Video: SNL on Palin and Bush
posted at 12:02 pm on October 24, 2008 by Allahpundit
Eh. A couple of good lines from Ferrell (“George Bush always finds his man, save for one huge exception”) but that’s it. Was this really a better use of their airtime than a Palin shopping spree skit?
Note that all three leading players here are former cast members and that the best of the current crew is on her way out. Lorne needs some talent, stat.
Blowback
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He had:
Chris Rock
David Spade
Adam Sandler
Chris Farley
All during the ’90s and the show sucked week in and week out.
It’s not the talent. It’s the hack writing; that can only find time to make one side look bad.
lorien1973 on October 24, 2008 at 12:05 PM
They need Treacher
javamartini on October 24, 2008 at 12:09 PM
Fred Armisen does a decent Obama
Micheal on October 24, 2008 at 12:09 PM
I think Andy Samberg is more talented than Amy Poehler. I always hated Amy Poehler. Her entire demeanor is much more MadTVish.
I think it was you, AP, who mentioned that as ridiculous as “W” seemed, they should have just had Will Ferrell play Bush. That would have made some serious money. Ferrell as Bush is really one of the all-time great characters on the show.
That being said, I’m not giving NBC any hits by watching the clip.
jimmy the notable on October 24, 2008 at 12:10 PM
They are already stealing his content. And Treacher does need a full time job. He can only work for BJ’s for so long! (right side of his site, never noticed?)
lorien1973 on October 24, 2008 at 12:11 PM
Screw SNL. Bad partisan comedy. And I used to love Tina Fey, but her brazen refusal to work with Palin showed me what a stubborn witch Fey really is. And Palin makes Fey look like a skinny little twerp.
cannonball on October 24, 2008 at 12:11 PM
I heard Robert Blake is looking for work.
Limerick on October 24, 2008 at 12:12 PM
“doin’ a little shoppin’”
nice job their Dems/MSM.
jp on October 24, 2008 at 12:12 PM
Hey, dejaall remember the point in the first skit at the podium when the fake Sara starts telling her “Hey, what the difference… ” joke and the fake Hillary says “lipstick”, yet the fake Sara continues with the tired joke while the fake Hillary keeps interrupting with “lipstick”?
Point is that a joke isn’t funny when repeated again and again and again.
Get it SNL?
Jokes repeated = not funny.
GET IT? No.longer.funny.
dull. boring. yawn.
kurtzz3 on October 24, 2008 at 12:12 PM
Personally speaking, I am now sick and tired of SNL.
pilamaye on October 24, 2008 at 12:15 PM
Meh. Hackery.
marc@hubsandspokes on October 24, 2008 at 12:19 PM
not interested
RushBaby on October 24, 2008 at 12:19 PM
And the scary part is, so many Democrats will be making their political decisions based on what SNL tells them.
originalpechanga on October 24, 2008 at 12:20 PM
Well stated.
Comedy writing has transcended the gutter and is now in the sewer seeking lower ground. In the last couple of years its certainly become more leftist and vitriolic as well. Ambitious cowards have taken the well-worn road to mediocrity and this is evident by the cultural cancer of “reality TV” and the plethora of movie remakes.
Hollywood Writer: I’ve tried nothing and I’m all out of ideas.
Claypigeon on October 24, 2008 at 12:20 PM
Um, that’s talent?
srhoades on October 24, 2008 at 12:21 PM
Tina is looking good
Baphomet on October 24, 2008 at 12:22 PM
Amy Poehler is the best one on the show.
Fred Armisen and Andy Samberg are good too. They need writing. Ferrell was funny as Bush years ago.
SNL needs to bring back Rachel Dratch.
jencab on October 24, 2008 at 12:22 PM
“My approval ratings are down.” Notice they never make jokes about the approval ratings of congress? hmmmmmmm.
Star20 on October 24, 2008 at 12:25 PM
Aw shucks, missed it. SNL has come back from the nadir of the late 80s/early 90s. I expect it to be partisan, that doesn’t bother me. I’m much more bothered by the partisanship by the probama media.
rbj on October 24, 2008 at 12:26 PM
If you don’t think these guys are funny, you are fooling yourself.
Chris Rock – hilarious – even if you don’t agree with his politics (I don’t). His stand up routine is funny as hell.
David Spade – his movies suck, at least since Farley died. But those two together were Abbott and Costello.
Adam Sandler – movies are usually hilarious. The golf movie he made was hilarious. So was the one where he was the father to that kid.
Come on, now.
Those guys grossed billions of dollars in movies.
And I forgot. The dude who played Austin Powers was also on the show at the same time!
And SNL sucked.
lorien1973 on October 24, 2008 at 12:29 PM
McRage?
WTF!
canopfor on October 24, 2008 at 12:29 PM
I LOVE Will Ferrel’s impersonation of Bush, and I’m a Bush fan. Makes me laugh every time.
nickj116 on October 24, 2008 at 12:30 PM
The race must be tighter than we think.
