"I also build little race cars out of my poop"
Cold Open: Multiple Broadcasts
Cold Open: Multiple Broadcasts
4 Stars
NBC is offering two channels of content to talk about the president
Tim Meadows says that due to the dismissal of the Paula Jones case against the president, SNL is unsure how to satirize the president in a manner that is both insightful and hilarious. So they are going to do two cold opens tonight. On NBC 1, Lewis Lapham will provide historical commentary and on NBC 2, there will be a comedy scene about Clinton's dong. The channel keeps changing back and forth. On NBC 1, writer Lewis Lapham is talking about how the president's conduct will effect America and on NBC 2, Hillary is yelling at Bill and from under the desk comes Monica Lewinsky and Paula Jones. Then Janet Reno comes in to join a pillow fight, Goat Boy shows up to have sex with the president, Oprah Winfrey delivers a pizza, has sex with the president and then pulls off her wig to reveal she's actually O.J. Simpson. The constantly changing channels gets a bit repetitive but the heightening of craziness in the oval office was all very fun.
Steve Buscemi Monologue
Tim Meadows says that due to the dismissal of the Paula Jones case against the president, SNL is unsure how to satirize the president in a manner that is both insightful and hilarious. So they are going to do two cold opens tonight. On NBC 1, Lewis Lapham will provide historical commentary and on NBC 2, there will be a comedy scene about Clinton's dong. The channel keeps changing back and forth. On NBC 1, writer Lewis Lapham is talking about how the president's conduct will effect America and on NBC 2, Hillary is yelling at Bill and from under the desk comes Monica Lewinsky and Paula Jones. Then Janet Reno comes in to join a pillow fight, Goat Boy shows up to have sex with the president, Oprah Winfrey delivers a pizza, has sex with the president and then pulls off her wig to reveal she's actually O.J. Simpson. The constantly changing channels gets a bit repetitive but the heightening of craziness in the oval office was all very fun.
Steve Buscemi Monologue
4 Stars
Steve performs some improv scenes with the cast
Steve says that he is mostly known for playing thugs, serial killers and rapists but most people don't know that he got his start doing comedy with his improv troupe, The Kook Factory. He wants to do some improv with the cast so he brings out Will, Tim and Ana and goes to the audience for some suggestions. After not liking the first suggestion he gets violent when the second person suggests a family reunion for a scene.
"Quit jerking me around. We're trying to do improv not stupid ass suggestion-prov."
They start doing a scene at a 7-11 and Steve starts saying lines from Reservoir Dogs. The rest of the cast stops the scene and suggests they switch locations. They start to perform a scene in a nursery school but Steve starts doing lines from Fargo. Realizing he may not be good at improv, Steve calls it crap and thinks that anyone who likes it should be shot in the face.
Rerun of Xerox Assjet 790
Steve says that he is mostly known for playing thugs, serial killers and rapists but most people don't know that he got his start doing comedy with his improv troupe, The Kook Factory. He wants to do some improv with the cast so he brings out Will, Tim and Ana and goes to the audience for some suggestions. After not liking the first suggestion he gets violent when the second person suggests a family reunion for a scene.
"Quit jerking me around. We're trying to do improv not stupid ass suggestion-prov."
They start doing a scene at a 7-11 and Steve starts saying lines from Reservoir Dogs. The rest of the cast stops the scene and suggests they switch locations. They start to perform a scene in a nursery school but Steve starts doing lines from Fargo. Realizing he may not be good at improv, Steve calls it crap and thinks that anyone who likes it should be shot in the face.
Rerun of Xerox Assjet 790
The Mad Tea Party
5 Stars
The Mad Hatter starts to creep everyone out
It's the tea party from Alice In Wonderland, Molly is Alice, Ana is the doormouse, John Hurt is the rabbit and Steve is the Mad Hatter. They all take turns describing the crazy things they do like wearing socks on their hands and bathing in the sand but The Mad Hatter's examples take a dark turn. His examples of madness include washing his hands 100 times a day because they smell like his mother, constantly burning his penis with red hot cigar butts and sleeping with his underwear in his mouth. Alice starts to get freaked out by him and we discover that nobody at the tea party knows who this guy is. Two men from the insane asylum come to take him away and as he's being forced into a straight jacket he announces that he's poisoned their tea. This is one of my favorite sketches of all time. Steve is terrific here, John Hurt adds a touch of class and the line "I also make little race cars out of my poop" never ceases to bring a smile to my face.
