(S34E13) I don't have much of an opinion on Rosario Dawson. I've seen a few of her movies, like Clerks 2 and Death Proof, but instead of blowing my mind with every film, she's left me in a state of indifference. I'm sure there are plenty of gentlemen here who strongly differ. Sorry, boys.
That said, Dawson did a pretty good job hosting this episode. The writing wasn't particularly exciting, but Dawson's delivery was smooth and very professional. Just like Neil Patrick Harris from the previous week, her enthusiasm was very evident and greatly appreciated. Here are some video highlights from the night.
Cold Open (Cheney): Oh, wow. This may be the last time we'll ever see Dick Cheney on the show. Does that mean Darrell Hammond can go home now? I like the guy a lot, I'm just worried about him out-Tim Meadows-ing Tim Meadows. Anyway, this sketch was pretty solid. I'm glad they didn't give in and let Cheney do the "Live from New York..." line, because that super-zoom would have given me nightmares.
"Git Mo'": This cracked me up because it was wrong in every way. Wonderfully written.
Digital Short ("A Coupe of Homies"): I absolutely adore Will Forte's musical work on the show, but this Digital Short was not his best work, nor was it the Lonely Island boys'. I thought they would have done another music video of something from their upcoming album, "Incredibad." It's coming out early next month, after all.
"Aladdin": Funny idea, but not super-creative. Or maybe I'm just saying that because I spent a great deal of my childhood picturing the tragic post-credits downfall of all Disney characters.
"Gilly": This was just bizarre, but I'm not sure if was bizarre in a good way or not. I don't think I've seen Kristen Wiig come so close to breaking character as that final, gun-toting moment in the sketch. I can't wait to see what makes her finally crack.
"La Policia Mexicana": Anyone who has ever taken a foreign language class in high school must have cringed with delight towards the end. My French teacher used to slam her ruler against her metal podium if we spoke in English. Needless to say, I cannot speak French without feeling a trickle of blood running down from my ear.
"Weekend Update": Judy Grimes! It's been a while. I'm glad they didn't just do the same old thing and added a slight twist to the usual formula, just to keep things interesting. As for Andy Samberg's Larry the Goose, I thought it was kind of adorable that they didn't give him a beak but just colored his nose yellow. Maybe I'm reading too much into it and projecting my own body issues onto the people I see on the TV box. Yeah. That's it.
In other news, here's a web exclusive (taped from rehearsal, I believe) of Michaela Watkins as Ann Coulter:
And to soothe the pain of thinking about Ann Coulter, here's Jorma Taccone dancing shirtless to Fleet Foxes during rehearsal. You're welcome.
Henry Louis Gates, Jr. on 'Faces of America' and the Beer Summit
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
1-18-2009 @ 1:17PM
tonysutton said...
That was one of the worst, most poorly written, and ineptly executed episodes of Saturday Night Live ever. To paraphrase Billy Madison, at no point in their rambling, incoherent show, were they even close to anything that could be considered funny. Everyone in the audience is now dumber for having seen it. "I award you no points, and may God have mercy on your soul."
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1-19-2009 @ 8:20PM
Eludium-Q36 said...
Agreed, that was must-be-painful tv. There is SO MUCH ridiculous everyday political and Hollywood source material to draw from and it's like they intentionally avoid it. How NBC permits it 90-mins is beyond me, this show week-in week-out barely has enough funny to warrant half an hour. What a waste.
1-18-2009 @ 1:41PM
Jimmy said...
I'm with tonysutton. The Aladdin skit was OK, but on the whole, this was one of the worst episodes in years.
Bush's last weekend in office, and they open with Cheney? Why? How about something with Obama getting ready for the inauguration? The guy is clearly untouchable.
Oh, and Seth's joke about the singer/songwriter on the US Airways flight was classless and, worse yet, not funny.
One last thing: Darrell Hammond "out-Tim Meadows-ed Tim Meadows" four years ago. Tim was on the show from 91-00; Darrell 95-Present.
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1-18-2009 @ 1:44PM
Peanut said...
Dawson's breasts did a nice job of hosting.
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1-18-2009 @ 7:08PM
No1Dad said...
Thank you!
1-18-2009 @ 7:19PM
Tom said...
I truly believe I shall never laugh again. The ability to recognize that which is funny was torn from my body last night.
My five year old twins have made comments regarding their passing of gas and understanding their male anatomy that have had me laughing harder than the sequence of abominations I attempted to watch last night.
Kristen Wiig, quite possibly one of the funniest women I have seen come around in a long time couldn't save that sad, sad mess.
But you know, otherwise I enjoyed it.
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1-18-2009 @ 1:49PM
Unknown said...
