SNL Review

[bob_barron 0]

SNL Review- Halle Berry/Britney Spears

 

 

Well this is my ultimate dedication to you people- I wrote this review longhand all last night since I don’t have a working computer- and then I went and typed it up at an Internet café. So if this review is not up to par- then I apologise.

 

Sports Report-

 

Leafs: They played greatin a grueling 1-0 win over Montreal. Getting your first win is the first step on the road to a Stanley Cup trophy. Belfour was terrific last night. If the team could stop taking stupid penalties and get their offence kicking- we could be in for a good season.

 

Canucks: What happened guys? They’re in a bit of a slump having dropped a game to Columbus and tying Minnesota. They should have won both games. The Western Conference gives teams no room to screw around. At least they took out Darian Hatcher.

 

The 2003 Stanley Cup Champion New Jersey Devils: Losing to the fricking Lightning? They did show a lot of heart by scoring with 2 second lefts to tie Toronto. Hopefully the Devils will get back on track. I mean- THE LIGHTNING?

 

 

Tribute-

 

Stu Hart: Stu was one of those guys who you thought would live forever. The man was a true wrestling legend who has contributed to the business like few ever have or will. Bret Hart, Owen Hart, Chris Benoit, Chris Jericho and the British Bulldog were some of the legends who trained in at the Dungeon. At least Stu is now at peace and can be with Helen, Dean and Owen. He will be missed though. Thank you for everything Stu.

 

Mailbag!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

tim bob writes-

 

Hey Bob put me in the mailbag or else I will spread the word that you will mail out tapes of SNL episodes upon request!!

 

Do it or I take your stuffed bunny hostage.

 

 

Okay Mr. Bob- put my Bugs Bunny stuffed animal down- you are officially in the mailbag. Congratulations.

 

Sara Goldenberg writes-

 

[Your SNL Review] It's (almost) the only one worth reading on the website.......do you

think

Lorne is playing up to the young & urban crowd with Justin as host,

plus

those two new Mad TV'esque featured players? I'm watching since the

beginning, but my stomach is turning and churning, even as I type

this...

 

Thank you for the kind words Sara. There are other good reviewers out there though- and they actually have working computers. I didn’t mind Justin Timberlake last week- They did a lot of funny stuff. SNL has always kind catered more to the younger crowd and I don’t mind it. As long as it’s funny. And you can knock Finesse but don’t hate on Kenan. He was in Good Burger!

 

Dirty Centaur writes-

 

If you ever get the chance, catch an episode of Real Time with Bill Maher on HBO Late Night. The show currently isn't on, but will be back early next year. Maybe you do watch the show, but you mentioned how you hate Ann Coulter which reminded me of Real Time which is where I've seen her talk the most.

 

It isn't Dennis Miller Live, but it is still a great show and better than any of those cable news shows. It has quite an SNL connection, too.

 

Ann Coulter (who you hate), Dennis Miller, Micheal Moore, Alec Baldwin, DL Hughley, Larry Miller, Tim Robbins and Arianna Huffington are some of the regular panelists. SNLers this past summer: Dana Carvey, Al Franken, Janeane Garofalo, Then your Politicians: Gray Davis, Tom McClintock, John Edwards (drop out)and Wesley Clark to name a few.

http://www.safesearching.com/billmaher/pri...anscripts.shtml Scroll down to the bottom of each show for 'New Rules'.

 

Thoughts on Kelly Ripa and Andy Roddick as SNL hosts? Hoepfully that Will Ferrell cameo wasn't because he couldn't host this Nov.

 

I don’t get HBO where I live so I won’t be able to check out Bill Maher’s show. Bill Maher actually has Coulter on his show? That’s a trainwreck waiting to happen. I like Miller, hate Moore, hate Alec, like DL, like Larry, love Tim Robbins and dislike Arianna. The show sounds like it does have an eclectic group though- when I’m at home I will try and check it out.

 

I like Kelly Ripa. I’ve only seen her on Live with Regis and Kelly and she has a lot of energy and chemistry with Regis. Regis is one of my heroes and I always felt bad for him being stuck with Kathie Lee Gifford. I’m glad he’s found someone who he can work with and not want to punch in the face. Andy Roddick will probably suck like they always do.