Morning Latte
It's the tea party from Alice In Wonderland, Molly is Alice, Ana is the doormouse, John Hurt is the rabbit and Steve is the Mad Hatter. They all take turns describing the crazy things they do like wearing socks on their hands and bathing in the sand but The Mad Hatter's examples take a dark turn. His examples of madness include washing his hands 100 times a day because they smell like his mother, constantly burning his penis with red hot cigar butts and sleeping with his underwear in his mouth. Alice starts to get freaked out by him and we discover that nobody at the tea party knows who this guy is. Two men from the insane asylum come to take him away and as he's being forced into a straight jacket he announces that he's poisoned their tea. This is one of my favorite sketches of all time. Steve is terrific here, John Hurt adds a touch of class and the line "I also make little race cars out of my poop" never ceases to bring a smile to my face.
Morning Latte
3 Stars
A Grease superfan meets his idol on a morning talk show
After some talk about El Nino and the Oscars, Will and Cheri announce that Grease is coming back to theaters. Their guest today is the movie's number 1 fan and Steve comes out in a greaser wig and T-Birds jacket. He provides some Grease trivia like how Charo was the first choice for Rizzo and the T-Birds were originally called the Pelicans before Didi Conn comes out to surprise him. Steve freaks out when he meets one of his idols and wants her to sign his Pink Ladies jacket and scrapbook. The two hosts want to talk to her about her roles on Benson and The Love Boat. Steve gets to the point where he can't take it and screams.
"She's the beauty school dropout from Grease you stupid bitch!"
He leaves angry and the two hosts throw to commercial. This is the 3rd time we've seen this sketch and I think I have finally pinpointed why it doesn't work for me. First off, "You stupid bitch" is not a great punchline for a sketch. Secondly, in all 3 incarnations the anger is always aimed towards Cheri's character when Will is just as daft, if not more so. Why does the guest or producer always call out the woman for being a stupid bitch? Is there some underlying commentary there? I don't think so, I think they just liked saying "bitch" on live TV as it was the only curse word they could get away with. Still, Steve makes this enjoyable.
Goth Talk
"She's the beauty school dropout from Grease you stupid bitch!"
He leaves angry and the two hosts throw to commercial. This is the 3rd time we've seen this sketch and I think I have finally pinpointed why it doesn't work for me. First off, "You stupid bitch" is not a great punchline for a sketch. Secondly, in all 3 incarnations the anger is always aimed towards Cheri's character when Will is just as daft, if not more so. Why does the guest or producer always call out the woman for being a stupid bitch? Is there some underlying commentary there? I don't think so, I think they just liked saying "bitch" on live TV as it was the only curse word they could get away with. Still, Steve makes this enjoyable.
Goth Talk
4 Stars
The two goth kids throw their own prom
I didn't think it was possible. If you would have told me that I would love a Goth Talk sketch I wouldn't believe you. Steve Buscemi single handedly turns this recurring turd into a nugget of gold. Molly and Chris are playing their goth characters and since they don't fit in at the school prom they have created their own "Prom Of Doom" in the custodian closet down the hall. They enter and we see Steve mopping up as they describe the foul stench that surrounds them. Steve tells them that is not the smells of Satan but in fact the boiler, when it gets going it really starts to smell like farts. He notices the camera and introduces himself as Tony Baloney, the janitor who sleeps down here sometimes. He tells them not to worry about their weird little party, he won't tell anyone what happens and wants them to return the favor.
"If I got busted for every time I did something weird down here..."
I didn't think it was possible. If you would have told me that I would love a Goth Talk sketch I wouldn't believe you. Steve Buscemi single handedly turns this recurring turd into a nugget of gold. Molly and Chris are playing their goth characters and since they don't fit in at the school prom they have created their own "Prom Of Doom" in the custodian closet down the hall. They enter and we see Steve mopping up as they describe the foul stench that surrounds them. Steve tells them that is not the smells of Satan but in fact the boiler, when it gets going it really starts to smell like farts. He notices the camera and introduces himself as Tony Baloney, the janitor who sleeps down here sometimes. He tells them not to worry about their weird little party, he won't tell anyone what happens and wants them to return the favor.
