South Park Goes Where SNL Refuses
by Alexander Marlow
Tonight is one of the best nights of the year: The premiere of the 13th season of “South Park.” I consider myself one of America’s foremost “South Park” scholars and if I had to sum up the reason I love the show, it would be this: it spares no one. Take last season’s “About Last Night…” episode about Obama’s electoral victory–Obama, Palin, McCain, McCain supporters, and Obamaites are all evenly trashed. In South Park, satire trumps politics. Since 1997, “South Park” has been America’s safest bet for the splendid fusion of irreverence and insight.
They took up that mantle from “Saturday Night Live,” which now offers us neither.
While Wednesday has been “South Park” night for as long as I can remember, last Saturday night was spent in the usual way: not watching SNL. Unfortunately, due to the internet, I happened to view a smattering of last week’s show:
Do you remember how they terrorized George W. Bush? Or how they tried to make a bozo out of Sarah Palin? And this is what the chickens over at NBC have to offer us now? How pathetic. How inconsequential. How unfunny. “The Rock Obama?” This is a cutesy joke too juvenile for Little Leaguers.
The alternative media has correctly observed SNL fails to cultivate humor around President Obama. Big Hollywood’s own sketch comic, Steven Crowder, wrote a letter to Executive Producer Lorne Michaels saying as much just last week.
Perhaps the problem is with the man who plays the sitting President, Fred Armisen. If you’ve watched any of his sketches, you know Fred Armisen is about as funny as a screening of “Sophie’s Choice,” but that doesn’t mean the writers can’t pick up the slack. Armisen, even donning mulatoface, isn’t enough to sink the mighty SNL ship. The problem with the Obama sketches is the skewed political agenda driving the writing staff. I submit to you the last 30 seconds of this clip as evidence.
The premise of the sketch tries to answer this simple question: “What would happen if Obama got angry?”
We get our answer during the dream sequence: Obama doesn’t get angry.
It’s as brave as it is funny.
The first four minutes were almost as fawning, as an angry Obama becomes a superhero who throws Republicans out windows (brought to you by the people who declared dissent “patriotic”). In the end, the joke is on “Rahmbo” Emanuel and his bad temper and the audience is left with a warm, fuzzy reminder that Obama is awesome — head and shoulders above everyone else in Washington. Good times!
If SNL intends for us to believe there’s nothing humorous about our President, they’re delusional. Ignoring any scandals and political decisions he has made, can we at least see a sketch about the Teleprompter? If George W. Bush had been as dependent on his Teleprompter, wouldn’t he have been mocked unmercifully as a puppet of the “Cheney/Rove Cabal?” And yet, Obama is still regarded as the greatest orator of our time. Obama is a fount of humor yet untapped. Despite his shortcomings (and all Presidents have shortcomings), SNL can proffer only Rahm Emanuel’s irrelevant “The Rock Obama” wet dream.
So far Obama-era SNL lacks irreverence and insight, but worst of all, it lacks humor. To put it mildly, it stinks.
Can’t wait for the “South Park” premiere.
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135 Comments
Does anyone remember Lil Bush? Do you think they will come out with a Lil Obama? It would be hysterical.
I did catch the beginning of the show and the first sketch with Tim Geithner was hilarious. "We've set aside 420 billion dollars for the first person who can come up with an idea on how to solve the financial crisis. You may be asking yourself, 'what if two people come up with the same idea?'" It was great, and probably the funniest sketch I've seen on that show in years.
Obama is a mirror, a reflection of every liberal who voted for him…if they make fun of him, it would be much like putting down themselves…mass narcissism. It's actually very amusing how little they understand themselves.
Yeah, but Geithner isn't Obama. And that sketch was soft on his personal financial history.
"the audience is left with a warm, fuzzy reminder that Obama is awesome — head and shoulders above everyone else in Washington. Good times!"
EXACTLY. This is such an infantile brand of humor. How pathetic. Why would I tune into a satire show to watch a grade school sketch dedicated to ass kissing. SNL should grow a pair or leave town.
Bingo Alexander. You nailed it! I watched SNL right up through that skit (the first one) and immediately shut off the TV rather than waste my time. It was a puff piece, ass kissing of Obama. The SNL writers and cast are much too TIMID and "conformist” to liberal ideology to be relevant anymore. We don't have a Johnny Carson on late night, but, as you say, we do have South Park.
My only disagreement is that I thought that lame and corny skit was aimed more towards 6 year olds.
SNL – Gutless Wonders all!
Hey, SNL writers are working really, really hard to find clever, clever ways to laugh with Obama, not at him.
Seriously, it's probably harder to work around the obvious jokes like they are. The question is, how long before they crack. Their comedy heads are eventually going to explode.
I made the mistake of trying to watch the show and it was so embarrassing in its blandness. What happened to the Barbara WaWa characters? What happened to the show that had the guts to have Chevy Chase turn to Jane Curtain and say "Jane you ignorant sl*t." (?) Once upon a time the show had some bite to it, but they've sold out. Utterly and completely.
