"For example, the word penis"
Cold Open: Playboy's Party Jokes
Cold Open: Playboy's Party Jokes
1 Star
A Playboy Playmate tries to tell some jokes
I did not get this at all. Laraine is in a flesh colored bodysuit and dances around a giant martini glass. She acts very ditsy as she tries to tell some jokes and limericks but keeps messing up the punchlines. She eventually gives up altogether and just says "Live from New York...". It wasn't set up at all nor was it well executed. At least it was short.
Hugh Hefner Monologue
I did not get this at all. Laraine is in a flesh colored bodysuit and dances around a giant martini glass. She acts very ditsy as she tries to tell some jokes and limericks but keeps messing up the punchlines. She eventually gives up altogether and just says "Live from New York...". It wasn't set up at all nor was it well executed. At least it was short.
Hugh Hefner Monologue
2 Stars
Hugh Hefner sings a song in his pajamas
Hef isn't instilling much confidence as he talks about his successful publishing empire and the fact that he's not a performer. Then he sings Thank Heaven For Little Girls which is cute albeit a little creepy as text scrolls beneath him telling us that Hef is thanking heaven due to his strong religious views.
Angora Bouquet
Hef isn't instilling much confidence as he talks about his successful publishing empire and the fact that he's not a performer. Then he sings Thank Heaven For Little Girls which is cute albeit a little creepy as text scrolls beneath him telling us that Hef is thanking heaven due to his strong religious views.
Angora Bouquet
4 Stars
A soap that washes your brain as well as your face
I'm curious as to whether this particular commercial was intended for the Hugh Hefner episode or if it was just a happy accident. Jane is playing a beautiful but stupid housewife who hates to burden her husband with opinions. She is able to stay so subservient with a soap that includes tiny tranquilizers that keeps her mind as clear as her skin.
Planet Of The Men Vs Planet Of The Women
I'm curious as to whether this particular commercial was intended for the Hugh Hefner episode or if it was just a happy accident. Jane is playing a beautiful but stupid housewife who hates to burden her husband with opinions. She is able to stay so subservient with a soap that includes tiny tranquilizers that keeps her mind as clear as her skin.
Planet Of The Men Vs Planet Of The Women
3 Stars
Men and women face off in intergalactic battle
In the year 3000, one side of the universe is ruled by men and the other by women. An asteroid storm has brought the two sides together for the first time. The male ship head by Captain Macho intercepts the female ship and a lot of gender stereotypes are made fun of. The women mock the size of the male ship, the men fire a mouse into the female ship which causes them to stand on their chairs in terror. The two ships collide in a very sexual manner. This was cute but seemed a little stale, like something they would do on Your Show Of Shows minus the sexual innuendos. The chintziness of the prop spaceships was all very fun.
Libby Titus
In the year 3000, one side of the universe is ruled by men and the other by women. An asteroid storm has brought the two sides together for the first time. The male ship head by Captain Macho intercepts the female ship and a lot of gender stereotypes are made fun of. The women mock the size of the male ship, the men fire a mouse into the female ship which causes them to stand on their chairs in terror. The two ships collide in a very sexual manner. This was cute but seemed a little stale, like something they would do on Your Show Of Shows minus the sexual innuendos. The chintziness of the prop spaceships was all very fun.
Libby Titus
"Fool That I Am"
Quite a contrast from the free-swinging machismo of the show so far. This is very soft and smooth. It's not bad, fairly pleasant but not my style of music.
Anyone Can Host
This week Garrett explains the rules to the Anyone Can Host contest. He'd like to host the show but employees of NBC are ineligible. I feel like they could have made this entertaining but then some people might not think it was real. I'm a little confused by it too. If I didn't know that Miskel Spillman would be hosting in a few episodes I would probably think this was a gag.
X-Police
3 Stars
Former cops break up a pot smoking couple
I felt like this could have been set up a little better but it was so on the side of silliness that it didn't bother me. John and Jane take a break from studying to smoke a joint when Dan and Bill burst in to arrest them. They were kicked off the force a couple months ago but that won't stop them from busting up their little drug den. They knock out Jane and accidentally kill John by beating his head into the door. They blame marijuana for all of this and decide to frame Jane for the murder. They put the gun in her hand, resuscitate her and inform her that she killed her husband in a pot fueled rage. Jane freaks out and leaps out the window. Funniest part of the sketch for me was when Bill couldn't get the door to open and a stagehand can be seen pushing it open from the other side.
