Saturday Night Live: Alec Baldwin, Ed Sheeran
February 12, 2017 4:25 AM - Season 42, Episode 14 - Subscribe
Host: Alec Baldwin, Musical Guest: Ed Sheeran
- Daily Press Briefing - Melissa McCarthy, Bobby Moynihan, Mikey Day, Vanessa Bayer, Sasheer Zamata, Kate McKinnon, Cecily Strong, Kyle Mooney
- Opening Monologue - Alec Baldwin
- Russell Stover Black History - Mikey Day, Melissa Villaseñor, Alex Moffet, Sasheer Zamata, Leslie Jones, Alec Baldwin
- Cheetos - Cecily Strong, Alex Moffat, Melissa Villaseñor, Alec Baldwin, Aidy Bryant, Kyle Mooney
- State of the Union with Jake Tapper - Beck Bennett, Bobby Moynihan, Kate McKinnon
- Army Inspection - Beck Bennett, Mikey Day, Alec Baldwin, Kyle Mooney, Alex Moffat, Aidy Bryant
- Ed Sheeran - Shape of You
- Weekend Update - Michale Che, Colin Jost
- Elizabeth Warren - Kate McKinnon
- Guy Who Just Bought a Boat - Alex Moffat
- New BDSM Couple - Leslie Jones, Mikey Day
- The People's Court - Kenan Thompson, Alec Baldwin, Cecily Strong, Vanessa Bayer, Beck Bennett
- Beyonce's Ultra Sound - Alec Baldwin, Sasheer Zamata, Aidy Bryant, Tracy Morgan, Kenan Thompson
- Leslie Wants To Play Trump - Leslie Jones, Bobby Moynihan, Kyle Mooney, Melissa Villaseñor, Sasheer Zamata, Vanessa Bayer, Lorne Michaels
- Ed Sheeran - Castle On The Hill
- Situp Challenge - Alec Baldwin, Kyle Mooney, Mikey Day, Aidy Bryant
All the political stuff was excellent, the rest was meh. The KellyAnne Conway skit was brutal, and I mean that in the best possible way. Kate McKinnon went to the scary place and if I was Glenn Close I'd be hiding my trophies.... Kate McKinnon played an old white guy, a psycho bitch from hell and Elizabeth Warren all in one show! She was amazing. Only disappointed Rosie didn't come on as Bannon, but maybe they are saving that for next week.....
posted by pjsky at 7:55 AM on February 12, 2017 [8 favorites]
posted by pjsky at 7:55 AM on February 12, 2017 [8 favorites]
The press briefing opening was AMAZING. They perfectly ramped up the volume on everything from last week's version. Starting out with the call out to Spicer himself over the "less gum chewing" thing. I about fell off my sofa laughing when the podium turned out to be drivable!
posted by dnash at 8:58 AM on February 12, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by dnash at 8:58 AM on February 12, 2017 [1 favorite]
Kate McKinnon is amazing. Her Jeff Sessions was killer (hope that one returns) and her Conway was super-dark. She really is a fearless actor.
posted by Thorzdad at 9:11 AM on February 12, 2017 [5 favorites]
posted by Thorzdad at 9:11 AM on February 12, 2017 [5 favorites]
McKinnon's Elizabeth Warren was fantastic--I'd love more of that, too.
posted by TwoStride at 9:25 AM on February 12, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by TwoStride at 9:25 AM on February 12, 2017 [1 favorite]
I heard VoteVets was going to run an ad with a message to Trump during last night's SNL broadcast... but I didn't see it. Did anyone catch it or did it not run after all?
posted by silverstatue at 10:21 AM on February 12, 2017
posted by silverstatue at 10:21 AM on February 12, 2017
At this point I would follow Kate McKinnon through the gates of hell and then watch her perform in anything once we got there. She's amazing.
posted by Servo5678 at 10:25 AM on February 12, 2017 [12 favorites]
posted by Servo5678 at 10:25 AM on February 12, 2017 [12 favorites]
Hah! Yes dnash the drivable podium was an absolute coup. Props to the props department. McKinnon's Sessions was spot on.
Gdamn. McKinnon's Conway was fun.
Leslie Jones as Donnie skit is about as well as it could have been played, especially with that extra barb with Bayer.
posted by porpoise at 10:44 AM on February 12, 2017 [1 favorite]
Gdamn. McKinnon's Conway was fun.
