S50.E09: Chris Rock / Gracie Abrams

[Galileo908]

This week's host is Chris Rock, with musical guest Gracie Abrams.

Airs 12/14/24

 

[JeanJean]

"Like cocaine hates monogamy"  cracked me up.

I liked the Santa sketch.

 

Edited Sunday at 04:53 AM by JeanJean

[Quickbeam]

Chris’ face looks really different, like plastics different. I couldn’t unsee it. 

Edited Sunday at 05:11 AM by Quickbeam
Typo

[ebk57]

That was the best cold open in quite a while.  I actually laughed several times.  Out loud.

And the monologue was pretty good. 

[Galileo908]

Cold Open: We're starting with Luigi, America's latest thirst trap. Nancy Grace. That's a name I haven't heard in forever. Squirm was much better than Amy Poehler's take on her, I'll say that. This was chaotic in a good way, I liked this. Loved Kenan's bit, but I wish we got more of Emil, who wasn't Luigi, but was just playing a guy that looked a lot like him. 

Monologue: The worse kept secret in entertainment. Chris Rock's been workshopping this monologue for weeks. This was MILES ahead than what Chappelle's done. Lots of gasps from the audience.

Two Santas: I knew exactly where this sketch was going once they showed a black Santa and a white one.  I saw "The regular one" coming a mile away, and it was no less uncomfortable. I loved Kenan Devon not having any of "Blanta." And then came a queer NB Santa, and an Arab one. 

Secret Santa: Simpsonized Chris Rock was not on the bingo card, but I enjoyed that he was so invested in the hypothetical storyline he appears in.

Kirby: Of course the magic sentient car from 1958 is racist. Of I liked the sudden cut to them burning down the barn. And then turning out to be an ad for Lyft. Sponsored content going through the wringer tonight, I'll tell you that.  

Charlie: Oh man, it's another of these sketches. I'll always laugh at Kenan saying "Mmm mmm MMM." I'm a sucker like that. For once, it wasn't highlighting the double standard between Charlie and someone like James Franco (and the less said about him, the better)

WU: Che said "It's the 90s" again! Drink! Man, Colin and Che were on fire tonight. I was dying at Dismukes's bald guy character. 

Leslie: A Squirm sketch. I was wondering where this was gonna so since Sarah was the lead in this. And the twist was the patient turned out to be Adam Sandler?! And he was clearly having fun with the blood sprayer. He broke HARD and something's definitely getting cut.

"But you, not sure what your role in this skit is, so happy you're getting airtime" to Emil was hilariously meta, as was calling out Bowen's character's name.

Your Office Christmas Party: I don't have an office job (does anybody these days have an in person office job?!), but I know the pain of all of this. Especially the long, tedious 45 minute Secret Santa. 

Blind Date: Chris Rock was hilariously awful, and then Marcello showed up as the REAL blind date and was also awful. Why did Jane get up at the end?! So she wouldn't obstruct the pedicab?

Subjective, sure, but this was a very fun episode to me! I'd give it an 8.5/10. Wasn't really feeling Gracie Abrams, but that's nepo kids for ya. And a few bits fell flat, but this was overall great. Martin Short hosts the Christmas ep next week. And speaking of which, the annual Christmas special airs on Wednesday.

1 hour ago, Quickbeam said:

Chris’ face looks really different, like plastics different. I couldn’t I see it.

He had a triangle mouth.

Edited Sunday at 06:17 AM by Galileo908

[Galileo908]

"My sister said you're 28?"

"I was."

That was such a great exchange.

[opus]

6 minutes ago, Galileo908 said:

l loved Kenan not having any of "Blanta.

I thought that was Devon?

[ebk57]

I enjoyed this one more than I thought I would.  Loved the 2 taped pieces.  And Jane Wickline on Update.  And the blind date - I wasn't sure about it, but I laughed a lot at the end. 

[Galileo908]

7 minutes ago, opus said:

I thought that was Devon?

My bad, you were right. That was Devon. In my defense, it's late and I'm tired.

[JeanJean]

It kind of went downhill for me after Choose a Santa, but the energy was fun throughout.

WU, always good.

I often have to read the lyric captions while the musical guest's performing and that muddles up my listening experience. That was the case for me tonight.

Edited Sunday at 06:30 AM by JeanJean

[Trini]

Too tired to comment on much; but in the cold open when they're, "Here's someone who was at the McDonald's", I was like, "It gonna be Kenan, isn't it?" - LOL, I was right! #smallvictories

[Ottis]

Did Chris Rock have a stroke? Or was he drunk? His delivery all night was weirdly paced and shouty, especially for a guy who had been on the show as a cast member.

