Saturday Night Live Recap: The Right Man For The Moment

As a long-time fan of Saturday Night Live and a Boston native myself, I found this week’s episode to be a rollercoaster ride of laughter and cringeworthy moments. The show started off strong with the nostalgic Good Will Hunting reference in The Janitor sketch, which had me chuckling from start to finish.

We are so back. Well, back to the 1980s, anyway.

On Tuesday evening, Vice President Kamala Harris suffered a significant defeat in an election against a man who boasted about potentially overturning Roe v Wade and was subsequently held accountable for sexual misconduct in a court of law. This seemingly unfortunate situation provided the ideal platform for a well-known comedian to deliver outdated humor on primetime television, targeting mainly female audiences and making light of their intelligence or physical attributes.

On Saturday Night Live, it’s customary to let a comedian with a wide political following host their first post-election episode. Previously, Dave Chappelle has held this honor in 2016 and 2020; however, his recent focus on anti-trans issues might have limited his appeal to one side of the spectrum. Bill Burr could be a suitable replacement, as he shares similarities with Chappelle in terms of being a master of comedy that can occasionally provoke, even when his material might not resonate with left-leaning humor enthusiasts.

Instead of seizing a chance for unity or standing up against adversity like Goliath, Burr opted to criticize liberal women harshly. His choice of words were particularly offensive, reminiscent of sexist humor that was popular during the height of Jay Leno’s comedy career, where jokes about feminists being unattractive were common.

Previously, Burr caused a stir on SNL in 2020 with jabs directed at women, but his approach was distinct. In the monologue, he criticized white women for appropriating the woke movement and self-centeredness. While some may question the humor or validity of these jokes, they undeniably provided sharp cultural critique and perspective. However, his recent monologue plunges into the depths of outdated misogyny. Instead of offering any insightful commentary, it focuses on trivial matters like women winning more elections if they dress to get free drinks at a bar. Essentially, it’s just an attempt to stir controversy – reminiscent of Tony Hinchcliffe with his robust Boston accent.

Typically, taking offense at a Bill Burr joke might be playing into his hands. For example, white women who were upset about his past performance could find themselves being told by approximately one million Burr fans that they were merely “proving his point,” regardless of whether this reasoning is sound. They argue that getting offended by jokes specifically intended to offend your appearance means you’ve lost, and the comedian has won. But what should be the reaction to a string of jokes that are merely mean-spirited towards women, especially when many of them are already struggling? Is it appropriate to say “wocka wocka”? Instead, one might consider engaging in thoughtful discourse about the role of humor and respect in comedy, or simply choosing not to engage with such content altogether.

To put it simply, I’m deeply dismayed by this situation. After his election, Burr was given a significant opportunity to set an example for what stand-up comedy might become during Donald Trump’s second term. His act seems to indicate that the comedy could resemble Trump himself quite closely. In other words, “Wocka wocka.

Despite the somber tone of the monologue, the subsequent sketches resulted in a lively and spirited episode. It might not have been the uplifting escape that disappointed Harris supporters were seeking this weekend, but it offered something for everyone, which is nearly as effective as any comedy show can be at uniting an audience currently.

Here are the highlights from the rest of the episode:

SNL for Trump Cold Open

https://youtube.com/watch?v=FN3q8jZ04_E?si=vSsXFpmpuLjyck9c

What a clever trick! In the initial 45 seconds, almost half of the cast seriously listed the numerous flaws of the president-elect. But wait, there’s more – “Hallelujah” moment! The twist: everyone secretly adores Trump and has backed him all along, expressing their hope that he won’t revoke NBC’s broadcasting rights or anything similar. It’s a well-thought-out skit, skillfully performed. The most revealing part comes post-performance of James Austin Johnson’s new Hot Jacked Trump character, as he subtly rolls his eyes while departing the stage. It seems like he’s already tired of having to continue portraying the most recognized person in the world for a longer period. We feel you, James. We really do.