Leslie Jones as Donnie skit is about as well as it could have been played, especially with that extra barb with Bayer.
posted by porpoise at 10:44 AM on February 12, 2017 [1 favorite]
The Bill Clinton piece in the Russell Stover skit was inspired.
I had my hopes that this episode was going to be much more vicious, but regardless I think it's pretty hilarious that they made Trump wait until after the news to see himself in the episode. Loved the high-five from the dumb son in the People's Court. I had a second hope that there would be zero Trump all.
The news itself was pretty great, and ALL of the special guests were great, including Guy Who Just Bought A Boat. They could have used some better costuming on Leslie for the BDSM couple, those glasses were ridiculous, but I LOLed at the whole thing.
And I want to say it's been a while since there's been a good, childish fart joke on SNL.
posted by rhizome at 11:38 AM on February 12, 2017 [2 favorites]
I had my hopes that this episode was going to be much more vicious, but regardless I think it's pretty hilarious that they made Trump wait until after the news to see himself in the episode. Loved the high-five from the dumb son in the People's Court. I had a second hope that there would be zero Trump all.
The news itself was pretty great, and ALL of the special guests were great, including Guy Who Just Bought A Boat. They could have used some better costuming on Leslie for the BDSM couple, those glasses were ridiculous, but I LOLed at the whole thing.
And I want to say it's been a while since there's been a good, childish fart joke on SNL.
posted by rhizome at 11:38 AM on February 12, 2017 [2 favorites]
I haven't watched a few episodes before this one (despair, etc). What's with death in the audience of People's Court? Is that a call back to some previous Trump/Putin skit?
posted by meese at 11:54 AM on February 12, 2017
posted by meese at 11:54 AM on February 12, 2017
That's not Death, that's Steve Bannon. They just look similar.
I was a little disappointed that the case up next wasn't Trump going after the People's Court judge.
posted by ckape at 11:57 AM on February 12, 2017 [10 favorites]
I was a little disappointed that the case up next wasn't Trump going after the People's Court judge.
posted by ckape at 11:57 AM on February 12, 2017 [10 favorites]
meese: if you can go back and watch some of the previous episodes, it's so worth your while. Yes, I understand despair, but SNL has been personally bothering Trump to the point where the POTUS has been tweeting and bitching about SNL (sometimes *DURING THE SHOW*). If you dislike Trump, you'll enjoy what bothers him.
posted by el io at 1:41 PM on February 12, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by el io at 1:41 PM on February 12, 2017 [1 favorite]
Can someone explain the Spicer/gum thing? I find it funny, but just don't get the reference.
posted by noneuclidean at 1:43 PM on February 12, 2017
posted by noneuclidean at 1:43 PM on February 12, 2017
Sean Spicer chews and swallows two and a half packs of gum a day.
posted by Gary at 2:13 PM on February 12, 2017 [2 favorites]
posted by Gary at 2:13 PM on February 12, 2017 [2 favorites]
>Sean Spicer chews and swallows two and a half packs of gum a day.
Oh my.
Also, I really, really want them to just go for it and have everyone in the administration played by someone of the opposite gender. And since the administration is almost entirely male, we'd get to see more of the great women performers and you know it would just piss off Trump is the most wonderful way. They've already got Spicer and Sessions, at least two potential Trumps, Rosie is on board for Bannon...I'm sure they can find more.
posted by noneuclidean at 4:33 PM on February 12, 2017 [6 favorites]
Oh my.
Also, I really, really want them to just go for it and have everyone in the administration played by someone of the opposite gender. And since the administration is almost entirely male, we'd get to see more of the great women performers and you know it would just piss off Trump is the most wonderful way. They've already got Spicer and Sessions, at least two potential Trumps, Rosie is on board for Bannon...I'm sure they can find more.
posted by noneuclidean at 4:33 PM on February 12, 2017 [6 favorites]
A couple of skits dealt with nepotism (the Army Inspection is straightforward, I thought that the Situp Challenge was similar and also deals with nepotism/favouritism) - is there anybody in particular those was aimed at, or was it more a general 'nepotism should be cringeworthy'?
posted by porpoise at 4:56 PM on February 12, 2017
posted by porpoise at 4:56 PM on February 12, 2017
everyone in the administration played by someone of the opposite gender.
