Yes, I do (seriously, I don’t think she would say “no” to anything no matter how vulgar or degenerate) actually feel that way about Betty White, but I have the SAME opinion about Cloris Leachman (who has done many similar cameos on Jimmy Kimmel, one simulating anal sex with Jack Black) or the old guy in all the Judd Aptow movies who seems to always ONLY have lines that feature the word “fuck” 7 or more times in them.
They are all the same to me----It’s not groundbreaking, it’s not shocking and it’s just not funny…
I came to ask the same question. To my rap-phobic, Jay-Z-agnostic ears, that sounded so bad it was embarrassing. If someone were doing that “yeah,” “uh-huh” shit along with song on my car stereo, I’d tell him to shut the fuck up or get out.
MPB, I think you do Betty a disservice. I just watched the clips, and she certainly is no doddering fool being exploited. She is a very funny grown woman, sharp as a tack with perfect comedic timing. I certainly don’t think she’ll ever do anything that she considers beneath her. Racy humor is not beneath her…Golden Girls, my favorite sitcom ever, showed off her ability for racy humor quite well.
I understand if you don’t find her funny, but to suggest she is being exploited doesn’t seem fair. Give her some credit for being well respected comedian with over 60 years of steady work under her belt.
You’ve pretty much admitted that you ONLY know Betty White from The Golden Girls, and that you didn’t even watch the performance you’re criticizing in multiple posts. Even a cursory check of her career on IMDB would show that she’s been a performer for more than 60 years, that she’s starred in several shows, and that her recent appearances include everything from soap operas to prime time dramas – none of which so far has included on-camera defecation.
In addition to her roles, Betty White has appeared on more than 160 variety, talk and game shows, including such infamous smut peddlers as Larry King and Oprah:rolleyes: She is, believe me, not simply an over the hill performer trying to squeeze out a couple more bucks by telling dirty old lady jokes.
I don’t think I have expressed myself very well here (which is def. not for the first time) and just want to try and clarify a little bit—I am NOT a prude, and I can certainly enjoy raunchy, racy humor. Two of my favorite movies of all time are Caddyshack and Kingpin, both VERY crude and filled with lowbrow humor. I have spent years of my life (cumulative) in San Francisco, New York, Amsterdam, New Orleans, Barcelona, and other incredibly liberal, “wild” cities, and and am not offended easily in the least.
What bothers me is the trend of having older actors in cameos or feature roles that cast the elderly in bits that are solely written for shock value, consisting only of off-color jokes, vulgar sight gags and other “shocking” situations for an attempt at cheap laughs. (‘cause old people aren’t supposed to act like that, right?). Jerry Stillers’ characters in both Seinfeld and King Of Queens are good examples of the kind of thing I am trying to describe. The foul mouthed old man, shouting outrageous things, talking non stop about sex—Ha ha ha…
It dosent’ OFFEND ME, per se, but in my opinion, it’s simply lazy writing, it’s a juvenile schtick, and most of all it’s JUST NOT FUNNY.
You are right----I DON’T know Betty White’s career well, but every time I have seen her (movie cameo, guest shot on Conan or Craig Ferguson, etc.) over the past several years, she has ONLY been there to deliver a few blue one-liners, and then is shuffled off to the wings, where she awaits her next chance to talk about her genitalia or her excretory functions.
With that, I wan’t to apologize to those who find this trend funny, and to those who respect and enjoy Betty White and her acting----I don’t want to offend anyone further, and so I will let this be my final post on the subject.
I can’t speak for King of Queens, but, erm… did we watch the same Seinfeld? Because Stiller’s role as Frank Costanza most certainly didn’t talk “non stop about sex.” The most I remember him opining on the subject was his “shopping short” in the car with that Korean ex-girlfriend of his. He wasn’t foul-mouthed either. Loud, yeah. He was an annoying, quirky jerk… like most of the other characters on the show.
I think you’re wise not to continue the debate, because your examples aren’t very… well… good examples.
While I only ever watched Seinfeld a handful of times, I remember the loud, obnoxious (crude?) old man—I guess I am thinking of his role on King Of Queens (which I have watched quite a bit) as more of an example of what I am trying to describe.
Again, for Betty White fans, sorry for any offence on my part----It’s not her so much, (or at least it’s not JUST her) it’s the whole schtick of old people being crude, or outrageous, or vulgar or obnoxious, all for the sake of a few cheap laughs…
Anyways, to speak for myself, I totally take your point abuot old folks being trotted out for exploitation and then shuffled off…it just doesn’t seem to apply to Betty.
