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

By Dustin Rowles | TV | March 6, 2011 |

By Dustin Rowles | TV | March 6, 2011 |

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.)