Saturday Night Live!

[taboo123]

don't get too happy with your hopes....

I never said I was going to stop commenting on it.
I said I think I'm gonna stop watching it live from now on and might just DVR it and skip around for 10% of the good stuff.

no need to throw shade..
we all have a right to an opinion.

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

Well, no, you said you think you were giving up on SNL, nothing about a DVR or good stuff, but that's cool. No shade throwing here. What would an SNL thread be without the weekly inevitable "It's not funny " posts?

Anyway, I still think it was a great episode.

[SNAFU]

But what would an SNL thread be without the required, "SNL hasn't been funny in years!" comments? Even at it's worse, SNL is somewhat of a miracle. The amount of work, stamina, and sheer determination it takes to put on an hour and a half long LIVE television show each week is staggering.
Sure there are shows which fall flat, that is the nature of the beast. You don't get a second take. When things click, it is amazing!

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

I liked the new girl (even though the last thing SNL needs is a white girl, even with Wiig going) enough, but that Penelope Cruz impression was oddly specific.

[taboo123]

I love SNL and always have. It's an institution and I keep it high on my lists of everything. But I do not enjoy when people glorify it being the 'funniest thing ever', when it clearly needs work and half the season- it feels slapped on and rushed and not very well thought out. I've worked at SNL over the years and have friends working on it now. I'm not just commenting as a spectator.. but as someone who knows how the show works and the skits only get as good as the content it is skewering. And recently, there just hasn't been enough good content because they do not want to cross the lines. They are playing it safe because Lorne Michaels has been a sucker for promotional mergers on his show so it is afraid to offend anyone.


SNL hasn't been bold and daring, that's all. And that's how I feel.

for example-
why not do Keenan Thompson in Mary J Blige drag and attempt to a Burger King/chicken sketch.

Why not mock anything new in pop culture of the recent week?

Kristen Wiig mock Madonna's new video or new album?
there is just so much to attack or mock out there....
I remember when SNL was fearless---but now it's just a corporate bitch to the system.

Let's face it...

if it weren't for SOfia Vergara being there...those skits would be bland and shameful.

They just don't have the creativity and charm--it always lacks confidence and balls.

One time, I saw incredibly funny skits at a dress rehearsal. 3 of the funniest skits were dropped because they didn't have any promotional tie-ins. So they kept Tower Records skit and a STarbucks skit and Target. SImply because it was a commercial for those brands...and Lorne Michaels chose marketing over comedy.

This is why I rolled my eyes up at the Pantene commercial.

Times have changed, I know...but it always left things sour for me.

Ever since that time....

I look at things differently.

and clearly- I'm not the only one thinking this.

"Vergara lifts sluggish SNL"

http://www.rr.com/tv/topic/article/rr/51528047/66543335/SNL_Sofia_Gets_Gilly_with_One_Direction_Chirping

[SNAFU]

Kate has great sketch comedy background.
I agree that they could use a woman of color. They could use a writer of color or two as well.

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

If I ever saw anyone calling it "the funniest thing ever" I might have been more interested in the rest of your post.

I don't know why you're getting so defensive about it. You love and always will, even though you don't like it when you imagine people calling it the funniest thing ever and you're done with it but you'll dvr it for the ten percent that is funny even though it's not funny.

I'm glad you and rr.com are in sync, though.

And SNAFU knows how the show works, too.

[taboo123]

it's just disappointing to see it fall flat because I want it to be 'the funniest thing ever'. i guess that's why...... that's all.

[SNAFU]

But that very thing is the nature of Live TV. Sometimes things are hysterical in dress but when done for air, falls flat. The opposite it true as well. I have also found that sometimes things are funnier on the page then when seen in actuality. Sometimes the concept is hysterical but the execution is off.
There were many attempts at Wayne's World in dress before it actually first made AIR as an example.
I have also discovered that SNL has a very specific demographic that it plays to. At times, I find myself outside that demographic and at a loss as to why a character or a sketch (or cast member) finds such popularity.

