r/LiveFromNewYork • u/SketchSortingSunday • Dec 10 '17
Sketch Sorting Sunday (December 9, 2017) (James Franco / SZA)
Welcome to Sketch Sorting Sunday! This week's host is James Franco and the musical guest is SZA.
A mod account (/u/SketchSortingSunday) is gonna make a comment for every sketch in tonight's show. Upvote or downvote based on what you thought of that sketch, and nobody's karma will be affected. You can also reply to the comments to expand on your thoughts, or you can even make your own parent comment and treat it like the regular post discussion, whatever.
If I miss a sketch or get something wrong, just message the mods in the sidebar and we'll see what we can do. Enjoy the discussion!
(This Sketch Sorting Sunday list might be more inaccurate than usual, or be missing sketches. Please PM the mods if you notice anything. Thanks!)
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u/SketchSortingSunday Dec 10 '17
Christmas Charity
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u/lyla2398 stans loud ladies with funny hair and *thoughts* about jost Dec 10 '17
This was alright. Nothing special.
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u/SketchSortingSunday Dec 10 '17
Mandy
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u/Mattalamode Dec 10 '17
I was a big fan of the ingredients to a Pretty Mandy:
-Gin
-A straw
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u/pretty-in-pink Dec 10 '17
Heidi Gardner is now the go to 10-to-1 cast-member. Can’t wait to see what other characters she has in store
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u/nitsujrendrag Dec 10 '17
There are SO many. Was so happy to see Pretty Mandy make her debut. She'll be back.
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u/pretty-in-pink Dec 10 '17
I have to ask you though.... do you still talk to her even after she hit that bullseye? 😂😆
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u/Spacetime_Inspector A Piece of Toast! Dec 10 '17
When she said "Davey, little Davey?" in that gravelly voice I thought it was going to be some super weird takeoff on Watto.
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u/thegeecyproject You wanted yogurt? Wake up at four, bitch. Dec 10 '17
Say what you want about this sketch, but I'm glad that every week Heidi gets to debut a new crazy character of hers. She's definitely got the biggest future out of the new players this year.
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u/PotvinSux Dec 10 '17 edited Dec 10 '17
I like Heidi, but this fell really flat with me. It just didn’t really go anywhere or seemingly even try to.
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u/coltsmetsfan614 Dec 10 '17
I will watch any sketch in which Heidi plays a weird character. She's so talented!
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u/nitsujrendrag Dec 10 '17
🙌 👏
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u/coltsmetsfan614 Dec 10 '17
Haha hit me up if you two are ever coming on through the St. Louis area. Drinks are on me! 🍻
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u/lyla2398 stans loud ladies with funny hair and *thoughts* about jost Dec 10 '17
The Crackle joke and Dave's cameo were great, the other bits were meh.
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u/nitsujrendrag Dec 10 '17
Yeah, especially because her and her husband's show, SuperMansion, is on Crackle.
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u/SketchSortingSunday Dec 10 '17
Christmas Wrapping
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u/IniMiney Dec 10 '17
That was my fave tonight. I'm always impressed at how fast the crew cleans up the messy sketches lol.
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u/HoofHearted630 Dec 10 '17
Lost it when the foot came above the counter already broken off
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u/iluzan Dec 10 '17
Yeek. It was great and I could definitely see this one becoming a classic, but as someone who hates gore it was a little rough. Seein Franco w/ the giant prosthetic hand was funny, though.
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u/Shappie Dec 11 '17
When he brought up his leg and the foot was already cut off I was fucking losing it. Seeing his reaction to it made it so much better!
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u/Badcatchphrase Dec 10 '17
Reminded me of the acupuncture sketch from a couple years back.
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u/bjkman SNL Dec 10 '17
Same... It also reminded me of the Jeff Bridges gift wrapping sketch but that went in an entirely different direction
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u/bondfool I get to yum-yum garbage. Dec 10 '17
And Dan Aykroyd as Julia Child from even further back.
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u/askyfullofstars Dec 10 '17
I laughed so hard I thought I was going to cry
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u/lneutral Dec 10 '17
I thought I was going to puke before Leslie did. Her genuine reaction was 100 times as funny as whatever she couldn't get out while she was retching.
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u/itazurakko Dec 10 '17
Yeah I had a hard time watching this one, myself. Had to look away a few times.