 

Leonard Smith writes-

 

"Justin Timberlake

Thoughts- I was hoping SNL would change the train sign every week so I could make it a running gag or something. I mean staring at a train line that goes through Connecticut is just flat out boring and uninteresting- especially when they book really crappy musical guests. That being said- Justin Timberlake was not crappy. I found the live versions of his songs to be better then the versions I hear on MuchMusic and even though he is trying to clone like Michael Jackson circa 1982- he's doing a damn good job of it. The energetic beats make his songs a blast to listen to. ***1/2"

I read your review for Justin Timberlake's episode of SNL and I'm here to tell you that Justin Timberlake, his hosting ability and music sucks 100%. And Justin Timberlake was EXTREMELY crappy. The energetic beats DO NOT make his songs a blast to listen to at all. Justin's three performances didn't also help a great deal either. He is junk just like you.

The beauty of music is that one man’s trash is another man’s treasure. You happen to think Justin sucks big time while I happen to enjoy listening to his music. I happen to like listening to fun energetic songs and that’s what Timberlake’s songs are. They’re not deep and won’t change the way you think but I still enjoy them. I’m glad they gave him three performances- they should give every musician I like three performances.

 

Chad Ruffner writes-

 

Hi Bob,

 

 

 

I was wondering If you think Norm

MacDonald's New Comedy on Fox, "A Minute With Stan

Hooper", has any chance of surviving a Full Season.

Judging from just the previews alone, I don't even

think It will even make It to Mid-Season. I hope I'm

wrong, though.

 

 

Later,

Chad

 

Norm’s show DESERVES to last past midseason. Norm is a smart guy and this sitcom is a throwback to the sitcoms of yore. Instead of building it around himself and funny one liners- the show is more of an ensemble with everyone getting their piece of the pie. Norm is just the centerpiece who Fox is marketing as the star. FOX gave it a terrific timeslot with a great lead in so they obviously are behind the show a great deal. If it can retain a fair amount of 70’s Show’s audience- it should have a long and happy shelflife. The constant ads airing during the playoffs can’t hurt.

 

Comma writes-

 

What's up Bob:

 

After reading your reviews, I can't agree more with your speculation on how Jeff will take over from Darrell with the impressions. Personally, it's already started. However, what's your take overall between the two SNL players? In rephrasing that, wouldn't you say that Jeff would never compare to "old-school" Darrell, or do you think that Jeff's better now than Darrell's ever been when it came to impressions? Just curious.

 

 

Later,

 

Comma

 

 

P.S. Sucks about the news on Stu Hart (assuming you already know). While it was bound to happen anyday, it's still surprising since it's official.

 

Yea- Darrell has got to leave sometime and I think it’s smart that SNL is getting Jeff ready to take over. I think Darrell is better then Jeff was at their points in SNL history but Jeff is only going to get better once he gets more airtime. If Jeff gets a lot of airtime and can get a big name impression (like a high ranking politician) he think he could one day equal or surpass Darrell. I just hope Jeff knows when it’s time to leave- something Darrell doesn’t.

 

Wanna be in the mailbag???? Email me at [email protected]

 

Just a note before we begin 1) Writing longhand sucks. 2) I’m actually rooting for the Yankees to win the World Series. How bout that?

 

 

Cold Opening

Cast- Maya Rudolph, Chris Parnell, Finesse Mitchell

Thoughts- Well you know they were going to get to Kobe soon. I must say I did find it humorous reading about Pamela Mackey’s office being harassed. Maya was actually funny here and I enjoyed Mitchell’s performance. Parnell was his usual low key self. I also enjoyed Maya’s enthusiastic LFNYISN. We need to see more of that. ***1/4

 

Monologue

Cast- Halle Berry, Britney Spears, Lorne Michaels, Jimmy Fallon, Tina Fey

Thoughts- Interesting that this is Tina’s second monologue of the season. Are we just supposed to assume that Tina walks around wearing her Update suit all the time? I was pleasantly surprised that SNL didn’t go for the tired cliché of cast hits on hot chick host. That said, if you’re going to do a skit revolving around two women kissing- have them kiss. Because if you don’t- you’re just wasting everyone’s time. Jimmy’s interplay with Lorne was alright and I thought Tina was pretty funny here. Good to see her working for that $4 million. Even though the monologue did have some funny moments- at the end of the day they based it around a kiss and didn’t deliver. It reminded me of the Tom Green monologue but without the social commentary on our society. **

