Things I've Slept Through on Cable #3: SNL Edition

And no, I didn't watch A Night at the Roxbury. I doubt I will ever be that bored with my life, and that's saying a lot. No, this edition features two SNL stars, one an alum and another at the height of their popularity. And while technically I was awake for all of the latter film, I was really sleepy for most of it.

The first film featured is a Molly Shannon vehicle titled Year of the Dog. In it, Molly plays a rather odd woman (how can she not, really) who has a dog named Pencil. I missed the first 30 minutes or so of the film, so I didn't get to see Pencil. See, pencil bites the big one at the beginning of the film, an act that sends Shannon's character down a slippery slope of delusion, self-discovery, and activism. Think Robin Williams in One Hour Photo minus the completely psychotic last act and you have a pretty good idea what goes on here.

I wouldn't necessarily call the film enjoyable, but it was far from un-entertaining. Of course, it was 4-5 AM when I was watching it, so it's not like there was much else on. But for some reason, I got attached enough to the premise that I stuck it out to the end to see what happens. It has a bit of a non-ending, but maybe it makes more sense if you see it from the beginning.

The next film is a bit zanier... no, actually it's bat-**** insane. Andy Samberg has certainly established himself as a video genius and a master of the surreal, but the feature film Hot Rod spotlights most of that and takes it to the extreme. Samberg plays young amateur stuntman with a simple dream: to win his step-father's respect. Along the way he hangs with his friends, attempts to win the love of a lady, and performs stunts that would make Super Dave Osborne cringe.

But as crazy as the whole thing is, it keeps a consistent pace, and I found myself actually caught up in the story. The climax provides some of the most hilarious side references I have ever seen, and the conclusion is nothing short of epic.

So all in all, it was an interesting pair of films to stumble across. And it's always nice to be reminded that SNL stars, under the right circumstances, can still be entertaining in film.

Random TV Insanity

Just a few random clips from shows that I've skimmed over in the past few weeks. Somehow, I forgot to post this clip from the season finale of SNL. Will Ferrel hosting (plus what might be Darrel Hammond's last show) gives them a perfect opportunity to revive Celebrity Jeopardy. As good as it's ever been.



This is a bit of an odd entry, especially if you've missed out on the Keyboard Cat craze. But for those that remember my discussion of it or have bore witness to it themselves, I'm sure you can appreciate Colbert Nation's take on it using an all too familiar injury. And just how much free time did Green Day have while they were at the studio?

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And over at Colbert's sister show The Daily Show, John Oliver comes unhinged over the strangest of things. Really, I just appreciate this for the goofball antics that seem to occur between Oliver and Jon Stewart anytime they talk to each other.

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart	M - Th 11p / 10c
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A Little SNL for the Weekend

Which I know is odd, since it came on last Saturday. But whatever. Justin Timberlake made yet another classic episode by hosting.

First up, a goofy, but oddly entertaining trip to Ellis Island. If only our great-grandparents truly dared to dream...



Weekend Update had a visit from some of the stars of the Star Trek film. As funny as this is, I know that somewhere, there are still nerds mounting protests. I weep on the inside.



And to close things out, a soon to be classic Digital Short. I think everyone went into the episode wondering if they would revisit the greatest white R&B group of our generation, and Timberlake and Samberg prove once again that no holiday is safe.



And yes, that is Susan Sarandon. I'm still impressed by the sheer star power that Samberg can wrangle in a pinch.

All in all, a good episode. Very hard to pull just a handful of items out, so wander over to the NBC.com homepage for more highlights, or just be on the lookout for a re-air.

HouseTV: A Little Bit of SNL...

I've got the episode DVRed, but since I still haven't gotten around to watching the whole thing I figured I'd drop a few clips from last week's Saturday Night Live. Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson always finds a way to be entertaining. Sure, he's not Hugh Jackman, but he can carry a musical number with the best of them.



And who's to say that this isn't what would happen if our President ever lost his cool? Take note, Congress. Push him at your own peril...



And finally, after pondering this for weeks, this would explain so much about the party leadership...

SNL Clips of the Week

Since SNL still hits a few out of the park even after the election has ended, I might as well keep up with things here. The open was a little too on the money with how I think the Republicans actually act these days to be realy funny, and the Cougar Den was just... well, disturbing. But there were a few winners.

First, a little diversion that makes effective use of both the musical guest and your host.



And speaking of effective use of music, this one gets credit for dissecting a song with one of the most direct commentaries ever held. Why haven't I written this sketch myself?



And finally, the sketch they snuck in right around the 12:52 mark, which covers a joke that every living person has to have seen coming. Wait...

Friday is Fun Day

No, I don't consider this political. I consider this hilarious. Ah, the joy of pardoning turkeys. The one thing I still continue to love about life is that you can't script nonsense like this.



And now for my regularly scheduled nonsense. For everyone that thought that MacGuyver was completely non-violent, he totally hit that one guy once. Sort of.



And you can't have a YouTube clip like that without someone creating a remix.



That guy needs a C-C-C-C-Combo-breaker!

And to close things out, a pair of SNL Digital Shorts. One's a bit old, but they're always classics.

Solid!

Okay, so the real campaign would never pull something like this. But despite the backlash they would receive for doing it, it would impress me to no end.



But what do I know? I was a big fan of the "Dukakis After Dark" sketch back in the day.

And I didn't love this short at first, but darned if the last 30 seconds didn't sell it for me.



And yes, it bothers me that Andy Samberg is more in touch with his inner rasta than I am. Not that that's saying much.