SNL in the Media

[helenamonster]

4 minutes ago, Pete Martell said:

I don't dislike him (I used to when his work got into more and more homophobic stuff) but I don't really have much of an opinion of him. I suppose it showed me what a bubble I'm in as I was surprised at the big positive response to the news. I did notice that some of his fans said they weren't going to be watching because of how they see SNL's political views. I guess others will still tune in though.

For me it's just that his humor has not evolved at all in the past 20+ years, and the older he gets the more embarrassing it is. I grew up watching his movies constantly on cable (have probably seen Billy Madison, Happy Gilmore, The Wedding Singer, Big Daddy, and 50 First Dates at least 15 times each) but they are also very much of that late '90s/early '00s comedy era that, for the most part, has not aged well at all. And since then we've seen the rise of comedy filmmakers like Judd Apatow, Adam McKay, Paul Feig...and you're still making movies like The Ridiculous 6? Come on, man.

[vb68]

57 minutes ago, Pete Martell said:

I did notice that some of his fans said they weren't going to be watching because of how they see SNL's political views.

I guess I'm in a bit of a bubble myself as I didn't realize he had that segment of fans. I've never thought of Sandler as overtly political.

One thing I did think of was him and Spade as their old Gap Girls looking for work, but I wonder if that would even fly today.

Edited April 7, 2019 by vb68

[VCRTracking]

Che and Jost at Wrestlemania last night:

Edited April 9, 2019 by VCRTracking

[Pete Martell]

https://www.vulture.com/2019/04/snl-photographer-mary-ellen-matthews-best-portraits.html

[Pete Martell]

Heidi Gardner talks to Eater.

https://www.eater.com/2019/4/12/18306166/heidi-gardner-gwyneth-paltrow-favorite-foods

A girl is upset that WU joked about her disabled chicken.

https://www.nbcboston.com/news/local/Vermont-Fourth-Grader-Speaks-Out-Against-SNL-Joke-508455781.html

[PeterGriffin50]

Attention, NBC!

Lorne Michaels confirmed that the 3 cast members will leave the show including Kenan Thompson, Kyle Mooney, and Pete Davidson. NBC decided that the 3 cast members will let go after Season 44. Kenan Thompson has left SNL to replace Steve Harvey for Family Feud. Kyle Mooney needs to leave from SNL to move to Los Angeles to produce a new show for Adult Swim. By the way, Pete Davidson will leave from SNL due to emotional issues to become homeless from acting. NBC will confirmed that the 3 cast members leave from SNL on May 18, 2019. Thank You, Lorne Michaels.

-Darrell Hammond

[Melina22]

I'm really, really going to miss Kenan. He never didn't make me laugh. He didn't even have to speak. His facial expressions alone did it half the time. 

Boo. 

[Pete Martell]

6 hours ago, Melina22 said:

I'm really, really going to miss Kenan. He never didn't make me laugh. He didn't even have to speak. His facial expressions alone did it half the time. 

Boo. 

There's a lot of speculation he's leaving, because of other projects he's involved in, but nothing has been confirmed.

(the part about Pete Davidson did make me laugh though, much to my shame) 

[vb68]

8 hours ago, Pete Martell said:

There's a lot of speculation he's leaving, because of other projects he's involved in, but nothing has been confirmed.

Kenan's sitcom pilot getting a series order sounds like it's pretty much a done deal.

[Pete Martell]

8 hours ago, vb68 said:

Kenan's sitcom pilot getting a series order sounds like it's pretty much a done deal.

I know he was going  have some involvement in an All That reboot as well. I just wasn't sure if he and Lorne might still try to have him involved in SNL in some capacity. So that was what I mostly meant by confirmation.

[Pete Martell]

A look back at the notorious Mardi Gras special.

https://www.vulture.com/2019/04/snl-1977-mardi-gras-special.html

[Pete Martell]

This came out earlier today - another piece basically talking about why people don't like Colin Jost. I did agree with some (although I've tried to give him more of a chance, as I realized I was pushing a lot of my overall anger over the media and the state of comedy onto SNL for nostalgic/emotional reasons rather than logical reasons).

https://uproxx.com/tv/colin-jost-hate-saturday-night-live/

And this seems to be Michael Che's response (the text involves "jokes" about bestiality, just to warn):

[vb68]

That seems like a typical Che response to me. He's pretty thin-skinned and lashes out.