SNL needs two nights a week to trash the Republicans.
fogw on October 24, 2008 at 12:39 PM
Frank Caliendo (MAD TV)does not resemble Bush as closely as Ferrel does, but I think his voice impression is much better than Ferrel’s.
ManlyRash on October 24, 2008 at 12:39 PM
A few elements are required for humorous satire:
equal opportunity disrespect
honesty gone on a tangent
talented delivery
When SNL began, they poked fun at EVERYONE with the same candid irony. Late night entertainers have aborted the premise for success in America: equal opportunity. So let them grasp at a straw man as their personal savior.
Scarecrows. The Democrat Party is practicing the same crooked tactics against Republicans in this election that the KKK Democrat Party exercised against Americans of African-genetics after our Civil War: Jim Crow as Cracker Jack.
maverick muse on October 24, 2008 at 12:42 PM
The real Sarah Palin is so much better than the fake one in every way. Why didn’t TF want to be seen side by side with the SP? Obvious.
ZzzzDad on October 24, 2008 at 12:43 PM
thought it was pretty funny
offroadaz on October 24, 2008 at 12:44 PM
No it just means I have good taste.
Adam Sandler’s movies all focus on bodily functions and the “gross out” for laughs (see “Don’t Mess With the Zohan”, “The Water Boy” etc). He has two characters, “stupid guy” and “angry guy” which he sometimes combines into “angry stupid guy”. I will give you “Happy Gilmore” but that’s it.
I can’t believe you’re even trying to defend Spade. Word to the wise, don’t bring up good comedians when you’re defending bad ones (Farley, Abbot and Costello) because it only reminds people how bad they really are.
Chris Rock thinks the louder he yells the funnier he becomes. Sorry Chris, but the Louder you get the more obnoxious you become.
The “fact” that their movies have “grossed billions” is more a testament to the purchasing power of drunk and/or stoned college kids than it is to anything else.
Want funny? The Three Stooges, The Marx Brothers, Laurel and Hardy, “Buster” Keaton, Harold Lloyd, Red Skelton you already mentioned Abbot and Costello, Bob and Doug MacKenzie, John Candy . . . heck I’d even though Martin and Lewis in there and I hate Jerry Lewis.
It is sad that you have to go back fifty years to find the bulk of comedians that didn’t rely on bodily functions to be funny.
srhoades on October 24, 2008 at 12:51 PM
If an endorsement from W will effect voters negatively. Isn’t it also likely that a perceived endorsement from a fake W also likely to effect voters negatively. I can’t help but wonder if this was done on purpose.
shick on October 24, 2008 at 12:51 PM
Dare SNL to feature a skit allowing “Tito” from construction to educate the brain-dead Ivy League media franchises that black journalists own no glorified monopoly on the word SOCIALISM.
maverick muse on October 24, 2008 at 12:52 PM
Hey SNL:
Fix it.
FIX IT!
I don’t care how, just fix it!
FIX IT! FIX IT! FIX IT! FIX IT! FIX IT! FIX IT! FIX IT! FIX IT!
Hire some funny writers and Fix it!
Step 1: realize SNL sucks
Step 2: Fix
Step 3: it
Step 4: Fix it!
You don’t think that’s funny? Yeah, neither do we.
mattshu on October 24, 2008 at 12:56 PM
You forgot to tell us to get off your lawn.
mattshu on October 24, 2008 at 12:58 PM
I thought it was tired. This will influence no one – the people who think this is funny are already voting for Obama.
Queen0fCups on October 24, 2008 at 12:58 PM
The SNL effect has no affect on anyone other than its O-wannabe mimics.
maverick muse on October 24, 2008 at 1:00 PM
It would be nice if SNL would do skits,in
which Pelosi,Barney Frank,are having a fit
during some hearings to the point that they
have to be tazed in order to give up the gavel!
Or,
How about a skit at an Obama rally,and the heckler
is Hillary,and no matter how many times they arrest
a ‘Hillary’,another Hillary pops up!!
canopfor on October 24, 2008 at 1:08 PM
Did you really just knock Sandler for using body humor and then cite the Stooges as genius? C’mon now. Somehow fart jokes are better laughs than poking a guy in the eyes?
PS. If you need to go back 50 years to find good comedy you haven’t been paying attention. Jim Gaffigan, Eddie Izzard, and David Allen Grier are hilarious. Hell, Dave Chapelle had some pretty funny stuff on his show.
TheUnrepentantGeek on October 24, 2008 at 1:08 PM
Actually I like this response better.
TheUnrepentantGeek on October 24, 2008 at 1:09 PM
I think SNL was awesome during the 80s: Dana Carvey, Jan Hooks, Phil Hartman, Nora Dunn, Jon Lovitz, et.al.
I caught Dana Carvey’s stand up show once many years ago — the guy has boundless energy — he just keeps on going. When we left the theater, my entire body was sore from convulsing in laughter.
