comment #1

NDH says ...

It was pretty clever, although Hammond has done the McCain thing much better in the past. He seemed a little off tonight. Franco did a solid job, but I thought the night belonged to Hader (not just for the opening, but his cocky NY Times reporter and Willem Dafoe impression were priceless!).

comment #2

D.Z. says ...

The sarcastic guy isn't as good as Joel from Conan O' Brien.

comment #3

MDOC says ...

Really funny.

comment #4

Captain Midnight says ...

This sketch was FAR better than the Palin/Clinton press conference one that got overhyped last week.

comment #5

NotImpressedYet says ...

I thought it was decent, but nowhere near as good as Fey's skewering of Palin last week, mainly due to the performance. Hammond needs to up his game. The ads were great though!

And how stupid do Lorne Michaels and Al Franken have to be to publicize the fact that Franken came up with the idea?!? The ONE saving grace of SNL this year has been the occasional bit of political relevance. But now anything they do that criticizes McCain gets to be discounted because they're "in the tank" for the democrats, regardless of the truth. Franken should have kept his ego in check and refused the writing credit.

Incidentally, my favorite SNL bit on McCain is from four years ago - the TV Funhouse bit where he's preparing to sell his soul and endorse Bush. You can find it at hulu.com if you search for funhouse and McCain. Absolutely brilliant.

comment #6

MovieBob says ...

Funny, but also (unintentionally, one imagines, given Franken's involvement) illustrative of just why McCain's "brand" is still strong among independents and even more Democrats than want to admit it: They still LIKE him. The Palin sketch(es) ripped her to shreds, but this is really their first Campaign season McCain whack and the theme of the sketch is: "aww, the poor old guy. He's old, he's too trusting, he doesn't really 'get' campaigning in this era, those jerks in the party are tricking him into using these tactics." No one wants to think that McCain could actually be "behind" any of this (to be fair, this is probably pretty close to the truth.)

comment #7

Edward says ...

I don't know how anyone who calls themselves a Democrat could support McCain.

comment #8

George Prager says ...

Franken did some fake commercials for the 1994 election for Weekend Update. One of the funniest things ever. I wish it was on YouTube.

comment #9

BurmaShave says ...

Darrell Hammond playing McCain has all the old-guard soullessness of McCain's candidacy itself. They should have auditioned for someone who could do it, and for a new Obama as well. Especially since Hammond's impersonation isn't very good.

comment #10

Roman says ...

" don't know how anyone who calls themselves a Democrat could support McCain. "

Sadly, I can.

I don't know how anyone who calls themselves a Liberal (or, you know, I person with a brain) could support McCain.

comment #11

Deathtongue_Groupie says ...

Ditto Captain Midnight.

While Fey does a much better Palin than Hammond does McCain (although the phrasing was dead on), this one put some real bite into the satire and spoke a truth about McCain's ads.

comment #12

D.Z. says ...

NotImpressed: "And how stupid do Lorne Michaels and Al Franken have to be to publicize the fact that Franken came up with the idea?!? The ONE saving grace of SNL this year has been the occasional bit of political relevance. But now anything they do that criticizes McCain gets to be discounted because they're "in the tank" for the democrats, regardless of the truth. Franken should have kept his ego in check and refused the writing credit."

Actually, Franken's an SNL alumni, so at least he has experience in covering the political situation, as opposed to a gay prostitute posing as a reporter....

Bob: "Funny, but also (unintentionally, one imagines, given Franken's involvement) illustrative of just why McCain's "brand" is still strong among independents and even more Democrats than want to admit it: They still LIKE him."

Well, a lot of independents and Democrats liked George Wallace in '68, too. That doesn't make their opinions valid, though.

comment #13

NotImpressedYet says ...

Captain Midnight and Deathtongue, I agree the McCain bit was juicier and had more satirical bite than Fey's Palin last week, but Hammond's impersonation blows, and it sucked the air right out of it.

You know what would have been awesome? For SNL to run the fake commercials by themselves throughout last night's show.

comment #14

George Prager says ...

The candidates cars: John and Cindy: 13 cars, Barack and Michelle: 1

http://www.newsweek.com/id/160091

comment #15

Deathtongue_Groupie says ...

"run the fake commercials by themselves throughout last night's show."

NotImpressedYet - considering the drop in the general intelligence level of the average SNL viewer over the years, that might have been dangerous.

Taken out of the recording skit context, you really have wonder just how many would think they were real. Even in the skit, you gotta assume there were a few watching out there who turned to the person on the lazy-boy next to them and said "Uh, I don't get it, aren't those true?"

comment #16

GonePostal says ...

It was clever, but not out and out hilarious. I think Hammond's impersonation is off as well. But anything that gets Bill Hader more notice is good. I've also gotta agree with NDH that he stole the show with his final Willem Dafoe impersonation. Why is it that the best skit is sometimes dead last, while crap like "The Cougar Den" goes on after the host's monologue? I think I watch the show just to see how much I hate it. At least watching it on tivo I can fast forward through the awful parts, about 85% of the show, sadly.

comment #17

Deathtongue_Groupie says ...

Life's too short to even fast forward through 90 minutes of dreck in order to reach those 5 mins of bronze or silver medal material. And it's been a long ass time since they turned in gold...

comment #18

Richardson says ...

George - is that "Ted Kennedy -- he's a big, fat drunk"?

comment #19

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