"It only hurts when I do the nasty"
Cold Open: Inside Politics
3 Stars
Republicans hold a peace rally to protest the war in Bosnia
We open with Tim Meadows as Bernard Shaw and Nancy Walls as Bobbie Battista. Walls has her eyes crossed which gets big laughs from the audience. I have no idea who she's impersonating so I had to look her up. While she's not cross eyed she does seem to focus on the teleprompter too closely which gives her a weird eye-line.
Here's a picture of both of them side by side.
Anyway, they throw to a sit-in by Republicans protesting the war in Bosnia. They're all dressed as hippies and holding peace signs. Darrell Hammond is Jesse Helms, David Koechner is Phil Gramm and Mark McKinney is Pat Buchanan. Koechner starts singing John Lennon's 'Imagine' but then stops because he thinks the song is 'queer'. McKinney wants all kids to live so they can know the joy of screaming racial epitaphs then burns his Blockbuster Video card as draft cards no longer exist. Bob Dole shows up with the National Guard and we end with a slow motion fight set to Buffalo Springfield's 'For What It's Worth' as Jesse Helms puts a flower in the barrel of a gun. I like to explain the joke, see the joke here is that they are hypocrites. They are opposing the war because Clinton supports it and for no other reason but they are trying to make it seem like they are for peace when we know they don't care about anyone but their own party. These mid-90s political cold opens don't hold up that well but this was still a fun one.
Anthony Edwards Monologue
We open with Tim Meadows as Bernard Shaw and Nancy Walls as Bobbie Battista. Walls has her eyes crossed which gets big laughs from the audience. I have no idea who she's impersonating so I had to look her up. While she's not cross eyed she does seem to focus on the teleprompter too closely which gives her a weird eye-line.
Here's a picture of both of them side by side.
Anyway, they throw to a sit-in by Republicans protesting the war in Bosnia. They're all dressed as hippies and holding peace signs. Darrell Hammond is Jesse Helms, David Koechner is Phil Gramm and Mark McKinney is Pat Buchanan. Koechner starts singing John Lennon's 'Imagine' but then stops because he thinks the song is 'queer'. McKinney wants all kids to live so they can know the joy of screaming racial epitaphs then burns his Blockbuster Video card as draft cards no longer exist. Bob Dole shows up with the National Guard and we end with a slow motion fight set to Buffalo Springfield's 'For What It's Worth' as Jesse Helms puts a flower in the barrel of a gun. I like to explain the joke, see the joke here is that they are hypocrites. They are opposing the war because Clinton supports it and for no other reason but they are trying to make it seem like they are for peace when we know they don't care about anyone but their own party. These mid-90s political cold opens don't hold up that well but this was still a fun one.
Anthony Edwards Monologue
5 Stars
Edwards introduces us to Swabby, a character cut from ER's pilot.
As soon as Anthony Edwards hits the monologue stage he gets one of the biggest audience noise I've heard in a while. They react to him like The Beatles on Ed Sullivan. He tells us that the hit show ER that he stars on originally had another character that didn't make it past the pilot episode. He brings out Swabby, a salty Popeye-esque janitor who spouts catchphrases like "Kiss me bum and bite me poopdeck". Edwards dismisses Swabby and said that audiences didn't want to see a character like that on TV. We then cut to the audience where Will Ferrell and Cheri Oteri are gushing over Swabby, Fred Wolf is selling Swabby t-shirts and Nancy Walls is telling her baby that she wants it to grow up just like Swabby. I wish this had an ending or a payoff but I absolutely loved this. As the audience voices their love for Swabby they also berate that guy on stage from Chicago Hope, the other hospital drama on TV at the time.
Grimaldi Classic Creations
As soon as Anthony Edwards hits the monologue stage he gets one of the biggest audience noise I've heard in a while. They react to him like The Beatles on Ed Sullivan. He tells us that the hit show ER that he stars on originally had another character that didn't make it past the pilot episode. He brings out Swabby, a salty Popeye-esque janitor who spouts catchphrases like "Kiss me bum and bite me poopdeck". Edwards dismisses Swabby and said that audiences didn't want to see a character like that on TV. We then cut to the audience where Will Ferrell and Cheri Oteri are gushing over Swabby, Fred Wolf is selling Swabby t-shirts and Nancy Walls is telling her baby that she wants it to grow up just like Swabby. I wish this had an ending or a payoff but I absolutely loved this. As the audience voices their love for Swabby they also berate that guy on stage from Chicago Hope, the other hospital drama on TV at the time.
