# How many people like (today's) SNL? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [January 11, 2000, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-people-like-todays-snl/12701 "2000-01-11T20:22:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Jinx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Jinx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jinx)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2000, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-people-like-todays-snl/12701/1 "2000-01-11T20:22:00Z")
I used to love Saturday Night Live (SNL), but the writing has long since gone to the dogs. I could write skits better than that! It wouldn’t take much effort! Hysterical situations surround us, but why are the skits so lame? I say “Time to retire SNL”! (Or, get some fresh blood on-board!) Opinions? ## {Then, we’ll work on the acting…} “Why does everyone complain about too much violins in baseball? I went to a baseball game, and I didn’t see any violins!” - Classic Gilda Radner ---
**Author:** ![Mullinator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c2a13f/32.png) [@Mullinator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mullinator)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2000, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-people-like-todays-snl/12701/2 "2000-01-11T20:23:00Z")
I actually kinda like it right now. Most of the castmembers seem to actually give an effort and work to make some kind of mark. A lot of it strikes me as funny, of course being tired when I watch it might help a little. * * * You can feel free to call me Mr. Tied for 26th place on the favorite poster’s list. ---
**Author:** ![curious\_george](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b487fb/32.png) [@curious\_george](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/curious_george)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2000, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-people-like-todays-snl/12701/3 "2000-01-11T20:39:00Z")
It’s just as good as it’s always been to me. ---
**Author:** ![curious\_george](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b487fb/32.png) [@curious\_george](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/curious_george)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2000, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-people-like-todays-snl/12701/4 "2000-01-11T20:40:00Z")
Does anybody imitate Bill Clinton on the show now? It used to be done by the late Phil Hartman, right? ---
**Author:** ![Jinx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Jinx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jinx)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2000, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-people-like-todays-snl/12701/5 "2000-01-11T20:54:00Z")
Curious George, you missed some hysterical seasons of yore. OK, sure, you can’t improve on a classic, but SNL needs a suggestion box! * * * The scary thing is that 90% of the people think they’re above average! - unknown ---
**Author:** ![Mojo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/85f322/32.png) [@Mojo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mojo)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2000, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-people-like-todays-snl/12701/6 "2000-01-11T20:55:00Z")
It really has gone downhill, almost to the level of those horrible early 80s episodes where the most notable cast member is Anthony Michael Hall. And if Lorne Michaels thinks that Colin Quinn is a better “newscaster” than Norm MacDonald was, then its clearly time for him to be put out to pasture. I now find myself watching only for the cartoons. I believe the pres is currently played by Darryl Hammond. ---
**Author:** ![Vestal\_Blue](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/5e9695/32.png) [@Vestal\_Blue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Vestal_Blue)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2000, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-people-like-todays-snl/12701/7 "2000-01-11T21:04:00Z")
Yuck; Give me the original ‘Not Ready For Prime Time Players’ any day! Bill Murray Dan Aykroyd John Belushi Jane Curtin Gilda Radner Garret Morris Lorraine Newman “Jane, you ignorant slut”! priceless! * * * VB TANSTAAFL! ---
**Author:** ![Rousseau](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/779978/32.png) [@Rousseau](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rousseau)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2000, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-people-like-todays-snl/12701/8 "2000-01-11T21:21:00Z")
Actually, I still watch it religiously, and enjoy it. I think that the best years were those of Carvey, Myers, Farley, Nealon, Hartman, Spade, et al, but I still think it’s alright today. The first hour or so of the show is usually good, but they tend to run out of ideas towards the end. Will Ferrel has been the strength of the show for the past few years, but there are others right behind him. Darryl Hammond’s impression of Clinton, which usually leads off the show, is by far the funniest thing on it today. I, personally, like Colin Quinn better than Norm. Norm’s jokes rarely had anything to do with current events, he just kind of sat there and made an ass out of himself. Quinn actually makes jokes out of the news, instead of coming up with some random joke and attaching a news story to it. * * * The IQ of a group is equal to the IQ of the dumbest member divided by the number of people in the group. ---
**Author:** ![Enright3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/enright3/32/2897_2.png) [@Enright3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enright3)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2000, 12:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-people-like-todays-snl/12701/9 "2000-01-12T00:03:00Z")
I used to think that the show was going down hill (after all Michael Anthony Hall **WAS** on the show fer christ’s sake!) but after seeing some of the old ones again, I don’t think that’s the case. I think mostly people’s tastes have changed. I really enjoy them now. Cheri O’Teri cracks me up as Judge Judy and as the bitchy lady on the front porch. Of couse my wife and I still say “Call me” and kick up our leg, when one of us leaves the house. Did any of you see the John Rocker parody? I heard it on the radio. Being from Atlanta, it was really funny to me. Come on, if they showed a clip called Samuri Night Fever now, it would really suck. Some of the other ‘good’ ones from long ago that probably wouldn’t fly today… bass o matic, cone heads. Come one, that stuff was funny because it was so dumb! Enright3 ---
