From: jeffy@cray.com (Jeffrey Neau)
Newsgroups: rec.arts.tv
Subject: Re: SNL Oct. 12 Review
Date: 12 Oct 92 18:24:23 GMT
Organization: Cray Research, Inc.

In article <1bc5tgINN6mb@usenet.INS.CWRU.Edu> cb366@cleveland.Freenet.Edu (Mark B. Bendiksen) writes:

>Opening skit, The Presidential Debate:
>
>Without a doubt the best bit in the show. The split
>screen was detectable but a good idea to utilize
>Dana Carvey as Bush and Perot.

I don't think they used split screen at all.  Every bit with Dana Carvey as
Perot was taped in advance.  When the 3 candidates walked out initially, I don't
think Dana Carvey was playing Perot (hard to tell because it was a wide shot)
but when they showed all three walking out, Perot was about one foot shorter
than Carvey's Bush (excuse me).  I'm pretty sure Carvey only played Perot in
the shot's where Bush wasn't seen.

Notice they screwed up once and played a Perot bit when Bush was speaking.

>Opening monologue, Sinead:
>
>Very well done. Why? Because even though you
>could tell Pesci was serious, he avoided being
>heavy-handed. He made his point very well, and
>received a standing ovation in the living room of
>this viewer.

SNL may have needed that after all the complaints.  Sinead may have actually
helped the show's ratings...


>The Pinky Ring Store:
>
>Interesting, but not hilarious. The skit seemed to be
>a throwback to the old days of sketch comedy (i.e. Red
>Skelton), but the format doesn't seem to work well
>today. Pesci was quite good, however.

This one started out interesting, got old fast, then suddenly got hilarious
at the end (When he was yelling 'F**K YOU' into the mirror)

>Weekend Update:
>
>Fast-paced and surprisingly brief. Even some funny
>news stories were included. Wow!

It threw me when he said "I'm Kevin Nealon, and here's our top story..."
Subtle things are funny to me.

>Single White Person:
>
>Well, I used to think that Pat was a character that should
>have been retired long ago. However, I think what should
>have been dropped are the skits which consist solely of
>people attempting to figure out what Pat is. Thankfully,
>that wasn't the focus of the sketch Saturday night, and the
>result was a weird and funny takeoff of _Single White
>Female_. Joe Pesci was very funny as the homosexual
>neighbor.

Melanie's character was actually a little different than the Jan Brady/Delta
Delta Delta/Tori Spelling motif.

>The Bank Robbers Sketch:
>
>Very, very funny! The consistent use of the dog commercial
>added a bit a amusing surrealism to an extremely 
>hilarious sketch. I really liked this one.....

They could have kept that going were the anchorman helped them get away.

>The Tough-Guys-on-the-Street Bit:
>
>The typical ho-hum SNL skit. Seemed like it was going
>to take off midway through, then it never did.

Least favorite skit.  Liked David Spade, though.

>The "Aren't you Joe Pesci" skit:
>
>Not really funny until De Niro and Scorsese showed up.
>That WAS a surprise (especially to see De Niro).

Usually fast forward through these.  Glad I watched this one.

>Still missing Mike Meyers. As I reported last week no one
>knows that date of his return except that it should be in
>"Calendar Year 1992." I hope it's soon. For the sake of
>SNL, I hope it's before Carvey leaves (presumably in
>November).

I hate how they have twice as many commercials as they used to.  Are they
starting a trend where they don't name somebody in the opening credits if they
don't appear on the show?  I don't remember them introducing Chris Farley last
week, but they did this week.