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HERC Reviews SNL 500

I'm stuck working by Domi'sInnerChild	Mar 17th, 2001 08:59:43 PM
But that won't stop me from not letting somebody post "I'm first". Oh damn, it's like I did.
They should have a better host... by -mrbean-	Mar 17th, 2001 09:21:28 PM
for the 500th episode.
Wake Up... by DocStrangelove	Mar 17th, 2001 09:25:16 PM
My fucking God, that "Wake up Wakefield" sketch was so fucking long. And not a bit funny. Cripes.
THEY CHANGED IT!! by BrooksMarlin	Mar 17th, 2001 09:32:14 PM

THEY CHANGED IT!!!! by BrooksMarlin	Mar 17th, 2001 09:38:48 PM
I live in Chicago and I'm a big fan of Second City (where current castmembers Fey, Dratch, and Sanz got their start). That cleaning lady sketch was repeated almost word-for-word from the stage version (but there was only one clening lady on stage) except for the ending!!! That was the best part!! In the original version after telling her final and most horrific story and the boss walks out, the cleaning lady comments "Boy, I really pulled that one out of my ass." And they cut the lights, it was a great stinger ending. The "Lifetime" ending was totally weak!! Any other Chicago people want to back me up on this? And I defenitly have to agree with you Herc. Tina Fey is one sweet momma, but on stage she is even better.
Couldn't care less... by theprinceofspace	Mar 17th, 2001 09:39:47 PM
SNL? Who watches that tired old shit? Since when does that count as cool news? He Herc jow original, you ripped off that XFL bit from Howard Stern. He did it last week. Shouldn't you be pulling some bogus Buffy spoilers out of your ass?
Conan by superman5150	Mar 17th, 2001 10:10:58 PM
The Post Office sketch was one of the worst. It reminds me of the horrible Moleculo sketch with Conan O'Brien. God, Tina Fey is hot.
Adam McKay should be shot... by I87D	Mar 17th, 2001 11:22:04 PM
let him go back to helping write actual SKETCHES. his "films" suck.
Are they SURE Julia Stiles is 19 years old...? by Mr_Intimidation	Mar 17th, 2001 11:50:05 PM
My God, the chick could past for 30 without missing a beat.
Saturday Night Dead by Bari Umenema	Mar 17th, 2001 11:55:18 PM
This alleged comedy show still sucks shit so that's why I'm now watching Howard Stern at least his show is funny SOMETIMES. SNL needs to be cut back to 60 minutes because 90 minutes is just too much airtime for these no talent hacks. The writing (except for when they spoof Bush/Gore/Clinton such as during the campaign and the long recount period) is so lackluster as to be just bland boring dull programming. They can't even put together two good episodes a month! Lazy fucks. Besides that when they have a non-comedic host the show really sucks diarrhea. Julia Stiles ain't no comedy chick that's for sure. The only time the show is worth watching and not flipping back and forth from is when the host is a proven comedy personality. I blame Lorne Michaels mostly he's so old and out of touch. Put Lorne out to pasture and bring in one of Conan's writers to produce and you may have something decent.
Oh yeah, and MORE Celebrity Jeopardy by Mr_Intimidation	Mar 18th, 2001 12:23:28 AM
That's the only funny thing about the whole damn show nowadays. I live for that segment -- and that segment only.
Argh by Doctor Anarchy	Mar 18th, 2001 12:30:51 AM
It's really sad. SNL was once, a long time ago the show for innovative and creative comedy. Now, it's become the establishment that everyone fights against. I think the only solution now is Ninjas. Check it out - specially-trained studio Ninjas sneak in to Studio 8h, eliminate Lorne Michaels, a good deal of the writers, cast and then go on to eliminate whatever NBC execs keep the show on the air year after year. Quickly, silently, deadly. End of bad comedy.
Hercules... by Westrum	Mar 18th, 2001 02:09:23 AM
continues to be a glaring weak link at this place.
The Smilemasters -- I'll say it again, The Smilemasters by Agent Cooper	Mar 18th, 2001 04:16:43 AM
What an amazing skit, right up there with one of Bruce McCulloch's more surreal KIDS IN THE HALL moments.
Hercules is not a week link, He just need to update more. by Duty	Mar 18th, 2001 06:01:07 AM
There is so mutch that goes on but all we get from ol' Herc is a Buffy update and little bits every now and then...Every Coaxial AICN update shoud show up in the Blue bar on the right. Coaxial is always an after thought. Shit, AICN should cover more of the little things. MORE MORE MORE!!!! -jd
Sorry, I thought it was for the Houston 500... by MCVamp	Mar 18th, 2001 10:40:00 AM
Review THAT.
canada sucks, buddy! by Westrum	Mar 18th, 2001 11:04:53 AM
kids in the hall is on comedy central in the states. canada sucks. even the kids in the hall themselves say it.
