SNL Notices Petraeus, Mocks Clinton's Iraq War Vote

It's official: SNL loves politics, and loves being a player in the game. That's my impression from this week's cold open sending up the Petraeus hearings, which were momentarily a big deal on cable but had significantly less viewers than "Idol Gives Back." (Hey, Frank Rich thinks so, too.) Nonetheless there was Will Forte as General David Petraues, a chest full of medals and Supercuts hair, sending up the state of the Iraq war in some funny but grim satire, considering it was rooted in truth (Darrell Hammond as John McCain was eager for signs of good news: Petraeus: "The Sunnis and the Shi'its have agreed on a formula to share revenue from embezzled foreign aid and bribes paid to government officials." McCain: "So the skeptics were wrong. Sunnis and Shi'ites can work together!").

Those who feel like Hillary Clinton has gotten off easy will enjoy the pokes at her Iraq war vote, sniper fire story and now Gore-like rep for exaggeration; with Obama, it was a variation on the usual joke, namely that everyone loves him (Petraeus: "Senators, I've read both your books, several times, and I can't tell you how much I admire them." Well, he does have a rep for being a shrewd political operator.) No mention of bowling or bitterness anywhere. Watch below:

In other news, NBC is clearly the network of sexy older ladies between 30 Rock's "Milf Island" and a fairly hilarious sketch called "The Cougar Den" (and rather meta considering the involvement of host Ashton Kutcher, married to an older woman, and his recent co-star Cameron Diaz, formerly an older woman to Justin Timberlake). It also has the dubious distinction of coming up with the bluntest way to say/imply oral sex since Col. Angus.

What else? A forgettable digital short, though even the forgettable have their charms (they do nail the awfulness of DIY YouTube, though by nailing that awfulness they made it that much more painful to sit through); another tour de force weird-girl performance from Kristen Wiig (think Penelope on speed); and one of the greatest think-about-it-for-a-sec lines of late, from Jason Sudeikis: "Man, I love being a doctor." Also a killer line from Kenan Thompson smacking down Kutcher's star vehicle, That '70s Show, for having no black cast members. I did NOT like the "Death By Chocolate" mini-sketches (giant chocolate bar murders people gruesomely) though I laughed hardest at Casey Wilson's first real starrer as a paralyzed exotic dancer being put through the motions by the strip club manager (her tongue is decidedly not paralyzed). Someone at SNL's got a sadistic streak.

We'll have more videos for you as they come in but that 's the nutshell. The next show isn't for a whopping month — May 10th with Shia LeBoeuf. Who knows what craziness will have happened by then &mndash; we'll have had at least one debate and knocked off a few primaries and who knows, maybe even a candidate (but which one?). Good ep though. Wish Demi Moore had done more than just nag Ashton right before a sketch about how older woman aren't really all that hot, but it was more than made up for by Bill Hader as Robert Byrd (not to be confused with Bill Hader as Robin Byrd).

Update: Here they are, though alas not at all my top picks. See below:

Ashton Kutcher's Monologue:

Daiquiri Girl - Digital Short:



Jamie Lee Curtis For Activia Yogurt:



Kristen Wiig as Judy Grimes:



Death By Chocolate:



SNL now has a page just for embed codes! Wow, SNL, you've come a long way. Other networks! Take note!

Comments

[stdeclan]

A most interesting moment preceding the Petraeus (the name sounds like the bastard son of 'patriot' and 'betray' with us at the end) satire:
When the C-SPAN voice over said words to the effect of "...policy wonks talking about something no one else is interested in..."
It should have said, "wonks talking about issues we should all be interested in..."
If all we listened to those 'boring wonk's' conversations instead of the mindless diversions that MSM TV offers, we might not be involved in the effing situation we are in.

[NicoleAnonymous]

This is a little off-topic but I finished reading "Born Standing Up" by Steve Martin last night and I was disappointed he didn't talk more about working on SNL because he was there right at the beginning. He doesn't even talk about working with all those great comediens but the funniest part of the entire book was when he said Dan Ackroyd was hitchhiking to work once and someone gave him a ride and then shoved him out of the car while it was still moving right in the middle on NYC and Dan was thrown out on the street.

So he comes to work anyway and Steve Martin asks him "Do you want to go to Saks Fifth Avenue to shop for new clothes?" and Dan says "that really isn't my thing you know" and it was so funny. I know it's not really funny that Dan got pushed out of a moving car but there was something funny about it anyway.

[Rrhain]

"Gore-like rep for exaggeration"?

The lie that will not die.

Gore never said he invented the Internet.

Gore never said he discovered Love Canal.

Gore never said he was the inspiration for "Love Story."

How many times must these lies be debunked before people learn?

[RedBirdy]

Ok, I'm confused. When SNL was ''in the bag for Hillary" it wasn't funny, and it was hard to watch. Now, the show turns around and mocks her, it's funny again? Same Kool Aid, different flavor, HuffPo.

[Syco]

NO the skit was funny.
Even a bad show has a great moment

[merle7]

The skit was very funny, that is basically how american should look at this fiasco in Iraq as the big joke it turned out to be.

[snowcat]

the Super cuts hair thing was a tad ELITIST!

Glad to see SNL hitting Hillary for a change, though.

[irishgawdess]

Darrell Hammond nailed it as Senator McCain! Even had the hair down pat.

Hammond is a real jewel, able to blend into his characters flawlessly. Can't wait to see what he does with his Bill Clinton characterization during the rest of the primary season.

[16tons]

Welcome back, SNL! After last week's creepy Clinton sketch, in which the writing actually defended the people being parodied (this must be a first), it looked like all those thank-you calls from the Clintons had put SNL in a bubble. And... it wasn't funny. It's nice to see to them shake that off this week, be equal-opportunity satirists, and most of all, be funny.

[ladygreenslippers]

ashton, i love you - but i'm still boycotting the Saturday Night Clinton Campaign. Sorry.

[Rigagli]

Head writer Seth Myers is not funny. They need smart, edgy writers again.

[donaldw6]

Right on point. Not their funniest ever, but very effective satire.

[AristophanesJones]

Oh your god, John Hader's Byrd is PERFECT

[Syco]

they final called her on her crap

[hudsuckerproxy]

Clinton is an infinitely juicier target for satire than Obama. SNL will have a creative challenge on its hands should he go on to win the presidency.

[AurigaRa]

just not funny..

there's lots to kid about with the elections and Bush Admin, but its just not funny joking about the
atrocities of this war....its getting old, we are totally tired of it, and yes, we're bitter.

SNL can do better.

And Kristin Wiig - she can do one character, right??

[RavagesOfTime]

So don't get so worked up when people call you bitter to your face. Own up to it.

[toby25]

I agree..Kristen Wiig seems to play the same character only wearing different costumes. I want to like SNL again but they just aren't funny. Daquiri Girl...?? The unfunny Petraeus hearing sketch..Not very funny.