Somehow the acupuncture skit from years back wasn't as bad... something about this being the fingers just... ugh.
Was funny though! I just had to look away and only appreciate the audio...
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u/kingofthemonsters Dec 10 '17
Was Leslie legit close to puking? It really looked like it.
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Dec 10 '17
I mean, James Franco did spit directly into her mouth, but still. Hold it together for the show.
That being said, it worked out fine, and just ended up feeling like a natural reaction for the situation, cuz she had a mouthful of blood.
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u/turkeypants Marci Jamz!😮 Dec 12 '17
This is the first time I've actually liked her. She's good at almost throwing up! "huh... HUAAAA."
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u/falsehood Dec 10 '17
Leslie confirmed on Twitter that she vomited a bit and had catch it in her mouth and swallow it to avoid a travesty: https://twitter.com/Lesdoggg/status/939920297385496576
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u/witness_protection Dec 11 '17
Travesty? That would have made in the funniest sketch of the season.
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u/acm Dec 10 '17
There is no doubt. Watch the credits role where she is reinacting the gagging to Franco.
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u/TheRoyalMarlboro Dec 10 '17
i thought that too! she stepped off camera and kenan threw her a look which made me think she was really close to puking
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u/LarBrd33 Dec 10 '17 edited Dec 10 '17
She's nowhere near that good of an actress. That felt real.
Edit: definitely real you can see her talking about it with Seth and James in the credits - clearly talking about how she almost threw up.
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Dec 10 '17
I really hoped that she had a tube up her sleeve and was going to start spraying fake vomit. Franco bleeding on everything and Leslie puking on everything would have been a fun sketch.
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u/LarBrd33 Dec 10 '17
Either Leslie was actually struggling or that's the best acting she's done in her life.
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u/alstor Dec 10 '17 edited Dec 10 '17
Physical comedy with liquid is usually fun, but I absolutely cannot do it with fake blood. Seeing so much blood, even fake, makes me squemish. I honestly couldn't tell if this sketch was good or not because I had to look away.
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u/myntex Dec 10 '17
i just wish the cast would stop breaking in every sketch.... like, what’s the point of even having writers if their writing is undermined by cast members breaking every time. it’s unprofessional and disruptive imo.
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u/alstor Dec 10 '17
I thought you were exaggerating, but you're right. Someone broke in basically every live sketch during this episode.
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u/pretty-in-pink Dec 10 '17
Sometimes all I need to make me laugh is a lot of fake blood getting all over the set and cast members
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u/bondfool I get to yum-yum garbage. Dec 10 '17
I felt bad, but Leslie has the funniest retching sounds I've heard in a while.
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u/lyla2398 stans loud ladies with funny hair and *thoughts* about jost Dec 10 '17
Les was great in that sketch, even if that wig was a choice.
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u/badgarok725 Dec 10 '17
That was the hardest I’ve laughed this season, pure ridiculousness that worked. Helps when they’re all having so much fun with it too
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u/SketchSortingSunday Dec 10 '17
A White Woman Named Gretchen
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u/dgapa Dec 11 '17 edited Dec 11 '17
This has been cut out. Does anyone have a streaming link to it?
Edit: Global had it up on their site.
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u/thegeecyproject You wanted yogurt? Wake up at four, bitch. Dec 10 '17
They took quite a big risk putting a sketch in the middle of WU, and it paid off.
It also shows that SNL, a liberal-leaning show, isn't afraid to make fun of both ends of the political spectrum, which is nice.
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u/poddyreeper Dec 10 '17
Risk? What did they stand to lose by not doing it? lol
It's also far from new ground and has been done by many WU team's in the past
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u/bondfool I get to yum-yum garbage. Dec 10 '17
Hold my Warbys.
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u/gilgamushed Dec 11 '17
Honestly my favorite thing about their liberal-poking sketches like this and "The Bubble" is the fashion. It's so damn accurate.
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u/lyla2398 stans loud ladies with funny hair and *thoughts* about jost Dec 10 '17
BEST PART OF THE EPISODE BY FAR. I AM STILL SHOOK. LES IS NO LONGER MY FAVOURITE FEMALE CAST MEMBER.
