Paul Rudd hosted "Saturday Night Live" this weekend, and it was a pretty disappointing show, even by my own forgiving standards for "SNL." Paul McCartney was given time to play four songs, which is understandable since he was a Beatle, but is NOT understandable when most of those songs are Wings songs. "Band on the Run"? Seriously? In 2010? Screw you, McCartney.
"SNL" also wasted Rudd's comedic talents on my least favorite recurring sketch, the Kissing Family. (Haha, relatives making out. It's funny because it's gay incest.) And I now fast forward through the cold open the second I see Fred Armisen's Barack Obama, because I know that it's just going to be five minutes of me waiting for a laugh that never comes.
However, criticism aside, there were some highlights. Click through for the best of the show. And yes, they're Hulu videos, so you foreigners will just have to busy yourself with government health care while we Americans enjoy online video clips.
My favorite sketch of the night. Original, funny, not too long.
I don't go crazy for Bill Hader's Stefon the way a lot of people do -- it would be better if he didn't break character every time -- but there was a lot to like here. "A glimpse into Seth Meyers!" was a great line delivered well.
Guaranteed laugh from me every time: people making fun of British royalty. I'll never say anything nice about Wings, but McCartney was definitely a good sport in this episode (he was also in the digital short, which isn't online at the moment).
Okay, we're stretching it for highlights with this one, but there's still some solid material here. Solid material about liquid feces. That's wordplay, right there.
Trademark "SNL" fake commercial. It was sandwiched between the deathly boring cold open/monologue and the horrendous Kissing Family sketch, so it's a highlight simply for not being offensively unfunny.
And here's the talent that "SNL" wasted: the classic "Celery Man" sketch from Tim & Eric. "Nude. Tayne."
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RUFFIANS!
Thank you for not featuring the insufferable digital short, which was an example of everything wrong with (some) modern comedy: “random,” pointless, and lacking any attempt at what might be considered a joke.
Stefon is by far my favorite character of the past few years. And even though he breaks character, I’m fine with it because it’s hilarious and I’m impressed that he makes it through as much as he does. “They’ve got Furkels… that’s right, FAT URKELS.”
Ha! Its funny because its two men kissing, which is unnatural and an ungodly abomination. What a knee-slapper!
Also, mccartney was probably doing wings songs to promote the special anniversary edition of “band on the run” that came out. You’re never too old to shamelessly promote!
I watched SNL on DVR yesterday. Fast forwarded through McCartney’s wheezing and all of the skits that I had already seen too many times. Took 10 minutes.
I agree, Burnsy. Stefan is the best thing ever. Although my favorite line is still the one about the fat kid on the Slip ‘n Slide.
“His knees look like biscuits and he’s ready to party!”
Also, I thought the Digital Short was kinda cute, but only because Paul and Andy are so cute. So I guess that’s cheating.
Did anyone else think the audio on McCartney’s vocals was way too low or was I just that drunk?
I had the choice between watching this and Indiana Jones and The Last Crusade. It was an easy decision. NO TICKET.
My favorite Stefon gag is “Knock, knock. Who’s there? Black George Washington.”
Oh, and Fred Armisen could be the least funny SNL cast member of all time. The only funny things he’s done have been Steve Jobs and David Paterson the first few times.
Come on guys, cut SNL some slack, it’s not as if they have an actual black guy on the cast now who does an Obama impression that’s 10x better than Armison’s.
Jay Pharoah was doing my high school principal in the school dance sketch. He wanted a moment of silence over the morning announcements for everything, like if a bus was late. Go Braves!
At least you didn’t make a “Bland on the Run” joke.
I don’t envy your job, having to watch this tripe … AND I WAS ONCE A JIZZ MOPPER
the sketch with the kissing relations is fucking sick
curious, what’d maccartney play? (can’t be arsed to go to hulu itself)
Stefan really is the only funny recurring character I can remember from the past 5 years, so I’ve gotta cut Hader some slack for always losing it.
I was just thinking about this yesterday….with a cast of over a dozen performers, why does SNL start most episodes with Armisen sitting behind a desk for 5 minutes? IS THIS NOT A SKETCH COMEDY SHOW? WHY START A SHOW WITH SUCH A SLOW AND BORING PREMISE?
Thanks to the Daily Show and other forums, the bar has been raised on political satire, and SNL needs to do more than just straight impressions to get a laugh. Couldn’t the show have opened with the President being held literally hostage by two Republicans (at gunpoint and everything), and have the hostage negotiator be Joe Biden? (I, personally, love Jason Sudekis’ impression of the Veep, and would like to see it more often.) While that might not actually turn out to be a funny sketch, AT LEAST IT IS SOMETHING MORE THAN A DUDE BEHIND A DESK!
SNL is just getting lazy now.
I definitely agree about the kissing family bullshit. It isn’t even remotely funny and I wanted to throw up when they swapped the gum around. I also agree with an earlier poster that the Andy Samberg comedy style (Not that he innovated a fucking thing) is getting out of fucking control. Over the top randomness is funny when it is here and there, but not when it is your entire fucking schtick. Unless you’re someone who was in stitches hearing Andy Kaufman read lines from a book, I don’t know how you enjoy that shit. Someone the other day was sayin how funny that Lettuce skit is, and after watching it, I want those 5 goddamned minutes of my life back.
Stephan is the funniest thing on SNL.
“and of course there is a “Blingo”….a black Ringo”.
“and there will also be a Russin businessman on a pre paid cell phone…”