Saturday Night Live: Chance the Rapper, Eminem
November 18, 2017 11:31 PM - Season 43, Episode 8 - Subscribe
Host: Chance the Rapper, Musical Guest: Eminem
- The Mueller Files - Mikey Day, Kate McKinnon, Alex Moffat
- Opening Monologue - Chance the Rapper
- Wayne Thanksgiving - Kate McKinnon, Beck Bennett, Leslie Jones, Chance the Rapper, Kennan Thompson, Chris Redd, Melissa Villaseñor
- Come Back Barack - Chance the Rapper, Chris Redd, Kennan Thompson
- Family Fued - Kennan Thompson, Leslie Jones, Chris Redd, Michael Che, ?, Aidy Bryant, Beck Bennett, Mikey Day, Chance the Rapper
- Eminem - Walk on Water, Stan, Love the Way You Lie
- Weekend Update - Michael Che, Colin Jost
- Jeff Sessions - Kate McKinnon
- Bruce Chandling - Kyle Mooney
- Pete Davidson
- MSG Network - Beck Bennett, Cecily Strong, Chance the Rapper, Alex Moffat, Mikey Day
- Lil Doo Doo - Questlove, Common, Pete Davidson, Kennan Thompson, Chance the Rapper, Chris Redd
- Career Week - Aidy Bryant, Cecily Strong, Pete Davidson, Luke Null, Mikey Day, Chance the Rapper, Kennan Thompson, Beck Bennett, Melissa Villaseñor
- Skank Babysitter 17 - Heidi Gardner, Chance the Rapper, Aidy Bryant, Beck Bennett, Alex Moffat, Kyle Mooney
The one thing that kept taking me out of The Mueller Files is portraying Eric as the dumb Trump and DTJr as some smooth operator.
posted by drezdn at 9:25 AM on November 19, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by drezdn at 9:25 AM on November 19, 2017 [1 favorite]
I don't think Trump Jr is supposed to be smooth, it's just that he's the adult to the childlike Eric. So his competence is only a relative thing.
This episode seemed off to me. There were a few bits with muddled premises. Like, the Lil Doo Doo thing, it seemed like it was about this idiot white rapper, and then it became about the old rappers and their silly old school raps, and it never really built to anything. In the career day thing, why were the kids so horny about their dads' jobs? (I may have missed the first 30 seconds or so of that bit. Was there some set-up there I missed?) There were some chuckles, but things didn't seem like they'd been thought through very well.
I gave up on Eminem's performance about a minute in and then it seemed like he must have gone on for like 20 minutes. I went and watched something else, and every time I flipped back he was still going.
Has Null had a single line in a sketch yet? So far the poor guy's name seems cruelly apt.
posted by Ursula Hitler at 2:06 PM on November 19, 2017 [1 favorite]
This episode seemed off to me. There were a few bits with muddled premises. Like, the Lil Doo Doo thing, it seemed like it was about this idiot white rapper, and then it became about the old rappers and their silly old school raps, and it never really built to anything. In the career day thing, why were the kids so horny about their dads' jobs? (I may have missed the first 30 seconds or so of that bit. Was there some set-up there I missed?) There were some chuckles, but things didn't seem like they'd been thought through very well.
I gave up on Eminem's performance about a minute in and then it seemed like he must have gone on for like 20 minutes. I went and watched something else, and every time I flipped back he was still going.
Has Null had a single line in a sketch yet? So far the poor guy's name seems cruelly apt.
posted by Ursula Hitler at 2:06 PM on November 19, 2017 [1 favorite]
“That is an "S", a "K" and a "J" all next to each other so that’s a nope."
Also the last name of a real player! :D
Funniest bit I've seen on SNL in a while. Definitely the best this season, in my opinion.
posted by zarq at 2:12 PM on November 19, 2017 [5 favorites]
Also the last name of a real player! :D
Funniest bit I've seen on SNL in a while. Definitely the best this season, in my opinion.
posted by zarq at 2:12 PM on November 19, 2017 [5 favorites]
I didn't think this was a very good episode. Pretty much what Ursula Hitler said... the sketches were all off and scattered. Even Weekend update seemed off.
