Blog Archives
Anthony Scaramucci & Lavar Ball Highlighted SNL’s First Ever Weekend Update Summer Edition
Usually we’d have to wait until late September or early October for SNL to reappear and start skewering the news. Luckily for us, SNL aired the first ever Weekend Update Summer Edition last night, and it was a welcome site. Colin Jost opened up the show with the most accurate line of all time – “it’s been a crazy year these last few weeks”. With Trump as President, everything feels like it’s going in super sonic motion, and just when your head is wrapped around one crazy news story, two more pop up to sock you in the jaw. Now, onto my two favorite parts.
It’s a goddamn shame that SNL missed out on Anthony Scaramucci. The Mooch and his personality and penchant for telling reporters that Steve Bannon sucks his own cock would have been a gold mine for SNL, but alas, those that fly closest to the sun aren’t mean to be around for long. Luckily we still got Bill Hader as Scaramucci, and he was fantastic because ‘Bill Hader as _____’ is always a going to be fantastic. I don’t know if they’ll bring Hader back for this season (especially if The Mooch doesn’t make his way back into the spotlight) but I’m glad we at least got this. Also, has there ever been a more on the nose description of someone than The Mooch being human cocaine? I don’t think so.
Kenan Thompson is heading into his 15th (!) season as an SNL cast member, and much like a fine wine, he gets better with age. He impersonated Lavar Ball last night, who I usually would hate to see pop up in the news, but if Kenan is doing the impersonation I’ll let it slide. Kenan’s vocal impersonations are never that great, but he makes it up for it in other ways, like the way he pronounced rhinoceros or the dance move he did to take the sneakers away from Colin. Lavar isn’t going away anytime soon (Lonzo hasn’t even started his rookie year yet) and I’m assuming his asinine comments will keep coming. This won’t be the last we’ve seen of Kenan’s newest impression.
-Ryan
Watch All Your 90’s Dreams Come True As Kenan & Kel Star In A ‘Goodburger’ Sketch On The Tonight Show
‘Goodburger’ is one of those sketches turned into movies that are timeless. It’s not the greatest sketch or movie in the world, but I dare you to watch that video above and not get a huge slap of nostalgia right in the face. Fallon is the master of nostalgia, and it helps that he has such a great rapport with pretty much everyone in show business, because he can bring them in for something like this at the drop of a hat. Kenan & Kel were a dynamic duo, and even if it was only for one night, I’m glad they reunited. Now if you’ll excuse I’m going to be watching Kenan & Kel highlights for the rest of the afternoon.
-Ryan
SNL Spoofed TV Show Diversity In My Favorite Sketch From Saturday Night, ‘The Dudley’s’
The media’s favorite thing to do is skewer TV shows about their lack of diversity. Friends was a ratings hero and overall great show but now there are articles complaining that the cast was all white, and how that’s not an accurate depiction of people growing up in their 20’s. No current show gets more attention for their “diversity problem” more than SNL, so any time they get to push back at the media it’s fun, and that’s exactly what they did with “The Dudley’s”. Beck Bennett and Kate McKinnon are your typical white, sitcom family, but viewers are not pleased, which leads to some hysterical alterations. Call me crazy, but I’d watch the shit out of an intimate family drama starring Kenan Thompson and Woody Harrelson as lovers. Also, CRAZY EYES.
– Ryan
Farwell My Sweet Prince: Kenan Thompson is Leaving SNL After This Season
SNL – After 11 seasons, and one appearance on VH1’s list of the 100 Greatest Teen Stars, Kenan Thompson is leaving SNL, effective…not immediately. He’ll continue to play BEEF JELLY for one more go-around, according to TMZ, before riding off into the orange soda-colored sunset with Kel Mitchell.
Sources connected to SNL tell us Thompson — the most tenured African-American cast member in the show’s history — planned to leave last season, but decided to stay after head honcho Lorne Michaels asked him to stay on citing the show’s massive turnover this season. (Via)
If Kristen Wiig can get her own over-the-top sendoff, here’s hoping Fred Armisen, Nasim Pedrad, Bill Hader, and especially Jason Sudeikis return for one last “What Up with That.”
This one stings a bit. Kenan is the senior member of the cast, and probably the most under appreciated. He’s their go to for game show hosts, and his Steve Harvey impression is far and away my favorite impression on the show. He may not always be the star in every sketch, but he makes every sketch he’s in better. This summer his wife gave birth to a daughter, so I’m assuming that had some influence on his decision, but damn it are we going to miss him. At least we’ll always have What’s Up With That.
