The Game Show Forum
The Game Show Forum => The Big Board => Topic started by: GiraffeBoy on March 09, 2010, 11:31:43 PM
-
From the New York Daily News. (http://\"http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/tv/2010/03/09/2010-03-09_betty_white_is_coming_to_snl_88yearold_comedienne_may_join_snl_alums_on_show.html\")
--Charlie
-
Hosting Mothers' Day weekend.
Randy
tvrandywest.com
-
[quote name=\'tvrandywest\' post=\'237361\' date=\'Mar 11 2010, 02:38 PM\']Hosting Mothers' Day weekend.[/quote]
Once again beaten to the punch by the golden-voiced one.
USA TODAY has a full story. (http://\"http://www.usatoday.com/life/television/news/2010-03-11-bettywhite11_ST_N.htm\") Lorne Michaels says he'd asked her multiple times years before and she always refused. (Betty confirms this.) The episode will also feature several female alumni of SNL, like Tina Fey, Rachel Drasch and Maya Rudolph. Early reports were that the entire group plus Betty were going to be considered the hosts, but Michaels says the reunion is just to lessen the performing demands on his 88-year-old legend. Betty White is the sole host.
-
"His" 88-year-old legend?
-
She'll probably become the second host in SNL history to receive a standing ovation.
-
[quote name=\'GSFan\' post=\'237442\' date=\'Mar 12 2010, 11:43 AM\']She'll probably become the second host in SNL history to receive a standing ovation.[/quote]
I was thinking the same thing. But who was the first?
-
[quote name=\'fostergray82\' post=\'237451\' date=\'Mar 12 2010, 10:55 AM\']I was thinking the same thing. But who was the first?[/quote]
Oh, Brandon, why did you have to take the hook?
-
[quote name=\'clemon79\' post=\'237454\' date=\'Mar 12 2010, 03:38 PM\'][quote name=\'fostergray82\' post=\'237451\' date=\'Mar 12 2010, 10:55 AM\']I was thinking the same thing. But who was the first?[/quote]
Oh, Brandon, why did you have to take the hook?
[/quote]
Hey, I'm curious too. And better his cheek get skewered than mine.
-
Milton Berle?
-
[quote name=\'fostergray82\' post=\'237451\' date=\'Mar 12 2010, 01:55 PM\'][quote name=\'GSFan\' post=\'237442\' date=\'Mar 12 2010, 11:43 AM\']She'll probably become the second host in SNL history to receive a standing ovation.[/quote]
I was thinking the same thing. But who was the first?
[/quote]
Andrew Dice Clay? <ducking>
-
[quote name=\'GrandGame1440\' post=\'237477\' date=\'Mar 12 2010, 08:16 PM\']Milton Berle?[/quote]
Give that man a Milton Berle-sized cigar. Uncle Miltie insisted on singing "September Song" late in the show and some of his audience plants stood at its end.
What could possibly be bigger than that man's ego? (Besides the obvious.)
-
[quote name=\'davemackey\' post=\'237494\' date=\'Mar 13 2010, 11:58 AM\'][quote name=\'GrandGame1440\' post=\'237477\' date=\'Mar 12 2010, 08:16 PM\']Milton Berle?[/quote]
Give that man a Milton Berle-sized cigar. Uncle Miltie insisted on singing "September Song" late in the show and some of his audience plants stood at its end.
What could possibly be bigger than that man's ego? (Besides the obvious.)
[/quote]
My apologies for casting the hook with this. I just watched the episode again. It was funny and scary all at the same time.
-
So what are the odds that they won't do a Secret Word skit, and why are they afraid to use the name Password?
-
That probably has more to do with giving themselves a little creative freedom.
-
[quote name=\'CoreyArcher\' post=\'237561\' date=\'Mar 14 2010, 05:59 PM\']So what are the odds that they won't do a Secret Word skit, and why are they afraid to use the name Password?[/quote]
Jay's probably right. Secret Word seems to work a bit more like the Pyramid frontgame, in that you can use sentences and phrases to describe your Secret Word. I'm sure they didn't want letters or that the sketch's writer is a game show fan and it was important to him not to do something wrong.
-
Friendly bump as a reminder that she's on tonight. Set your favorite recording device.
-
[quote name=\'tpirfan28\' post=\'240538\' date=\'May 8 2010, 06:57 PM\']Friendly bump as a reminder that she's on tonight. Set your favorite recording device.[/quote]
I'll just say to West Coasters--you're in for a treat.
