S41.E04: Donald Trump / Sia

[Toaster Strudel]

I can't get enough of Larry David, his delivery is always so natural, and dead on.  The man is a genius.  Please show, put him in a sketch where he's Leslie Jones' boyfriend or something.  I need both together on my screen.

[mtlchick]

 

Colin's stress wore over into his weekend update

 

Stress in what way?  He's no longer the head writer (though it was only pointed out a few weeks ago.)

[cpcathy]

I can't get enough of Larry David, his delivery is always so natural, and dead on.  The man is a genius.  Please show, put him in a sketch where he's Leslie Jones' boyfriend or something.  I need both together on my screen.

 

I've only very recently become a fan of his, after his first appearance a couple of weeks ago, and then watching Curb Your Enthusiasm when HBO showed it nightly for a little bit, I think he's great.

[ratgirlagogo]

 

Larry David's Sanders is just stupendous and is what a political impression should be.

Agreed.  Which makes it even harder to understand why the show is being so soft on Hillary as opposed to Bernie.  I understand that if a cast member already has a killer impression in the bag, then that's the president they want - so, Hilary.  But Larry David's Bernie is fantastic and it's not like he seems unwilling to come back repeatedly and do it.  

[WhosThatGirl]

That episode was.. something. That is all.

[pivot]

I thought Trump did a decent job at poking fun of himself, for a man who is never self-deprecating, and to me it was fun to see him costumed outrageously instead of in his omnipresent suit and tie. The audience and cast were very withholding, though. I expect that from a cast that is All About Hillary, but while I find Larry David mostly hysterical, I thought it was rude to not even glance at Trump during the good nights. You know Trump is hosting when you agree to appear, so though you may have political differences, at least be a mensch.

David is about the only one I have respect for after this episode. Trump is a racist spreading hate speech that has resulted in hate crimes around the country. Trump doesn't deserve even the slightest courtesy.

Agreed.  Which makes it even harder to understand why the show is being so soft on Hillary as opposed to Bernie.  I understand that if a cast member already has a killer impression in the bag, then that's the president they want - so, Hilary.  But Larry David's Bernie is fantastic and it's not like he seems unwilling to come back repeatedly and do it.

They went soft on Hillary in 2008 as well. There were many skits about how mean the media was to her, etc. while they kissed her butt. I expect nothing different this time around.

[stonehaven]

Larry David's impression of Bernie Sanders had a Regis Philbin groove to it..I liked it..and that's all I got...

[AuntiePam]

If the writers are too tough on a guest host -- especially a politician -- don't they run the risk of having no show?  Or spending a week making changes, writing new material?  I assume Trump -- or one of his people -- would have nixed a skit that denigrated him too much.  Is that how SNL works -- guests have some approval power?  I honestly don't know -- haven't watched much since the 80's.

 

I thought Drunk Uncle did a fine job showing us the kind of voter Trump appeals to.  Was it too subtle? 

[Mumbles]

There was a cruelty in this week's writing that Trump had nothing to do with. I'm thinking of the "joke" whereby he mistook Aidy for Rosie O'Donnell. Hah hah, women (in particular overweight women) are interchangeable.

I can imagine writet defending the joke by saying Trump is such a jerk that he probably feels that way, but a cast member (and a great one at that) was the object of the joke. Maybe Aidy was fine with it. Maybe she even wrote it (she co-wrote the excellent "Dike and Fats" with Kate McKinnon a while back). But it did strike me as mean. Just like the tweet sketch, I felt bad for the cast.

[Brattinella]

Seriously, racism again?

[Pete Martell]

Agreed.  Which makes it even harder to understand why the show is being so soft on Hillary as opposed to Bernie.  I understand that if a cast member already has a killer impression in the bag, then that's the president they want - so, Hilary.  But Larry David's Bernie is fantastic and it's not like he seems unwilling to come back repeatedly and do it.  