Eminem seemed to be having microphone issues and... well... is his whole deal now about how nobody respects him and he's washed up? That song he did was kind of weird and awkward and then he went into Stan. Maybe I missed something, I dunno. He also didn't come back for a second performance, which was strange.
posted by bondcliff at 2:47 PM on November 19, 2017 [1 favorite]
Eminem seemed to be having microphone issues and... well... is his whole deal now about how nobody respects him and he's washed up? That song he did was kind of weird and awkward and then he went into Stan. Maybe I missed something, I dunno. He also didn't come back for a second performance, which was strange.
posted by bondcliff at 2:47 PM on November 19, 2017 [1 favorite]
Family Feud killed me for some reason. They could have made more of his family being there, which they could have done if they hadn't stretched out the reveal like they did, but I was dyin'.
I could see Chance becoming a friend of the show over the next several years. His likeability and participation is pretty far above the average, almost like how the 70s hosts were.
posted by rhizome at 2:48 PM on November 19, 2017 [6 favorites]
I could see Chance becoming a friend of the show over the next several years. His likeability and participation is pretty far above the average, almost like how the 70s hosts were.
posted by rhizome at 2:48 PM on November 19, 2017 [6 favorites]
I like the Family Feud sketches a lot more when they play with the format like this than when they just stuff it full of a bunch of quick impressions.
I the joke with the Career Week was that they were just trying to play up their dads' boring job, since they were following Aidy Bryant's rollercoaster designer (who gave the whole class free passes).
I agree that odds are Chance will be back, between this and last year when he was musical guest.
posted by ckape at 3:02 PM on November 19, 2017
I the joke with the Career Week was that they were just trying to play up their dads' boring job, since they were following Aidy Bryant's rollercoaster designer (who gave the whole class free passes).
I agree that odds are Chance will be back, between this and last year when he was musical guest.
posted by ckape at 3:02 PM on November 19, 2017
This episode seemed off to me.
Welcome to much of this season thus far for me. (Well, & being an olde, a fair amount of other seasons too, the Bro 90s & the Jean Doumanian year, I'm looking at ya.)
I still wonder if the lack of go-for-the-jugular political humor is due to too many not-angry-enough white dudes writing. I liked the black community v Batman take. (Oh, & speaking of privilege, I like the pokes at Jost.)
Having known nothing of Chance other than his appearance last year, I did find him a charmingly agreeable fresh young host, and wouldnt mind a future return.
Kate's Jeff Sessions has grown on me. If he's ag much longer, I can't imagine how the depiction of him could be any more bizarre, if we are already at he's part possum & eats young relatives for T'giving.
(Kate and/or her cowriters' style can be dangerously absurd, e.g., the Virginia Woolf hamster sketch last season.)
posted by NorthernLite at 3:38 PM on November 19, 2017 [2 favorites]
Welcome to much of this season thus far for me. (Well, & being an olde, a fair amount of other seasons too, the Bro 90s & the Jean Doumanian year, I'm looking at ya.)
I still wonder if the lack of go-for-the-jugular political humor is due to too many not-angry-enough white dudes writing. I liked the black community v Batman take. (Oh, & speaking of privilege, I like the pokes at Jost.)
Having known nothing of Chance other than his appearance last year, I did find him a charmingly agreeable fresh young host, and wouldnt mind a future return.
Kate's Jeff Sessions has grown on me. If he's ag much longer, I can't imagine how the depiction of him could be any more bizarre, if we are already at he's part possum & eats young relatives for T'giving.
(Kate and/or her cowriters' style can be dangerously absurd, e.g., the Virginia Woolf hamster sketch last season.)
posted by NorthernLite at 3:38 PM on November 19, 2017 [2 favorites]
Kate should totally write for the Jeff Sessions bits, but her facial impression just isn't working for me. I do like the possum-hybrid angle a lot, though!
posted by rhizome at 5:58 PM on November 19, 2017
posted by rhizome at 5:58 PM on November 19, 2017
I thought Chance did quite a good job. Wayne Thanksgiving was definitely the best sketch. Come Back Barack, Family Feud, and MSG were okay. The rest was kind of meh though. Kate McKinnon's Jeff Sessions impression really fucking creeps me out.
posted by orange swan at 7:31 PM on November 19, 2017
posted by orange swan at 7:31 PM on November 19, 2017
Funniest bit I've seen on SNL in a while. Definitely the best this season, in my opinion.
Reminded me of when Tim Meadows went on update to complain about the hockey strike (transcript of the better segment when the strike was over). The Whalers were fly.
