Tag Archives: Saturday Night Live

In 7 days…

Posted on July 9, 2015 | Leave a comment

During this fortnight that is Wimbledon, I can’t get enough tennis.

But that’s not why I loved and fervently recommend 7 Days in Hell, the hilarious mockumentary scheduled to air this Saturday night on HBO.

(I saw it early OnDemand. Gotta love OnDemand.)

Andy Samberg (SNL, Brooklyn 99) is Aaron Williams, a washed up former tennis star long removed from the game who returns for one last epic match against his bitter rival, young tennis phenom Charles Poole, played by Kit Harington (the late — or is he? — Jon Snow of Game of Thrones).

The match goes the full five sets and, since it is played at Wimbledon, does not have a tie break in the final set. So the play goes on and on — for a variety of bizarre reasons — for seven long days.

John Isner and Nicolas Mahut will be a tad jealous when they see why. (They hold the real record for the longest match at Wimbledon, iffin you didn’t know — 11 hours, 5 minutes of play over three days.)

There are tons of cameos by celebrities from television, film, tennis, even the world of magic. The story is outrageous, but the documentary format is honored, so it looks right…

Even though it is gloriously wrong.

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Posted in Celebrities, Comedy, documentary, Entertainment, Humor, Life, Movies, Sports, Television

Tagged 7 Days in Hell, Andy Samberg, bitter rival, Brooklyn 99, cameos, celebrities, comedy, documentary, entertainment, five sets, fortnight, Game of Thrones, HBO, Humor, John Isner, Jon Snow, Kit Harington, life, magic, mockumentary, Movies, Nicolas Mahut, OnDemand, Saturday Night Live, SNL, Sports, Television, tennis, tennis match, tennis phenom, tennis star, tie break, washed up, Wimbledon

Deja super vu

Posted on February 2, 2015 | Leave a comment

Second only to Pete Carroll’s really bad play call in the final seconds of last night’s Super Bowl is Left Shark.

He even has his own hashtag on Twitter.

Don’t know who #leftshark is? He was one of Katy Perry’s backup dancers. And his moves and killer costume earned him, in a matter of moments, his own Twitter account and social media stardom.

But just like his lesser lauded twin, Right Shark, I found Perry’s entire entourage a bit derivative.

There. I said it.

When I turned over to the half-time show, I thought I was watching a repeat of Pee Wee’s Playhouse.

Ya gotta admit — the stage show borrowed his color palette.

And #leftshark? I’m pretty sure his ancestor showed up on Saturday Night Live some 35 years ago.

So, don’t feel so bad, Pete.

You weren’t the only one who made a bad call last night.

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Posted in Celebrities, dancing, Entertainment, football, Humor, Life, Sports, Super Bowl, Television, Twitter

Tagged #leftshark, ancestor, backup dancer, bad call, color palette, costume, deja vu, derivative, entourage, half-time show, hashtag, Katy Perry, killer shark, Left Shark, Pee Wee's Playhouse, Pete Carroll, Rigth Shark, Saturday Night Live, social media, stage, Super Bow, twin, Twitter

See you next year

Posted on September 17, 2014 | Leave a comment

I love Bill Hader and the characters he played on Saturday Night Live.

Stefan is legendary.

But Hader hosting SNL three weeks into the new season? He only left last spring. That will make two episodes without him before his triumphant return.

Can you say premature celebration?

As a wise friend told me once, give people a chance to miss you.

(Incidentally, I have taken this advice about as well as Bill.)

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Posted in Celebrities, Comedy, Entertainment, Humor, Life, Television

Tagged Bill Hader, celebrities, comedy, entertainment, host, Humor, life, new season, premature, Saturday Night Live, Stefan, Television

We’re really nice

Posted on May 12, 2014 | Leave a comment

While this weekend’s episode of Saturday Night Live with guest host Charlize Theron won’t go on any “Best of” lists, there was one Digital Short that is getting a lot of attention.

In “Tourists,” SNL cast members (including Theron) dressed up as — you got it — tourists and pranked the good people of New York City with indecipherable questions, unknown accents, picture taking confusion and general craziness.

It was very funny.

And I want to point out — despite all the weirdness that SNL threw at them, every New Yorker really tried to help them out.

Points for us!

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Posted in Celebrities, Comedy, Commentary, Entertainment, Humor, Life, Television, Travel

Tagged accents, Best Of list, celebrities, Charlize Theron, comedy, commentary, crazy, digital short, entertainment, Humor, late night, life, New York City, picture taking, points for us, pranks, questions, review, Saturday Night Live, Television, tourists, Travel, video, weirdness

Baby boy dance party

Posted on March 1, 2014 | Leave a comment

I loved the musical sketch “Boy Dance Party” when it aired on Saturday Night Live way back in October. Bruce Willis and all the guys dancing around the living room while the girls were away?

Instant classic.

If possible, it has been made even better with the addition of a very enthusiastic toddler.

His parents won’t let people embed the video, but you can still enjoy it on Youtube.

(I like the kid way better than them.)

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Posted in Comedy, dancing, Entertainment, Humor, Internet, Music, Television

Tagged baby, baby boy dance party, boy dance party, Bruce Willis, comedy, dance, dance party, dancing, entertainment, Humor, instant classic, Internet, Music, Saturday Night Live, sketch, Television, toddler, video, Youtube

Do I look older?

Posted on January 8, 2014 | Leave a comment

Director Alexander Payne and I have never seen eye to eye.

Since his movie Election (which I did like), the rest of his films — Sideways, Cedar Rapids, The Descendants — just don’t speak to me.

I doubt he’s losing sleep over it.

That didn’t stop me from getting excited to see his latest awards magnet Nebraska, starring Bruce Dern and Saturday Night Live alum Will Forte.

It seemed to have it all.

The two leading men, of course. The black-and-white look, which seemed perfect for this road trip film. Great trailers, too.

Tragically, Alex has led me astray yet again.

In the film, the car trip takes three or four days. I would swear the movie — advertised as 1 hour 54 minutes — is actually that long. It is slow…so very slow.

The driving sequences are slow. The conversations are slow. There’s a couple of fights scenes, and their fists look like they are in slow motion even though they’re not.

I really enjoyed three scenes in the movie. And the performances are wonderful — especially June Squibb, who plays Bruce Dern’s kick of a wife. But there are long stretches of your life…

..that you will never get back.

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Posted in Academy Awards, Celebrities, Commentary, Entertainment, Humor, Movies, Oscars

Tagged Academy Awards, Alexander Payne, black and white movie, Bruce Dern, car trip, Cedar Rapids movie, celebrities, comedy, commentary, do I look older, driving sequences, Election movie, entertainment, Humor, June Squibb, movie awards season, movie director, movie leading man, movie trailer, Movies, Nebraska movie, Oscars, review, road trip, road trip film, Saturday Night Live, Sideways movie, The Descendants movie, Will Forte