I was in another room of my apartment when I heard the announcement of the Saturday Night Live skit featuring NY Governor David Paterson come over the TV. And the first thing I thought was: "Oh God, they aren't going to make fun of his blindness, are they?"
The second thing I thought was, "Oh God, they're not going to have him hold a bar graph upside down, are they?"
Anyway, it is interesting seeing how split people are on message boards as to whether this skit was offensive or not. What leads one person to say "fuck em if they can't take a joke" and somebody else to say, "this is cruel and hurtful humor?"
Personally? I thought the skit was well below SNL's standard. But this was the show with the "I Jizz In My Pants" music video not too long ago. So maybe it isn't below their standard.
I always stick with: "Sure, it's funny until it's you, your momma, your child, or your friend. If it's you, your momma, your child, or your friend, well, then somebody is going to get their ass kicked." This seems to be one of the ruling factors of the human condition.
They did make fun of his blindness, but they also made fun of his confessions and his unexpected rise to governor. However, the bar chart thing was so basic and uninspired, and was lower than SNL's usual standards.
ReplyDeleteI watched some of SNL because Hugh Laurie was gonna be on it, and he's usually a pip. First episode in YEARS. And it SUCKED. Hard. It's no wonder I stopped after the cast change in 1995...the show just ISN'T funny.
ReplyDeleteThat, and as I watched the credits I found myself only remotely hearing of THREE of the cast members. And no wonder why.
I haven't seen the skit, but it doesn't sound objectionable in concept. The governor is blind, as Gerald Ford was clumsy and Abraham Lincoln was tall. There is humor in each aspect, and I don't think making light of any of them in reference to a single individual (rather than persons with the traits as classes) is in any way improper.
ReplyDeleteOk, am I the only one who laughed my ass off at the "Jizz In My Pants" video?
ReplyDelete...ok, fine. But yeah, they've done the blind jokes better *with* Stevie Wonder hosting. Over 20 years ago.
Well, I, for one, never saw this coming.
ReplyDelete"baddum*
Thanks, I'll be here all week. And remember, tip your waiter.
"Jizz In My Pants" was hilarious. Low-brow humour doesn't mean "unfunny" unless you're a snob; Shakespeare put fart and dick jokes in all of his comedies and nobody says "boo" about that.
ReplyDeleteMind you, most of SNL is unwatchable dreck. Not because it's offensive (although it sometimes is), but because it's predictable, boring and timid.
Wolverine, there has not been a season of SNL in the last 13 years more hackey and uninspired than the '94-'95 season (and the '93-'94 season was pretty dumb too) The '94-'95 season is the third worst season in the show's history.
ReplyDeleteWhat leads one person to say "fuck em if they can't take a joke" and somebody else to say, "this is cruel and hurtful humor?"
ReplyDeleteI believe it's called a sense of humor or lack thereof.
I can handle (and enjoy) offensive - the "Jizz in My Pants" video I found stupidly hilarious (like most of the Digital Video bits) - but it has to be good, too. Simple blind-person jokes are offensive and lame.
ReplyDeleteStill, I've come to accept that, for the most part, SNL just isn't meant for adults anymore (probably at least since the mid 90s, though that could be coicidental with my own aging, leaving my teenage years behind in 1992). While an occasional bit is brilliant and funny to me, most of the skits seem to be aimed at a teenaged audience, especially those teenagers who can only stay up late on Fridays and Saturdays.
I wasn't laughing at blind people, I was laughing at Gerard Butler, but could they have left out the blindness factor, sure. They coulda still poked fun at him without making fun of his blindness, but that's comedy sometimes, especially with impersonations. They try and do your voice and mannerisms, and if your blind, well, that's gonna happen. Did I laugh, honestly yes. Was I laughing at his handicap? Not so much. When he held the sign upside down, that wasn't funny. As in, not offensive, just not funny. The whole him-on-a-cell-talking-shit was hilarious because he wondered in front of the camera and could be heard very clearly. Also, when Amy was saying goodbye he interrupted her by stepping in front of the camera again and that was like a goodbye prank. I really enjoyed that. Amy was my fave on the show too.
ReplyDeleteI also like the jizz in my pants video
ReplyDeleteThe upside down chart is probably an accurate depiction of the state economy.
ReplyDeleteNothing is sacred. Not even if it produces crap.
ReplyDeleteI think the "Isaac Hayes" standard in judging humor is pretty hypocritical. In other words, it's all good except whenever myself or someone I know or my cat is included in the joke.
ReplyDeleteAnd I'm not exaggerating with that last part either. My cat, Sylvester, looks nearly identical to his namesake on the classic Looney Tunes cartoons. Half the time I expect Sylvester (the real one) to fly though the living room on an ACME rocket pack.
so this is the stuff we are allowed to leave comments about?
ReplyDeleteinteresting....
Spot on impression though.
ReplyDeleteI actually liked it, but then again I thought it was about time they brought back biting political commentary on the disabled. Guess I'm in the minority.
ReplyDeleteI enjoy offensive humor, even when it's aimed at groups I'm a part of, such as Italians or nerds, but normally has to be clever in some way. I haven't seen the blind sketch, but it seems like SNL took the easy way out.
ReplyDeleteBut I HAVE seen the Jizzed in My Pants video and I was in awe of it's amazing lyrics and spritual message.
I meant to put Paterson...for some reason I put Gerard Butler. Maybe it's my man-crush slipping through via Freudian-slip. Heh!
ReplyDeleteOh, I thought've a good joke for Bush:
"Everyone seems so shocked about the shoe incident and how well Bush's reflexes are when he ducked. But, if you think about it, this guy dodged the draft. I think he can dodge a stupid shoe!"
(I doff my fedora and leave!)
...man, Val, I wish I had a fedora!