Update.
I assume Devil's Due comics are stoked that their Barrack the Barbarian series got plugged.
Considering the overloading of stereotypes, Bill Hader and Fred Armisen as the Gay Couple from New Jersey are funnier than I would have expected.
I still don't get who exactly is being parodied by Mikhaela Watkins' Angie Tempura, the snarky blogger character. The nasal voice and way of stretching out her "snotty comments" and saying "bitch, please" in an out of breath manner, just makes me scratch my head in confusion. Reminds me of Molly Shannon's "Don't even get me started. Don't EVEN get me started."
As soon as Seth Meyers said the words "Jon Bovi" my heart shrank in my chest. I can't believe how much time they wasted with the opposite of humor. Bitch, pleeeaaase. Slurp.
High School Musical 4
I'm surprised they didn't do this as one of the beginning sketches for the kids.
Mostly cute and predictable exceptnfor Daryl Hammond as an unfrozen, racist Walt Disney. Seems like Daryl just does "surprise cameos" the way he casually walks in at the end of sketches.
Going off to war.
Totally random, but I enjoyed Casey Wilson running next to a moving train with a fish in her mouth.
Gino's Pizza Rolls.
Fred Armisen's performance hit a little too close for home for me. They dragged it out a bit, but still cracked me up. Not bad for the often worn out "let's do that scene over" format
Next week: Hey Rick! It's the Best of Amy Poehler.
Yeah Yeah Yeahs.
I liked the heavy guitar parts at the end of the song.
Brotherly foot rub.
A solid, well written, stand alone sketch. It evoked some of the best Kids in the Hall awkward sexual scenes. Just imagine Scott Thompson playing the role of Jason Sudeikis (who was really good in this). It seems to be one of SNL's worst traditions to push the original scenes for the end of the night and annoy us with reoccurring one-note characters like Gilly at the start of the show.
CLIP:
April 11, 2009
Host: Zac Effron
Musical Guest: Yeah Yeah Yeahs
Cold Open.
Joe Biden chews Obama's ear off for mild comic effect. I found it an almost-cute dramatization of the awkward conversations that Obama and Biden probably have. The vice president putting his family photos on the president's desk while he was away was a nice touch. I also liked Obama saying "Relax, Joe. You've already got the job."
Monologue.
"Hey, Tweens!" seems like a condescending way to address your fan base in an attempt to appeal to the older audience. Do tweens refer to themselves as such?
Today.
Kristen Wiig is (expectedly) perfect as the completely out of touch Kathy Lee Gifford. When she mentioned her son Cody, I had flashbacks to Dana Carvey and Jan Hooks as Regis and Kathy Lee. I haven't thought much about Cody since then. I guess he would be Zac Effron's age by now!
Mikhaela Watkins is a decent straight-woman co-host (even if I can't remember the name of who she's playing).
Science Fair: Gilly returns.
The first thing this sketch did was remind me how rarely Bobby Moynihan is on the show these days (not a great sign for a featured player). The second thing this sketch did is remind me that not everything Kristen Wiig does is enjoyable.
Gilly is easily the most disturbing of her characters. It makes me glad that the trend of SNL character-based movies is on a downturn so I don't have to know the fear that would be an hour and a half of Gilly on the big screen. Although in the right hands I guess it COULD be the next POPEYE.
Junk Mail Commercial.
A bit more of a straight up rant than the usual SNL satirical approach, but a noble attempt at relevancy compared to the inane sketch that preceded it.
Kids at the Bar.
Totally hilarious. It had a funny set up, and the images of the kids drinking at the bar is pretty classic.
I wonder if they made up the phrase "Gerbils are the opposite of cougars"?
Musical Guest: Yeah Yeah Yeahs.
I've always been indifferent to this band, despite their critical acclaim. The singer reminds me of a mild PJ Harvey without the passion. But I did like the overall shoegazing sound of the song they played.
Weekend Update.
I assume Devil's Due comics are stoked that their Barrack the Barbarian series got plugged.
Considering the overloading of stereotypes, Bill Hader and Fred Armisen as the Gay Couple from New Jersey are funnier than I would have expected.
I still don't get who exactly is being parodied by Mikhaela Watkins' Angie Tempura, the snarky blogger character. The nasal voice and way of stretching out her "snotty comments" and saying "bitch, please" in an out of breath manner, just makes me scratch my head in confusion. Reminds me of Molly Shannon's "Don't even get me started. Don't EVEN get me started."
As soon as Seth Meyers said the words "Jon Bovi" my heart shrank in my chest. I can't believe how much time they wasted with the opposite of humor. Bitch, pleeeaaase. Slurp.
High School Musical 4
I'm surprised they didn't do this as one of the beginning sketches for the kids.
Mostly cute and predictable exceptnfor Daryl Hammond as an unfrozen, racist Walt Disney. Seems like Daryl just does "surprise cameos" the way he casually walks in at the end of sketches.
Going off to war.
Totally random, but I enjoyed Casey Wilson running next to a moving train with a fish in her mouth.
Gino's Pizza Rolls.
Fred Armisen's performance hit a little too close for home for me. They dragged it out a bit, but still cracked me up. Not bad for the often worn out "let's do that scene over" format
Next week: Hey Rick! It's the Best of Amy Poehler.
Yeah Yeah Yeahs.
I liked the heavy guitar parts at the end of the song.
Brotherly foot rub.
A solid, well written, stand alone sketch. It evoked some of the best Kids in the Hall awkward sexual scenes. Just imagine Scott Thompson playing the role of Jason Sudeikis (who was really good in this). It seems to be one of SNL's worst traditions to push the original scenes for the end of the night and annoy us with reoccurring one-note characters like Gilly at the start of the show.
CLIP:
Saturday, April 4, 2009
Saturday Night Live, April 4th 2009
Saturday Night Live
April 4, 2009
Host: Seth Rogen
Musical Guest: Phoenix
Cold Open.
Whenever I hear Obama speak now, I can't help but hear Fred Armisen's impression of him in my head. Which means Armisen must be doing something right. Does he even put the dot on his nose for this impersonation, or is that just a natural coincidence?!
Monologue.
Seth Rogen sure fluctuates weight a lot. Does he do that on purpose for his various film roles? I'm glad they're addressing the frequency of mall cop movies these days.
