Dead From NY

LIVE FROM NY IT’S SATURDAY NIGHT!!

Remember when these words used to mark the opening of a great show? As a child growing up in the late eighties/-nineties I fell in love with Dennis Miller, Adam Sandler, Phil Hartman, Chris Farley, David Spade, Mike Myers, and Dana Carvey. I consider these years, some of the greatest years in SNL history. I understand I am at a bit of a disadvantage considering I was only born in 1984, and to judge SNL based on these years is akin to judging Marlon Brando’s career based on The Island of Doctor Moreau, but I have been privileged to view their reruns on their cable stations such as Comedy Central and E! reruns.

I remember fondly my summers at camp staying up late on Saturday nights while I huddled around the small black and white TV we had in our bunk and watching hilariously funny skits featuring the aforementioned players. There was something magical in those skits as I was one of twelve pre-pubescent Jewish boys huddled around a black and white screen watching comedy at its finest late into those summer Saturday nights. Even when my friends were jumping ship to the rival Mad TV, I held faithful to SNL.

As hard as this is for me to say about a show that I’ve loved so dearly, the past four years have been a struggle. (I’m not sure which is worse, admitting I’ve been home on Saturday nights, or admitting I watch SNL) I have watched SNL’s prominent faces be replaced with new personalities that have seemingly never found their stride. I have an immense amount of respect for the creation process, especially when faced with SNL’s tight weekly schedule, but it seems as though the biggest challenge facing SNL right now is the lack of a consistent product. Creatively, Saturday Night Live is no longer the cutting-edge show that it once was twenty to thirty years ago. Wildly funny sketches featuring audience favorite characters have been replaced with broad skits that seem to play without end and lag after their initial push.

SNL used to be edgy; it forced us to rethink the way we perceive the world. The portrayals of Bill Clinton, Al Gore, and George W. Bush had a profound impact on how the public viewed our politicians. But honestly, six years into the Bush presidency we understand pretty clearly Ole’ W is dumb, ‘nuff said. Let's move on and tackle something a little more creatively

SNL’s relevance as a whole has taken a significant hit over these past several years. As a result, SNL has been replaced in the comedic world with shows like South Park, The Daily Show, The Colbert Report, Da Ali G Show, and Chappelle’s Show.

From my vantage point, I believe the road to take is the one which leads SNL back to its original roots in order to reclaim its thrown as the edgiest/funniest show on television. The emphasis must be placed on the creation and implementation of characters. Characters have always been the backbone of SNL’s humor from Belushi’s Samurai Chef and Phil Hartman’s Caveman Lawyer to Will Farrell and Cheri Oteri’s Cheerleaders. Characters will always be the foundation of any sketch comedy show, and SNL is no different. In recent seasons, it seems as though the focus has been shifted away from highlighting several players and their characters into a more democratic approach. SNL has never been about amazing acting, but it was about incredibly smart and crafty writing. While Will Farrell and Tim Meadows were not the best actors, they certainly were able to carry their skits with certain panache. Gone are the loveable characters and their catch lines (“I’m Brian Fellows”= comic genius) replaced with sketches that seem to last ten minutes at a time without any reason. Simply put, the show has begun to labor in its comedy. Even when SNL was hosted by the very funny, edgy comedian Dane Cook it lacked that punch it once had.

I find myself continuing to watch SNL despite common sense telling me to give up. I feel like an abused woman making excuses for her husband who continually disappoints. It’s reached the point now where I see the potential in these skits but instead of laughing I want to cry at the forgettable set ups and wasted punch lines.