Sunday, January 9, 2011

SNL: "Jim Carrey/The Black Keys"

Quick question: what time did SNL start for you guys? Because it seemed like my local NBC affiliates kept pushing it back for weather/sports. In fact, start times have been erratic ever since I moved to San Marcos. Is this just where I live (thus implying that my stations are using tape delay for SNL) or has this been a problem emanating from 30 Rockefeller Center? 


Micheal Bloomberg Open – Is there any political impression that Fred Armisen won't do? Anyways, this sketch came down to repeated jokes about how New Yorkers are unfamiliar with snow. I didn't find this funny, and I live in Texas. This should have been right in my wheelhouse, but it just fell flat. Also, the “frustration with city workers” jokes felt tired.

Monologue – Ok, Jim Carrey's here now. All should be good. While not hilarious, Carrey was charming delivering this speech, and this one wasn't as one-note as past monologues, instead just coasting on the Jim Carrey-ness of it all.

Bosley Ad – Okay, this is the third time they have aired this commercial this season. And it just keeps getting worse.

The Black Swan – Carrey as a wacky, spastic, Jim Carrey-like transvestite ballerina? Yawn. (Ok, I liked the chart gag.) And the black swan/back swan joke? Gag.

Finding Your Power – The problem with the whole “long setup jokes” is that if the punchline isn't funny, it all feel pointless. Even worse is repeated long-setups, especially when the joke wasn't that funny in the first place. The way Sudeikis paused before the third punchline did get a laugh-snort out of me.

Grady Wilson's Tantric 'n' Tasty – Keenan Thompson has the worst recurring characters. FACT. And Carrey trying the same shtick was just embarrassing.

The Worst of Soul Train – The “varied music acts” sketches are fairly hit-or-miss, but I found this one to be more funny than not. Not: the random band names. Very funny: Carrey asking to see “just one titty.”

Weekend Update – I'm a fan of Seth Meyer's delivery, but it was a bit spottier here than usual.

The Jon Boehner/Nancy Pelosi section mostly skated by on Hader's impression of Boehner's tendency to cry, but I did like the gag of Pelosi's tiny gavel making a giant gong sound; the jokes at the Democrat's expense felt like leftovers from The Daily Show writer's room.

Anthony Crispino isn't that funny of a character, but I did like the “don't ask, don't spell” joke, including the John McClane follow-up joke. And the retired/retarded mix-up was obviously stolen from Borat.

The Aflocalypse/Apocafish section was stupid, but it made me laugh. Though the image of a bird and a fish gettin' it on was quite disturbing.

The Merry-Go-Trolley Ride – While I appreciate the skill that the actors displayed in being animations, apart from the sight of a headless Bill Hader, this wasn't that funny, or original

Alan Munch, Psychic – The perfect vehicle for Carrey's impressions. Impressive, but not funny. Sudeikis once again made me laugh, however.

A Taste of New York – I guess the whole “junkie/homless depressing band” is a weird enough idea for the last sketch of the night, but it certainly wasn't funny.


Overall, I was highly disappointed with this show, especially considering the great episodes Carrey had given on the show in the past. When the monologue is the best part of the show, that's a big problem.  I'm just going to chalk it up to writers having a hard time starting the show back up after the winter break.  Let's hope they show more creativity next week.

Oh well, till next week, my fellow comedy masochists!

Additional Thoughts:

I case you were wondering, I'm usually going to refrain from reviewing the musical acts, differing musical taste being what they are, plus the fact that I rarely have heard any of the bands studio version of these songs performed. (If an act does a particularly good or awful performance, it will get a mention.) All that being said, I should probably check out The Black Keys.

“And then, God willing, we can start on queens”

“This is Bob, my new life partner. Thanks for nothing Mindy.”

Okay, not really looking forward to the Gweneth Paltrow/Cee-Lo Green performance that will obviously occur next week. It's just gonna be awkward.

“I am Smokey Robison's white half-brother, Coughey Robison.” Heh. Multiple-level word play.

“...in what was a real roller coaster day for that man's penis.”

“The Oprahcalypse.”

“That was great! Nobody does a Thicke!”

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