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'We've got a great show tonight'

by Taylor Kingsbury
Staff Writer

Great comedy has the power to make you laugh until you cry. "Saturday Night Live" has been jerking quite a few tears this season. Unfortunately, these tears have not been triggered by laughter, merely the heart-breaking realization that one of televised comedy's most cherished institutions has degenerated into an abysmally wretched parody of its former self.

As the once-mighty ensemble showcase lurches through its 28th season, crucial elements are missing from the formula that has kept SNL at the forefront of its genre: most notably, wit and intelligence.

Watching recent episodes, it is becoming increasingly apparent that SNL has lost the edgy brilliance that brought the show to prominence and kept it there through three decades of television.

There was a time where the network television landscape would have felt barren and cold without the 90-minutes of shining comic glory SNL provided weekly. Today, even the most ardent fan has to wonder if "Saturday Night Live" has overstayed its welcome.

A show that once prided itself on weekly doses of thoughtful and insightful comic farce has now deteriorated into a rapid succession of "poo-poo, pee-pee" jokes. SNL's recent material has displayed a drastic demographic shift from intelligent people of all ages to an almost exclusive pool of stoners too lazy to put down their bong to change the channel.

So why do we still tune in? Because SNL remains historically relevant, remaining afloat today on the strength of past glories. Additionally, optimistic viewers remember that the show has gone through rough patches before, and wishfully anticipate a return to form.

But things have never looked so grim. It is hard to imagine a recovery strong enough to erase the sour taste left by this season of drudgery, or such a recovery being worth the wait. It may be time to strip away the 85 minutes of filler surrounding "Weekend Update" and put the rest of the cast, and viewers, out of their misery.

So, where did it all go wrong? With a large cast of talented comedians and an even stronger pool of featured players, SNL certainly has the potential comic muscle to make us laugh. Perhaps we can blame the writers, yet this staff is in constant fluctuation, and it's hard to imagine that SNL would continue to keep comedy writers who can't write comedy on the payroll.

How do we fix it? Pretty easily, actually. There are four obviously alterable factors responsible for the reprehensible condition to which SNL has been depleted.

1) Bad Host Selection - It seems simple: get a funny host and you'll have a funny show. Yet this season's choices have been perplexing and destined for disaster.

Al Gore is quite a comedian in the political arena, but his appearance as host did not live up to this heady standard.

This Saturday's offering was Ashton Kutcher. Considering that Kutcher has fabricated an entire career playing one character, it's not surprising that Kelso appeared in several skits this week.

SNL has always made occasional questionable choices for hosting, and some of these experiments have yielded memorable episodes. But, come on: Jeff Gordon?

2) Tracy Morgan - As one of the longest-serving members of the current cast, Tracy Morgan has earned the right to do whatever he wants; like not being funny. Instead of using his experience to shape memorable reoccurring characters, Morgan plays himself in most of his sketches, usually only appearing to deliver a line about "booty" or "titties." Morgan has diverted from his far superior cast-mates for long enough, and needs to get cut from the team.

3) Bad Musical Guests - The live music has always been a great element of the SNL framework, and the show's 28-year history has yielded some truly memorable performances. This season has boasted spirited outings from Beck, Foo Fighters and Ms. Dynamite, but these have been bookended by appearances from readily disposable artists.

The booking of Good Charlotte seems to fit in the with the afore-mentioned demographic shift, as it is hard to imagine anyone over the age of 16 failing to see through that facade.

Nelly also appeared this year, both as musical guest and in a skit on the episode. Actually, Band-Aid Face would have made a great character, so Nelly's, ahem, talents were somewhat wasted as a sideman in one of Tracy Morgan's boobies sketches.

I don't know if Saturday's guest 50 Cent even knew that he was on camera. Flava Of the Week lumbered about the stage with zero charisma during his karaoke session. The allegedly gifted rapper delivered less than half of his rhymes, letting his two excitable sidekicks finish each line for him. Maybe he was just too embarrassed to say "I love you like a fat kid love cake" on television. Yep, we're on to you, 50.

4) Horatio Sanz - Traditionally, SNL has always employed a stereotypical character on their roster known as "the fat guy." The show has amassed a great legacy with their "fat guys," but producers have noticed an alarming side effect: they keep dying. Unfortunately, Horatio Sanz just won't go down.

I'm sure Sanz is a nice guy and liked by the cast, since he's been on for several seasons. However, Lorne Michaels needs to realize what loyal viewers have know for way too long: Horatio is not funny, he's never been funny, and he's never going to be funny. Unless Hollywood opens the gates of Hell and conjures "Boat Trip 2," Horatio Sanz has no place in the comedy business.

If SNL improves in these areas, the wealth of talent in their featured players can restore the show to its former health. Let us hope that producers are realizing that their show which once set the standard for television comedy has become dismally substandard. I look forward to a day when our hosts will not be lying to us when they say "we've got a great show tonight."

Taylor Kingsbury, a junior journalism major, is a staff writer of the Campus Times. He can be reached by e-mail at happyendingrocks@hotmail.com.