**Author:** ![Enright3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/enright3/32/2897_2.png) [@Enright3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enright3)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2000, 12:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-people-like-todays-snl/12701/10 "2000-01-12T00:04:00Z")
Sorry, I thought I turned that \*\*off\. enright3 ---
**Author:** ![ChrisCTP](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e36b37/32.png) [@ChrisCTP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ChrisCTP)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2000, 1:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-people-like-todays-snl/12701/11 "2000-01-12T01:29:00Z")
I like it…guess I’m just a naive young’n or something. I didn’t really start watching it until I was about fifteen (which seems much longer ago than nine years …) Molly Shannon and Ana Gasteyer as the NPR ladies, Will Farrel and Cheri O’Teri as the Spartan Cheerleaders, and Cheri O’Teri and Chris Kattan as the S&M couple are among my favorite regular skits. * * * “Fester, fester, fester…rot, rot, rot.” ---
**Author:** ![Jorge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9fc29f/32.png) [@Jorge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jorge)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2000, 4:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-people-like-todays-snl/12701/12 "2000-01-12T04:08:00Z")
I vote downhill… The older ones made critiques of something/one, but always let in just enough to cause empathy, or provide a positive alternative. Most present sketches just goof on stuff for the sake of criticizing, like teens at the mall pointing at people saying “what a jerk…”. Only works with John Goodman (irony) or the cartoons (skill). Foxx making fun of Al Pacino ? That’s sad, not funny. “Cameron Diaz was shocked at the size of my…” puerile. I turned it off. Richard Pryor might have pulled that off [no pun], but not Jamie. ---
**Author:** ![HelloKitty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ecccb3/32.png) [@HelloKitty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HelloKitty)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2000, 4:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-people-like-todays-snl/12701/13 "2000-01-12T04:42:00Z")
I have really enjoyed the show lately. I thought Jamie Foxx was hilarious last week. The Puff Daddy/Jennifer Lopez sketch was too funny. I think this cast has finally gotten its legs and they are doing an excellent job. I like Norm Macdonald, but I agree that Colin Quinn is better on the news show. I could do without the Clinton sketches, though…that is sooo over with! ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2000, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-people-like-todays-snl/12701/14 "2000-01-12T15:01:00Z")
Yes,Colin is great!I like Molly Shannon’s joyologist.Some skits are good,some stink,you have to watch to find out. I think as long as Lorne Michaels is there,its good. ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2000, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-people-like-todays-snl/12701/15 "2000-01-12T15:01:00Z")
Yes,Colin is great!I like Molly Shannon’s joyologist.Some skits are good,some stink,you have to watch to find out. I think as long as Lorne Michaels is there,its good. ---
**Author:** ![MadPoet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/8c91f0/32.png) [@MadPoet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MadPoet)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2000, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-people-like-todays-snl/12701/16 "2000-01-12T17:07:00Z")
After seeing a skit with that Frasier guy entitled “Something Smells Good In Stinksville” I vowed to watch the show only if they had a guest such as Metallica or Drew Barrymore that would make the show worth watching on their own. I can’t think of this ever happening though. * * * [http://www.madpoet.com](http://www.madpoet.com) There’s a million fine looking women in the world, dude, but not all of them will bring you lasagna at work. Most just cheat on you. ---
**Author:** ![MadPoet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/8c91f0/32.png) [@MadPoet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MadPoet)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2000, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-people-like-todays-snl/12701/17 "2000-01-12T17:07:00Z")
After seeing a skit with that Frasier guy entitled “Something Smells Good In Stinksville” I vowed to watch the show only if they had a guest such as Metallica or Drew Barrymore that would make the show worth watching on their own. I can’t think of this ever happening though. * * * [http://www.madpoet.com](http://www.madpoet.com) There’s a million fine looking women in the world, dude, but not all of them will bring you lasagna at work. Most just cheat on you. ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2000, 1:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-people-like-todays-snl/12701/18 "2000-01-13T01:32:00Z")
Vestal Blue, I agree with you. SNL’s first 4 years were groundbreaking, and even after John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd quit, they were still more funny than not through the '79-'80 season. They came close to that level toward the end of 1981, when Michael O’Donohue came back briefly to write, but aside from Eddie Murphy, Dana Carvey, and Dennis Miller’s newscasts, the show had little to recommend. Lorne Michaels has become too safe, and Al Franken is too egotistical to know what’s funny. ## The original SNL was the only reason I had for owning a television. I no longer have one. “You needn’t think those gray hairs are any sign of wisdom; it’s only a sign that your system lacks iron. I advise you to go home and swallow a crowbar.” – Mark Twain