I thought it was Dan Aykroyd who said, "Jane, you ignorant slut!"
South Park is my favorite. They rip everyone a new one.
Yeah, there's just nothing to laugh about with Obama… nothing at all… nothing you could fill a hundred comments with… no siree.
I remember when South Park first got started and everyone said, "look at how poorly that show is drawn, how could can it be." But the moment the school counselor covered Cartman's Hitler costume with a KKK sheet, I was hooked. And it's pretty much delivered ever since.
I remember when South Park first got started and everyone said, "look at how poorly that show is drawn, how could can it be." But the moment the school counselor covered Cartman's Hitler costume with a KKK sheet, I was hooked. And it's pretty much delivered ever since. And I think you're right, it's the fact that they will go after anyone and anything.
Honestly I don't think there's much to laugh AT Obama about either … the reality of Obama is just too frightening to be funny as a target for conservative joke writers (as a conservative, every time I see the man I weep for our future … no jokes there), and liberal joke writers are either too afraid to lose their jobs or too busy worshiping the man to find anything funny about him.
Fred Armison is certainly not laugh out loud funny, but his vapid, affectless Obama-Zombie kinda works for me.
In defense of SNL, The Onion is even lamer in its refusal to critique The One. Instead, in their latest issue, they did a list attacking Limbaugh that included gushing praise of Obama and his energy plan.
SNL will be headed right for the crapper if they try to suck up to Obama with unfunny bits like this. They may as well have Matthews and Olberhugehead writing for them.
… the box big enough to return the Statue of Liberty is one of my personal favorites, by the way.
Not when they're saying Christians are retarded. If the rest of the season is anything like that I'll never watch it again…and I LOVE this show.
I'm one of so many who have given up on SNL, so my only acquaintance with Armisen was a video I saw on a liberal website which was in high dudgeon for them making fun of a differently-abled person (was my politically-correct language proper?). Has he continued doing the routine despite the howls of the lefties and victim-mongers? And again, the question. If jabs at David Paterson are OK , why not the deaf, dumb and blind Don Quixote in the White House?
The Three Stooges and Charlie Chaplin still found a way to make fun of Hitler. And for the liberal trolls, no, I did not just call Obama Hitler. I'm just responding to Zundfolge's post to point out that nobody is so horrible (or so saintly) that a good comedian cannot find a way to parody him.
I used that the Cartman/Nazi still as my computer wallpaper for awhile. Then it hit me. People know South Park is kidding. They might not be so sure about me. My cat typing on my keyboard is now my wallpaper.
Actually, it was Dan Aykroyd, but your point couldn't be any more correct.
The problem with Obama jokes is that, so far, there aren't any. BEFORE everyone jumps up, I mean actual universally-understood "funny stuff" about the guy's persona, not just agenda-oriented slams that only political opponents will laugh at. Bill Clinton was a parody-ready caricature – hillbilly lothario – on his own. So were both Bushes. So is Palin… McCain slightly less-so. Obama? So far, he's dull. His overly-measured speaking style – doubtless the result of spending huge chunks of his life as "the only brother in the room" and the awareness of what'd be thought of him raising his voice or speaking out of turn – doesn't really lend itself to parody other than to play up the detached aloofness, which is basically what Armisen does. Do politics play a part here? Sure, but I imagine it's more in the sense that we'd see SNL cut loose on him more if they had a black castmember who could do the part instead (Keenan would be a bad fit) – as is, they MUST known they're on the knife's-edge of a protest having a non-black actor doing the part to begin with… (continued)
(continued)
Now, they COULD get some traction out of specific policy issues, but c'mon – it's SNL, not the Daily Show – they have to be as broad as they can lest the non news-watching mainstream audience's eyes glaze over. You only see SNL going semi-deep on politics during the election when "everyone" is watching. "Daily Show" can do it all the time because they're primary audience is fairly-sophisticated, events-aware college-kids to young adults – SNL on the other hand has to temper it's cleverness in the knowledge that a big swath of IT'S audience also finds American Idol compelling.
The only solid bit going for SNL right now is 'MacGruber'…those never get old…..so maybe they will make a 'MacGruber' movie and just ruin it already.
The Rock is talented but had weak sauce to work with as guest host. I woulda preferred he just recite the stuff about pancakes and shoving inanimate objects up rectal districts.
Fred Arnison is a really good drummer….he even has some spoof DVD drum clinic video where he's 'the greatest drummer'…SNL should unload that character in the future. BTW his Obama impression sucks balls.
and let's not get ahead of ourselves for South Park this season. I felt last fall's episodes involving guinea pigs, Indiana Jones getting butt-porked by Lucas & Speilberg, and 'Heavy Metal' nostalgia kinda sucked. Then again, I set the bar at 'Scott Tennerman Must Die' because that is simply the best South Park ever to exist. Ever!
