SNL Mocks GOP Debates With Alec Baldwin As Rick Perry (VIDEO)

Saturday Night Live opened its 37th season with a send-up of the seemingly endless parade of GOP debates.

This one, entitled "Either The 7th or 8th GOP Debate," started out by tackling the inappropriate cheering of previous audiences, and then made it clear that Mitt Romney (Jason Sudeikis) and Rick Perry (host Alec Baldwin) were the only candidates worth the attention of moderator Shepard Smith (Bill Hader).

After briefly introducing the other "six people who will never be president but showed up anyway," the sketch tackled Rick Perry's inconsistent performances -- "Can you speak for 10 seconds without alienating your base?" -- Romney's inability to connect, and the rest of the field's general lack of gravitas. An extended bit with Taran Killam as Jon Huntsman, addressed the former ambassador's two years in China in a way that had us both squirming and laughing out loud.

Kristen Wiig, Paul Brittain and Kenan Thompson also had fun turns as Michele Bachmann, Ron Paul and Herman Cain respectively, and given that Cain just won the Florida straw poll by a healthy margin, maybe Thompson will get to roll out this impression a few more times before the season is over.

WATCH:

Comments

[Brother Atticus]

07:15 PM on 10/16/2011

Hey, MAD TV's back!

[sy49ers]

02:21 AM on 10/02/2011

Wow. Could SNL get any worse? This was not funny. I'd rather watch Lopez Tonight. Seriously SNL needs to just shut its doors. The cast is terrible. The political commentary/humor is just atrocious. Nothing was funnier than the Bush/Gore 2000 debate. "Jim.... lockbox" But really, Will Ferrell and Darrell Hammond were just amazing.

[metivo]

06:48 PM on 09/29/2011

Very funny! I watched this a few times and thought it was a high point for SNL. Kudos to the writers but the performances were also brilliant. Puppies with Bows!

[ajax2049]

06:13 AM on 09/28/2011

Very funny. Liked it quite a bit.

As to reality, I support Mr. Cain until he drops out... fully knowing that Obama will be re-elected. Not happy about that, but I am being realistic.

[pbrunda]

07:50 PM on 09/27/2011

I still like Chevy Chase as President Ford!

[Droid Noir]

06:44 PM on 09/27/2011

Not too shabby!

[TexianLife]

05:29 PM on 09/27/2011

SNL did a great job of mocking ALL the presidential GOP candidates. lol

[Milhouse901]

04:51 PM on 09/27/2011

"next to heman cain, I am whte". Perfectly brilliant.

[cloudmaker]

02:38 PM on 09/27/2011

I've decided that one can never comment about SNL. It ruffles too many feathers. Viewers must have some kind of sentimental affection for this show, rather like a puppy. Criticize it and you have kicked their puppy and they will retaliate with all kinds of insults because you, snob or
Phillistine that you are, did not appreciate the humor that has maintained their spirits through high school and college and which they still regard as the epitome of sagacious wit.I have learned my lesson. No more comments on SNL.

[pbrunda]

07:55 PM on 09/27/2011

Actually, you're right! I never really thought about it, but you're right. Particularly if it involves the early days of Gilda :( and Beluschi :( and the rest of that group. Yup, it cuts to the bone if anyone disses Roseann Roseanna Danna!

[IWantTofu]

11:20 AM on 09/27/2011

Wait a minute! That wasn't the real republican debate?

[Pammy2]

10:04 AM on 09/27/2011

I haven't watched SNL in a really long time, but I clicked on this and actually laughed out loud at this skit, especially the Jon Huntsman bit. I may have to try to stay awake for SNL once in a while from now on.

(Fortunately my co-workers are accustomed to my occasional outbursts as I am forced to watch Stewart & Colbert on Hulu at work every morning due to my lack of cable tv subscription at home. And if any of them had so much as a speck of a sense of humor [my co-workers, that is], they would laugh along with me... alas, none of them does.)

[axt113]

02:31 AM on 09/27/2011

Ron Paul wasn't bad, but the actor who played him was too likable and displayed too much humanity

[manumoka]

02:03 PM on 09/27/2011

sounds like someone needs to join the ron paul LOVElution!

[axt113]

02:08 PM on 09/27/2011

Nah, don't much care for Paul, if I was going to vote for a right wing libertarian, Johnson is the better choice

[Buzz Worthy]

01:20 AM on 09/27/2011

Unfortunately, I watched this for the first time early Monday morning at work. When Taran Killam did Jon Huntsman, I just lost it. I was laughing so hard that the temp in the cubicle next to me asked if I was okay. I haven't enjoyed an SNL skit this much in years.

[famished]

11:28 PM on 09/26/2011

So much better than the other debates!

[Pammy2]

10:05 AM on 09/27/2011

The problem is, it's hard to distinguish this from the actual debates!

[Kristen Primm]

10:13 PM on 09/26/2011

"Ron Paul" had me rolling.