Tonight they will be celebrating 40 years of SNL. Whether you enjoy it or not, the show it is a television institution.
And its influence on the popular culture, for good or for ill, is profound.
I remember once a student said to me that Sarah Palin was stupid. When I asked why, he said, "She said that she could see Russia from her house." Of course she never said that, but the impression took hold in people's minds.
The show has power. It helps shape the perception of the events around them.
But that is a topic for another day.
For now, let us go through the best sketches from this sketch comedy show.
1. BEST RECURRING SKIT - CELEBRITY JEOPARDY
There has been no skit I looked forward to more than this. Because you don't know what skits will be performed each show, each one is a surprise. When I would hear the Jeopardy music play, I would perk up.
The sketch was silly and bawdy and hysterical. One of the unexpectedly great things about the bit is Will Ferrel plays the straight man to his insane cast. Just sitting hear thinking about Sean Connery, Burt Reynolds, Jeff Goldblum, Adam Sandler, Calista Flockhart, Keanu Reeves, John Travolta, Michael Keaton, Jerry Lewis, and the others parodied makes me smile. Some great lines:
"I'll take the rapists for 200."
"That's 'Therapists' Mr. Connery."
2. BEST NON-RECURRING SKIT - JINGLEHEIMER JUNCTION
This one of those "near the end" skits. It starts off like a silly kids show. Introducting Katie Kindness, Carla Caring and Umberto Unity. But then Jinglheimer Joe was introduced to Fred Friendship. From the moment that Joe says, "I don't think this is a good idea," I could not stop laughing.
3. FUNNIEST MOMENT - 1st DEBBIE DOWNER
The skit, "Debbie Downer," is actually not that funny. It is serviceable, but it wears. But when they first rolled out the skit, it was a disaster that was so funny that no one could stop laughing, especially the audience.
4. BEST NON-LIVE SKIT - STAR WARS AUDITIONS
Honestly, when I think of Christopher Walken, I actually first imaging Kevin Spacey's impersonation of him doing an audition for Han Solo. And I'm not just biased to this skit because I am CatholicSkywalker
5. BEST HOST - CHRISTOPHER WALKEN
Speaking of Walken, he is the best host because no matter what he does, he's funny. I don't know what it is, but he has the quirkiest line delivery. My favorite moment of his isn't "More Cowbell" or "Champagn-ia" or a lot of those better known ones. My favorite moment of his is a Seth Meyers skit: Pranksters. It starts so lame, but escalates to hilarity.
What are your thoughts?
The thing I don't like about the Celebrity Jeopardy! sketch is that Will Farrell plays Alex Trebek so poorly, nothing like him. He takes me out of the sketch.
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