Does Nancy Grace still exist? What's next, Morton Downey Jr? I'm surprised at all the light made of a murder.

Which Rock actually brought up in his shouty, hesitant monologue.

Santa could have been funny, but they half-assed it. Should have focused on white people struggling as circumstances changed and Black Santa was more available.

Secret Santa was weird. What was wrong with these people? There was no build up to lead us to why they were so bad at Secret Santa. Was it a psych ward? Rock almost worked, they needed a couple of lines at the opening of the skit where the other characters lament how Rock is always so weird at Christmas time, like he takes things so literally or something.

So neighbors drive out to a desolate farm to help him go through his dead grandpa's stuff?  Seems like a stretch. Noticed right off the cast in this one was oddly weighted toward Black people and women, which gave away the joke.

Annnnnd another skit about visual differences, this time age. Those old people are so funny, but not that middle age guy!

I'm going to have to get to the rest later. 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited Sunday at 12:12 PM by Ottis

[Quickbeam]

2 hours ago, Ottis said:

Did Chris Rock have a stroke? Or was he drunk? His delivery all night was weirdly paced and shouty, especially for a guy who had been on the show as a cast member.

Yes to this. He seemed so odd all night. 

[peeayebee]

I haven't seen Nancy Grace in a long time. Does she really sound like this? I'm thinking no, that Sarah did an awful exaggeration. The one part I liked in this was when she said, "What's a twunk? Like a twee twunk?"

Didn't really like Rock's monologue. There was one part where I thought it was going to be good and incisive, but it kinda fizzled. Did he say something about nine NYers NOT voting for Trump? What?

I really liked the idea of the black and white Santas. Like @Ottis said, they should have stuck with that instead of adding the other Santas. 

I kinda liked the Secret Santa sketch, but I wish Rock had been better. I don't know if he has a hard time learning lines or just doesn't know how to read cue cards, but the timing was off and could have been really funny. I liked his obsession with creating his Simpsons episode. I also thought that picture is a pretty cool gift. The other gifts were weird, which I liked.

I also think they squandered a good premise with the 1950s car sketch. It was great when the car doors slammed so the black friends couldn't get in, but I think the writers didn't know where to go from there.

Please retire that office harassment sketch. There's no variation. Why do it again?

I didn't get much out of WU. I liked the joke about Trump challenging the sun to a staring contest. I didn't particularly like Andrew's or Jane's bits. And I've never heard of Emilia Perez. I feel so weird for not hearing about a show that got the most nominations.

The surgery sketch was pretty good at first, with Sarah's character making horrendous mistakes. I don't know why they added the bit with Chris defending her. And the Adam Sandler appearance was stupid. Shooting the blood all over was lots of fun for them. Nice for them.

The office Christmas party sketch wasn't bad. My favorite part here was with Ego and Chris, when she says, "She's so pretty," and we get a closeup of Chris's terrified face.

Blind Date had some good lines. Hated the ending.

The music was fine. I listened to the first song, FF'd thru the second.

Who was screaming in the audience and why? Annoying.

Edited Sunday at 03:38 PM by peeayebee

[lou ann b]

Why do I sometimes feel that I watched a different episode than others did?

Chris has always done that shouty thing with his voice. Watch his old standup. Asking if he's had a stroke or was drunk is a bit harsh, IMO.

I liked the two Santas and Devon on a Zoom meeting and not wanting to be called "Blanta" made me LOL. The filmed short about the office party was SO my life at health care admin parties.  

Still wondering how SNL began when I was almost 15 and now it is in season 50 when I am only 25.

 

 

 

[Crashcourse]

6 hours ago, Ottis said:

Does Nancy Grace still exist? What's next, Morton Downey Jr? I'm surprised at all the light made of a murder.

I didn't like the cold open at all.   

I thought I'd like Chris Rock, but I was disappointed in his monologue--the jokes weren't that funny--and his sketches.  I don't know what it was, but he just seemed.....off.  

[Kel Varnsen]

5 hours ago, peeayebee said:

The surgery sketch was pretty good at first, with Sarah's character making horrendous mistakes. I don't know why they added the bit with Chris defending her. And the Adam Sandler appearance was stupid. Shooting the blood all over was lots of fun for them. Nice for them.

Sandler showing up was pretty fun for me. But the funniest part was that it seemed that they had to fix the sprayer mid-sketch. 

Nancy Grace saying she was being haunted by the ghost of JonBenet was also really funny.