-
[quote name=\'SRIV94\' post=\'240542\' date=\'May 8 2010, 10:05 PM\']I'll just say to West Coasters--you're in for a treat.[/quote]
And if that was "limited involvement", then the regular hosts must do odd jobs around the set during the week or something.
She made a Kristen Wiig skit funny. All I'm sayin'.
/mmmm, muffins
-
Next week they're closing out the season with one of the "old reliable" hosts - Alec Baldwin.
-
Nice to see that she appeared on every skit (a first???). I'm glad that Jay-Z gave both Betty and I a break for a few minutes. That show earned a solid A, despite a lack (surprisingly) of a game show parody and perhaps a cameo from Don Pardo (he would've fit nicely in any skit w/ Betty).
Also it was nice to see that they let her run on her own during the opening monologue with no "interruptions" like those in most other host openings of late. Hopefully the SNL players took some notes on how to perform while she was on, like "How to say your lines without making it look like your obviously reading off the cue cards."
Definitely worth a second or 3rd viewing via Hulu/NBC.com!!!
BTW, there are 3 other "dress rehearsal" skits w/ Betty that did not make the cut: "Debbie Downer", "Joyology" and "Bronx Beat" that you can see on hulu.com http://www.hulu.com/collections/444/147973 (http://\"http://www.hulu.com/collections/444/147973\"). Nothing to write home about on these skits, since they were cut from the live show, but it's Betty White!!!
/Wizard...Of...Ass!!!
-
Now this is coming from someone who hasn't watched a full episode of SNL in at least 5 years but...
is the show always this reliant on gay and lesbian jokes? The muffin sketch, the spanish talk show, the vintage sketch, the prisoners sketch, the MacGyver bit, all had passing or multiple jokes about gay/lesbian s*x.
Just seems like lazy writing going for the cheap laugh.
-
[quote name=\'narzo\' post=\'240551\' date=\'May 9 2010, 10:45 AM\']Just seems like lazy writing going for the cheap laugh.[/quote]
Welcome to Saturday Night Live for most of its existence. It's a weekly TV variety show, sometimes cheap laughs are all you can afford.
It does seem to me that this year they're even more reliant on the "mad libs" style of writing for their recurring skits than they used to be. Rather than relying on popular characters and coming up with new ways for them to be funny, they fall back on popular skits, writing exactly the same skit over and over and just filling in the blanks with different proper names. They think that's what we want, because they're so used to the live audience shrieking with recognition that they equate that with entertainment value.
Still, the object of the game this season has been to stay up until the end, when there's almost always an outside-the-box, often surreal bit. That paid off last night with the odd (if not particularly funny) digital short, and the census taker sketch, just about the only time outside the wonderful monologue that they didn't have Betty play the dirty grandmother.
/But OK, 'Wizard of Ass'? That's funny stuff there.
-
SNL has not been appointment television for me in nearly a decade, but there was no way I was going to miss this one, and that I was going to last the entire show. I can't remember the last time I saw a SNL that was funny from start to finish, although I could have done without the MacGruber skits.
This episode got a bit more media attention in the days leading up to it, so I am curious as to how the show did numbers wise. Any word?
-
[quote name=\'Jumpondees\' post=\'240554\' date=\'May 9 2010, 10:39 AM\']SNL has not been appointment television for me in nearly a decade, but there was no way I was going to miss this one, and that I was going to last the entire show. I can't remember the last time I saw a SNL that was funny from start to finish, although I could have done without the MacGruber skits.
This episode got a bit more media attention in the days leading up to it, so I am curious as to how the show did numbers wise. Any word?[/quote]
Biggest (overnight) Ratings in 18 Months!!! (http://\"http://hollywoodinsider.ew.com/2010/05/09/saturday-night-live-with-betty-white-attracts-big-ratings/\")
The overall Nielsen ratings will come out on Tuesday.
-
Also wondering whether any other SNL host has appeared in every skit. There could have been more references to or parodies of any of her shows worked in, and that's probably a missed opportunity... but I'm not really complaining.
I'll never look at a muffin the same way again.
-
I watched one other episode this season (November when Taylor Swift was on), and I noticed two repeating bits - MacGruber and the prison thing toward the end.
Some of the skits were painfully unfunny until Betty showed up - looking at you, Spanish Maury. The opening was probably the best skit on the program, the digital short was great, and I was crying in laughter at the end of the NPR cooking bit. But c'mon...they couldn't kill all three MacGruber bits for a faux-game show thing? Password, Pyramid, Jackie Rogers Jr's $100,000 Jackpot Wad?
