SNL's Campaign Trail: Fauxbama, Huckabee, And Tina Fey Endorsing Clinton

Is Bitch the New Black? If you believe Tina Fey on "Saturday Night Live" last night, then damn straight; if you don't, you may well be burning up the NBC message boards right now. Last night politics was center stage on SNL, with an epic cold open spoofing the latest CNN debate between Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama (over 8 minutes), a supersized "Weekend Update" (11 minutes), and about as close as SNL could come to a live, on-air endorsement of Hillary Clinton by host and returning alumna Tina Fey. In a segment on Update called "Women's News" ("It's a great time to be a lady in America!") Fey celebrated the news of a woman running for president — and then (after a bitty swipe at Oprah), proceeded to take aim at a number of Hillary-hating arguments: That if elected she wouldn't be able to "control" hubby Bill Clinton and there'd be "co-presidents" in the White House ("'Cause that would be terrible, having two intelligent, qualified people working together to solve problems — why would you let Starsky talk to Hutch?"); reassuring the audience that, even though they were married, they were having "about as much sex as George Bush and Jeb Bush are" and smacking down Rush Limbaugh for his comments that "America's not ready to watch their president turn into an old lady. "Really?" asked Fey. "'Cause they didn't seem to mind when Ronald Reagan did that." But what bugged her most, said Fey, was when people said that Clinton was a bitch. "Yeah, she is," said Fey. "And so am I — and so is this one over here," gesturing at Amy Poehler. "Yeah, deal with it," said Poehler. Fey's point: Bitches got things done, yo, and that's why Hillary would be a good president. "So I'm sayin, it's not too late, Texas and Ohio, get on board! Bitch is the new black!" An exhortation of voters to the polls to vote their bitch in? Bill Clinton probably couldn't have done it more effectively. Watch it here:







Commenters are already incensed (both on the NBC chat boards and in our comments sections, so far) but to be fair, it's about equal to the Lorne Michaels endorsement of Obama, who said Obama would be hard to mock because he was a "truly heroic figure." Also, it's worth noting that many Hillary supporters are chiming in with gratitude to Fey for articulating a sentiment that had made them feel marginalized in the face of Obamania.

Speaking of which, SNL also tapped Fred Armisen to play its Obama (details here), which he did with his brow furrowed the whole time, doing a nice rendering of Obama's from-30,000 feet speechifying and penchant for scribbling during debates. The CNN debate spoof greedily hit on it all around the central conceit that the media was "totally in the tank" with Obama. Kristen Wiig was a smitten Campbell Brown, Jason Sudeikis a drooling John King, and Will Forte a dashingly handsome Jorge Ramos, whose question to Obama was "Are you comfortable? Can we get you anything?" while all three panelists ignored and insulted Amy Poehler's Clinton (by far the best example of that was when Wiig's Brown smacked down Clinton for interrupting the "randomly selected" audience questioner, Obama Girl. "I think you owe Obama Girl and all the people of this nation an Obam-apology," she deadpanned. Classic). Props to Amber Lee Ettinger, aka Obama Girl, for hitting the big time — hearing Fey thank Mike Huckabee, Steve Martin, Carrie Underwood and Obama Girl at the end of the show was really a testament to how much the advent of viral vid has changed thing. Watch the whole great segment here:

Finally, there was the aforementioned Governor Huckabee, completing the late-night talk show circuit and spoofing himself in a segment that mirrored his campaign rather well — he was charming, funny and refused to leave. Watch it below:







As long as we're rocking the full SNL YouTube thing, here's Fey's opening monologue with a guest turn by Steve Martin, who always seems to monologue about how great, wonderful and what a big star he is. I'm just sayin'. Cogent writer's strike commentary in that, too. Chekkit here:







And finally: Tina Fey wished announcer Don Pardo a very happy birthday — his 90th! — during the goodnights last night — he doesn't look it by a long shot, nor sound it. Wow. Many more, Don Pardo!

Comments

[drunkeneagle]

just watched a few clips, did they drop the comedy part of the show?

[fearwig]

In the 90s, I think. Now it's just deadpan, unconvincing impersonations of celebrities.

[accountability]

awwwww,

How gracious and fair you are.
What a wonderfully delightful sense of humor you have.

so sad when a person can't laugh at themselves or what concerns them.

Please, if the situation were reversed you would be rolling on the floor and shoving your smug hatred down everyones throat.

Such thin skinned seriously comitted to . What was it you were committed to again?

[AnninCA]

A loss of the funny bone is one of the noted symptoms of obamamania.

It's documented.