Family Feud was great. Drawing out the reveal was perfect, and Chance does a better Steve Harvey impersonation than Keenan.
posted by Gary at 7:36 PM on November 19, 2017
Reminded me of when Tim Meadows went on update to complain about the hockey strike (transcript of the better segment when the strike was over). The Whalers were fly.
Family Feud was great. Drawing out the reveal was perfect, and Chance does a better Steve Harvey impersonation than Keenan.
posted by Gary at 7:36 PM on November 19, 2017
Came in with low expectations but was won by Chance's charisma.
Lots of almost breaks this episode. Maybe the grimness of Nov08 is starting to get numbed-to?
Super ambivalent towards the ice hockey sketch; it's coming from the ignorant angle and seemed recycled from their 80's stuff. Switch up a white guy mispronouncing an African American name with an African American having problems pronouncing a surname "Skjei" - the surname of a current player in the league right now - 'woke' is pretty uneven.
The pronunciation, according to the NHL/Skjei's agent.
posted by porpoise at 8:27 PM on November 19, 2017
Lots of almost breaks this episode. Maybe the grimness of Nov08 is starting to get numbed-to?
Super ambivalent towards the ice hockey sketch; it's coming from the ignorant angle and seemed recycled from their 80's stuff. Switch up a white guy mispronouncing an African American name with an African American having problems pronouncing a surname "Skjei" - the surname of a current player in the league right now - 'woke' is pretty uneven.
The pronunciation, according to the NHL/Skjei's agent.
posted by porpoise at 8:27 PM on November 19, 2017
I have really noticed a difference since head writers Scheider and Kelly left. The oblique reference to sexual predators in weekend update (which wasn't even much of a joke) indicates to me that the writers room has no clue how to relate to what's going on right now. I found the babysitter porno sketch to be particularly gross in this climate. The Pete Davidson v Colin Jost hometown news coverage had me laughing the most.
posted by TheLateGreatAbrahamLincoln at 2:53 AM on November 20, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by TheLateGreatAbrahamLincoln at 2:53 AM on November 20, 2017 [1 favorite]
Lil Doo Doo seems like a rehash of that skit they had years ago when Eminem hosted. And I think Keenan essentially played the same character?
All I can remember from that older skit was 'I say a hip hop, zippity zop, zip zap doopity doooo!' or something like that.
posted by ian1977 at 5:28 AM on November 20, 2017
All I can remember from that older skit was 'I say a hip hop, zippity zop, zip zap doopity doooo!' or something like that.
posted by ian1977 at 5:28 AM on November 20, 2017
Yeah, I liked Come Back Barack and the Staten Island-off the best. Chance was a good and game host.
posted by gaspode at 6:38 AM on November 20, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by gaspode at 6:38 AM on November 20, 2017 [1 favorite]
"Has Null had a single line in a sketch yet? So far the poor guy's name seems cruelly apt."
Last week in the video game skit he was one of those available from the 'select character' screen, so I know he got to announce his character's name at least, maybe a pithy phrase.
Last week he also was listed as being in the Star Wars screen test, but I don't remember who or what.
This week he had an entire line in Career Week but I can't remember what it was - some throwaway transition line like "her mom is the coolest" or something, not a joke or anything.
At this point I'm honestly wondering who he pissed off upon arrival at the studio. It's getting weird.
"The Pete Davidson v Colin Jost hometown news coverage had me laughing the most."
Man, true. They absolutely killed that bit. My wife and I also laughed the next morning remembering the closing lines of the cold open with Eric saying "Live from N-" and Don Jr. interrupting with "No, buddy, it's live." It was such a great twist - take the line where everyone's supposed to break character and have him keep character just long enough to screw it up.
posted by komara at 6:45 AM on November 20, 2017
Last week in the video game skit he was one of those available from the 'select character' screen, so I know he got to announce his character's name at least, maybe a pithy phrase.
Last week he also was listed as being in the Star Wars screen test, but I don't remember who or what.
This week he had an entire line in Career Week but I can't remember what it was - some throwaway transition line like "her mom is the coolest" or something, not a joke or anything.
At this point I'm honestly wondering who he pissed off upon arrival at the studio. It's getting weird.
"The Pete Davidson v Colin Jost hometown news coverage had me laughing the most."
