"Gonna have a wing ding doodle tonight"
Cold Open: Monica Meets Linda
4 Stars
Monica Lewinsky meets Linda Tripp at a restaurant to talk about her affair
Monica comes in to meet Linda Tripp. As they hug, the sound of Linda's tape recorder giving feedback is heard. Linda says she enjoyed their conversation last night about the numerous sexual affairs Monica had with President Clinton and would like to go over it all again. She also asks Monica to speak clearly in to her over-sized flower. Unfortunately for Linda, Monica is bored with all that and wants to talk about Linda, for instance, is she still planning on getting liposuction on her jowls? During a sexually euphemistic conversation about Titanic ("It was so big and long and took 2 hours to go down") the camera pans to special guest, Dan Aykroyd as Bob Dole who says he would never let the American presidency sink to this level. I found it odd that Aykroyd got no recognition applause from the audience. I wonder if they told them to cool it for time reasons. The sketch ends with Linda putting Monica in a headlock and screaming to tell the flower what she did.
"You're a dirty dirty girl and you had dirty dirty sex with that dirty dirty president!"
John Goodman Monologue
Monica comes in to meet Linda Tripp. As they hug, the sound of Linda's tape recorder giving feedback is heard. Linda says she enjoyed their conversation last night about the numerous sexual affairs Monica had with President Clinton and would like to go over it all again. She also asks Monica to speak clearly in to her over-sized flower. Unfortunately for Linda, Monica is bored with all that and wants to talk about Linda, for instance, is she still planning on getting liposuction on her jowls? During a sexually euphemistic conversation about Titanic ("It was so big and long and took 2 hours to go down") the camera pans to special guest, Dan Aykroyd as Bob Dole who says he would never let the American presidency sink to this level. I found it odd that Aykroyd got no recognition applause from the audience. I wonder if they told them to cool it for time reasons. The sketch ends with Linda putting Monica in a headlock and screaming to tell the flower what she did.
"You're a dirty dirty girl and you had dirty dirty sex with that dirty dirty president!"
John Goodman Monologue
1 Star
Elwood and Mighty Mack Blues sing 'Looking For A Fox'
Here's something I may have never seen, aside from Pee Wee Herman. Don Pardo introduces a character to do the monologue and instead of a monologue it's a musical performance. Even when musicians host they usually say "Hello" before launching into their song. Pardo introduces Elwood and Mighty Mack Blues along with the original Blues Brothers Band. They sing "Looking For A Fox" while Cheri, Molly and Ana perform background vocals in sunglasses. There's no joke here, it's just a musical performance and a kind of lame one. There's nothing much sadder than big fat white guys singing blues music. Side note, if you've ever seen the atrocity that is Blues Brothers 2000 you will realize why I was cringing during this.
Morning Latte
Here's something I may have never seen, aside from Pee Wee Herman. Don Pardo introduces a character to do the monologue and instead of a monologue it's a musical performance. Even when musicians host they usually say "Hello" before launching into their song. Pardo introduces Elwood and Mighty Mack Blues along with the original Blues Brothers Band. They sing "Looking For A Fox" while Cheri, Molly and Ana perform background vocals in sunglasses. There's no joke here, it's just a musical performance and a kind of lame one. There's nothing much sadder than big fat white guys singing blues music. Side note, if you've ever seen the atrocity that is Blues Brothers 2000 you will realize why I was cringing during this.
Morning Latte
3 Stars
Two morning news airheads talk about the Lewinsky scandal
First question, does the producer character in this sketch need to be a big fat guy? It's just weird that we first saw these characters in the Chris Farley episode, where Farley played the producer, cut to 4 months later, big fat guy is hosting, time to bring that back. Cheri and Will talk about Spice World and how it's better than A Hard Day's Night before touching on Monica Lewinsky. Cheri has not heard the story as she doesn't care for newspapers but Will has been riveted. Will doesn't believe the allegations as he thinks Lewinsky is a fat, fat, fat cow and the president was probably just attempting to milk her. Goodman asks that he ease up on the White House intern.
"But she's a fat tub of goo and I'll bet she smells."
I liked this incarnation much better than the first time. Their idiocy mixed with political talk reminded me of FOX and Friends. It had the same ending though as Goodman comes out with a gift for Cheri and calls her a bitch.
