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what up with that? (oooooohh weeeee) [The Perfect Sketch] [SNL] [#TrumpShutdown]

Started by Barry Admin, January 20, 2018, 09:48:23 PM

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Barry Admin

I'm absolutely fucking obsessed with these sketches, they are 8 minutes of absolute unconfined joy and brilliance. When I get over my chest infection, I'm going to spend the rest of my life dedicating myself to learning and perfecting every single one of Jason Sudeikis' dance moves. Hell I might even cultivate a jewfro.

They're just amazing, and I want more more more. I've really grown to love Kenan Thompson as a performer - as with Kate McKinnon, you can almost always tell just how much fun he's having while performing, and it only lifts the material.

Every sketch is the same, in terms of format, and every sketch is absolute mother fucking gold. Just joy joy joy. If you've never seen a BET talk show, you might not get the reference, but it really doesn't matter.

Here's a few of them, roughly in order:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=oaRiOU5IiXw
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Vv98ceYutgQ
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=0p8hZFMqCcY
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=aY3FxWRz1cw

Famous Mortimer

I had Sudeikis dancing gif as my avatar for a while. He's just the best, turning a background role into gold.

Ernest Borgnine is the greatest guest this sketch ever had. He just looks delighted to be there the entire time.

alan nagsworth



my face watching these back to back

I really wish I knew more about SNL, but it just seems like one of those things like Comedy Bang Bang where I'll never find a proper jumping in point that doesn't require a million old episodes or sketches to catch up. I dunno, am I wrong? Is it still a good show?

Either way, I am feeling extremely low this evening and this, coupled with my pizza delivery coming with complimentary Ben and Jerry's, has seriously put a big smile on my face. Thanks for sharing.

Barry Admin

Nags that's awesome man, super good to hear, and good to know you're gonna have the song playing in your head for the next two weeks as an earworm (you will).

SNL gets a rough ride, particularly on here, but honestly, it's a fucking goldmine. The YouTube channel is full of some of the greatest and most interesting comedy ever made, you just gotta find it. Don't worry about continuity and such, just dive in! Find a period that interests you, or a performer or two you particularly like, and get your binge on. You'll just naturally and organically find a lot more great stuff that way - YouTube suggestions can be a real boon in this regard.

Ultimately, some familiarity with American culture will help, but it's not necessary. The girl in the well in the sketches above had me screaming, but only because I knew of the actual case from old Stern shows and such. Every good parody and satire will and should work independently of its references. If you get the references, the comedy value is heightened, of course. Sometimes you just need to know little things, like how Jeopardy is a show where the contestants are given answers, and have to supply the questions. Once you know that, you're fully equipped for greatness.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Ch_hoYPPeGc

I mean, look at that. Even if you're not familiar with Kathie Lee Gifford, you're probably going to come away with the feeling that Kristen Wiig might be a genius.

Things will just slay you. The first time you see Barbara Walters and Marlene Dietrich, Alec Baldwin doing Tony Bennett, "Jane, you ignorant slut"... and so on. You just gotta find the period and the people who really appeal to you.

And it's currently kicking ass, people like Kate McKinnon, Beck Bennett, Cecily Strong and Kenan Thompson are world class performers. Get on that YouTube, and I wanna hear what chimes with you bud. Looking forward to it.

jobotic

That's brilliant. I've heard of Kathie Lee Gifford but that's it and I found Kristen Wiig hilarious.

I mean check this out

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z9wKLMMDjp0

maett

Never seen these, love that flautist. I'm going to be singing that tune for the next week.

Famous Mortimer

I knocked up a playlist of my favourite sketches, but didn't get very far into it.

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL8-p5zYASsuKg9n1NdndjgLyqAN0r5Jxi

(I have a weakness for the sketches where they corpse, and the mid-to-late 90s)

"White Like Me" is in my top ten comedy sketches of all time, though. It can occasionally be the worst thing ever (Donald Trump hosting), but then can be fantastic. "Weekend Update" has been the best part of the show for a good while now, but they still do interesting things.

alan nagsworth

Cheers Neil and FM for the pointers/playlist. I had a little rummage earlier and am definitely enjoying Bill Hader a lot. It's also nice to be reminded that outside of the garbage films in which he so often acts, Will Ferrell is actually great.

non capisco

These are bloody marvellous. I cracked up every time Sudeikis leaped on. They're like a warm bath of a sketch series in that once you recognise what they're doing with the repetitive format there's little bits you're looking forward to seeing, like "Lynsey Buckingham"'s "ahhh, you're alright" face at the end. And yes, I want to be as delighted as Ernest Borgnine every second of the day.

"Mooooooooo-vieeeeeee!"

Famous Mortimer

Quote from: alan nagsworth on January 20, 2018, 10:10:08 PM
I really wish I knew more about SNL, but it just seems like one of those things like Comedy Bang Bang where I'll never find a proper jumping in point that doesn't require a million old episodes or sketches to catch up. I dunno, am I wrong? Is it still a good show?
A good way is the individual performer best-ofs, perhaps? Find an era you like and zoom in on that.

I also just remembered that in its very early days, Albert Brooks did some short films for them, which are still fantastic all these years later. Here's the only one I could find on Youtube:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=APYVTUJB4Ic

Brundle-Fly

Really enjoyed the OP clips. A few of these American comedy sketches really love driving a repetitious gag to the bitter end. ie: SNL's David.S. Pumpkins, Mr Show Everest sketch, Too Many Cooks and the daddy of them all, Lasagne Cat.