Grimaldi Classic Creations
3 Stars
A handcrafted baby Jesus that will cry under your Christmas tree
This holiday season treat yourself to a handcrafted nativity scene complete with authentic baby Jesus cries that will sound from Christmas Eve to Three Kings Day. The baby Jesus sounds are disturbing and make the dog bark. This was cute but not hilarious.
The Joe Pesci Show
This holiday season treat yourself to a handcrafted nativity scene complete with authentic baby Jesus cries that will sound from Christmas Eve to Three Kings Day. The baby Jesus sounds are disturbing and make the dog bark. This was cute but not hilarious.
The Joe Pesci Show
3 Stars
Joe Pesci welcomes guests and then beats them with a bat
Jim Breuer plays Joe Pesci. His first guest is Sharon Stone. He is upset that she didn't kiss him at the premiere of Casino so he yells at her until she leaves. His next guest is Macaulay Culkin (Anthony Edwards in short pants). Culkin asks him to do Home Alone 3 but Pesci refuses because he hates that he gets beaten up in those movies, does Joe Pesci think movies are real? Anyway, he hits Culkin over the head with a paint can. His last guest is Jim Carrey, played by Mark McKinney. Carrey thinks the show is 'smokin''. Pesci asks 'smokin' how?' and they enact the scene from Goodfellas ending in Joe stabbing Jim in the neck and chest. The energy was fun here but my enjoyment is probably muted because I know we are going to see this ad nauseam. Still, the audience is loving this and their enthusiasm is contagious which made this a fun watch.
Nightline
Jim Breuer plays Joe Pesci. His first guest is Sharon Stone. He is upset that she didn't kiss him at the premiere of Casino so he yells at her until she leaves. His next guest is Macaulay Culkin (Anthony Edwards in short pants). Culkin asks him to do Home Alone 3 but Pesci refuses because he hates that he gets beaten up in those movies, does Joe Pesci think movies are real? Anyway, he hits Culkin over the head with a paint can. His last guest is Jim Carrey, played by Mark McKinney. Carrey thinks the show is 'smokin''. Pesci asks 'smokin' how?' and they enact the scene from Goodfellas ending in Joe stabbing Jim in the neck and chest. The energy was fun here but my enjoyment is probably muted because I know we are going to see this ad nauseam. Still, the audience is loving this and their enthusiasm is contagious which made this a fun watch.
Nightline
4 Stars
A health care debate between several different "doctors"
Darrell Hammond as Ted Koppel welcomes us to Nightline to talk about health care. His first guest is Dr. Mark Greene (Edward's character from ER) and he's also joined by Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman, Dr. Zhivago and Dr. Pepper. After a lively debate they are also joined by Dr. J. and Doc from Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. Doc says nonsensical things like, "I'm a dwarf, I live in the forest, I miss Snow White.". This was stupid and silly but needed an ending. Extra credit goes to the seamless editing in cutting between all the "doctors" in different locations.
Wedding Reception
Darrell Hammond as Ted Koppel welcomes us to Nightline to talk about health care. His first guest is Dr. Mark Greene (Edward's character from ER) and he's also joined by Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman, Dr. Zhivago and Dr. Pepper. After a lively debate they are also joined by Dr. J. and Doc from Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. Doc says nonsensical things like, "I'm a dwarf, I live in the forest, I miss Snow White.". This was stupid and silly but needed an ending. Extra credit goes to the seamless editing in cutting between all the "doctors" in different locations.
Wedding Reception
3 Stars
Mary Katharine Gallagher toasts her cousin's nuptials
Sometimes when Mary Katharine gets nervous she puts her fingers in her ears, smells the wax, flicks it away and licks her fingers. She's here to give a wedding toast to her cousin. She does so by delivering a monologue from 'Fame' and singing 'Endless Love'. The wedding singer, played by Edwards, joins her in the duet which prompts Mary to hug him, tackle him and jump for joy and fall into the wedding cake. You know the drill. If you love this character this sketch works, I always see it as more and more of the same old shtick.
Weekend Update
Sometimes when Mary Katharine gets nervous she puts her fingers in her ears, smells the wax, flicks it away and licks her fingers. She's here to give a wedding toast to her cousin. She does so by delivering a monologue from 'Fame' and singing 'Endless Love'. The wedding singer, played by Edwards, joins her in the duet which prompts Mary to hug him, tackle him and jump for joy and fall into the wedding cake. You know the drill. If you love this character this sketch works, I always see it as more and more of the same old shtick.
Weekend Update
'God, don't let the fear swallow me whole"
Playing the new Beatles song 'Free As A Bird' backwards reveals a hidden message. The message: 'This song sucks'.
The Washington Bullets are changing their name. Bill Clinton suggested The Presidents as a replacement name. Bob Dole suggested The Senators. Washington D.C. mayor Marion Barry said "I'll be with you in a minute right after I smoke some crack.".