Commercial Parody.
Looks like a live-action yaoi manga adaptation.
Save the Funnies.
They finally wrote a sketch to put Cathy into besides Weekend Update, I guess? Farside was a random throw-away gag--is that strip even in syndication anymore?
La Riviste della Televisiona.
This sketch reminded me how often Seth Rogen and Bill Hader appear in movies together.
Digital Short.
Musically reminded me a lot of the Natalie Portman digital short. I thought it was the weakest of the Lonely Island raps so far, but it still had a couple of laughs.
Girlfriend voice.
Started out good, but they kind of dragged it out too long. Mogwai singing is always worthwhile, though.
Remember GE Smith? I haven't for a long time. But something made me think of the old days during this break.
Phoenix.
Reminded me of a calmer version of the band Of Montreal.
Weekend Update.
I enjoyed Seth's jabs about the gift exchange with the Queen of England.
Madonna and Angelina Jolie's baby-off was good stuff. Especially Abby Eliott's exit.
Business Meeting.
Felt like the lamest sketch SNL has ever done. Nothing but people sitting around listening to a song from Grease. The "twist" ending was predictable in way that wouldn't have been surprising on a preschool show. It was more like, NBC had the rights to that song and wanted to use it AND waste TV time simultaneously, to save costs.
Milestone High.
ALMOST funny.
Bad country music commercial.
Three strikes. It's sad to see such talented people like Kristen Wiig and Seth Rogen stoop to Will Forte's level of non-comedy. Totally painful. The kind of sketch that makes it hard to justify SNL to your friends. Someone really needs to tell Will Forte that just singing random stuff in a "funny voice" isn't enough.
Phoenix.
The singer looks like some random guy that walked off the street and a rock band let him join them on stage. But the song was pretty decent!
SNL really has had a thing about Muppet parodies over the years. Some of the costumes were pretty fun, but everything else was a bit too average. Seemed like a lot of trouble visually for so little amount of actual parody or humor.
Third song by a band that isn't Coldplay? Craziness.
Clips:
April 4, 2009
Host: Seth Rogen
Musical Guest: Phoenix
Cold Open.
Whenever I hear Obama speak now, I can't help but hear Fred Armisen's impression of him in my head. Which means Armisen must be doing something right. Does he even put the dot on his nose for this impersonation, or is that just a natural coincidence?!
Monologue.
Seth Rogen sure fluctuates weight a lot. Does he do that on purpose for his various film roles? I'm glad they're addressing the frequency of mall cop movies these days.
Commercial Parody.
Looks like a live-action yaoi manga adaptation.
Save the Funnies.
They finally wrote a sketch to put Cathy into besides Weekend Update, I guess? Farside was a random throw-away gag--is that strip even in syndication anymore?
La Riviste della Televisiona.
This sketch reminded me how often Seth Rogen and Bill Hader appear in movies together.
Digital Short.
Musically reminded me a lot of the Natalie Portman digital short. I thought it was the weakest of the Lonely Island raps so far, but it still had a couple of laughs.
Girlfriend voice.
Started out good, but they kind of dragged it out too long. Mogwai singing is always worthwhile, though.
Remember GE Smith? I haven't for a long time. But something made me think of the old days during this break.
Phoenix.
Reminded me of a calmer version of the band Of Montreal.
Weekend Update.
I enjoyed Seth's jabs about the gift exchange with the Queen of England.
Madonna and Angelina Jolie's baby-off was good stuff. Especially Abby Eliott's exit.
Business Meeting.
Felt like the lamest sketch SNL has ever done. Nothing but people sitting around listening to a song from Grease. The "twist" ending was predictable in way that wouldn't have been surprising on a preschool show. It was more like, NBC had the rights to that song and wanted to use it AND waste TV time simultaneously, to save costs.
Milestone High.
ALMOST funny.
Bad country music commercial.
Three strikes. It's sad to see such talented people like Kristen Wiig and Seth Rogen stoop to Will Forte's level of non-comedy. Totally painful. The kind of sketch that makes it hard to justify SNL to your friends. Someone really needs to tell Will Forte that just singing random stuff in a "funny voice" isn't enough.
Phoenix.
The singer looks like some random guy that walked off the street and a rock band let him join them on stage. But the song was pretty decent!
SNL really has had a thing about Muppet parodies over the years. Some of the costumes were pretty fun, but everything else was a bit too average. Seemed like a lot of trouble visually for so little amount of actual parody or humor.
Third song by a band that isn't Coldplay? Craziness.
Clips:
Saturday, March 14, 2009
Saturday Night Live, March 14th, 2009
Saturday Night Live
March 14th, 2009
Host: Tracy Morgan
Musical Guest: Kelly Clarkson
Cold Open.
Was this the first time they did a digital short style opening? I thought everything about it was great. I wonder if it was inspired by real events.
Monologue.
Probably the best monologue I've seen in years. Great jab about being in more sketches than his 7 years as a cast member. And tons of fantastic quotes like, "I'm not actually a ridiculous person," and images of Tracey frying chicken in his shark tank.
Commercial parody.
I guess it's better to show a repeat than cut immediately to a real commercial. But seriously, they need to make more parodies per year.
The return of Brian Fellows.
I'm glad they went right to what everyone wanted to see. I assume that was the same intro and not a new one. I wonder how much of the set was held on to "just in case." This felt a bit phoned in, but I could care less. My only complaint was that it didn't last long enough.
The View.
I guess it's pretty funny to have Tracy Morgan play a different host on The View since he was well known for playing Star Jones. I guess he could play anyone and it would make me laugh. The naivte could have been annoying if not so pitch perfect. "I know what stem cells are, but what is research?" Kristen Wiig's take on Elisabeth Hassleback is also growing on me. One of the best View sketches in a while.
Scared Straight a 3rd time.
It's nice just to see Kenan and Tracy performing together. There's a lot to like about series of sketches, even if the repetition of format still annoys me a bit. But there's more pro than con. This also seemed like the first time in a while where the cast members really cracked each other up and almost broke character.
Dateline.
Bill Hader really has something with this character. It's hard to not smile through the whole sketch.
Astronaut Jones.
The opening sequence and theme song is still one my favorite things of all time (SNL or otherwise). They could show an Astronaut Jones bit every week and I wouldn't complain.