Circular Bed Sex Research
I felt like this could have been set up a little better but it was so on the side of silliness that it didn't bother me. John and Jane take a break from studying to smoke a joint when Dan and Bill burst in to arrest them. They were kicked off the force a couple months ago but that won't stop them from busting up their little drug den. They knock out Jane and accidentally kill John by beating his head into the door. They blame marijuana for all of this and decide to frame Jane for the murder. They put the gun in her hand, resuscitate her and inform her that she killed her husband in a pot fueled rage. Jane freaks out and leaps out the window. Funniest part of the sketch for me was when Bill couldn't get the door to open and a stagehand can be seen pushing it open from the other side.
Circular Bed Sex Research
2 Stars
Hef keeps getting interrupted while putting the moves on a co-ed
Jane is a college student doing research. Her hypothesis is that if two people make love on a circular bed for 3.14 minutes they will achieve pi. Hef agrees to help her but gets interrupted by his beeper and then a radar scan telling him someone is landing on his helipad. He assures Jane that they will not be disturbed, not even if the President needs him. In walks Jimmy Carter, Dan with a mustache, to ask Hef his advice on what headphones he should buy. This was all rather silly, could have been helped if Hugh's comic timing was a little better.
Listening To Great Music
Jane is a college student doing research. Her hypothesis is that if two people make love on a circular bed for 3.14 minutes they will achieve pi. Hef agrees to help her but gets interrupted by his beeper and then a radar scan telling him someone is landing on his helipad. He assures Jane that they will not be disturbed, not even if the President needs him. In walks Jimmy Carter, Dan with a mustache, to ask Hef his advice on what headphones he should buy. This was all rather silly, could have been helped if Hugh's comic timing was a little better.
Listening To Great Music
3 Stars
John describes Ride Of The Valkyries
John plays Wagner's Ride Of The Valkyries and describes the music to us. He sees horses, mountains, a couple falling in love, a father disapproving of the marriage, war, bombs and grenades. He gets so worked up that he ends up breaking the record, smashing the record player and screaming a lot. A short bit that just showcases John's penchant for yelling and destruction.
Weekend Update
John plays Wagner's Ride Of The Valkyries and describes the music to us. He sees horses, mountains, a couple falling in love, a father disapproving of the marriage, war, bombs and grenades. He gets so worked up that he ends up breaking the record, smashing the record player and screaming a lot. A short bit that just showcases John's penchant for yelling and destruction.
Weekend Update
A tour group led by Tom Schiller interrupts Weekend Update for no apparent reason and no joke either. Dan calls security and is told that it's normal procedure. It's possible this is a setup to a running joke, maybe? A punchline about the murder of diamond dealers being pronounced 'gemicide' is one of the worst I've ever heard. The NBC dancing N brings out a bulletin saying cocaine and heroin don't mix. Have I mentioned that I hate Weekend Update?
Nadia Comaneci somersaults and tumbles before announcing a U.S. tour. She's only 15 years old but wants to make all the money she can while she's still adorable as Romanian women don't age so good. Come see her now before she gets all big and fat and has a mustache. This inspired me to look up pictures of Nadia on Google and I gotta say, she's still got it.
Sex In Cinema
4 Stars
A Hays Code era film skirts censorship rules
Hef shows us a clip of a film from the heavily censored Hays Code era. Back then, if a couple was shown in bed together one of their feet would have to remain on the floor so audiences would not get too aroused. This film found a way to stick to that rule while still titillating. Bill as Cary Grant throws Laraine's Katharine Hepburn on the bed and makes wild love to her while still keeping one of his feet firmly planted on the floor. The camera zooms in on his foot as it writhes around in orgasmic delight. A very silly sketch that I really enjoyed and both Bill and Laraine's impressions were really fun.