/Betty's husband in the NPR skit couldn't have been Allen just for giggles?
-
[quote name=\'tpirfan28\' post=\'240561\' date=\'May 9 2010, 02:30 PM\']But c'mon...they couldn't kill all three MacGruber bits for a faux-game show thing?[/quote]
Only if they don't want to advertise their movie.
-
[quote name=\'Joe Mello\' post=\'240562\' date=\'May 9 2010, 02:45 PM\'][quote name=\'tpirfan28\' post=\'240561\' date=\'May 9 2010, 02:30 PM\']But c'mon...they couldn't kill all three MacGruber bits for a faux-game show thing?[/quote]
Only if they don't want to advertise their movie.
[/quote]
Didn't know that was happening. So the point can be retracted on those grounds.
-
[quote name=\'tpirfan28\' post=\'240563\' date=\'May 9 2010, 02:57 PM\'][quote name=\'Joe Mello\' post=\'240562\' date=\'May 9 2010, 02:45 PM\'][quote name=\'tpirfan28\' post=\'240561\' date=\'May 9 2010, 02:30 PM\']But c'mon...they couldn't kill all three MacGruber bits for a faux-game show thing?[/quote]
Only if they don't want to advertise their movie.[/quote]
Didn't know that was happening. So the point can be retracted on those grounds.[/quote]
From a business standpoint, yes. As a matter of taste, you are still in the right ;-)
-
Not the funniest show of the season, but the most fun I've had watching the show in quite some time. Still, I'm with y'all in being disappointed that there wasn't a game show sketch. They've done two Secret Word sketches this season, and they couldn't write her into one of those?
-
What some people are failing to realize here is the process on how the show is made. They do not decide from the top to have this sketch and that sketch and only work those ones out. Generally, they'll finish the writing day with 30-35 sketches. Those will get table read, at which point they'll cut to about 15-20. At that point they will start the production elements necessary (props, non-live shooting, etc.) and maybe a few of those will die before Saturday.
On Saturday, a dress rehearsal, complete with a separate audience, is done at 8 PM. This will generally feature some extra sketches. Recently, they've been putting the ones that are cut on Hulu. Based on what aired and what was cut, they were obvious choices since they fell flat. Three of them were more recurring characters of the returning guest stars (a Debbie Downer sketch featuring Betty as Debbie's grandmother, a Bronx Beat sketch and that Molly Shannon character that I can't remember). The fourth did not have Betty at all.
So the chance that Betty was in every sketch was not unusual and not unprecedented, I think Gabourey Sidibe was also in every sketch on her show. It's just that the skits they decided to keep, she happened to be in every one. And for the questions "why wasn't there a game show sketch", there very well could have been, but it didn't make the cut. More "shocking" was the absence of a Golden Girls sketch, in an interview Rachel Dratch mentioned one was written and was at least rehearsed during the week, but that didn't make the cut either.
And, hate to disappoint you Matt, the "surreal, out-of-the box" last sketch was a reworking of a census sketch they did in 2000 with Christopher Walken. As much as SNL has been relying on stock characters this season, this was not uncommon for any sketch show (Carol Burnett, I'm looking at you). At least it's not as blatant as the Jack Benny Show, which would sometimes take an old radio script, spice up the gags with some visuals, and make a TV episode. The only time you really don't see a reliance on stock characters is when they have a large cast turnover, and they haven't had one of those in 15 years.
--Mike
-
[quote name=\'tpirfan28\' post=\'240561\' date=\'May 9 2010, 11:30 AM\']/Betty's husband in the NPR skit couldn't have been Allen just for giggles?[/quote]
"Hey, Betty? Because it would make a few game show geeks happy, we'd like to have you refer to your dead husband in the Delicious Dish sketch. You know, just for giggles."
-
[quote name=\'mmb5\' post=\'240587\' date=\'May 10 2010, 09:21 AM\']And, hate to disappoint you Matt, the "surreal, out-of-the box" last sketch was a reworking of a census sketch they did in 2000 with Christopher Walken.[/quote]
I guess I shouldn't be surprised, and now that you mention Walken, I seem to have a dim memory of that. Still, I have less of a problem with reusing a ten-year-old idea* than I do with the virtually weekly skits like Scared Straight or the doofus ESPN announcers that are just rewordings of exactly the same setups, jokes and situations we saw the week before.
*Of course, how often is a census skit relevant anyway?