Kelly Clarkson.
Another American Idol winner. I guess I should be embarrassed that I've still never watched that show. The song didn't do that much for me, but I'd say Clarkson has a good voice.
Weekend Update.
Good impersonation of John Malkovich. But does he really have that chin hair?
There was an inexplicable camera shot of Seth before Tracy Morgan showed up for his "Really" bit. Barbie is no Cathy. But I liked the shout out to Black Barbie. All the other jokes about the doll seemed really old though. Did they not see Toy Story 2?
Big Love.
I'm not familiar with the show, but still enjoyed the sketch.
Digital Short.
Visualizing insults for people at a party. Great execution of an idea I can't believe no one else has done before.
Suppressex.
Total Brilliance. Will Forte's "This is the wrong time for an erection" was the best use of him all year (makes up for all those MacGrubers). Anti-erection medication is another seemingly obvious idea I'm surprised I've never seen before.
Laying face down on a waterslide can be a problem!
High I.Q.
Is it wrong that Beth's dancing made me wish I had some Suppressex? It was pretty hot.
Not a lot to think about, but the sketch had the right mix of escalating randomness to win the game.
Kelly Clarkson didn't seem dressed like someone who would have that much rock guitar playing behind her.
Family Flix: Rocket Dog.
I can't really explain why this sketch cracked me up from start to end. But it got the biggest laughs of the night. It's horrible to laugh at the idea of dead dogs, but they made it work.
Gas Right.
Was this a new commercial parody? Why didn't they show this at the beginning of the episode?
A great episode. Sorry for all the Tracy Morgan fanboy gushing. But he's the best!
CLIPS:
March 14th, 2009
Host: Tracy Morgan
Musical Guest: Kelly Clarkson
Cold Open.
Was this the first time they did a digital short style opening? I thought everything about it was great. I wonder if it was inspired by real events.
Monologue.
Probably the best monologue I've seen in years. Great jab about being in more sketches than his 7 years as a cast member. And tons of fantastic quotes like, "I'm not actually a ridiculous person," and images of Tracey frying chicken in his shark tank.
Commercial parody.
I guess it's better to show a repeat than cut immediately to a real commercial. But seriously, they need to make more parodies per year.
The return of Brian Fellows.
I'm glad they went right to what everyone wanted to see. I assume that was the same intro and not a new one. I wonder how much of the set was held on to "just in case." This felt a bit phoned in, but I could care less. My only complaint was that it didn't last long enough.
The View.
I guess it's pretty funny to have Tracy Morgan play a different host on The View since he was well known for playing Star Jones. I guess he could play anyone and it would make me laugh. The naivte could have been annoying if not so pitch perfect. "I know what stem cells are, but what is research?" Kristen Wiig's take on Elisabeth Hassleback is also growing on me. One of the best View sketches in a while.
Scared Straight a 3rd time.
It's nice just to see Kenan and Tracy performing together. There's a lot to like about series of sketches, even if the repetition of format still annoys me a bit. But there's more pro than con. This also seemed like the first time in a while where the cast members really cracked each other up and almost broke character.
Dateline.
Bill Hader really has something with this character. It's hard to not smile through the whole sketch.
Astronaut Jones.
The opening sequence and theme song is still one my favorite things of all time (SNL or otherwise). They could show an Astronaut Jones bit every week and I wouldn't complain.
Kelly Clarkson.
Another American Idol winner. I guess I should be embarrassed that I've still never watched that show. The song didn't do that much for me, but I'd say Clarkson has a good voice.
Weekend Update.
Good impersonation of John Malkovich. But does he really have that chin hair?
There was an inexplicable camera shot of Seth before Tracy Morgan showed up for his "Really" bit. Barbie is no Cathy. But I liked the shout out to Black Barbie. All the other jokes about the doll seemed really old though. Did they not see Toy Story 2?
Big Love.
I'm not familiar with the show, but still enjoyed the sketch.
Digital Short.
Visualizing insults for people at a party. Great execution of an idea I can't believe no one else has done before.
Suppressex.
Total Brilliance. Will Forte's "This is the wrong time for an erection" was the best use of him all year (makes up for all those MacGrubers). Anti-erection medication is another seemingly obvious idea I'm surprised I've never seen before.
Laying face down on a waterslide can be a problem!
High I.Q.
Is it wrong that Beth's dancing made me wish I had some Suppressex? It was pretty hot.
Not a lot to think about, but the sketch had the right mix of escalating randomness to win the game.
Kelly Clarkson didn't seem dressed like someone who would have that much rock guitar playing behind her.
Family Flix: Rocket Dog.
I can't really explain why this sketch cracked me up from start to end. But it got the biggest laughs of the night. It's horrible to laugh at the idea of dead dogs, but they made it work.
Gas Right.
Was this a new commercial parody? Why didn't they show this at the beginning of the episode?
A great episode. Sorry for all the Tracy Morgan fanboy gushing. But he's the best!
CLIPS:
Saturday, March 7, 2009
Saturday Night Live, March 7th, 2009
Saturday Night Live
March 7th, 2009
Host: Dwayne Johnston
Musical Guest: Ray LaMontane
Cold Open.
Yet another "sad but true" commentary, rather than full-on attempt at gags. Had some good moments though.
Monologue.
I'm glad "Dwayne" addressed his name evolution since last time he hosted. Something about his tattoo really grossed me out and made me question if he's doing okay.
MacGruber.
So after appearing in a series of Pepsi commercial tie ins, the real MacGuyver appears in an actual MacGruber sketch. Ideally that should be the final note and they should retire the character--but I doubt it.
Obama and Emanuel.
Andy Samberg's delivery and devious smile totally sold it; The Rock's tattoo almost ruined it. The Incredible Hulk parody was kind of a stupid premise and yet totally cracked me up. For some reason it reminded me of SNL's late 80s political sketches.
Another Activia Yogurt sketch.
Guess I don't feel strongly enough about poop jokes to form a solid (pun!) opinion about this sketch.
Hooray for Tracey Morgan hosting next week! Even if he just retreads old characters like Brian Fellows and Astronaut Jones, I'll probably be happy!
Hawaiian resort performers.