 

Gaystrogen

Cast- Parnell, Fred Armisen

Thoughts- While it was no Homicil- this was pretty funny. Fred does look kind of gay (sorry Fred- but it’s true) so he played a very good gay man. Solid funny stuff here. ***

 

Don Zimmer Sports Spectacular

Cast- Berry, Horatio Sanz, Darrell Hammond, Jeff Richards, Will Forte

Thoughts- Okay. So Pedro taking Zimmer down is the biggest news story of the week and is constantly replayed over and over again. And THIS is the best SNL could come up with? I mean cripes all Friday- you have Seth Meyers (super baseball fan extraordinaire) and again- this crap is the best they could come up with? Richards’ Pete Rose wasn’t too impressive and Hammond’s Costas wasn’t given enough time to develop. And Horatio’s Don Zimmer was just horribly unfunny, inaccurate and insulting. Leave it to Will Forte to blow me away by being hilarious in his small role. Hammond and Richards did adequate impressions. *1/4

 

Versace

Cast- Berry, Rudolph, Sanz

Thoughts- Man- when the heck are they going to give up on this pile of trash disguised as a recurring character? I don’t remember there being one good Versace and they’ve done, well, a lot of them. Halle’s Naomi Campbell was flat out bad. And the trick or treat thing was done better in the Coneheads. Horatio’s Elton John saved this from DUDsville with his funny Spongebob Costume. ½*

 

Tele-a-link

Cast- Rudolph, Richards, Meyers, Rachel Dratch

Thoughts- I guess I haven’t seen this ad that it was spoofing but this did nothing for me. Not even Seth could draw a lot of laughs from me. I did enjoy the Game Boy Kid though. ¾*

 

Quick Ones

Cast- Berry, Amy Poehler, Forte, Meyers

Thoughts- This was a bit too short but I did find it to be a bit funny while it lasted. Amy and Will’s sexual experiences were very funny and I always get a joy out of seeing them play ‘Beat the Censor’ like they did at the end. Still this was way too short. **1/4

 

It’s Stahkisha’s Birthday

Cast- Berry, Rudolph, Poehler, Parnell, Kenan Thompson, Mitchell

Thoughts- 3 shows in and two racial remarks directed at Kenan. Miss All That yet? If Mitchell can get a skit based on a subpar Weekend Update commentary then where is a skit devoted to Seth’s # of commentaries or Kenan’s Bill Cosby impression. Also- Finesse just did the whole skit for us two weeks ago so I knew everything that was coming and thus didn’t laugh as much as I should have/could have. It seems like SNL is pretty high on Finesse Mitchell for some reason but if all he can do is clap his hands and talk about how his name is Stahkisha then he might as well go the way of the Dodo Bird and Jerry Minor. This was all right but it could’ve been so much better had they not done the same thing two weeks ago. **

 

National Enquirer

Cast- Berry, Poehler, Parnell

Thoughts- Well the train of mediocrity is over. SNL seems to enjoy spoofing the Home Delivery of the NY Times ads as they did the same thing during last years WU. This was very funny with a lot of good lines and jabs at Mickey Rourke. The last line by Berry kind of killed the good buzz that the skit was building up. It’s a shame too since the skit was in the in the 4 star range. ***1/2

 

Britney Spears

Thoughts- I got some guff for saying I liked Justin Timberlake last week and I’ll probably get more when I say I enjoy Britney’s new song as it’s very fast paced and she brings the energy. The fact that Britney Spears is incredibly hot will always help the star ratings. ***

 

Weekend Update

Cast- George Wendt, Fey, Fallon, Sanz, Armisen

Thoughts- The Boston Red Sox played the Yankees in a thrilling 7 game series with classic moments and heart attack inducing games. Seth Meyers, who always rocks the body that rocks what was one lame party but now is not lame because of Seth’s rockness, is a major Boston Red Sox fan who has done three commentaries about them in the past- all of them really funny.

 

SO WHY THE HECK DO YOU HAVE HORATO SANZ DO A COMMENTARY INSTEAD?