SNL sucks because they became authority, rather than being those who ridicule authority. Most comedy shows fall into this trap. They start out being naughty and sassy by ridiculing authority, gain popularity by being naughty and sassy, and become authority through their popularity. Then, worst of all, they start preaching. "MASH" is a perfect example of a comedy show which started out naughty and sassy and ended up preachy and authoritarian. Most seem to be lib/prog orientated, too. One of the few comedy shows to avoid this trap was "Seinfeld', by being about nothing and by avoiding any 'moral to the story' preaching. "South Park" seems to have avoided this trap by ridiculing everyone and maintaining a libertarian orientation. BTW, "South Park" rules.
((slaps self in head)) That's right! I should have known better than to think it was Chevy Chase with that line, but I kept picturing him as the one saying it.
I always thought the first skit after Inauguration should have been Obama trying to escape the White House.
How about Obama handing out DVDs to every head of state. Who wouldn't get a hoot out of Obama soothing Chi-coms with a widescreen "Big Trouble in Little China."
The Rock's original appearance on SNL was gold. I think he's been on twice since and it was dismal. More a product of those around him and the writing than anything.
Thanks! Glad to hear you liked it! Let's just hope it turns out to be only a joke…
south park is the only show i've ever seen recognize and attack it's own cliches.
some are better than others. but every season they manage to both impress and disgust me. tonight's episode followed the same theme as the "paris hilton vs mr. slave" show. there was some mocking of christians, but the primary target was the corporate marketing of sex at little girls. worked fine for me.
of course the best parts cannot be described on this forum without the censors jumping in.
I disagree. The gift mistake, bumping his head on Marine One, trying to walk though a window — none of those things are policy related goofs. Add in the over-reliance on teleprompters, the inability to find appointees who don't have to withdraw, or the verbal gaffs (like profit to earnings ratio) and you start to have lots of things to make fun of that don't require that you oppose his policies to see the humor.
Also, his very "boringness" and stilted speaking style can be turned into comic gold if they tried.
But they don't see these things as funny because they're suffering from hero worship. Any inference of weakness or error is a horror to them, not a cause for humor. That's why they don't do jokes at his expense.
The Angelina Jolie crab crotch episode and the Lucas/Spielberg episode are my two favorites, actually. I remember when it first came on, I caught heat from people for letting my son watch it, and then buying him the SP movie, but, I don't find it anywhere near as offensive as most movies. Hmmm. Guitar Hero episode cracked me up, too.
True, but keep in mind that Chaplin and the Stooges weren't fellow travellers with Hitler, whereas SNL and Obama are.
SNL? So over for me 20 yrs ago. I have seen maybe 10 sketches in that time period I thought were really funny. What do you expect? It's on NBC. They are just there for the ideology, not to make $$.
I can't watch that clip. Everytime I watch SNL, I end up cringing after 20 seconds of viewing time. Too bad because I like the Rock.
One of my favorite episodes of South Park is when the hippies invade South Park and it's up to Cartmen to save the city and stop the dirty hippie horde.
You're right. So I guess portraying Obama as Stalin is out of the question too, huh?
More than anything else, I miss one of John Belushi's ongoing routines. It reached its height with "Samurai Night Fever."
You could get half a show out of the DVDs alone.
'Guitar Queer-O' is a good one, I must agree…they really amplified the clickity-clackity aspect of the game, making it even more ridiculous
The Geithner sketch was ok. There were some good chuckles and I appreciated the premise of "we have no idea how to fix this!"
"The Rock Obama" had a couple of laughs, but it went so far out of its way to be inoffensive that it was just sad. First, they "make fun" of Obama by making him big and strong. Then, he throws Republicans out the window (which the audience loudly applauds). Finally, in the ultimate act of fecklessness, they make it "all a dream" just in case anyone was offended.
Very Weak Sauce SNL.
Way back when, they would make casual fun of their network (remember the dancing "N" recurring gag? It was around the time that NBC decided to get rid of the peacock). But can you imagine SNL making fun of its own network for squelching a scene of Muhammed arriving at the door, for fear of offending Muslims (not to mention having their offices burned to the ground)?
You're right. For some reason I pictured Chevy Chase saying it. Been a looooong time since I've seen anything from that era.
I'd probably go with Obama browsing Amazon.com's "wish lists" to find the perfect gifts for various international figures.
Stilted speech. Clumsy….Hey, he's Gerald Ford!!
And don't forget "door, door, which one's a door?" at the White House.
I think the gutsiest thing South Park ever did was take on Al Gore and climate change nee global warming, I mean ManBearPig. When you see David Letterman earler tonight completely abandon any attempt at humor in order to have a breakout/encounter session about climate change nee global warming with Tom Brokaw, you realize the extent to which this has become religion to these people. Criticizing global warming today would be roughly equivilent to walking into a revival meeting during the Second Great Awakening and taking a dump right in front of the pulpit. . Although I suspect those good Christians would be more forgiving than modern Environmentalists. And, I guess it's not as gutsy as showing a picture of Muhammed since the ManBearPig epidode was shown in it's entirety. Of course Al Gore is just really unctious and irritating. He probably won't blow you up.