Nothing like employees randomly making fun of customers and then doing a silly dance, and repeating till annoying.
Ray LaMontane.
He wins the "old-timey-sounding" award for recent acts who play music that evokes retro stylings. It'd be adult contemporary if it came out 30 years ago. Or maybe smooth jazz? White R&B?
Weekend Update.
For some reason I don't look forward to this segment as much as I used to. Could be the lack of Amy and/or Tina. I have nothing against Seth Myers, but something about him solo seems less enjoyable.
--Good bit with Michael Steele.
--The Cathy parody would be funnier if the hair went up without Andy's hands. Do people know comic iconography like sweat drop by name? Are Andy and Justin Timberlake total BFFs? Do SNL cast members appreciate how often he steals their potential parts? I guess Jessica Biel cosplayed a good Jessica Rabbit.
-Jon Bovi. UGH!
GameTime with Dave and Greg.
I actually liked the premise of callers speculating on the alien co-host. And Bill Hader's reaction to the water spilling on him was pretty great. I can't believe how many sketches cut to Kenan just for a silly reaction shot.
The return of Donald Trump mini commercials.
Daryl Hammond sticks around long enough to convince SNL to bring this sketch back from the dead. Not sure if these were celebrities actually on Celebrity Apprentice, or just people the performers wanted to impersonate.
Lighthouse.
UGH again! Sketches like this only interest me because I have a hard time believing they made it on screen. So random.
I wonder if it was bounced from an earlier episode. I feel like a year from now this one will at least seem funny in retrospect.
Overall a pretty unsatisfying episode with no real memorable sketch beyond the Obama Incredible Hulk parody.
March 7th, 2009
Host: Dwayne Johnston
Musical Guest: Ray LaMontane
Cold Open.
Yet another "sad but true" commentary, rather than full-on attempt at gags. Had some good moments though.
Monologue.
I'm glad "Dwayne" addressed his name evolution since last time he hosted. Something about his tattoo really grossed me out and made me question if he's doing okay.
MacGruber.
So after appearing in a series of Pepsi commercial tie ins, the real MacGuyver appears in an actual MacGruber sketch. Ideally that should be the final note and they should retire the character--but I doubt it.
Obama and Emanuel.
Andy Samberg's delivery and devious smile totally sold it; The Rock's tattoo almost ruined it. The Incredible Hulk parody was kind of a stupid premise and yet totally cracked me up. For some reason it reminded me of SNL's late 80s political sketches.
Another Activia Yogurt sketch.
Guess I don't feel strongly enough about poop jokes to form a solid (pun!) opinion about this sketch.
Hooray for Tracey Morgan hosting next week! Even if he just retreads old characters like Brian Fellows and Astronaut Jones, I'll probably be happy!
Hawaiian resort performers.
Nothing like employees randomly making fun of customers and then doing a silly dance, and repeating till annoying.
Ray LaMontane.
He wins the "old-timey-sounding" award for recent acts who play music that evokes retro stylings. It'd be adult contemporary if it came out 30 years ago. Or maybe smooth jazz? White R&B?
Weekend Update.
For some reason I don't look forward to this segment as much as I used to. Could be the lack of Amy and/or Tina. I have nothing against Seth Myers, but something about him solo seems less enjoyable.
--Good bit with Michael Steele.
--The Cathy parody would be funnier if the hair went up without Andy's hands. Do people know comic iconography like sweat drop by name? Are Andy and Justin Timberlake total BFFs? Do SNL cast members appreciate how often he steals their potential parts? I guess Jessica Biel cosplayed a good Jessica Rabbit.
-Jon Bovi. UGH!
GameTime with Dave and Greg.
I actually liked the premise of callers speculating on the alien co-host. And Bill Hader's reaction to the water spilling on him was pretty great. I can't believe how many sketches cut to Kenan just for a silly reaction shot.
The return of Donald Trump mini commercials.
Daryl Hammond sticks around long enough to convince SNL to bring this sketch back from the dead. Not sure if these were celebrities actually on Celebrity Apprentice, or just people the performers wanted to impersonate.
Lighthouse.
UGH again! Sketches like this only interest me because I have a hard time believing they made it on screen. So random.
I wonder if it was bounced from an earlier episode. I feel like a year from now this one will at least seem funny in retrospect.
Overall a pretty unsatisfying episode with no real memorable sketch beyond the Obama Incredible Hulk parody.
Saturday, February 14, 2009
Saturday Night Live, February 14th, 2009
Saturday Night Live
February 14, 2009
Host: Alec Baldwin.
Musical Guest: Jonas Brothers
Cold Open.
Not hilarious, but an insightful commentary on the current mindset of the Republican party. Featuring another random cameo from Dan Akroyd (did he do one last year?).
Monologue.
Yay for Jack McBrayer! I've liked his goofy southern schtick ever since seeing him at the UCB theater (performing as a fill-in guest with Respecto Montalban), so I think it's great that he finally gets to be on SNL and is getting so much TV love!
Oldest Jonas Brother.
I guess this one was for the fans. And ONLY the fans. Not up to par with the Bon Jovi sketch from last year (where the revealed the origin of their band name).
I love the commercial for The Lonely Island featuring ****in My Pants and ****in a Box!
Cougar Den.
It's a bad sign it's 20 minutes in and the first real laugh of the episode is just a Kenan reaction shot. Why does Cameron Diaz keep coming back? Does she think this is a popular character or re-occurring sketch? She's not bad in it, but I just find it weird.
Digital Short.
Putting the VHS tape in the DVD player was totally brilliant. The rest of the sketch, not so much (nothing against the wizard). It would have been funnier if Andy Samberg and the Lonely Island guys tried to convince the super-pure Jonas Brothers to try and record a song like Dick in a Box.
Sir Mix-A-Lot's Photoshop
Funny in a guilty-pleasure kind of way. So silly it's hard to keep from smiling. I tried my best to resist it, but Kenan always manages to pull these things off.
Jonas Brothers.
Pretty harmless pop, but the brother who plays guitar and was singing back up sounded like he was really straining to hit those high notes. Cringe!
Weekend Update.
With all the financial crisis news, I find myself thinking about this Oscar Rogers "Fix It" character at weird times. I guess that means it’s growing on me. I like the way he says ValenTIME.