3 R's
Hef shows us a clip of a film from the heavily censored Hays Code era. Back then, if a couple was shown in bed together one of their feet would have to remain on the floor so audiences would not get too aroused. This film found a way to stick to that rule while still titillating. Bill as Cary Grant throws Laraine's Katharine Hepburn on the bed and makes wild love to her while still keeping one of his feet firmly planted on the floor. The camera zooms in on his foot as it writhes around in orgasmic delight. A very silly sketch that I really enjoyed and both Bill and Laraine's impressions were really fun.
3 R's
2 Stars
A man sues a public school because of his dumb daughter
Jane interviews John, a Greek man who has filed a $10 million lawsuit against the board of education due to his daughter not being able to read or write despite graduating public school. He slaps his daughter around every time she speaks until finally she gets fed up and tells the truth. Her father is a cheat and this is all a scam to get money from the government. Jane slaps her for disrespecting her father. Not a terrible sketch but it could have been cleaner. This had a bit of an improv feel to it with actors talking over each other at times and the punchline was pretty weak.
The Story Of H
Jane interviews John, a Greek man who has filed a $10 million lawsuit against the board of education due to his daughter not being able to read or write despite graduating public school. He slaps his daughter around every time she speaks until finally she gets fed up and tells the truth. Her father is a cheat and this is all a scam to get money from the government. Jane slaps her for disrespecting her father. Not a terrible sketch but it could have been cleaner. This had a bit of an improv feel to it with actors talking over each other at times and the punchline was pretty weak.
The Story Of H
1 Star
A biography on Hugh Hefner and the choices he's made in life
I didn't understand this at all. On the plus side, it was a well edited documentary but it wasn't funny, amusing or really interesting. I'm wondering if this was made by another production company and just used for the show. Photos and videos of Hef flash across the screen as we hear his voice-over talking about the horrible choices he's made in life. He talks about how he was yielded into temptation and duped by hippies when all he wanted was a plain and ordinary girl next door. These choices have made him wealthy and famous but hopefully seeing this steers you into a life of conservative thinking.
The Playboy Philosophy
I didn't understand this at all. On the plus side, it was a well edited documentary but it wasn't funny, amusing or really interesting. I'm wondering if this was made by another production company and just used for the show. Photos and videos of Hef flash across the screen as we hear his voice-over talking about the horrible choices he's made in life. He talks about how he was yielded into temptation and duped by hippies when all he wanted was a plain and ordinary girl next door. These choices have made him wealthy and famous but hopefully seeing this steers you into a life of conservative thinking.
The Playboy Philosophy
1 Star
Hef explains his philosophy to Socrates and Plato
Of all the things SNL does that irks me, the biggest offender is when they just blatantly kiss the host's ass. Both of the Donald Trump episodes come to mind as examples of this. This episode has so far been a whole lot of "Hef is the coolest". I just watched a biography about how cool he is and then we cut to this sketch where he is talking with Socrates and Plato, who tell him that he is so cool and wise. This was slow moving and unfunny. Both Garrett and John are stumbling over their lines and Hef has absolutely no acting talent, which brings the whole sketch to a halt. Hef's final words of wisdom, "To go pink or not to go pink" were lost on me.
Funeral Magician
Of all the things SNL does that irks me, the biggest offender is when they just blatantly kiss the host's ass. Both of the Donald Trump episodes come to mind as examples of this. This episode has so far been a whole lot of "Hef is the coolest". I just watched a biography about how cool he is and then we cut to this sketch where he is talking with Socrates and Plato, who tell him that he is so cool and wise. This was slow moving and unfunny. Both Garrett and John are stumbling over their lines and Hef has absolutely no acting talent, which brings the whole sketch to a halt. Hef's final words of wisdom, "To go pink or not to go pink" were lost on me.
Funeral Magician
3 Stars
A magician delivers a eulogy
The title of this sketch pretty much tells you what you're in for. While it was pretty predictable once the sketch started, Bill's energy was contagious. Bill is a magician giving a eulogy. He asks for a volunteer from the mourners, he pulls a card from the corpse's pocket and gives a big finish by sawing the coffin in half.
Andy Kaufman
The title of this sketch pretty much tells you what you're in for. While it was pretty predictable once the sketch started, Bill's energy was contagious. Bill is a magician giving a eulogy. He asks for a volunteer from the mourners, he pulls a card from the corpse's pocket and gives a big finish by sawing the coffin in half.
