Palin on SNL: What Did You Expect?
In 1998, I attended the Kennedy Center Honors in Washington. A friend who is a lobbyist there escorted me to a weekend's worth of events. As we moved around a brunch reception one late morning, I turned and suddenly faced Henry Kissinger. I remember thinking, at that exact moment, that here before me was the man who defined the horrible abuses of American political and military power that have cast such an enormous shadow over America's reputation since the Vietnam war. Not exactly to a Hitchens-esque degree, I was horrified. My political opposite one foot away from me. "Alec, this is Henry Kissinger," my friend said. I paused and said, "I'm sorry to hear about your mother."
Kissinger's mother, Paula, had died the month before, at the age of 97. She had lived in the same formerly German-Jewish community in the Washington Heights section of Manhattan for decades. Kissinger looked me in the eye and, with what I believed was genuine emotion, said, "Thank you for saying that to me." I mention this because I wonder, what did some of you people actually think would happen with Palin on SNL?
Saturday Night Live is a comedy show. It's not Meet the Press. It doesn't "ask the tough questions" or "set the agenda." It attempts, with varying degrees of success, to make people laugh. That's it. Whether they skewer and savage people in order to do so, they don't care. When you come on a show like that, you are prepared in advance to get worked over. Palin knew that. Palin came on to be a good sport. And she was. She was polite, gracious. (More so than some of the famous actors who come through there, believe me.)
However, I assume that, like Meet the Press, SNL feels an obligation to offer their special forum to any and all public figures and officials who are current. Headline making. And in SNL's case, would make for a hit show. Several people decried SNL for giving her a spot on the show. You're kidding, right? The woman is the Vice Presidential nominee of one of the two major parties in this country. Don't put her on SNL? With all of her exposure and the Tina Fey performance? What reality are you in?
If you think an appearance on Saturday Night Live would sway voters and actually affect the outcome of the election, you may have more contempt for the electorate of this country than the Republican National Committee does. And that's a lot of contempt.
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Perhaps, Spirited Dona, should have said "kick ass", in her original quote, here, instead of going for that street cred, "bad ass"! I was going for the Irish flattery, when, i said, you were a bad ass gentleman, bad ass arm extender,and SNl, escourt, but I meant you were a kick ass gentleman , a kick ass arm extender and SNL escourt, and kick ass clever! There is a registered blogger, here, named Dufus, who is blogging away with the approval you and I could never hope for! I was trying to be sweet, but I 'm not as talented as Dufus, but then who is? Your real, real friends, never thought a bad thing about you hitting the town and Saturday Night Live!
Right on Alec. We get it. She didn't bomb but she wasn't memorable either. Without her "talking points" she's as dull as the "hockey mom" she claims to be. The crazy McCain lady skit....now that's hilarious. Love it when she wanders around the newsroom with her disheveled hair saying..."no?"....."no?" . LOL..
Nobody is any at SNL. She is a divisive figure. Wherever she goes, whether on "Meet the Press" or "SNL" she will cause people to feel angst, disgust, fear and disbelief.
With all this talk on Palin and cutting her up, what about the political ignorance behind those who chose her? Of all the women in this country, the fact that the Republican Party chose Palin is an insult to all us women by a large influence of this countries population. Granted, a far too large percent of the female population think they can go shopping with her because she seems to be sooooo down to earth, not many have the party's credit card to keep up.
Think women, THINK!
I don't like Palin's politics at all, but I thought she handled herself just fine, and really was a good sport about it. FWIW, SNL would have caught flack either way, whether or not she appeared. *shrugs*
Well said Alex. People who expected "more" or are angry that SNL "allowed" her to come on the show have drank so much freakin kool-aid they have becaome the "right wing" of the left wing party.
BTW .. YOU were great as usual.
They need to put Palin(Fey) and McCain(?) in one of those credit card commercials............................"Oh johhhhhhn!!!!!!!!!!!!............... I want to build my own credit card.........I'll put a picture of the bridge to nowhere on it!...........".I'll buy Todd a new snowmobile".........(McCain after being thrown under the bus)................"What's in your wallet"?
now that's funny!