A man charged with scaling the White House fence and shooting at the president was released from a psychiatric hospital. His plans include scaling the White House fence and shooting the president.
A sad and broke O.J. is going back to what he does best, murdering people.
Norm's brother Gary MacDonald shows up with a political commentary. Gary is nervous and scared and ends every attempt at a joke with a defeated, "no".
"Giving money to the military is like giving my wife the credit card and letting her run loose in the mall, no."
"Bill Clinton said the troops will be home by Christmas, who do they think they are, Bing Crosby? No."
"Bosnia is up to their old tricks. Trick or treat! No."
Norm tries to calm him down and is worried that he's gonna pass out.
"Pass out? Like pass out pamphlets like a Hare Krishna? No."
He's like Robin Williams on a talk show if he was hopelessly unfunny and depressed.
Foo Fighters
The Washington Bullets are changing their name. Bill Clinton suggested The Presidents as a replacement name. Bob Dole suggested The Senators. Washington D.C. mayor Marion Barry said "I'll be with you in a minute right after I smoke some crack.".
A man charged with scaling the White House fence and shooting at the president was released from a psychiatric hospital. His plans include scaling the White House fence and shooting the president.
A sad and broke O.J. is going back to what he does best, murdering people.
Norm's brother Gary MacDonald shows up with a political commentary. Gary is nervous and scared and ends every attempt at a joke with a defeated, "no".
"Giving money to the military is like giving my wife the credit card and letting her run loose in the mall, no."
"Bill Clinton said the troops will be home by Christmas, who do they think they are, Bing Crosby? No."
"Bosnia is up to their old tricks. Trick or treat! No."
Norm tries to calm him down and is worried that he's gonna pass out.
"Pass out? Like pass out pamphlets like a Hare Krishna? No."
He's like Robin Williams on a talk show if he was hopelessly unfunny and depressed.
Foo Fighters
"I'll Stick Around"
This song is from the first album by Foo Fighters. I did own this album but I bought it at a used record store a couple years after The Colour And The Shape came out. That album I listened to incessantly. This one didn't connect with me as much so I think I only listened to it twice. That ends this week's episode of George's recollection of the music he listened to in the 90s. As for the performance by Foo Fighters, they're Foo Fighters, they fucking rock.
The Nasty
3 Stars
Rapper G-Dogg hurts himself doing his signature dance
Will Ferrell starts us off as an overly helpful roadie setting up G-Dogg's concert. He is told by G-Dogg's manager that 'The Nasty' is gonna be the biggest dance hit since 'The Peppermint Twist'. G-Dogg starts to sing 'The Nasty' but hurts his back doing so. He visits a chiropractor who tells him that his pain may be psychosomatic. He gets on stage the next night and changes the lyrics to his song to 'Do The Handshake' and 'I just want to be your friend'. The audience boos him and Tim Meadows wakes up from a dream while he's sleeping in bed next to Cheri Oteri. He tells her that he dreamed he was in a sketch with a good premise that went nowhere. Cheri assures him that Lorne would never let a sketch like that on the air and asks Lorne himself who is sleeping in the bed with them. Ugh, I hate "it was all a dream" endings, they seem so lazy. I'm assuming Tim Meadows wrote this sketch, couldn't come up with an ending and thought it was clever to comment on the fact that he couldn't come up with an ending. They're jumping straight to self deprecating when the sketch itself was going fine. In fact, if it had just ended with everyone booing him that would have been a fine ending. I was on board with this sketch right up until then.
Spade In America
Will Ferrell starts us off as an overly helpful roadie setting up G-Dogg's concert. He is told by G-Dogg's manager that 'The Nasty' is gonna be the biggest dance hit since 'The Peppermint Twist'. G-Dogg starts to sing 'The Nasty' but hurts his back doing so. He visits a chiropractor who tells him that his pain may be psychosomatic. He gets on stage the next night and changes the lyrics to his song to 'Do The Handshake' and 'I just want to be your friend'. The audience boos him and Tim Meadows wakes up from a dream while he's sleeping in bed next to Cheri Oteri. He tells her that he dreamed he was in a sketch with a good premise that went nowhere. Cheri assures him that Lorne would never let a sketch like that on the air and asks Lorne himself who is sleeping in the bed with them. Ugh, I hate "it was all a dream" endings, they seem so lazy. I'm assuming Tim Meadows wrote this sketch, couldn't come up with an ending and thought it was clever to comment on the fact that he couldn't come up with an ending. They're jumping straight to self deprecating when the sketch itself was going fine. In fact, if it had just ended with everyone booing him that would have been a fine ending. I was on board with this sketch right up until then.
