The 10 Best SNL Sketches of 2010
I'm well aware that there are approximately three hours of Saturday Night Live programming yet to air in 2010, so a best-of for the year might be a tad premature. Nevertheless! Here are the 10 best Saturday Night Live sketches of 2010. I promise, though, that if anything extraordinary happens in the Paul Rudd or Jeff Bridges hosted episodes -- which is quite likely, actually -- I'll update this list accordingly.
(Meanwhile, if you disagree -- and there's a very good chance you will -- let's hear about it in the comments.)
10. "Hamm and Buble"
Jon Hamm has hosted twice in the calendar year of 2010. This was from his earlier effort: The actor opening a new restaurant with a pretty unwilling Michael Buble that serves ham and Champagne (and poor Buble has to change the pronunciation of his last name).
9. "What is Burn Notice?"
OK, here's the wild-card of the group. Look, I have no idea what Burn Notice actually is despite one zillion posters for this show littering the New York City subway system -- which is probably where the idea for this sketch came from. Anyway, yes, three contestants go on the game show "What is Burn Notice?" in an effort to correctly guess what Burn Notice actually is.
8. "Zack Galifianakis' Monologue"
What is usually the weakest part of the show became the strongest when the unconventional Galifianakis hosted: Hands down, not just the best monologue of the year, perhaps one of the best monologues in the history of the show. This is how its done.
7. "Black Friday"
Kind of reminiscent of Kick Spit Underground Rock Festival, only Bobby Moynihan plays a retail salesperson instead of Ass Dan. "Slide your way into savings!"
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Comments
Ass Dan all the way for me!
Now... About Pharoah...
It seems like all SNL rookies have to pay their dues and wait for their turn. This is hardly the first time Lorne Michaels has given tough love to the feature players.
However, I don't think Pharoah is all that good. Sorry. All he has are impressions. That's it. I thought it was an odd hire to begin with because since when has SNL hired specifically for dead on impressions? If that were their model, they would have hired Frank Caliendo.
I know when a comic goes in for an interview with Michaels and staff at SNL, they are always asked for what impressions they do. But at the end of the day they have to write funny sketches to get on the show. Pharoah isn't going to make it doing a steady rotation of Denzel, Will Smith and Eddie Murphy.
As for Obama, like I said in a comment a week or so ago, It doesn't matter who is playing Obama right now, the material they are writing is lousy. Besides, since when does the rookie get to step in and be the president on SNL? Since when has SNL hired specifically to fill the presidential role? Again, if that were the case, they would have hired Caliendo after Will Ferrell left.
Pharoah's impressions are amusing, but all they really are are Pharoah talking like the guys he does impressions of. That will get old if he doesn't supplement it with funny writing.
By the way, this opinion comes from a guy whose favorite SNL impression of all time was Chris Farley as Carney Wilson in the 'We are the World' inspired 'Raise Your Hands, Raise Your Voice, Give the Chickens Another Choice' sketch...
RIP Ass Dan
Really? Okay, then.
I think the saddest commentary about SNL is that three-year-old Zach Galifianakis material is better than about 99% of what the show's actual writers are churning out. And, honestly, I laughed more at Zach's stuff than I did at anything above it on this list. And it's the third time I've heard it!
Actually #2 isn't all that original. It's a parody of this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nNe11E_KiAk
Warning: Not for kids!
Sick of hulus ads
As a professional Michael Buble Tribute Act I'm always scouring the web for clips of the man to try and emulate his accent and wit, and lo and behold I discover SNL - well... firstly I'm gutted that it doesn't air here in the UK so keep having to scour the web for clips.
Thanks for posting that one - Nothing beats the Christopher Walken cowbell sketch though 😉
Finbarr.