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"Winning" Is No Longer Funny, But Last Night's "SNL" Had Its Moments

By Dustin Rowles | Posted Under TV Reviews | Comments (33)

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Duh! Winning! Cold Open

Christ. This is the problem with “Saturday Night Live” in 2011. The Charlie Sheen debacle was eight days old before the skit last night, and in our world, eight days is a goddamn eternity. “Winning” was funny last Monday, hit its peak on Tuesday, was tiresome on Wednesday, and by Thursday, it was over. Bill Hader didn’t have a chance, even if he trotted out Gaddafi, John Galliano, and Lindsey Lohan. (Also, Jimmy Fallon’s Sheen impression was much better). But I bet that weird uncle of yours who “doesn’t watch the Internet” probably thought it was funny.

Miley Cyrus Monologue

Man, her song was unctuous, as though written by a bad “SNL” cast member, Billy Ray Cyrus, and Miley’s publicist. “Please love me! I said sideboob!”

Our Time With Taboo and apl.de.ap.

It’s a pretty funny idea, focusing a talk show on two members of Black-Eyed Peas that no one has ever heard of. And Miley does make for a pretty good Fergie; she’s as equally aggressive in her attempts to make you like her. But, it’s Samberg who had the best lines in this skit.

Disney Channel Acting School

“On the Disney Channel, every person has to be the loudest person in the room.” It’s funny because it’s true (but not that funny, because it’s “Saturday Night Live”).

Miley Cyrus Show

Not a very good skit, but Miley does a pretty great Justin Bieber impression, which mostly reveals how close Bieber is to Miley Cyrus. They’re like androgyny twins.

Weekend Update

I’ll give Myers this: He actually managed to find the 5 or 6 Charlie Sheen jokes that haven’t been made yet. So, props Myers:

Honestly, this might have also been one of Seth Myers best Weekend Update segments, demonstrating that Weekend Update would be about 40 times better if it did away with all the correspondent segments and just allowed Myers just make jokes.

Les Jeunes de Paris

I have no idea why there’s no embed available for this skit. It was the best of the show — silly, surrealist, energetic, and fun. More of this. When the full episode goes up on Hulu this afternoon, seek this out. I actually watched it twice. I don’t know that I’ve watched an “SNL” skit twice in years.

Beastly

This “SNL” episode is turning the corner into downright watchable. Or maybe I’m just loopy. (That said, the last three skits — not embedded here — were atrocious.)









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Comments

i dvr'd this and was kinda dreading watching it cause of miley. will not be watching and actually looking forward to it...thanks!

Posted by: BlackCinemaAtLarge at March 6, 2011 9:25 AM

I actually laughed a few times. Been a long time since SNL did that for me. Miley acquitted herself well. She seemed very professional, unlike the last time DeNiro slept walked through reading the teleprompter. Jeez, he was awful.

Posted by: Gavin S. at March 6, 2011 10:39 AM

Did anyone else see Charlie Sheen's video podcast on Ustream last night? It was boring as hell, but if you could push past the boredom, it got really damn bizarre. He had a whole segment in which he shows photographs of cats attacking dogs and played fart noises behind it, occasionally shouting out "Winning!" in chorus with a few yes-men who hung around during the show.

Posted by: Lucas at March 6, 2011 11:00 AM

SNL=Simply Not Laughing.

Posted by: clancys_daddy at March 6, 2011 11:00 AM

I thought the open was hilarious, but then again I've pretty much stayed the hell away from Sheen all week. All in all one of the best shows in a long time. "Our Time" was just perfect, except for Keenan's punchline on whatever Ap.L.d.aP was supposed to be short for. I rewound that several times and still it escapes me.