 

It just boggles my mind seeing that fat hack on Weekend Update week after week in various unfunny personas while Seth sits on the sidelines unable to bring the funny. I was a big Norm Peterson fan (who isn’t) but George Wendt just looks awful now and wasn’t really funny either. Horatio portraying a mentally retarded Super Fan doesn’t really work since all of the Super Fans are mentally retarded to begin with. So chalk up a big ‘not funny’ when it comes to the Super Fans.

 

Fred Armisen’s portrayal of an Indian comic was very funny. Fred makeum laugh. There’s always a risk in doing bits where the main character is supposed to be unfunny since a lot of times the crowd will just not get it and it’s all very awkward. The jokes were good and solid, I liked Fred but the Super Fans crap brought it down a whole lot. ***

 

Joey Lawrence

Cast- Berry, Meyers, Poehler, Dratch, Rudolph, Armisen, Mitchell, Thompson

Thoughts- I found it funny that Seth did a Joey Lawrence impression the same night that on Classic SNL they did a Blossom parody with Mike Myers as Joey Lawrence. I thought this skit might be headed towards the DUDpile but the band (I forgot the name) really grew on me and I found them to be really funny by the end. Seth’s Lawrence also cracked me up. I especially enjoyed the ‘I’m not Dutch’ song. ***

 

Tom Brokaw

Cast- Berry, Parnell

Thoughts- This skit reminded me of the extremely funny Gerald Ford skit from 1996 with Dana Carvey as Tom Brokaw. While Parnell’s Brokaw is not the strongest I’ve heard- he’s still very funny at it. There’s something about watching Tom Brokaw get pissed off that makes me laugh. He still is better then Rather and Jennings though. ***

 

Britney Spears

Thoughts- I love you Britney and would love to do stuff to you that I learned from watching the free porn that I get but playing a dull slow song at 12:45 am does nothing but put me to sleep. What’s the point of even playing songs like that? Nobody is going to take you seriously as a singer anyway so please don’t fool yourself. Stick to stuff like your first song and not this crap. I must thank you for not using a stool though. Oh and by the way- they still haven’t changed the train sign in the background. *1/2

 

Ashford-n-Simon

Cast- Berry, Rudolph, Thompson, Mitchell

Thoughts- A skit featuring Maya Rudolph airing after 12:30 and it sucks dick? GET OUT! Message to SNL: Next time you do a skit about a washed up group- make sure people know who they are. DUD

 

Crazy Speed Reader

Cast- Berry, Forte

Thoughts- Will Forte really impressed me this whole episode. He’s just really great at playing really creepy odd fellows. Did he speed screw Halle Berry before she consented? I loved how Halle never really questioned his speed reading skills and Forte’s line about “Poor Jesus” was great. They should make the last skit something with Forte playing a different type of weirdo every week. That would rule. This was pretty funny and was great considering it was the last skit. ***1/4

 

 

The Bottom Line- Avg. skit was **.2 making this the first thumbs down of the season and the first thumbs down since Jennifer Garner/Beck. There was just way too much crap on this episode and there were no really awesome skits. Everything was either pretty funny or just absolutely sucked. I didn’t really expect much going in and hopefully they will rebound in November. My hand is about to fall off so I will bid adieu.

 

Thumbs Down

Edited October 19, 2003 by bob_barron

[Styles 0]

Weak episode all around. I only saw part of the first half hour flipping between the end of the of the game.

-Kobe skit was cute.

-Monologue was stupid

-All commerical parodies were funny

-Tom Brokaw was funny

-Everything else was crap and filler.

Thats my quick review. Oh I still think Will Forte should die...or at least be fired, whatever.

[Mecha Mummy 0]

I abhorred this episode. My friend and I watched it and by the end we were changing the channel to the XTREME SHOPPING NETWORK to get laughs. There were a couple funny things, primarily the National Enquirer thing, but seriously, UGH.

[razazteca 0]

Maya Rudolph is the star of SNL, was she in every skit or what? The show started out strong to me but after the weekend update it got weak fast and was very hard to watch.

[bob_barron 0]

I agree with you for the most part Slapnuts but not on the Forte hate. He's just really odd and quirky and that adds to the humour of the skit. Without him the Kermit and Box skits aren't really that funny.

 

There's an XTreme Shopping Network? That's awesome. I was flipping back and forth between the baseball game and Avs v. Oilers.