The only antidote is to stop the insanity. :)

[drunkeneagle]

this show is still on?

[ErinG]

Guess who’s “totally in the tank” for Hillary?

[leftbehind2000]

You had me at "totally in the tank."

[SFreeborn]

Fred did a good job with the physicality of Obama, but it took a while for him to warm up to the speech. I think Obama's speech is such a polyglot mix of Midwest Twang, Hawaiian English, and the cultivated English of the well-educated that it will be difficult to master.

I laughed so hard at the opening skit and I LOVED Tina's Bitch is the new Black endorsement. Who cares if it was real or not, it was FUNNY.

For me SNL is like a beloved relative that has gone through alot of changes but still makes me laugh when I need to laugh. Styles change, even for what's funny.

[StephenJK]

Agree. It's always been my favorite show although I don't watch it much anymore. I do identify it like you do. I will always have a place close to me for SNL. Hell, it gave me a lot of my sense of humor when I watched it every saturday as a kid in the 80's.

[veracal]

I voted for Obama on Super Tuesday; I'll damn sure vote for the democratic nominee. I didn't see the show because I've never been a fan of SNL and I've always been pissed at the lack of diversity in the cast.

I have no problem with Fey and Pohler using their platform to comment on the sexism Hillary has faced and/or the media's seeming unequal treatment of the candidates.

All Obama supporters who think it's great for Oprah, Chris Rock, Will I Am, Will Smith, Dave Chappelle, George Lopez and other celebrities to publicly support Obama are hypocrites if they think the writers and performers of SNL can't do the same.

[nachtengel]

It's totally cool for her to support any one publicly. And to also do so through the whole race (ie, when your show was new... and you weren't on top of th world).

But the issue is using and abusing her power on SNL to pitch for Clinton, and being somewhat racist, backwardly sexist, and worst of all... not funny while doing it.

Hillary isn't facing any thing more then any other Alpha personality is in the media. Alpha's deserve what ever they get, make or female.

[veracal]

I don't think she was abusing her power, just like I don't think Oprah is abusing hers. As a black woman I didn't really get the racist vibe, although I only watched a clip not the whole show.

Women coopting the word bitch is about as stupid as black people coopting the n-word. I think we agree on that.

[accountability]

OHMYGOD lighten up.
If you had the least bit of intellectual honesty you would admit that you would be laughing your ass off if the whole thing were reversed.

Don't worry, next week they will be doing a parody of Hillary getting righteously angry at... OOPS!... sorry, I mean "mocking" Obama

[stkinne]

I too am an Obama supporter and actively campaign for him in my home state. However, I thought Tina Fey's commentary was absolutely hysterical and the best explanation for voting for HRC I've heard from anyone. NOW and Gloria Steinem could take a cue or two from her.

Those of you bent out of shape, once in a while, the truth hurts. Get over it. It was funny.

While I'm not switching my vote, I have to admit, Tina Fey is the first person that's made me feel guilty about not voting for HRC because I'm a woman. She was dead on in her commentary, which was political satire. Comedy people. I know we're not used to seeing that from SNL, so maybe some of you are just in shock and denial. But it was funny.

The comments here and on the NBC board that she should be fined or punished are asinine. Oprah has a tv show and, soon, a network. She shouldn't be fined anymore than Tina Fey. It's comedy, people, and they, as individuals, have every right to express their freedom of speech as the next person.

[sideways74]

Thanks for adding some reason to this debate!

[leftbehind2000]

Oprah can say whatever she pleases. Not that I care - I don't like the woman, never watch the show, and assiduously avoid any book with her stamp of approval on it. But Oprah's show belongs to Oprah.

Last I checked, SNL is an ensemble, not Tina Fey's personal grind pole. I imagine there were some in the group who were deeply offended by this political shanghai. Not that I care. SNL has been largely unfunny for the better part of a decade. Fey's brand of humor is just another inconsequential lowering of the bar.

I guess I'm bothered only because this particular blather was unfunny and delivered by someone who proves every time she appears on the tube that she is undeserving of a national audience. That Ms. Fey even has access to a platform like SNL, which once actually provided a weekly dose of wit and humor, is really quite sad.

[AnninCA]

Good point. I just think. The true bellweathers are always the comics.

They have an uncanny sense of timing about when it's time to poke at what everyone is thinking. The ones who push it too fast don't last. The ones that are too late aren't funny.

Comedy is a lot about timing.

I say his ship has turned.

For Obamamaniacs, this isn't good news. It's a bit early.

Oh well!