JimTreacher introduced Lil Obama last October in this prescient panel:
http://jimtreacher.com/archives/001828.html
Um, no word on the Lil Obama Comedy Central cartoon show yet…
I know Obama's probably not a Muslim, but his Teleprompter is like the Koran: Every time he reads from it, a market blows up.
Personally, I think Fred Armisen is very funny (not so much as Obama but in general, and especially as Governor David Paterson). Unfortunately, he, like the rest of the cast, needs better material to work with.
Our Science is great. Let us not forget the great Richard Dawkins who finally freed the world of religion long ago. Dawkins knew that logic and reason were the way of the future. But it wasn't until he met his beautiful wife that he learned using logic and reason isn't enough. You have to be a dick to everyone who doesn't think like you. Prepare all the troops! We will level the United Atheist Alliance to the ground!
I'd have to agree with Lawhawk, I haven't watched SNL for quite some time now. I got enough comedy out of MSM on the Bush administration. SNL lacks the obvious central focus of political satire it once had. What a shame. RIP SNL
I laughed uncontrollably at that line and then I started to think, here comes the next public works project tearing down the Statue of Liberty. We might scoff at the French regularly and lampoon them with WWII jokes but if it wasn't for them we might not be having this discussion in the US of A.
While I think Steven Crowder is hilarious what SNL needs to get it's spine back is Dennis Miller. He'll take the pussified country out of PC.
ah, the Hippies episode….Cartman was Bruce Willis and Jack Bauer rolled into one (sorry for the pun). I just have to post some quotes from that gem:
Cartman:" I know hippies. I've hated them all my life. I've kept this town free of hippies on my own since I was five and a half. But I can't contain them on my own anymore. We have to do something, fast"
Kyle: Cartman, what the hell are you doing?!
Cartman: (shocked) Oh Jesus, not you guys. What happened, were you bit?! Did you eat their brownies? DID YOU EAT THEIR BROWNIES?!
Stan: No!
Cartman: Listen, you're my friends, but if you've been compromised, I'll have no problem taking you out. I'd expect the same from you.
Man-Bear-Pig was genius
I see a sketch where the terrorists Obama lets out of Gitmo are re-arrested for tax evasion and sentenced to life watching all 25 of those movies again and again on a Teleprompter.
I believe he played Paterson twice. They also did a funny sketch earlier in the season with Will Forte playing George Soros and this sketch was actually pulled from NBC's website briefly before being put back up (figures). I believe the official reason was because they had two cast members play a real life couple who bought a house they couldn't afford and the caption read, "People who should be shot" or words to that effect. I'd post a link to the sketch but I'm at work right now and I don't think this computer could handle it.
South Park rules! My son turned me on to them some years back on X-Mas, Mr. Hankey, I think it was. My kids are pretty much grown and I still watch the show, to my wife’s chagrin, she tells me, “to grow up,” oh well. These guys keep their edge and anyone is fair game. I saw your blog last evening and remembered that I had TIVO’d the show, and was a bit disappointed that it wasn’t about Barry, funny none the less. I know Matt and Trey won’t disappoint. ManBearPig should be required viewing, killer shtick.
South Park, The street beggers as "Night Of The Living Dead" episode. SNL, is that show still on the air?
Eh SNL..yawn. South Park though…oh hell yeah. The Rock couldn't act his way out of a wet bag.
Put an iPrompter app on his iPhone, take him to a Starbucks, and run with it. easy peasy. You could follow with iStimulus, iJackInBox (it controls whether Pelosi is sitting or standing-the phone was in his pocket during that speech, and the button kept getting pressed), iHikeTaxes, etc. It ain't hard.
57 states?
Inhalator, er uh Breathalyzer?
Chippendale posing in Hawaii?
Demented fondness for playing/watching basketball while the world crumbles?
"in the 10 or 12 years of my administration"?
Appointee after appointee being tax cheats?
F-bomb dropping ballerina as chief of staff?
Right- nothing whatsoever to make fun of with the most bestest and fabulousest president ever.
Outstanding.
Would possibly add:
all while rahmbelina twitters around them in a ballerina costume, screaming obscenities at them.
Obamas Porkulus I:
Behold Markets, and DESPAIR!!!
I saw that bit a different way than you: yes, SP had the "Mickey" character trash Christianity, but had the Chrsitian viewers immediately turn off the Jonas Bros. show (and Disney by association)…to me it was more of an indictment of Disney and how they push vapid acts toward youngsters…
SNL is SOOOOOOOO forever ago.
He will use your body as a battery a la Matrix to power his mega-mansion.
Truth: Even when it was good, half of the SNL jokes sat in an uncomfortable air of audience silence and pain.
