The SNL FAQ: Tracy Morgan
It's Sunday. You have questions about last night's Saturday Night Live. We have answers.
Did they open with a political sketch? NO! Hooray for that. SNL took a break (mostly) from politics last night and embraced the carefree nature of its host, Tracy Morgan.
How did the host do, and did he/she do anything outrageously funny? It's Tracy Morgan. What do you think? Actually, at this point, Morgan has crafted such a reputation for seeming to be outrageous, that hardly anything would surprise us at this point. Or would it? He did have a few great moments last night, neither of which were available online for repeat viewings just yet. Among them: Coining a new euphemism in "green dugout" and helming a movie masterpiece in "Rocket Dog."
Who played President Obama? Nobody. I already told you they took a break from politics this week.
Was there a digital short? YES.
Was it funny? YES. "Party Guys" features Andy Samberg and Bill Hader mocking everyone at a lame house party in the most literal of ways. Pay close attention and you'll see some seriously silly images.
Was there a fake ad? Yes, yes and sorta kinda. Two fake ads from past episodes made return appearances (Chewable Pampers, Gas Right) and both went for the gross-out gag. Tracy Morgan also starred in a live ad spoof sketch as a doctor promoting an anti-erection pill called Suppressex, with him and Bill Hader as a shopping mall Santa making some inappropriate examples to illustrate the need for such a pill.
Did the musical guest lip-sync or otherwise do something worth mentioning? Kelly Clarkson sang two of her new hit singles, "My Life Would Suck Without You" and "I Do Not Hook Up," and performed them both well.
Did my favorite character return? It was a night full of recurring characters, from Morgan's old SNL bits Brian Fellow's Safari Planet and Astronaut Jones, to the "Scared Straight" parody, another mocking of the ladies of The View, and a second helping of Bill Hader's creepy Keith Morrison from Dateline NBC.
Were there any celebrity cameos? Yes, but if you blinked during the cold opening, you would have missed pro rassler John Cena and Tina Fey, both trying to keep Tracy Morgan from wreaking havoc on 30 Rock (the building, not the show).
Did any celebrities get impersonated? In addition to The View ladies (Kenan Thompson as Whoopi Goldberg, Fred Armisen as Joy Behar, Tracy Morgan as Sherri Shepherd, Kristen Wiig as Elisabeth Hasselbeck and Michaela Watkins as Barbara Walters), Bill Hader played John Malkovich as one of Bernie Madoff's many investment scam victims, and Wiig played the Barbie doll on her 50th birthday. We also got to see a short parody of HBO's Big Love, with Jason Sudeikis in Bill Paxton's patriarchal role, Wiig as Jeanne Tripplehorn, Abby Elliott as Chloe Sevigny and Casey Wilson as Ginnifer Goodwin.
Did any politicians get impersonated? Didn't I tell you already that SNL took a break from politics this weekend?
For the full recap and analysis of this episode of SNL, click here.
Follow Sean L. McCarthy on Twitter: www.twitter.com/thecomicscomic
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Yet another reason for not repairing my telly. Digital, HD or whatever, it's dreck-no new telly for me.
I thought the episode was great. The cold open and monologue were the best in ages.
I simply CAN NOT relate to anyone who thinks Tracy Morgan isn't funny. I guess some people just aren't fond of absurdity.
And are people really putting down Morgan for reading cue cards? Is this their first time seeing SNL or something?
why do i still watch this show? someone do me a favor and pull the plug.
It was clear to me that TM red most of his lines........note to director: never give a comedian more lines than they can memorize!
Pat...there is NO TIME to memorize lines for that show. Good Lord. No one has had lines memorized on SNL in30 years!
It's a shame that at this late date, SNL had to use guys to portray Whoopi Goodberg and Sheri Shepard in the View sketch. Mad TV had no problem finding funny black women.
Well said ChiTown.
I do not understand why MadTV is able to actually use their black and other minority players every episode without problem and SNL still doesn't know what to do with the ONe they have in their group?
it's like if it's not a "black" character or black person to be imitated then SNL has no idea what to do.
Meanwhile, two of the most popular players on MadTV are Bobby Lee (Asian) and Keegan Michael-Key (black and who also does the best Obama impersonation out there!) and they are funny as all get out.
