Saturday Night Live, February 12th, 2011
Host: Russell Brand
Music: Chris Brown
Cold Open.
Decent Bill O’Reilly impression by Jason Sudeikis.
Monologue.
I know it’s an SNL tradition for stand up comedians to do their “material” for the opening monologue, but it’s always made me a bit squeamish.
Gublin & Green.
Since they’ve already made plenty of jokes about the injuries related to Spider-man: Turn of the Dark, it was refreshing to see a joke about how the show “insulted the Legacy of Spider-man.”
Publishers Clearance House.
It must save a lot of time not having to write new sketches for every episode. Swapping out 2-5 words from the previous Kristen Wiig Publishers Clearance House sketch and replacing the people she interacts with, is really not worth sitting through, though. I tune out once I see the start of the sketch.
Digital Short: Don' You Go Rounin' Roun To Re Ro
A lot of time spent on a single joke.
Royal Taster.
The most dialog Taran Gillam has ever had in a sketch?
Chris Brown.
Considering Rihanna has been on SNL twice, I’m surprised the producers would invite the guy who beat her up on the show.
Weekend Update.
Taran Gillam’s Eminem impression was the best thing he’s done on the show so far. Hope he doesn’t get knifed! And of all the overly repetitious SNL characters, Bill Hader’s Stefon manages to make me laugh. And these last two appearances have at least changed it up in small ways. Mostly in the little moments between Hader and Myers.
Livin’ Single.
It’s probably the wrong attitude to view every new sketch through the lens of “I hope this doesn’t become a recurring thing because I already see how it would play out.” Points for Kristen Wiig not being the main character. Random thought: Russell Brand looked like magician David Copperfield.
A Spot of Tea.
Not exactly Monty Python.
Chris Brown.
I feel bad for any girl who gets that song sent to her on a mixtape.
George Washington travels through time.
That was kinda good! Good thing they hid it at the end so no one will see it.
Showing posts with label snl blog. Show all posts
Showing posts with label snl blog. Show all posts
Saturday, February 12, 2011
Saturday, February 6, 2010
Saturday Night Live February 6th, 2010
Saturday Night Live
February 6th, 2009
Host: Ashton Kutcher
Musical Guest: Them Crooked Vultures
Cold Open.
Moderately funny! I like the idea of random "attractive blonde lady," and there were some decent lines including Karl Rove only having a problem with gay men, not gay women.
Monologue.
I can't believe he's hosted 3 other times. Not sure I remember any of those episodes. I didn't catch who was dressed as the old lady break dancing. I liked the set up of Ashton trying not to react to the "awesome" stuff in the audience. And most of the examples were good up till Mark Twain getting punched in the nuts. What's he have against Mark Twain?
Pool boy at reading of the will.
The only thing the sketch had going for it was "gross out" humor, and yet it felt surprisingly tame. Even the STD names weren’t very imaginative. “Foreigner’s Cough”?
The View.
Second sketch to address "Don't Ask Don't Tell." I guess Elisabeth Hasselback likes to repeat things for emphasis? I don't remember that from previous View sketches, but I’ll roll with it. I did like Kenan/Whoopie's complaint about not liking to go to the movies because they play at different times. Overall, this was another decent View sketch, one of he more reliable repeating bits.
Commercial Parody: Cialis for threeways. Almost made me smile, but mostly made me roll my eyes.
Rome/Grapes
Will Forte seemed to be playing a villain in a Hanna Barbera cartoon. I’ll give them credit for doing an old-fashioned style sketch.
Musical Guest: Them Crooked Vultures.
I usually like Dave Grohl’s various bands, but this song didn’t really do anything for me.
Didn’t sound so great and the lyrics were pretty unintelligible.
Weekend Update.
Fairly long segment this week.
Andy Samberg’s new character “Liam, the teenager who just woke up” was surprisingly funny (and real).
Game Show: What is Burn Notice?
Snarky! But accurate!
Access Hollywood/Oscar Nominations.
Also accurate?
Statement from Rahm Emanuel.
More of a rant than a sketch, but it felt fresh and different! Kind of amazing, actually.
Wedding Band.
Crisis of Conformity rocked it. Worked because the song “Fistfight in the parking lot” was actually pretty good and Fred Armisen is a good singer. And of course Dave Grohl on drums. Nice live moment where his mic didn’t work.
February 6th, 2009
Host: Ashton Kutcher
Musical Guest: Them Crooked Vultures
Cold Open.
Moderately funny! I like the idea of random "attractive blonde lady," and there were some decent lines including Karl Rove only having a problem with gay men, not gay women.
Monologue.
