Saturday Night Live (3/8/08) - Amy Adams/Vampire Weekend

[madscientist]

Wow, this was actually a pretty good episode. After the train wreck that was Ellen Page last week, Amy Adams was fantastic. She really looks a lot like Kristen Wig. The musical number they did was great.

There were some less-funny bits but there weren't any real duds that I can remember offhand. The worst one was the women dancing in a bar at the end, and it wasn't that bad.

Amy Poehler seems to be carrying the show these days; she was in almost every skit last night. Judging from her Weekend Update performance you have to wonder if she's getting some chemical help :p

[Cearbhaill]

Loved the band!

[Graymalkin]

I didn't think it was that good. Amy Adams definitely was a better guest host than Ellen Page, but even a princess can't make a silk purse out of a sow's ear.

I'm really tired of SNL doing skits about bad comics and bad singers, to cover up the fact that they can't come up with genuinely funny jokes, so they use deliberately lame ones instead and try to make it look like parody.

[dorian]

Anybody know the name of that second song by Vampire Weekend? I couldn't find it on their current CD.

[mattpol]

Second song was called "M79" -- track #5.

[aindik]

Amy Poehler seems to be carrying the show these days; she was in almost every skit last night. Judging from her Weekend Update performance you have to wonder if she's getting some chemical help :p

They're sketches, Mom, not skits.

I'm really tired of SNL doing skits about bad comics and bad singers, to cover up the fact that they can't come up with genuinely funny jokes, so they use deliberately lame ones instead and try to make it look like parody.

I agree with your point, but I did LOL multiple times at Keenan Thompson on Weekend Update as the French comic on Def Comedy Jam. I think Seth and Amy were laughing too.

Kristin Wiig's Penelope character is usually good, but this traffic school sketch was lame and Amy Adams was particularly terrible in it as the straight-man (straight-person?).

[analog4]

I fast forwarded through most of it.

I like Amy Adams, I just didn't find anything funny.

[madscientist]

I agree with your point, but I did LOL multiple times at Keenan Thompson on Weekend Update as the French comic on Def Comedy Jam. I think Seth and Amy were laughing too.Yep, I agree. I thought it would be stupid at first but he sold it (to me) with the physical comedy. Zut alors!

Kristin Wiig's Penelope character is usually good, but this traffic school sketch was lame and Amy Adams was particularly terrible in it as the straight-man (straight-person?).I agree, this was weak. I also thought the women in a bar sketch at the and was weak (although I did laugh at the bartender appearing with their handbags right away at the end). And, I was bored by Tim whatshisname running for president during Weekend Update. Although his smile was waycreepy.

I'm not saying this was the greatest 90 minutes of comedy, but I laughed least once at most of the sketches (and the band was great), so I count it as a :up: SNL episode.

[morac]

It was kind of predictable, but I still thought the Hero Song digital short was hilarious.

[JLucPicard]

You know, I was never much of a fan when I was growing up (46 yrs old now). When Tina Fey and Jimmy Fallon were doing Weekend Update, I started recording it for that and still never really watched much else of it.

Since then I've still been recording it for Weekend Update but (for whatever gawd-awful reason), I've actually been watching more of it.

The "3 a.m. phone call" opening was just mildly amusing (maybe because it's topical?). But "Mirror Image", the traffic school sketch (not skit ;)), that whatever "best of the old talk show DVD" sketch - good grief!!! I imagine it's not easy coming up with stuff week after week (I know I couldn't do it), but if that's the kind of stuff they're churning out and it supposed to be funny/entertaining???? I am obviously NOT in this show's target demographic. I also don't drink or partake of any other mind-altering substances, so maybe that's where I'm missing the mark.

The Digital Short was OK (though again, the point was made after the first 15-20 punches and for whatever reason [filling time?] they kept going and going and going just killed it for me). The one they did for the United Way when Payton Manning guest hosted I thought was really hilarious.

Opinions will vary, but 'pretty good episode' is certainly something that didn't cross my mind whatsoever when I watched this one. Maybe I just need to go back to ONLY watching WU and leave it at that.

[cwoody222]

I didn't care for it.

I read today that once they air one next week it'll be the first time since 1976 that SNL aired new episodes 4 weeks consecutively!

[MickeS]

The Digital Short was OK (though again, the point was made after the first 15-20 punches and for whatever reason [filling time?] they kept going and going and going just killed it for me).

That sums up just about everything SNL ever does.

[Roadblock]

I stopped watching when Will Forte's Senator Calhoun character came on. That guy kills the show every time.

[JohnB1000]

I thought it was a good ep overall. I liked the 3am, twins, digital short, I like Calhoon. Went off after Weekend Update but it was still entertaining.

I meant to say last week but it seems that Jason Sudeikis is turning into Chris Parnell. They just seem so similar. It was that Henry 8th sketch last week where I though it was Parnell

[DougF]

That opening bit was funny to me since the first time I saw a trailer for Enchanted, I thought it was Kristen in it.

I didn't watch much of the rest of it, though Keenan's European Def Jam thing had me laughing.

[IndyJones1023]

Another absolutely zero laugh installment. At least Amy Adams can act.

[nataylor]

I stopped watching when Will Forte's Senator Calhoun character came on. That guy kills the show every time.

No way, Tim Calhoun rocks.

"I suggest we start a Cow College where we teach cows to talk. I propose we start with the word 'moo' to first build their self confidence."

"Super Tuesday, if forced to make a choice, I'd go with soup. No offense, Tuesday."