Colin the most hated ever? Heh.  That seems kinda a silly assertion.  I personally find him so inoffensive that I can't imagine working up the energy to dislike him that much. Now Che, on the other hand, has worked my last nerve more than once.

Right off the top of my head, Colin is nowhere near the levels of Chevy or even Dennis Miller as the most hated cast member.   

Edited April 20, 2019 by vb68

[Bruinsfan]

I don't know, mayonnaise is probably my most hated food so I can see how Jost would top some people's lists.

I do find it hilarious how Che, whose job is literally complaining about people in the news, cannot take criticism.

[Pete Martell]

10 hours ago, vb68 said:

That seems like a typical Che response to me. He's pretty thin-skinned and lashes out.

Colin the most hated ever? Heh.  That seems kinda a silly assertion.  I personally find him so inoffensive that I can't imagine working up the energy to dislike him that much. Now Che, on the other hand, has worked my last nerve more than once.

Right off the top of my head, Colin is nowhere near the levels of Chevy or even Dennis Miller as the most hated cast member.   

I think the writer may have meant while in the cast, not of all time. I think he missed a few - Pete Davidson is hugely polarizing, as was Kristen Wiig (although I don't think anyone "hated" her - they just complained about her overuse). David Spade also became increasingly difficult to stomach, to the point where his last season had entire pieces devoted to calling him out (like when Teri Hatcher impersonated him). Leslie Jones is also very polarizing, although it's more difficult to unpack that because much of the commentary about her was just flat out racism. 

I think his biggest problem is that he seems to model himself as being like Charles Rocket - a bit bland with a smug, slightly judgmental edge. Jane Curtin was also this way (only with more anger). That doesn't fit what many want in the current news era. They want Seth Meyers - their cool uncle who always knows what to say and makes them feel safe. Or they want John Oliver - their very intense uncle who pops off but it's for the right reasons and they're kind of funny when they do it. Without this, you just have what many already associate too much with SNL - white privilege, white neoliberal or quasi-conservative male viewpoints, etc. 

I don't really know if anyone on WU can please that subset of viewers, or the viewers who need "real" news in their comedy. The sad truth being that many now see comedy shows as their news outlets thanks to how wretched our media is. 

I wouldn't say no to some changes at WU - I'd try someone like Mikey (although he'd probably get a lot of the same criticism) or maybe Ego or Melissa (if they have the right delivery). I doubt it will happen though. 

Edited April 21, 2019 by Pete Martell

[possibilities]

I just can't get worked up to hate Colin Jost. I had no idea he was hated. I don't even get a judgmental vibe off him. I mean, okay, WU humor is pretty much based on judgmental jokes. But I don't find Colin to be snooty about it. A lot of the jokes on WU are mocking Colin himself. He seems like a pretty good sport about it.

[vb68]

15 hours ago, possibilities said:

I just can't get worked up to hate Colin Jost. I had no idea he was hated.

Exactly. That's how I feel, too. And good point about him mocking himself.  Being able to laugh at yourself and taking things in stride diffuses a whole lot in my book. 

Edited April 21, 2019 by vb68

[JZL]

Being dissed by an Uproxx music critic is one of the most ringing endorsements one can imagine.

Retrieved today . . .   Pop away, Uproxx, ya big trailblazers, ya.  It's a good thing you have interns who can drive to the local CVS and load up on bubble gum for the staff.

Edited April 22, 2019 by JZL

[JZL]

Vulture looks back at SNL's early New Orleans episode.