The 7th Commandment
First question, does the producer character in this sketch need to be a big fat guy? It's just weird that we first saw these characters in the Chris Farley episode, where Farley played the producer, cut to 4 months later, big fat guy is hosting, time to bring that back. Cheri and Will talk about Spice World and how it's better than A Hard Day's Night before touching on Monica Lewinsky. Cheri has not heard the story as she doesn't care for newspapers but Will has been riveted. Will doesn't believe the allegations as he thinks Lewinsky is a fat, fat, fat cow and the president was probably just attempting to milk her. Goodman asks that he ease up on the White House intern.
"But she's a fat tub of goo and I'll bet she smells."
I liked this incarnation much better than the first time. Their idiocy mixed with political talk reminded me of FOX and Friends. It had the same ending though as Goodman comes out with a gift for Cheri and calls her a bitch.
The 7th Commandment
4 Stars
Bill Clinton debates the meaning of adultery with Moses
Moses is reading off the ten commandments but the crowd has a problem with the 7th one, Thou Shalt Not Commit Adultery. Bill Clinton steps forward and challenges Moses asking what exactly he means by that.
"Thou shalt not know any woman other than thy wife."
"What if you just let a woman know you? You're not knowing her back."
Moses believes it to be adultery, Clinton asks if God specifically said anything about it. This is based on the fact that Clinton didn't consider oral sex to be an act of adultery. Hearing him argue the definition with God's messenger was a fun twist on it. Not knowing what was coming, the reveal of Clinton in the crowd was really funny.
Eye On The Olympics
Moses is reading off the ten commandments but the crowd has a problem with the 7th one, Thou Shalt Not Commit Adultery. Bill Clinton steps forward and challenges Moses asking what exactly he means by that.
"Thou shalt not know any woman other than thy wife."
"What if you just let a woman know you? You're not knowing her back."
Moses believes it to be adultery, Clinton asks if God specifically said anything about it. This is based on the fact that Clinton didn't consider oral sex to be an act of adultery. Hearing him argue the definition with God's messenger was a fun twist on it. Not knowing what was coming, the reveal of Clinton in the crowd was really funny.
Eye On The Olympics
3 Stars
Two flamboyant and culturally insensitive commentators report from Japan
Will and Chris are two gay sports reporters, Brian Boitano and Rudy Galindo specifically. Their actual identities aren't important as they are just gay stereotypes on which to hang sexual jokes. They interview Molly as Michelle Kwan, thankfully not doing an accent of any kind, make jokes about the "stiff" competition and throw to a pre-filmed bit where they shop for kimonos in Japan. Will comes out dressed like a geisha, they make jokes about sumo underwear and act culturally insensitive around Japanese people. Crude and tasteless but funny so it gets a pass.
The X-Presidents
Will and Chris are two gay sports reporters, Brian Boitano and Rudy Galindo specifically. Their actual identities aren't important as they are just gay stereotypes on which to hang sexual jokes. They interview Molly as Michelle Kwan, thankfully not doing an accent of any kind, make jokes about the "stiff" competition and throw to a pre-filmed bit where they shop for kimonos in Japan. Will comes out dressed like a geisha, they make jokes about sumo underwear and act culturally insensitive around Japanese people. Crude and tasteless but funny so it gets a pass.
The X-Presidents
5 Stars
Former U.S. presidents save the day with their superpowers
The four ex-presidents were dosed with radiation at a celebrity golf tournament and developed superpowers as a result. Gerald Ford is shown spinning like a tornado, Jimmy Carter karate chops a giant ant, Ronald Reagan throws a fireball and George H.W. Bush is seen lassoing an alien. During a summit, Boris Yeltsin rips off his face to show the world he's an alien, uses a ray gun to release a giant rat into the crowd and turns Senator Ted Kennedy into a giant headed monster. The alert goes out to our heroes and they spring into action, after George gets down plowing his wife of course. Not too long after they arrive they are eaten by Ted Kennedy and call for their wives from inside his stomach. Betty, Roslyn, Nancy and Bar (dressed as She-Hulk) come to save the day, throw Kennedy into the water near Chappaquiddick and it ends with a Partridge Family style musical number that warns us that aliens and communists are one in the same. I laughed consistently and hard during this one.
Emeril Live!
The four ex-presidents were dosed with radiation at a celebrity golf tournament and developed superpowers as a result. Gerald Ford is shown spinning like a tornado, Jimmy Carter karate chops a giant ant, Ronald Reagan throws a fireball and George H.W. Bush is seen lassoing an alien. During a summit, Boris Yeltsin rips off his face to show the world he's an alien, uses a ray gun to release a giant rat into the crowd and turns Senator Ted Kennedy into a giant headed monster. The alert goes out to our heroes and they spring into action, after George gets down plowing his wife of course. Not too long after they arrive they are eaten by Ted Kennedy and call for their wives from inside his stomach. Betty, Roslyn, Nancy and Bar (dressed as She-Hulk) come to save the day, throw Kennedy into the water near Chappaquiddick and it ends with a Partridge Family style musical number that warns us that aliens and communists are one in the same. I laughed consistently and hard during this one.