Andy Kaufman
3 Stars
Andy sings some songs and does his Elvis impression
This is Andy's 6th appearance on SNL and feels like a best of. He starts by singing the theme to Oklahoma! and then transitions into singing the animal sounds song. After that he rips off his clothes to reveal an Elvis jumpsuit and performs "I Need Your Love Tonight". It was a definite energy boost in the show but felt like a rerun.
The Farbers At The Playboy Club
This is Andy's 6th appearance on SNL and feels like a best of. He starts by singing the theme to Oklahoma! and then transitions into singing the animal sounds song. After that he rips off his clothes to reveal an Elvis jumpsuit and performs "I Need Your Love Tonight". It was a definite energy boost in the show but felt like a rerun.
The Farbers At The Playboy Club
1 Star
A couple visits The Playboy Club
My knowledge of the first 5 seasons of SNL is not vast so I am unfamiliar with these characters. This is the 4th appearance from The Farbers so I don't really know what their shtick is and after watching this sketch I'm more confused than I was when it started. John and Gilda are an old married couple and they're joined by Dan who is a keyholder at The Playboy Club. Dan keeps talking up Hef and the girls, John is extremely interested in how the club operates, Gilda wants to go home so they don't have to pay the babysitter extra. Hef ends up coming to the table and takes an interest in Gilda, who wants to talk about the Malcolm X interview in a recent Playboy issue. There was a lot of talking in this one but not a lot being said.
FINAL ANALYSIS
My knowledge of the first 5 seasons of SNL is not vast so I am unfamiliar with these characters. This is the 4th appearance from The Farbers so I don't really know what their shtick is and after watching this sketch I'm more confused than I was when it started. John and Gilda are an old married couple and they're joined by Dan who is a keyholder at The Playboy Club. Dan keeps talking up Hef and the girls, John is extremely interested in how the club operates, Gilda wants to go home so they don't have to pay the babysitter extra. Hef ends up coming to the table and takes an interest in Gilda, who wants to talk about the Malcolm X interview in a recent Playboy issue. There was a lot of talking in this one but not a lot being said.
FINAL ANALYSIS
"Let's do it for science"
Average
2.4 Stars
MVP
Bill Murray
Angora Bouquet, X-Police, Sex In Cinema, Funeral Magician
Angora Bouquet, X-Police, Sex In Cinema, Funeral Magician
Best Sketch
Sex In Cinema
Worst Sketch
The Playboy Philosophy
How I Would Have Lorne Michaels-ed It
A little less Hef would have helped this one out. Starting out with Playmate cold open then monologue then a women are stupid commercial then a gender stereotype sketch then a sketch about Hef nailing a college co-ed was a bit of overkill at the start. The episode lost me before it had a chance to win me over. That cold open needed setup more so I have an idea of what is going on, then I would start with X-Police. I would have cut The Story Of H and The Playboy Philosophy and just give Libby Titus another song.
Host Analysis
When a non-performer hosts SNL I want them to either be limited in their screen time or play themselves all night and Hef did the latter. I don't really blame him for this episode being lackluster as he admitted in the monologue that he's not a performer. He was pretty wooden and humorless for the whole show which was to be expected. It would have been nice if the show mocked him a little bit rather than make him seem like the cool, swinging hipster he pretended to be.
Final Thoughts
A mixed bag. None of the Hugh Hefner stuff worked for me but there was enough stuff surrounding it that it still ended up being a fairly enjoyable episode. As I was watching it, I was hating it but as I look back on it, it was really just 3 sketches I didn't like.
Up Next
The infamous Charles Grodin episode where he skipped rehearsals and didn't realize the show was live. I've seen this episode before and remember thinking that it was so clearly a bit Charles was doing. I've read different accounts of this. Most say that Grodin has been banned for a bad performance but I believe Charles has come out and said that it was all planned.
Ah the ultimate perv Hugh Hefner
ReplyDeleteInterestingly enough, this is the first appearance where we hear Andy’s actual voice
ReplyDeleteThe concept of deliberately being a bad host in Grodin's episode is one of the most unique things SNL's ever done imo. Patric may have tried it but that episode was a dud.
ReplyDelete