It's okay, Alec. We don't mind that you were within 5 ft of Palin. And... she IS great looking. She just shouldn't be in charge of anything...:-)
Although I couldn't believe she did it, as I couldn't see how it could help. I didn't think she was very funny, but I did think that the two skits she was in were hilarious...Amy was incredible, and I'm a huge Fey Fan...Palin did NOT help herself, although she did show a good sense of humor. I still don't understand how she spent days rehearsing though...that should have been a briefing with a single run though at Dress.
Obama'08
I have to be honest and confess I was one of the "angered" people over Palin's appearance on SNL. Beeing a faithful watcher of SNL since 1992, through the good and the bad, I felt it was a slap in the face. Most of the people that make up SNL's faithful viewership are opposed to her views, her attitude, her everything! So giving her a place to "shine", to look "cute", to charm people seemed outrageous.
I even wrote an email to the producers!
But after seeing the show... I relaxed. It was nothing like I expected. So yes, I was wrong and Palin's appearance was nothing like a "free political ad" for her. Now I, as well as other faithful watchers, will happily continue watching SNL, even after this election buzz disappears.
My daughter pointed out something to me on this and it is so true. She said that apparently the democrats are strong on the economy - it's good the republicans are finally addressing their strength which is their funniness of character (especially Sarah Palin).So obviously ,that's what some 12 year olds think.hahahahahaha
SMART KID............:-)
...it also showed a lot of class---a time when we need to come together---when we do not exclude on any level---to transcend, and include---that is our mountaintop, our achillies heal...what do we expect? ...unity, the truth---sincerity, love---forgiveness, seriousness---laughter...
...we spend more time divided than we have to; when at any monent we can hold a hand and unconditionally tell a familiar stranger I love you---we seem to choose a greater distance and the wall instead...
...having Palin on the show was a grand gesture of what is possible, when we project the instability of our collective character to the rest of the world, we undermind the oneness we try to facilitate around the globe...
-tmb
My friend has a Pit- Bull you can reach your hand out to but, i'll pass as i need both of my hands
Well spoken, Alec. Usually I disagree with you, but this time you're right.
On the whole, I am getting the feeling that we American folks are a lot smarter this time around.
I think most of us see, and expect a good laugh from SNL, and nothing more. We seem insulted
and disgusted by Republican smear and fear tactics this time. So, slow as she goes - we all have
been through an enormous educational process having Bush in the white house for so long. Learning takes time, but eventually we all get there.
I agree with your post, but I wouldn't say that people are 'smarter' necessarily. The world is a different place than it was four years ago, and it's a lot different than eight years ago. Let me explain myself a little:
The world has become increasingly 'connected.' News travels almost instantaneously in the world of the Internet versus having to wait hours (and sometimes even days) back eight or more years ago. Plus, back then (and this makes me seem dated) you had to worry about news agencies and lobbyists pushing their own agendas prior to a piece of news hitting the mainstream. Streaming 'on-demand' media (and notably sites such as Youtube) has redefined the political landscape in such a way that we will never look back. Even major news organizations are taking information found from websites and blogs now - something that was unheard of over four years ago. Journalists has had to redefine their 'high' standards from which they've built their journalistic standards upon.
If you think back, four years ago people were still learning how to use computers, and others were starting to make the transition from dial-up modems to cable broadband. Now if I want to learn more about a candidate, all I have to do is type in their name into a search engine and out comes details (and blunders) surrounding where they stand.
So are people any 'smarter'? Perhaps they are 'more aware' due largely to technology and communication.
I thought having Sarah Palin on SNL was pefectly timed and from what I read, it had a great amount of people watching last weekend.
Seeing Alec playing up his liberal ideals with the real Sarah Palin was just awesome. It was great to have everyone just have a good time and to make people laugh because that's what SNL is about. It's all about comedy for the Left and Right and the Centrists.
Last weekend was well done. I think Mark Wahlberg had bigger fish to fry anyway....that was hilarious.
I thought the SNL Sarah/Alec skit was hysterical and considering the players and politics involved handled beautifully! The script had Alec taking the high road which is generally the best one to take. As a very active and passionate volunteer for the Obama campaign I'll laugh even louder after the election and Obama wins. But, we won't have the last laugh unless we all get to work! The swing states are in our hands, please volunteer to help on the phone or canvassing in the swing states. Join us in Vegas anyone???
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