Emeril Live!
2 Stars
Emeril's show is interrupted by Monica Lewinsky's lawyer
So, I'm guessing William Ginsberg was making the rounds on television to get the word out about his client, Monica Lewinsky. Jim plays TV chef Emeril Lagasse, in what can generously be called a subpar impression, his guest is Ginsberg who helps him stir a pot of sauce while addressing the camera to plead to Kenneth Starr to hear his story. He asks for immunity for Monica in return she will spill the beans on the sexual misconduct, perjury, obstruction of justice and how she moved Vince Foster's body out of the White House.
Weekend Update
So, I'm guessing William Ginsberg was making the rounds on television to get the word out about his client, Monica Lewinsky. Jim plays TV chef Emeril Lagasse, in what can generously be called a subpar impression, his guest is Ginsberg who helps him stir a pot of sauce while addressing the camera to plead to Kenneth Starr to hear his story. He asks for immunity for Monica in return she will spill the beans on the sexual misconduct, perjury, obstruction of justice and how she moved Vince Foster's body out of the White House.
Weekend Update
"Matt (Damon), we need to talk"
I'll give credit to Colin Quinn. He's not Norm in anyway shape or form but he never tried to be. Instead of delivering well crafted jokes competently and with good comic timing, he chose to deliver more rants about things that were cheesing him off. It's not my preference but I commend him for doing something different. This week he opens with a bit on Clinton, comparing him to your hound dog buddy who hits on every waitress at the Olive Garden. He tells the kid that had sex with his teacher that he's doing good. He doesn't think figure skating should be an Olympic sport. Then he has a big long bit about Matt Damon. He suspects that Ben Affleck did most of the typing when they were writing Good Will Hunting and then compares them to Ben Kingsley and Ralph Fiennes in Schindler's List, Affleck as Kingsley furiously typing away and Damon as Fiennes shooting Jews from his balcony. He then pulls out a collage he's been working on that tie Damon to several atrocities.
College student Randy Graves drops by to give a young person's perspective on the Monica Lewinsky scandal. Randy is cool with the whole thing and takes Bill's side.
"Slick Willy went for a kick ass hummer on the sly then that bitch Linda Tripp totally cock blocked him."
He tells a story about his former roommate, Hambone, who was dubbed the laundry room rapist but is still a cool guy in Randy's eyes. This was interesting to watch today and is actually a funnier commentary now than it was then. We act like we're evolving but you know there are plenty of young men who would try to high five attempted rape.
Paula Cole
"Slick Willy went for a kick ass hummer on the sly then that bitch Linda Tripp totally cock blocked him."
He tells a story about his former roommate, Hambone, who was dubbed the laundry room rapist but is still a cool guy in Randy's eyes. This was interesting to watch today and is actually a funnier commentary now than it was then. We act like we're evolving but you know there are plenty of young men who would try to high five attempted rape.
Paula Cole
"I Don't Want To Wait"
You may remember this song as the theme to Dawson's Creek. I've never been ashamed to admit that I liked the Lilith Fair women of the 90s.
Judge Judy
You may remember this song as the theme to Dawson's Creek. I've never been ashamed to admit that I liked the Lilith Fair women of the 90s.
Judge Judy
3 Stars
Irwin Mainway is being sued for dangerous toys
Ana is suing Irwin Mainway after her son ordered several deathtraps from his toy catalog. After Bob Dole, Elwood Blues and now Irwin Mainway, we have seen the Dan Aykroyd greatest hits. It's starting to feel like a sad midlife crisis at this point. I'm half expecting him to try to fit into his old bee costume and flex in front of a mirror. One of the toys Irwin tries to defend is 'Johnny Doctor' which is just a bag of medical waste. There's also the abandoned refrigerator time machine, the stair skis, Asbestos bear and Bag of Butts and Broken Glass. The sketch plays out the way you expect and ends the same way the last Judge Judy sketch ended. Judy gets angry...at the plaintiff and sides with Irwin Mainway.