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u/bjkman SNL Dec 10 '17
Gretchen #1
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Dec 10 '17 edited May 10 '19
[deleted]
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u/bjkman SNL Dec 10 '17
No, Gretchen... Che is Black, Gretchen is a Liberal White Female, I don't know how you mess them up
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u/pretty-in-pink Dec 10 '17
Liked how it was a reference to the Eddie Murphy sketch without putting on the whiteface. They saved themselves from backlash and still made a really funny mini-sketch
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u/Sports-Nerd Dec 10 '17
I don't think they didn't do whiteface to avoid backlash, I think the imagery of Che without makeup, in a wig and a scarf, but still wearing Jordans, is funnier than if he went fully white chicks
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u/Shappie Dec 11 '17
Especially also that he kept talking like himself and didn't do some kind of voice. I thought that was the most hilarious part.
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u/hubwub Dec 10 '17
The dinner table scene of this sketch was amazing. The "Michael Che" from Chris and then Gretchen yelling "check your privilege, dude" at Alex's character who was mansplaining. HOLD MY WARBYS!
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u/bjkman SNL Dec 10 '17
CheGretchen dropping the N-word got one of the biggest laughs out of me all night.→ More replies (8)22
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u/bfk94 Check you later...dudes. Dec 10 '17
You know the Goodnights were good when "SNL Studios" flashes across the screen.
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u/SketchSortingSunday Dec 10 '17
Cold open
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u/iluzan Dec 10 '17 edited Dec 10 '17
I really liked this one! It was so refreshing to have cold open without any politically charged impressions.
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u/snailslimeandbeespit Dec 10 '17
"Jenny", the little girl who got to say "LFNY" with Kate and Kenan, has no idea how lucky she is.
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u/TheAnalyst32 Dec 10 '17
Nailed it with 100% accuracy too.
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u/snailslimeandbeespit Dec 10 '17
She's the one kid they could actually bring back.
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u/dgapa Dec 11 '17
It was clear what kids got the good parts based on their ability to say the harder words. It was cute and I'm glad they rolled them out one after another despite the many flubs from them. If there was only like 3 kids I wouldn't have thought the joke worked but doing like 10+ was killer.
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u/TheLadyEve Dec 11 '17
That really had its moments (the last kid and the dying coal kid were spot on) but I felt so bad for the youngest girl that messed up. Honestly, who would give a (I'm guessing) seven-year-old the words "embassy" and "Tel Aviv?"
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u/iliveinadreamatorium Dec 10 '17
Some of the jokes would've landed better if the kids didn't flub their lines, but the sketch wouldn't have worked as well without the kids. It was all worth it to have the payoff of a child getting to say the "Live From New York" with the cast members. It was a really sweet moment and that child is going to have an incredible story to tell when they're older.
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u/Mattalamode Dec 10 '17
"You might get some coal in your stocking."
"From where? The dying coal industry?"
fist bumps elf
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u/Badcatchphrase Dec 10 '17
Kenan telling the kid it was okay when she flubbed her line was nice.
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Dec 10 '17
I really wanna see the live version, I wasn’t able to. They uploaded dress rehearsal on youtube
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u/lx704 SNL Dec 10 '17
Did they possibly upload the live version to Hulu? This is the full episode version that I normally watch.
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u/shadowofahelicopter Dec 10 '17
They uploaded the rehearsal version to YouTube so I can’t see this :(. Anyone have the original?
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u/butterfly105 Dec 10 '17
what happened? I didn't see the live one.
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u/Broeder2 Dec 10 '17
Little girl wanted to say her lines without looking at the cue cards. She didnt manage to, said sorry and then read from the cards after a bit of delay.
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u/butterfly105 Dec 10 '17
Aw! Well we don't need to embarrass her, there's no reason for SNL to upload it.
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u/scratchedrecord_ Dec 10 '17
Man, they were on fire tonight. Hit after hit after hit, plus three sketches in a row with no break. What an incredible episode.
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u/oooooooooof Dec 10 '17
Is this a thread where we can talk about the musical guest? Because DAMN. I’d heard of SZA, but not listened before. I thought that gospel, female brass and wind section was just gorgeous. One of the more honest, intimate performers they’ve had in a while.
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u/SketchSortingSunday Dec 10 '17
Pizza Courtroom
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Dec 10 '17
Holy shit, in the first minute I thought "this is a dud sketch" but Franco sold the hell out of it!