-
[quote name=\'Matt Ottinger\' post=\'240601\' date=\'May 10 2010, 01:19 PM\']with the virtually weekly skits like Scared Straight[/quote]
I could do with a lot less Kenan Thompson on the show as a rule (really, the three truly funny bits I've seen him do have been Bill Cosby on CJ!, Jean K. Jean (which was dumb at first but grew on me), and the Grady Wilson sex positions commercial on this season's opener.), but I would love (but do not expect) to learn that Betty's second "Wizard...of...ASS!" line was improved. It probably wasn't, but the comedic timing on that was masterful.
-
[quote name=\'clemon79\' post=\'240592\' date=\'May 10 2010, 10:52 AM\'][quote name=\'tpirfan28\' post=\'240561\' date=\'May 9 2010, 11:30 AM\']/Betty's husband in the NPR skit couldn't have been Allen just for giggles?[/quote]
"Hey, Betty? Because it would make a few game show geeks happy, we'd like to have you refer to your dead husband in the Delicious Dish sketch. You know, just for giggles."
[/quote]
This. You don't know how many times I was peeved that there was no game-show material in Lake Placid or the Golden Girls.
/ok, maybe not
//Comedienne first; please remember that.
-
[quote name=\'TeppanYaki\' post=\'240606\' date=\'May 10 2010, 05:18 PM\']You don't know how many times I was peeved that there was no game-show material in Lake Placid or the Golden Girls.[/quote]
You forgot about Grab That Dough (http://\"http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ptxYY2VBxO4#t=4m44s\")?! Dorothy tried out for Jeopardy! at one point too.
/Sis loved her Golden Girls.
-
[quote name=\'MikeK\' post=\'240607\' date=\'May 10 2010, 04:33 PM\'][quote name=\'TeppanYaki\' post=\'240606\' date=\'May 10 2010, 05:18 PM\']You don't know how many times I was peeved that there was no game-show material in Lake Placid or the Golden Girls.[/quote]
You forgot about Grab That Dough (http://\"http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ptxYY2VBxO4#t=4m44s\")?! Dorothy tried out for Jeopardy! at one point too.
/Sis loved her Golden Girls.
[/quote]
You still haven't disclosed your Bea Arthur shrine to the board, Mike.
-
Apparently the next campaign is to have Carol Burnett (http://\"http://marquee.blogs.cnn.com/2010/05/10/the-next-campaign-for-snl-host-carol-burnett/?hpt=C2\") host.
-
[quote name=\'tpirfan28\' post=\'240615\' date=\'May 10 2010, 06:58 PM\']Apparently the next campaign is to have Carol Burnett (http://\"http://marquee.blogs.cnn.com/2010/05/10/the-next-campaign-for-snl-host-carol-burnett/?hpt=C2\") host.[/quote]
Not a bad idea. Based on the last few years, can they campaign for better writers?
-
[quote name=\'clemon79\' post=\'240603\' date=\'May 10 2010, 04:59 PM\']I could do with a lot less Kenan Thompson on the show as a rule (really, the three truly funny bits I've seen him do have been Bill Cosby on CJ!, Jean K. Jean (which was dumb at first but grew on me), and the Grady Wilson sex positions commercial on this season's opener.), but I would love (but do not expect) to learn that Betty's second "Wizard...of...ASS!" line was improved. It probably wasn't, but the comedic timing on that was masterful.[/quote]
Although What Up with That, the epitome of a barely-changing sketch, never fails to make me laugh. I hope on Keenan's last show the real Lindsey Buckingham shows up.
The over-analytical failed comedy writer in me would have liked the juxtaposition in the Scared Straight sketch to have some of the returning women be the prisoners. It would have taken it in a different direction.
Wizard of Ass could have been the game show parody.
--Mike
-
Betty's monologue was great, but I very quickly got tired of nearly all of the skits relying on the "an elderly woman saying unladylike things is funny" gag (also, note to the writers: the "squirted" joke in the NPR sketch did not have a second, innocuous meaning). I liked the census sketch simply because the absurdity was a change of pace from all of the shock-value jokes.
-
[quote name=\'mmb5\' post=\'240618\' date=\'May 10 2010, 08:55 PM\']Although What Up with That, the epitome of a barely-changing sketch, never fails to make me laugh.[/quote]
I was going to admit to that as well, since it's true, but because it invalidates my whole argument, I won't.
