Sunday, January 22, 2006

Patrick Moss writes, in essence:

Q. Why isn't Saturday Night Live funny any more?

This is one of the great unsolved mysteries of my generation. It's not that what I found funny at 20 I no longer find funny. Samurai Hotel is still funny. As are the Bees sketches. As are the "wild and crazy guys." As is Roseanne Roseannadanna, may she rest in peace. As late as "Wayne's World" the jokes were pointed inwards.

To me the change seems to be in the kind of humor. The SNL I watched and loved was goofy absurdist humor. The SNL I occasionally click past seems to be mean-spirited embarrassment humor, e.g. the "buh-bye" routine, the "It's Pat" routine, etc.

Is it that the audience now wants that? Or is it that Lorne Michaels is hiring a different flavor of writer? There've gotta be people still writing goofy.

Does anyone have any insider knowledge about what happened here? Did Lorne's wife leave him, or something?

3:46 PM

11 Comments:

I've actually pondered this one a lot. In my opinion, the last great (regular) skit on SNL was the dozen or so "Celebrity Jeopardy" spoofs they did. They were friggin' hysterical, especially if you watch them one after the other.

Lately, I tune in just to nod off.

By  Christina, at 4:11 PM  

Actualy Quinn they have always used cue cards(the show isn't finalized until saturday) and they have never allowed improvising. They have a very strict time schedule.

The fact is the show goes through lows and highs. Right now they have a bunch of new writers and no established characters to fall back on. It's no different than in 94 or in 85, and just like then next year will be better and the year after that it will start to be good.

And quite frankly Alex I don't think you can get much more absurdist than the Lonely Island boys, who are all on SNL right now.

If your interested in how SNL has worked over time since the beginning go to the library and pick up this. I found it a fascinating read.

By  Whaledawg, at 6:47 PM  

Some possibilities...
1. Over the years, they've increasingly pandered to a younger and younger audience -- just look at the musical groups they choose.
2. The format has kind of been explored, to say the least.
3. Their best writers don't always get showcased. It's more political, dog-eat-dog, from what I understand.
4. When you hear the name Lorne Michaels, you don't exactly think cutting edge anymore. You think '70s-'80s. Where's the hunger to break ground when you're old and rich?

By  Eric Williamson, at 10:35 PM  

1. Over the years, they've increasingly pandered to a younger and younger audience -- just look at the musical groups they choose.

They're not pandering younger and younger, your getting older and older. Their demographic has always been highschool/college.

2. The format has kind of been explored, to say the least.

As has every format. There are still plenty of places you can go with sketch comedy.

3. Their best writers don't always get showcased. It's more political, dog-eat-dog, from what I understand.

You could say that about any sketch show. What would make those better writers be overlooked of late?

4. When you hear the name Lorne Michaels, you don't exactly think cutting edge anymore. You think '70s-'80s. Where's the hunger to break ground when you're old and rich?

The show hasn't been breaking ground since about 1978. After Lorne left originaly it was about keeping it alive and when he came back he was about turning it into an institution. Ground breaking hasn't been the focus for a long time.

By  Whaledawg, at 11:16 PM  

I think the early years were based on improv comedy, whereas the more recent years have the meaner, stand-up-style sense of humor.

Comedians today mostly want to make fun of other people. They are way too cool and ironic to dress up in bee costumes and say, "We want your pollen."

By  Lisa Hunter, at 11:57 PM  

AAHHHHHHH! Finally we get to the bottom of it.

LORNE HAS STOPPED TAKING PEYOTE!

I knew something had changed.

Lorne definitely needs to start taking peyote again.

By  Alex Epstein, at 9:11 AM  

This year you can feel they are moving back into an upswing. Indeed, I think the hiring of the Lonely Island dudes helps this, especially since two of them our writers. They have a very talented cast. We've had the Chronicles of Narnia rap video, this last week we saw Young Chuck Norris video, and watch this and tell me it's not funny:

http://www.youtube.com/w/Pirate-Convention---SNL?v=yzlkx7cCkHQ&search=snl%20young%20chuck%20norris%20andy%20samberg%20jason%20sudeikis%20amy%20poehler%20fred%20armisen%20jorma%20taccone%20bill%20hader%20akiva%20schaffer

By  Unknown, at 4:12 PM  

i mean, try this link:
Pirate Sketch

By  Unknown, at 4:14 PM  

Just watched the Pirate Convention. NOT FUNNY. Didn’t even smile. And I really, really wanted to laugh, but, in fact, I became incensed. I wrote that same sketch 20 years ago in the 6th grade, right down to the “it’s rated RRRRRR” joke.

Maybe it would be funnier if we were on peyote.

By  Adam Renfro, at 7:52 PM  

well, it's all subjective.

By  Unknown, at 3:36 AM  

Sorry, I was a bit harsh, and it showed in the formatting. I want to love the show. It's been with us (me)too long. It's working its way into the American archetypal thing.

By  Adam Renfro, at 11:29 AM  

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