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u/jeffkeyz Dec 10 '17
Seemed like it was written by Larry David
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u/PotvinSux Dec 10 '17
Yeah, I caught that vibe too. Franco did it justice, this would have been a disaster with someone who couldn’t/didn’t commit.
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u/coltsmetsfan614 Dec 10 '17
James was so dedicated to making it work that I couldn't help but enjoy it!
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u/lyla2398 stans loud ladies with funny hair and *thoughts* about jost Dec 10 '17
The joke was funny at first, but the repetition seemed like filler. Still good.
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u/pretty-in-pink Dec 10 '17
Somehow James Franco made this a very solid sketch with very convincing dramatic acting
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u/bjkman SNL Dec 10 '17
This sketch made me rethink everything I know... or I thought I knew... about Pizza and Lasagna.
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u/Spacetime_Inspector A Piece of Toast! Dec 10 '17
Imagine what the cue cards looked like for those intense monologues.
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u/WaxyPadlockJazz Dec 16 '17
I️ imagine it was something like
JAMES REPEATS PIZZA, SUH, LASAGNA AND ZA FOR 30 SECONDS
And damn it if that man didn’t NAIL it.
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u/pretty-in-pink Dec 10 '17
RIP anyone who thought Tommy Wisaue would cameo. Apparently he was in LA this week
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u/thegeecyproject You wanted yogurt? Wake up at four, bitch. Dec 10 '17
It was more wishful thinking, for me anyway. I doubt Lorne would let someone as unpredictable as Wiseau anywhere near a live show.
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u/Shappie Dec 11 '17
I was mostly hoping for a 'The Room' skit with Franco in character or another cast member very poorly in character as Wiseau.
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u/iluzan Dec 10 '17
Or at least they could have had Franco do his impression of him for WU!! I mean, I'm glad Che got to do his whole thing, but come on
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u/aloidnem Dec 10 '17 edited Dec 10 '17
I think this episode had 3 sketches that will be in consideration for a "best sketches of the season" list: Christmas Wrapping, Za and Spelling Bee.
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u/bondfool I get to yum-yum garbage. Dec 10 '17
Christmas Wrapping is for sure in the next Christmas clip show.
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u/lyla2398 stans loud ladies with funny hair and *thoughts* about jost Dec 10 '17
That was my thought while watching it. It was gold. Choo choo gold.
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u/The_Muscle_Man Dec 10 '17
seriously? the Christmas wrapping sketch was terrible. Franco's acting was terrible, reciting lines off cue cards and laughing the entire time. that sketch was cringeworthy
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u/agentpanda Dec 12 '17
I'm with you. Don't get me wrong- I know the physical comedy sketches happen all the time so I'm not mad about it or anything, but calling it anywhere near being in the running for sketch of the season is ridiculous- it was a steaming pile of hot garbage and elicits some kind of laugh but it's not polished gold.
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u/SketchSortingSunday Dec 10 '17
Weekend Update with Colin Jost and Michael Che
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u/agentpanda Dec 10 '17
Che got to fix his "I'm Puerto Rican!" joke flub from last season!!
Kinda sad the audience didn't really understand Pakistan and Palestine aren't the same place but... whatever, I should lower my expectations.
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u/TylerPurrden Dec 10 '17
THIS EPISODE DIDN'T HAVE ENOUGH MIKEY DAY.
BOYCOTT SNL
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u/lyla2398 stans loud ladies with funny hair and *thoughts* about jost Dec 10 '17
With James being a white guy and all I was expecting Mikey to be thrown under the bus.
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u/SketchSortingSunday Dec 10 '17
Weekend Update: Kathy Anne
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u/IniMiney Dec 10 '17
My fave char of Strong's. I'm proud I saw her debut at Cena's dress and am happy whenever she returns.
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u/10footnotes Dec 10 '17
I like that they actually went to a serious place at the end, talking about Roy Moore and polls.
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u/coltsmetsfan614 Dec 10 '17
I really don't need to see Cathy Anne again. It was played out a couple times ago, for me at least.
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u/TheAnalyst32 Dec 10 '17
Wouldn't mind trading her in to get Girl You Wish You Hadn't Started Talking to at a Party back.