 

This show has gotten poor praise from everyone I've talked to.

 

The show got a good groove going around the Enquirer skit but shortly fell apart soon after. It just never really clicked

[Youth N Asia 0]

Damn...with as much Rudolph as this one had I'm glad I missed it. And the Versace skits are just unwatchable.

[bob_barron 0]

You mean no exclamation point DUDs? That sucks

[Guest Ram]

This show kind of sucked. Only a couple chuckles out of me for a few skits, but not many at all. I knew it was going to be a bad show when the first skit was the Don Zimmer one. It just screamed mediocrity.

 

I liked the Joey Lawrence skit the best, if only just because of Kenan's facial expressions in the background. That was it though.

 

Don't bring Halle back (or Britney).

[bob_barron 0]

Yea- when the first real skit sucks- that usually means you're in for a very long night.

 

I agree with not bringing Halle back- she sucked. But as long as she keeps looking hot- They should keep bringing Brit back

[Guest Choken One]

Brit can say but I disapointed they didn't follow up with the Justin/Brit thing...should had a brief segment where Jimmy finds a thong in front of Britney in the guest dressing room and went "Whoops, guess Justin left these"...

[Guest ToddRoyal]

Bad show overall. My roomate hasn't watched it in a while and I've been trying to convince him its not as bad as everyone makes it out to be. He finally watched this week. Whoops.

 

The commercial parodies were the only good parts of the show. I thought the Zimmer sketch was horribly unfunny, maybe 1/4* only for Forte's singing ump and Halle Berry in a Sox uniform. Forte was definitely the star this week, especially in the speed reader sketch. "Poor Jesus" indeed.

[HollywoodSpikeJenkins 0]

Jimmy and Horatio should just never do skits together. They both burst out laughing, and ruin the whole thing.

 

 

 

Seth Meyers is the only reason why I watch anymore.

[bob_barron 0]

Bad show overall. My roomate hasn't watched it in a while and I've been trying to convince him its not as bad as everyone makes it out to be. He finally watched this week. Whoops.

 

Yea- My roomate got to experience my SNL obsession for the first time tonight as well. Whoops indeed.

 

Even though to be honest- the fact that the show was hosted Halle Berry should've been a red flag right there.

 

Jimmy and Horatio should just never do skits together. They both burst out laughing, and ruin the whole thing.

 

 

 

Seth Meyers is the only reason why I watch anymore.

 

You rule

[razazteca 0]

Horatio Sanz should never ever do the Chicago Superfan ever again.

 

Fred Armisen, Parnell, Seth Meyers,are ok while the rest of the cast just well are not that great especially the new guys. I'm not really sold on Will Forte as the Speed Reader looked alot like the Falconer.

[Lando Griffin 0]

This show sucked.

 

Justin may suck, but at least he didn't lip sync, for crying out loud. Britney: You can not sing. Give it up. Just be a whore and not a singer.

[DerangedHermit 0]

Gah, here's the list of people I would take out back and shoot like an unwanted dog:

 

Horatio

Fallon

Darrell

Finesse Mitchell

Maya

 

These five keep on bringing the SUCK this season. It's not fucking funny when Horatio breaks up anymore.

[razazteca 0]

Finesse Mitchell can stay if he does the Kobe character. Kennan needs to go or develop a funny character quick.

[Beast 0]

Ive like Finesse so far this season. It's great that he is making fun of ghetto girls since they are so annoying. People were complaining he talked to fast during his commentary, but I didnt seem to notice. I just think he is the next Tracy or Tim, while Kenan will go the way of Dean and Jerry.

[razazteca 0]

Jerry who? Seriously who was Jerry?

[Your Paragon of Virtue 0]

And who wants to be the next Tim Meadows? That guy was a joke.

[treble 0]

This show was really bad, with the Zimmer skit being the worst, although Versace wasn't far behind.

[razazteca 0]

Sanz doing Zimmer was ***** compared to the crap that was the Super Fan character.

[Mole 0]

You wrote it longhand, then typed it?

 

Damn...

[Mecha Mummy 0]

Jerry who? Seriously who was Jerry?

Jerry Minor.

 

Oh, and I am SO sick of Finesse now. Kenan's doing a solid job so far, though, even if he is in some bloody awful skits.