[nachtengel]

Oprah did it on her own nickel on her own show, way long ago, and stood ready to take all the hits and had the moxy to not hide it it behind some lame skit. (I don't like Oprah in the least mind you)

Tina used someone else's platform, and the "writers are back" lure, to shoot fish in a barrel, for a cause she didn't have the backbone to support publicly till now.

So not cool.

[ParadiseDiva]

Could you split that hair a little finer?

[AnninCA]

Oh such crap.

She's just another Hollywood personality who wants to control the world.

Let me pick the authors this month.

Now, let me pick your president.

[accountability]

WELL SAID!

If anyone should be fined it is MSNBC for pretending to do political analysis and commentary.

I thought it was great.

The hypocritical position of some of these Obama supporters is very sad. We all know what delight they would be taking if the comedy were reversed.
And honestly, I was surprised when they didn't take a real shot at Hillary. I almost didn't watch because I was so tired of the whole thing, the hate, the ugliness and insults, the "seeming" unfair coverage.

I am so glad I watched.

[AnninCA]

I did like the Oprah dig, too. That was hilarious. I have gone NUTS over here with women jumping to say how they don't support women and that makes them "true" feminists.

What a crock of BS!

Luckily, I didn't vote only due to gender for Hillary.

That was icing on the cake to me.

But that whole part of this election wasn't so funny.

Tina managed to make me laugh and lighten up about it.

Follow Oprah is right. There's no point to even THINKING about going back to old-style feminist politics, my gal...right or wrong.

We aren't there.

But surely to God we're above Oprah level.

Or no?

[MutualDisdain]

'SNL' has hightest rating in two years

The post-strike return of NBC's "Saturday Night Live" scored the show's highest overnight rating in two years.

Hosted by former "SNL" cast member/head writer Tina Fey and featuring Carrie Underwood as the musical guest, the show delivered a 4.1 rating/15 share in metered-market households -- the highest average since a Feb. 4, 2006 episode hosted by Steve Martin. That's also up 36% from the show's pre-strike average this season.

It is unfortuante that SNL blew the opportunity to revive the show last night. It just seemed like the show was phoned in, with the goal to further a political agenda overriding the ultimate goal for comedy. I think that has been the problem with SNL writing for several years. It seems that the writers are so intent on delivering a message that they forget to deliver the laughs.

The openning "Obama vs Clinton" debate skit was the first evidence that the night was going the wrong direction. There were so many moments from the debate that could have been parodied such as the scuffle over xeroxing speeches and Bill Clinton's role in the Clinton campaign. Instead, we got a redundant "the press is on Obama's side" message that was dull and poorly delivered. Save the messages for the blogs and give the viewers some humor. Whomever is responsible for the "message" skits should be fired to save the show.

If I were in charge of SNL production I would force the season to last all the way to the November primary and hire some more talented writers who are more about the laughs and less about their own personal agendas. SNL could relive its glory years by feeding off of the highly entertaning political season. Someone at SNL has to take the leadership roll and fix the problems before it gets any worse.

[realrick]

The writers can have all the personal agendas they want. Al Franken had a personal agenda when he was a writer for SNL. But, he was FUNNY! These writers are LAME! Fey included.

[MutualDisdain]

The comedy should come first, and then the message. I think Fey's style of writing is what ruined SNL.

[Opus007]

It was stupid but they have done some very funny stuff in the past like Gore and Bush in the hot tub. The political stuff was a commerical for Hillary. It wasn't even clever- it was so obvious and heavy handed.

But the Donald Trunp parody was hilarious.

[funkalicious]

T-Fey I love you but Obama has made Hillary his Bitch, she's been owned.

She will be a trusty attack dog to keep the senate in line and on point.

It takes a village.

[illinoisan]

Well put, but Hillary has to destroy the village in order to save it.

[AnninCA]

Republican slime.

[MNmommy]

Bwah!

Look at all the pearl clutching and hand-wringing.

Obama supporters seemingly lack a sense of humor amongst so many other things. Obama is a man, not a god. SNL is comedy - maybe y'all need to get a sense of humor.

[TiffShelton]

Ha! Here is a Clap-Clap-Point-Point to you too, mommy.

[realrick]

Hey, it just wasn't FUNNY!

Do you REALLY think that lame-ass dude that they had doing Obama could stand comparison to Dan Ackroyd's Nixon or Carter or Dana Carvey's Bush I or Will Ferrell's Bush II?

It just SUCKED!! I don't know or care who your candidate is--it just SUCKED!!

And, because these skits were so ridiculously lame, they didn't do HRC any favors.

