Season 37, Episode 18
Has there been a larger cognitive dissonance in SNL
history between guest host and musical guest than between Sofia Vergara and One
Direction? One appeals to older men, the other to young girls, and I can only
imagine the audience confusion that’s going to take place tonight. I would say
that I would make for a fun show, but that’s “fun” as in “televised
train wreck.”
Cold Open – Mitt
Romney, Road to the White House: In the show’s ongoing quest to depict Mitt
Romney and his tendency to lie out of his ass based on whatever constituency
he’s talking to, there have been quite a few stumbles. However, it seems like
the show has finally figured out what I’ve been saying for weeks, and has
decided to ratchet up the weirdness of it’s comedy. By taking Romney everywhere
from the ASPCA to the role playing convention to a body piercing convention, the
show was finally able to stretch Romney’s political malleability to level that
was funny, instead of just sad and pathetic.
Monologue:
Say, did you notice that Sofia Vergara was ethnic? Well, if you’re blind, or
somehow too mesmerized by her chest, this monologue was here to make sure that
you learn that fact. (Unless of course you were once again too busy staring at
her chest.) That it was decided Vergara should “apologize” for her accent,
however ironically, was just the last straw. Who cares if she’s ethic? Comedy
is comedy in any language, and race shouldn’t have anything to do with it.
Just Friends Booty
Shorts: Oh boy, gay panic! That’s always good for a laugh!...Right?
(Back-to-back
commercials for The Three Stooges and
Vergara’s K-Mart clothing line. Who said she didn’t thing to promote outside of
Modern Family?)
Bein’ Quirky with
Zooey Deschanel: Is this a relatively new bit? I hadn’t seen it before ZooeyDeschanel hosted a couple of months ago, and it was pretty funny there, and it
was even better here. It almost feels as if it was a one-off that the show
decided to bring back because it worked so well the first time, but somebody
else it going to have to confirm or deny that for me. Either way, tonight’s
iteration was pretty fantastic, with Wiig doing good work as Barrymore, and
Vergara doing a passable Drescher imitation. (It’s a bit disappointing
considering that Vergard proved she can do a solid American accent in that one
episode of Modern Family.) The real
standout bit here was Cera’s desperate and pathetic crush on Deschanel. More of
that, please.
Almost Pizza: This
is how you do faux commercials right. Take a ridiculous premise and just
extrapolate for the whole of the running time. Even if the commercial wasn’t a
play on the Disgornio slogan, it still would have worked, and that sight gag of
the pizza shattering and then globing back together was just fucking brilliant.
News Bumper: This
is quite similar to the Super Bowl bumper sketch that ran when Channing Tatum hosted,
except for this time only one person was fucking up the shot. This sketch gets
point for have a through line and sticking with it, but none of this was very
funny, and lacked some of the random laughs of the former sketch.
(Oh, hey now here’s
Vergara shilling for some make-up. This is synergy at work, people!)
Sex Ed: Say, I
thought I remember Wiig saying that Gilly wasn’t going to be around anymore.
What the fuck? And how do we only get one sex joke in a sketch that has Vergara
playing a teacher of a sex education class? Like most Gilly sketches, the real
laughs came not from Gilly herself, but rather the exasperation from those
around her. And hey, maybe that “death scene” flash forward is the last bow for
the character, especially considering that Wiig might not be back next season.
(Oh man, I can just
here all the teenage girl screams during this One Direction performance. In my
day, boys bands actually danced, dammit.)
Weekend Update:
In addition to Seth Meyers’ usual shtick, we got…Another Drunk Uncle
appearance, here to talk about Easter, and I think I finally figured out why I
don’t find him funny. He’s doing a lot of that “kids these days” shtick, and
even if it’s meant as a load of anti-comedy, it doesn’t work either way. And
man did this particular one seem to last forever, though that’s mostly like the
product (or maybe the cause?) of the fact that there were no other guest on
tonight’s WU.
The Manuel Ortiz
Show: Oh boy, I was afraid that the show couldn’t resist doing this one,
what with Vergara being of Latin descent. Normally I’m okay to dismiss this
recurring sketch as unfunny, but with Vergara in the mix, it’s both lazy and
offensive in its utilization. (And, oh hey, maybe One Direction can dance. Just not, you know, while
they’re signing.)
