The first Saturday Night Live of the new year was delayed on the East Coast by NFL football. “How ’bout those Jets, New York?” asked host Jim Carrey, as the show started 15 minutes late. Carrey’s opening moments, which included a nice riff on this being “the first show of the last year of our existence” plus his marriage proposal to a good-sport but already-hitched woman in the audience, had every bit of the “positive energy” that Carrey claimed to — and did — radiate.
The pace slowed immediately, however, when SNL ran a repeat hair-transplant fake-commercial, and then took an unavoidable but lengthy midnight commercial-block break.
Fortunately, the night’s first sketch was a Black Swan parody in which Carrey played a very naughty black tutu-ed ballerina. Tapping into the delirious, over-the-top sexuality of the film, Carrey managed to both imitate the titular bird and send up the affectations of a primo prima ballerina.
Whether playing one of three guests in a talk-show spoof or helping Kenan Thompson do one of the latter’s Grady Wilson sex-tip commercials, Carrey totally committed to the shortest of lines, or the quickest reaction shot. His team-player ethos probably reminded a lot of viewers of his days as part of the In Living Color ensemble.
So it was with one of the night’s funniest faux advertisements, one for a Time-Life edition of The Worst of Soul Train. It included Jay Pharoah doing a spot-on Cameo/”Word Up,” Jason Sukeikis as Ocean Billy singing “Get Out Of My Car, Get Into My Trunk,” and Carrey offering a finely tuned variation on El DeBarge.
I’m sure there were a lot of viewers rolling their eyes during a Carrey-centric sketch in which he played a “psychic medium” who did celebrity impressions. The premise was like something left over from an old 1960s variety show, but I loved Carrey’s old-school pluck, as he raced through impersonations that included Jimmy Stewart, Billie Holiday, Sammy Davis, Jr., and Alan Thicke (as Jason Sudeikis’ character crowed, “Nobody does a Thicke!”).
As I predicted, SNL included some John Boehner-cries-too-much jokes; Bill Hader, in heavy make-up, did the sobbing during “Weekend Update.” I felt badly for the invariably excellent Hader, stuck having to sob for far too long for too few laughs — a waste of his time.
SNL‘s designated late-in-the-show oddball sketch was a downbeat gamble that paid off: Carry, Fred Armisen, and Kristen Wiig as A Taste Of New York, a band playing despairing music for a hotel audience of baffled, irritated midtown-Manhattan tourists.
Overall, SNL made good use of Carrey, knowing that here was a host who was up for anything that called for loopy physicality. Few others performers would have been able to help the show pull off the strange, elaborate amusement-park-ride skit that included Carrey and Taran Killam as unnerving mechanical men.
Musical guest the Black Keys gave two mighty performances, the best one being a terse “Tighten Up.”
Oh, and a small but lusty boo to whoever wrote the cold-open that had Fred Armisen as New York mayor Michael Bloomberg blaming slow snow removal on lazy union workers. You go out and shovel snow for a while, SNL.
What did you think of Jim Carrey and SNL?
Twitter: @kentucker
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That skit on the amusement park was sooo funny! Those kinda things are generally creepy and they did a good job of showing that while in a funny way. Also loved the impressions skit. Good show.
The amusement park sketch was the best part of a good episode. I enjoyed this show for once. Carrey and the Keys both brought it.
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I agree – that was by far my favorite sketch. I was laughing out loud. So unexpectedly hilarious.
Argeed! Jim and Taran had those creepy mechanical characters down. Loved it.
Actually a good episode. Loved the amusement park, and the sex tip sketches. Less Kristen Wiig, no What Up With That, and a great host — actually a good episode!
I agree! Jim was silly, goofy, physical — like when he threw his body backwards on the snow in that breakup video? Such a small thing but so funny.
What’s wrong with “What’s up with that?” I think it’s a great sketch, although it is the same everytime, it never fails to get me laughing.
Best sketch of the night. no doubt. taran killam was so good at playing an animatronic robot guy. the rest of the night was mostly mediocre, but saved by some good one liners in some questionable sketches.
I don’t know how I’ll ever get over Jason Sudeikis FLIPPING THE F OUT over the Alan Thicke impression. There are no words to describe it. But it made my night.
Exactly! For some reason, that was the most memorable moment of the night for me.
All of his reactions were great in that skit
Nobody does the Thicke!
I’m not a Jim Carrey fan at all. But his El Debarge role on The Worst of Soul train was very funny. I literally busted out laughing when he sang “I wanna see one of your titties!”
Actually thought it was a pretty bad episode. Everyone seemed to be trying to hard and most of the skits were lame. The skit at the amusement was pretty funny though!
I agree. The episode was one of their worst this season. Every week Ken Tucker and I have the exact opposite views on the show. The amusement park sketch was probably the best and that’s cause Jim Carrey and Taran Killam were amazing at being “mechanical”
The opening skit went on w a y to long. Loved the opening monologue. The musical guests were great (never heard of them before – but I have been watching SNL since it started, I’m old). Weekend update is missing Tina Fey. Favorite skits were the psychic and Grady Watkins (usually don’t like the Grady Watkins – so nice surprise). I thought this was one of the better shows this season.
Opening was funny, a tad too long. Carey with audience member was great- they should do the interactions with REAL audience members more often. Hated the Grady Watkins skit… and the pubic hair commercial, again? Really? Really?? Psychic was good. Hated the whole Soul Train except Carey’s performance. Bad episode- a waiste of Carey’s expertise. Would have preferred rerun of In Living Color with him…
“Nobody does a Thicked” was my favorite line of the night. Jason always makes me laugh.