Why do people even pay attention to this show? Stewart and Colbert blow it away on Comedy Central and Bill Maher destroys them on HBO. Their success totally shames the shell of what SNL has become.

[presto]

Actually, it was very funny. I watched it with a roomful of politically-mixed people. They roared.

[accountability]

awwww, boo hoo.

boo hoo.
Stop pouting, stop shouting, stop snivelling and go get a hanky and blow your nose.

It seems you are the one paying attention.
We're just laughing cause we have a sense of humor. Just like we will laugh when they do a take off on Hillary's finally finding her voice or "mocking" Obama.

grow up.

[agedefying]

Fundamantalists never have a sense of humor.

[TiffShelton]

Here is a Clap-Clap-Point-Point to you too,agedenying

[nachtengel]

It would have been way funnier if the had just used Mr Potato Head as Obama, and let Hillary chomp on him figuratively, then later literally.

Yeah I'm on the Obama side of this line, but it would have made me LMAO.

And "Lady in the Yellow Jacket Clap-Clap-Point-Point" is the funniest thing ever, how could they have missed that.

[Opus007]

Stephen Colbert's own's the Clap-Clap-Point -Point!

It would be so hilarious to have Colbert or Stewart host SNL. They are so funny.

[accountability]

AMEN!!!!
My god the "sensitivity", the delicate sensibilities from the same people who foam at the mouth with such Hillary Hatred.
My God every time they open their mouths they vomit out vile garbage directed at Hillary or anyone who would dare defend and/or support her.

You know, disagreeing without being disagreeable.

Damn. I laugh all the time at jokes about Hillary. I don't agree with them, I don't believe them but I "get" them. Hell, if I didn't get to laugh at them It would be a long time in between laughs since just about everyone takes shots at her every chance they get... and have been for 15 years or so.

Me thinks they doth protest to loudly.

Do you suppose they have that icky feeling inside when you recognize a truth that you don't want to see and want to stay in denial about and so they do... like when you know that something is happening but they don't know what it is.

I'm going to start referring to them as Mr. Jones.

Its obscure but will please me none the less.

[stumped]

That's great that SNL did that. It's long overdue. The tv media's Obama love fest was nicely skewered. SNL should next take on the AP.

Clinton's skewer in RI was also great. The celestial choirs, etc.

[TiffShelton]

Lady in the Yellow Jacket Clap-Clap-Point-Point 08

[brueso]

I thought Hillary's skewer in RI was great, too. Cause I'm an Obama supporter and every time she does something like that, she loses more supporters and Super Delegates. But, whatever, it's "her own Voice".

[accountability]

it was good stuff. very uplifting!

[EngineerBill]

Umm anybody who thinks that the Tina Fey bit was truly pro-Clinton must also believe Steven Colbert is a true conservative. Bitch is the new black? Bill and Hillary have as much sex as George and Jeb Bush? LOL!:-)

[Egghead]

I'm not an SNL watcher. I'm old enough to remember when Bill Murray and Gilda Radner were on the show and I don't think it's ever come up to that level again. And I didn't vote for Senator Clinton.

But all that said, I think this was pretty darned funny. I don't know why people are so upset about it. It's a comedy show.

[musicstreet]

Obama supporters are intolerant of anything that does not support the glorification of Obama. They are also obviously insecure and afraid that Obama can not stand up to real scrutiny. That's why their responses are to attack, attack, attack. It's really pathetic that they can't even handle a few comedy routines. They need to grow up!

[duck47]

I suspect the reason many Obama supporters are vicious and lack the freedom to be objective can be found in the content of the speeches he uses to incite them. The cynics said blah, blah. blah. They said hope didn't matter, They'll try to stop us - sorry I don't listen much to that crap but you get my drift. I think it's a subtle way of pitting people against one another while you smiling and telling them you can bring people together.

[shchartley]

Playing a white guy in "black-face" and talking with a slightly "black" accent as Obama is truly in poor taste on the part of SNL. They couldn't get just *one* thin African American on their staff? Seriously, bad work, guys. Plus, his imitation was really weak. And "bitch is the new black"? What in the hell is that supposed to mean? That really rubs me the wrong way.

Limbaugh as representative of Hillary opponents? Quite the stretch.

Who watches SNL anyway?

[DrBuzz]

Um, Armison is part Venezuelan and part Japanese (check out Wikipedia). Seems to me that SNL has had a pretty good record of hiring thin African Americans (remember Garrett Morris, Eddie Murphy, and Tim Meadows???).