SNL gives you rectal cancer by simian	Mar 18th, 2001 11:10:34 AM
i wasnt doing anything, so i gave it a chance. It is perfectly clear some people dont have/know of Mr Show, Kids in the Hall, the Young Ones, and didnt buy the Monty Python Box set this Christmas, because anyone able to laud this crappy SNL is in need of some exposure to good comedy. It was one of the hardest things i've had to watch, the Apollo and maids were pointless duds. The News had a few funny jokes, but the newscasters break one of the rules of comedy by laughing and chuckling before they even tell the joke- Dennis Miller at least had the presence of mind to be smarmy and guage the audiences reaction AFTER he told the joke. And the Doberman digital short, was unfunny too, like someone gave a camera to a retarded 13 yr old and said, "Make something funny." Man, i feel sorry for people who found pleasure in such mediocre writing. i think i'll stick to my Mr Show and Simpsons tapes if i'm at home bored on a Sat night.
SNL Needs To Change It's Source by Robert G. Durant	Mar 18th, 2001 11:58:42 AM
90% of the SNL cast comes from Second City or The Groundlings. There are hundreds, maybe thousands of sketch comedy troupes around the country. If you ever catch a festival, you'll learn what I have. Most of these groups suck. But there is at least 25% of them that truly rock. I live in Portland, Oregon and we have 2 sketch groups; The 3rd Floor and The Bottom Rung. The 3rd Floor is truly brilliant. They've been around for about 5 years with its core cast fairly intact. I see every show they do, as do many many others (They're often sold out). Every person in that cast could blow away at least half of the current SNL cast. I also went up to Seattle last year to see The Seattle Sketch Fest. There were 13 groups from up and down the west coast, including The 3rd Floor and their franchise group, The 3rd Floor:Los Angeles (And another T3F spinoff from L.A. called, The Class Project(who are genius)). Most of the groups in the sketch fest blew. But there were a few great ones: Bald Faced Lie, T3F, T3F:L.A., The Class Project, & The Habit. I suggest that Lorne Michaels starts looking elsewhere for talent. When a group has been going for a long time (Second City), they develop a style. Second City's style is good, but we've seen it run into the ground by SNL. The 3rd Floor has developed a style too, but it would certainly be a welcome change to Second City. Damn it, they are so intelligent and funny and dark and weird and did I say funny.
Why we all liked The Smilemasters by Darth Taun Taun	Mar 18th, 2001 12:00:39 PM
"The Smilemasters" was a balls-out stab at comedy. It could have failed horribly, but that's what made it work. Horrifying and hilarious at the same time. (I was thinking of "Sprokets," as well.) In contrast, "The Post Office" played it close to the vest, attempting to create a character or catch-phrase that would take the nation by storm. Unfunny. Save SNL by removing Jerry Minor, Horatio Sanz, Chris Parnell, Chris Kattan and Mya Rudolph. Give the entire show over to Rachel Dratch, Jimmy Fallon and Will Farrell. [For Chicago-types, I'm studying in Second City's Conservatory now. Most of my classmates have studied at the Annoyance and IO. Everyone cross-trains. Don't discount Second City's impact. See the mainstage show with "Captain Monkey Paw" and Ed Fuhrman's blistering improv and get back to me. Fun Fact: Current Second City Mainstage actor Rich Talarico was offered "SNL," but turned it down, citing a decline in the show's quality.]
"Smilemasters"-good, "Post Office"-bad, Second City by Darth Taun Taun	Mar 18th, 2001 12:03:13 PM
"The Smilemasters" was a balls-out stab at comedy. It could have failed horribly, but that's what made it work. Horrifying and hilarious at the same time. (I was thinking of "Sprokets," as well.) In contrast, "The Post Office" played it close to the vest, attempting to create a character or catch-phrase that would take the nation by storm. Unfunny. Save SNL by removing Jerry Minor, Horatio Sanz, Chris Parnell, Chris Kattan and Mya Rudolph. Give the entire show over to Rachel Dratch, Jimmy Fallon and Will Farrell. [For Chicago-types, I'm studying in Second City's Conservatory now. Most of my classmates have studied at the Annoyance and IO. Everyone cross-trains. Don't discount Second City's impact. See the mainstage show with "Captain Monkey Paw" and Ed Fuhrman's blistering improv and get back to me. Fun Fact: Current Second City Mainstage actor Rich Talarico was offered "SNL," but turned it down, citing a decline in the show's quality.]
