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Happy Monday!
Saturday Night Live has been providing late night sketches with some of the biggest names in comedy beginning with its very first cast back in 1975. Whether cast members and/or writers stayed for one season, seven or more, or if comedy greats today auditioned but didn’t make the cut, last night’s celebration at Studio 8H was an iconic moment for comedy. There was a history of SNL rap by the fan-favorite Fallon-Timberlake bromance, Steve Martin (need I say more?), a Jeopardy game with perfect categories for Sean Connery to mispronounce, a Californians sketch with a vintage mile-high goodbye, musical melodies from unforgettable duos, classic fake commercials, before unseen audition tapes, an In Memoriam remembering past giants, including with the very much alive and well Jon Lovitz sitting stunned in the audience, the return from one of its greats, a Q&A about nothing, a Wayne’s World episode 40 years in the making, cameos galore and countless clips from our favorite skits.
(Click the bottom right icon for sound and click on the video to stop and play)
One of the best parts about live television (and SNL in particular) is waiting for comedic professionals to break character. In so many situations, when the actors and actresses start laughing, that actually makes the skit so much more hilarious and memorable. Fortunately, there’s a special digital short for that:
Once again, let’s not forget to give another standing ovation to the man who envisioned it all 40 years ago and who has discovered and launched some of the best careers in comedy: Lorne Michaels.
Live from New York, it will always be Saturday Night!
Happy Monday!
This past weekend, Saturday Night Live was in some rare form: it was funny. While that may seem harsh, it’s really not that harsh. However, the triumphant return of Bill Hader and former cast-mate and now co-star in the film, The Skeleton Twins, Kristen Wiig provided genuine laugh-out-loud moments: impressions ranging from Kathie Lee Gifford to a war veteran mastering puppetry and, of course, you know who…
One word, one name: Stefon!
FYI – When watching this clip, notice that when Bill starts to laugh about the mention of a certain individual multiple times (plus a doorman zinger), it’s not rehearsed. Part of the story with Stefon is that the co-creator and co-writer of the character is John Mulaney and he would frequently try to trip his buddy up during the live show with new jokes/changes handed to him as he was walking out to the Weekend Update desk. Some of these changes and jokes, however, come without warning. This was one of those segments.
Need proof?
This was John Mulaney’s twitter post from the weekend: “Sent to Rob Klein last night. Apologies for misspelling Cortese. They didn’t tell Bill about any of it before air.”
http://www.hulu.com/watch/698990
Here’s to hanging out with Dan Cortese this week (apparently, the odds are pretty good)!
It’s Live and From New York, But Is It New?
“New York’s hottest new club is called, ‘Copycat.’ And it has everything: Glow sticks, red bouncy balls, women dressed like Lloyd Christmas and Harry Dunne, Spud Webb and a Ground Mine.
What’s a Ground Mine?
It’s when someone watches a funny sketch by The Groundlings and they say ‘mine!'”
There have been reports this week that sketch giants Saturday Night Live (SNL) stole a Tina Turner routine they performed last weekend from the famed Los Angeles sketch comedy group The Groundlings. After watching the skits side-by-side, it seems virtually indisputable that SNL didn’t lift the sketch. In normal circumstances, it could possibly be a coincidence. Well, actually, not true. But the reason why this is such a big deal right now is that SNL (celebrating its 40th anniversary) has been barely treading water the past couple years. This creative comedy problem has been exacerbated by the departures of Kristen Wiig, Bill Hader, Andy Samberg, Jason Sudeikis, Fred Armisen, Nasim Pedrad and head writer/Weekend Update anchor Seth Meyers.
Plus, the co-creator of Stefon and veteran SNL writer John Mulaney left the show to write and star in his Sunday night FOX sitcom Mulaney with SNL alum Pedrad.
Despite the major cast shakeup following the end of last season, SNL still has some quality performers, like Kenan Thompson, Jay Pharoah, Taran Killam, Vanessa Bayer, Bobby Moynihan and Aidy Bryant. However, Weekend Update newcomer Michael Che is far too amused by his own jokes and the cast (in a broad sense) is lacking that special spark that fans tune in for on a late Saturday night. The expectation for gut-busting laughs is at a very low, low level. The writing has also been geared more towards flat-out opinions with an agenda about certain topics and people instead of playful, cleverly disguised comedic jabs at anybody and everybody.
Fortunately, impressionist extraordinaire Bill Hader is hosting this Saturday night with musical guest Hozier. This means (in 99.99% likelihood) a return of Stefon to the Weekend Update desk. Thank goodness! And it also means that the sketches including Hader should be laugh-out-loud hilarious, with a possible surprise guest star or two (cough-cough, his movie co-star Kristen Wiig…)?
Unfortunately, such a quick return from Hader indicates that SNL is trying to rejuvenate its audience with a past favorite. To be fair, Hader did just release a critically acclaimed drama, The Skeleton Twins, so the booking is legit and appropriate timing wise. However, like the sketch scandal, it just appears like SNL wants to stop treading water for a couple hours and instead climb into Samberg’s nearby boat with its recently departed cast members for some relaxed laughs for a change.
And judging by SNL’s current struggles, they have to be hoping that 40 turns out to be the new 30.
(P.S. Look for Saturday Night Live to lampoon itself over the scandal with The Groundlings this weekend)
The Tonight Show Featuring XX
February 6th: The last The Tonight Show with Jay Leno
February 17th: The first The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon
As these dates draw closer, a more in-depth analysis, reflection and celebration will be featured on this blog. However, for now, the temptation to throw one’s mind into a state of wild visions and predictions has become too irresistible to deny. And it starts with a simple, seemingly pointless and nonsensical question at this precise moment in time:
Who will take over The Tonight Show a couple decades down the road after Jimmy Fallon?
While this inquiry may derive an insulting premise, that could not be any more untrue. It’s simply an acknowledgement that the tectonic plates of the comedic landscape is changing right before our eyes and that it sparks a curiosity about what lies ahead. Appropriately, the mind wanders into the far reaches of what is possible and what even seems inevitable in the not so distant future, history wise.
Seth Meyers is taking over Late Night as an SNL veteran of late night laughs at the age of 40. He’s a clever, funny writer with good delivery. No doubt. However, can Meyers carry the same interest and entertaining interaction he always shared with Stefon to all his guests? If this proves to be the case, then get ready to laugh very late into the night. And unless Jimmy Fallon (39) tanks (which he won’t), the 20 or so year-old question into the future is, “who is Fallon’s heir apparent?” Meyers is the perfect age for taking over The Tonight Show (if he were chosen or the best fit) right now. Not in 10, 15 or 20 years. That’s too late (one of my better puns). His ticket seems cemented in Late Night and with whatever else Mr. Michaels pitches his way. Although, there’s always that one in a million chance…
My guess? The person’s name will not start with Seth and end in Meyers.
Instead, the next big star for NBC at 11:35 p.m. will (drum roll please…) be a female comedian (stand-up and skits) who has strong writing and performance ties to Saturday Night Live and, specifically and most importantly, Lorne Michaels. Given the longevity and success that Johnny Carson and Jay Leno had and how that will potentially translate to Fallon, it’s very likely this individual is still in college. Maybe, maybe, there are the quietest of whispers about her somewhere in her college hallways.
Somewhere, someplace, this person is making somebody laugh.
My prediction (via Carnac the Magnificent) is that the next host of The Tonight Show will be a beautiful, talented, clever, witty and nationally appealing female stand-up comic and master of sketches who will define a new era in comedy during the heart of the 21st century for girls and women of all ages across the United States and beyond.
No joke.
Jimmy's Daily Planet 