And yes MadTV also manages to use their new black female cast member all the time. When was the last time SNL even had a black female cast member, much less one that actually got to work?
Needless to say, I think MadTv has a better and often more funny crew. Short of Tina Fey's former affiliation and her genius, SNL is still a bunch of young white frat boys who are more often obnoxious than funny.
Do you mean the same MADtv that was just cancelled?
Actually, I feel that there were many many years that MADtv was much much funnier than SNL. The final two, sadly, were not among them.
Here we are again with race....
Stop it already.
No matter who the guest host, SNL has been painfully unfunny for many, many years
SNL last weekend was dull dull dull! The Big Love sketch could have been so much funnier and I'm disapointed they didnt use the lovely Will Forte and Fred Armisen enough! And what is Seth Meyers always so smug about?!
Traci Morgan actually is very funny. He just doesn't seem to fit in his current environment. I don't even think his that funny on 30 rock. People who remember him from the early 90's will understand what I'm talking about. You could see some of the early 90's Morgan during the Jimmy Fallen interview last week.
I think the problem is when he's scripted, If you just let him go freestyle he's funny as hell and I think Tina Fey realizes how funny he is, but she nor SNL know how to make that work in a scripted show. The writers on The Martin Lawrence show seemed to get Traci Morgan and where he was coming from. If you listen to Traci Morgan on that show it seemed like they where relying more on the natural humor of the actors.
I hate to point this out, but Eddie Murphy is the only black comedian that has really had success on SNL. Chris Rocks time on SNL is so forgettable that I doubt many people would even know he was there and I think Richard Pryor was there for a short time, but I'm not sure.
uhh... you don't think Tim Meadows had a successful run on SNL?
He managed to get a movie spun off from his LADIES' MAN character.
Tim Meadows was on for like 10 years and he had one memorable character (The Ladies Man). Beyond that I'm not even sure he was ever even a central character in a single sketch.
He is funny and humble when I've seen him just being himself, as on Conan. When performing monologues well-scripted *by someone else* (Maya Angelou reading Hallmark cards), his talent shines. TM quickly loses his capacity to amuse when he raises his voice. He desperately requires a good director, as well as vigilant editing of his writing and concepts. Being a loudmouth is not funny. He for some reason thinks it's hilarious. (I hated Will Ferrell's screamers too.)
Two screamers in the 'Scared Straight' bit didn't make it funnier, just lamer. It's inexplicable is how Morgan's bizarre sensibilities keep making it into the show; vague, shallow, directionless, their motivation seems to be entertaining Morgan himself. Yet he keeps getting approval for another Astronaut Jones or Brian Fellows. "Rocket Dog" had his fingerprints all over it. Even if he didn't come up with the concept, how that POS made it into the show is impossible to comprehend.
A lifetime ago, since we found most of his characters and comedy extremely trying on the nerves, a girlfriend and I had both wondered how it was possible TM kept returning each year, resolving there must have been some blackmail or sexual aspect with Lorne Michaels. Nothing else adequately explained his yearly renewal. That next week SNL included yet another piece where cast members talk backstage, this with TM and Lorne in the hallway. The punchline was Morgan **screaming** at Michaels, "Git me a soda, BITCH!!". Uh, ... yeah.
For those who dont think Tracy is very funny, try watching some of his "Hustle Man" segments on Martin (on YouTube). He was great back then!
I think Lorne Micheals and Seth Meyers need the boot. We need fresh blood and actually funny writers.
So, what do you people find funny? Morgan's humor is silly and non-political... oh, I see the problem.
Oh, so you're one of "those" people.
Have a good day,
From, one of "you" people
Hey you, you're avoiding the question.
Yes, they took a break from politics And from humor.
Word. It's painful to watch SNL these days. The sketches seem to have been written by not-too-bright middle schoolers.
Not by them, for them. The average age of viewers is 14. Sad, but true.
When Tracy Morgan leaves 30 Rock, I will start watching. Never saw him on SNL, don' t ever watch it, but he has ruined every episode of 30 Rock I have ever watched. He irks me.
How Traci Morgan makes a living as a comedian is beyond me? It's bad enough that he reads the cue cards so blatantly, but he also has no inflection, phrasing, or even timing.
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