The only funny moment, for me, was in the Aladdin sketch... "I wish I was dead... and I used up all my wishes."
Once again, my wife and I watched useless Kristin Wiig suck the funny out of every sketch she was in... At some point folks will realize that the episodes where she's in most of the sketches (a la last night) are the ones that suck so darned bad....
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1-18-2009 @ 1:52PM
Unknown said...
Oh yeah, and the Gitmo sketch was kinda funny....
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1-18-2009 @ 2:38PM
smashthesymbols said...
They have really got to turn down the Wiig volume in these episodes. I really liked her at first, but it's hit me lately that every single character she plays consists entirely of a funny face and/or funny voice. Her Gilly sketch was painful to watch and Judy Grimes really brought down what was an otherwise solid Update.
Anyway, highlights for me were Gitmo, Aladdin, La Policia Mexicana and most of Update. Lowlights were the previously mentioned Wiig bits.
The Cold Open had potential to be a highlight, but it just didn't work for me and ended up very mediocre. The joke was clear early on and they just kept repeating it. It might have worked had they come up with some absolutely outrageous scenarios for Cheney to not regret, but as it was it just got boring. I found myself looking at the clock and wondering when they would just get to the Live From New York.
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1-18-2009 @ 4:08PM
erica said...
So, you're not reviewing the show anymore, just the Hulu.com clips?
Got it.
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1-18-2009 @ 6:18PM
StillBash said...
I'm aware of the irony to follow but still:
Learn to read, the review is "hidden" in the words between the videos.
1-18-2009 @ 6:19PM
David said...
Yeah, I wondered about that last week, when the Doogie Hauser Digital Short and the "Whopper Virgins" weren't mentioned in the recap.
1-18-2009 @ 6:01PM
samodernist said...
Poor Exquisite Rosario. She sure was a professional last night, and she did a great job, but the writing for last night's show was atrocious. She sure tried her hardest though, and for that I commend her - her beauty sure helps too.
Also Fleet Foxes was awsome. I have their LP and EP and I knew they were great, but damn they are super tight live. They may not have the stage presence of Kanye but they are truly expert musicians and singers - on key and on note - perfect.
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1-18-2009 @ 6:22PM
StillBash said...
Rosario Dawson also always leaves me with a "meh" feeling. I don't get why Kevin Smith is so in love with her - to be honest I think Zach & Miri would've been ruined by her.
Everything she stars in would be better if her roles would be played by Lisa Bonet.
Can't say much about the episode, %&$§ Hulu...
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1-18-2009 @ 8:31PM
Diego M said...
I watched it this morning on my dvr and i think it burnt my cable box!!! it was toxically unfunny, the only high light was the aladdin skit which rosario's umm... "talents" were ummm... funny. i did enjoy the part "why is one of our kids blue" part and the update was solid the rest of the show was bad i erased it and i hope they really fix this by next week. i think since mad tv is no more they don't have to try to get an audience. since they the only show at 11.
THEY NOT EVEN TRIED LAST NIGHT, AWFUL WRITING
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1-18-2009 @ 9:34PM
Neel said...
I have been watching SNL for roughly fifteen years. I have a hard time thinking of an episode that was worse than this. For all the talent present in this cast, the writers should be embarrassed. I read somewhere that around 40-50 sketches get whittled down to the few that appear on the show. If these were the sketches that made it, I can't imagine the awful crap that didn't make it
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1-19-2009 @ 12:13AM
Eric said...
"I got rabies for learning"
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1-19-2009 @ 9:56AM
RC said...
Yeah the reviewer didn't mention "Da Learnin Train" skit. I thought that was the best one. Although I don't know why Harry Connick Jr. had to do be in it. I think anyone could have been there to point out how wrong everyone is.
Keenan is becoming one of my favorites. He saves bad skits like the Gilly one.
"I've got rabies for learning!"
http://bitsmack.com
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1-19-2009 @ 10:40AM
Happy Steve said...
The *only* funny thing about the Gilly skit:
A: Someone shot the principal in the ass. Oops, sorry kids. I mean buttocks.
B: Actually we say "bum" here.
A: Okay, someone shot the bum in the ass.
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1-20-2009 @ 12:00PM
MaltedTea said...
"Da Learnin' Train" skit is likely a parody of the PBS Kids Show called "Electric Company" (http://pbskids.org/electriccompany)
Think, err, urban-sensitive language and approaches being employed as teaching tools. Then think beatboxing, lots of neon and celeb appearances like Wyclef Jean.
As for the show as a whole, I got bored and struggled to stick it out to the end. Best skit: "La Policia Mexicana"
Unlike others, the goose in Weekend Update was kinda obvious. We Canadians have self-esteem issues so that final joke could be seen miles (make that kilometers) away.
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