I can't believe he's hosted 3 other times. Not sure I remember any of those episodes. I didn't catch who was dressed as the old lady break dancing. I liked the set up of Ashton trying not to react to the "awesome" stuff in the audience. And most of the examples were good up till Mark Twain getting punched in the nuts. What's he have against Mark Twain?
Pool boy at reading of the will.
The only thing the sketch had going for it was "gross out" humor, and yet it felt surprisingly tame. Even the STD names weren’t very imaginative. “Foreigner’s Cough”?
The View.
Second sketch to address "Don't Ask Don't Tell." I guess Elisabeth Hasselback likes to repeat things for emphasis? I don't remember that from previous View sketches, but I’ll roll with it. I did like Kenan/Whoopie's complaint about not liking to go to the movies because they play at different times. Overall, this was another decent View sketch, one of he more reliable repeating bits.
Commercial Parody: Cialis for threeways. Almost made me smile, but mostly made me roll my eyes.
Rome/Grapes
Will Forte seemed to be playing a villain in a Hanna Barbera cartoon. I’ll give them credit for doing an old-fashioned style sketch.
Musical Guest: Them Crooked Vultures.
I usually like Dave Grohl’s various bands, but this song didn’t really do anything for me.
Didn’t sound so great and the lyrics were pretty unintelligible.
Weekend Update.
Fairly long segment this week.
Andy Samberg’s new character “Liam, the teenager who just woke up” was surprisingly funny (and real).
Game Show: What is Burn Notice?
Snarky! But accurate!
Access Hollywood/Oscar Nominations.
Also accurate?
Statement from Rahm Emanuel.
More of a rant than a sketch, but it felt fresh and different! Kind of amazing, actually.
Wedding Band.
Crisis of Conformity rocked it. Worked because the song “Fistfight in the parking lot” was actually pretty good and Fred Armisen is a good singer. And of course Dave Grohl on drums. Nice live moment where his mic didn’t work.
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, 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?
Saturday, November 1, 2008
Saturday Night Live November 1st 2008
Saturday Night Live
November 1st, 2008
Host: Ben Affleck
Musical Guest: David Cook.
Kind of a low-key episode with some solid moments.
Cold Open.
I always enjoyed John McCain's many appearances on SNL, and thought he was a great host (loved the McCain Sings CD ad). He's a natural comedian and it's the context in which I like him best. The QVC follow-up to Obama's paid programming was an inspired idea and well executed. Creepy cameo by Cindy McCain modeling McCain's Fine Gold (cute pun).
Commercial.
They FINALLY show a commercial parody after the monologue and it's a repeat from earlier in the season? They really need to make some new fake commercials!! And bring back TV Funhouse!
The View.
An okay sketch made great by really funny impersonations by all the players. Kenan's Whoopi stare is priceless.
Countdown with Keith Olbermann.
Keith used to be a pretty tongue-in-cheek personality, who I equated with John Stewart and Stephen Colbert. But considering how intense and over the top he's gotten lately, he's pretty ripe for parody. Because as much as I agree with a lot of his politics, he's been hard to watch go off the handle on a daily basis. I imagine Ben Affleck and Keith Olbermann are on good terms and Keith won't lose too much sleep over the parody. It reveals how much political TV I watch, that I mostly appreciated Fred Armisen's imitation of Newsweek's Richard Wolf.
[I can't believe I just saw a commercial for the notoriously delayed Guns n' Roses album, Chinese Democracy. Is it a sign of the apocalypse? ]
Return of the Target Lady.
For a second, I thought Ben Affleck was reprising Bobby Moynihan's Pepper Sketch character. It was kind of creepy. I like the Target Lady's reaction to having a day off, "They make me take one!"
Staten Island Zoo.
The Giraffe with a forked tongue made the video worthwhile. I forget what animal they did a similar video for last time.
David Cook.
SNL makes it darn near impossible not to say something snarky about their musical guests lately. I kind of feel bad about being out of touch and not knowing who they are…and yet I can't imagine ever sitting through them again.
Weekend Update.
It's felt weird not to have a co-host for Seth Meyers, until I remember that Weekend Update only had one host for years and years! But for some reason Seth comes across as nervous and unsure without Amy there. I’m glad John McCain came back to show off his new campaign strategy, "The Sad Grandpa."
I started rolling my eyes at Will Forte and Fred Armisen doing another one of their stupid songs. But this one was better than most.
She used to annoy me, but much to my own surprise, Kristen Wiig's reoccurring Aunt Linda is actually starting to grow on me.
Night School Musical.
A decent idea that just barely came together. I liked Andy Samberg needing a time out and Bill Hader's narration. Always nice of Darrel Hammond to make a cameo on his own show.
Disney Pitch Meeting.
