Posted: 7/20/16 at 5:12pm
They haven't parodied Michelle Obama because the Obamas have managed to be many things, but one of those things isn't "ripe for parody."
Posted: 7/20/16 at 5:20pm
They did once have Maya Rudolph do a Michelle impression during for a sketch that was The Cosby Show with the Obamas and Biden. But even there she was the straight woman.
In general, First Ladies are difficult to parody, because they tend to have a very strictlly controlled image that is designed to appeal to a wide swath of people.
Posted: 7/20/16 at 6:05pm
Kad said: "They haven't parodied Michelle Obama because the Obamas have managed to be many things, but one of those things isn't "ripe for parody."
"You are joking right? Everyone is parodyble if you are brave enough. Her designer wardrobe, her many vacations, her side eye to Barack when he was fooling with that Blonde Prime Minister from Denmark, and the whole Michelle Obama school lunch thing that is all over Twitter
Posted: 7/20/16 at 6:20pm
Hillary was an exception to that rule Wonderfulwizard, Jan Hook portrayed her early on in Bill's Presidency as wanting to be second in charge. Also we should not forget Phil Hartman's biting take on Barbara Bush during Papa Bush's term. Michele has managed to stay above the fray. Though Sasheer has taken her on a couple times as did Kerry Washington. None of those impersonations were really making fun of Michele, more for being the straight man to the people around her, or in Kerry Washington's case, being one of the many black women she had to play because SNL had no Black Female cast members. There are some people who are just hard to parody.
Posted: 7/20/16 at 6:35pm
To the best of my recollection, SNL pretty much left Laura Bush aline, didn't they?
Posted: 7/20/16 at 7:23pm
It's been a minute since I've been on these boards (HEY, KWEENS!)...but today is the day. SNL never made fun of Chelsea Clinton? Are ya sure??? Is that something you're willing to bet on?
Cause here's the cold open from 1993 featuring Madonna in Marilyn drag singing to the new first family. Stick with it to the end to enjoy the les-baiting inappropriateness of it all. And keep in mind...Chelsea was all of 13 when this aired
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x190d5j_madonna-singing-as-marilyn-monroe-1993_music
Hair splitters and old cranks need to suck a tit.
Updated On: 7/20/16 at 07:23 PM
Posted: 7/20/16 at 7:26pm
Madbrian, yes, Laura was pretty unscathed. There was enough material with George. She really seemed to not be in the public eye much during his terms.
Posted: 7/20/16 at 7:31pm
SonofrobbieJ.... OH YES! They made fun of Chelsea on Wayne's world, saying something like, "She might be a babe in waiting but now she wouldn't give a dog a bone! Hillary was on the phone with SNL that very night saying her then 12 year old daughter was off limits. I believe Mike Meyers and Dana Carvey actually did an on air apology, or they taped one to send to the Clinton's.
She did appear in later sketches but was never really the subject of the jokes.
Posted: 7/20/16 at 7:35pm
As a 19-year-old, I remember finding this sketch icky. I'm a little more mellow and a lot more inappropriate now, but it still makes me c0ck my head like a dog looking at its owners f*cking.
Updated On: 7/20/16 at 07:35 PM
Posted: 7/20/16 at 7:52pm
Just looked it up. They said "Chelsea was a babe in Training"... I believe it was an episode after the Madonna one. I do remember a taped apology. I thought the Madonna sketch wasn't too out of hand. It was very much pushing the line however. I have to really hand it to Hillary however for putting her foot down! She was absolutely fine with them raking her and Bill over the coals, part of the territory but Chelsea was OFF LIMITS!
Jenna and Barbara Bush however were skewered by Amy and Tina!
Updated On: 7/20/16 at 07:52 PM
Posted: 7/21/16 at 10:05am
Petralicious said:"You are joking right? Everyone is parodyble if you are brave enough. Her designer wardrobe, her many vacations, her side eye to Barack when he was fooling with that Blonde Prime Minister from Denmark, and the whole Michelle Obama school lunch thing that is all over Twitter"
Some people are easier to parody and more enjoyable to watch parodies of. The things you listed are specific events, not character traits that can be exaggerated and relied on for comedic effect, a la Sarah Palin or Bill Clinton. That's what drives sketch writing: a clear comedic conceit that can be returned to, over and over. For some public figures, that conceit emerges really easily. For others, it never does. SNL never got a great handle on Mitt Romney, or Laura Bush, and surprisingly did very little with Reagan (aside from one truly brilliant sketch with Phil Hartman, but that sketch relied on surprise and so couldn't sustain more than one go).
It has nothing to do with being "brave." It has everything to do with understanding how sketch comedy works.
Updated On: 7/21/16 at 10:05 AM
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