Rorschach Test

https://youtube.com/watch?v=E2CCOCkKzpI?si=vJZp6fAn58tVONH-

Burr’s delivery here should make newcomers turned off by his monologue immediately understand his high status in the comedy world. As a firefighter who inexplicably sees pornographic cartoon images in a Rorschach test, he really sells the character’s matter-of-fact descriptions of the wild visions he’s seeing. (“But she’s not offended, though,” he says about a picture of Elsa from Frozen after Olaf the Snowman has run away with her top. “If anything, she’s delighted by the horny game of cat and mouse.”)

Sex Rock CD

https://youtube.com/watch?v=LRnMGIl8Ih0?si=nqoVnrKb91R5BrxH

As a die-hard fan of rock ‘n’ roll, I must say that Snake Skin, the fictional band at the heart of this comedy skit, is an electrifying blend reminiscent of 80s hair metal giants such as Guns N’ Roses, Poison, and Whitesnake. The attention to detail is so spot-on, you can almost catch a whiff of the Aqua Net in the air. Andrew Dismukes puts on an impressive performance as the band’s frontman, but it’s Sarah Sherman who truly steals the show with her regal guitar expressions during their anthem about “boobie sweat.

The Janitor

https://youtube.com/watch?v=BUsr1GTAIFI?si=LF__kbsHcBhRhK-B

This episode’s Boston atmosphere reaches its zenith with a nod to “Good Will Hunting”. Once again, Dismukes delivers an impressive performance, encapsulating the sensation of encountering a disgusting smell so intense that it brings tears to your eyes – a distinctly Boston experience.

Bald Guys

https://youtube.com/watch?v=9wabIAeuSKg?si=0QRq9kHUqE1y6hgE

It seems that following last week’s musical number with Mulaney’s help, the cast is craving even more. This skit features them creating a tribute to bald men. Kudos (pun acknowledged) go to the makeup department for accurately depicting all shades of the bald guy spectrum and to the writers for emphasizing numerous details about bald men, such as the discomfort of having a solitary freckle on the summit of one’s scalp.

Cut for Time

In a recent show, I found myself chuckling at Dana Carvey’s portrayal of Elon Musk during the opening scene. It seemed a tad forced for that specific moment, but there’s undeniably some promise in this act.

As a movie reviewer, I’d rephrase that sentence as follows: “In the Buffalo Wild Wings sketch, Burr’s overzealous Patriots fan character could have been more convincing if he hadn’t just acted moments prior, portraying a guy who wouldn’t be without a selfie on his phone featuring Barstool president Dave Portnoy.

Incidentally, do you think Portnoy is well-known enough for the nuanced cellphone gag to register? It’s hard to keep track of fame these days.

• It’s surprising to encounter sports fanaticism portrayed as both an asset and a problem in troubled father-son relationships again so soon, but the “Calling Dad” sketch focuses on suppressed emotions instead of outbursts of anger.

For the first time that I remember, Michael Che sipped a glass of amber liquor straight-up during “Weekend Update”, and it was quite fitting for this particular week.

For the first time in a considerable amount of time, Kenan Thompson reprised his role as Michael Che’s neighbor Willie. It’s been so long that when we last saw him, Willie was discussing a potential Covid vaccine only theoretically.

In the comedic scene of the Trauma Support Group sketch, it’s fortunate that Burr switches between a humorous exploding-wife monologue, which could conceivably have viewers so engrossed they may overlook his occasional shifts into a woo-woo man-bun accent.

As a movie enthusiast, I must say that Burr’s line in the “dinner jokes” sketch, “You think I am just arm candy?”, would have resonated more effectively if he hadn’t made fun of women based on their appearance only an hour and twenty minutes prior. That monologue undeniably cast a shadow over the entire episode.

In the same sketch, Ashley Padilla proves hilarious by portraying a character who’s actually quite unamusing.

2024-11-10 23:54