When I began seriously following Saturday Night Live, it was during an era that featured a memorable cast, and a memorably bad Weekend Update anchor. For much of SNL‘s history, Weekend Update has been a safe bet for some solid laughs in case the rest of the show was not up to snuff. But from January 1998 to May 2000, it was always a struggle to get through. Lately, though, I have begun to wonder: was Colin Quinn really as bad as I originally thought? VH1 has begun airing SNL repeats, and I caught a few late nineties episodes, and, since Colin does not deserved to be lied to, I must admit that I did laugh a few times.
Maybe it is just a relief to watch somebody at the Update desk who is not current anchor Seth Meyers, the worst Weekend Update anchor (long-term anchor, anyway) of all time, whereas when Colin’s episodes originally aired, he was preceded by the best anchor in the show’s history (Norm MacDonald) and followed by the vibrant and energetic duo of Fey and Fallon. While comparisons to Colin’s chronological neighbors could only be unfavorable to him, Seth’s notorious run has made it clear that it could have been worse. Whereas Seth displays no ability (or interest) in interacting with the audience, such a skill was an unquestioned necessity during Colin’s time. Colin never pulled off such interactions on Norm’s level, but now that I have given him a second look, I realize that what he could pull off made him endearing. He never did settle into a comfortable rhythm with the timing of his Update jokes, and he knew it. He also knew that there is a give-and-take between performer and audience on live TV, particularly in a format as intimate as reciting the news. So he bartered with the crowd, asking that they allow his dumb punchlines and plainly blunt delivery and just enjoy themselves. And boy, were a lot of his jokes dumb. But then he would make a goofy face, I would laugh, and I would have to wonder if that dumbness was the point in the first place.
This appears to be a case in which you cannot fully know something until you hold it up against its opposite, or a bad version of the same. Seth Meyers needs to vacate the Update desk immediately or dramatically improve, and if he wants to improve, he could learn a thing or two from, of all people, Colin Quinn.
Rethinking Colin Quinn, Weekend Update Anchor
December 17, 2010
Saturday Night Live, Television Leave a comment
SNL Recap December 11, 2010: Paul Rudd/Paul McCartney
December 13, 2010
Saturday Night Live, SNL Weekly Recaps, Television Paul McCartney, Paul Rudd, Saturday Night Live, Saturday Night Live Season 36, SNL, SNL Season 36 1 Comment
A Message from the President of the United States
And is this what the world (or just the country) has come to? B
Paul Rudd’s Monologue
Good-natured, but too short. Jeez, let a premise develop, why don’t ya? B
Feline Culinary Creations
I’ll allow it, since it didn’t last very long, but it didn’t do very much. C+
VH1 Top 20 Countdown – 12/11/10
December 11, 2010
Music, Television, VH1 Top 20 Countdown Leave a comment
Why is “Please Don’t Go” moving up so high? It is no “Cooler Than Me.”
Also, this countdown features two of the most unnotable American Idol winners.
Original Version
1. Katy Perry – “Firework”
2. P!nk – “Raise Your Glass”
3. Mike Posner – “Please Don’t Go”
4. Nicki Minaj – “Right Thru Me”
5. Christina Perri – “Jar of Hearts”
6. Bruno Mars – “Grenade”
7. Nelly – “Just a Dream”
8. Kid Rock – “Born Free”
9. Rihanna – “Only Girl (in the World)”
10. The Script – “For the First Time”
11. Linkin Park – “Waiting for the End”
12. Lee DeWyze – “Sweet Serendipity”
13. Trey Songz ft. Nicki Minaj – “Bottoms Up”
14. Grace Potter & the Nocturnals – “Paris (Ooh La La)”
15. Keri Hilson – “Pretty Girl Rock”