D2Boston on October 24, 2008 at 1:27 PM
I hear Jayson Bair, Scott Beauchamps and Stephen Glass are all pretty good at fiction. Maybe Lorne should see what rock they are currently under.
brainy435 on October 24, 2008 at 1:37 PM
I politely beg to differ. My vote is for this actor.
fred5678 on October 24, 2008 at 1:47 PM
I don’t watch SNL but this skit is funny. You have to laugh when Ferrell does W.
lexhamfox on October 24, 2008 at 1:48 PM
I think an unconditional meeting skit with Obama and Ahamidickhead would be hilarious. Bring in Jake for the skit.
This is supposed to be funny but it really is just an endorsement for Obamination.
tomas on October 24, 2008 at 1:55 PM
No Obama jokes in the entire show! Not one on Biden either.
Palin is a lightweight……..how much more of that one do we need to see?
The whole gist of this skit was to link McCain to W……..
Let’s see: How can we help Obama this week?
Dpet on October 24, 2008 at 2:06 PM
SNL isn’t only slightly humerous, but mostly unfunny.
Remember the “President Reagan Mastermind” skit from decades ago? It would be funny to do a spoof of that but insert Palin and change the setting to the campaign.
SNL’s current writing is unfunny, boring, safe, one-sided, and predictable.
nottakingsides on October 24, 2008 at 2:10 PM
I saw Brian Regen last night in Frederick, MD. He’s clean and very funny.
shick on October 24, 2008 at 2:11 PM
Regen=Regan
shick on October 24, 2008 at 2:11 PM
I think Darrel Hammond is still a cast member on the show.
warrenmr on October 24, 2008 at 2:34 PM
Jeff Dunham and Steve McGrew-two very funny guys! I dare you not to laugh at Achmed the dead terrorist!
Dr. Conservative on October 24, 2008 at 2:46 PM
Somebody should ask Seth Meyers if he got any help from Al Franken on this one, too?
EconomicNeocon on October 24, 2008 at 2:52 PM
Phil Hartman, Dana Carvy and Kevin Nealon
with Jan Hooks, Victoria Jackson and Nora Dunn have been my favorite years of SNL..
when they started to import comics (canadian mike meyers) is when they started to lose me..
DaveC on October 24, 2008 at 3:15 PM
A couple of people I work with (at least… only two I know for sure) believe that Palin actually said “I can see Russia from my house.”
So don’t completely disregard “the SNL effect”. SNL says it, morning and late-night TV runs with it, and people think it’s actually fact.
malclave on October 24, 2008 at 3:25 PM
What is this? The Vice President does not report to the President or anyone else. The Vice President has a Constitutionally defined role. The President can delegate additional powers and responsibilities if they get along or leave the VP out of the loop as FDR did with Truman.
Get rid of cable and broadcast TV. Life can be so much better. All the good stuff is out on DVD.
Laurence on October 24, 2008 at 3:27 PM
Or maybe you’re been watching the bad stuff. Most comedians, even great ones, have good material and bad material. Rock’s stand-up was very funny, and he was one of the better comedians on SNL. His sit-com has been good, too. Sandler had some good stuff on his comedy albums, too, although much of it was immature (bodily functions or no). He’s not really my cup of tea. Spade’s commentary during Weekend Update was one of the highlights of the show; he could do snarky like no one else. It’s been a shame watching him as a second-banana on third-rate situation comedies, but some folks just peak early. Their careers have had ups and downs, and they’ve been in some stinkers, but they’ve still got a lot of talent.
All are preferable to Ferrell in my book. I still remember when he debuted, just after they got rid of most of the old cast, and the “new, improved” SNL really, really stunk. Carvey’s 41 blows Ferrell’s 43 out of the water. My favorite was Dennis Miller. And that’s before I knew his political leanings.
calbear on October 24, 2008 at 3:51 PM
It is funny that they can’t find people that are even close to being as good looking as Mr & Mrs Palin
TheSitRep on October 24, 2008 at 4:22 PM
Ferrell, the Barney Franks of comedy.
Hening on October 24, 2008 at 4:47 PM
Ha, ha, ha…that was so funny i forgot to laugh…or watch the whole thing.
Will has been funnier, a lot funnier.
Tina, well, Sarah gave her more attention than she deserves.
I didn’t see what’s his face…ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ.
Christine on October 24, 2008 at 5:05 PM
I don’t mind these, I like political humor even at my own party’s expense. I just wish they’d shred the other side too.
Maybe an angry, psycho disheveled Michelle Obama raging about afirmative action, or a Rev Wright going off the hook at the pulpit, or a kooky skit with Ayers plotting to kill more cops and blowing up government buildings.
Alden Pyle on October 24, 2008 at 6:26 PM
I used to have a closet crush on Tina. She looks kinda cute in 30 Rock… but her imitations of Palin make her look harsh. She looks like a grandma. Old and sickly.
twoarmman on October 24, 2008 at 6:26 PM
Obama remembering how he got his start in politics… “flashback” to Ayer’s and Dohrn’s place where everybody is sitting down without preconditions, maybe with a nice rug that looks like a flag.
malclave on October 24, 2008 at 7:05 PM
Nobody… no one… can match the late great Phil Hartman.
Half of Springfield on “The Simpsons” died with him. What does that tell you?
Captain Scarlet on October 25, 2008 at 7:35 AM