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

I've gone through spates when I've hated it. Mid 90s to early 2000s is probably its nadir for me, but I just chalk that up to my own preferences. But my own preferences allow me to enjoy the hell out of the Charlie Day episode while other people scratched their heads. And its those same preferences that had me scratching my head when all the usual haters praised the most recent Jim Carrey episode.

SNL and I roughly the same age, so even at its worst, I've always enjoyed the fact that it's been a part of pop culture for my entire life.

Sometimes I think it's hilarious, some weeks less so, but I invariably always laugh at least a couple of times. And it's always fun (sometimes in a trainwrecky way, yes) to see how a host is going to fare. I still can remember how stricken Annette Bening looked throughout it, even though she seemed more or less prepared. Vegara, by contrast, did stumble a bit here and there, but I found her personality to be so winning and seemingly game for anything that I still thought she did a fine job.

[taboo123]

Agreed

I also believe that most if not all the writers are mainly white men. There needs to be female, along with Black, Asian, Latino writers in there that reflects all demos.

MADTV had a pulse. And was a huge threat to SNL
wonder how that crumbled??

In these times. I miss Ellen Cleghorn.

[SNAFU]

There are female writers on the show. Right now I think there are three, four if you include Kristen who does a lot of her own writing. There has always been a female writing contingent as I can remember.

Mad TV and SNL were different animals. One was prerecorded, one Live and able to be currant. Do not underestimate the importance and appeal of the spontaneity of a live show.

[Borstalboy]

Double post

[Borstalboy]

On a different note, does anyone have any suggestions on how I can get "What Makes You Beautiful" out of my head?

Seriously. I'm considering snorting bleach at this point.

[tazber]

The song is annoying as hell, and the boys looked really uncomfortable.

Is it too early to predict which one will come out? 10 to 1 it's suspenders kid.

[Borstalboy]

They were sort of endearingly awkward for millionaire spermatozoa. And I think I saw the blonde one in a Eurocreme video.

The song is actually a rather uncanny re-up of early-seventies bubblegum pop along the lines of Sweet's "Little Willy"...but, Jesus, would it please get out of my head?

[SNAFU]

One of their songs was one or two notes away from plagerism from a Back Street Boys hit.

[blueroses]

LOVE the Zooey Deschanel bit! Abby Elliot just nails it.

[Pippin]

WIth Kristen, Jason and ANdy leaving---------
it's gonna really be joyless to watch."

insert Will Ferrell, Jimmy Fallon, and Molly Shannon, or Chevy Chase, Dan Aykroyd, and Gilda Radner, or Mike Myers, Chris Farley, and Jan Hooks, and it's pretty much the same sentiment. It happens over and over..... Beloved actors leave the show every year, and yet people flock to the show and fall in love with new cast members every year.

Circle of life, people.

[ChenoKahn]

Actually Wiig leaving could do wonders for SNL. They seem to think she can make any sketch funny so her sketches don't feel like they are even trying. Also I think Nasim and Abby will get more time to shine. Sudeikis and Wiig will be missed very much but good riddance to Samberg. SNL isn't dead it's like when Will Ferrell left. Everyone cried and whined but some of the greatest performers got their time to shine ( Rudolph, Poehler, etc. ).

[beautywickedlover]

Will Ferrell is hosting the show on May 12! I can't wait!




Will Ferrell returns to host 'Saturday Night Live'

[SNAFU]

Mick Jagger will close the season as host and musical guest, rumor has it. I am sure there will be a lot of cameos on that show.

[FindingNamo]

Is "Mick Jagger" code for "Jusin Bieber"?

[SNAFU]

No, Justin Bieber was booked two shows ago but reneged for some reason.

[beautywickedlover]

"Mick Jagger will close the season as host and musical guest, rumor has it."

It's official now.




'SNL' season finale to be hosted by Mick Jagger

[SNAFU]

Foo Fighters and Jeff Beck will be on as well.