--I guess for people who liked Abby Elliot's Angelina Jolie impersonation, they brought it back for absolutely no reason.
--Blogger character was just painful to watch. I couldn't tell if she was supposed to be a dumb college kid or a weird old lady with a disease.
Vincent Price Valentine's Day Special.
I find it funny that they use a Harry Potter knock-off font for the title sequence. I know a lot of people are fond of this re-occurring sketch and I wish I was, too! It's funny in concept and everyone seems like they are having fun, but it never seems to come together for me.
Business Meeting.
The first time Will Forte's character asked his secretary to "hold his calls," I wondered, why?? They're in the middle of a meeting? And then he kept doing it, getting more annoying each time. My feelings about Will Forte can run hot and cold, but this sketch broke the camel's back…and I now will go on record as hoping this is his last season on the show. Sorry!
Wii Sketch.
I feel embarrassed that I saw where this sketch was going as soon as it started. I guess someone had to make the connection between wiimotes and masturbation, and the result was funny enough mostly because of the climax.
Virginia Horsen's Hot Air Balloon
Was this a repeat of the original hot air balloon commercial? It's funny enough that I didn't care.
First Coughs.
Um. Sure. Why not?
February 14, 2009
Host: Alec Baldwin.
Musical Guest: Jonas Brothers
Cold Open.
Not hilarious, but an insightful commentary on the current mindset of the Republican party. Featuring another random cameo from Dan Akroyd (did he do one last year?).
Monologue.
Yay for Jack McBrayer! I've liked his goofy southern schtick ever since seeing him at the UCB theater (performing as a fill-in guest with Respecto Montalban), so I think it's great that he finally gets to be on SNL and is getting so much TV love!
Oldest Jonas Brother.
I guess this one was for the fans. And ONLY the fans. Not up to par with the Bon Jovi sketch from last year (where the revealed the origin of their band name).
I love the commercial for The Lonely Island featuring ****in My Pants and ****in a Box!
Cougar Den.
It's a bad sign it's 20 minutes in and the first real laugh of the episode is just a Kenan reaction shot. Why does Cameron Diaz keep coming back? Does she think this is a popular character or re-occurring sketch? She's not bad in it, but I just find it weird.
Digital Short.
Putting the VHS tape in the DVD player was totally brilliant. The rest of the sketch, not so much (nothing against the wizard). It would have been funnier if Andy Samberg and the Lonely Island guys tried to convince the super-pure Jonas Brothers to try and record a song like Dick in a Box.
Sir Mix-A-Lot's Photoshop
Funny in a guilty-pleasure kind of way. So silly it's hard to keep from smiling. I tried my best to resist it, but Kenan always manages to pull these things off.
Jonas Brothers.
Pretty harmless pop, but the brother who plays guitar and was singing back up sounded like he was really straining to hit those high notes. Cringe!
Weekend Update.
With all the financial crisis news, I find myself thinking about this Oscar Rogers "Fix It" character at weird times. I guess that means it’s growing on me. I like the way he says ValenTIME.
--I guess for people who liked Abby Elliot's Angelina Jolie impersonation, they brought it back for absolutely no reason.
--Blogger character was just painful to watch. I couldn't tell if she was supposed to be a dumb college kid or a weird old lady with a disease.
Vincent Price Valentine's Day Special.
I find it funny that they use a Harry Potter knock-off font for the title sequence. I know a lot of people are fond of this re-occurring sketch and I wish I was, too! It's funny in concept and everyone seems like they are having fun, but it never seems to come together for me.
Business Meeting.
The first time Will Forte's character asked his secretary to "hold his calls," I wondered, why?? They're in the middle of a meeting? And then he kept doing it, getting more annoying each time. My feelings about Will Forte can run hot and cold, but this sketch broke the camel's back…and I now will go on record as hoping this is his last season on the show. Sorry!
Wii Sketch.
I feel embarrassed that I saw where this sketch was going as soon as it started. I guess someone had to make the connection between wiimotes and masturbation, and the result was funny enough mostly because of the climax.
Virginia Horsen's Hot Air Balloon
Was this a repeat of the original hot air balloon commercial? It's funny enough that I didn't care.
First Coughs.
Um. Sure. Why not?
Sunday, February 8, 2009
On a boat...reading comics
Sorry, no reviews this week. I missed the episode because of the New York Comic Con!
But I enjoyed the new music video from The Lonely Island. After Jorma Taccone's star turn in "Jizz in my Pants" it's great to see Akiva Schaffer also got to sing a song on SNL and just get some screen time in general. I guess I should check out the new album.
I also liked it on a personal level because I write a comic series called Teen Boat!
But I enjoyed the new music video from The Lonely Island. After Jorma Taccone's star turn in "Jizz in my Pants" it's great to see Akiva Schaffer also got to sing a song on SNL and just get some screen time in general. I guess I should check out the new album.
I also liked it on a personal level because I write a comic series called Teen Boat!
Saturday, January 31, 2009
Saturday Night Live, January 31st, 2009
Saturday Night Live
January 31st, 2009
Host: Steve Martin
Musical Guest: Jason Mraz
Cold Open.
First cold opening with Obama as the president. I think Fred Armisen keeps getting better with his Obama impression, and the whitening of his hair is a nice detail. It's going to be hard to follow up all the years of great George Bush openings, but considering Obama gives writers less to work with it, it turned out okay!
Monologue.
Steve Martin's 15th time! I think I prefer when he does a song or interacts behind the stage. His stand up ended up a bit awkward.
Chewable Diapers.
A new classic to add to the rich history of brilliant commercial parodies! Along the lines of the Jiffy Pop airbag.
Only one real commercial, and suddenly a McGruber sketch? And with the real McGuyver doing a surprise cameo? And wait, it WAS actually a commercial? I'm confused! I wonder if it will air on the Super Bowl tomorrow?
Super Bowl.
The return of Will Forte and Kristen Wiig characters I sort of remember them doing once before but find it hard to describe exactly how to describe them. Boring? Out of touch? I guess the passing of time is the extra angle, morphing the characters from timid to random. Subtle comedy to be sure.
Digital Short: Laser Cats 4.
I definitely want to like the laser cats. It doesn't make me laugh, but it evokes the kind of low-budget nonsense I usually enjoy.