16. Sugarland – “Stuck Like Glue”
17. Jason Derülo – “What If”
18. Maroon 5 – “Give a Little More”
19. Fantasia – “I’m Doin’ Me”
20. Mumford & Sons – “The Cave”
Jmunney’s Revision
1. Only Girl (in the World)
2. Paris (Ooh La La)
3. Right Thru Me
4. The Cave
5. Jar of Hearts
6. Firework
7. Waiting for the End
8. Grenade
9. Please Don’t Go
10. What If
11. Give a Little More
12. For the First Time
13. Born Free
14. I’m Doin’ Me
15. Pretty Girl Rock
16. Sweet Serendipity
17. Stuck Like Glue
18. Just a Dream
19. Raise Your Glass
20. Bottoms Up
SNL Recap December 4, 2010: Robert De Niro/Diddy-Dirty Money
December 5, 2010
Saturday Night Live, SNL Weekly Recaps, Television Diddy-Dirty Money, Robert De Niro, Saturday Night Live, Saturday Night Live Season 36, SNL, SNL Season 36 Leave a comment
Cold Opening – WikiLeaks TMZ
The cold opening should always be reliable, and Bill Hader playing someone with an English (actually Australian in this case) accent is certainly reliable. I don’t know if Julian Assange is anything like the way Bill played him, but the accent allowed him to be in his comfort zone. This worked best when the political figures had no idea why the cameras were following them, and thus, the first bit, with Fred as Qaddafi, was the funniest. B+
Robert De Niro’s Monologue
I was watching De Niro’s first appearance as host recently, and in that monologue, he looked incredibly stiff. It barely lasted a minute; it looked like he couldn’t wait for it to be over. This time, he was actually willing to be funny. And scary at the same time. Damn straight New York is the home of EPCOT. A-
VH1 Top 20 Countdown – 12/4/10
December 4, 2010
Music, Television, VH1 Top 20 Countdown Leave a comment
A slight change of opinion on my part allows P!nk to avoid a distinction previously accomplished only by Daughtry.
Original Version
1. P!nk – “Raise Your Glass”
2. Katy Perry – “Firework”
3. Bruno Mars – “Just the Way You Are”
4. Christina Perri – “Jar of Hearts”
5. Mike Posner – “Please Don’t Go”
6. Nicki Minaj – “Right Thru Me”
7. Kid Rock – “Born Free”
8. Rihanna – “Only Girl (in the World)”
9. Linkin Park – “Waiting for the End”
10. Bruno Mars – “Grenade”
11. Kings of Leon – “Radioactive”
12. Trey Songz ft. Nicki Minaj – “Bottoms Up”
13. Lee DeWyze – “Sweet Serendipity”
14. The Script – “For the First Time”
15. Nelly – “Just a Dream”
16. Grace Potter & the Nocturnals – “Paris (Ooh La La)”
17. Maroon 5 – “Give a Little More”
18. Sugarland – “Stuck Like Glue”
19. Keri Hilson – “Pretty Girl Rock”
20. Jason Derülo – “What If”
Jmunney’s Revision
1. Only Girl (in the World)
2. Radioactive
3. Paris (Ooh La La)
4. Firework
5. Jar of Hearts
6. Waiting for the End
7. Just the Way You Are
8. Grenade
9. Right Thru Me
10. Please Don’t Go
11. What If
12. Give a Little More
13. For the First Time
14. Born Free
15. Pretty Girl Rock
16. Sweet Serendipity
17. Stuck Like Glue
18. Just a Dream
19. Raise Your Glass
20. Bottoms Up
The Weather Channel
November 29, 2010
I frequently find myself watching the Weather Channel. I come for the updates on current and upcoming conditions, but I stay for the music. Typically, it is just that elevator music-style jazz, but occasionally I am treated to something like the Rolling Stones’ “Can’t You Hear Me Knocking” or “Theme from Shaft.” But even when one of those rarities is not playing, the light jazz is enough to keep me around in a soothing, meditative daze. There is a slightly melancholy feel to it – a sense that this is Life, this is Truth. At that moment, it feels like the 3-hour Doppler loop is all that needs to be known. Everything for those 5 to 10 minutes is simple and comforting.
VH1 Top 20 Countdown – 11/27/10
November 27, 2010
Music, Television, VH1 Top 20 Countdown Leave a comment
The Perry(i) sisters are 1-2!