-
[quote name=\'tpirfan28\' post=\'240615\' date=\'May 10 2010, 04:58 PM\']Apparently the next campaign is to have Carol Burnett (http://\"http://marquee.blogs.cnn.com/2010/05/10/the-next-campaign-for-snl-host-carol-burnett/?hpt=C2\") host.[/quote]
The funny thing about that is, in the early years of SNL, they took pride in being everything that The Carol Burnett Show wasn't, and would put down some sketch ideas by saying "That's Carol Burnett." It would be quite an evolution if Carol were to host the show, and I'd be curious to find out what Lorne Michaels thinks of the idea.
-
[quote name=\'TeppanYaki\' post=\'240616\' date=\'May 10 2010, 04:01 PM\'][quote name=\'tpirfan28\' post=\'240615\' date=\'May 10 2010, 06:58 PM\']Apparently the next campaign is to have Carol Burnett (http://\"http://marquee.blogs.cnn.com/2010/05/10/the-next-campaign-for-snl-host-carol-burnett/?hpt=C2\") host.[/quote]
Not a bad idea. Based on the last few years, can they campaign for better writers?[/quote]
It is a bad idea. Betty's show demonstrated how lame the writing on SNL has become. She deserved much better material. Why put Carol on if the writing is so poor?
I very quickly got tired of nearly all of the skits relying on the "an elderly woman saying unladylike things is funny" gag
That's always been part of her stock in trade, the juxtaposition of a pure, wholesome figure doing ribald material (c.f. Match Game). But your point is well taken; it was becoming a one-note song. What was up with that Lawrence Welk sendup?
in the early years of SNL, they took pride in being everything that The Carol Burnett Show wasn't
In the early years SNL was funny enough to get away with that. No more.
I tuned out when they got to the musical act. As wonderful as it was seeing Betty, I'd had enough.
-
[quote name=\'MSTieScott\' post=\'240622\' date=\'May 10 2010, 09:17 PM\'](also, note to the writers: the "squirted" joke in the NPR sketch did not have a second, innocuous meaning[/quote]
Some muffins have a custard or jam filling. The only muffin of this type that I've bitten into was lemon poppyseed with lemon custard.
-
[quote name=\'dale_grass\' post=\'240640\' date=\'May 11 2010, 08:04 AM\'][quote name=\'MSTieScott\' post=\'240622\' date=\'May 10 2010, 09:17 PM\'](also, note to the writers: the "squirted" joke in the NPR sketch did not have a second, innocuous meaning[/quote]
Some muffins have a custard or jam filling. The only muffin of this type that I've bitten into was lemon poppyseed with lemon custard.
[/quote]
I was a tad disappointed that they didn't throw in a reference to "schweaty balls"
[Betty]: "Sometimes I allow hot schweaty balls to be put into my muffin. It all depends on how I feel" [/Betty]
-
That's Schweddy! The way you spelled it gave it another, vulgar meaning. Certainly not something sweet Betty White would refer to.
-
[quote name=\'dale_grass\' post=\'240640\' date=\'May 11 2010, 07:04 AM\']The only muffin of this type that I've bitten into was lemon poppyseed with lemon custard.[/quote]
Might not approve. (http://\"http://gameshow.ipbhost.com/index.php?showuser=26\")
-
[quote name=\'Kevin Prather\' post=\'240673\' date=\'May 11 2010, 03:37 PM\']Might not approve. (http://\"http://gameshow.ipbhost.com/index.php?showuser=26\")[/quote]
I am torn between "Hey, nobody bites into my Lemon muffin but me!" and "I got yer Lemon custard >right here<." :)
-
[quote name=\'chris319\' post=\'240634\' date=\'May 11 2010, 07:05 AM\']What was up with that Lawrence Welk sendup?[/quote]
Lawrence Welk has actually been a pretty popular recurring character for them in the past few seasons. The PBS reruns apparently get enough attention for it to be worthwhile fodder, and the skits are pretty damn funny whether the audience realizes Welk was a real guy or not.
-
[quote name=\'Adam Nedeff\' post=\'240703\' date=\'May 11 2010, 09:28 PM\'][quote name=\'chris319\' post=\'240634\' date=\'May 11 2010, 07:05 AM\']What was up with that Lawrence Welk sendup?[/quote]
Lawrence Welk has actually been a pretty popular recurring character for them in the past few seasons. The PBS reruns apparently get enough attention for it to be worthwhile fodder, and the skits are pretty damn funny whether the audience realizes Welk was a real guy or not.
[/quote]
And when Lorne Lipowitz was deciding on what to call himself for a stage name, one of the names he considered before settling on Michaels was Lorne Zwelk.
/Not making that up--this was in the Hill/Weingrad 1985 book about SNL.