 

Many see Sanders as a kook, which SNL can play into (they may see him that way too). The CW is also that he has no real chance. Impressions like this are also best not being overused. If it were up to me there would also be much less of McKinnon's Hillary (although I don't think it's all that great anyway - it's more a greatest hits knockoff of Hillary than an approximation of her), but as she is a cast member and their hyped new thing, unlike guest star Sanders, and Hillary is the one seen as likely to get the nomination and much more well known to the public, she gets more attention.

[Tunia]

I assume Trump -- or one of his people -- would have nixed a skit that denigrated him too much.  Is that how SNL works -- guests have some approval power?  I honestly don't know -- haven't watched much since the 80's.

 

Prior to the show, I heard a couple of Trump interviews in which he said he nixed several sketches because he felt they were too risqué, so it seems in his case, at least, he had "some approval power".

Unfortunately, what SNL ended up with was Trump Bland. 

 

But with Trump, it's all about the numbers, and at that he succeeded.  He knew many would tune in just because he was hosting, just as many watched the debates just to see what he'd say or do outside of the norm.   Quantity vs. quality.

 

[Ms Blue Jay]

I can understand disdain for people who simply want to be famous, or want fame for nothing, or are famous for nothing.

 

I think Sia just wants to think she's ironic. Like in  - can sing but can't Sia thing.

 

But for the life of me I can't understand disdain for an artist who wants her art - but not her face/looks - to be the focus of her fame.

Edited November 9, 2015 by Ms Blue Jay

[AuntiePam]

 

But for the life of me I can't understand disdain for an artist who wants her art - but not her face/looks - to be the focus of her fame.

 

If she doesn't want the focus to be on her looks, she should ditch the wig and the bow.  It's too much like a gimmick.

[Ms Blue Jay]

Every artist has a gimmick whether they think they do or not.  People identify artists in a certain way.  Nobody is a completely blank shadow with music emitting.  What is the difference?  It's her identifiable characteristic like Adele's eyeliner or The Weeknd's dreads or Drake's poor dancing.  Artists want to sell their art and that's her identifiable 'gimmick'; sure.  I think it's crazy how she hides her looks so that people don't draw attention to them, so people choose to draw attention to what she uses to cover them up instead.  It kind of proves the point that people just HAVE to discuss an artist's looks over their music even though looks are so not the point with a serious musician like her.

 

What would you suggest?  If it wasn't the hair and the bow it would be a mask.  However, she needs to be able to move her mouth and breathe obviously.  It's what she chose.  Trust me, she doesn't want that to be the focus of her product, that wouldn't make sense.

Edited November 9, 2015 by Ms Blue Jay

[AuntiePam]

 

What would you suggest?  If it wasn't the hair and the bow it would be a mask.  However, she needs to be able to move her mouth and breathe obviously.  It's what she chose.  Trust me, she doesn't want that to be the focus of her product, that wouldn't make sense.

 

What would I suggest?  Be natural, be yourself.  Janis Joplin, Bonnie Raitt, k d lang, Streisand, Aretha, Ella, Patsy Cline -- their only gimmicks were their voices. 

 

I think what's happening is that we're over-exposed to good voices -- the talent shows are full of them -- so pop singers need a gimmick to get attention.

 

Just MHO -- I haven't liked popular music for many years. 

[AuntiePam]

Okay, I had to read a little bit about Sia -- I'd never heard of her until this SNL appearance (that's how out of touch I am).  It seems she wants a private life, to be able to go out in public without being recognized, and she's a bit more phobic about her privacy than most, maybe even a bit fragile, emotionally.  I get that.

 

The thing is -- her face isn't that distinctive.  Put on a hat, don't wear a lot of makeup, dress down.  Most celebrities (especially women) look pretty ordinary without the hair and makeup. 

 

After reading more about her, I don't think it's a gimmick -- I just don't think it's necessary.  And it distracts from her performances.

[Tunia]

Sia's on-stage partner doesn't do her any favors either.  I had never heard of her either before SNL, but spent the first 3/4 of her performance in WTF mode before even noticing what a good voice she has.  For her second segment, I was expecting the hair and bow, looking forward to concentrating more on her voice, and then cocoon girl showed up...more WTF!

 

I "get" her reasoning also, assuming that's her real thinking process.

