Maybe “Not Funny” Isn’t The Takeaway
By Mitch Berg
Stipulated: SNL hasn’t been funny since Norm McDonald left the show.
Still – as everyone in the media noted during the 2008 campaign, when you’ve lost SNL, it’s significant. Or something.
Just saying:
Stereotypes? Doy.
A stereotype that, for some unconscionable reason, a huge chunk of America buys into?
February 28th, 2011 at 7:28 am
I agree with your take on SNL Mitch, but it started going downhill since the original cast left. That said, this is tooo funny!
February 28th, 2011 at 7:31 am
Boss,
I think the early nineties cast – Dennis Miller, Phil Hartman, Jan Hooks, Victoria Jackson – was as good as the original.
Since then? Pfft. ALmost unbroken misery.
February 28th, 2011 at 7:41 am
Not funny since Belushi.
February 28th, 2011 at 8:06 am
I agree about the early 90s cast. Phil Hartman was outstanding — the guy could do anything. I’m especially fond of the “Sinatra Group” bit he did with Jan Hooks playing Sinead O’Connor, Chris Rock as Luther Campbell and Sting(!) playing Billy Idol. One of the nastiest things I’ve ever seen on television, but absolutely hilarious.
February 28th, 2011 at 8:49 am
Man, did I have a brain cramp earlier.
I totally space out the early 90’s cast. And Mr. D is correct about not only Phil Hartman (who, incidentally, added his great talent to the Simpsons) and the Sinatra Group bit. I was almost rolling on the floor!
February 28th, 2011 at 9:49 am
Are people catching on to the disability thing? If only MSM would cover this, but…..a story came out about a year ago (in NYC media only) about what NYC spends per year on disability for their transit workers.
A incredibibly high number of MTA employees come down with a case of the disability around age 50. Hundreds of millions in costs in the past few years.
February 28th, 2011 at 10:49 am
Thanks to full episode reruns on cable/satellite and the DVD releases we now know that SNL in the original days was a lot less consistent as we may remember… and the show was pretty much in the bag for their cause right from the get-go.
Recently I watched the opening monologue when Howard Hessman hosted… the show was mediocre even then (the fifth season). A couple of decent sketches punctuating a series of bullsh*t sketches. There’s a reason Lorne packaged 30 minute reruns in the 70s and 80s… cut away the crap so everyone thinks the show was pure gold.
Any time the show leaves its ideology at the door to actually entertain (what an idea) it usually does fine for its generation. It hasn’t been my show for well over four years. Probably seven. Maybe ten.
“D*ck In A Box” was funny, though.
February 28th, 2011 at 1:46 pm
Shouldn’t the guy on break have had a 40 ouncer in a bag along with his cigarette while he was on break?
February 28th, 2011 at 8:55 pm
bubba, that would have been funny only if he was black. The DMV bit was priceless.
March 1st, 2011 at 12:47 pm
One of my favorites:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E0Yr9XyBdnI
Bye bye!