Issues.
I loved this sketch! Similar setup as the Will Forte-Kristen Wiig "Good Excuse" sketch from last week, except PERFECTLY executed! Great new character from Kenan, who can crack me up by just lowering his eyes (as seen with his Whoopi Goldberg on The View). But there were tons of great lines like "What can we glean from this?" "Can I squeeze one of them?" And I was glad there were lots of variations to the running gag rather than copping out to a single catch phrase. I'd certainly look forward to them bringing this bit back at least once more.
McGruber Commercial 2.
Maybe I've just been beat into submission but I really liked this one! Will Forte's reaction to "Are you sponsored by Pepsi?" was genuinely funny.
Bernie Madoff.
Good impersonation, but boring execution.
Casey Wilson and Steve Martin.
I love how Abraham Lincoln is always walking around in the background. At first I thought Casey Wilson singing the Carpenters was going to be a reference to the movie Parenthood. This ended up being a showcase of the current female cast members' singing abilities. I still don't have any strong opinions on any of the newer cast members.
McGruber Commercial 3.
I was convinced that this one was going to be lame but then I laughed at the end line.
Jason Mraz.
This song sounded like Israel Kamakawiwo'ole cover of "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" that they always play on New Years after the ball falls in Times Square. Not really my cup of tea, and yet it went down easy enough.
Weekend Update
Not a great impersonation of Rod Blagojevich by Jason Sudeikis (the accent was totally off), but he was still kind of funny and you can't go wrong with Brushy.
Abby Elliott was surprisingly great as Angelina Jolie looking for babies. I guess I have more of an opinion about her now!
After all the controversy last time, I can’t believe they had the balls to bring back Fred Armisen as Governor Patterson again. It's pretty amazing how unafraid of being offensive they are! Feels almost like a throwback to the original years.
ASIDE: I wasn't sure how to spell "Blagojevich," so I clicked on CNN and there he was talking to Larry King.
Husband and Wife.
I give Kristen Wiig credit for trying out so many new characters, but between this and Gilly, she's been crashing and burning lately. Steve Martin seemed like he had no idea what to do, where to stand, or what cue cards to read.
I flipped the channels during the commercial and The Swell Season (with the rest of the Frames as back up!) were performing on Austin City Limits (PBS) so I watched that instead of the last part of SNL. Sorry, but they are one of my most favorite bands! As Glen Hansard would say, "Fookin' brilliant!"
January 31st, 2009
Host: Steve Martin
Musical Guest: Jason Mraz
Cold Open.
First cold opening with Obama as the president. I think Fred Armisen keeps getting better with his Obama impression, and the whitening of his hair is a nice detail. It's going to be hard to follow up all the years of great George Bush openings, but considering Obama gives writers less to work with it, it turned out okay!
Monologue.
Steve Martin's 15th time! I think I prefer when he does a song or interacts behind the stage. His stand up ended up a bit awkward.
Chewable Diapers.
A new classic to add to the rich history of brilliant commercial parodies! Along the lines of the Jiffy Pop airbag.
Only one real commercial, and suddenly a McGruber sketch? And with the real McGuyver doing a surprise cameo? And wait, it WAS actually a commercial? I'm confused! I wonder if it will air on the Super Bowl tomorrow?
Super Bowl.
The return of Will Forte and Kristen Wiig characters I sort of remember them doing once before but find it hard to describe exactly how to describe them. Boring? Out of touch? I guess the passing of time is the extra angle, morphing the characters from timid to random. Subtle comedy to be sure.
Digital Short: Laser Cats 4.
I definitely want to like the laser cats. It doesn't make me laugh, but it evokes the kind of low-budget nonsense I usually enjoy.
Issues.
I loved this sketch! Similar setup as the Will Forte-Kristen Wiig "Good Excuse" sketch from last week, except PERFECTLY executed! Great new character from Kenan, who can crack me up by just lowering his eyes (as seen with his Whoopi Goldberg on The View). But there were tons of great lines like "What can we glean from this?" "Can I squeeze one of them?" And I was glad there were lots of variations to the running gag rather than copping out to a single catch phrase. I'd certainly look forward to them bringing this bit back at least once more.
McGruber Commercial 2.
Maybe I've just been beat into submission but I really liked this one! Will Forte's reaction to "Are you sponsored by Pepsi?" was genuinely funny.
Bernie Madoff.
Good impersonation, but boring execution.
Casey Wilson and Steve Martin.
I love how Abraham Lincoln is always walking around in the background. At first I thought Casey Wilson singing the Carpenters was going to be a reference to the movie Parenthood. This ended up being a showcase of the current female cast members' singing abilities. I still don't have any strong opinions on any of the newer cast members.
McGruber Commercial 3.
I was convinced that this one was going to be lame but then I laughed at the end line.
Jason Mraz.
This song sounded like Israel Kamakawiwo'ole cover of "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" that they always play on New Years after the ball falls in Times Square. Not really my cup of tea, and yet it went down easy enough.
Weekend Update
Not a great impersonation of Rod Blagojevich by Jason Sudeikis (the accent was totally off), but he was still kind of funny and you can't go wrong with Brushy.
Abby Elliott was surprisingly great as Angelina Jolie looking for babies. I guess I have more of an opinion about her now!
After all the controversy last time, I can’t believe they had the balls to bring back Fred Armisen as Governor Patterson again. It's pretty amazing how unafraid of being offensive they are! Feels almost like a throwback to the original years.
ASIDE: I wasn't sure how to spell "Blagojevich," so I clicked on CNN and there he was talking to Larry King.
Husband and Wife.
I give Kristen Wiig credit for trying out so many new characters, but between this and Gilly, she's been crashing and burning lately. Steve Martin seemed like he had no idea what to do, where to stand, or what cue cards to read.
I flipped the channels during the commercial and The Swell Season (with the rest of the Frames as back up!) were performing on Austin City Limits (PBS) so I watched that instead of the last part of SNL. Sorry, but they are one of my most favorite bands! As Glen Hansard would say, "Fookin' brilliant!"
Saturday, January 17, 2009
Saturday Night Live January 17th, 2009
Saturday Night Live
January 17th, 2009
Host: Rosario Dawson
Musical Guest: Fleet Foxes
Cold Open.