[Pete Martell]

Julio Torres, who wrote or co-wrote a number of acclaimed films in recent seasons, is getting his own HBO comedy special this summer (produced by Lorne and Fred Armisen). EW has a brief interview with him.

https://ew.com/tv/2019/04/25/snl-writer-julio-torres-hbo-stand-up-comedy-special/

[Pete Martell]

Interview with audio engineer Devin Emke. This also has a video where the reporter went to New York to talk to him at the studio.

https://www.whas11.com/article/news/entertainment-news/louisville-native-brings-snl-sketches-to-life/417-1420d96d-95bf-41b4-8316-f4a756c2f329

[AriAu]

Looks like Keenan's staying...or at least that is what he told Ellen

https://www.thewrap.com/kenan-thompson-staying-on-snl-best-job-in-the-world/

[lou ann b]

Fine by me.I like him. I still say that he could be the Lorne of the future.

[Pete Martell]

John Mulaney, Seth Meyers, Sarah Silverman and Tiffany Haddish, among others, at an environmental benefit. Mulaney has some brief comments about the view SNL gave him of politics (that you can find humanity in everyone) no longer being true that...clarified a few things for me about some of the show's questionable political writing choices over the years. 

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/sarah-silverman-tiffany-haddish-environment-trump-fatigue-1206547

Chris Kattan claims he broke his neck while doing a stunt on the show.

https://variety.com/2019/tv/news/chris-kattan-saturday-night-live-broke-neck-1203204375/

[Pete Martell]

Kenan, Kyle, Kate, Melissa, Chris, Alex and Pete performed in a Family Feud sketch at the NBC upfronts.

http://www.justjared.com/2019/05/13/snl-cast-performs-live-family-feud-sketch-at-nbc-upfronts/

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/nbcuniversal-upfront-snl-cast-tina-fey-seth-meyers-more-hit-radio-city-1210064

https://deadline.com/2019/05/nbc-upfront-2019-2020-presentation-live-blog-1202613553/

https://variety.com/2019/tv/news/the-office-rami-malek-nbc-universal-upfronts-2019-1203212988/

[Pete Martell]

A long article about SNL's political history and the author's feelings that Baldwin's Trump helps Trump.

https://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2019/05/17/trump-snl-impression-baldwin-saturday-night-live-226920

I don't agree with all their points but for the most part I think they're on the right track. It's one of the issues I've had with their portrayal from the getgo. 

A part of me wondered if the show itself had some of these realizations and that's why they have heavily reduced Baldwin's presence on the show, but I assume he will be back for the finale and then the whole thing will start up again next season, so they may have just decided to give him a breather. 

 

 

Interview with costume designer Tom Broecker.

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/snl-costume-designer-reflects-25-years-one-moderate-mishap-1205832?

[Pete Martell]

Makeup team.

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/how-snl-makeup-team-transforms-cast-political-figures-1207430

[Ms Blue Jay]

Hey @Pete Martell, I notice you always post the Cut for Time sketches in the episode threads, which is awesome, but because I'm in Canada your links never work for me.

I've been spending some free time today looking up Cut for Time sketches on Youtube, where (hopefully?) everyone can watch them, and I came across one that I thought was really funny.

Interestingly, the ones that Beck and Kyle make are almost always cut.  There's a lot of them on Youtube.  Some of them are really clever, but they all kind of run into each other as being that 90s family sitcom thing.  One was straight out of Family Matters (which I liked - Ryan Gosling), and then I saw 2 or 3 that were like that and they were all just way too similar (Chris Pratt and Andrew Garfield.)

March Madness with Ariana Grande

[Pete Martell]

Thank you @Ms Blue Jay . I never knew there was an Andrew Garfield sketch in that bad '90s sitcom universe. Probably not the best of them but pretty good. (on a shallow note, Andrew looks so good in the sketch). I would say I enjoy them because I grew up watching that trash, but millions of people did so that doesn't mean anything. I think I just enjoy the sheer commitment to dead-eyed insanity that Beck and Kyle provide. It was actually the one this season with Claire Foy that sort of turned me on to what they were instead of just seeing them as two of a sea of interchangeable white guys in the cast not named Pete Davidson. 

That March Madness was pretty good. Ariana Grande fits their vibe perfectly.

