U2 does FOUR songs on SNL...

[mabel]

Posted: 11/21/04 at 1:09am

Well, it was certainly a refreshing change from the lipsyncing antics of Ashlee Simpson and Eminem!!! U2 performed their regular two songs (before "Vertigo" Bono shouted out "live" several times). Then, the show wrapped up a few minutes early and they knocked out a thrid song (has that ever happened?!?). Halfway through, Bono and The Edge hopped off the stage and Bono kind of molested some chick in the first row (doubt she cared!). The ended the song hopping up on stage w/ the cast (Amy Poehler was crying, pretty crazy!). As soon as the song ended, the yelled "let's do another one" or something to that effect. The cast and audience went nuts. For all we know they're probably still rocking out. Wish I could have been there! Looking forward to picking up How to Dismantle and Atomic Bomb on Tuesday, and here's hoping they have some tickets availble that won't TOTALLY break the bank!

Updated On: 11/21/04 at 01:09 AM

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 11/21/04 at 1:47am

Actually, there are a few BIG artists who have done three songs in the past. And last time U2 was on there was a very great tracking shot of Bono going all over the studio and punching at the camera like he did tonight.

[MaTakeALookAtMe]

Posted: 11/21/04 at 3:29am

SNL is just a bunch of crap anymore anyway. They could've done 6 songs and we still wouldn't have missed any comedic moments

[Jon]

Posted: 11/21/04 at 7:10am

I agree- they should cancel SNL and bring back "Don Kirschner's Rock Concert".

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 11/21/04 at 10:12am

Just so the young folks know, every season since half-way through season two when Chevy Chase left, people have been calling it Saturday Night Dead. Every single season people say how it isn't as good as it used to be. But, as Bono said at the end, "Live live live live. Saturday Night Live. There's nothing else like it. In the world."

If you actually SEE the complete 90 minute versions of even the first seasons, there were just as many sketches that don't work as there ever have been. But what works, works. I can guarantee you, in a few seasons people will be complaining that the show isn't "as good as when Will Forte was on." I've seen it happen again and again.

I respect the show because it's an institution that isn't afraid to speak truth to power, which is really what I ask of comedy. And it is LIVE. No MadTV retakes and hours to get into hair and makeup. I would think that so-called theater people would actually respect that and the actual percentage of sketches that DO make them laugh.

Some of my colleagues say the same things as the nay-sayers around here on many Monday mornings. And then I say, "Well, what about the _____ sketch?" and they start laughing, "And how about when _____ ?" and they start laughing and say "Oh, I forgot about that, yeah, THAT was funny..." and it goes on and on.

SNL doesn't get tons of respect but it really is great that it is still on and plugging away. I will really miss it if and when it goes off the air. Unlike many of the long long overlong runs on Broadway that would make you guys cry when they finally close.

[Rathnait62]

Posted: 11/21/04 at 11:11am

I generally agree, Namo, I often don't understand the nay-sayers, but even I have to say this season has been pretty lame so far in terms of skits and characters.

[MaTakeALookAtMe]

Posted: 11/21/04 at 11:45am

I have always enjoyed SNL...but lately it just sucks. It needs some new life in it. The edginess and funniness are gone. This has happened a few times before... remember the cast that included Jeanene Garofalo. I love her, I love the show..but those were lean times. Anyhow it bounced back then and I hope it does again soon

[spiderdj82]

Posted: 11/21/04 at 11:47am

I mean, they got the kid from "Keenan and Kel" and "All That." What were they thinking?

[Rathnait62]

Posted: 11/21/04 at 11:54am

And I adore Rachel Dratch, but Debbie Downer is just not funny. And that Rick Rick Rick skit - was funny - yeah - ONCE. Come on, people, step it up!

[mabel]

Posted: 11/21/04 at 11:55am

I don't think Keenan is so bad...I like him a lot better than I like Fred Armisen.

And, Namo...I understand what you're getting at, and while I appreciate that SNL is the only thing of its kind on TV, they really have been lacking lately. If it was the case where you could look back at the last episode and chuckle thinking of ____ sketch, that would be one thing, but I really don't recall having any laugh out loud "wow, that was hillarious" moments all season (let alone a couple here and there each episode). I don't know, maybe it's just me, but I honestly haven't seen anything all that great thus far this season...and yet, I'll keep watching. Go figure!

[FabalaCohen]

Posted: 11/21/04 at 12:01pm

aaaaaaahhhhh- I MISSED IT!
*head meets desk*

BUT at least I'm picking up How To...this week after four weeks of "Trevor, did we get the new U2 cd yet? Did we did we did we?" (I work at a college radio station, so therefore we get albums one-two weeks before the street release.)

[Rathnait62]

Posted: 11/21/04 at 12:49pm

I'm watching it now - you'd think a man in his 40's with the intelligence and experience of Bono wouldn't need to stoop to the immature and insecure level of yelling "Live" 4 times before the song started. You need to put down a kid whose already had her share of grief from her screw-up to make yourself feel superior? You're U2 for chrissake! Have some class.

Edit: Amy Poehler has had plenty of chances. I can now say in all good conscience that I am not enjoying her as a Weekend Update co-anchor.