Is that all there is? by www.lazy-i.com	Mar 18th, 2001 02:12:49 PM
So apparently there was no recognition other than a slight mention by the host that this was episode 500? That's too bad because this cast could learn a thing or two by watching the first five years of this show. SNL hasn't been funny since the early '80s. It's amazing to me that someone like Michaels can't see how trite SNL has become and hasn't put a stake through its heart. Look what's become of Weekend Update... a poor imitation of The Daily Show (now there's a program that's consistently funny). It's time they drop this sketch. Other than a Smigel cartoon (TV Funhouse is the funniest thing on television these days), and a Bush impression, SNL is useless. Will Farrell's role appears to be to go outside of his skit's character to make fun of the skit, as if he's acknowledging that he knows the writing is lame, too, and is making fun of it for you. He's this generation's Chevy Chase. How does this show survive? It must still get good ratings.
Saturday Night Dead? by Village Idiot	Mar 18th, 2001 03:56:25 PM
Oh my god Barry, that's got to be one of the oldest cliches out there. People have been using that to criticize SNL since their first season. Which, of course, speaks to a larger point: people are always bitching about Saturday Night Live, no matter what season it is. Every previous cast/season/etc. is always remembered as being better, funnier and cooler. Granted, some of the casting over the years has been less than inspired (I'm looking at you, Charles Rocket), and some of the seasons have been pretty awful (I'm still looking at you, Charles Rocket), SNL still manages to pull off some brilliant stuff and make smart people (and even a few dumb ones like me) laugh.
Get girlfriends, you wankers! by Hardyboy	Mar 18th, 2001 06:30:25 PM
Is it just my imagination, or does EVERYTHING that gets posted on AICN turn into a forum on who everyone most wants to boff? Sheesh, all you need to turn this into Penthouse Forum is the phrase "pulsating man-meat."
Second City - Rich Talarico by Theory	Mar 18th, 2001 07:32:22 PM
In response to Darth Taun Taun... Not sure you're right about Talarico turning down SNL because of the show's decline in quality? He told me he was offered a writing job, not an acting job. He is, first and foremost, an actor. If he told you otherwise, let me know.
Tina Fey is HOT by Chess Piece Face	Mar 18th, 2001 09:35:12 PM
and Rachel Dratch is so unfunny it makes my spleen itch.
What the hell by JivingPoo	Mar 18th, 2001 10:01:37 PM
Why do so many people hate SNL now? I still think it's damn hilarious. Will Ferrel is a comedic genius. I don't think I've ever laughed harder than when I saw Smilemasters. I love Chris Parnell too. He's kind of type casted now though. I love it when he does his outrageous rap sessions. I think Rachael Dratch is one of the best newcomers... she's pretty funny in all her skits. I still look forward to watching this show.
Herc is completely wrong about this episode!!!!!!!!!!!! by kryptonight	Mar 18th, 2001 10:18:08 PM
Everything Herc said about stuff being funny, they weren't. They werte the biggest load of CRAP that I've ever seen from SNL. Chris Kattan is awsome and I think Herc has got his marbles in the wrong bag. Herc, watch some older episodes of the show to find out what really IS comedy. I gave the episode, a negative **. It sucked big fat butt.
In response to Theory, Sleazy_G by Darth Taun Taun	Mar 18th, 2001 11:27:00 PM
Theory, the Talarico story comes from a friend and waiter at Second City who hangs with the cast from time to time. He didn't tell me whether the job offer was for a writing or acting post. SNL likes to bring performers along slowly, but Second City does its writing as a by-product of improvisation. Most of the writers come from Harvard's Lampoon. I rather enjoyed Talarico's performance in "Slaughterhouse 5, Cattle 0" and I think he would be a welcome addition to the SNL cast. Unless my friend was mistaken, the show's declining quality was the reason cited for Talarico's decision. Second City's more traditional and polished Mainstage should also be weighed against the more edgy and explosive ETC show. I'm still trying to figure out why some in Chicago harbor resentment toward any one of the improv training grounds... // Sleazy_G, Mya Rudolph seems to be treading in more shallow waters than Ellen Cleghorne. She seems more suited to MadTV, with her two character voices (1. nasal and whiny, 2. ghetto-fab). Jerry Minor hasn't impressed me either. I think the "Eye Poppers" sketch was his best to date, but it seemed like a pretty transparent "Velvet Jones" imitation, to me. His Al Sharpton and Old-School Rapper have not been highlights. Jerry Minor seems like Tim Meadows-lite. (And Tim Meadows is more talented than most give him credit for. See the "Census Taker" w/ Christopher Walken or "Jerry 'Steve' Dave" w/ Jeff Goldblum for evidence of this.)
