Tag Archives: SNL

2011/02/22 · 12:45 pm

Muppet Tuesday: Cookie, Cookie, Cookie; Rexamining Cookie Monster

A short, fun Muppet Tuesday inspired by a video referred to us by The Geoff Man and last week’s Top Chef.

As far as Sesame Street characters go, we don’t remember being particularly enamored with Cookie Monster as a child.  Certainly, we weren’t fans of that red menace Elmo, but our allegiances laid more with Ernie and that other blue monster, Grover (probably because of his aural resemblance to Yoda, his brother in Frank Oz-helmed arms).  And, of course, we appreciated and admired Kermit, not just for being the straight man who tolerated all the zany creatures on Sesame Street, but because we were thoroughly impressed that he managed to moonlight as the “Muppet News” reporter while managing the Muppets full-time.  That guy was basically the 70s and 80s version of Joel McHale  (But really, Kermit can’t count as a favorite, because he’s a given, it’s like saying the Beatles are your favorite band (which they are not).  Hall of Fame members are not options)).  But for some reason, while not disliking Cookie Monster, he never struck the same chord as the others.  Perhaps because he wasn’t as silly-mean as Grover, or childlike and mischievous as Ernie.  He seemed rather one-note, heck bent on one thing and one thing alone, and that obscured a rather winning personality.  But with his SNL audition tape, his appearance on the show with Jeff Bridges, and his guest-judging on Top Chef last week, our opinion towards the pastry pouncer began to change.  With hs newly discovered nuanced sense of humor Cookie Monster was evolving into our favorite Sesame Street Muppet .  Except that, as this vintage video shows, that sharp sensibility was there all along.  We just missed it until now.  Somehow, Cookie Monster might actually be the subtlest monster on Sesame Street.

And, as usual, we plan to recap last week’s Top Chef just before the new one airs tomorrow night, but take a look at this behind the scenes clip from featuring Cookie Monster, along with Telly and, yes, Elmo, hilariously kinda being dicks to the crew.

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And we now realize where Barbara Walters got it from…

And if just one, just one, 3 year-old decides they prefer Cookie Monster to Elmo then we’ll be happy.

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Filed under Bert-n-Ernie, George Lucas Doesn't Need More Money, Makes You Think, Muppets, Nostalgia Corner, Top Scallop

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2011/02/15 · 2:46 pm

Russell Brand on ‘SNL’: Very British

Well, we had little hope that the SNL would rebound from its disillusioning Dana Carvey episode last week.  For some reason, lately we’ve been giving the show the reverse of the benefit of the doubt, the doubt of the benefit if you will.  And when we casually started the episode late Saturday night, it seemed that our prognostications would be proven valid, that we were in for another ho-hum effort with a perfectly fine but completely ordinary host.  But, while Russell Brand would prove to possibly be the weakest part of the show, the episode turned around on the basis of two sketches, two pieces that will no doubt sit atop our best of the season list.

Coming up: What sketch did we watch four times? And we hand out the season MVP award early.

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Filed under Across the pond, Analysis, Good Humor, Saturday Night Live, The State

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2011/02/15 · 12:04 pm

Yesterday in ‘Today’: KLG & Hoda Weigh-In on the Grammys

Well, it seems that Kathie Lee and Hoda had the same reaction to the Grammy awards as every ignorant, idiotic Facebook and Twitter user out there:

You know that Arcade Fire have been on SNL twice and thus have been in your building probably a half-dozen times, right?  Oh, no, obviously not.  C’mon, guys.  Look around you!

But great zing, KLG!  Vaudeville is calling!

Although, we don’t hear you questioning the safety of The Rolling Stones.  That could be just as, if not more, dangerous than an arcade fire.

 

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Filed under Interweb, Saturday Night Live, The Worst, Today in Today, Tyranasaurus Sex, Weigh-in

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2011/02/11 · 11:12 am

Kieran’s Mom’s Korner: Kieran’s Mom Weighs-In on the Rise and Fall of ‘SNL’

Yesterday we posted a new ‘Kieran’s Korner’ with Kieran’s thoughts on the recent ‘SNL’ hosted by Dana Carvey.  We figured we’d get some real wisdom, some genuine perspective.  And we did.  But now we have a special treat, some observations about the show from an even wiser, more experienced source.  Ladies and gentlemen, we’re proud to present the first (and hopefully not last) ‘Kieran’s Mom’s Korner’:

I have some thoughts on SNL.  I think it took a wrong turn when they changed the closing music from something with lots of saxophones to something lighter.

Also, I never liked that sketch with “I hate when that happens.”
But some of the early stuff with Dan Akroyd, Bill Murray, Gilda Radner and even Chevy Chase was brilliant.

Love,
Mum

Well it seems that Carvey got at least one thing right last week: everyone does have their own favorite cast.