I will agree that the imitation was kinda weak -- it's not just who looks most like the character, but who can bring off the voice and physical bearing. Darrell Hammond, who is the best mimic of the lot, probably wouldn't have brought it off, either. Maybe Reggie Regg will nail it (he's GREAT: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uAzC53fEEZ0).

[duck47]

I loved that they captured the fact that he is always scowling. I'm so tired of hearing how uplifting he is when in fact he scowls 90% of the time.

[Tyrione]

Your lack of research on the cast's nationalities shows how mentally stunted and perceptively myopic many drones are for Obama.

[sthomas761]

Who watches SNL anyway? People with a brain AND a sense of humor.

Come on people, lighten up! I like Obama too, but he's not the second coming of Christ. And if you can make fun of Hillary and John McCain and Mike Huckabee on a comedy show, can't you also make fun of Sen. Obama too? Wouldn't it be racist to exclude him from satire just because of the color of his skin?

[presto]

You said:

"Who watches SNL anyway?"

Lotsa people.

[AnninCA]

*woohoo*

Here's comes the Obama racist posse.

[KarenZipdrive]

What nerve SNL had to attack Sir Barack Obama.
What next? Will SNL be killing kittens for laughs next week?
How dare they besmirch the reputations of so many sage pundits who get shivers down their legs and damp spots on their thongs at the mere mention of His Name?
I think this calls for a boycott of NBC and a mob hit on Tina Fey.
Anyone who thinks picking on The Chosen One is humorous should be dragged behind a Ford Pinto, down a rocky road, on a really hot day.
We all know McCain and Hillary are deciples of Satan and Big Corporations, and that Obama only accepts money from sweet, loving people who can barely afford food much less political contributions, but they do it for US so America can return to Camelot.
Now let's all go buy the world a Coke, shall we?

[TiffShelton]

Which one of the lame SNL writers wrote this post? Yuck!

[antaeus]

Parody on top of parody? Obama boosters' heads are going to explode. The problem with satire and parody is that they require a sense of humor, more on the part of the audience than the performer. But many of the most aggressive Obama supporters here are brittle, tedious, and humorless. Suggest for a moment that the Obama vitamin might not be a panacea for all of our ills, and instantly it's, "You're glib, Matt, you're so glib." Just witness some of the shrieking over Nader's announcement.

[LaFilleEnRose]

Exactly. How to make yourselves irrelevant guys...if you weren't already.

[marsgeek]

KarenZipdrive grow up.
Sir Obama, I mean you folks are really reaching.
I waiting for the N-word to make its way on the board.

[stumped]

Well done, Karen. The news media certainly couldn't produce a backbone to do it, so SNL did what it does to clean the air of the rotten smell.

[duck47]

Speaking of Camelot, Michelle Obama might want to take note of the fact that Jackie Kennedy was strongly disliked by the American public and criticized incessantly until JFK was killed and then overnight she became a saint until the first photo of her with Onassis appeared and then she was Jezabel again. The Clinton haters might want to recall that JFK was a philanderer but it was covered up for him rather than exploited. A better approach I'd say except it was kind based on the belief that if men strayed it was their wifes fault for not keeping them satisfied.

[AnninCA]

Actually, you should go to

Obamahit.com.

Sign the petition to stop all free speech.

It's all racist anyway.

WE CAN DO IT.

HE IS THE ONE.

[reedmaker]

You Obama people--get a life AND a sense of humor. One 2.5 min. segment on SNL that is pro Clinton, and you all drip with venom.

Tina Fey is funny and smart and tough, and she likes Clinton. Get over it.

[TiffShelton]

It wasn't funny. Tina Faye is kind of a hack. Although I like 30 Rock, it resembles Arrested Development. By resemble I mean, is a template for 30 Rock.

Larry David endorsed Obama a long time ago. Case closed.

[presto]

You have that kind of mixed up. If 30 Rock resembles Arrested Development, Then Arrested Development is the template. If Arrested Development resembles 30 Rock, then 30 Rock is the template. 30 Rock cannot be a template for 30 Rock.

And if Larry David closes the case for you, you might consider taking a few night classes.

[leftbehind2000]

Tina Fey is unfunny, not particularly intelligent, AND likes Clinton.

With spokespeople like Fey beginning to crawl through Clinton's dying political carcass like the publicity maggots they are, it's time for the American people to "get over it" and start focusing on winning the GE.

[presto]

Yikes, I can see why you were "leftbehind".

[AnninCA]

Ah, the symptoms of Obamamanicalology have settled in, I see.

Take 2, vote, and the reality of the world will slowly begin to ease the symptoms as you emerge from the Hope that everyone who doesn't agree with begins to ebb away.

Trust me. This too shall pass.