I just tuned in a few minutes ago, but that carpooling sketch was hilarious! How was the opening?
Missed the opening. Man, what a slate of guest cameos! Guess they’re tired of all the “This season blows!” remarks.
I could not stop laughing during the carpooling sketch.
I missed the opening as well but I caught all of Christina Aguilera’s performances. I particularly enjoyed her last performance of the evening with Tony Bennett. She really has a killer voice and I like her style.
“Bobby McFerrin raped my grandmother.”
I agree – she sounded and looked good, as did Tony, though their duet felt a little off to me – I think each of them could have done it better as a solo.
I’m not super familiar with American politics, but wasn’t that the actual Nancy Pelosi in the opening sketch?
Never mind; I’m kind of stupid right now. But I’ll also endorse the carpool sketch. Damn that Bobby McFerrin.
That was one of the better episodes I’ve seen in a while. “I… WAS IN… SCHWETTY… BALLS!” had me chuckling.
The carpooling sketch was great. I also enjoyed the out-of-breath jogger from 1992. “Crystal Pepsi!”
I’m pretty sure that was Kristen Wiig. Also, Christina Aguilera raped my grandmother.
This one was the best I’ve seen for years. (Well actually, I gave up watching for years as well, but anyway the best in the last 2 years and the best I’ve seen for ages.)
I agree on the carpooling sketch. The Tony Bennet Show was great too. The real Tony Bennet really seemed to enjoy it. And to have him use the punch line from the old joke – “I left my harp in Sam Fran’s Disco,” brilliant! I wonder what happened to the real writers.
What happened to allow them to get Steve artin, Martin Short and Paul Simon, oops, Paul McCartney together for a sketch?
Any appearance by Alec Baldwin pretty much guarantees some hilarity.
Did Paul McCartney recently have a stroke? Why did it seem like he was physically frail? Or was it just an affectation?
Opening sketch, with “Nancy Pelosi”:
… We are not hostile to religion. Whether you are a Wiccan priestess, a Druid, worship the fire god Moloki, a Presbyterian, or are a follower of Kali, the Democratic party is not your enemy …
Brian
And in Pelosi’s office, it’s perfectly okay to have a bondage guy and his sex slave/human ashtray, as long as there is no smoking of anything but pot. 
We used to have a rule of thumb that you could safely turn off the show after Weekend Update without missing anything important, since all of the best stuff went in the first half-hour, but in this case you’d miss Tony Bennett. The carpool sketch was funny and I though there were a couple of pretty good jokes during Weekend Update.
Finally a funny episode- only Andy Samberg’s bits were completely devoid of laughs, as usual. Alec Baldwin is always great- if 30 Rock doesn’t pan out, they should make him a cast member. Kirsten Wiig is damn amazing- does anyone impersonate older women better than her, ever? Her bit as Amy Poehler’s aunt was hilarious, as was the carpool bit.
“Palomino. Palomino!”
Best episode I’ve seen in years. I’m afraid it’s only because of Alec Baldwin though.
I was disappointed she didn’t mention Satanists but then I realized nothing could tempt them away from the Republicans.
/OT cheap shot of the day.
So I actually missed a good episode? I gave up after they managed to be unfunny with Hugh Laurie hosting, a few weeks ago.
I agree with you on Samberg. The “out-of-breath jogger from 1992” just reeks of “My God, we’ve got another two minutes to fill” desperation.
Kirsten Wiig, on the other hand, seems like she could be a good straight actress. She can deliver a line, she was great as Pelosi in the cold open (a brilliantly written bit). But when she gets to do one of her “characters” the show turns into everything I hate about Mad TV. When she did the aunt, the show’s momentum just stopped.
There was very little about this show that didn’t work: 1. Saddam meeting his lawyers; 2. Pohler’s “aunt” (sorry, Wee Bairn); 3. the afore-mentioned 1992 jogger bit; 4. Baldwin’s lounge-lizard bit (a classic 12:45 skit), though I loved the Maya and Fred’s take on the Mosquitos.