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Filed under Makes You Think, Saturday Night Live, Weigh-in

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2011/02/10 · 10:39 am

Kieran’s Korner: Another Look at ‘SNL,’ Dana Carvey and “The Best Cast Ever”

Even before we finished our analysis of last weekend’s Dana Carvey hosted ‘Saturday Night Live’ we had no doubt that this particular episode, this particular crossroads, required additional insight.  Perhaps, more than ever, a Kieran’s Korner was needed.  As you know, we consider Kieran our elder statesmen when it comes to ‘SNL’ knowledge and personal experience, our very own living, breathing, sweater vest-wearing ‘Live From New York.’  To some degree, the Carvey years, ’86-’93, were always nostalgia to us; we were practically an infant when Carvey debuted, and thus only began to appreciate his talent towards the end of his tenure, largely because of the runaway success of ‘Wayne’s World.’  Our first time seeing the show live came just after Carvey’s exit, the final seasons of Farley and Sandler, and indeed we didn’t become regular viewers until the great cast turnover of 1995 (and, to be fair, like Kieran, we initially didn’t care for that group funny).  So while the Will Ferrell era was the first cast we became intimately familiar with, watched week in and week out, the Carvey period came during Kieran’s formative years.  We knew then that any effect the last episode had on us, there was a good chance that feeling would only be amplified for Kieran.  So we turned to Kieran for his special brand of wisdom, to discover his reaction considering his similar but much more personal relationship with ’86-’93 .  And, as usual, he obliged.

Speaking of the death of childhood, let me tell you about the flood of negative emotions I experienced watching the first episode of the 21st season of Saturday Night Live.

The date was September 30, 1995 and I was twenty-three years old. Mariel Hemingway was the host. There was an interminable sketch where Will Ferrell yelled at some kids who were, evidently, on a shed. Filmed pieces included a rather pallid spoof commercial for a “morning” beer named AM Ale. Against better judgment, Mark McKinney tried to import his Chicken Lady character from The Kids in the Hall.

I didn’t laugh.

Continue: Kieran’s Korner or: How Kieran Learned to Stop Worrying and Love ’95-’01. And a hindsight look back at Carvey’s auspicious beginnings…

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Filed under Fashion Show at Lunch, Kieran's Korner, Nostalgia Corner, Saturday Night Live

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2011/02/09 · 1:11 pm

Case in Point

Re: yesterday’s Dana Carvey/Jason Sudeikis conundrum:

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2011/02/08 · 2:25 pm

Was That Special? Dana Carvey Returns to ‘SNL’ And Our Childhood Officially Ends

We’re going to warn you right off the bat that this is probably going to be the most subjective SNL recap we’ve yet written.  So if you like your SNL analysis free of emotional attachment, well, then you should look somewhere else (we’re sure the web might offer one, maybe two, other options), because, unfortunately, as we watched this last SNL, hosted by legendary cast member Dana Carvey, our reaction was intrinsically bound up in how we’ve watched this show since childhood, and how the this particular episode made us reexamine and reassess our feelings about the show, Dana Carvey and his SNL era.  So, at the extreme risk of being self-indulgent, here we go.

Read on: We mourn our youth and ask the question: who is Dana Carvey?

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Filed under Analysis, Be careful what you wish for, Crucial Taunt, Flashback!, Nostalgia Corner, Reeeeeege, Saturday Night Live, The Bieb

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2011/02/04 · 7:40 pm

‘SNL’ Programming Note

Before we head into the weekend we just wanted to remind you that tomorrow night’s SNL is a repeat from 2000 with host Dana Carvey and musical guest Linkin Park.  New episodes return ne…I’m sorry?  What’s that?  It’s not a repeat?  It’s a a brand new episode?  Really?  C’mon.  Really?  With Linkin Park?  Nooooo.  Really?? Okay.  Wow.  What, was Crazy Town already booked?  Jeez.  Alright.  I mean, you see why you’d think it’s a repeat, right?  Right.  But, hey, if it’s new, it’s new…so we’ve just been informed that tomorrow night’s SNL with host Dana Cavery and musical guest Linkin Park is, in fact, a new episode.  So tune in to see if Carvey does George Bush and The Church Lady, and maybe catch Linkin Park playing their hit song.

In the mean time, here’s our hands-down favorite Dana Carvey sketch, a performance we’d often recreate throughout elementary school.  My friend’s parents loved it.

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Filed under Saturday Night Live, The Roaring 10s!

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2011/02/03 · 9:56 pm

Gratuitous Search Term Bait of the Day: Hail to the Chef

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:

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And if you had your heart set on Andy Samberg as the Swedish Chef, here’s a little dessert.

 

 

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Filed under Good Humor, Gratuitous Search Term Bait, Muppets, Saturday Night Live, Top Scallop

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2011/02/03 · 1:28 pm

‘Bridesmaids’ Trailer: Let the Debate About Whether Or Not This Is the First Truly Funny Film For Women By Women Begin

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.

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Filed under Good Humor, Judd Apatow, Saturday Night Live, The Big Screen, Yasmine Bleeth

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