Now, I'm sure there are some fans of The Strokes out there, so I'll be nice. The Strokes were terrible! I'd rather watch that facial cream and rockabilly CD commercial thrice in a row than listen to The Strokes ever again. Their music would be perfect for a movie- you know, the last song during the credits, after the theater has emptied and the fat nerds with the brooms are sweeping up the popcorn. Its high time SNL ditched the two crappy "live" songs a week (or three if you're Sir Paul McCartney). Dump the music, and give us a "What Up Wit Dat" segment weekly please, and make it long. I'd love to hear what Lindsey Buckingham has to say.

Posted by: EJ at March 6, 2011 11:07 AM

I went into last night's SNL expecting it to be the usual level of awful, but I was pleasantly surprised by Miley. I also thought some of the Sheen stuff was pretty funny, particularly Myers' jokes about Denise Richards and the tigers.

Agree 100 hundred percent about "Les Jeunes de Paris." I wish SNL did more wacky stuff like that.

Then that horrible rockabilly CD / face cream skit came on, and I fell asleep.

Posted by: DarthCorleone at March 6, 2011 1:08 PM

I am so grateful to know it wasn't the exhaustion and alcohol that made me laugh out loud at an SNL episode (hosted by Miley Cyrus for chrissakes). We missed the monologue and the cold open and Fred Armisen should die in a fire for the Sound of Music sketch (Sudeikis's bizzarely perfect Robert Osborne impression notwithstanding) but, yeah, that Biebs impression was perfect and the Disney Channel sketch made me giggle.

p.s. RANGO! Also made me giggle so I was definitely drunk.
p.p.s. That tall new guy? Of the Jeunes sketch? Becoming one of my new favorites.
p.p.p.s. Bobby Monihan's thing on Update was dreadful but Sudeikis kicked ass (as always) as the devil.

Posted by: coveredinbees at March 6, 2011 1:39 PM

Watched the full episode on Hulu, and no sign of the Les Jeunes de Paris sketch. I hate how they give me the music segments of a band I don't want to see, but don't give me the best sketch.

Posted by: Matt at March 6, 2011 1:49 PM

I agree "Winning" is over. I've never seen a saying die out so fast.

The best thing is still The Weekend Update and yes, they should kill the "guests" on it.

@EJ
THE STROKES were great! Finally someone actually singing and playing instruments.

Posted by: junierizzle at March 6, 2011 3:00 PM

Why are people still watching this show?

Posted by: chuck knows where you live at March 6, 2011 3:13 PM

Does anyone else think the header pic looks like Beyonce? I can't keep my over played poptards straight these days.

Posted by: schrome at March 6, 2011 4:10 PM

Don't know how long it'll be up, but here's the Les jeunes de paris skit:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H_4Ggev2ymo

Posted by: Lauren at March 6, 2011 4:17 PM

Woke up this morning to find my Twitter feed littered with angry complaints on how SNL was unfunny.

Guess now I know why.

Posted by: Fredo at March 6, 2011 4:23 PM

We don't get SNL (although I just watched last night's opening sketch over on dlisted) but Sky Arts shows the originals from the late '70s (?) and, although some of the cultural references go past me, it does make me laugh - and love Chevy Chase.

Posted by: lingli at March 6, 2011 4:47 PM

I'm almost positive this isn't the first "Les jeunes" sketch they have done. The other one had... Emma Stone? It was far superior to this hillbillyfied edition .

Posted by: BarbadoSlim at March 6, 2011 5:23 PM

This link was at the end of the one from Lauren, claiming to be the Les Jeunes sketch with Emma Stone.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dr-BW-VFLqY&feature=related

However, the bastards at EMI have blocked it from view in these united states...or maybe just my state...I knew we were considered backward here, but shit.

Posted by: Edwina the Magnificent at March 6, 2011 6:02 PM

Okay, here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ClmsGq6UFw

I like it just on the grounds that Emma Stone is cuter and a lot less annoying than Miley Cyrus.

Posted by: Edwina the Magnificent at March 6, 2011 6:08 PM

Man I've had the Disney Channel Acting school sketch in my head for like 3 years... I don't know if thats a bad thing or a good thing.