Humor doesn't require courage, but parody does. If Obama was Bush, SNL would be filled with skits of his incessant "um, er, uh" before every sentence, his bumping his head on hard to miss items like a helicopter, his not knowing how many states are in the USA, his teleprompter addiction, his stimulus, er, spending robbing average Americans, etc. A "Hide the birth certificate" skit could be milked for weeks. And this guy's supposed to be an Adonis, fit and ready, but he tuckers faster than McCain.
Compare SNL with cartoons by Michael Ramirez, Gary Varvel, Wayne Stayskal, Chuck Asay, Ed Gamble, Jerry Holbert, Robert Arial, Gary McCoy (am I forgetting anyone?). These guys have guts. Guts requires shaking the cage.
Truth: Even when it was good, half of the SNL jokes sat in an uncomfortable air of audience silence and pain.
Humor doesn't require courage, but parody does. If Obama was Bush, SNL would be filled with skits of his incessant "um, er, uh" before every sentence, his bumping his head on hard to miss items like a helicopter, his not knowing how many states are in the USA, his teleprompter addiction, his stimulus, er, spending robbing average Americans, etc. A "Hide the birth certificate" skit could be milked for weeks. And this guy's supposed to be an Adonis, fit and ready, but he tuckers faster than McCain.
Compare SNL with cartoons by Michael Ramirez, Gary Varvel, Wayne Stayskal, Chuck Asay, Ed Gamble, Jerry Holbert, Robert Arial, Gary McCoy (am I forgetting anyone?). These guys have guts. Guts requires shaking the cage.
I wasn't a big fan of SP's season 12 either, although there were some good moments. I figured that Matt & Trey were bound to have one sort of a stinker season SOME time. However, if the season premiere was any indication, I think season 13 is going to be a good one.
I don't want to spoil it for anyone who hasn't caught it yet, but I LMAO over the Disney boss.
'half of the SNL jokes sat in an uncomfortable air of audience silence and pain.'
It was very telling that there was a very noticeable atmosphere of uncomfortable silence when Obama picked up the woman. Was the great one actually going to throw a woman (albeit a republican) out of the window? That is as near to challenging as that awful sketch was, and I can imagine the audience shifting uncomfortably in their seats at that point.
It's sad day when a cartoon takes more risk than a show supposedly known for taking risks. Is it any wonder why SNL has lost viewers?
http://the100mostannoyingthings.blogspot.com/
I think I've figured it out! Because really, SNL and Family Guy are suffering similar problems, except Family Guy is not just unfunny, 'tis also preachy. My husband STILL insists we watch every new episode, even though neither one of us laughs. At the end, invariably, he turns to me and says, "Remember: manatees."
The answer? SNL is using the Family Guy manatees.
I think I've figured it out! Because really, SNL and Family Guy are suffering similar problems, except Family Guy is not just unfunny, 'tis also preachy. My husband STILL insists we watch every new episode, even though neither one of us laughs. At the end, invariably, he turns to me and says, "Remember: manatees."
The answer? SNL is using the Family Guy manatees.
A "Hide the birth certificate" skit could be milked for weeks.
Excellent.
Obama bumped his head because he's tall. And handsome.
**SPOILERS**
How will they not get sued for evil Mickey? It was mostly funny, but as South Park often does it crosses the line from funny to gross for me (the Jonas Bros. "white foam" in the young girls faces? References to young girls' intimate anatomy? Ew and ew.). I've been a fan for years, but this was a 'beat the dead horse' ep for me. The great points about Disney's ruthlessness and the lameness of the Jonas Bros. were obscured by the grossness, and I'm sure those who actually feel purity rings have meaning didn't appreciate their portrayal.
For some reason I thought all the comedians lining up to kiss BO on the a** and then look at the screen and ask if that was funny would work. I guess I just don't "get" good comedy.
It really is sad. SNL has done so many great things in the past. But to see them so afraid to parody Obama is really sickening. I don't know if it is out of fear or reverance, either way they are a disgrace to their craft for being so pathetic. God knows he has given you enough material over the past month for a year's worth of skits. But alas the cowards will hide with their tails between their legs and keep slobbering over what a great guy he is.
The sad thing is, the JB actually DO "foam" their audience! Talk about an apt (if gross) metaphor…
The episode that hooked me was the first with Terrance and Phillip. I fell out of my chair when the T.V. came out and responded to the parents demands to pull T&P by saying "#@##& You and the horse you rode in on." To be that brazen just caught me by surprise. And the use of crude humor while having a point (here, parents need to raise their kids, not expect T.V. or media to do it) was something I hadn't seen before. My all-time favorite is still "Christian Rock Hard" where Cartman forms a Christian Rock Band. I laugh everytime that one comes on.
What's great is at this point, who will they not go after? They've hit Disney, Al Queda, Scientology, Obama, and Gore/Environmentals. I can't think of one major target they would refuse to take on. For consistency, it is the best satire on T.V.
Easiest one is a variation of a Clinton sketch they once did. Obama's out jogging in public. A fan/supporter comes up and says hello and asks him a fawning question. Instead of being able to answer like a regular person, he waits until his handlers have setup the portable telepromter and then reads off it and then the supporter swoons and runs off. Do this two or three times, sketch done. Comedy gold.
