I stopped watching SNL years ago, because . . . well, because it’s thirty-five different kinds of sucks.
So I missed the whole Ashlee Simpson thing, until I read about it at daypop or blogdex or something earlier today. The Internets are abuzz with people slamming Ashlee Simpson, but I don’t think that’s the real story. I mean, anyone who is surprised that Ashlee Simpson would be lip synching on SNL (or any other time, really) would probably be surprised to learn that the dinosaurs in Jurassic Park were fake.
(I hope I didn’t ruin Jurassic Park for anyone . . . but if I did, the secret is to bang the rocks together, guys.)
The real story, if you ask me, is more about SNL, and how it traded Andy Kaufman for Andy Dick. The real microscope shouldn’t be focused on Ashlee Vanilee Simpson, but should be focused on SNL, which used to be a reliable source of biting commentary and satire, but is now just another predictable, corporate, unimaginative stop on the flavor of the month’s publicity tour.
Tony Pierce, who keeps one of the greatest blogs on the planet, nailed the demise of SNL perfectly:
saturday night live used to be counterculture. it used to be punk rock. but it hasn’t been punk rock in decades and the other night night just put the last nail in your coffin. and good riddance i say. you are the establishment. you should do your lame open, show the cartoon, do weekend update, show the band, and get off the shitter. but you hate us. thats why you keep doing all this bad tv.
i know you hate us because you hired ashlee. thats not love. the highlight of most of the episodes of snl used to be the musical guests.
david bowie singing in a sarcophagus.
i remember the stones being on there, the dead, the replacements.
why don’t you take what happened saturday night as a hint that your show has jumped the shark. that you’re too old that you don’t care any more what is counterculture to america and the best way to realize that is by having jude law host and ashlee simpson “sing”.
Bingo, Tony.
B-I-N-G-fucking-O.
afterthought: I wasn’t clear when I posted this last night: If I had declared that the show was a pile without having watched it at all for years, I would have earned a special “asshat” badge. When I said that I haven’t watched SNL in years, what I meant was I haven’t gotten in front of the TV every Saturday night at 11:35 pm and stayed there until 1 am, rocking with laughter at the show. What I meant was, there used to be a time when something big would happen in the news, and I’d turn to my friend Dave and say, “Man, I can’t wait to see what SNL does with this!” What I meant was, several times over the last few years, I’ve tuned in for at least the first 15 minutes (where they usually put their strongest material), and I’ve found it to be the opposite of funny, clever, or entertaining. But that’s just my opinion, and if you :heart: the show, I’m not going to argue with you about it. Finally, I am certain that the writers and actors on SNL are all talented, dedicated people who work as hard as they can to produce a great show, but it sure seems like the network won’t let them push the limits like they once did. That is what I meant by corporate and unimaginative.
And I know that Tony Pierce has said some unkind things about me in the past. He’s still a great blogger, and everyone should still read his site. If you doubt me, check out his photo essays. They’re incredible.
Okay. Now go watch Kids In The Hall. Seriously.
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Gotta agree w/your assessment of the present Andy Dick. But if you watch the Ben Stiller Show, now out on DVD, I hope you’ll agree that A.D. used to have–and use–a hell of a lot of hilarious talent. It’s a tragedy it all seems to have been spent or wasted at this point.
(Bob Odenkirk of course also was wonderful on this, but comes into much higher heights of greatness on the later but also long-ago cancelled Mr. Show).
I like it that people call you Mister Wheaton.
Hi Wil. Hey! Look! Bunny’s here.
I agree and I believe everyone else that has seen SNL before 2000 would agree. This is SNL at it’s worst. Worse than 1980. Yes I saw your name in GTA Mr. Weaton. Hey is your buddy Keith Coogan still alive? 1987 was all about Coogan.
All good things must come to an end. It is just lucky that Kids in the Hall ended before they, too, started sucking in 35 different ways.
Try it NOW!
If all of us (myself included) gave up on SNL 15 years ago, how is it that it can still be on the air?
Why did they have to take away Arrested Development?
Ah, Saturday Night Live. Being an old git, I can actually remember watching Dan Ackroyd, Gilda Radner, John Belushi, Jane Curtain, et al, many years ago, and actually, for a long time after, the show was still pretty funny. But these days, if I tune in at all, I just feel like it is oh so lame, and it doesn’t matter which celeb or band is on. The sketches just suck. So do heed Wil’s advice, and make sure to watch re-runs of Kids in the Hall (I do hope they don’t censor them too much in the U.S., I heard they did.). Vive Scott Thompson!
LMAO @ more cowbell…. exactly right. 😛
i agree totally, SNL used to have genii like Andy Kaufman and now it’s ashlee simpson…lip syncing or not that is a major downgrade.
In the 70s, Anne Beatts, who was one of the writers on SNL, said, “You can only be avant garde for so long before you become garde.”
She was right.
I have hated many singers in my life, like britney spears and christina aguliera and hillary duff(gag!) but i havent hated a singer more than i have Ashlee Simpson.When i heard her on SNL, i just laughed and was like, well, people were fools to like her in the first place, but when i heard a clip on the radio of her at the orange bowl i was litterelly covering my ears! now everything fell into place for me.i was like, no wonder she lip-synched on SNL, not that it gives her an excuse anyways. I hated her then, and i hate her even more now! I think people are giving her credit she just really doesnt deserve.Avril Lavigne and Billy Talent rock, but deffinetly NOT Ashlee.And heres a little tip for all the people who hire her : if u want people to actually stay, thers no way in hell ur gonna succeed if u hire her! there would be nothin sweeter than to see that little sell out fall on her ass! Ashlee, give it up, ur fifteen minutes of fame are OVER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I have hated many singers in my life, like britney spears and christina aguliera and hillary duff(gag!) but i havent hated a singer more than i have Ashlee Simpson.When i heard her on SNL, i just laughed and was like, well, people were fools to like her in the first place, but when i heard a clip on the radio of her at the orange bowl i was litterelly covering my ears! now everything fell into place for me.i was like, no wonder she lip-synched on SNL, not that it gives her an excuse anyways. I hated her then, and i hate her even more now! I think people are giving her credit she just really doesnt deserve.Avril Lavigne and Billy Talent rock, but deffinetly NOT Ashlee.And heres a little tip for all the people who hire her : if u want people to actually stay, thers no way in hell ur gonna succeed if u hire her! there would be nothin sweeter than to see that little sell out fall on her ass! Ashlee, give it up, ur fifteen minutes of fame are OVER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!