Martha Stewart Living
Ana is suing Irwin Mainway after her son ordered several deathtraps from his toy catalog. After Bob Dole, Elwood Blues and now Irwin Mainway, we have seen the Dan Aykroyd greatest hits. It's starting to feel like a sad midlife crisis at this point. I'm half expecting him to try to fit into his old bee costume and flex in front of a mirror. One of the toys Irwin tries to defend is 'Johnny Doctor' which is just a bag of medical waste. There's also the abandoned refrigerator time machine, the stair skis, Asbestos bear and Bag of Butts and Broken Glass. The sketch plays out the way you expect and ends the same way the last Judge Judy sketch ended. Judy gets angry...at the plaintiff and sides with Irwin Mainway.
Martha Stewart Living
4 Stars
Martha shows us elegant and creative ways to escape Cuba
Martha Stewart is showing off how she has been smuggling people out of Cuba. She made a raft out of sun bleached driftwood, a passport out of aged parchment and a jar if Indian Ink and demonstrates the usefulness of a latex surgical glove. Stuffing one with jewelry, money or food and hiding it in your nether quarters is a great way to get things past authorities. Martha has her lunch hidden there now.
Sabado Christoso
Martha Stewart is showing off how she has been smuggling people out of Cuba. She made a raft out of sun bleached driftwood, a passport out of aged parchment and a jar if Indian Ink and demonstrates the usefulness of a latex surgical glove. Stuffing one with jewelry, money or food and hiding it in your nether quarters is a great way to get things past authorities. Martha has her lunch hidden there now.
Sabado Christoso
2 Stars
William Ginsberg shows up on a Spanish variety show
Dan and Molly are speaking in Spanish and I have no idea what is going on, until they bring out their guest William Ginsburg. We have ourselves a runner as this is the same bit as before just en español. Ginsberg addresses the camera in Spanish, the only English words being gonorrhea, syphilis and chlamydia. It's a little hard to critique political comedy 30 years later. At least it was short.
Cobras
Dan and Molly are speaking in Spanish and I have no idea what is going on, until they bring out their guest William Ginsburg. We have ourselves a runner as this is the same bit as before just en español. Ginsberg addresses the camera in Spanish, the only English words being gonorrhea, syphilis and chlamydia. It's a little hard to critique political comedy 30 years later. At least it was short.
Cobras
3 Stars
Loose snakes on a plane terrify passengers
John, Ana and Tim are making small talk on their way to Hawaii when the pilot, Will, breaks in over the intercom and informs the passengers that there is a live cobra on the plane.
John, Ana and Tim are making small talk on their way to Hawaii when the pilot, Will, breaks in over the intercom and informs the passengers that there is a live cobra on the plane.
"On the right you have a stunning view of the coastline. On the left you have to deal with a 7 foot cobra."
A cobra bites one of the passengers, then the stewardess. The pilot breaks in and informs everyone that there are now 7 cobras loose and this has become a death flight. He also adds that he has been bitten himself, venom is coursing through his veins and he has lost his mind. The plane crashes and turns into a fireball. You would think the sketch would be over but a cobra speaks to the camera and tells us to watch out because he could be lurking anywhere. Cobras live in the darkness and you could be reaching for your lover or opening a serving platter and instead find a dangerous cobra. Could have done without the last bit but it was still fun.
Storytellers
A cobra bites one of the passengers, then the stewardess. The pilot breaks in and informs everyone that there are now 7 cobras loose and this has become a death flight. He also adds that he has been bitten himself, venom is coursing through his veins and he has lost his mind. The plane crashes and turns into a fireball. You would think the sketch would be over but a cobra speaks to the camera and tells us to watch out because he could be lurking anywhere. Cobras live in the darkness and you could be reaching for your lover or opening a serving platter and instead find a dangerous cobra. Could have done without the last bit but it was still fun.
Storytellers
5 Stars
Neil Diamond tells us the inspirations to his hit songs
Neil Diamond starts to sing 'Sweet Caroline' but stops to tell the crowd how it was conceived. It was right after a big show and he was drinking and driving. He hit a kid, got out of the car and, sure enough, he was dead so Neil took off pretty fast. 'Cracklin' Rosie' is all about Neil's love of hardcore, barely legal pornography. 'America' is actually about Neil's hatred of immigrants and all people with dark skin. 'Forever In Blue Jeans' is a song Neil wrote after he killed a drifter to get an erection. This is a quintessential 10-1 sketch, dark, weird and hilarious.
Before the microphones are turned off, Dan shouts a shameless plug for his new movie.
"Go see Blues Brothers 2000 all over Canada and the United States. Grandma and the kids will love it."