A solid character showpiece for Bill Hader. I liked it.
Times Square Coat.
Another funny idea, that wasn't all that funny to watch. I liked the idea of the coat turning into a tent. Two guys screaming at the screen with Austrian accents gave the sketch echoes of Hanz and Franz.
Credits.
Tina Fey looked awkward around Cindy McCain. I was sad Obama didn't do a last minute surprise cameo.
November 1st, 2008
Host: Ben Affleck
Musical Guest: David Cook.
Kind of a low-key episode with some solid moments.
Cold Open.
I always enjoyed John McCain's many appearances on SNL, and thought he was a great host (loved the McCain Sings CD ad). He's a natural comedian and it's the context in which I like him best. The QVC follow-up to Obama's paid programming was an inspired idea and well executed. Creepy cameo by Cindy McCain modeling McCain's Fine Gold (cute pun).
Commercial.
They FINALLY show a commercial parody after the monologue and it's a repeat from earlier in the season? They really need to make some new fake commercials!! And bring back TV Funhouse!
The View.
An okay sketch made great by really funny impersonations by all the players. Kenan's Whoopi stare is priceless.
Countdown with Keith Olbermann.
Keith used to be a pretty tongue-in-cheek personality, who I equated with John Stewart and Stephen Colbert. But considering how intense and over the top he's gotten lately, he's pretty ripe for parody. Because as much as I agree with a lot of his politics, he's been hard to watch go off the handle on a daily basis. I imagine Ben Affleck and Keith Olbermann are on good terms and Keith won't lose too much sleep over the parody. It reveals how much political TV I watch, that I mostly appreciated Fred Armisen's imitation of Newsweek's Richard Wolf.
[I can't believe I just saw a commercial for the notoriously delayed Guns n' Roses album, Chinese Democracy. Is it a sign of the apocalypse? ]
Return of the Target Lady.
For a second, I thought Ben Affleck was reprising Bobby Moynihan's Pepper Sketch character. It was kind of creepy. I like the Target Lady's reaction to having a day off, "They make me take one!"
Staten Island Zoo.
The Giraffe with a forked tongue made the video worthwhile. I forget what animal they did a similar video for last time.
David Cook.
SNL makes it darn near impossible not to say something snarky about their musical guests lately. I kind of feel bad about being out of touch and not knowing who they are…and yet I can't imagine ever sitting through them again.
Weekend Update.
It's felt weird not to have a co-host for Seth Meyers, until I remember that Weekend Update only had one host for years and years! But for some reason Seth comes across as nervous and unsure without Amy there. I’m glad John McCain came back to show off his new campaign strategy, "The Sad Grandpa."
I started rolling my eyes at Will Forte and Fred Armisen doing another one of their stupid songs. But this one was better than most.
She used to annoy me, but much to my own surprise, Kristen Wiig's reoccurring Aunt Linda is actually starting to grow on me.
Night School Musical.
A decent idea that just barely came together. I liked Andy Samberg needing a time out and Bill Hader's narration. Always nice of Darrel Hammond to make a cameo on his own show.
Disney Pitch Meeting.
A solid character showpiece for Bill Hader. I liked it.
Times Square Coat.
Another funny idea, that wasn't all that funny to watch. I liked the idea of the coat turning into a tent. Two guys screaming at the screen with Austrian accents gave the sketch echoes of Hanz and Franz.
Credits.
Tina Fey looked awkward around Cindy McCain. I was sad Obama didn't do a last minute surprise cameo.
Sunday, September 14, 2008
A blog about Saturday Night Live and sketch comedy.
I pretty much still watch SNL every week. Mostly for the “you just never know...” factor. And because I’m a huge fan of the sketch comedy format. It probably started with You Can’t Do That on Television and Turkey Television as a kid! I remember other kids quoting Hanz and Franz in elementary school and feeling left out for not knowing who they were. And when I finally started watching I fell in love with Dana Carvey, John Lovitz, Phil Hartman and the rest of that cast. And it wasn’t long after that they started showing classic episodes of SNL in 30-minute chunks on Nick at Night (I think?) and soon I was fan of the entire SNL legacy. And that spun off into SCTV because of the cast crossover and misc. related projects and films (Three Amigos?) I didn’t have HBO as a kid but once I was in a hotel and caught an early episode of the Kids in the Hall, it totally blew my mind. Soon my dad was renting me compilation tapes of Monty Python, and my obsession with sketch comedy never wavered.