Diane Sawyer interviews Vice President Dick Cheney.
One joke repeated for four minutes. I REGRET sitting through it.
Monologue.
Featuring the return of Fred Armisen's stereotype of Latin comedy. I'm not sure if I'd say I MISSED him, but it made me laugh with a mild sense of nostalgia.
North American Savings.
Not exactly hilarious, but completely accurate.
Da Learning Train.
It's a bit sad how SNL's rap culture is eternally stuck in the early 90's (except for the Kanye West glasses on the DJ). But I guess that's part of the point? Giant clock necklaces and Fresh Prince video backdrops aside, this sketch ended up being kind of okay.
Guantanamo Bay Commercial.
This sketch was all the in execution. On paper another going out of business commercial parody would have seemed pretty lame, but they managed to pull it off. Lots of great delivery and visual gags. I need some C-C-Car Batteries.
Aladdin and Jasmine.
Wow. This was like the ultimate Disney fanfic. Obviously written by someone really familiar with the movie. Lots of great lines and jabs at Robin Williams.
"I wish I was dead. But I already used all my wishes."
Probably the highlight of the episode.
Digital Short.
This sketched reeked of Will Forte's overconfident singing/songwriting before he even showed up on screen. Not even his bare ass could save this one.
Gilly.
Started off as another sketch with Will Forte's creepy mustache, then segued into an even creepier new character from Kristen Wiig. She's sort of a live action hybrid of comic strip characters Nancy and Dennis the Menace. She causes trouble, makes shifty eyes, and only says one-word responses. I found this sketch utterly painful and thought it broke Kristen Wiig's winning character creation streak.
Musical Guest: The Fleet Foxes.
I like the Fleet Foxes. They sound like they could have been on the soundtrack to The Last Unicorn This is the first band that's played on SNL all year whose album I actually own (or at least my wife does!). Great harmonies and old-timey Renaissance Faire rhythms. Beards ahoy!
Weekend Update.
Fred Armisen was good as Bernie Madoff. I'm not sure how the teleprompter can keep up with Kristen Wiig's Julie Grimes character. I loved Seth Meyer's questioning of Larry the Goose's pop culture references.
La Policia.
It took me a few seconds to get it. But it was cute.
Random thought I had while watching: Why is Bill Hader with a mustache much funnier thanWill Forte?
The View.
I'm not sure why I love SNL's take on The View, but it seems to hit all the right notes. The impersonations are heightened enough that they get more mileage compared to many of the other celebrity parody setups. It is almost enough to distract from the fact that they didn't have a point to this sketch.
Good Excuse.
Sometimes they save the most creative and original sketches for the end. This is not one of those nights The sketch had an okay premise, but the characters created by Will Forte and Kristen Wiig just seemed pointlessly weird and out of place. The only inspired part was the cut away to the cats in the audience.
GREAT CLIP:
January 17th, 2009
Host: Rosario Dawson
Musical Guest: Fleet Foxes
Cold Open.
Diane Sawyer interviews Vice President Dick Cheney.
One joke repeated for four minutes. I REGRET sitting through it.
Monologue.
Featuring the return of Fred Armisen's stereotype of Latin comedy. I'm not sure if I'd say I MISSED him, but it made me laugh with a mild sense of nostalgia.
North American Savings.
Not exactly hilarious, but completely accurate.
Da Learning Train.
It's a bit sad how SNL's rap culture is eternally stuck in the early 90's (except for the Kanye West glasses on the DJ). But I guess that's part of the point? Giant clock necklaces and Fresh Prince video backdrops aside, this sketch ended up being kind of okay.
Guantanamo Bay Commercial.
This sketch was all the in execution. On paper another going out of business commercial parody would have seemed pretty lame, but they managed to pull it off. Lots of great delivery and visual gags. I need some C-C-Car Batteries.
Aladdin and Jasmine.
Wow. This was like the ultimate Disney fanfic. Obviously written by someone really familiar with the movie. Lots of great lines and jabs at Robin Williams.
"I wish I was dead. But I already used all my wishes."
Probably the highlight of the episode.
Digital Short.
This sketched reeked of Will Forte's overconfident singing/songwriting before he even showed up on screen. Not even his bare ass could save this one.
Gilly.
Started off as another sketch with Will Forte's creepy mustache, then segued into an even creepier new character from Kristen Wiig. She's sort of a live action hybrid of comic strip characters Nancy and Dennis the Menace. She causes trouble, makes shifty eyes, and only says one-word responses. I found this sketch utterly painful and thought it broke Kristen Wiig's winning character creation streak.
Musical Guest: The Fleet Foxes.
I like the Fleet Foxes. They sound like they could have been on the soundtrack to The Last Unicorn This is the first band that's played on SNL all year whose album I actually own (or at least my wife does!). Great harmonies and old-timey Renaissance Faire rhythms. Beards ahoy!
Weekend Update.
Fred Armisen was good as Bernie Madoff. I'm not sure how the teleprompter can keep up with Kristen Wiig's Julie Grimes character. I loved Seth Meyer's questioning of Larry the Goose's pop culture references.
La Policia.
It took me a few seconds to get it. But it was cute.
Random thought I had while watching: Why is Bill Hader with a mustache much funnier thanWill Forte?
The View.
I'm not sure why I love SNL's take on The View, but it seems to hit all the right notes. The impersonations are heightened enough that they get more mileage compared to many of the other celebrity parody setups. It is almost enough to distract from the fact that they didn't have a point to this sketch.
Good Excuse.
Sometimes they save the most creative and original sketches for the end. This is not one of those nights The sketch had an okay premise, but the characters created by Will Forte and Kristen Wiig just seemed pointlessly weird and out of place. The only inspired part was the cut away to the cats in the audience.
GREAT CLIP:
Saturday, January 10, 2009
Saturday Night Live, January 10th, 2009
Saturday Night Live
January 10th, 2009
Host: Neil Patrick Harris
Musical Guest: Taylor Swift
First off: Thanks to my wife, Raina for blogging the last few episodes before the break!
Sadly I missed the first two sketches of this week's episode too. I was watching the end of the Carey Grant movie "His Girl Friday," which was too hilarious not to finish up!
Broadway meeting.