You mean you LMAO over the Disney boss, huh ha ha
Don't forget their second episode dealing with global warming issues, "Smug Alert" which exposed what owning a Prius is really all about
Cartman in SF was priceless!
Man, just the fact that Mr. Pecs-of-Steel SMOKES would be good for a laugh. Trying to find a place in the White House where he can secretly light up, or the leader of the Free World miserably huddled in a doorway puffing away on a Kools as freezing rain pounds down, would be great! It's something that happens to us all the time; why pretend that nothing ordinary or uncomfortable ever happens to Obama?
SNL is so lame. I checked out that Li'l Obama, funny stuff! Check out The Obamas gallery over at http://iowntheworld.com/blog/?page_id=383, the gallery is mid page, funny stuff and lambasts Obama, it does not fawn over him like the rest of the MSM!
Elena Maria,
Yes, they make fun of Christians, but they also target EVERYONE ELSE. They have also protrayed ATHIESTS as bigoted snobs. So I'm okay if they make fun of Christians, they make fun of everything else too.
Armison IS funny, but their Obama "material" isn't. We could go on and on about what they SHOULD do on Obama, as he's already a laughingstock in word and deed — remember bonking his head on the copter? Imagine if GWB or Sarah Palin did that? Chevy Chase made a (blissfully short) career out of falling down as Ford.. But SNL won't ever do it, because they let ideology kill comedy.
Hope you all saw South Park last night. They proved once and for all they wil take on any one…I mean anyone..Even Mickey!
Okay Alex, just a little clarification. Are you saying in this article thatt SNL stinks? If you read some of these posts, welcome to the bandwagon. I've been hearing and saying that for a decade, at least. Or are you saying that you are upset at SNL for not making fun of Obama? And if so, are you crazy? We all know that SNL has liberal leanings so they would have fun with Obama but not make fun of him. Which for me I have no problem with. I'm not thier boss or writer. If I don't like what they are saying, I touch that dial. Also have you noticed that SP can make fun of asian accents but when so called shock jocks on the radio do it they loose their job. But therin lies the brilliance of Parker and Stone. They figure out a way to be able to do what everyone else wants to do. The prime example is the Ni**er Guy episode. Brilliant! Plus I've noticed that if your a cartoon you seem to be able to get away with more.
Actually, they're probably using the ideas leftover from the manatees – sea cow rejects. It's terribly sad that the funniest thing on NBC right now isn't its flagship comedy sketch show, but the "we're aliens" Hulu adverts.
I couldn't even pick a favorite to tell you the truth. The Christian Rock thing would definitely be one of my favorites though. I thought the movie was genius too. We went to go see it, curious to see what they would do since they didn't have to bleep anything. Then they opened with the simple and very clean opening song and we looked at each other and said, "what the heck?" Then T&P started their song. I have never laughed so hard in my life!
I agree. I think both shows demonstrate a lack of willingness to go for comedy over political correctness. Yet, ironically, they both claim to be "edgy."
At least during the election they made fun of how the media fawned over Obama. But that struck too close to home, I guess, because now they only mock Congressional Republicans and conservatives like Elizabeth on The View.
I believe he played Paterson twice. They also did a funny sketch earlier in the season with Will Forte playing George Soros and this sketch was actually pulled from NBC's website briefly before being put back up (figures). I believe the "official reason" was because they had two cast members play a real life couple who bought a house they couldn't afford and the caption read, "People who should be shot" or words to that effect. I'd post a link to the sketch but I'm at work right now and I don't think this computer could handle it.
And I'm not saying they shouldn't be making fun of Obama – they just need better (braver?) writers. But I would recommend the recent sketch with host Ben Affleck playing Keith Olbermann. Even if you don't like Affleck, you'll like the sketch. Mr. Nolte posted it on his old blog and people seemed to dig it.
Bottom line: SNL is weak, pompous, communist, biased, unfunny, sad, stupid, lame.
It's demon spawn of Fey Fallon along with the washed up wide head Alec Baldwin epitomize the Hollywood Hate Monkeys. Anyone who does not toe the hardcore liberal line is blacklisted from the electronic entertainment media and will never be mentioned by the vacant, air headed, adolescents of the TV Guide Network. We are 180 degrees from the McCarthy era.
President Obama is a plethora of worthwhile jokes:
*Obama could be portrayed as a child getting advice from "grandpa" Biden.
*Obama could have a love affair with himself via a teleprompter.
* Obama could be made fun of reading from a script.
*The White House could be shown as a Frat House.
*Obam's terrible judgment of character could be exploited for several jokes.
*Obama's trying to be everything to everyone could be a several good jokes.
*Michelle Obama & Nancy Pelosi wear the pants while Obama is Mr. Passive Numb Nuts.
*Obama could morph into Jimmy Carter.
SNL is not even trying to be funny.
Obama's the Michael Jordan of politics.
"Don't touch Mike, he's the franchise!"