Spade In America
1 Star
Spade has an imaginary conversation with his dad
Spade says he spent the Thanksgiving weekend with his parents. They divorced when he was 5 so he first spent time with his mom and stepdad and then hung out in an airport bar with his dad. The lights dim and he acts out the conversation he had with his emotionally stunted father. So this is some therapuetic personal reflection monologue that I didn't expect and also didn't want. This is where I started to crop all the screen captures I grabbed from this episode.
Turning Point
Spade says he spent the Thanksgiving weekend with his parents. They divorced when he was 5 so he first spent time with his mom and stepdad and then hung out in an airport bar with his dad. The lights dim and he acts out the conversation he had with his emotionally stunted father. So this is some therapuetic personal reflection monologue that I didn't expect and also didn't want. This is where I started to crop all the screen captures I grabbed from this episode.
Turning Point
2 Stars
An in depth interview with Princess Di
Uh oh, we're resorting to putting the host in drag. Edwards plays Princess Di, it's not in bad taste, she was still alive at the time, and man, the Anthony Edwards fan club must have been in the audience tonight. Everything he does gets hoots and hollers. I don't know if this was based on something but Diana acts all crazy, eventually playing the ukeule and singing a song about how she wants to be queen. Edwards does a weird thing with his eyes which is interesting but I was zoning out a bit during this.
Foo Fighters returns with "For All The Cows". This song sounds completely different from the last song. This one starts slow and builds. The first song was all up all the time and this one had nice peaks and valleys. That's what's great about Foo Fighters, they have a very eclectic style so sometimes listening to one of their albums is like listening to an awesome mix tape.
The Hulk Hogan Talk Show!!!
Uh oh, we're resorting to putting the host in drag. Edwards plays Princess Di, it's not in bad taste, she was still alive at the time, and man, the Anthony Edwards fan club must have been in the audience tonight. Everything he does gets hoots and hollers. I don't know if this was based on something but Diana acts all crazy, eventually playing the ukeule and singing a song about how she wants to be queen. Edwards does a weird thing with his eyes which is interesting but I was zoning out a bit during this.
Foo Fighters returns with "For All The Cows". This song sounds completely different from the last song. This one starts slow and builds. The first song was all up all the time and this one had nice peaks and valleys. That's what's great about Foo Fighters, they have a very eclectic style so sometimes listening to one of their albums is like listening to an awesome mix tape.
The Hulk Hogan Talk Show!!!
3 Stars
Hulk Hogan is off this week and Phil Tobin is taking the reigns
"It's the Hulk Hogan talk show. He's the world champion, he's a movie star. He's the world champion, drives a sports car."
Phil Tobin is filling in for Hulk Hogan, who is on vacation. Instead of the usual array of wrestlers, his guest this week is a man who was taken hostage by a terrorist group. Before the guest can speak though he is routinely interrupted by the wrestling moment of the week, wrestling trivia and the reading of the Hulkster's fan mail. A promising premise fizzles as it has nowhere to go after the initial joke that Hulk is on vacation.
FINAL ANALYSIS
"It's the Hulk Hogan talk show. He's the world champion, he's a movie star. He's the world champion, drives a sports car."
Phil Tobin is filling in for Hulk Hogan, who is on vacation. Instead of the usual array of wrestlers, his guest this week is a man who was taken hostage by a terrorist group. Before the guest can speak though he is routinely interrupted by the wrestling moment of the week, wrestling trivia and the reading of the Hulkster's fan mail. A promising premise fizzles as it has nowhere to go after the initial joke that Hulk is on vacation.
FINAL ANALYSIS
"I wish that bore from St. Elsewhere would shut up"
Average
3 Stars
MVP
David Koechner
Cold Open, Monologue, Grimaldi Classic Creations, Nightline, Weekend Update
Cold Open, Monologue, Grimaldi Classic Creations, Nightline, Weekend Update
Best Sketch
Nightline
Worst Sketch
Turning Point
How I Would Have Lorne Michaels-ed It
There was a bit of a lull in the middle of the episode starting with Mary Katherine Gallagher and things never quite picked up after that. If they had swapped Nightline and Turning Point that would have saved some silly for the end of the night when the show needed a boost.
Host Analysis
Edwards tried something in every sketch. It didn't always work for me but I respected the effort.
Final Thoughts
Final Thoughts
A hit and miss episode but an enjoyable one. I mentioned it a few times but the audience was really lively during this whole episode which helped a lot. Live comedy is always better with an audience that's laughing and they were hooting and hollering throughout the whole episode.
Up Next
David Alan Grier hosts. This is a dude that I always wish they would have cast on the show.
No comments:
Post a Comment