[txhorns79]

5 hours ago, peeayebee said:

 

I also think they squandered a good premise with the 1950s car sketch. It was great when the car doors slammed so the black friends couldn't get in, but I think the writers didn't know where to go from there.

Yeah, it was like someone pitched, "What if it was Christine, but the car was racist and "we'll figure out the rest before dress," but they simply never did. 

9 hours ago, Ottis said:

Does Nancy Grace still exist?

Thank you.  I wondered if there were going to be members of the audience who had no real idea who she was, because her heyday was so long ago. 

[Andyourlittledog2]

12 minutes ago, txhorns79 said:

Does Nancy Grace still exist?

Yeah, unfortunately she does.  There was at least one recent season of I think it was 20/20 that featured her talking heads during episodes of whatever crime of the week they were covering. I remember refusing to watch as soon as I saw her participation because I can't stand her and don't want to support her in any way. Dateline has decided podcasters are king and 20/20 had Nancy Grace. I didn't watch the 20/20 episode on Jonbenet this week because it was about Jonbenet so I don't know if Nancy Grace was on it but it would make sense if she were since that was her thing back in the day. Now I am wondering if she was the talking head on that episode.

Sarah's impression wasn't good.  Sarah has a habit of screaming her lines and thinks it's funny (it's not) so she pretty much screamed her entire impression and that to me is what made it a terrible impression. Nancy Grace doesn't scream, she speaks in a weirdly emphatic way along with that attitude of someone who has conquered all morality and is annoyed to have to be the one to explain why you are stupid and wrong to you but will do it kind of like she's been appointed by God to do so. Sarah didn't capture that at all, she just screamed her lines and looked crazy eyed. Nuance is completely lost on Sarah.

I really liked this episode a lot. I have been pretty unhappy with this and last season so this particular episode was a wonderful surprise for me. I really enjoyed Jane's musical number during WU not just for the lyrics but for the way she acted and emoted during it. She's good at this and she's funny.

The 1950s car brought me back to Christine and I was thinking no way would I ever get in that car. I guess the folks in the sketch didn't know about Christine.  Just a regular racist car.  They were right to burn it, which was a funny surprising ending.

I never like the kind of sketches like the hospital operation one but this one was actually funny so good on them. I think having Rock on this episode really improved the usual writing this time. And the holiday party was brilliant IMO.  I've been to many a forced march holiday party like that one while I worked at an insurance company - you wish they'd just let you leave early but you are stuck there having to celebrate with people you would never socialize with and it's during work hours so you can't get out of it.  It's more fun to mock it than to be in it.  Chris and Ego's part was especially funny.

[peeayebee]

1 hour ago, Andyourlittledog2 said:

The 1950s car brought me back to Christine and I was thinking no way would I ever get in that car. I guess the folks in the sketch didn't know about Christine.  Just a regular racist car. 

Yeah, they had to be referencing Christine, though who knows the age of the audience and what they remember.

Actually, when they threw the tarp off the car, I immediately thought of the Paul Newman-voiced car in Cars. And I kept expecting there to be some reference to it. I can't remember if it was the same make/model

[Shanna Marie]

59 minutes ago, peeayebee said:

Yeah, they had to be referencing Christine, though who knows the age of the audience and what they remember.

I think it was more aimed at The Love Bug, given the paint job, the number on it, and the fact that the car was named Kirbie (Kirby?), which was likely a reference to Herbie. It was just a 50s car vs. the Beetle. So it seemed like it was going to be a friendly magical car with a dash of mischief, like Herbie the Love Bug, except it reflects the time it's in, so it turns out to be racist and sexist.

[possibilities]

3 hours ago, Andyourlittledog2 said:

she just screamed her lines and looked crazy eyed.

You're talking about Sarah, but that is the exact description I'd give to Chris Rock.

My favorite thing was Jane and her song. And here's the irony: I have been assuming Jane is some version of queer since the first time I saw her, and every time since. If she really isn't, and nobody is acting like they are suspecting that she is, maybe it's because everybody actually truly believes she is, and if she's denying it, they figure she's in the closet for some reason and don't want to out her!

[Arkay]

Chris Rock’s timing was off for most of the show.

I don’t know if he couldn’t see the cue cards or what the problem was, but I’m surprised because he’s so experienced.

We saw him live in Atlantic City years ago, and we were laughing all night. I only sort of smiled tonight, nothing struck me as hilarious.

I did get a kick out of Adam Sandler breaking the fourth wall.

 

 

[Ottis]

18 hours ago, lou ann b said:

Why do I sometimes feel that I watched a different episode than others did?

Chris has always done that shouty thing with his voice. Watch his old standup. Asking if he's had a stroke or was drunk is a bit harsh, IMO.