Man, true. They absolutely killed that bit. My wife and I also laughed the next morning remembering the closing lines of the cold open with Eric saying "Live from N-" and Don Jr. interrupting with "No, buddy, it's live." It was such a great twist - take the line where everyone's supposed to break character and have him keep character just long enough to screw it up.
posted by komara at 6:45 AM on November 20, 2017
If DJT, Jr. and Eric Trump were the guys in the SNL sketch, I would like them a lot more. Every time Don Jr. calls Eric "buddy," it's very sweet.
The Pete Davidson v. Jost bit was excellent, but there's a cynical part of me that thinks when Pete dies tragically from something in the next 5 years, we'll look at these bits like a cry for help.
"Come Back, Barack" had the most perfect production values. I didn't quite know where they were going when the song started, but it worked. Best part was "Let's not do that to Michelle."
posted by gladly at 6:50 AM on November 20, 2017 [2 favorites]
The Pete Davidson v. Jost bit was excellent, but there's a cynical part of me that thinks when Pete dies tragically from something in the next 5 years, we'll look at these bits like a cry for help.
"Come Back, Barack" had the most perfect production values. I didn't quite know where they were going when the song started, but it worked. Best part was "Let's not do that to Michelle."
posted by gladly at 6:50 AM on November 20, 2017 [2 favorites]
"there's a cynical part of me that thinks when Pete dies tragically from something in the next 5 years, we'll look at these bits like a cry for help"
Last I heard Pete is clean and sober so hopefully we won't be getting a news story like that any time soon.
posted by komara at 8:05 AM on November 20, 2017 [6 favorites]
Last I heard Pete is clean and sober so hopefully we won't be getting a news story like that any time soon.
posted by komara at 8:05 AM on November 20, 2017 [6 favorites]
All I can remember from that older skit was 'I say a hip hop, zippity zop, zip zap doopity doooo!' or something like that
I think you might be thinking of "Rap Street" with Horatio Sanz and Jerry Minor? Of course any "old rappers" skit is gonna have a line like that.
posted by rhizome at 8:07 AM on November 20, 2017
I think you might be thinking of "Rap Street" with Horatio Sanz and Jerry Minor? Of course any "old rappers" skit is gonna have a line like that.
posted by rhizome at 8:07 AM on November 20, 2017
"Lil Doo Doo"
I'm sure this was a direct reference to existing Soundcloud rapper Lil Pump but I would really have enjoyed it more if they had brought back Yung Bitch.
posted by komara at 8:51 AM on November 20, 2017
I'm sure this was a direct reference to existing Soundcloud rapper Lil Pump but I would really have enjoyed it more if they had brought back Yung Bitch.
posted by komara at 8:51 AM on November 20, 2017
Luke Null isn't being ignored. He's auditioning for a new sketch comedy group starring Tim Robinson, John Milhiser, Brooks Wheelan, and Jon Rudnitsky. They're called "The Paul Brittain Players".
posted by Gary at 10:24 AM on November 20, 2017 [6 favorites]
posted by Gary at 10:24 AM on November 20, 2017 [6 favorites]
Lil' DooDoo felt like it was going to call back to those white rap/rock hardcore festival ads they were doing a while back in the Sudeikis years... uh... right, "Under-Underground Records Festival".
This season is really, really uneven. I hope it gets better quick, but I'm afraid all the writing talent drain to Fallon and Meyers might be difficult to recover from.
posted by ApathyGirl at 9:53 PM on November 25, 2017
This season is really, really uneven. I hope it gets better quick, but I'm afraid all the writing talent drain to Fallon and Meyers might be difficult to recover from.
posted by ApathyGirl at 9:53 PM on November 25, 2017
I got the feeling like Em's going through some shit, but I'm probably projecting as a recovering addict and a long-time kinda maybe fan (who absolutely cannot stand "Stan").
Weekend Update was excellent as usual.
I DO NOT... RECALL!
you know I DO recall.
posted by elsietheeel at 3:34 PM on November 28, 2017
Weekend Update was excellent as usual.
I DO NOT... RECALL!
you know I DO recall.
posted by elsietheeel at 3:34 PM on November 28, 2017
Also I am now never not going to refer to him as "world's sexiest horse Colin Jost".
posted by elsietheeel at 3:45 PM on November 28, 2017
posted by elsietheeel at 3:45 PM on November 28, 2017
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posted by rhizome at 9:05 AM on November 19, 2017