Governor Christie on SNL - Laughter, Hope and Sanity

 Saturday Night Live gets a lot of mileage making fun of New Jersey.  There was Joe Piscopo "I'm from Jersey! You from Jersey? What exit?" More recently there was Fred Armisen playing a Jersey-hating Governor Paterson.

But it's not just SNL. New Jersey is the state we all love to hate. We watch Snooki so we can feel superior, even though any member of the cast of Jersey Shore could buy and sell most of us a few times over.

South Park has taken some serious jabs at Jersey too. Part of the Jersey persona seems to be that people from Jersey don't take crap from anyone. Apparently, not even from Hurricane Sandy.

New Jersey's governor, Chris Christie, has been a cheerleader for the new Republican agenda. In an election season filled with bad science and bad manners, I had completely written off Governor Christie as another "Legitimate Rape" wacko.

But, tragedy tests the metal of a person. When Governor Christie had to work side-by-side with his political enemy, President Obama, he made the well-being of his state his only priority. Christie took a lot of heat from his Republican friends, but he could not be swayed. He simply refused to politicize Hurricane Sandy.

This past Saturday Governor Christie was a guest on SNL's Weekend Update with Seth Meyers. Here, we saw another side of Chris Christie. Without any political rancor, he was able to laugh at himself, and at the negative Jersey stereotypes.

He closed his bit by quoting the "great New Jersey poet," Bruce Springsteen. As he did, we could see his genuine pride in his state, his sorrow, and his determination to rebuild. What we didn't see was political hatred…for anyone.

Sadly, this last election season earned the GOP the nickname "The Party of Stupid," even amongst some frustrated Republicans.

Chris Christie reminded us all that New Jersey is not just a polluted stretch of I-95.  Suddenly I remembered that I attended summer camp in New Jersey as a child. Bruce Springsteen, Bon Jovi and Kevin Smith are some of my cultural heroes.

My family and I made regular trips to enjoy the ocean at Sandy Hook. Stories of wonderful things we did in New Jersey are part of my identity. I'm guessing this is true of many people from the Northeastern United States.

It's fun to laugh at Jersey. Sometimes it's necessary to laugh at Republicans. On SNL, we got a chance to laugh with Chris Christie, and to remember what strong, sane leadership in a time of crisis looks like.

What I’m Watching This Season

Several folks have asked why I have discontinued writing about Glee and SNL this television season.  I hate to say it, but it’s because my two favorite shows of last year have flat-out failed to inspire me this year.

After years of refusing cable television service, I wondered what would happen when we moved into a condo with free cable.  Well, here’s what happened.  We still don’t watch TV.

We still watch Hulu and Netflix.  We have also started buying downloaded episodes of Archer and Dr. Who from Amazon.  Now that’s a great deal.

I guess my main objection to television is that you have to watch it at a specific time.  My clients may dictate my schedule for me, and that’s fine.  But my television never will – end of story.

So, what have I been watching?

Well, I am still following Glee.  It’s gotten marginally better than it was in September.  I’m happy that Santana is out of the closet and it was great to meet Rachel’s gay dads.  I especially love that Jeff Goldblum plays one of the dads.  I am also glad that one of my favorites from the Glee Project, Simon, is appearing as a freshman Christian who has been homeschooled all his life.

I’m watching SNL, too.  Lately it has been pretty lame, except that Jason Sudeikis does a great Mitt Romney, and it was terrific to see Maya Rudolph come back and host a few weeks ago. 

What I’ve really been watching is the entire series of Star Trek: Voyager on Netflix.  I missed it the first time around, and it’s pretty good. I am a scifi geek after all.

In terms of actual network TV right now, I have two favorites.  The first is Archer.  I am embarrassed at how much I enjoy adult cartoons.  My second favorite, perhaps even more embarrassing, is The Voice.

Oh my goodness, how did THAT happen?  I resisted American Idol, Dancing with the Stars, and all the other network talent contests.

I like The Voice because there are no judges, only coaches.  And the coaches are pretty cool – Adam Levine, Celo Green, Christina Aguilera and Blake Shelton.  I also really like that the coaches choose their teams using blind auditions.  And I like the host, Carson Daily.  The Voice is a Mark Burnett production.  He is the king of Reality TV and all.

So, yeah, I’m watching The Voice this season.  But I’m still watching on Hulu.

JT+SNL=LOL

Another Day Late Dollar Short Hulu Review by Christiana Gaudet.

Justin Timberlake hosted the season finale of Saturday Night Live.  He has appeared on SNL so often that he is neither a surprise nor a novelty, but he is still a treat.

The tastiest bit of that treat was another digital short with Andy Samberg.  A follow-up to the 2009 “Mother Lover" and the 2006 “Dick in a Box,” Timberlake and Samberg reprise their roles as smarmy Hall-&-Oates-like R&B singers. 

This one is called “3-Way (The Golden Rule)”.  In it, our duo enjoys a three-way with musical guest Lady Gaga, because, “It’s not gay if it’s a three way.”

I just love Justin Timberlake.

I didn’t love NSYNC.  In fact, I thought the boy bands of the 1990’s were an abomination.  I worked at a radio station, Q105 in Southeastern Connecticut, during that decade.  I had to listen to, and talk about and sometimes even interview NSYNC, Back Street Boys, LFO and the like.  It is not uncommon for radio personalities to have to promote music they don’t like.

When I left Q105 for a hip-hop station, Jammin’ 107.7, I was shocked that solo Justin Timberlake was on their playlist.  I had to admit; he was growing up and outgrowing the bubblegum.

I didn’t really appreciate JT until I watched the movie “Black Snake Moan.”  He convincingly played a soldier with an anxiety disorder in this serious drama.

Justin Timberlake’s success on SNL proves him a triple threat- he’s a musician, a serious actor, and a comic.