(That’s the second
Cover Girl commercial of the night, and the fourth commercial with Vergara in
it. Jeez…)
Watch What Happens
Live!: WWHL is a fairly easy target (The Soup manages to get in at least
one clip per episode, it seems), so I was a bit skeptical of how this one would
turn out, and even more skeptical when Killam seemed to play up Andy Cohen’s
flamboyant nature. However, the sketch quickly and thankfully shifted to one
long joke of the desperation hat the show exudes, which turned out quite well.
The sketch didn’t use the idea of the guests as well as I would have liked,
especially Desmond Tutu. It was an idea that made me laugh, but I don’t think
enough was done concerning the cognitive dissonance between Tutu and the Bravo
network.
(And that’s the
second time that Diet Pepsi ad with Vergara has been aired. This is just
getting ridiculous.)
Pantene
Commercial: Oh good, more accent humor! Okay, maybe I’m being a bit too
flippant. I mean, this could be seen as a commentary on all those Sofia
Vergara-starring commercials that have been airing tonight. Or maybe on the
replaceable nature of Latin American actresses...Nah, we’re clearly just
supposed to laugh at the funny accents.
74th
Annual Hunger Games: I’m not sure if a movie spoof is really the most deserving
of the last slot of the night, but it was certainly a funny one, and perhaps
the first sketch of the night that actually was able to use Vergara’s comedic
sensibilities to full effect. Sure, it was a short sketch, but I don’t think it
was one that could really have gone on much longer without wearing out its
one-note joke.
Best Sketch – Bein’
Quirky with Zooey Deschanel
Worst Sketch – The
Manuel Ortiz Show
Next Week: Josh
Brolin brings his downhome charm, and Gotye brings his not-so-downhome musical
sensibilities.
Quotes, Etc.:
That’s new cast member Kate McKinnon in both the WWHL and
Pantene sketches. And hopefully the first of many new female cast members, I’m
betting will see more of her over the next few weeks as Lorne Michaels put her
through the ringer.
Speaking of featured cast members, that Hunger Games
sketch was the only appearance of Jay Pharaoh. What’s up with that?
“It’s the core of who I am: cat spaying.”
“You know, with our busy schedules, Ann and I don’t get
to nearly as many cock fights as we would like.”
“In addition to the two nipple piercings I’ve talked
about – and you know, and the taint – I’ve also recently added the hung stud,
which Ann and I have enjoyed quite a lot.”
“This country welcomed me with open arm and pulled down
pants.”
“Please forgiven me if you cannot understand what I say,
and I will forgive you for staring at my chest all night.”
“Hey girl, I’m Zooey Deschanel, and I’ve never worn a
thong.”
“Now’s the part the show where I look like a guilty
baby.”
“The guy’s on The Nanny used to call me ‘the Bullhorn’.
It’s like a pet name, but with anger.”
“I love a good challenge. I was born mute.”
“I’m former Blossom star and Jewish Strawberry Shortcake,
Mayim Bialik.”
“I’m still thinking about how that woman in the birthing
video looked like Dora the Explorer, and now I’m all confused.”
“Lila, why are you covered with maxi pads?” “They’re soft,
but I don’t like it.”
“So I think the answer to ‘Where is Matt Lauer’ is
‘buried under strippers and blow’.”
“Even worse, the new Bond villain will be named Dr.
Google von Turbo Tax.”
“A rare bad decision from a man known for dressing up as
Batman.”
“Apparently American Eagle lost points for it’s safety
announcement is just a flight attendant screaming ‘MAKE PEACE WITH YOUR GOD!’”
“I dunno, I think everybody knows that black people love
Mary J. Blige.”
“I’m Andy Cohen, and I gave myself this show.”
“I met Desmond in the Hamptons.”
“He wants to be a Hollister model, but for now he’s a gay
prostitute.”
“BOOM! HUUUUUNNNNNNNGGGGGGEERRRRR GAAAAAAAMMMMMEESSS!”
“The Hunger Games are brought to you by Tylenol. Got a
spear in your head? Tylenol.”
“Okay, I’m dying now.”
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