"If I got busted for every time I did something weird down here..."
He also asks if the kids are "in to pornos" and offers them "all kinds of blood" for their ritual sacrifice. The party ends abruptly when it gets to hot for Tony.
"Man, it's hotter than a bastard down here. Mind if I take my pants off?"
He has also forgotten his underpants. Is this the secret to making any lame recurring sketch watchable? Just put Steve Buscemi in it? Could he make Helen Madden interesting? Linda Richman? The Leg Up ladies?
Titey
"Man, it's hotter than a bastard down here. Mind if I take my pants off?"
He has also forgotten his underpants. Is this the secret to making any lame recurring sketch watchable? Just put Steve Buscemi in it? Could he make Helen Madden interesting? Linda Richman? The Leg Up ladies?
Titey
5 Stars
A Disney version of the Oscar winning classic
Titanic has just won a bunch of Oscars and now it's time for Disney to have their say. Introducing Titey starring Jason Alexander as the voice of the ship, Whoopi Goldberg as the iceberg and Molly Ringwald as Anne Frank. Cartoon fish try to fix Titey's holes with bubblegum, Titey meets his mom and a Gilbert Gottfried voiced Napoleon watches the sword fight that takes place between Titey and the ice. This might be the smartest and funniest Saturday TV Funhouse I've seen yet.
Stuff We Made
Titanic has just won a bunch of Oscars and now it's time for Disney to have their say. Introducing Titey starring Jason Alexander as the voice of the ship, Whoopi Goldberg as the iceberg and Molly Ringwald as Anne Frank. Cartoon fish try to fix Titey's holes with bubblegum, Titey meets his mom and a Gilbert Gottfried voiced Napoleon watches the sword fight that takes place between Titey and the ice. This might be the smartest and funniest Saturday TV Funhouse I've seen yet.
Stuff We Made
5 Stars
Two handymen show off their creations
Jim and Steve are showing off the things they have made in their garage. Steve has made a Scare-Jeff which is a piece of felt glued to a stick with googly eyes on it. He uses it to scare his wife's new husband. To make it scarier he usually wears a leather mask and plays German techno music while he taunts him with it.
"Yours can be a Scare-Jerry or Tim or Phil. Whatever guy is giving it to your old lady."
Jim and Steve are showing off the things they have made in their garage. Steve has made a Scare-Jeff which is a piece of felt glued to a stick with googly eyes on it. He uses it to scare his wife's new husband. To make it scarier he usually wears a leather mask and plays German techno music while he taunts him with it.
"Yours can be a Scare-Jerry or Tim or Phil. Whatever guy is giving it to your old lady."
Jim shows off a napkin holder that took him 6 months to make. It looks like it was made of Popsicle sticks but he actually hand carved each of the sticks out of mahogany, rounding the edges off with sandpaper and dying the sticks orange. Steve shows off a wallet wallet which is a wallet made out of a bunch of wallets that you can keep your wallet in so it doesn't get worn out and a mini ghost squirrel bike for his dolls.
"I killed a bunch of squirrels with a ballpoint pen, cut out the skulls and put them in Clorox. Now you have to find a toy bike that your dolls won't reject. I went to like 7 different stores to find this one. Now you tape the squirrel skull to the handlebars and you're in business."
This was hilarious, despite Jim messing up one of his lines and trying to make a bit out of it and then laughing at himself. That couldn't derail a sketch that was practically perfect.
Weekend Update
"I killed a bunch of squirrels with a ballpoint pen, cut out the skulls and put them in Clorox. Now you have to find a toy bike that your dolls won't reject. I went to like 7 different stores to find this one. Now you tape the squirrel skull to the handlebars and you're in business."
This was hilarious, despite Jim messing up one of his lines and trying to make a bit out of it and then laughing at himself. That couldn't derail a sketch that was practically perfect.
Weekend Update
Jokes this week come from Paula Jones, Macaulay Culkin, Viagra, James Cameron and Doctor Kevorkian. Nothing special or memorable.