Edited May 19, 2019 by Pete Martell

[mtlchick]

I'm trademarking ScarJost.  Congrats to Scarlett and Colin!  

https://ew.com/celebrity/2019/05/19/scarlett-johansson-and-colin-jost-are-getting-married/?utm_source=facebook.com&utm_content=link&utm_medium=social&utm_term=A24E1602-7A96-11E9-A893-9BB9984234C2&utm_campaign=entertainmentweekly_entertainmentweekly&fbclid=IwAR2IQNQLccYuxsROqy9PkYmiBI-d7GEWL-67hHVJmgkrxFaEAjpI3Z6K3i8

[Pete Martell]

Interview with producer Lindsay Shookus.

https://buffalonews.com/2019/05/19/a-strong-personal-learning-curve-for-snl-producer-lindsay-shookus/

[Pete Martell]

SNL cast members as Pokemon.

https://www.vulture.com/amp/2019/05/snl-pokemon-cast-members.html

[Pete Martell]

Colin Jost, Michael Che, and Kate McKinnon appeared in a brief skit for Red Nose Day. Kate is reprising her "kiss" character. 

I think she represents all those "Chost" shippers out there...

[Pete Martell]

Sam Jay (writer) interview/podcast.

https://www.thedailybeast.com/the-last-laugh-podcast-how-comedian-sam-jay-handles-snls-predominantly-white-space

[Pete Martell]

An article about how hard it is to find episodes.

https://www.pastemagazine.com/articles/2019/05/saturday-night-live-is-an-important-part-of-the-am.html

[JZL]

1.  Kyle Mooney is on a recent episode of Marc Maron's WTF podcast.  I don't care for him much on SNL, he's spotty.  He seems like an interesting and well-rounded guy.  IMHO he might be better off in movies.  He could do straight roles, too.

2.  Tonight (Mon May 27th) is the A&E premier of Anything for a Laugh, a Chris Farley biopic.  9pm (I assume EDT).  This is not to be confused with I am Farley, the doc from 2015, but it may use some of the same interview footage.

[Pete Martell]

Topher Grace (who hosted in 2005) talks about his love for the show. 

https://variety.com/2019/tv/news/topher-grace-saturday-night-live-hot-zone-my-favorite-episode-podcast-1203226223/

[Robert Lynch]

Pete Davidson makes modeling debut on Alexander Wang's show

[possibilities]

I wonder if slouching, dazed, unkempt, and mouth-breathing will ever become high fashion for women.

[Bruinsfan]

At least the big funky teeth trail was blazed with Lauren Hutton having been a supermodel.

[VCRTracking]

[Hanahope]

Wife beater and two-toned pants is high fashion?  Ho-kay

[possibilities]

Apparently, it's a runway look, at least. And not an airport runway.

[VCRTracking]

[Pete Martell]

Alec Baldwin claims he's done playing Trump.

I'll believe it when I see it, but if he is then I can't say I'm sorry. Now let's just ditch Trump altogether unless they completely overhaul their political writing. 

https://www.tvguide.com/news/saturday-night-live-alec-baldwin-trump/

[lou ann b]

can't see trump going away from snl altogether.I mean,the POTUS is a tub of parody goo. but yeah,time for a new approach.

[vb68]

1 hour ago, Pete Martell said:

Alec Baldwin claims he's done playing Trump.

Eh. It just reminds me of all the times he would announce he was quitting 30 Rock, and Tina would have to come out very quietly but firmly and say "No, he's not." I generally like Alec ok, but the guy is something of a flake.

If Lorne pressures him in the Fall, Alec will bend.  And I agree with lou ann. A new direction is fine, but you can't quit Trump all together as we head into election season. Plus it will look like they are cowering.

[ajsnaves]

Now would probably be the best time to make the change, as the election is heating up.  But who in the current cast should do it? Or, do they bring in Anthony Atamanuik, or another celebrity Trump?

[Bruinsfan]

Just use a smaller version of the balloon in England and play publicly-aired sound clips from the man himself.

[helenamonster]

In general I'd like the show to get out of the habit of outsourcing the role of the president, whoever they are, and either find a current cast member to do it or hire a new cast member specifically for that role (and then of course expand them into other work).