Going to college in New York City during the late 90s I discovered the Upright Citizens Brigade Theater and got to see amazing live comedy for five dollars a show. The best part about going there is watching new comedians get their break, develop their skills and end up in various places. Rob Corddry from a group called the Naked Babies ends up on the Daily Show, and Rob Riggle from Respecto Montalbán ends up a cast member on SNL (and then later the Daily Show!)which makes me very happy! And that leads me to one of my favorite things about Saturday Night Live. Watching performers start out as “featuring,” then finding their footing, creating new characters, and becoming huge stars. I’m USUALLY rooting for them. If they came from the UCB or some other venue, then doubly so. Every now and then there’s a performer who I end up hating and hope they get no screen time on SNL. This is the closest thing I have to being a sports fan.
Most of my friends say they USED to watch SNL, “Back when it was funny.” For me the show never really stopped being funny. I fully admit there are dry periods. Weaker casts, weaker writers that come and go over the years. But what may be considered a golden age for some viewers is considered totally unfunny to others. A lot of time people don’t realize how much overlap there is between the good and the bad. Even during the seemingly worst times, there are still some amazing sketches in the mix. The commercial parodies and Weekend Updates are evergreen in their consistent quality. And because of the show’s esteemed history, you never know who is going to come back for a cameo, or an unannounced celebrity guest that will show up just for something silly. Tom Hanks joining the 5-Timers Club is still one of my favorite moments ever.
And I admit to having a teenage nerdgasm when Aerosmith was in Wayne's breakfast nook. That kind of stuff never happens anywhere else on TV. And when someone screws up a line or improvs because of the live format ALL THE BETTER! Is it worth suffering through the especially unfunny game show parodies? Maybe not! And yet I still do! Because I’ve already invested so much time into the legacy of SNL and I like that it’s something I’ve consistently watched since my childhood. Like a hardcore Mets fan who sticks with his team through thick and thin. Luckily I don’t watch a lot of primetime TV shows during the week, so an hour and half Saturday nights is not a huge investment of time for me! Plus I’m a pop culture nerd who doesn’t like to party. So if 1-3 sketches really hit, then I’m stoked. Judge me all you want!
Since I spend a lot of time thinking about the ins and outs of SNL, I figured I’d start a blog with reactions to episodes. And I figure I’ll also write about other sketch comedy I watch (currently enjoying the Human Giant Season 1 DVD). I don’t have a lot of people to talk about this stuff with, so all comments are welcome!
Going to college in New York City during the late 90s I discovered the Upright Citizens Brigade Theater and got to see amazing live comedy for five dollars a show. The best part about going there is watching new comedians get their break, develop their skills and end up in various places. Rob Corddry from a group called the Naked Babies ends up on the Daily Show, and Rob Riggle from Respecto Montalbán ends up a cast member on SNL (and then later the Daily Show!)which makes me very happy! And that leads me to one of my favorite things about Saturday Night Live. Watching performers start out as “featuring,” then finding their footing, creating new characters, and becoming huge stars. I’m USUALLY rooting for them. If they came from the UCB or some other venue, then doubly so. Every now and then there’s a performer who I end up hating and hope they get no screen time on SNL. This is the closest thing I have to being a sports fan.
Most of my friends say they USED to watch SNL, “Back when it was funny.” For me the show never really stopped being funny. I fully admit there are dry periods. Weaker casts, weaker writers that come and go over the years. But what may be considered a golden age for some viewers is considered totally unfunny to others. A lot of time people don’t realize how much overlap there is between the good and the bad. Even during the seemingly worst times, there are still some amazing sketches in the mix. The commercial parodies and Weekend Updates are evergreen in their consistent quality. And because of the show’s esteemed history, you never know who is going to come back for a cameo, or an unannounced celebrity guest that will show up just for something silly. Tom Hanks joining the 5-Timers Club is still one of my favorite moments ever.
And I admit to having a teenage nerdgasm when Aerosmith was in Wayne's breakfast nook. That kind of stuff never happens anywhere else on TV. And when someone screws up a line or improvs because of the live format ALL THE BETTER! Is it worth suffering through the especially unfunny game show parodies? Maybe not! And yet I still do! Because I’ve already invested so much time into the legacy of SNL and I like that it’s something I’ve consistently watched since my childhood. Like a hardcore Mets fan who sticks with his team through thick and thin. Luckily I don’t watch a lot of primetime TV shows during the week, so an hour and half Saturday nights is not a huge investment of time for me! Plus I’m a pop culture nerd who doesn’t like to party. So if 1-3 sketches really hit, then I’m stoked. Judge me all you want!
Since I spend a lot of time thinking about the ins and outs of SNL, I figured I’d start a blog with reactions to episodes. And I figure I’ll also write about other sketch comedy I watch (currently enjoying the Human Giant Season 1 DVD). I don’t have a lot of people to talk about this stuff with, so all comments are welcome!
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