NFL defensive end, Reggie White apparently delivered a speech where he made controversial remarks about different racists. He's on the show to clear the air and fill us in on his thoughts about Samoans, they are dirty, filthy and stupid. He also has a hatred of midgets and quotes the bible verse "Thou shalt not midget thyself". He goes on to say that every race has something to offer, midgets are great at being hated, gypsies are good at lying and cheating and stealing things. The worst of all are the really tall midgets, people, he really hates them.
Third Eye Blind
NFL defensive end, Reggie White apparently delivered a speech where he made controversial remarks about different racists. He's on the show to clear the air and fill us in on his thoughts about Samoans, they are dirty, filthy and stupid. He also has a hatred of midgets and quotes the bible verse "Thou shalt not midget thyself". He goes on to say that every race has something to offer, midgets are great at being hated, gypsies are good at lying and cheating and stealing things. The worst of all are the really tall midgets, people, he really hates them.
Third Eye Blind
"How's It Gonna Be?"
If I wasn't a huge fan of this album in 1998 I would not think this band was anything special from this performance. Of all the songs off their self titled debut album, why this one for a live sketch comedy show? Give me something with energy like Semi-Charmed Life or Jumper or Graduate, not this ballad.
Judge Judy
Judge Judy
4 Stars
A woman is suing a man who promised to teach her hip hop dance moves
It's official, Steve Buscemi makes every recurring sketch better. Morning Latte, Goth Talk and now Judge Judy have all benefited from his presence. Ana wanted to learn some MTV style dance moves for her daughter's wedding so she called Bust A Move, Inc. and got Steve. She was immediately skeptical when he asked her to remove her bra saying that she would be a better dancer if she "freed up her rack". Steve demonstrates his skills by performing "The White Tornado" to which Judge Judy declares that he does indeed have the goods.
"Not only do you cut a rug, you weave it and shake it out the door."
As for Ana,
"You are ignorant, you are a liar and you're a whore."
Job Interview
It's official, Steve Buscemi makes every recurring sketch better. Morning Latte, Goth Talk and now Judge Judy have all benefited from his presence. Ana wanted to learn some MTV style dance moves for her daughter's wedding so she called Bust A Move, Inc. and got Steve. She was immediately skeptical when he asked her to remove her bra saying that she would be a better dancer if she "freed up her rack". Steve demonstrates his skills by performing "The White Tornado" to which Judge Judy declares that he does indeed have the goods.
"Not only do you cut a rug, you weave it and shake it out the door."
As for Ana,
"You are ignorant, you are a liar and you're a whore."
Job Interview
4 Stars
A man is on the receiving end of a bizarre interview for a job
Steve is going over Chris's resume for a job. Steve is immediately off putting and accusatory. He can't read the name off the resume, confusing the name John for Michael.
"What is this? Yuka? Yuck? Yuckla?"
"It's UCLA."
"What is that some kind of a club?"
"It's a college. I went there."
"Never heard of it. I heard of Pepperdine. Why didn't you go to Pepperdine?"
He also confides in Chris that he hasn't had sex in 9 years and tells him that he's not going to hire him but they can continue the interview if he likes.
"Why would I do that?"
"I think you're interesting. We got a lot in common. My name is also John."
"My name's Michael."
He eventually gives Chris the job and brings in the next applicant, Natasha Henstridge who has no lines in the sketch in what is probably the most bizarre cameo in SNL history, he tells her that he already gave the job away but she can still be interviewed if she likes. This sketch reminded me of one of my favorites, Taking Mr. Leonard's Census, and while it didn't exactly rise to that level, it was still fun and Buscemi did a great job with this.
I Took A Gay Guy To Prom
3 Stars
Commercial for a Lifetime special
Ana, Cheri and Molly all take turns being interviewed about the gay guys they took to prom. This was fine but not very memorable, may have been due to the lack of Buscemi. Some of the pictures could have been funnier but Molly steals the sketch as an old woman recalling how her mother told her about the birds and the bees.
"In those days proms were called socials and gays were called mentally ill. My mother told me that boy has one hand on the maypole. I said, what?. She said that man buzzes with the fruit flies. I said, what?. He buggers me, she said. I didn't know what she meant and finally she yelled, he has sex with men, he's gay, he's homosexual, he doesn't like women. I didn't get it. Turns out I had a severe learning disability."