Updated On: 11/21/04 at 12:49 PM

[MaTakeALookAtMe]

Posted: 11/21/04 at 12:58pm

Agreed Rath..Amy Poehler does not cut it. She can't deliver her lines with the same seriousness that Tina does. She always looks like she's making a joke.It's like she's still playing that one legged charracter with the flatulence problem..only she's doin the news..

And I enjoyed the first Debbie Downer skit I saw, when Lindsay Lohan hosted. But since then...just not funny. One or two of her negative interjections may be funny, but most just fall flat

[Type_A_Tiff]

Posted: 11/21/04 at 3:39pm

And, y'know, I hate lobbying for people to lose their jobs, but can Lorne please fire Horatio Sanz? Breaking character to laugh is only funny IF THE REASON YOU'RE LAUGHING IS FUNNY. But this kid just can't keep a straight face over the stupidest things.

And Namo, even though I'm too young to have seen SNL in its '80s glory days when it was live, I've seen enough reruns to agree with you. The sketches were so biting and astute that even I could understand their significance, 15, 20 years later. Now, SNL has become less about being a social satire and a commentary of politics and pop culture, and more about shameless celebrity mugging and plugging. "Look! I'm funny and down with it! I can make fun of myself!" Uh. No.

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 11/21/04 at 4:32pm

"...you'd think a man in his 40's with the intelligence and experience of Bono wouldn't need to stoop to the immature and insecure level of yelling "Live" 4 times before the song started. You need to put down a kid whose already had her share of grief from her screw-up to make yourself feel superior? You're U2 for chrissake! Have some class."

Jesus ****ing Christ. Speaking of class, it was a class, as in "CLASS IS IN SESSION for you people who pretend to perform live, sit back and watch how it's DONE."

Thank god we have rath watching out for the talentless, the lip-synchers, the huddled boob jobs yearning to earn millions miming to a computer program.

[Rathnait62]

Posted: 11/21/04 at 4:35pm

Namo, you might want to see someone about whatever it is that's crawled up your nasty ass.

Updated On: 11/21/04 at 04:35 PM

[Plum]

Posted: 11/21/04 at 4:37pm

I also think that people have really exaggerated the gloriousness of SNL's "glory days." But the last few seasons have really, really not been very good.

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 11/21/04 at 4:38pm

I reached my personal limit for how much sanctimoniousness I can endure without comment.

[Rathnait62]

Posted: 11/21/04 at 4:39pm

Pot, meet kettle.

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 11/21/04 at 4:46pm

Cocktail meet lips.

[grownupgroupie]

Posted: 11/21/04 at 4:49pm

I have to say I'm with Namo.

As I said on the other thread, there were WAY too many sophmoric d!ck jokes last night, and the sketches are always hit or miss....and it has ALWAYS been this way!

Every time there's a strong cast--since
the originals in the mid-70s,
Eddie Murphy/Joe Piscopo, Myers/Carvey/Hooks/Nealon/Miller/Lovitz, Spade/Sandler/Hartman/Farley, Ferrel/Gasteyer/Oteri/Kattan
....every time there's been some perceived "glory" cast, there are always naysayers who cry Saturday Night Dead.

It's just a matter of opinion. It's still LIVE, there's still nothing else like it on TV. One of my best friends is a company member with the Groundlings in LA--along with 2nd City, a breeding ground for SNL talent. These actors/writers are AMAZING. Not every sketch will fly--it's the nature of the beast. Yeah, Horatio Sanz needs to stop laughing at his unfunniness (as did Fallon for that matter,) yeah, a vibrating phallic toy on update is retarded, yeah, Poehler hasn't found her zone yet with Fey. So what! Then don't watch it, or tape/tivo and fastforward through the lame sketches!

Ultimately, it's like the shows on the Broadway board--we're all entitled to our opinions and we don't have to agree. People thinking SNL totally stinks are entitled to feel that way.

[Type_A_Tiff]

Posted: 11/21/04 at 4:58pm

Fair enough, "glory days" may be overspeaking, but I think it's still fair to say that the '80s were pretty glorious *relative* to the stink it is now. (I haven't seen the '70s so I can't comment on that.) It's not just the fault of the performers though, it's also a fault in the writing. And the lack of creativity. I mean, Wayne's World = quality recurring characters. But Debbie Downer? Really?? There's nothing better?

But who am I kidding. I agree, there's still nothing else like it on TV, and I'll still keep on watching for the sake of Weekend Update, good musical guests (when it happens) and the potential for a good opening monologue (which is pretty hit or miss). And for there's usually a gem or two every couple of episodes. Plus I don't have a life. In other words, I'll keep on watching (bits and parts of it) until it goes off the air, and then bitch about it later.

[grownupgroupie]

Posted: 11/21/04 at 5:17pm

The 70s were the originals: Chevy, Gilda, Ackroyd, Curtain, Neuman, Morris, Belushi, and later Murray...

With the exception of the Piscopo/ Murphy cast, a LOT of the 80s were pretty lame--I don't think the show was Billy Crystal or Julia Louis-Dreyfuss's ideal milieu. But the late 80s-early 90s you're talking about are my high school/college memories and I love that cast too. Miller on update, Wayne, Annoying Man, Master Thespian, Lyle the Effeminite Heterosexual, etc.

It's your pregative to bitch--it's the people who seem to hate ALL of the show (rather than the pick and choose method) yet still watch that confound me:)