As an old person myself, I’m sorta seeing your point. (I thought Paul Newman embarrassed himself in Blaze). But people acting out of character has been a staple of humor forever – not just sweet little old ladies but nuns, teachers, cops, judges, presidents. Anyone who we usually think of as behaving a certain way – it can be funny when they don’t. But you’re right that a lot of the humor might come from the shock value. A grad student might make an interesting thesis figuring it out.
Betty White did the same kind of humor that she has always done, back to my first exposure to her in the 50s. The only difference is that certain words didn’t used to be allowed on TV. There was nothing demeaning about it; it’s what she’s famous for. And perhaps most of us can put this in perspective because WE ACTUALLY SAW THE SHOW.
I was surprised at the extent of pastcast on this episode.
Personally, I liked it- as they were all performers who I like- but was wondering what was up. I immediately checked the wiki page but nothing helpful there. Any insight, anyone?
It’s near the end of the season, are a bunch of cast members about to be fired? The one mention made on the wiki page (other than confirming that the former cast members did indeed guest) is this:
He brought them back “to help out”? Is Lorne Michaels perhaps unhappy with the current cast and was he not confident that they would bring the goods for what he anticipated to be the most watched episode of the season?
My first thought, noticing that all the pastcast were women, was that maybe it was a Mother’s Day thing- bring back all former cast members who are mothers (I don’t know if they are all mothers or not, this was just me guessing)?
I wouldn’t say that I ever strongly disliked Maya Rudolph, but I never had any special love for her- however I absolutely LOVED her in the “Bronx Beat” sketch (a “web exclusive” from the dress rehearsal). She and Amy Poehler are so spot on hilarious in this sketch.
P.S. I love Ana Gasteyer- always have, always will.
P.P.S. I like Molly Shannon doing “I’m FIFTY” at age 45. Would also be funny to see Mike Meyers do “Middle Aged Man”.
The past cast members that were brought back for this show were all the female cast members who have left since 2001 except for Michaela Watkins and Casey Wilson, who both only left in 2009. This was apparently a conscious decision to bring back all recent female former cast members for this show. I suppose this was a deliberate reunion show for all the past decade’s female cast. Perhaps Watkins and Wilson weren’t invited back because they both got tossed from the cast after one year.
Yeah, that sums up my thoughts on what it was- still left wondering why it was.
This episode didn’t simply feature the former cast in a typical guest capacity; the former cast dominated the episode.
I don’t mean to suggest that it isn’t plausable that this came about just as a “Hey, ya know what would be fun?” kind of an idea. But to essentially bench the entire current cast for the whole episode, I would be surprise to find that “Hey, ya know what would be fun?” truly was the sole reason.
Except they didn’t, really. Kristen Wiig, the only female regular these days, and all of the male cast members were definitely utilized throughout the episode. Only the female “featured” players – Abby Elliott, Nasim Pedrad, and Jenny Slate – were pretty much left out. And IMO, none of those three has yet made much of a mark on the show, and may not ever.
I suppose “benched” was a misleadingly hyperbolic term to use.
Wiig was well featured (she was especially well featured in that mini-dress she wore for the farewell/closing credit!).
The male cast members were utilized throughout the episode? Yes they were. And, yes, I think the non-spectacular verb “utilized” is appropriate. Other than the McGruber sketch were there any sketches with one of the male cast members as the lead in the sketch? They were pretty much playing the male supporting roles in female driven sketches.
Not that I’m complaining, mind you. Much of the history of SNL has relegated the female cast to just playing the female supporting roles in male driven sketches.
Keenan in the Scared Straight sketch would qualify as a male lead, I’m now remembering.
Yeah, might have just been a matter of my own perception. Still it seemed more like a Ladies Night Reunion Special, the current cast seemed like mostly background to me.
Just a few points, Betty White was not ‘used’ in any way in last Saturdays show. She was quite involved all week long interacting with both cast members and writers. BW has a keen nack for comedy. It was her choice to be in all thé skits that aired.
As for all the ‘old time’ cast members appearing, it was done for Mothers Day and the fact that everyone wanted to work with Betty. SNL has one of it’s best casts right now in it’s history. That said, expect Lorne Michaels to make many changes over the upcoming hiatus. That’s the way the man works.
Interesting fact: The show came very close to having The Rolling Stones as the musical guest for next weeks season finale. TP and the Heartbreakers were a sloppy second choice.
Exile on Main Street premieres this week and Broadway Video is promoting them with a full week of various artists covering the album on Late Night With Jimmy Fallon.
Expect to see Keith and Mick on Fridays show.