Ana, Cheri and Molly all take turns being interviewed about the gay guys they took to prom. This was fine but not very memorable, may have been due to the lack of Buscemi. Some of the pictures could have been funnier but Molly steals the sketch as an old woman recalling how her mother told her about the birds and the bees.
"In those days proms were called socials and gays were called mentally ill. My mother told me that boy has one hand on the maypole. I said, what?. She said that man buzzes with the fruit flies. I said, what?. He buggers me, she said. I didn't know what she meant and finally she yelled, he has sex with men, he's gay, he's homosexual, he doesn't like women. I didn't get it. Turns out I had a severe learning disability."
All the men are described as being really good listeners.
Jim Halsey's Truck Drivin' Museum
2 Stars
Jim Halsey describes one of his favorite trucks
Steve Buscemi can even make a weird Will Ferrell idea that doesn't quite work work. This sketch is just Will talking about the features on a big rig truck while Steve awkwardly stands next to him and sometimes mouths the words along with him. After he tells us all about the truck he signs off.
"I'm Jim Halsey. This is Wiley Lunt. Enjoy the rest of the show."
What the hell was this?
We officially end with The Lost Deep Thoughts which suggests that instead of crucifying a guy on a cross you should use a windmill, that way you get the pain and the dizziness.
FINAL ANALYSIS
Steve Buscemi can even make a weird Will Ferrell idea that doesn't quite work work. This sketch is just Will talking about the features on a big rig truck while Steve awkwardly stands next to him and sometimes mouths the words along with him. After he tells us all about the truck he signs off.
"I'm Jim Halsey. This is Wiley Lunt. Enjoy the rest of the show."
What the hell was this?
We officially end with The Lost Deep Thoughts which suggests that instead of crucifying a guy on a cross you should use a windmill, that way you get the pain and the dizziness.
FINAL ANALYSIS
"You don't want to get a squirrel ghost mad"
Average
3.9 Stars
MVP
Steve Buscemi
I usually don't give the MVP to the host but nobody else deserved it this week
I usually don't give the MVP to the host but nobody else deserved it this week
Best Sketch
The Mad Tea Party
Worst Sketch
Jim Halsey's Truck Driving Museum
How I Would Have Lorne Michaels-ed It
The sketch lineup was pretty damn perfect this week. Topical cold open, monologue, good stuff and recurring sketches up front, weird stuff and not so great stuff near the end. Only thing that was missing was a new commercial parody. That would have bumped the average up to 4 stars.
Host Analysis
Host Analysis
There is no reason in my opinion why Steve Buscemi didn't host once a season. He could absolutely be a Christopher Walken or John Goodman. He was incredible in every sketch, this was hands down my favorite episode of the season. He eventually got a second chance, 13 years later, which turned out to be another one of my personal favorites.
Final Thoughts
Final Thoughts
Just based off my sketch rankings, this episode is tied for 2nd of all the ones I've reviewed. The Bob Newhart episode in season 20 and William Shatner episode of season 12 both got solid 4 star averages. I was tempted to bump up one of the sketches a star just to get it up to an even 4 stars because this was one of the all time greats. I taped this episode when it aired live and watched it numerous times. Watching it again, it lived up to my memories. From beginning to end, this one was just packed with great stuff (not including Weekend Update). It fizzled out slightly near the very end. I wouldn't be surprised if Jim Halsey was thrown on last minute to fill time and they just told Steve to stand there and look awkward. I Took A Gay Guy To Prom could have been a filler segment too, seeing as how Buscemi wasn't in it, it could have been held over from an earlier episode.
Up Next
Up Next
Next week's host Greg Kinnear has some big shoes to fill. In keeping with the random old guy coming in to act as a special guest, Bob Hoskins is on the show too with musical guest All Saints.
I like Steve Buscemi he is a good character actor sad about his wife dying a few weeks ago.
ReplyDeleteFor sure he is great actor after all he is also one of the actor who is in oscar nomination. But now folks get excited for Oscars 2019 but Oscars Live Stream might be unavailable due to broadcast restrictions. As the stars prepare for the biggest award show, watch Oscars 2019 online for free on any device.
ReplyDeleteI wish I could find some of these sketches online because I am chuckling just thinking about Buscemi's expression while he does the White Tornado.
ReplyDelete