Posted by: e at March 6, 2011 6:33 PM

Add me to the list of Les Jeunes de Paris fans. "Ah-Whay..."

Though in retrospect I sure did get a lot of "Charlie Brown Christmas" dancing vibe from those kids, n'est pas?

Still, good to see SNL do some challenging physical comedy well for a bit.

As commented on FaceSpace before, I really liked this episode overall, and continue to wonder why when someone more vastly talented like Jane Lynch shows up they don't know what do with her. C'maaaaaahn!

Posted by: Green Lantern at March 6, 2011 6:53 PM

This is fucking tragic.

Posted by: Illuminatus at March 6, 2011 7:13 PM

@junierizzle: I could pick up a guitar and sing live just as easily, but you probably wouldn't like it. On second thought, if you actually enjoyed the monotone, bored of of their heads Strokes tunes last night, you might enjoy what I have to offer. At least be excited you are there! Show me the lead singer of Faith No More wall-climbing the set or something. That Strokes singer could have been asleep for all I know...

Posted by: EJ at March 6, 2011 8:43 PM

The horror.

Further proof that SNL has to be put to pasture and that Disney bitch can't read cue cards or sing.

Posted by: Mr. Stitch at March 6, 2011 10:08 PM

EJ, I'll be the first to say that it wasn't their best....

Wait, you know what? Fuck any apologist shit I could come up with to sound like we share any sort of common ground on this whatsoever. I fucking LOVE The Strokes, and that performance was exactly what I've come to expect from them since they changed the indie rock aesthetic a decade ago: Straightforward, unflashy performance of some stellar lo-fi rock. In a show where Miley Cyrus is hosting, to have a band that laid-back and grimey is pretty damn ballsy, in my opinion.

But to each their own. Unless you don't like The Strokes.

Posted by: ChristianH at March 6, 2011 11:23 PM

@EJ
I thought the song was really good. The Strokes have always had that "to cool for school" attitude. It's never bothered me.
I like the fact that they just show up and play their songs. They don't feel the need to dress up as an egg or anything.

Posted by: junierizzle at March 6, 2011 11:25 PM

Word up, ChristianH.

Posted by: junierizzle at March 6, 2011 11:27 PM

Its cool. You guys like boring music. To each his own. My grandparents like boring music too!

Posted by: EJ at March 7, 2011 12:00 AM

The only skit I could watch was the Les Jeunes one because it was on YouTube. I thought it was entertaining, but you could pretty much swap out Miley Cyrus for anyone else and it would have been the same if not better.

I'll never understand why NBC will let me watch Jimmy Fallon clips on their website, but nothing from SNL.

Posted by: Uda at March 7, 2011 1:11 AM

the 'winning' clip reminded me why i stopped watching SNL. not even funny for the wrong reasons. & as if that wasn't cruel enough, the Cyrus kid really is happening.

man.

Posted by: tities at March 7, 2011 6:46 AM

I've been watching The Onion News Network on IFC it's a hundred times funnier than SNL has been in a long time.

Posted by: John W at March 7, 2011 10:16 AM

oops! i meant to say will *now* be watching...miley did not get on my nerves even once! amazing!

Posted by: BlackCinemaAtLarge at March 7, 2011 10:32 AM

"I went into last night's SNL expecting it to be the usual level of awful"

I probably watch some stuff just out of habit too, but I don't get why you would deliberately subject yourself to something that's usually awful. Getting hit by a car is awful, but I don't stand in the middle of the road a 20th time hoping that THIS time the angle and velocity of the impact will make me do a really cool 3 1/2 somersault with a twist and land on my feet.

Posted by: , at March 7, 2011 10:51 AM

Movie parodies have been their strongest suit recently.

And no matter what you say, I loved that Bobby Moynihan bit on Weekend Update.

Posted by: ChristianH at March 10, 2011 1:09 PM

Nice, i have been viewing across your posts and think its great thanks!

Posted by: HDR-Fox T2 at May 5, 2011 3:11 AM