My very favorite JT SNL skit of all time, other than the digital shorts, is “Immigrant Tale” from 5/09/09.  In it, he plays his own ancestor, just arriving on the shores of Ellis Island.  He makes predictions for his great, great grandchild, who will be a singer of popular music.

Timberlake’s ability to laugh at himself was evident in this Saturday’s skits as well.  As a contestant in the game show, “What’s My Name?” he is unable to identify by name a girl he recently slept with, and a less-famous member of NSYNC.  By contrast, Lady Gaga, the other contestant, knows her fans by name.

A second game show, “Secret Word,” had him as a very un-slick mentalist.  That was probably my least favorite of the skits, as it always seems to be just a Kristin Wiig vehicle. 

I loved “The Barry Gibb Talk Show” with Jimmy Fallon.  I remember the Bee Gees well.  JT absolutely nails Robin Gibbs creepy mannerisms.

I wonder if my yet-to-be-born grandchildren will know Justin Timberlake as an acclaimed adult entertainer, remembering his beginnings in the Mickey Mouse Club and NSYNC only as a goofy afterthought.

I hope so.  He has the talent, the presence and the charisma to be a true legend.

Paul Simon, Chris Colfer and Lindsey Buckingham Kill on SNL

Another Day Late Dollar Short Hulu Review by Christiana Gaudet

When I was a teenager, staying up to watch the Belushi-Aykroyd-Radner-Newman Saturday Night Live cast of the Seventies was one of my greatest privileges and pleasures.  Many of us remember Mr, Bill, The Nuclear Family, The Lubners, Killer Bees, Land Shark and the Ex-Police as the best SNL bits of all time.

As my friends and I gathered at school on Monday to discuss the wickedly funny skits, I don’t think any of us thought Saturday Night Live would become the longstanding institution that it has.  In fact, many of us didn’t imagine we would still be alive some thirty years later, let alone our favorite television show!

Over the years, there have been better casts and worse casts.  Some years my life didn’t allow me to watch television from 11:30 PM to 1 AM, or to watch TV at all.  I loved Mike Meyers and Dana Carvey in the Wayne’s World bit, and took my kids to see the movies.  Ditto Austin Powers, and every Adam Sandler movie ever made.  SNL has become the proving ground for some of our nation’s best comics, from Steve Martin to Chris Rock to Tina Fey.

I am loyal to original casts.  I hate it when my entertainers change faces.  I resist the new Dr. Who every time.  Nonetheless, I have to say that watching classic SNL clips can be a bit boring.  What we think is funny changes decade to decade.  Humor that is culturally current goes stale with the passage of time.

The basic format of SNL has remained comfortingly consistent over the years.  I love the train station set, where I can see the very train I would often ride.  I love the guest hosts, Weekend Update, and the two musical numbers.

There is one compelling difference between modern SNL and the SNL of my high school years.  The SNL of today has real political power, in the nation and in the entertainment world.  I don’t remember politicians appearing on SNL back in the Seventies, but they do now.  Some political pundits suggest that Tina Fey singlehandedly cost John McCain the 2008 presidential race with her spot-on impersonations of his running mate, Sarah Palin.

Back in the day, we just didn’t see as many A-list celebs on SNL, other than the guest hosts and the musical guests.  Now, part of the fun of watching SNL is to see who might show up unannounced.  It’s like rock shows of a certain era, you would never know what luminary giants might sit in for a few numbers.

Andy Samberg’s digital shorts, often with “The Lonely Island,” featuring superstars like Justin Timberlake, Susan Sarandon, T-Pain and, most recently, Michael Bolton, are hilarious, and a testament to both SNL’s talent and clout.

New York’s Governor Patterson packed a punch as a guest on Weekend Update not too long ago.

That’s why you may not be surprised when I say that, as awesome as he was, Paul Simon was not the hottest musical guest on the 5/14/11 Ed Helms SNL- Lindsey Buckingham was!

That’s right, the show-stopping, spotlight-stealing bit was “What Up With That.”

You may know the premise of this recurring bit.  It’s a BET talk show that features Kenan Thompson as Deandre Cole, a host who just can’t stop singing.  He always runs out of time, and never gets a chance to interview his guests.  The last of the three guests is always Bill Hader as Lindsey Buckingham.  Hader’s Buckingham never, ever gets a chance to speak, but always comes back for the next show.

The skit featured musical guest Paul Simon in the hot seat, Glee’s Chris Colfer (OMG) in the second seat, and, as usual, Bill Hader as Buckingham in the last seat.

Paul Simon’s sense of humor shone.  Chris Colfer, who plays Kurt on Glee, had no real lines, but was a luminous presence on the set.

When Deandre turned to Lindsey Buckingham, I thought Hader’s Buckingham would finally get a chance to speak.  I was excited that one of my favorite Glee stars was there.  I thought either he, or Paul Simon, might accompany Deandre in his endless singing.  I was completely unprepared for really happened.

The real Lindsey Buckingham, dressed exactly as Hader’s Buckingham, joined the set with his guitar.  He proceeded to show his chops, jamming mightily.  As much as I love Fleetwood Mac, I never really considered Buckingham one of the great guitar gods.  I do now.

Watching Kenan Thompson always makes me a little wistful, he was my family’s essential Saturday night companion on “All That.”  Even now, seeing him makes me want to hang out with a nine year old and eat popcorn.  That nine year old is now twenty-six.  SNL has stood the test of time, perhaps better than I have.

Paul Simon has stood the test of time as well.  He is without question an old man now.  Nonetheless, his songs made me want the new album, which was the whole point of the exercise.  He is still viable after all these years.

For me, the star-studded “What Up With That” skit was the highlight of SNL this week, and highlights how far SNL has come over the years.