"Obama's terrible judgment of character could be exploited for several jokes."
Indeed.
HULAgate.org
The NY reality IS that SNL won't do anything that might get Mavis Letterboob ruffled, if they want to see the floor of the Beatles theater again. Their part of the media mafia that can't accept the fact that we've got an unqualified MOOP as POTUS, with a staff of Nixonian thugs, tax cheats, and racists.
Some change, those ones.
Move On indeed.
As he struts along the White House lawn, a flock of Canadian geese fly in, thinking he's the missing Mother Ship.
Sad, but all too true.
They're so paranoid about being called racists if they even attempt to expose the CLOWN in the WH for what he IS — a sophomore trying to be a senior — that all else falls far below their ingrained gaydar.
If Letterboob's poor father were alive, would he disavow his simpleton of an excuse for a son — or just slap him upside the head?
Better dead than red, I suppose…
Subpar South Park is still funnier than anything SNL has done in decades.
The "I can see Russia from my house" line really exposed them as Obama soldiers. That's just ridicule and smear. And against someone with such an excellent record. It's ugly. Can you imagine any of the old pros putting up with the crap writing at SNL? Makes me consider buying the Dean Martin tapes. He had more good laughs per sketch, and much of it unscripted, than SNL has in a season. I'm extrapolating here since I haven't watched much SNL in years.
Ooh. You could throw in a George Clinton reference with that Mother Ship. Or would that be RACIST!
"We get our answer during the dream sequence: Obama doesn’t get angry."
Actually, a friend of mine, a Chicago political worker who received an obscenity-laced tongue-lashing from Obama back when he was an unknown state senator, could testify to the contrary. The reason for Obama's wrath: the politician who my friend worked for had not granted Obama a large sum of money he wanted for some program or other (sound familiar?).
I saw the Olberman sketch. Pretty decent. Plus, I always enjoy it when the guest stars break character (less so when the cast members do so).
Olberman is such a huge target that even The Daily Show goes after him, so it's not saying much that SNL did. My guess is they'll never go back to their glory days of Phil Hartman's gluttonous Clinton next to Dana Carvey's frantic George Bush I.
There's plenty to make fun of concerning Obama, most of it just as broad and easy to see as McCain's age or Clinton's infidelity. First of all, there's the race thing. Then there's his radical roots, his big ears, his reliance on the telepromter, his nerdiness, his inexperience, etc., etc.
You've fallen into the exact same trap as our great comedians. Obama's been successful at controlling his image, and the media has certainly presented him as unflappable and preternaturally competent. If you don't pay too much attention, he comes off as at worst neutral, at best totally cool. Why do we let him get off so easily? Did the original SNL let Carter off the hook for his simple country charm and folk wisdom? Heck no. Reagan was extrememly charasmatic and probably the best manager of his own image we've had in a president since FDR. Yet it was exceedingly easy to make fun of him.
Likewise Obama, if only they'd try.
This is the George Soros sketch that was taken down for a while before they put it back up. I think it's funny but your mileage may vary.
http://www.hulu.com/watch/38041/saturday-night-li...
Zundfolge,
Then at least they can highlight the evil dmonic humor of say the Joker in batman. Either Keith Ledger or JAck Nicholson. Both were unigquely awesome.
Zundfolge,
Then at least they can highlight the evil dmonic humor of say the Joker in batman. Either Keith Ledger or Jack Nicholson. Both were unigquely awesome.
The thing that got my respect for South Park was when they were denied the ability to do a show lambasting Islam. I think they did one on one Religion and decided to be fiar they attacked them all, including Atheism in their own shows. The Atheism was a two parter too. The producers would not have it so the show was about how Family Guy was being irresponsible for showing the prophet. Also a two parter now that I think about it.
This I think was to get the point across to their audience hey I know we made fun of the Pope last week and we really do believe Islam should be next but It was not our call.
They didn't have Bush use a teleprompter because he's not a good reader! But all of Bush's speeches were clearly scripted – you could hear that he was reading them since he mangled most of the sentences – seeming to not have a proper concept of how our language works. When Obama gives a speech he sounds like he knows what he's talking about.
MovieBob
Your point is a valid defense for Lorne Michaels and crew with one glaring exception. The show does go out of its way to introduce politics favorable to Obama and detrimental to Republicans. The line about "you've been in office only seven weeks" is a prime example. Excuse me the economy started slumping in 2008 yes and the financial crisis happened last September, this is true. However when Bush left office the DOW was still over 10000. Since Obama has come into office it has kept plummetting and only his rhetoric and stimulus bills can be to blame. Also the very crisis itself is due to democratic policies and fannae mae.
So I guess what you are trying to say is that the SNL viewer is to stupid to understand the sublety of congress unless it is a democratic party talking point. Sorry I don;t know if I buy that. I believe it is propoganda and politically motivated and nothing more.
Also I am curious. I was very politically oriented when I was in college 20 years ago but for that I was labelled a nerd among other reasons. It seemed that most of the other students were not interested simply becuase it was politics. I therefore find it a little strange that you lump college kids as aware of event and sophisticated.
