# Never thought I'd pit SNL (probably lame but I must vent) **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [October 5, 2003, 8:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/never-thought-id-pit-snl-probably-lame-but-i-must-vent/205687 "2003-10-05T08:25:21Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Otto)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2003, 11:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/never-thought-id-pit-snl-probably-lame-but-i-must-vent/205687/41 "2003-10-05T23:48:30Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by aryk29 \* > \*\*And if one more person calls me arky I’m going to change my username. A little slip now and then is no big deal but enough is enough you guys! :mad: \*\* [Sgt Hulka] Lighten up **Francis**! [/Sgt Hulka] ---
**Author:** ![Biggirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biggirl/32/3294_2.png) [@Biggirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biggirl)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2003, 11:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/never-thought-id-pit-snl-probably-lame-but-i-must-vent/205687/42 "2003-10-05T23:59:55Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by aryk29 \* > \*\* > > And if one more person calls me arky I’m going to change my username. A little slip now and then is no big deal but enough is enough you guys! :mad: \*\* But your name _is_ **arky**. Well, since you asked so nicely I will not call you arky, **Smegbot** ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2003, 12:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/never-thought-id-pit-snl-probably-lame-but-i-must-vent/205687/43 "2003-10-06T00:04:48Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by aryk29 \* > \*\*Calling me something you heard about through David Icke after flaming me over something I heard about on Coast To Coast with George Noory? > > You are a hypocrite. \*\* And you, sir, are a cheese danish. ---
**Author:** ![umop\_ap\_sdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/dbc845/32.png) [@umop\_ap\_sdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/umop_ap_sdn)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2003, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/never-thought-id-pit-snl-probably-lame-but-i-must-vent/205687/44 "2003-10-06T00:46:53Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Biggirl \* > \*\*But your name _is_ **arky**. \*\* The origin of my username is explained [here](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=210677&perpage=40&pagenumber=4). > [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Miller \* > \*\*And you, sir, are a cheese danish. \*\* I heard jelly donut. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![World\_Eater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f04885/32.png) [@World\_Eater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/World_Eater)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2003, 1:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/never-thought-id-pit-snl-probably-lame-but-i-must-vent/205687/45 "2003-10-06T01:21:45Z")
If you think JB looks like Meatloaf, put the pipe down and back away slowly. ---
**Author:** ![Trigonal\_Planar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/0ea827/32.png) [@Trigonal\_Planar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trigonal_Planar)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2003, 2:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/never-thought-id-pit-snl-probably-lame-but-i-must-vent/205687/46 "2003-10-06T02:53:17Z")
I have to agree with the OP. Jack Black is not funny. He’s just annoying and loud. Okay, I’ll admit he’s good when he does musical skits (like the telemarketer sketch at the end) but he should stick to that. And why the hell do so many people like plain Jane John Mayer??? There’s absolutely nothing memorable about his music; its just your generic country/pop easy listening. ---
**Author:** ![Baldwin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baldwin/32/7264_2.png) [@Baldwin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baldwin)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2003, 4:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/never-thought-id-pit-snl-probably-lame-but-i-must-vent/205687/47 "2003-10-06T04:16:52Z")
I like Jack Black, but he’s no John Belushi. It amazes me to think that SNL is older than some of its performers. When I saw the first show, hosted by George Carlin, I didn’t expect it to last long; now it’s been 28 years. Which brings up the question: does everybody connected with the show have the ability to do simple arithmetic? The show premiered in the Fall of 1975. In the Fall of 1999, they had their 25th anniversary show. How did that happen? ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2003, 4:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/never-thought-id-pit-snl-probably-lame-but-i-must-vent/205687/48 "2003-10-06T04:44:05Z")