*Thicke
I loved the impressions skit, but what cracked me up the most was Jason’s seal-clapping when “Alan Thicke” came to life.
What episode did you watch? I found everything unfunny and forced, even with Carrey there. This train-wreck needs to be buried immediately!
This “train-wreck” is still extremely popular.
Was dissapointed. Jim Carrey could have been the guy to make this a truly spectacular episode, but while his performance was admirable, the episode certainly wasn’t spectacular.
Ive heard Jim Carrey likes only to do new things, but I’m dissapointed they didn’t want to reprise his incredibly hilarious and famous Jimmy Tango Fat Busters or the Life Guard from his previous SNL appearance.
I _still_ laugh at “Ride the Snake,” and given how meth has, um, “taken off” since that sketch was originally done, they could have had some fun with it. Of course, they originally did that sketch over 14 YEARS ago, so except for you and me, I’m guessing it would have gone over a lot of heads.
Jim Carrey’s first (i think it was his first) appearance as SNL host was a masterpiece. The Lifeguard, ride the snake, the opening monologue, the three guys at the disco, the cheerleaders. I love that epsiode. Was hoping for the same magic last night but it just wasn’t the same.
I like Jim Carrey but, unfortunately, I only made it thru the ‘Soul Train’ skit. The ‘hair’ fake-ad was funny but that’s it for me.
It was funny the first time, but I think that ad has been on 3 episodes, and I am not counting repeats.
I’d even say 4. It’s getting ridiculous. As you said, It was funny the first time but now its just stupid.
Opener was a dud as usual, but most of Jim Carrey’s stuff was hilarious — I honestly can’t recall the last time ANYthing on SNL had me laughing out loud! Especially if you’ve seen “Black Swan,” that skit was wildly funny.
While I’m pretty sick of the pubic hair implant sketch (I think this was the third time they played it), I’m even more tired of bad cold opens. I’ve only been watching SNL faithfully for a couple of seasons now, but in the short 1 and a half seasons I’ve watched live they’ve rarely had a mildly funny cold open. I’m not going to single out Fred Armisen (although he’s probably had the most cold opens) because he’s not the only one who has made me suffer through a flat opening. (Am I the only one wondering when they’re going to let Jay Pharoah do his Obama?) That being said this was probably the best show of the season so far (except for Amy Poehler of course). Maybe it’s because the past few episodes have been dudders, but I laughed at every sketch. Usually the first couple sketches are good, and the ones after update are sleepers, but even the sketches after update got laughs out of me. I’d single out the Alan Thicke impression, Jim’s part in the Soul Train sketch and the amusement park ride sketch as my favorite moments. Once Jim Carrey came out I didn’t get that feeling of awkwardness that I usually feel when the sketches start to suck and the host starts to bomb because the sketches didn’t suck and the host didn’t bomb. No, this wasn’t the greatest episode in history but again, considering the majority of the episodes so far this season this one was stellar. And to add on top of that, I thought The Black Keys were great. Usually I’m wary of the musical guests, but it was nice to hear someone with a decent singing voice playing a guitar that wasn’t ridden with distortion. Not to mention hearing an organ in modern music was a nice reminder of 60s rock music. I thought the entire cast put forth their best effort, except for Abby Elliot whose only appearance was in the very last sketch. And her part in that sketch is hardly noteworthy. As a matter of fact, this entire season every other person in the cast has been actively involved in the show except for her on a few occasions. To be percectly frank I think Nasim proved herself worthy of repertory status last season much more than Abby. Anyway, I know that’s alot but I usually just read the recaps and never comment. But I really liked this episode and felt I should break my “silence”.
I actually enjoyed the Mayor Bloomberg opening. I was in NYC for the blizzard, so his comments kind of cracked me up after seeing all of the area news stations’ reports while I was up there.
Loved the Bloomberg open. “What is snow?” “Where does it come from?” Something like that. Hilarious.
This might have been funny for New Yorkers…but it was regional humor that was pretty empty for the rest of the country. This show has become very insular, and would benefit immensely from new writers.
Abby Elliott and Jim Carrey did a really funny musical sketch with him as Hugh Heffner for the dress rehearsal that we attended on Sat. night that I thought would for sure land in the show. Way funnier than some of the stuff that DID!
I agree with Paul regarding Nasim Pedrad. She should NOT be listed with the new cast members under “featuring” in the show’s titles.
The reason shes listed as a featured player is because it’s a contract they have her in where she might not appear in the episode, she doesn’t need to have lines, and they dont pay her as much as the rest of the cast. Really shes there to make the other guys look good as a background talent. I think Lorine likes her too much so he likes giving her lines and things like that. She’s probably going to get promoted when SNL stops budget cutting which they’ve been doing a lot.
Carrey as the Black Swan unforgettabble. Black Keys always
I didn’t watch because I don’t care for Jim Carey. I think he’s a bit of an over-actor. I did like The Truman Show, and Bruce Almighty.
A “bit of an over-actor?” That’s the understatement of the century. That being said, I always know that with Carrey doing anything, it’s going to be outrageous and I think that’s part of his appeal to the masses. He’ll do what most of us want to but won’t.
Over-actor? That’s the whole point! That’s his ‘thing.’ The show was better than the past few, but I kept wondering if Amy and Tina would have made it so much funnier.
Then why are you posting a comment . . .
God, just kill this show. End it already. It’s just not funny….at all.
God please, put it out of it’s misery
It’s spoyok how clever some ppl are. Thanks!
And take Jeff with you, God!
HAHAHHAHA to wakeforce.
Thanks alot – your asnwer solved all my problems after several days struggling
I miss All That.
With my posse and my crew.