Adam McKay by pedant	Mar 19th, 2001 09:39:42 AM
So who got a rimjob in exchange for putting this guy behind the camera? Not funny. Not even a barely competent director.
Tina Fey by TVGuy Returns	Mar 19th, 2001 10:52:36 AM
Tina Fey is horrible. Her looks are plain at best. I doubt she actually needs glasses but has obviously picked a pair that she hopes will make her look like an earnest, liberal college girl. Her delivery would be dead-pan if she had any timing. Instead, it is just bad. The only reason I watch SNL anymore is because my wife likes it. I try to just shut up and smile because given the amount of shit she puts up from me, SNL isn't that bad. The only thing I actually complain about anymore is Tina Fey.
good lord by Lethargic	Mar 19th, 2001 11:27:51 AM
Do any of you people actually watch anything to just to laugh and have a good time or do you only watch things so you can come on here and bitch about it?
Tina Fey doing a good job as head writer, but... by bswise	Mar 19th, 2001 12:56:44 PM
...but I don't know what, I'm not really sure why SNL isn't funnier or as funny as it should be, nor do I really care to start bashing the cast or writers as they really are all quite talented and have worked very hard to be in the position they're in, and yeah, it must be goddam challenging. If we're home on Saturday Nite, my wife and I always tune in, hoping for a quick chuckle or two before falling asleep, which in the days of Colin Quinn doing Weekend Update was exactly .3 seconds from the Pavlovian moment of hearing his voice. (OK, so I never said I wasn't going to bash ex-cast members.) Now, we often just tune in to watch Tina and Jimmy do Weekend Update and skip the rest. Hey, at least they're having fun! Mainly, I think the problem is the format, designed to kill 90-minutes of late-night airtime. Main format peeves (nothing new here!): 1) Live TV is not much of a novelty anymore, especially if it seems canned or always in repeats; 2) ever-increasing commercial breaks (I lost "Smilemasters" to channel surfing); 3) teen flavor-of-the-week hosts with gratuitous "all the men on the show want to fuck me" opening monologue; 4) uneasy mix of usually under-rehearsed live sketches, often superior pre-recorded or animated bits and too many musical performances and misc intro/outro filler; 5) sketches padded to run well beyond peak moment; and, of course, 6) popular skits repeated, show after show after show, until dead and decaying from over-exposure. It also seems that the writer/performers are often competing against each other, vying for screen time and such, which I imagine leads to in-fighting and back-stabbing. Please tell me what exactly the Lorne Michaels method is if not this. The best TV comedy I've enjoyed comes from seasoned troupes of like-minded and subversive individuals who have put in years of working together on stage, learning to communicate telepathically to promote lightning improvisational abilities, and then devloping the resources and to translate this energy into genius writing and an uncrackable, self-defacing vehicle for their comic assasinations and chaotic incursions into the dominant culture. OK, so the members of Monty Python and SCTV have gone their own ways, but y'all could still give the Upright Citizens Brigade a new and improved time slot.
SNL through the years by DidoFan	Mar 19th, 2001 01:30:24 PM
Obviously, the two peaks in the show's history were the first few years and the Phil Hartman-Dennis Miller-Kevin Nealon (so underated) years, up until the mass exodus of Adam Sandler and co. St_buggering, I totally agree with your observation that once they find a sketch that is mildly amusing, they use it every week deaperatly looking for a new movie idea. Things are funnier when they don't expect them to be-like the Celebrity Jeopardy bit, which was a surprise hit. Mostly, their definition of funny is just REALLY HIGH ENERGY and yelling. Tina Fey is not really hot, but worse, she doesn't have a shred of comic timing or phrasing. Jimmy Fallon's parody of "The Matrix" with Sarah Jessica Parker for the 2000 MTV Movie Awards was hillarious-but maybe the writing was better. Conan's episode was one of the better ones in recent memory, especially the surprise appearance of Ben Affleck. So much more about the show angers and saddens me, but I'd best refrain, lest I work myself into an uncontrollable rage, as is liable to happen when I think of glory days past.
SNL has bombed out ever since the early ninetys.. Without Farley by TheEvilHarv	Mar 19th, 2001 03:39:42 PM
Norm too, though sort of a one dimensional can, is way better than those two fecks for news people.. when I watch those to i wonder if the execs know what talent means...