Yep.. but anyone that could do Stephen Miller would be scary, really really scary.
posted by sammyo at 5:05 PM on February 12, 2017
Yep.. but anyone that could do Stephen Miller would be scary, really really scary.
posted by sammyo at 5:05 PM on February 12, 2017
Wasn't there a moment when Baldwin said "cookie chillout" instead of "chili cookout" in a skit and it was a hilarious unintended spoonerism of sorts? I was expecting it to have turned into a meme, but maybe I'm not looking in the right places (which is to say anywhere).
Edit: here we are. https://twitter.com/hashtag/cookiechillout
posted by sylvanshine at 8:27 PM on February 12, 2017 [3 favorites]
Edit: here we are. https://twitter.com/hashtag/cookiechillout
posted by sylvanshine at 8:27 PM on February 12, 2017 [3 favorites]
That situp sketch was the first time I was able to laugh at myself for doing the same thing (although only once) in gym class in seventh grade.
posted by elsietheeel at 9:25 PM on February 12, 2017
posted by elsietheeel at 9:25 PM on February 12, 2017
And I want to say it's been a while since there's been a good, childish fart joke on SNL.This is a feature, not a bug.
I keep imagining Elizabeth Warren watching Kate McKinnon and saying "DO I DO THAT? PLEASE TELL ME I DONT DO THAT."
posted by pxe2000 at 5:11 AM on February 13, 2017
Great episode all around. Loved the Kellyanne Fatal Attraction scene.
I'm just surprised we haven't seen McKinnon do Liz Warren sooner.
Ed Sheeren looks like a Playmobile person.
posted by bondcliff at 7:32 AM on February 13, 2017 [1 favorite]
I'm just surprised we haven't seen McKinnon do Liz Warren sooner.
Ed Sheeren looks like a Playmobile person.
posted by bondcliff at 7:32 AM on February 13, 2017 [1 favorite]
Kate McKinnon is amazing. [...] She really is a fearless actor.
Cecily Strong is right with her. You have to be fearless to agree to that leafblower bit.
posted by Capt. Renault at 7:46 AM on February 13, 2017 [4 favorites]
Cecily Strong is right with her. You have to be fearless to agree to that leafblower bit.
posted by Capt. Renault at 7:46 AM on February 13, 2017 [4 favorites]
It wasn't the biggest laugh of the night, but my favorite joke of the episode was Trump's People Court demands including $725. That's exactly the sort of petty, classless, no-perspective demand the man himself would make.
posted by Ian A.T. at 10:42 AM on February 13, 2017 [4 favorites]
posted by Ian A.T. at 10:42 AM on February 13, 2017 [4 favorites]
This is a feature, not a bug.
...as indicated by the word "good."
posted by rhizome at 11:46 AM on February 13, 2017
...as indicated by the word "good."
posted by rhizome at 11:46 AM on February 13, 2017
I have to say, I've been enjoying SNL this season but this episode didn't do it for me as much as some others, maybe I was just having an off night. A lot of the sketches seemed to hinge on pain or harassment or that sort of thing. And I know this is where a lot of humor comes from, but I'm used to SNL having more of a balance with quirky nerdy humor and this just seemed dark, dark, dark. Which, makes sense considering the general Times We Live in. After Cheetos I couldn't really get in the groove with the show.
Things I really liked: they used a lot more of the cast than usual, seeing Pete in the opener, I like Ed Sheeran, first two news guests, Leslie as Trump, People's court didn't harass any women.
Things I really didn't like: I guess the State of the Union thing was a take off on something I hadn't seen? I found it really scary and misogynistic (even for good humor-based reasons), same with the Army bit and "What are you a little girl?" Again, I get what it's referencing but over and over, along with Cecily's skirt blow up and the odd BDSM couple bit (because haha BDSM is all about non-consensual injuries) I just felt this episode was a bit more punch-down than usual.
posted by jessamyn at 2:02 PM on February 13, 2017 [1 favorite]
Things I really liked: they used a lot more of the cast than usual, seeing Pete in the opener, I like Ed Sheeran, first two news guests, Leslie as Trump, People's court didn't harass any women.