Mind you they should be. They are the generation that will live under social security deficits. Currently the SSN takes in more money than it must pay out and the government instead of saving the money throws it back to the general fund. Around 2015 it starts to go into the red and that will be when the government finds ways to quit paying it. I am 43 and anyone my age or younger who thinks they are going to collect a dime from SSN is a fool.
The term Bodhisattva in Budhism means "one who is destined to be enlightened". In the movie the villaim was termed the Boshisattva of the Underworld. This literally translates to "The Ruler of Hell who is destined to be enlightened".
Yep your right that would be a metaphor for his cluelessness.
You used the "monkey" in a sentence. Expect to see Al Sharpton with a Bullhorn outside of your front door some time next week. From this point on I would suggest you use the portugese word " Macat". Then by the time Al figures it out it will be too late to bring it up in the news.
Just looking out for you.
"So I guess what you are trying to say is that the SNL viewer is to stupid to understand the sublety of congress unless it is a democratic party talking point."
It's not necessarily stupidity, (it PROBABLY is, but I can't empirically prove it) it's cultural. The Daily Show (and South Park, though South Park also counts kids who just wanna hear dirty jokes among it's audience as well) are aimed at people who are dialed-in to of-the-moment popular culture. "Daily" especially aims at the niche of mostly-bright college-age kids who have MSNBC/FOX (Fox's daytime ratings would take a HUGE dent if all the "liberal" college kids who watch it obsessively just to have something to bitch about or "MST3K" stopped watching) on in the background during the day and want to see the news-cycle's big notes mocked by Stewart at the end of the day. SNL aims at an audience that isn't AS up-to-the-minute saavy, that is older, more-prominently working class and doesn't read every blog and TiVo Rachel Maddow (OR Bill OReilly.)
continued:
Perfect example: this same show did a protracted sketch about the comic-strip "Cathy." Y'know why they knew going for that would work? They know their audience still reads newspapers instead of blog feeds. (Of course, Jessica Biel walking-on as a flesh-and-blood recreation of Jessica Rabbit didn't hurt. AND my "stuff I need to see before I die" list is now one whole item shorter…)
um … uh …. uh …. um …. uh …. I've been to all 57 states
Sure!!!!!!!!
As for Bush he is probably one of the least scripted Presidents in history. But somehow like him or not you could believe he thought he was telling the truth.
Where again is this alternate reality that you live in …. Nevermind I just read your handle.
I met a traveller from an antique land
Who said: Two vast and trunkless legs of stone
Stand in the desert. Near them on the sand,
Half sunk, a shatter'd visage lies, whose frown
And wrinkled lip and sneer of cold command
Tell that its sculptor well those passions read
Which yet survive, stamp'd on these lifeless things,
The hand that mock'd them and the heart that fed.
And on the pedestal these words appear:
"My name is Obamandias, king of kings:
Look on my works, ye Mighty, and despair!"
Nothing beside remains: round the decay
Of that colossal wreck, boundless and bare,
The lone and level sands stretch far away
PB Shelley, w/ help from me.
[...] “What would happen if Obama got angry?” [...]
This is the George Soros sketch I mentioned above that was taken down for a while before they put it back up. I think it's funny but your mileage may vary.
http://www.hulu.com/watch/38041/saturday-night-li...
If the link doesn't work, you can go to Hulu and type in "Washington Approves the Bailout."
tublecane – Is that a Newsradio reference? If so, I LOVE that show!
I'm certain that I'm in the minority with this opinion, but I detest South Park and never found it remotely funny. The meally-mouthed, high-pitched voices, crappy animation, and offensive language hid whatever germ of humor the shows allegedly contained. I'm not surprised that it's lasted as long as it has because people love garbage.
AWW LIL WAYNE WAS SOO DECENT THEN!!
I wish I could give you more than +1. That was marvelous.
They're also afraid that Obama will lose his religious devotees if they start to make fun of him. I was vacationing in a Northern Blue state, and to my horror, the individuals eating breakfast with me in the inn appeared to receive all their news from SNL, Leno, and that buck-toothed beaver (Letterman). I discovered this when they swarmed to Letterman's defense in that jokes about rapping Palin's 12 year old daughter were in good taste.
Point blank: most of the Obamakins only hate Bush because the programs they watch make fun of Bush. I believe that if SNL, Leno, Letterman mocked Obama, more people will mock and loathe him just as much. It's also a control issue.
You should count your blessings that most college students are semi-apolitical. When they get involved in politics, they ascribe to a nanny state philosophy. It's disgusting to see their anti-global warming garbage. If we're lucky, they'll remain apolitical until they see the withholdings on their wages.
Since when was John Stewart making faces while quoting Bush considered "intellect issue based entertainment"? The Daily Show is the biggest mockery of intellect on Comedy Central. I stopped watching it out of disgust for the obvious political indoctrination back in junior high.
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