SNL Launches "SNL Politics"

Hooray, SNL finally understands the internet! First it was Fred Armisen's blog, then it was the "Laser Cats" video game, and then there was the huge, giant leap of embeddable video, finally bringing SNL into the post-YouTube clip-deleting era of multi-platform online dissemination. Now, they take it one step further with the launch of what is really a whole new site: "SNL Politics," NBC's equivalent of Comedy Central's "Indecision 2008" in its blatant capitalization on popular pre-existing TV material as a vehicle for an online entity. (That last sentence, by the way, is how a wonk takes something funny and makes it sound really, really boring.)

Anyway! SNL Politics picks up where ETP leaves off, namely in dutifully chronicling the political high points of the various shows (Amy Poehler's Hillary! Darrell Hammond's McCain! Fred Armisen's honeyfaced Barack!) plus fun perks, like e-cards, delegate math jokes, "Which Candidate Are You?" and ads for "30 Rock" and "My Name Is Earl." (Corporate synergies, yay!)

The upshot is, of course, brand extension, like "Weekend Update Thursdays" will be (and, presumably, like doing a private live performance of Update on the Thursday night of a show week in front of a room of hyper-influentials), and it's proof that — finally — SNL is getting the web. For political junkies online, that's as sweet a surprise as a lil' something gift-wrapped special in a box.