Things I really didn't like: I guess the State of the Union thing was a take off on something I hadn't seen? I found it really scary and misogynistic (even for good humor-based reasons), same with the Army bit and "What are you a little girl?" Again, I get what it's referencing but over and over, along with Cecily's skirt blow up and the odd BDSM couple bit (because haha BDSM is all about non-consensual injuries) I just felt this episode was a bit more punch-down than usual.
posted by jessamyn at 2:02 PM on February 13, 2017 [1 favorite]
I really, really want them to just go for it and have everyone in the administration played by someone of the opposite gender
Oh man, Trump would freaking *lose it* if they had a man play Ivanka. Which one, though...which one...
posted by uosuaq at 5:40 PM on February 13, 2017 [1 favorite]
Oh man, Trump would freaking *lose it* if they had a man play Ivanka. Which one, though...which one...
posted by uosuaq at 5:40 PM on February 13, 2017 [1 favorite]
Also underrated was the visual joke that the Cheetos corporate headquarters is a skyscraper with a monumental Cheetos logo at the top.
posted by Ian A.T. at 8:39 PM on February 13, 2017 [2 favorites]
posted by Ian A.T. at 8:39 PM on February 13, 2017 [2 favorites]
Y'all:
> Sean Spicer chews and swallows two and a half packs of gum a day.
Before noon. His afternoon gum swallowage is thus unrecorded. (It's Orbitz cinnamon and I have filed away too many facts about this.)
posted by purpleclover at 8:08 PM on February 14, 2017 [1 favorite]
> Sean Spicer chews and swallows two and a half packs of gum a day.
Before noon. His afternoon gum swallowage is thus unrecorded. (It's Orbitz cinnamon and I have filed away too many facts about this.)
posted by purpleclover at 8:08 PM on February 14, 2017 [1 favorite]
' and the odd BDSM couple bit (because haha BDSM is all about non-consensual injuries)'
I read that as an indictment of 50 shades of blahblahblah... As it teaches people interested in BDSM the *wrong way* to do it.
Also, that Cheeto's skit made *NO* sense to me when I watched it. Later in the week I watched some of the superbowl commercials and then found it hilarious (particularly the obtuse commercial by the Trump supporting lumber company that features a big door in the wall - which ended up pissing off Trump supporters AND non-supporters that knew the person who created the commercial supported Trump).
posted by el io at 11:30 PM on February 14, 2017 [1 favorite]
I read that as an indictment of 50 shades of blahblahblah... As it teaches people interested in BDSM the *wrong way* to do it.
Also, that Cheeto's skit made *NO* sense to me when I watched it. Later in the week I watched some of the superbowl commercials and then found it hilarious (particularly the obtuse commercial by the Trump supporting lumber company that features a big door in the wall - which ended up pissing off Trump supporters AND non-supporters that knew the person who created the commercial supported Trump).
posted by el io at 11:30 PM on February 14, 2017 [1 favorite]
This was a hit-or-miss episode for me. A majority of the sketches worked for me, even the darker ones. But the ones that didn't move me, they just felt phoned-in, or just hackneyed. But, they are stepping up their political shit right when we need it, so good on them. My favorite was the People's Court sketch – one of my favorites this year. That said, I love a good fart joke, but a five-minute one-trick-pony fart sketch? Too much of a good thing. (Except the last fart, that was a good squeaker.)
And I love how unapologetic about having Leslie Jones on the cast that they are, going so far as to turn her "flaws" into comedy rage gold. The mere idea of someone chewing Lorne out, never mind Leslie shooing the cameras away before she did so. Dressed as Donald Trump. And a bonus callback to her and Kyle's relationship. I love this series of sketches.
I would say this is the best overall season I've seen in a long long time, and this show is in the middle-average. Too much cue-card reading. I think they need a couple weeks to recoup after having to deal with (and expertly so) the beginning of the Trump administration.
posted by not_on_display at 1:07 AM on February 15, 2017
And I love how unapologetic about having Leslie Jones on the cast that they are, going so far as to turn her "flaws" into comedy rage gold. The mere idea of someone chewing Lorne out, never mind Leslie shooing the cameras away before she did so. Dressed as Donald Trump. And a bonus callback to her and Kyle's relationship. I love this series of sketches.
I would say this is the best overall season I've seen in a long long time, and this show is in the middle-average. Too much cue-card reading. I think they need a couple weeks to recoup after having to deal with (and expertly so) the beginning of the Trump administration.
posted by not_on_display at 1:07 AM on February 15, 2017
I don't know if this was posted in the main political thread, but I found it a fascinating sidebar to all that's going on. There were a few tweets last night alleging that McKinnon was seen having dinner with Hillary Clinton. If true, oh, to have been there.
posted by NorthernLite at 10:37 AM on February 16, 2017
posted by NorthernLite at 10:37 AM on February 16, 2017
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posted by Etrigan at 6:05 AM on February 12, 2017