 

*edited for typo

Edited November 9, 2015 by Tunia

[peeayebee]

Prior to the show, I heard a couple of Trump interviews in which he said he nixed several sketches because he felt they were too risqué, so it seems in his case, at least, he had "some approval power".

I get the feeling Trump was using the word "risqué" very loosely. I'm sure he nixed some of the proposed skits because they insulted him, making fun of him in a way he couldn't take.

[AriAu]

Just wondering, when is the comedy show called Saturday Night Live on again, because that wasn't it on Saturday night since I did not laugh. You know you are in big trouble when the funniest part (and I am using that term cautiously) was Drunk Uncle, whose best line was the first ("He says what I think") and drew no laughs at all despite the irony of it.

[Ottis]

I thought the audience was deadly silent during most of the monologue and then the White House in 2018 sketch.

 

 

I thought the audience was fairly silent any time Trump was on stage, probably because it is SNL and the audience leans left. God forbid anyone laugh at the Republican, lest it be construed as support. Whatever.

 

The Drake skit was funny and Trump was very good in it. "I called you on my cell-phone ..."

 

I thought Sia missed an opportunity to have her dancing pal wear a wig with the colors reversed (a la original Star Trek), to show the dancer represented what Sia could not.

 

Che's "stabbing" hand line was great and lost in the applause.

Edited November 9, 2015 by Ottis

[potatoradio]

 

Sia's on-stage partner doesn't do her any favors either.  I had never heard of her either before SNL, but spent the first 3/4 of her performance in WTF mode before even noticing what a good voice she has.

 

I agree - if the argument is that we, the dumb audience, would be too distracted by the sight of an actual face to appreciate the true art of the music, WTF is with mimes and dancers having seizures or the other sideshows? Cocoon woman rolling around and waving her arms behind Sia didn't exactly help me focus on the music and artistic vision. I like her voice (except her warbling/pseudo yodel bits), but no way am I going to try to sit through all the distractions to appreciate it. Musical guests are usually bathroom break or snack refill time anyway.

 

I laughed at DT's playing the laser and his singing/dancing bit. When he was willing to let go even the tiniest bit and play against his caricature, it was amusing. I guess I'm not convinced that political figures in general make great comedy show hosts. Bit parts or cameos, maybe, but they're generally not able to really poke fun of themselves or really risk anything, so they have no comedy appeal and ya know, that's OK with me. I don't need to see politicians try to connect with a demographic via popular culture.

 

How can they keep leaving "Jeb(!) can fix it" alone?

 

I still see too much Molly Shannon (can't remember the character - always said, "I love it -I love it - I love it!") in KM's Hillary when she's doing physical comedy, but when she's just mimicking Hillary's general vibe, it's great. And Bernie Sanders must come back. "I hate people!" OMG....

 

Also, "her name is Bruce" (god love ya, drunk uncle, don't change). 

Edited November 9, 2015 by potatoradio

[Traveller519]

Stress in what way?  He's no longer the head writer (though it was only pointed out a few weeks ago.)

Right, I remember seeing that. But I think he's still among the senior writers, and is at least along the more tenured folks on the show. Colin's general settledness during Update appears, to me, to be directly linked to how well the show is going.

[cpcathy]

He's so much more comfortable now on WU, I actually look forward to WU again (well, 90% look forward to it).

 

And was it just me, or did Drunk Uncle only seem sort of high and not drunk? I do miss his exchanges with Seth: "That's not me!" Seth: "That's not anyone."

[kassa]

It was pretty dreadful.  

 

I'm still trying to decide if cast and writers weren't trying, or whether they actually subversively made every scene insult Trump.  It seemed that sketch after sketch skewered him in the sense that by presenting him as is, they showed what an idiot he is.  I thought the White House 2018 sketch cleverly highlighted how obnoxiously hollow his "plans" are.  Yeah, Donald -- sure, it's that simple!   It was like he was the only one in the sketch (in the building?) not in on the joke.

 

Drunk Uncle nailed it (though as usual a minute or two too long).  Che had some great lines.  Leslie made me laugh with the male grooming bit, and the flirtation with Jost always amuses me.  