 

But all in all, I'm fucking sick of the "Black Guy and Other Black Guy" shit. That needs to end. Bob, you made a GREAT point when it came to Kenan being the BUTT of racial jokes in two of the three episodes this season in SNL as opposed to All That where he was actually treated as, you know, a sketch comedy actor instead of being "That Black Guy".

[Guest FrigidSoul]

The Good Burger guy is on SNL now? Is it the fat one or skinny one?

[BifEverchad 0]

Man, as HOT as Britney is. I can't stand to watch her prerform on shows like SNL.

 

 

LIP-SYNC CITY!

[bob_barron 0]

Ive like Finesse so far this season. It's great that he is making fun of ghetto girls since they are so annoying. People were complaining he talked to fast during his commentary, but I didnt seem to notice. I just think he is the next Tracy or Tim, while Kenan will go the way of Dean and Jerry.

 

I'm just not feeling it so far. I guess I've never experienced Ghetto Girls so the impression doesn't ring true for me. It was funny but did it need to be done twice in three shows? No. That's just overkill.

 

I've watched the Black WU several times and at the beginning he does talk way too fast. I think that was nerves so it's alright. While Kenan has only done one stand out role (Cosby) he's been a fine bit player so far.

 

It's too soon to tell who is going the way of the Minor and who is going the way of the Morgan. But it seems like Finesse Mitchell has more airtime in three shows then Dean Edwards did in two years.

 

And who wants to be the next Tim Meadows? That guy was a joke.

 

Hey- no Tim Meadows dissing in my thread!! Tim's one of my all time favourite cast members. It took a while for him to find his niche (I think he was almost fired a bunch of times) but once he became the senior cast member- he was awesome. Ladies Man, OJ Simpson, Russel and Tate, Lionel Osbourne, the Quiet Storm- he was awesome.

 

Sanz doing Zimmer was ***** compared to the crap that was the Super Fan character.

 

Can we agree that they were both brutally bad?

 

You wrote it longhand, then typed it?

 

Damn...

 

Yep- It was like 10 pages of notebook paper. Cost me $4 to type it up at the Internet Cafe. The things I do for you people.

 

Oh, and I am SO sick of Finesse now. Kenan's doing a solid job so far, though, even if he is in some bloody awful skits.

 

But all in all, I'm fucking sick of the "Black Guy and Other Black Guy" shit. That needs to end. Bob, you made a GREAT point when it came to Kenan being the BUTT of racial jokes in two of the three episodes this season in SNL as opposed to All That where he was actually treated as, you know, a sketch comedy actor instead of being "That Black Guy".

 

It reminds me of a Weekend Update where Tracy Morgan did a commentary on how he was Tracy Morgan- the other black guy. It was really funny and one of the first times he got noticed on SNL. Kenan's being doing sketch comedy for years so I wish they would give him more opportunities.

 

The Good Burger guy is on SNL now? Is it the fat one or skinny one?

 

Fat one.

 

Man, as HOT as Britney is. I can't stand to watch her prerform on shows like SNL.

 

 

LIP-SYNC CITY!

 

It's bad when I catch them lip-sync hing. She really shouldn't be so obvious about it. I assume she wasn't lip-synching her second song though. And it sucked.

[Mecha Mummy 0]

I've watched the Black WU several times and at the beginning he does talk way too fast. I think that was nerves so it's alright. While Kenan has only done one stand out role (Cosby) he's been a fine bit player so far.

 

It's too soon to tell who is going the way of the Minor and who is going the way of the Morgan. But it seems like Finesse Mitchell has more airtime in three shows then Dean Edwards did in two years.

 

And THAT'S a travesty.

 

I've actually encountered the ghetto girls Finesse has been making fun of, so I got the joke and actually liked the commentary. However, I couldn't stand the skit because it was, simply put, the exact same thing as the commentary except in a sushi restaurant.

[HollywoodSpikeJenkins 0]

While Kenan has only done one stand out role (Cosby) he's been a fine bit player so far.

You got to remember though, Keenan has been doing Cosby for years. Ever since All That and if I remember correctly, on Keenan and Kel. So he is use to doing the character for years now.

[bob_barron 0]

I've never seen All That. Well the one time I did I was like: Whoa- Amanda Bynes was hot back the- wait a minute- she's 12 there.

 

Then I changed the channel