You know that there are fond feelings for Michael Phelps as a former Saturday Night Live host when Seth Meyers’ best material on Weekend Update last night was a stinging rant against the guy who took a picture of Phelps and the bong.
Otherwise, what were the high points? Anyone like the Digital Short with T-Pain on the boat? Sure, host Bradley Cooper was pleasant and enthusiastic, but his material? The game show about having sex with contestants’ wives? Cooper’s okay Christian Bale impersonation in a dull bit about Bale’s rage? The intervention sketch where he and Kristen Wiig made rude noises? Speaking of Wiig, her Kathie Lee Gifford and Bjork were excellent, but I doubt I’m the only person who thinks she’s on-screen way too much these days–at best, she’s carrying too much of the load.
At the other extreme, the person not pulling his weight at all anymore has got to be disappearin’ Darrell Hammond. What, that tiny, weird, stiffly-acted role of his on Damages is keeping him from SNL reheasals? I doubt it.
Oh, well–there’s always the next SNL: Alec Baldwin will be back. The Generalissimo returns!
Comments (1-30) of 116 Add your comment
SNL needs to clean house and start over. Get a new head writer, cause Seth is just not cutting it.
The Today Show, Sex With Your Wife, and The Intervention were uproarious highlights for me.
Kristin Wiig is one of the most over-rated SNL female stars in my memory. She is one note, much like Adam Sandler was–all of her impersonations (and ridiculous facial expressions) run together. This magazine is not innocent of Wiig-worship. Where were you guys when the incomparably better and more subtle Maya Rudolph was around? More Wiig bashing in the future please–it’s time for her to come down from her star and join the ensemble for once.
For the record, that T-Pain on the boat thing was a hilarious send up of the fact that every hip-hop song on the radio has the exact same beats and the same derivative hooks looped into infinity.
What?!? Seth is the best of them all!
I don’t understand why people love TV on the Radio. I can’t find one song of theirs that I actually enjoy. Their music and rhythm section is pretty good but their sing is absolutely brutal. I mean that dude has the worst voice ever.
love seth meyers! he’s the only reason to watch now that amy is gone.
maybe he’s carrying too much of the load now. andy samberg is hit and miss, but i thought the boat digital was pretty funny… not LOL, but a few chuckles.
tv on the radio were good too. always worth tuning in when they have a good band on SNL, but too often they have lame musical acts these days..
Did anyone else notice that Drew Barrymore was onstage during the goodbyes? Are she and Cooper dating now? Wonder what that was about . . .
Yeah, Kristin Wiig is really funny, but she’s not Amy Poehler or Tina Fey. The other ladies should really step up their game.
Someone made the observation that SNL is usually only funny when it’s political. Now that the election’s over, Tina Fey’s not doing Sarah Palin, and Fred Armisen’s Barack Obama is passable at best, they’re sort of at a loss, you know?
It made me so sad that Seth did “Really?!?” all by himself. Weekend Update is made for two people, and as much as I love him, there are a billion other SNL-ers, start auditioning!
I’m just all-in-all disappointed with SNL after the elections. Where are the punchy sketches, because lately ALL of them have been falling flat (except that spoof on the Whopper Virgins. That was inspired!)
Hehehe. Seth Meyers cracks me up. He’s really the only funny one on the show anymore. (Really.)
Just not a funny show since Tina Fey left as head writer. What’s more, it’s irrelevant. Haven’t watched regularly in 2 or 3 years and every time I tune in, I find enough reason to stay away even longer.
It just seems stale, a bunch of miserable one-note sketches that go on too long. I think the show has taken on the personality of its head writer and, in this case, that is not a good thing.
Excuse me? TV on the Radio?? That was like freakin’ amateur hour at some divey bar. Yeesh.
To say SNL is irrelevant, especially this year, is plain ignorant.
If Kristen Wiig were a man she’d be a superstar. She’s that talented.
Thank goodness someone had the nerve to back up Michael Phelps. I’m from Baltimore and I couldn’t have said it any better than Seth said it!…especially his last comment! Thx SNL for realizing Michael is only human. t.v. on the Radio’s audio was the pits though! It ruined the viewing.
1. Needs more Abby Elliot. Only one sketch last night? (an awesome Joan Cusack might I add.)
2. Really?!? with just Seth was so sad. God, I miss Amy.
Seth Meyers definitely spoke for a lot of people when he called out the kid who profited on the picture Phelps. His comment was spot on! Seth Meyers does a fabulous job on Weekend Update. I stayed up just so I could see Weekend Update and then promptly went to bed after that. The rest of the show wasn’t good enough to keep me interested. I would have to disagree with the previous comment that Weekend Update is made for two … look at SNL history and it is a segment that has traditionally just had one host. Of course, I miss Amy Poehler and Tiny Fey, but Seth Meyers is carrying it just fine on his own, thank you.
Wow, way to crawl out from under a rock, Howie. Someone who hasnt watched the show in 2 or more years shouldnt comment about the current condition of the show. It was you loss missing all of the political satire this year, and boy was it good. SNL hasnt been this good in at least 5 years. OF course Amy and Tina were amazing but i love this cast. i dont think Wiig is overrated but i do think they lean on her too much. But i dont mind cuz she cracks me up.
I agree that, post election, the show sucks. Didja see last week? I don’t know if Steve Martin has lost it, or is just BORED with the whole SNL thing now. The only reason I watched the whole episode was to wait for the possible reappearance of Alec Baldwin in their ongoing “I’ve hosted more than you have” battle. Let’s hope that Steve is back next week to play second fiddle to Alec once again. That kills me to say becuase Steve Martin is the alltime great. But his last six appearances on SNL – uninspired.
TV on the Radio was good last night? Did I miss something?
TV on Radio SUCKS!!!! Critics say they like them because their music is unlistenable. Critics like crap.
I bet in four years these losers will b flipping burgers again at McDonald’s.
TV on the Radio was AWESOME!!!!!
Seth killed last night with Really. I was sad Amy wasn’t there, but he still killed. TV on the Radio are the worst.
Was Drew Barrymore there because she is in a relationship with Bradley Cooper or because her company produced the movie they are in?
weekend update is always good in my opinion.
wiig is overused.
tv on the radio is only good because not everyone knows who they are. just admit it, you indie-loving hipsters.
Way to go Seth!
tv on the radio was one of the worst music performances on snl ever, i thought it was a joke at first, man they suck.
I like TV on the Radio A LOT. But not last night. Not sure, but I think the sound mixing was to blame. What I heard mostly was the honk of the bass saxophone. Atrocious sound quality coming out of my set. Shame on SNL if they provided the technical support. Band’s music coming out of my computer is still awesome.
Gotta agree with everyone…TV on the Radio was horrible. I don’t know how you can possibly call that music…
If you want to hear a really underrated indy band listen to Fair to Midland. They kick ace.
I can’t even look at Seth Myers without wanting to punch him
It makes me happy that Bradley Cooper is now famous enough to host SNL. But aside from the occasional buzz-worthy skit or Weekend Update segment, hasn’t this show been terrible for years?
like john stewart said on his show “they’re not all gems”…why do people expect snl to be hilarious from start to finish-it doesnt work that way. the show is entertaining and usually very funny-that’s all you can ask for a 1 & 1/2 hour live comedy show.