A few years ago it seemed like every week SNL would do a sketch that was just an excuse to show off the cast's celebrity impressions. This was like that except with Broadway characters. It's just about the viewer going, "Wow, he looks just like that guy!" Or "She sounds exactly the same as her!" But if you are a hardcore fan of Broadway shows, I'm sure this sketch would have been AMAZING. As a moderate fan I'd say it was cute.
Penelope the Bragger in group therapy.
I'm sure at some point I'll get tired of this reoccurring character, but it hasn't happened yet.
Kristen Wiig manages to get a lot of mileage and genuine laughs. Showing up at the door as the girl was trying to leave was my favorite moment. "I'm having a panic attack, too." That, and having Liza Minelli show up with their friend the tomato.
Doogie Howser M.D. Orchestra
Another sketch I'd summarize as cute. I'm sure a lot of people who grew up watching the Doogie Howser Show will be sharing the clip on Youtube from here till eternity. I did grow up watching the show, but don't really have any nostalgia for it, ironic or otherwise. But I liked that the cast for the most part played it straight--or pretended like they were having fun and smiling. Neil Patrick Harris' lone tear at the end helped the endeavor.
Taylor Swift.
Another musical guest I've never heard of, so I'll assume she's from American Idol.
She gets 10 points for playing an instrument. Sorta like Jewel-light, with hints of Scarlet Johansson.
Weekend Update.
Another song from Will Forte. When will he realize he's not Adam Sandler? They're okay sometimes. But, only SOMETIMES. This was not one of those times. But I did like him asking if we could switch over to HBO for a sec so he could curse. Also bee jokes are usually good.
A repeat of the SNL presidential bash on Sunday? At 9PM prime time? Is NBC that desperate? Do they really expect the ratings to be that good? Who hasn't seen those sketches by this point?
Two First Names.
I'm glad someone had to produce a song parody of Destiny's Child's "Say My Name."
This sketch was another example of the cast just showing off their celebrity impersonations just for one quick gag or word ("yogurt"). Most of the impressions were good (as they often are), so I'm not really knocking them--just the format. The ad for Kangols hats with Billy Bob Thorton and Joey Pants was greatness.
This Push movie looks like it has Airbending in it.
Two Ladies with long nails.
At first this reminded me of the Kids in the Hall Cathy/Kathie sketches, in part because of the drag aspect, but also just in the catty nature of Kristen Wiig and Neil Patrick Harris' characterizations. But once it started to focus more on doing things with long nails, it became more about the visual comedy. And there was something surreal about how the two of them kept doing parallel actions. So even though it never really got any big laughs there was an ambitious approach to whatever it was they were trying to do!
Frost/Other People.
Another series of random impressions. By this point in the episode it was feeling pretty sad.
Whopper Virgins
Parody of Burger King commercials I haven't seen but someone told me about. Seemed kind of funny. I'm kind of sickened by the idea of the original commercials, though. I like that McDonald's was okay with paying to advertise on an episode that basically gave free ad time to Burger King.
January 10th, 2009
Host: Neil Patrick Harris
Musical Guest: Taylor Swift
First off: Thanks to my wife, Raina for blogging the last few episodes before the break!
Sadly I missed the first two sketches of this week's episode too. I was watching the end of the Carey Grant movie "His Girl Friday," which was too hilarious not to finish up!
Broadway meeting.
A few years ago it seemed like every week SNL would do a sketch that was just an excuse to show off the cast's celebrity impressions. This was like that except with Broadway characters. It's just about the viewer going, "Wow, he looks just like that guy!" Or "She sounds exactly the same as her!" But if you are a hardcore fan of Broadway shows, I'm sure this sketch would have been AMAZING. As a moderate fan I'd say it was cute.
Penelope the Bragger in group therapy.
I'm sure at some point I'll get tired of this reoccurring character, but it hasn't happened yet.
Kristen Wiig manages to get a lot of mileage and genuine laughs. Showing up at the door as the girl was trying to leave was my favorite moment. "I'm having a panic attack, too." That, and having Liza Minelli show up with their friend the tomato.
Doogie Howser M.D. Orchestra
Another sketch I'd summarize as cute. I'm sure a lot of people who grew up watching the Doogie Howser Show will be sharing the clip on Youtube from here till eternity. I did grow up watching the show, but don't really have any nostalgia for it, ironic or otherwise. But I liked that the cast for the most part played it straight--or pretended like they were having fun and smiling. Neil Patrick Harris' lone tear at the end helped the endeavor.
Taylor Swift.
Another musical guest I've never heard of, so I'll assume she's from American Idol.
She gets 10 points for playing an instrument. Sorta like Jewel-light, with hints of Scarlet Johansson.
Weekend Update.
Another song from Will Forte. When will he realize he's not Adam Sandler? They're okay sometimes. But, only SOMETIMES. This was not one of those times. But I did like him asking if we could switch over to HBO for a sec so he could curse. Also bee jokes are usually good.
A repeat of the SNL presidential bash on Sunday? At 9PM prime time? Is NBC that desperate? Do they really expect the ratings to be that good? Who hasn't seen those sketches by this point?
Two First Names.
I'm glad someone had to produce a song parody of Destiny's Child's "Say My Name."
This sketch was another example of the cast just showing off their celebrity impersonations just for one quick gag or word ("yogurt"). Most of the impressions were good (as they often are), so I'm not really knocking them--just the format. The ad for Kangols hats with Billy Bob Thorton and Joey Pants was greatness.
This Push movie looks like it has Airbending in it.
Two Ladies with long nails.
At first this reminded me of the Kids in the Hall Cathy/Kathie sketches, in part because of the drag aspect, but also just in the catty nature of Kristen Wiig and Neil Patrick Harris' characterizations. But once it started to focus more on doing things with long nails, it became more about the visual comedy. And there was something surreal about how the two of them kept doing parallel actions. So even though it never really got any big laughs there was an ambitious approach to whatever it was they were trying to do!
Frost/Other People.
Another series of random impressions. By this point in the episode it was feeling pretty sad.
Whopper Virgins
Parody of Burger King commercials I haven't seen but someone told me about. Seemed kind of funny. I'm kind of sickened by the idea of the original commercials, though. I like that McDonald's was okay with paying to advertise on an episode that basically gave free ad time to Burger King.
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