All Hail the Enthusiast
Not everyone understands why I love Jimmy Fallon so much but I don’t understand why they don’t understand. Not only is the dude a triple threat but he is so generous in his enthusiasm that people miss how clever he himself is. He’s a bright, unifying force of everything that actually works in mainstream entertainment, and his account of the SNL40 afterparty–at which he managed to get Elvis Costello, Debbie Harry, the B-52s, Taylor Swift, Paul McCartney and freaking Prince to jam–validates my love forever. (Let the record stand: My 2015 goal is to see The Tonight Show filmed live.)
The Very Special ‘SNL 40’ Special
Last night’s “Saturday Night Live 40th Anniversary Special” wasn’t the best of times. It wasn’t the worst of times, either–though, at various points during the three-and-a-half-hour show, it felt like the longest of times. For a program already teeming with forty years of talent, an awful lot of celebrity guests were booked; Steve Martin’s opening monologue was so jam-packed with star walk-ons (from Tom Hanks to Melissa McCarthy) that it resembled a “We Are the World” broadcast. But for one evening at least, long-simmering feuds and resentments were laid aside and – despite a few missteps – a fun time was had by all. Here’s the good, the bad, and the ugly.
The Sisterhood Is Powerful “Weekend Update”
Amy Poehler, Tina Fey, and Jane Curtin took over anchor duties, and they did not disappoint. Curtin had the best line: “I used to be the only pretty blonde reading fake news. Now there’s a whole station devoted to that.” And cue Fox News logo. Less successful was Emma Stone’s reprisal of the late Gilda Radner’s Roseanne Roseannadanna; imitation isn’t always the highest form of flattery. Also a little too close to the bone: McCarthy as the late Chris Farley’s motivational speaker Matt Foley. Yikes. Continue Reading →