SNL Review

[bob_barron 0]

SNL Review- Jeremy Piven/AFI

 

Wow, lots of people died since December

 

In Memoriam-

 

Peter Boyle- I met him once and he was really nice. Easily the funniest part of Raymond.

 

Saddam Hussein- I don’t know…I liked him.

 

James Brown- Sex Machine is one of the best songs ever. And he was in Blues Brothers 2000 and Rocky IV. That’s awesome.

 

Gerald R. Ford- Would you want to be president when he was? No, me neither. So I respect that.

 

The Saints 2006 Season- A great run. Thank you for making me believe.

 

Mailbag!!!!!!!!!!!!-

 

[email protected]

 

Hey Bob- I know it’s a little too early to discuss this. But I’m a sucker for wrestling rumours on the Internet. Regarding Wrestlemania this year, there has been talk that three of the main event matches will be the following-

Cena v. Orton or HHH- WWE Title Batista v. Taker- World Title Vince v. Foley

 

HHH is really hurt so I guess that takes him out of the title picture at WM.

 

What do you think about these three matches possibly being planned for Mania in April? What is the likelihood that these matches will actually get the green light from Vince?

 

Thanks, Bob. Later- Ken

 

HHH is out for Wrestlemania which is pretty funny. I’ve heard nothing about Vince-Foley. Big Dave v. Taker seems likely to happen which should be a fun trainwreck. Plans for Cena are undecided.

 

[email protected] writes-

 

Bob-

 

Everyone knows you’re a big Avril Lavigne fan. So I was wondering if

you’ve heard the news about her yet.

 

Avril is coming out with a new album in the spring of this year. The

album is called The Best Damn Thing, and it was produced by Rob Cavallo,

the same dude who produced Green Day’s American Idiot. The album’s

lead single will be called ‘Girlfriend,’ but she already new song

out there called ‘Keep Holding On.’

 

I simply wanted to get your thoughts on this news and on Avril’s

attempt at a comeback.

 

Mark

 

I wouldn’t really call it a comeback. Three years between albums is pretty standard, plus she’s been in the public eye. She spent most of 2005 touring and also appeared in three movies. I’m very excited about the album, I love Keep Holding On. I’ve been waiting for this album since Christmas 2005, and I’m sure it will be great.

 

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

 

And now the review....

 

Cold Opening

Cast- Darrell Hammond, Amy Poehler

Thoughts- Well this cold opening was…..long. And it dragged. A lot. Darrell’s way into his Chris Matthews impression. The goal is to be funny and somewhat accurate, not attempting to pick up every verbal tic a guy has. Amy as Hillary was pretty good, and she had a lot of good lines. Her bleeping wasn’t as funny as it should’ve been either. I think had this been shorter it would’ve been a lot funnier, but this just felt like it would never end. **3/4

 

Monologue

Cast- Jeremy Piven, Fred Armisen

Thoughts- What was this? Another skit that went way past its expiration date. There were a few good lines sprinkled here and there but seriously….what the hell was this? *1/2

 

Urigrow

Cast- Jason Sudeikis, Kristin Wiig

Thoughts- Sudeikis washing the dog while talking about urinating got me. I also kind of laughed at him taking the large piss at the end. Yes, I know I should turn in my comedy reviewing badge. ***

 

Move the Chains

Cast- Piven, Sudeikis, Andy Samberg

Thoughts- I miss the Greg Gumbel-Phil Simms team, I’m not feeling Nantz and Simms. Especially since on Sunday Simms decided to broadcast like John Madden and state the obvious on every play. They’re better then Joe Buck and Aikman though. I like Aikman a lot, but Buck is just brutal. Just like Andy Samberg. Nice segueway. Andy was his usual annoying self. Piven got a few good lines here, and I liked the Automatic Death Disease joke. But a guy saying move the chains over and over again…not so much. **

 

TV Funhouse

Thoughts- I asked Smigel last week if his cartoon was going to be offensive, and he said no. I knew we were in deep shit. I don’t know what the hell this was supposed to be either, but George W. as a chipmunk isn’t as funny Smigel thought it would be.*

 

The First Person in the History of the World to Dance

Cast- Sudekis, Armisen

Thoughts- They must’ve really been desperate on ideas. Don Pardo saying “His name was Eric,” was pretty funny though. *1/4

 

Macgruber

Cast- Piven, Forte, Rudolph

Thoughts- Mocking MAGUYVER? Is this 1988? I did laugh at this though, but I don’t think it needed to be done thrice in one night. But seriously….Macguyver? ***

 

Two A-Holes at An Adoption Agency

Cast- Piven, Sudeikis, Wiig, Poehler

Thoughts- Soon, Two A-Holes are going to be totally played out. I like every Two A-Holes they do, but no need to beat this skit into the ground. Some really good lines from the A-Holes and I loved the Borat impression and Jason asking how they pay for the baby. I don’t think Piven played off the Two A-holes as well he could have. I liked this a lot, but give the A-Holes a rest. ***1/2

 

