Saturday Night Live

[ahenobarbus]

I'm not sure banned is the right word. Michaels just does not bother to invite back certain people who aggravated him.

Apparently time is a big issue, and anyone who throws the show off schedule by adding stuff earns his dislike. The reason Elvis Costello got in trouble is that he played half of one song, and then started over and played the whole of another song. It drove the show over by a minute or two.

[swanflake]

I remember Jay Mohr talking about one time when he thought he did a really stellar job at a sketch, but Lorne was really upset because he went overtime.

The show has way too many commercials in the last half hour. I think it makes the show look really cheap. My affiliate often times can't even sell all the ad space left for local commercials (at least that's what I assume the problem is), so they just keep the headshot of the host frozen up on the TV screen for 15 seconds or more.

[huntergrayson]

I thought the reason Elvis Costello got in trouble was because he was pretty much asked to play his hit - started to and then switched to a different song instead...

Hmm, Reference.com lists this as the reason:

Elvis Costello was banned from SNL for 12 years. In December 1977, he was slated to perform with his group The Attractions. NBC and the show's producer Lorne Michaels didn't want Costello to perform "Radio, Radio," since it was an anti-media song. Costello defied them by beginning to play "Less Than Zero," stopping, telling the audience that there was no reason to do that song, and started playing "Radio, Radio." Besides the defiance, it also infuriated Michaels because it put the show off schedule. Costello was finally invited to come back and play in 1989, and even reenacted his act of defiance on the 25th Anniversary Show with the Beastie Boys in 1999.

Interestingly enough, my suspicion that Lohan's 3rd appearance was a last-minute replacement is confirmed by Wikipedia - she subbed for Patrick Dempsey, apparently. Not a bad job, considering.

I liked Julia a lot but thought she played a lot of characters exactly the same. Her mannerisms have gotten very pronounced and specific. Though I guess playing a character like Elaine for so long means those ticks are always with you.

Total word, SwanFlake. I'm so glad I TiVo the show now. I get to skip all those ads and the musical guest. Seriously, no matter who it is, I never watch the songs.

[Deleted]

That last Falconer sketch was awesome, best sketch of the season. I was laughing so hard I was crying, which hasn't happened with me and SNL in ages.

[Deleted]

LOL We saw it too. I loved the little wooden time machine with the ken dolls in it. hehehe

I have to say, the amount of commercials drove us crazy and we turned it not long after. My boyfriend asked me if they always had so many commercials and I don't remember it being so many.

[Deleted]

topher said:

Al Gore made a surprise appearance.

link

I love me some Al. Can we vote him as President again, please?

**ack! Sorry for the double post!

[Deleted]

I can't be the only fan of the "Two A-holes . . . " sketches. Maybe it's because they remind me of so many couples in my city . . . But I love the whole sketch. The constant stupid playing with the hair, the overly confident way the guy talks, the constant interruptions . . . it's all golden.

[susyhomewrecker]

Best. Falconer. Ever.

[Hamatron]

I always think the girl in the "Two A-Holes" sketch is doing Paris Hilton. That's probably how she is in real life anyway...

I thought last night's episode blew. I didn't even smile once, and I was in a giggly mood thanks to getting back from a party. Kevin Spacey doesn't do well with broad comedy (I think). The suckage was even more apparent when they showed an old episode later that night from around the time of Bush's first election-- and it was pretty funny.

[Deleted]

I love the Two A-Holes sketch too, I know so many people like that it's frightening. For some reason I find the way they talk in those sketches hilarious.

But yeah, other than the Two A-Holes and The Falconer it blew. Although the Usual Suspects tribute came close to being good.