Well, after a Muppetless week, you’re going to get a second dose tonight, along with another helping of blog stalwart SNL, as today’s search term is “swedish chef andy samberg.” But since we’ve already done a Swedish Chef post for this feature, and we sample enough Andy Samberg on this blog, we’re going to blend SNL and culinary expertise to bring you this little entree, one of our all-time favorites:
We’ll likely never be able to agree on an answer to that question. Some will say yes. Some will say no. Some will say it’s truly funny, but not the first. Some will say it’s a manipulative attempt to xerox The Hangover using female toner. Some will argue it finally let’s women in on the fun. Some will suggest that it shows that women can only be considered funny when they’re acting like men. Some will label it fresh, groundbreaking. Some will call it conventional, reactionary. Some will hail it, praise it. Other will denounce it, chastise it. And that will probably all take place before opening weekend.
What we do know is that Bridesmaids looks really good. We’ve made no secret of generally abhorring Kristen Wiig’s characters on SNL (in fact, we’d have to say our favorite Wiig character is the one she plays during the goodnights), but she’s been terrific in movies so far (stole her scenes in Knocked Up, was great in Adventureland and was arguably the best part of MacGruber), is phenomenally talented, and not unkind on the eyes. We’ve also been saying for some time now that it’s time for her to make the permanent jump to the big screen, and it looks like Bridesmaids is going to accelerate the process. Although this is an ensemble, Wiig co-wrote the film and is the star, so if the flick is a hit we might be looking at Hollywood’s newest female star, one of the few women capable of carrying a comedy on her lithe shoulders.
Also, judging from the trailer, it seems like this could be Melissa McCarthy’s breakout role, getting many of the best, most outrageous lines. Looks like we might have to go back and revise her entry in our Jenny McCarthy Show post!
But with the shock wave that this trailer sent through the blogosphere we have to wonder: have we already entered the Bridesmaids blacklash phase? Or are we already into the backlash to the backlash?
Oh, and this movie just means more work for the Judd Apatow chart.
It’s getting late and we had a long day (and, more importantly, we have to watch Top Chef and there’s pizza waiting), so we’re going with a search term staple today, “rashida jones.” Here’s the lovely Ms. Jones appearing on the brilliant Jeannie Tate Show, created by and starring Liz Cackowski, the former SNL and current Community scribe you might best recognize from Forgetting Sarah Marshall.
And if good comedy’s not your thing, here’s Jones on the cover of Vanity Fair‘s 2011 Hollywood Issue.
This past weekend’s SNL could have been the funniest of the season and it probably wouldn’t have mattered. That it wasn’t the funniest of the season also will not matter years from now. No, what this episode is being talked about for, the reason that it will ultimately be remembered, is that it featured the first public meeting between Jesse Eisenberg and the social network magnate he portrayed to the tune of a Best Oscar nomination. It was a worlds colliding, fabric of the universe fraying, I’m seeing double (four Zuckerbergs!), moment (although Andy Samberg’s presence as a tertiary Zuckerberg carried much less weight and meta-significance). It was awkward, sure, but that was by design, as the two ‘bergs, Eisen and Zucker, seemed rather comfortable with each other, indeed, giving the sense that they may, in fact, be bros. The tone was less confrontational and more self-congratulatory, as if Eisenberg and Zuckerberg had successfully pulled the wool over our eyes, that the real Zuckerberg is not an unnaturally focused, perennially scowling, monotone misanthrope, but a laid back, dorky, goofball visionary, and that perhaps Zuckerberg was in the on the joke the whole time. Now, that’s not the case, but if there’s any sense of animosity between the two ‘bergs, then Zuckerberg is a far greater actor than anyone is giving him credit for (and by all accounts he’s a terrible, terrible actor).
Remember in the cold winter days of December 2005 when “Lazy Sunday” premiered and basically made YouTube an inextricable part of our lives? That was a seminal, society altering, comedy-changing moment. Well, that’s not what people were looking for on our blog, they were searching using the term “michael scott dick in a box.” But, unfortunately, we don’t have that, a combination of Steve Carell’s Office character and the cultural successor to “Lazy Sunday” that became a phenomenon in its own right. But, what we do have is a combination of Michael Scott and “Lazy Sunday.” So, here we go, the ode of suburban Pennsylvania, “Lazy Scranton”:
…with the way our week started, that is watching WWE wrestling videos. Here’s Sudeikis, along with Charlie Day and Justin Long emceeing an August episode of Monday Night Raw. Notice who stands in the center. Justin Long might have starred in a few decent movies, and Charlie Day might have a pretty good show on FX, but, let’s be honest, even they know it, Sudeikis is the star. Looks like he might make for a terrific heel too.
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And here’s one example of Sudeikis doing what he does best, making mediocre sketches better. And, why not, here’s one more.
Over on the wonderful Splitsider it’s “Women in Comedy Week,” so perhaps that’s why today we had the search term “best female cast members in snl history.” If that’s the case, we welcome those readers. And if that’s not why you’re here, we’re still thrilled to have you.
And, of course, we’re going to leave you with an SNL sketch focused on the female contingent. But instead of looking back on the past greats, let’s look forward to the future of women on SNL:
Fred Armisen and Carrie Brownstein have created a terrific little sketch comedy show with Portlandia. The IFC show (executive produced by Lorne Michaels, because the only way an SNL cast member is allowed to do anything away from the show is if Michaels is involved) is a breath of fresh northwest air. And they made a very savvy choice recruiting Armisen’s SNL castmate Jason Sudeikis for the pilot, casting Sudeikis as successful organic farmer/charismatic cult leader Aliki. And, as usual, Sudeikis lit up the screen.
Unfortunately, video of his scenes aren’t available, but this should give you an idea:
But go watch the sketches that they have posted, and make sure to watch the new episode tomorrow night!
Well, after posting a quick Jason Sudeikis clip yesterday, we might just go ahead and make this Jason Sudeikis week because, apparently, he conquest of attractive female SNL hosts has taken him from January Jones to Scarlett Johansson. Pretty impressive stuff to be the rebound from Ryan Reynolds.
Curiously though, whereas Sudeikis and Jones had several moments together during her episode (sketches that Sudeikis basically carried her though, no doubt winning her over in the process) Johansson and Sudeikis shared very little screen time together during her last hosting turn in September. In fact, if we’re not mistaken this is the only instance in which they appeared in the same sketch:
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But, then again, the guy’s got moves. It’d be no surprise if Scarlett fell for him in those few seconds.
So if this doesn’t work out who’s next? Betty White? Emma Stone? Which is the lesser of two evils?
Jumped The Snark 