Original Version
1. Katy Perry – Firework
2. Christina Perri – Jar of Hearts
3. Bruno Mars – Just the Way You Are
4. Rihanna – Only Girl (in the World)
5. P!nk – Raise Your Glass
6. Mike Posner – Please Don’t Go
7. Nicki Minaj – Right Thru Me
8. Michael Bublé – Hollywood
9. Linkin Park – Waiting for the End
10. Trey Songz ft. Nicki Minaj – Bottoms Up
11. Kings of Leon – Radioactive
12. Kid Rock – Born Free
13. Bruno Mars – Grenade
14. Sugarland – Stuck Like Glue
15. Maroon 5 – Give a Little More
16. The Script – For the First Time
17. Keri Hilson – Pretty Girl Rock
18. Nelly – Just a Dream
19. Grace Potter & the Nocturnals – Paris (Ooh La La)
20. Kanye West ft. Pusha T – Runaway
Jmunney’s Revision
1. Only Girl (in the World)
2. Radioactive
3. Runaway
4. Paris (Ooh La La)
5. Firework
6. Jar of Hearts
7. Waiting for the End
8. Just the Way You Are
9. Grenade
10. Please Don’t Go
11. Right Thru Me
12. For the First Time
13. Pretty Girl Rock
14. Born Free
15. Give a Little More
16. Just a Dream
17. Hollywood
18. Stuck Like Glue
19. Bottoms Up
20. Raise Your Glass
SNL Recap November 20, 2010: Anne Hathaway/Florence + the Machine
November 23, 2010
Saturday Night Live, SNL Weekly Recaps, Television Anne Hathaway, Florence + the Machine, Saturday Night Live, Saturday Night Live Season 36, SNL, SNL Season 36 Leave a comment
As y’all probably heard, I’m sexy now.
Cold Opening – The Rachel Maddow Show
This is a step in the right direction for political cold openings. A parody of a cable news talk show is always an apt setup for a forum of craziness, although this time around the craziness was a little jumbled, with the Charlie Rangel parts not really having much to do with Boehner/Pelosi. B-
Anne Hathaway’s Monologue
Another monologue premised on the physical attractiveness of a female host and the possibility of nudity? It would have been funnier if Anne had not admitted to K-Wiig that she was not being serious with the guys. B-
VH1 Top 20 Countdown – 11/20/10
November 20, 2010
Music, Television, VH1 Top 20 Countdown Leave a comment
Songs that have appeared on both Top 20 Countdown and Cinema Sounds (the music that plays between movies at the theatre) this year: “Tighten Up,” “Mine,” and now, “Paris.”
Orignial Version
1. Christina Perri – “Jar of Hearts”
2. Bruno Mars – “Just the Way You Are”
3. Rihanna – “Only Girl (in the World)”
4. Katy Perry – “Firework”
5. Linkin Park – “Waiting for the End”
6. P!nk – “Raise Your Glass”
7. Mike Posner – “Please Don’t Go”
8. Kings of Leon – “Radioactive”
9. Michael Bublé – “Hollywood”
10. Nicki Minaj – “Right Thru Me”
11. Kid Rock – “Born Free”
12. Kanye West – “Runaway”
13. Sugarland – “Stuck Like Glue”
14. Trey Songz ft. Nicki Minaj – “Bottoms Up”
15. The Script – “For the First Time”
16. Travie McCoy – “Need You”
17. Bret Michaels – “Riding Against the Wind”
18. Keri Hilson – “Pretty Girl Rock”
19. Plain White T’s – “Rhythm of Love”
20. Grace Potter & the Nocturnals – “Paris (Ooh La La)”
Jmunney’s Revision
1. Only Girl (in the World)
2. Radioactive
3. Runaway
4. Paris (Ooh La La)
5. Firework
6. Jar of Hearts
7. Waiting for the End
8. Just the Way You Are
9. For the First Time
10. Pretty Girl Rock
11. Please Don’t Go
12. Need You
13. Born Free
14. Right Thru Me
15. Hollywood
16. Stuck Like Glue
17. Bottoms Up
18. Raise Your Glass
19. Rhythm of Love
20. Riding Against the Wind
SNL Recap November 13, 2010: Scarlett Johansson/Arcade Fire
November 16, 2010
Saturday Night Live, SNL Weekly Recaps, Television Arcade Fire, Saturday Night Live, Saturday Night Live Season 36, Scarlett Johansson, SNL, SNL Season 36 Leave a comment
Middle East: quit goofing around!
Cold Opening – G20 Press Conference
This was so identical to last year’s Obama/Hu Jintao press conference sketch that I almost thought I was watching a rerun. Logically, I knew that that could not be true. I knew that I was watching a new episode and that Bill Hader had not played Hu in the last sketch, but perception is not always completely rational. Anyway, last year’s sketch was strongly decent; this one suffered from being exactly the same. B-
Scarlett Johansson’s Monologue
The premise of ScarJo keeping it classy was promising enough. I guess. Maybe. Abby’s Ke$ha was right on, but I don’t think she really fit in this bit, because I don’t think Ke$ha particularly cares if she appears classy or not. B-