Ja'moke

Thanks, now this song will be stuck in my head all week. This is another great one I just watched: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QDdrIRLc9hM

Kate Upton cracking up every time Sudeikis jumps into shot.

non capisco

Quote from: Brundle-Fly on January 21, 2018, 12:54:03 PM
Really enjoyed the OP clips. A few of these American comedy sketches really love driving a repetitious gag to the bitter end. ie: SNL's David.S. Pumpkins, Mr Show Everest sketch, Too Many Cooks and the daddy of them all, Lasagne Cat.

I'd also put 'The Monster Fuck' song from the Hallowe'en Comedy Bang Bang podcast episodes in there. Exactly the same stupid joke every year and long may it continue. I am a complete sucker for that kind of humour.

newbridge

Quote from: Famous Mortimer on January 21, 2018, 12:02:41 PM
A good way is the individual performer best-ofs, perhaps? Find an era you like and zoom in on that.

Chris Farley Best Of is all anybody needs. He's the perfect example of my theory that SNL is often more about the performer(s) than the writing, which is probably the inverse of most sketch shows.

phantom_power

I do find these inexplicably amusing. Does anyone have any examples of the sort of show it is parodying?

Z

Quote from: phantom_power on January 21, 2018, 05:22:23 PM
I do find these inexplicably amusing. Does anyone have any examples of the sort of show it is parodying?
yep, I want to see these too. I've tried googling a few variations on "BET chat show singing" but it hasn't been clear enough

newbridge

I'm not sure it's parodying anything, I think it's just deliberately absurd.

Barry Admin

Maybe it's more of a pastiche rather than a direct parody. I had BET 20 years or so ago and the sketches seemed to have an air of familiarity about them to me, with Kenan being a kind of preacher with a certain amount of James Brown. A black comedian who is also comfortable singing because he's really fucking good at it.

Or perhaps it's all just whimsy. It puts me in mind of Big Night Out a bit, because of the adherence to structure, and the Novelty Island-style acts and weirdness.

I've had a look and can't find anything definite either way.

Barry Admin

This is the best bit of writing I found about it. One thing to note is that it's also quite a contentious series of sketches, and a lot of people were seemingly furious at them doing "the same bit" every week.

http://www.slate.com/blogs/browbeat/2014/09/25/kenan_thompson_on_saturday_night_live_after_11_seasons_cast_member_quietly.html

Quote from: Bryan Tucker(interesting stuff about how reliable and talented Kenan is in general snipped)
...
It's that same cuddliness that endears him to the staff at SNL like no other cast member. The first time Kenan did "What Up With That?" in 2009, something happened that I had never seen before. After the sketch was over, everyone stopped working and lined the backstage hallway to give Kenan a high-five or a pat on the back. Hairstylists, costume designers, PAs, and other cast members clapped, treating the moment like it was a high school football game, and the home team had just won.

The other writer on the sketch, Rob Klein, and I came by Kenan's station after the celebration died down. Earlier that day, we were worried that "What Up With That" might be too random and silly for people. But Kenan held it together by singing, sweating, and staying undeniably in control.

"Wow! That was great," I said. "The crowd was totally on board."

"Yeah," he said, easing into his chair. "We got 'em that time, didn't we?"

No writer on Earth would have failed to notice that he said "we."

The longer you stay at SNL, the less vital things feel. Moments lose their intensity and begin to blend together. You learn to take your ego out of the process and just look after the show as a whole. Victories feel less triumphant. Failures stay with you for a shorter period of time. Still, there are times when you just can't help it.

Perhaps someone could tweet the writers for some clarification?

Brundle-Fly

Quote from: Barry Admin on January 21, 2018, 08:30:08 PM
Maybe it's more of a pastiche rather than a direct parody. I had BET 20 years or so ago and the sketches seemed to have an air of familiarity about them to me, with Kenan being a kind of preacher with a certain amount of James Brown. A black comedian who is also comfortable singing because he's really fucking good at it.

Or perhaps it's all just whimsy. It puts me in mind of Big Night Out a bit, because of the adherence to structure, and the Novelty Island-style acts and weirdness.

It's definitely Vic & Bob. It evokes the first minute of early Shooting Stars with the bemused celebrity guests.  The other gag touches on the classic elaborate drawn-out introduction to a massive anti-climax.

eg:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=063jQAM6N8I

It's this gag essentially
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cMqdwtd8TrQ

But ultimately, he's just a wonderful funny performer with great sidekicks and foils.

Gulftastic

If I ever get rich and go to places where it would be appropriate, I'm having a whole load of suits made like Kenan's.

Large Noise


Depressed Beyond Tables


Mr Banlon


up_the_hampipe

Quote from: alan nagsworth on January 20, 2018, 10:10:08 PM
I really wish I knew more about SNL, but it just seems like one of those things like Comedy Bang Bang where I'll never find a proper jumping in point that doesn't require a million old episodes or sketches to catch up. I dunno, am I wrong? Is it still a good show?

I did a thread for good SNL sketches a while back that might interest you https://www.cookdandbombd.co.uk/forums/index.php?topic=55868.0

Kelvin

I love the way Kenan often looks a little shocked when the inspiration to sing hits him again.

He was always a good performer, even in his days on Kenan and Kel, though. When I watched those shows in my early teens, it was always obvious to me that he had the best comedic chops of that era's kid's TV (Sabrina, Sister Sister, Moesha, etc). In particular, he knew how to use his voice in such inherently funny ways.


Butchers Blind

Its not just his dancing but that little walk off Sudeikis does each time that really tickles me. 

Barry Admin

YES! The way he stomps off like a boss.

I've woken up today with "Sexy Banjo" as a moderately aggravating earworm.

non capisco

I don't think I'll ever be able to get the main song out of my head. The fact it always contains the line "Woke up this morning and I got out of bed" probably means I'll hear it every day now from the minute I wake.