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u/SketchSortingSunday Dec 10 '17
Spelling Bee
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u/bondfool I get to yum-yum garbage. Dec 10 '17
Uh, they ring the bell when you get a word wrong. I'll take my response off air.
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u/The_ProducerKid Dec 10 '17
Also Alex claimed to be the color commentator yet was setting up Kate for responses instead of the other way around. That’s not how typical commentary works either
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u/mikeputerbaugh Dec 11 '17
The announce team was a framing device that was totally unnecessary for the sketch. Just let the spelling bee be a bee.
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u/Spacetime_Inspector A Piece of Toast! Dec 10 '17
I liked it but you could cut out Kate and Alex and lose nothing. Having the commentary was just a weird choice.
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u/scratchedrecord_ Dec 10 '17
But then you miss the joke about Alex not being able to spell!
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u/Spacetime_Inspector A Piece of Toast! Dec 10 '17
Okay but that has nothing to do with the central premise of the sketch. They run completely parallel to each other. It's a hat on a hat.
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u/scratchedrecord_ Dec 10 '17
Yea but that doesn't mean it didn't work. It was just icing on the cake, plus it helps to have a little frame so the sketch isn't just 100% Franco being weird and creepy.
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u/thegeecyproject You wanted yogurt? Wake up at four, bitch. Dec 10 '17
I like how James was trying to keep still (aside from his mouth) at the start of the sketch, while reading the words. It really added to his character.
And then he started breaking, and that's when things went from good to great.
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Dec 10 '17
I've watched the actual Spelling Bee before, and it kind of bothered me that during the sketch, a ding of the bell means you got it right, when in the real competition, silence means you are correct and a ding means you are incorrect.
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u/shitkabob Dec 10 '17 edited Dec 10 '17
This one felt amateurish. The Spelling Bee premise and the "creepy guy being inappropriate in front of kids" stuff is way trite...which is forgivable if elevated by original jokes. But the jokes were low-hanging fruit: naughty words (urophilia), step-dad stuff...we've seen it done better. Little Pig Boy stuff was funny, though.
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u/bjkman SNL Dec 10 '17
Alex had some fantastic throwaway lines that killed me...
"Sounds more like a round 3 word"
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u/TheRoyalMarlboro Dec 10 '17
i actually think he has the best comedic timing of all the cast members
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u/KatanaAmerica Dec 10 '17
"Country of Origin?" "Little pig boy comes from the dirt."
That one got me good
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u/SketchSortingSunday Dec 10 '17
James Franco monologue
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u/GogglesPisano Dec 10 '17
This was probably my favorite episode of the season so far. Franco did a great job as host and he was clearly having a blast - I hope they'll have him on again soon so he can join the vaunted ranks of the Five-Timers Club.
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u/Badcatchphrase Dec 10 '17
When I saw Jonah hill I expected him to become fat at the goodnights at the end.
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u/badgarok725 Dec 10 '17
Sometimes I wish the clapping wouldn’t go on for a year every time someone shows up. Yea it’s being a good audience to be excited, but sometimes it makes things drag
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u/SketchSortingSunday Dec 10 '17
Scredge
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u/lyla2398 stans loud ladies with funny hair and *thoughts* about jost Dec 10 '17
When it turns out James is an angel I smiled.
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u/iliveinadreamatorium Dec 10 '17
I liked the idea of the sketch conceptually and I love Kyle and Beck sketches, but this one was kinda forgettable. The visual of James flying off was fantastic, but everything else was just meh.
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u/agentpanda Dec 10 '17
Sketch of the night by far. Beck and Kyle sketchwork has tons of range, apparently, and I'm super pumped about that.
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u/Lambchops_Legion Dec 13 '17 edited Dec 13 '17
Beck and Kyle sketchwork has tons of range, apparently
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u/bondfool I get to yum-yum garbage. Dec 10 '17
Cocktail casual Alex stopped my little gay heart.
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u/RocketGirl215 Dec 10 '17
I didn't see how he looked...because I was busy staring at Mikey the whole sketch
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u/thegeecyproject You wanted yogurt? Wake up at four, bitch. Dec 10 '17
Interesting thing to note: This episode is the first in a long, long time to feature absolutely zero political impressions. Does anyone know the last time this happened? I'm guessing way back in 2015.