> [@](#): > > Well, if anyone doesn’t understand the appeal of Jack Black, then I direct them to his performance in the movie _High Fidelity_. He was very funny in _High Fidelity_, and convinced me he had some talent. I’m starting to think that was a product of good writing more than anything else. I guess people always love the hyperactive fatass. “Why” absolutely befuddles me. I found Chris Farley incredibly unfunny, and since he quit/died, SNL has always had at least one fat guy on to try and replace him. Farley was always a poor man’s Belushi - even the way he DIED was a ripoff of Belushi. I rest my case. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Nutty\_Bunny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/d07c76/32.png) [@Nutty\_Bunny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nutty_Bunny)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2003, 4:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/never-thought-id-pit-snl-probably-lame-but-i-must-vent/205687/49 "2003-10-06T04:46:15Z")
When I find out Jack Black is going to be on any show, I always look forward to it because you never know what he’ll do. Whenever there’s a musical number, it’s hilarious. But some of the other, non-musical stuff he does (like MTV’s Diary, for instance) leaves me with my head cocked like a confused dog. I agree with **Miller** that his role in _High Fidelity_ was great. I think I enjoyed it for the simple fact that it was like watching my brother on the screen. He’s a music snob. He has the same mannerisms (scary, eh?) and the unusual excitement about things like making the perfect mix tape for the right moment. Jack Black (even aside from that role) is an only slightly amped-up version of my brother. Oh, and he also says “sucks ass” a lot. About last night’s show: I totally predicted the Arnold thing–who didn’t? I also knew it would suck. Boring and a terrible impression of him. I expected better of Darrell Hammond last night. He does a great Chris Matthews and Bill Clinton. Oh well. ---
**Author:** ![SPOOFE](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c5a1d2/32.png) [@SPOOFE](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SPOOFE)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2003, 4:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/never-thought-id-pit-snl-probably-lame-but-i-must-vent/205687/50 "2003-10-06T04:58:27Z")
> [@](#): > > Well let’s get to the bottom of it then, what the hell makes him so funny? I got seven words for ya: Don’t. Stick. Your. Dick. In. These. Holes. ---
**Author:** ![El\_Cid\_Viscoso](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/41988e/32.png) [@El\_Cid\_Viscoso](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_Cid_Viscoso)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2003, 6:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/never-thought-id-pit-snl-probably-lame-but-i-must-vent/205687/51 "2003-10-06T06:14:51Z")
> [@](#): > > Well let’s get to the bottom of it then, what the hell makes him so funny? I was a Jack Black loather prior to one crystallizing event: the Conan O’Brien 10-year tribute show. Black’s got stage presence (despite the fact that he’s doughy and honestly looks like he’s been playing D&D for 14 years straight), and is actually a talented musician. I don’t know how much of him I can stand in a feature – _Shallow Hal_ was putrid – but in small doses he’s a good guy. Wish I’d seen the SNL. ---
**Author:** ![CanvasShoes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/74df32/32.png) [@CanvasShoes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CanvasShoes)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2003, 6:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/never-thought-id-pit-snl-probably-lame-but-i-must-vent/205687/52 "2003-10-06T06:26:33Z")
SNL ceased being even marginally entertaining in the 80s. It currently most resembles the disjointed skits that preteen boys might make up while smoking stolen cigs and drinking warm beer (swiped when dad wasn’t looking), out behind the barn. Of course, I’m not at all surprised by that given the entertainment industry’s lack of integrity/originality/work ethic. ---
**Author:** ![blowero](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/41988e/32.png) [@blowero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blowero)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2003, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/never-thought-id-pit-snl-probably-lame-but-i-must-vent/205687/53 "2003-10-06T17:57:54Z")
Sorry, I just don’t get Jack Black, although I have to admit the “bass-off” sketch he did with Will Ferrell on a previous episode was pretty funny. SNL is a shadow of its former self, but I still watch it out of habit. I thought the opening Schwartzenegger bit was hilarious, though. BTW, I notice a lot of people claiming that SNL was SO GREAT in the 70s, and sucked after that. Well, you can still catch repeats of it from the 70s, and believe me - they had plenty of stinker sketches. And remember how they used to pan the camera to an audience member and put a “clever” message at the bottom of the screen. My God, that was lame! I think they finally realized how lame it was, because they eventually just stopped doing it. IMO, the show peaked in the 80s & 90s. ---
**Author:** ![Rube\_E.Tewesday](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f0a364/32.png) [@Rube\_E.Tewesday](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rube_E.Tewesday)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2003, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/never-thought-id-pit-snl-probably-lame-but-i-must-vent/205687/54 "2003-10-06T18:14:07Z")
I think that for just about everybody, the time when SNL started going down hill was about the time that staying up past midnight and smoking reefer with your buddies stopped being a big deal. ---
