I'm happy for Lorne Michaels and the gang at Saturday Night Live. I really am. I fell in love with the show when I was in junior high, about the time when Will Ferrell was beginning to find his way in the topsy-turvy world of sketch comedy. The world that SNL created for 90 minutes on Saturday nights made a strong impression on my young brain. And yes, I consider it a world unto its own because it definitely was an escape I looked forward to during the week. In a lot of ways it established the guidelines for the type of humor I enjoy. Going through my "Best of [Insert Cast Member's Name Here]" DVDs usually welcomes a certain sadness because I've yet to come across another character with the brilliant absurdity of a Suel Forrester (played by Chris Kattan) or the inimitable comic sensibilities of Will Ferrell impersonating Robert Goulet.
I'm glad I persevered through the meager talent of both writers and performers over the past few years because it's so thrilling to see the show reinvigorated once again.
Lately, the show's been killing in the ratings due to the wild popularity of Tina Fey's interpretation of media-pariah Sarah Palin. The show has also garnered some less-publicized cameos from former cast members Chris Parnell and Bill Murray, as well as spots from Hollywood royalty like William Shatner, Alec Baldwin and Mark Wahlberg.
But Will Ferrell's reprisal of George W. Bush on Thursday night affirmed what was already openly known: Saturday Night Live is back.
View the video here: http://www.hulu.com/watch/40684/saturday-night-live-weekend-update-thursday-1023
Allow me to qualify that statement: SNL isn't back because Will Ferrell made a cameo. SNL is back because Will Ferrell, whose recent films have been terrible, capitalized on the resurgence of SNL. Now, I'm not hating on Will. As you can tell from what I already wrote, I will always have a soft spot in my heart for his comedic genius. But let's take a step back and think about his last few films. Talladega Nights and Semi-Pro are films which merit a comparison to light beer: they leave a bad taste in your mouth and when you wake up the next morning, you find yourself wishing that you had done something else the night before.
So, my long-winded point is that Mr. Ferrell probably noted the fact that everyone was buzzing about SNL's consistently funny sketches this election season, figured (correctly) that he needed to score a few points with the hockey moms and the Joe Six-Packs, and lined up his spot on their Thursday night special. And I'm also saying that it's okay with me, because it's wonderfully, wonderfully funny.
The gang at SNL probably won't have the Palin punching bag after November 4, but hopefully this resurgence will carry over into the new presidency.
Saturday, October 25, 2008
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
Lipstick on an insane person.
NBC Nightly News ran a fluff piece tonight about the parents of special needs children (read: children with Down’s syndrome) and their outpouring of support for Sarah Palin. I’m actually sort of convinced that it was a tongue-in-cheek piece, because earlier in the same broadcast Brian Williams presented us with the latest CBS News poll which has Obama absolutely destroying the Republican ticket by 14 percentage points.
Originally I was going to use this space to write about how hypocritical Palin is, as I had heard somewhere that she had actually slashed the budget for the Special Olympics in her first year as governor (before she gave birth to her Trig, her son with Down’s). However, I stand corrected on that issue, as it was apparently a false claim levied by the Daily Kos. According to http://factcheck.org she’s actually tripled the budget allotment since taking the reins in Juneau.
Nevertheless, the buzz surrounding this extraneous issue continues to irk me. Those on the right have stalwartly defended Palin’s decision to bring a fetus with Down’s syndrome to term, citing her as a modern day hero in the pro-life initiative. On the flipside, I’m shocked that the sheer irresponsibility of Palin and her husband would be lauded by so many. Far be it from me to dictate people’s procreative rights, but wasn’t four children enough? Especially with the rigors of governing a whole god damned state? And to not consider contraceptive measures in your mid-forties? That’s just playing Russian roulette, as countless medical studies have shown a correlation between birth abnormalities and older mothers. And don’t you dare pull the religion card in this debate. If you have a problem with the pill or condoms, there are several alternatives. Among these is abstinence, of which I’ve heard the governor is quite fond.
So Palin’s failure to grasp the fundamentals of sex education is conveniently overlooked, and in its stead is the charming campaign prop that is her special needs son. Palin seized the spotlight at the RNC and Vice Presidential debate by playing the compassionate, caring mother. When the inanity of her VP acceptance speech concluded and again when the furor of debate with Senator Biden subsided, she took a hold of Trig and thrust him before the lens of the cameras to show us all that she is a card-carrying member of the “culture of life” and that, above all else, she is a saint because her baby has Down’s syndrome.
In the arena of professional politics, admittedly a sport in which every action taken and word spoken is ultimately self-serving, has there ever been a stunt as shameless as this? I think you’d be hard pressed to top it.
So, with three short weeks until Election Day, the Republican strategists will continue to paint Barack Obama as the candidate of inexperience; the “elitist” out of touch with reality.