[JLucPicard]

I loved this comment on the previous appearance by Tim Calhoun:

"Jack Abramoff? Why, I don't even know Abram."

[jradford]

This episode was terrible. I barely laughed at anything, including the Project Runway spoof which should have been hilarious to someone that watches the show. I did find the dancing women amusing, though.

[aindik]

The Tim Calhoun character is a good concept and he gets off a few decent lines, but there's a lot of stuff in there that's not good. I know that's every SNL sketch, but it seems much more obvious with the Tim Calhoun sketches, especially the one in this episode.

[IndyJones1023]

This episode was terrible. I barely laughed at anything, including the Project Runway spoof which should have been hilarious to someone that watches the show. I did find the dancing women amusing, though.

They should probably stick to popular culture references. I had no clue what any of that skit was about.

[5thcrewman]

What a pile of Hot Mess!

[jradford]

They should probably stick to popular culture references. I had no clue what any of that skit was about.

I agree. It felt out of place, honestly. Even so, it could have been much funnier to those of us who did watch the season.

[Fish Man]

No way, Tim Calhoun rocks.



+1

I would have cited the same two examples you did and the one that JLucPicard cited as well.

Sometimes when I see a real politician making a stupid ass of himself in a speech I give my wife a knowing look, hold my hands with the index and middle finger together and extended horizontally in front of me and randomly move my hands up and down. She understands the reference instantly. Tim Calhoun is becoming iconic! ;)

[aindik]

+1

I would have cited the same two examples you did and the one that JLucPicard cited as well.

Sometimes when I see a real politician making a stupid ass of himself in a speech I give my wife a knowing look, hold my hands with the index and middle finger together and extended horizontally in front of me and randomly move my hands up and down. She understands the reference instantly. Tim Calhoun is becoming iconic! ;)

Without getting overly political, I saw John McCain on the news on Sunday doing the Tim Calhoun motions with his hands.

[David Platt]

I agree. It felt out of place, honestly. Even so, it could have been much funnier to those of us who did watch the season.

That sketch was a hot tranny mess.

[scooterboy]

Another disappointment. Mirror Image and the Digital Short were ok.

And Tim Calhoun always gets an instant fast forward from me. Just not my thing I guess.

[madscientist]

The thing I find interesting about these threads is that most every sketch has someone who enjoyed it (or at least thought it was OK) and someone who thought it was the stupidest thing they'd ever seen.

[markz]

No way, Tim Calhoun rocks.

"I suggest we start a Cow College where we teach cows to talk. I propose we start with the word 'moo' to first build their self confidence."

"Super Tuesday, if forced to make a choice, I'd go with soup. No offense, Tuesday."

I loved this comment on the previous appearance by Tim Calhoun:

"Jack Abramoff? Why, I don't even know Abram."

The lines as written here are great! I just don't like the character at all. It grew old the second time I saw him.

I like everything Kristen Wiig does. Penelope always cracks me up because I know people like that! One girl I know always has worse stuff happening to her than whatever happens to us. (ie. If I sprain an ankle, she breaks a leg) It got to the point that know when my wife says she has a headache, I say "Well, my head just fell off!"

I don't like any character that Fred Armisen does. I don't know what it is, I just don't find him funny.

[TAsunder]

I liked several sketches enough to be amused. I liked the Project Runway one for some reason. I thought they were going for a roxbury boys sketch at the end, but they weren't, unfortunately. Or maybe they were?

[getreal]

What distracts me during the "skitches" ;) is the way the "actors" are completely fixated on their cue cards. They don't even make a minimal effort to glance at their lines and then look at another character while delivering the line. It's like a dog focused on his treat before performing his trick.

I know, the latest version of the dialogue was probably written just moments before the skitch. But come on already! They're supposed to be actors!

[MickeS]

For those like me who no longer watch SNL much, the skits talked about are on NBCs website.
http://www.nbc.com/Saturday_Night_Live/video/#mea=227153

That's the Calhoun skit. I think SNL works better in short bursts like these online clips, because I thought they were all pretty funny. :)

[TAsunder]

It does seem like they could find a better way to place cue cards so that the person doesn't have to look out from the stage to see their lines. I don't expect them to memorize everything but couldn't they be a bit more creative with cue card placement?

[aindik]

It does seem like they could find a better way to place cue cards so that the person doesn't have to look out from the stage to see their lines. I don't expect them to memorize everything but couldn't they be a bit more creative with cue card placement?

I'm not sure where else they can be. They can't be seen on camera, and the live audience shouldn't be able to see them, either (lest they "read ahead" of the bit).

[TAsunder]

I'm not sure where else they can be. They can't be seen on camera, and the live audience shouldn't be able to see them, either (lest they "read ahead" of the bit).

They're not going to stop the audience from reading them. There are too many sets and too many seats at different angles.

[busyba]

And Tim Calhoun always gets an instant fast forward from me.
Which has the benefit of making him seem to move at regular speed. :)

[Roadblock]

No way, Tim Calhoun rocks.

"I suggest we start a Cow College where we teach cows to talk. I propose we start with the word 'moo' to first build their self confidence."

"Super Tuesday, if forced to make a choice, I'd go with soup. No offense, Tuesday."

I loved this comment on the previous appearance by Tim Calhoun:

"Jack Abramoff? Why, I don't even know Abram."

If those are the best examples, it's just more proof that character needs to go. The lines I've heard aren't funny, the pacing is painful, and he gets no laughs.

[JLucPicard]

I think, like the Tim Calhoun character, that EVERY character in the sketches will once in a while have a funny line, but for the most part things are just a BBOS. Some are just a bigger bag than others.