**Author:** ![Bruce\_Daddy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/85f322/32.png) [@Bruce\_Daddy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bruce_Daddy)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2003, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/never-thought-id-pit-snl-probably-lame-but-i-must-vent/205687/55 "2003-10-06T18:20:57Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Snooooopy \* > I liked the sketch from his first time around where he played the monstrous creature who requested that the townsfolk offer up **honry sluts** as sacrifices instead of virgins. I love me them honry sluts. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![emulsified](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/emulsified/32/2915_2.png) [@emulsified](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/emulsified)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2003, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/never-thought-id-pit-snl-probably-lame-but-i-must-vent/205687/56 "2003-10-06T18:33:30Z")
> [@](#): > > Joel writted: > What about Kyle Gass??? Nobody even cares about him, do they!!! Kyle did make an appearance at the beginning. While Jack was running around singing, he runs into Kyle backstage and Jack Black autographs his guitar as if he were some unknown groupie. I like Jack Black. Where do I sign up for this SS group? (However the show itself made me say meh. And am I the only one who thinks that at this point even John Belushi himself–if he were alive today–wouldn’t live up to some people’s memory of John Belushi?) ---
**Author:** ![fruitbat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/58f4c7/32.png) [@fruitbat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fruitbat)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2003, 11:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/never-thought-id-pit-snl-probably-lame-but-i-must-vent/205687/57 "2003-10-06T23:01:50Z")
I am now thirty years old. I started watching SNL when I was fourteen. For sixteen years I have heard how the show is going steadily downhill. It must be a really slow descent. I actually think that Tina Fey and Jimmy Fallon are reasonably funny. There have been times when it truly stunk, but the producers seem to do a decent job of fixing what’s broken and keeping the show funny. For instance, I would rank the fairly recent Celebrity Jeopardy skits as the funniest in SNL history. ---
**Author:** ![Mr\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9dc877/32.png) [@Mr\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr_Jim)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2003, 11:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/never-thought-id-pit-snl-probably-lame-but-i-must-vent/205687/58 "2003-10-06T23:28:35Z")
I think the cast is too big. They need to trim it down to a more tightnit group: Jimmy, Amy, Horatio, Tina, Rachel, Maya, Seth (Yeah, yeah we could fight about that all day 😉 ). Next do more current event type sketches. My favourite sketch from last year was from an article in US weekly: a britney/justin dance off. Thirdly, write, um, funnier stuff…lol. I dunno much about their writers but they need some fresh meat in there! ---
**Author:** ![umop\_ap\_sdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/dbc845/32.png) [@umop\_ap\_sdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/umop_ap_sdn)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2003, 12:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/never-thought-id-pit-snl-probably-lame-but-i-must-vent/205687/59 "2003-10-07T00:20:41Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Rube E. Tewesday \* > \*\*I think that for just about everybody, the time when SNL started going down hill was about the time that staying up past midnight and smoking reefer with your buddies stopped being a big deal. \*\* I’ve noticed it’s funnier if I have someone to watch it with & we all have a little to drink. 🙂 > [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by fruitbat \* > \*\*I actually think that Tina Fey and Jimmy Fallon are reasonably funny. There have been times when it truly stunk, but the producers seem to do a decent job of fixing what’s broken and keeping the show funny. For instance, I would rank the fairly recent Celebrity Jeopardy skits as the funniest in SNL history. \*\* Oh yeah, the chardonnay = hard on bit. And the bit where Jimmy Fallon is supposed to say Tigger but they have “technical difficulties”. Instant classic. ---
**Author:** ![imthjckaz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/imthjckaz/32/3223_2.png) [@imthjckaz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/imthjckaz)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2003, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/never-thought-id-pit-snl-probably-lame-but-i-must-vent/205687/60 "2003-10-07T00:27:38Z")
I like Jack Black too. The only other thing I’d like to add is, Tina Fey…RAWR! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/never-thought-id-pit-snl-probably-lame-but-i-must-vent/205687.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/never-thought-id-pit-snl-probably-lame-but-i-must-vent/205687.md?page=4)