But, my friends (to borrow the disarmingly friendly rhetorical style of John McCain): Sarah Palin’s ignorance of the things most of us learned about in tenth grade has been spun into a campaign prop. To me, that emphatically shows us that she’s the inexperienced politician existing in her self-constructed reality.
Monday, October 13, 2008
Very Unpatriotic.
Football is a game of peaks and valleys. At least that's what my high school football coach used to drum into our heads. While I didn't care for my coach, and I wouldn't have expected any sagely advice from such a dull man, I found this particular aphorism to be true.
Sure enough, the first six weeks of another NFL season has provided some high points and, as a Patriots fan, a whole lotta low points. The casual observer might figure that New England's low point transpired in the first quarter of Week One's game when Kansas City's Bernard Pollard did his best to make Tom Brady do a flamingo impression, effectively tearing the all-world quarterback's ACL and MCL. But, I can assure you that the team's pitiful performance last night against the Chargers did so much more to perpetuate the awful feeling of malaise that currently surrounds the squad.
Here's a glimpse into the average Pats fan's mind after Brady went down against the Chiefs: Sure, it's a kick in the groin to lose the reigning MVP, but come on! Let's be realistic. Mr. Brady is definitely a vital part of our offense, but just look at how many other cogs there are in the machine! Matt Cassel played all throughout the preseason, so he knows the ins and outs of this offense. And hey, let's be honest: with an offense as stacked as this, we could put Tarvaris Jackson behind center and still put points on the board. These guys might not replicate the 16-0 record of last season, but because they play in the weakest division in football and because most of the same faces were back to play out the NFL's easiest schedule, it's not unrealistic to think that this team will finish 12-4 or 13-3.
In Cassel we trust!
For a few weeks there, we were able to delude ourselves into actually believing this, especially after Cassel was able come out and play mistake-free ball in his start against the Jets. Hell, we were even able to chalk-up the embarrassing 38-13 loss to the Dolphins as an inevitable hiccup in a 16-game schedule.
Flash forward to last night in San Diego.
The feelings of doom began on the Chargers' first play from scrimmage, when Philip Rivers connected with Vincent Jackson for a 48-yard gain that setup a field goal.
The feelings of doom blossomed into feelings of despair when Rivers hit Malcom Floyd with a 49-yard touchdown pass a few minutes later. It seemed that before the Pats had even arrived at Qualcomm Stadium they were trailing 10-0. The remainder of the first half was just an ugly blur that left last year's AFC runners-up ahead of the reigning champs by two touchdowns.
If the theme of the first half was that New England's defense is old and vulnerable, then the second half's theme dealt with the very un-Bradylike play of Matt Cassel. Brady's understudy nearly inspired new hope among the faithful when he led the team 76 yards down the field to the doorstep of the end zone. But then he dashed our hopes with his two-bit attempt to sneak past the San Diego defenders on fourth-and-one. What's worse is that before he tried to maneuver his lanky frame past the menagerie of defensive linemen and linebackers, he failed to spot a wide-open Benjamin Watson in the back of the end zone. Fueled by the roar of the hometown crowd, the Chargers seized the ball back and Rivers was able to march his team 98 yards for another touchdown; the coup de grâce that put New England down 24-3 when they should have only trailed 17-10. The game was over in the third quarter.
The second crushing defeat in a span of three games brings with it a whole host of questions. First and foremost: how can last year's juggernaut barely scrape together 10 points when they hold the football longer than their opponent? And how long can the Pats stay confident in Matt Cassel if he continues his lackluster play? How will the Patriots deal with playing in a division that's no longer a laughingstock? (For those not keeping score at home, the once-lowly Buffalo Bills, New York Jets and Miami Dolphins are now 4-1, 3-2 and 2-3 respectively.) Can Laurence Maroney stay healthy once he’s back on the field? How long will it take Randy Moss, notoriously unhappy while playing for the unsuccessful Oakland Raiders, to throw in the towel on the 2008 season? These questions may seem premature for a team that has 11 games remaining on their schedule, but with upcoming games against solid opponents and having to play in an increasingly competitive division, they must be posed.
And while they still maintain a winning record in the face of two humiliating losses, can anyone still realistically see this team finishing with 12 wins? Of course not. How about 10? Even that's iffy. A team whose three wins come against squads that are collectively 6-10 is highly suspect.
Next week presents the challenge of a “must win” game, which is something that this group really hasn’t had to face very often. Gillette Stadium will undoubtedly be packed with fans lusting for a dismantling of the Broncos, who have also dropped two of their last three. Anything short of a win will most likely introduce the team to something else with which they’re unfamiliar: a chorus of boos cascading down upon them from their hometown fans.
Sure enough, the first six weeks of another NFL season has provided some high points and, as a Patriots fan, a whole lotta low points. The casual observer might figure that New England's low point transpired in the first quarter of Week One's game when Kansas City's Bernard Pollard did his best to make Tom Brady do a flamingo impression, effectively tearing the all-world quarterback's ACL and MCL. But, I can assure you that the team's pitiful performance last night against the Chargers did so much more to perpetuate the awful feeling of malaise that currently surrounds the squad.