Macgruber

Cast- Piven, Forte, Rudolph

Thoughts- Alright. I admit to laughing at this too, but it was the same freaking thing, so I can’t give it too much love. How does that even get pitched? “Hey, remember that TV show Macguyver?” There was an episode of Macguyver where they once revealed first name. I think it was Agnes. **1/2

 

AFI

Thoughts- I’ve listened to a few AFI songs but never saw what they looked like. Now I know what they look like. And I’m horrified! The lead singer looks like he should be at home slitting his wrists. Who wouldn’t want to punch him in the face? And the guy on the right looks like Flock of Seagulls! And this song wasn’t even that good either. So thumbs down on AFI. **1/4

 

Weekend Update

Cast- Seth Meyers, Poehler, Hammond

Thoughts- Continuing the dating ourselves, Rich Little? Rich Little? Granted this was just an excuse for Darrell to show off his other impressions, but really, who remembers Rich Little? Amy had a few clunkers, but Seth was ON. The Islamophobia joke was hilarious. And I also loved the video game joke too. Good stuff. The REALLY segment was tremendous. They did the segment in the Justin Timberlake dress and it was funny, but this was much better. So many great lines, and they were mocking Michael Vick so hey! This was probably the best Update of the Poehler-Meyers era, and these guys are really coming into their own. ****

 

It’s Common!

Cast- Common, Piven, Kenan Thompson, Samberg

Thoughts- Who the hell is Common? A quick check at wikipedia reveals that he used go by Common Sense and his dad played in the ABA. This wasn’t as funny as the Ludacris one with most of Andy’s line falling flat or being the same as last time. Piven was hilarious though and helped make this skit not a total loss. **1/4

 

Macgruber

Cast- Piven, Forte, Rudolph

Thoughts- Yep, this one died off as expected. DUD

 

Unicorn

Cast- Piven, Thompson, Hader, Poehler, Armisen, Hammond, Wiig, Sudeikis

Thoughts- Last year they did a skit regarding unicorns and I admitted that I didn’t know they were imaginary for a long time. I stand by that statement. Darrell as the random crazy guy was my favourite part. This was just late in the show filler, although I agree that you should be nice to unicorns. *1/2

 

SNL Digital Short

Cast- Samberg

Thoughts- Was this supposed to be poking fun at Eddie Murphy and Norbit? I hope so, so Eddie throws another shit fit about SNL mocking him. Apparently they’ve been trying to get this on the air since the season began, and now I can see why. Now THIS was Andy’s Rocky V. I’d knew I’d get to use it! DUD

 

AFI “Miss Murder”

Thoughts- The first half, where they were using all the synthesisers was horrible. Loved the second half, although I still think the lead singer should be dragged out of his car and beaten. **1/2

 

The Bottom Line- Avg. skit was **.06 making this a thumbs down show. I’m worried SNL is starting to lose the momentum they were building throughout the season. A lot of these skits were just dead in the water and Piven didn’t really add anything, except in the Blizzard Man skit. I’m not too hopeful about Drew Barrymore, but hopefully these last two shows were aberrations, and the season will pick back up again.

 

Thumbs Down

[Mik 0]

The best part of Macgruber was the payoff at the end of the third skit when Forte asks for a bucket of bum sperm and Piven's defeated reaction.

 

That to me, payed off all the skits.

 

I liked that, weekend update, and the blizzard man. That's about it. The move the chains skit was one of the worst I can remember.

[The Amazing Rando 0]

Angus MacGyver.

[razazteca 0]

I think it was an average show with Its Common and The Unicorn and the 2 Assholes being the skits that will be on constant repeats on the E! Channel in the future. After watching the Ego Trip White Rapper show on VH1! the Its Common skit had me dying laughing with the producer saying that Blizzard was the next big thing then have Andy rap like David Hasslehoff. To me the Unicorn skit was about Amy's pixie voice thats it and it worked I could complain that it was a complete ripoff of the old get wishes from the magic goldfish skit from the early 90's but I won't. What can I say the 2 Assholes is the only recurring role that Sudeikis and Wiig do well.

 

AFI “Miss Murder”

Thoughts- The first half, where they were using all the synthesisers was horrible. Loved the second half, although I still think the lead singer should be dragged out of his car and beaten. **1/2

I was thinking it was a Duran Duran cover band.

[Black Lushus 0]

was the sound really bad during AFI's 2nd performace or was it just my DVR?

[Darthtiki 0]

AFI is nowhere near as good as they were pre-Sing the Sorrow. I was really hoping that Piven would do well (Since I am a Piven homer) and most of the show I was really disappointed.

[Black Lushus 0]

yeah, I hardly ever watch SNL anymore, but when i saw Piven was the host, I made sure to DVR it....I think I fast forwarded through most of it. That show is hitting dangerous 80s Anthony Michael Hall/Robert Downey Jr. cast levels.

[bob_barron 0]

The sound was off apparently.

 

They had a run of 6/7 good shows, so I wouldn't say something is wrong at all. They just had two off weeks

[Mik 0]

Yeah - SNL has been pretty good this year. All they are missing is a huge breakout star and it would be good again.

 

They cut out enough of the deadwood that it's decent again.

 

The sound was off for the beginning of Miss Murder and the beginning of the Blizzard Man sketch.