One more stupid opinion (from me, of course) by Hardyboy	Mar 19th, 2001 05:03:10 PM
Cheri Oteri--the woman who was one half of the Cheerleaders and who gave us oh-so-timely impressions of Barbra Walters and Debbie Reynolds--is FUNNY? Ah, Sleazy G, you disappoint me, Homes! Anyway, we seem to forget that from the very beginning SNL has ALWAYS been an inconsistent show. . .even in the glory days with John Belushi, there was a lot of dreck in the last half-hour and the sketches tended to go on way too long. I think we look upon the old episodes with rose-colored glasses because we get them edited down to an hour on Comedy Central and in the form of "Best Of" videos. But, yeah, I will concede that the crap-to-good-stuff ratio has been unduly balanced toward the crap side in recent years.
Cheri Oteri is great, if you like the same character over and ov by Village Idiot	Mar 19th, 2001 05:09:12 PM
Whether it be old ladies, teenagers, or whoever, every character she did was 1) hyper and 2) wall-eyed. Not very versatile.
Norm MacDonald was the greatest Weekend Updater. by bastardly	Mar 19th, 2001 05:27:29 PM
Yep, you guessed it, Frank Stallone. 'NUFF SAID.
Well, of COURSE I missed your point, Sleazy G! by Hardyboy	Mar 19th, 2001 07:20:28 PM
Someone should come up with an emoticon for sneering sarcasm. No: forget I said that. Someone will probably do it. And, to get back to SNL, I've always believed that George Carlin cursed the show by delivering a monologue in its first episode--thus convincing the producers that EVERYONE who guest-hosts the show has to do the same thing. Oh, the pain, the pain!
Joe Piscopo as Frank Sinatra. by buddman	Mar 20th, 2001 07:16:41 AM
I have been unimpressed by most of Joe Piscopo's comedic work. I knew when he was shilling diet supplements and acting in bad Chuck Norris Karate Kid wannabe flicks that his career was dead. But if anyone remembers his impersonations of Frank Sinatra ought to indeed have some evidence of the man's talent. The Gumby X-mas special with Piscopo/Frank ranks as one of the funniest TV moments I can remember. Excelsior!
Remember the 1980-81 cast? by Hardyboy	Mar 20th, 2001 09:31:08 AM
I ask that because I really don't: I sorta recall a group of no-talents taking over for the originals (Garrett Morris, Jane Curtin, et al) and being so hideous that I couldn't watch it after the first episode of the season. Bear in mind: this was at a time when I thought Benny Hill was a comic genius. Who WERE those guys?
The Molecular Maaaaaaaaaan! El Hombre De Los Moleculos!!! by IG_69	Mar 21st, 2001 02:29:08 PM
Goddamit. SNL reaches a landmark 500th, and instead of courtin' Steve Martin or members of th' original/older casts to come in and kick lots o' ass, they air a drab show featurin' Julia "My Latest Movie(s) Sucks Donkey Balls" Stiles! Conan should've been th' 500th' episode, but I guess he was off gettin' pissed drunk out of his carrot topped noggin' what with that night bein' St. Patty's and all. Now THAT would've been funny! A show hosted by a drunken Conan. Woo! Pros an' Cons? 1) Chris Kattan is pretty funny when he's off-camera and doin' interviews; but on-SNL, he's wasted. Same ol', same ol' retarded skits/characters. If there's a "Peepers" movie comin' out, by God.... I DO love his Mango and Antonio "How You Say, Ahhh Yes..." Banderas skits tho'. 2) Horatio Sanz cracks me up most of th' time. Definitely a keeper. 3) Rachel Dratch?! By God, I can't stand to look at her half th' time....which is why they should keep her. Who else could convincingly play Angelina Jolie and her brother's love child (even w/o makeup?). 4. Get rid of that one-trick piece of crap that does th' Martha Stewart/Celine Dion tripe. If only th' Hulk were real, and would come on th' set and pulp her real good....I'll settle for a crazed/dazed Lou Ferrigno wanderin' on th' set and doin' it. Now that's be funny.... 5. Weekend Update? I like it. Darrell Hammond better improve his Arnold impression tho'; it started off strong. Fey and Fallon are MUCH better than that no-talent hack Colin Quinn. 6. Mya Rudolph? Keep her, she shows much promise. Yes.... 7. They have to give Tracy Morgan more to do.... Most of the time, his one-joke characters hit th' mark; but this doesn't showcase any range th' guy might have, if he has any. if only Meadows hadn't left to join Michael Richards' ugly disaster of a show. Oh well, he could've joined Weber's cast ala Chris Elliot. 8. Lastly, Conan oughtta swipe that brilliant Moleculo sketch. I laughed harder than th' first Ace and Gary cartoon and Wonderman on TV Funhouse combined!

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