 

Favorite moment was in the Girls video, where the Bad Girls get bad service in the restaurant, and you know what they're gonna do? Still tip 20% because serving is hard and you never know what else she might have going on in her day.

 

I don't think the show props Hillary - she's consistently represented as a borderline maniacal phony panderer whom nobody likes and never will.  That was an actual line in one of last season's shows, when Aidy (I think) played a kid who told Hillary outright that her parents don't like her and they never will.  I remember kind of gasping at that.  While they may also acknowledge her many gifts, I don't think the writers/Kate are playing her as remotely electable.

Edited November 9, 2015 by kassa

[lovinbob]

 

I still see too much Molly Shannon (can't remember the character - always said, "I love it -I love it - I love it!") in KM's Hillary when she's doing physical comedy, but when she's just mimicking Hillary's general vibe, it's great. And Bernie Sanders must come back. "I hate people!" OMG....

Sally O'Malley! I'm 50! 50 years old!

[Delwyn]

I still see too much Molly Shannon (can't remember the character - always said, "I love it -I love it - I love it!") in KM's Hillary when she's doing physical comedy

 

Thank you for that - I couldn't put my finger on it but now that you bring up Helen Madden and her "Joy", it's a great reference for the weirdness of how Kate as Hillary tries to put up her feet in that chair.

 

 

I watched the cold open (internet warned me was DT free) and I'm not sure why people think SNL is so pro-Hillary. I don't watch every episode, but I agree with kassa that they were pretty unflattering to her in that sketch.

 

Also watched WU. The energy seemed really high and I was pleasantly surprised that they were not afraid to say some mean things about the host. I know DT says he has a sense of humour about himself, but I wonder if he had to be told later that maybe the cast was not laughing with him OR at him. I caught part of the tweet sketch (lulled from FF by a lack of his physical appearance) and found it unfunny because it was an accurate re-enactment of how he behaves on Twitter: attacking whatever is in his eye line with no provocation or basis in fact. Kind of chilling to watch actually; especially Vanessa trying to beg off.

 

Sia is a tough one for me. I've been a fan of hers for a long time and saw her in concert a couple of times pre-face obstruction. She has a very compelling voice live and kookiness was part of the parcel. She tended to stand really still while singing, but had good banter and jumped in with the other acts as well like a human person. When TheWig happened, I assumed it was a gimmick for Chandelier and that would be it. I'm sorry to see it carry on.  I watched this ep for her, but I pushed my screen to the side during her performances and just listened instead because the rest was distracting.

[cardigirl]

is it possible that Larry David's heckling was a condition of his appearance in this episode to clarify (for those that may not know or suspect otherwise) his disdain for Trump?

http://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2015/11/larry-david-donald-trump-saturday-night-live

[Mistletoe]

But with Trump, it's all about the numbers, and at that he succeeded.  He knew many would tune in just because he was hosting, just as many watched the debates just to see what he'd say or do outside of the norm.   Quantity vs. quality.

  

Just wondering, when is the comedy show called Saturday Night Live on again, because that wasn't it on Saturday night since I did not laugh. You know you are in big trouble when the funniest part (and I am using that term cautiously) was Drunk Uncle, whose best line was the first ("He says what I think") and drew no laughs at all despite the irony of it.

In the end SNL wins...their ratings spike, regardless of a subpar performance by a buffoon like Trump. It's like a car wreck, you can't help but watch. I did not, but apparently the rest of America did. Boo!

I REALLY want to see someone like Thomas Middleditch, Ben Schwartz, or Aziz Ansari host SNL. Now those dudes are freaking funny...like inherently, effortlessly funny and completely ridiculous, to boot. They will kill on SNL if ever given the opportunity. I'm about to start a damn petition. I'm over the Trumps and Cyruses of the world. YOU ARE NOT FUNNY! STICK TO YOUR DAY JOBS (whatever they may be).

[BatmanBeatles]

Unaired skit. I don't think it's very funny

 

http://www.ew.com/article/2015/11/11/snl-donald-trump-unaired-sketch