Here's a glimpse into the average Pats fan's mind after Brady went down against the Chiefs: Sure, it's a kick in the groin to lose the reigning MVP, but come on! Let's be realistic. Mr. Brady is definitely a vital part of our offense, but just look at how many other cogs there are in the machine! Matt Cassel played all throughout the preseason, so he knows the ins and outs of this offense. And hey, let's be honest: with an offense as stacked as this, we could put Tarvaris Jackson behind center and still put points on the board. These guys might not replicate the 16-0 record of last season, but because they play in the weakest division in football and because most of the same faces were back to play out the NFL's easiest schedule, it's not unrealistic to think that this team will finish 12-4 or 13-3.
In Cassel we trust!
For a few weeks there, we were able to delude ourselves into actually believing this, especially after Cassel was able come out and play mistake-free ball in his start against the Jets. Hell, we were even able to chalk-up the embarrassing 38-13 loss to the Dolphins as an inevitable hiccup in a 16-game schedule.
Flash forward to last night in San Diego.
The feelings of doom began on the Chargers' first play from scrimmage, when Philip Rivers connected with Vincent Jackson for a 48-yard gain that setup a field goal.
The feelings of doom blossomed into feelings of despair when Rivers hit Malcom Floyd with a 49-yard touchdown pass a few minutes later. It seemed that before the Pats had even arrived at Qualcomm Stadium they were trailing 10-0. The remainder of the first half was just an ugly blur that left last year's AFC runners-up ahead of the reigning champs by two touchdowns.
If the theme of the first half was that New England's defense is old and vulnerable, then the second half's theme dealt with the very un-Bradylike play of Matt Cassel. Brady's understudy nearly inspired new hope among the faithful when he led the team 76 yards down the field to the doorstep of the end zone. But then he dashed our hopes with his two-bit attempt to sneak past the San Diego defenders on fourth-and-one. What's worse is that before he tried to maneuver his lanky frame past the menagerie of defensive linemen and linebackers, he failed to spot a wide-open Benjamin Watson in the back of the end zone. Fueled by the roar of the hometown crowd, the Chargers seized the ball back and Rivers was able to march his team 98 yards for another touchdown; the coup de grâce that put New England down 24-3 when they should have only trailed 17-10. The game was over in the third quarter.
The second crushing defeat in a span of three games brings with it a whole host of questions. First and foremost: how can last year's juggernaut barely scrape together 10 points when they hold the football longer than their opponent? And how long can the Pats stay confident in Matt Cassel if he continues his lackluster play? How will the Patriots deal with playing in a division that's no longer a laughingstock? (For those not keeping score at home, the once-lowly Buffalo Bills, New York Jets and Miami Dolphins are now 4-1, 3-2 and 2-3 respectively.) Can Laurence Maroney stay healthy once he’s back on the field? How long will it take Randy Moss, notoriously unhappy while playing for the unsuccessful Oakland Raiders, to throw in the towel on the 2008 season? These questions may seem premature for a team that has 11 games remaining on their schedule, but with upcoming games against solid opponents and having to play in an increasingly competitive division, they must be posed.
And while they still maintain a winning record in the face of two humiliating losses, can anyone still realistically see this team finishing with 12 wins? Of course not. How about 10? Even that's iffy. A team whose three wins come against squads that are collectively 6-10 is highly suspect.
Next week presents the challenge of a “must win” game, which is something that this group really hasn’t had to face very often. Gillette Stadium will undoubtedly be packed with fans lusting for a dismantling of the Broncos, who have also dropped two of their last three. Anything short of a win will most likely introduce the team to something else with which they’re unfamiliar: a chorus of boos cascading down upon them from their hometown fans.
Welcome!
Welcome to The Popper's maiden post! My name's Ryan, and I'll be your captain on this wild, wild journey through the land of popular culture.
I've created this blog in an attempt to collect my musings on that which I find entertaining, which is predominantly the products churned out by our cultural machine. This includes, but of course isn't limited to, television, music, film, politics, and sports.
Now's the proper time for a short bio: I'm 23 and a graduate student in the history department at the University of Maine. I currently live in a quiet house on a quiet road in Hampden, Maine, with my wife Sarah (we've been married a little over two months) and our 17-month old golden retriever Sammy.
That's that. Thanks for reading! Time to blog!
I've created this blog in an attempt to collect my musings on that which I find entertaining, which is predominantly the products churned out by our cultural machine. This includes, but of course isn't limited to, television, music, film, politics, and sports.
Now's the proper time for a short bio: I'm 23 and a graduate student in the history department at the University of Maine. I currently live in a quiet house on a quiet road in Hampden, Maine, with my wife Sarah (we've been married a little over two months) and our 17-month old golden retriever Sammy.
That's that. Thanks for reading! Time to blog!
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