I've seen Blues Brothers 2000 and I can attest that nobody will like it. If your grandma likes it, it is time for the home. If your kids like it, it is time to get new kids.
Neil Diamond starts to sing 'Sweet Caroline' but stops to tell the crowd how it was conceived. It was right after a big show and he was drinking and driving. He hit a kid, got out of the car and, sure enough, he was dead so Neil took off pretty fast. 'Cracklin' Rosie' is all about Neil's love of hardcore, barely legal pornography. 'America' is actually about Neil's hatred of immigrants and all people with dark skin. 'Forever In Blue Jeans' is a song Neil wrote after he killed a drifter to get an erection. This is a quintessential 10-1 sketch, dark, weird and hilarious.
Before the microphones are turned off, Dan shouts a shameless plug for his new movie.
"Go see Blues Brothers 2000 all over Canada and the United States. Grandma and the kids will love it."
I've seen Blues Brothers 2000 and I can attest that nobody will like it. If your grandma likes it, it is time for the home. If your kids like it, it is time to get new kids.
"You get the gold medal...in outrageousness"
Average
3.25 Stars
MVP
Will Ferrell
Morning Latte, Eye On The Olympics, Weekend Update, Cobras, Storytellers
Morning Latte, Eye On The Olympics, Weekend Update, Cobras, Storytellers
Best Sketch
Storytellers
Worst Sketch
Emeril Live/Sabado Christoso
How I Would Have Lorne Michaels-ed It
Really only two things bugged me in his episode. One was the monologue. I know he's probably doing his buddy Dan a favor but that was just sad. The saddest part is just how delusional Aykroyd must be. Nobody had the courage to tell him until it was too late. When he was touring with Jim Belushi, when he was opening House Of Blues restaurants, when he was writing the screenplay and getting the band back together, nobody ever said, "Hey Dan, whatcha working on? Wanna take a second to think over that a second time?". The second thing that bugged me was the William Ginsberg sketches. They were missing a 3rd punchline. You have him on Emeril, then a Spanish show, you needed a 3rd crazy absurd thing. Have him interrupt a commercial parody or be the surprise guest on The Joe Pesci Show. I think I may have enjoyed The Robin Byrd Show if John Goodman was forced to strip for airtime.
Host Analysis
I've noticed this every time John Goodman has hosted, he has an ability to disappear in an episode. He never overshadows an episode, he just comes in and acts like he's part of the cast. Other than his Linda Tripp, he played second fiddle the whole night, not just to the cast but to Dan Aykroyd. His monologue was just an excuse to plug a movie that was someone else's lovechild, then he played roles like the guy behind Neil Diamond, the guy who tells the crazy Morning Latte hosts that they are crazy, a scared passenger and Moses, who is used as a straight man to Bill Clinton. This is not a bad thing at all but is actually what I would prefer. One of my least favorite things on SNL is when a host comes in and they have to do a sketch pertaining to what they are known for. Jeremy Renner is hosting so we need to do an Avengers sketch, Jason Momoa has to be in a Game Of Thrones sketch, John Goodman just shows up and says "Hey, let's do a fun show".
Final Thoughts
A really enjoyable episode, except for the monologue. There wasn't anything in this episode that stunk. I was enjoying the episode so much that I didn't realize until the very last minute that Norm MacDonald wasn't in it at all. I went back to the beginning and saw that he wasn't in the opening credits. I'm a little confused because I remember him being in the Garth Brooks episode. Did he get fired, re-hired and fired again? Was there a contractual thing where he was forced to do one last episode? Was this a power move on someone's part where Norm didn't show up to work so they took him out of the credits and then he apologized and came back? I can't find any info on this anywhere.
Up Next
Touched By An Angel star Roma Downey hosts. I am expecting a lesser episode just because she doesn't strike me as a very funny person but I've been shocked before.
Think Norm only appeared in two more sketches after this episode. The who's more grizzled sketch with Robert Duvall and a Larry King cold open. Could it have been that he was still a cast member albeit used very sparingly?
ReplyDeleteI've finished watching all the eps and he's not in next week's except for the goodnights randomly, then the two you mentioned and then a quick Burt Reynolds appearance after that. So 3 sketches in 5 episodes. The story always goes that he was fired by Ohlmeyer for not being funny but there's got to be more than that. I would love to know what backstage SNL was like during the couple weeks after he got the boot.
DeleteI think their was tension with the cast on his firing even though it never showed on screen think that is why Will as Harry kept calling Colin Norm.
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