I liked the two Santas and Devon on a Zoom meeting and not wanting to be called "Blanta" made me LOL. The filmed short about the office party was SO my life at health care admin parties.  

Still wondering how SNL began when I was almost 15 and now it is in season 50 when I am only 25.

 

 

 

I actually did watch a few minutes of his old (and newer) stand up again, for comparison. He was different in this SNL. His stand up was a quicker pace, the shouting was almost strategic. He clearly knew where he wanted to place the emphasis. On SNL, it was almost constant and lacked purpose. Even weirder, though, were all the awkward hesitations, like he couldn't quite see the cue cards clearly.

Edited Monday at 11:31 AM by Ottis

[Joimiaroxeu]

Cold Open:
Nancy Grace? Shouldn't she be off somewhere still screaming about Tot Mom?
Luigi is a mordorer!
Yeah, you could look at him and tell he had heaux.
Everyone thought Emil would be playing Luigi but maybe he or SNL didn't want to go that far. Yet.

Opening Monologue:
Chris Rock. Well, this could go either way.
What was with all the white poinsettias on stage?
Sometimes drug dealers get shot. Yikes.
Ditto on Jake Paul.
Chris' makeup was not great. In a certain cultural vernacular, he looked ashy.

Kirby the 1958 car was awful in multiple ways. If I ordered a Lyft and they showed up in a 1958 vehicle I'd be noping right out regardless. Was this sketch prompted by Stephen King's announcement last week?

The Charlie the doorman sketch was a take on Chris' old joke about how sexual harassment rules only apply to guys who aren't attractive. Tom Brady did a SNL sketch on it too.

I didn't recognize Gracie Abrams' name but once she started singing I knew the voice. Not a fan of the sort of yodeling thing she does. Apparently SNL is bringing on all the Taylor Swift acolytes this season. Bonus points for nepo babies.

Weekend Update:
My money would be on Jake Gyllenhaal to play Luigi in the inevitable Netflix movie but maybe he's too old.
RBG must be spinning in her grave this week.
Marcello as a bald guy in a turtleneck looked like Jeff Bezos to me.
Teaching kids "porn literacy." What does that even mean?
AFAIC Jane Wickline should not be mentioned in the same sentence as Sabrina Carpenter. That whole bit was a massive fail. SNL should stop trying to translate her TikTok stuff to broadcast TV.

Signoff:
A lot of meh on that stage, starting with Chris Rock and his apparent inability to read cue cards. I don't care if he ever hosts again.

Edited Monday at 05:32 PM by Joimiaroxeu

[One Imaginary Girl]

The 1958 car sketch is not the first time I've seen this weird phenomenon on SNL where they suddenly make a sketch that wasn't a commercial into a commercial.  I guess it's part of their perennial problem of being unable to figure out good endings.

[SomeTameGazelle]

3 hours ago, Joimiaroxeu said:

Marcello as a bald guy in a turtleneck looked like Jeff Bezos to me.

I believe that was Andrew Dismukes but I couldn't not see Bezos in that either. Has he portrayed Bezos before?

3 hours ago, Joimiaroxeu said:

AFAIC Jane Wickline should not be mentioned in the same sentence as Sabrina Carpenter. That whole bit was a massive fail.

That bit worked really well for me. I wasn't wild about her first appearance on WU but this one with the long list of ways in which she would not be attempting to imitate Sabrina Carpenter did make me laugh and was probably the highlight of the episode for me.

[Milburn Stone]

21 hours ago, Joimiaroxeu said:

Kirby the 1958 car was awful in multiple ways.

I kept feeling they were trying to make some humorous points that weren't landing at all. Like, the car was racist? And also a male sexist pig? And now they're all going inside it to have sex in it  All things that would have happened in 1958? I think I got it, but it was all handled with such ineptitude that I couldn't be sure. And if you can't be sure, you can't laugh.

That said, even though Chris Rock was a far cry from great in the sketches, he infused everything with a level of energy that made the show go down easier than it might have.

[Kel Varnsen]

52 minutes ago, Milburn Stone said:

kept feeling they were trying to make some humorous points that weren't landing at all. Like, the car was racist? And also a male sexist pig? And now they're all going inside it to have sex in it  All things that would have happened in 1958?

When was that part? Weren't they just planning on taking the car for a drive before it locked out the Black friends in the group? 

[Milburn Stone]

4 hours ago, Kel Varnsen said:

When was that part? Weren't they just planning on taking the car for a drive before it locked out the Black friends in the group? 

Well, you see? The point of the sketch was just that unclear to me.