In the midst of their seeming support for Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign, the good folks at NBC's "Saturday Night Live" appeared to advise Barack Obama last evening to do everything within his power to distance himself from Reverends Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton.
In an animated sketch entitled "The Obama Files," candidate Barack is seen hiding Jackson from the press by talking to him in a broom closet as he instructs the reverend to go abroad as a "special envoy" to what ends up being non-existent countries.
Later, Sharpton showed up complaining that Obama had sent him to East Paraguay (h/t Tim Graham):
It turns out there is no East Paraguay. That set me back a month...And Oprah wasn't there like you said she'd be.
As Sharpton's frustration builds about not being allowed to campaign for the junior senator from Illinois, Obama grants Al's wish, but fits the reverend with a "Pet Stop" collar that prevents Sharpton from getting anywhere near Obama when he's on the stump.
In the end, this was some pretty gutsy and hard-hitting satire pointed directly at two of the country's foremost civil rights leaders specifically suggesting that their presence in the Obama campaign would hinder the junior senator's chances of defeating Hillary Clinton.
Editor at Large
Comments Policy
It was funny but they forgot Farrakan
March 2, 2008 - 13:28 ET by Dee Bunkand Obama's own preacher. Those two should have been included also.
»→ Dee
March 2, 2008 - 14:15 ET by Cool ArrowI'm starting to get a little concerned here. Does Obama have something against people of . . . no! that's impossible.
♣ a seal
Cool - he could because he cozies up to Ted Kennedy and he's
March 2, 2008 - 14:38 ET by Dee BunkWhite. Ted Kennedy is the same in terms of divisiveness and he has no problem with him or other whities. Interesting. I Wonder if we'll see some Uncle Tom type cartoons like they do with Condi Rice.
»→ Gotta admit Dee
March 2, 2008 - 14:45 ET by Cool ArrowSharpton as the Cowardly lion is pretty darn funny.
Don't get me wrong, I'm not referring to the fact that, you know, lions are from Africa . . . and, you know like, Sharpton is like . . .
Wow, that cartoon is really deep isn't it.
♣ a seal
hmmmm
March 2, 2008 - 14:12 ET by bigpapasounds pretty racist to me...
"Foremost civil rights leaders"
March 2, 2008 - 15:41 ET by scamoramaShould have read, "most notorious un-indicted con artists".
Noel, I think civil rights
March 2, 2008 - 18:22 ET by motherbeltNoel, I think civil rights leaders should have had quotation marks around it......
LMAO...whoever did the
March 2, 2008 - 19:18 ET by bigtimerLMAO...whoever did the voices of Sharpton/Jackson were great...the obvious advice to Obama would be well to take.
Funny how the msm is hypocritical when need be with their quest for power again politically...of course hand in hand with the dem party...
....agenda driven...
Of course.
If Fox was doing this I wonder if they would be called for racism when it comes to the likes of Jackson/Sharpton put-down in this spoof...
So much hypocrisy here really.
I'm also to the point of I do not care what NBC is doing or who they are supporting, they are all the enemy to me anyway.
President Obama
March 2, 2008 - 22:04 ET by Hero SquadDon't forget, at the end of the Saturday TV Funhouse segment, they did a flash forward and referred to him as "President Obama." Just a comment that this is what Obama has to do to win, or is it a belief that the election is already a foregone conclusion.
Overall, I thought the episode wasn't too bad. I thought Hillary seemed a bit uncomfortable in her segment at the beginning of the show. Amy Poehler doing the "laugh" in front of her was pretty funny, though.
Thought Roger T. Shrub and other Stillers fans here would appreciate the end of the news segment when Seth Myers waved a terrible towel while it faded to commercial... no doubt a tribute to Myron Cope. Very, very subtle.
Ellen Page as the host... not really her element, I think. Her best moment was in the SNL Digital Short. That is consistently one of the best reasons to stay up and watch SNL.
*****
"People only insist that a debate stop when they are afraid of what might be learned if it continues." - George Will
Yeah I agree that Page was
March 2, 2008 - 22:20 ET by balboaYeah I agree that Page was not in her element. Looking forward to seeing what Amy Adams can do next week.
Will Forte's Brian Williams voice was great!
It wasn't "typical athlete
March 2, 2008 - 22:26 ET by Hero SquadIt wasn't "typical athlete host" bad, certainly (i.e. Nancy Kerrigan). I think it goes to show how tough it can be to pull off live TV, even if you are an Oscar-nominated actor. I think Michael Cera would've been a better choice from "Juno" to host. He'll get his chance soon enough.
*****
"People only insist that a debate stop when they are afraid of what might be learned if it continues." - George Will
Yup, not as bad as Kerrigan,
March 2, 2008 - 22:43 ET by balboaYup, not as bad as Kerrigan, or Gretzky. Some actors aren't great in live comedy. Cera actually hosted an "episode" of SNL that the cast did at the UCB theater during the writer's strike. Had a musical guest and everything.
Yeah, that would've been a
March 3, 2008 - 09:35 ET by Hero SquadYeah, that would've been a great show to see... that's why I'm hoping they give him a live gig sometime soon.
*****
"People only insist that a debate stop when they are afraid of what might be learned if it continues." - George Will
I think that is pretty good advice for Obama, actually.
March 2, 2008 - 22:52 ET by R D HelmThe farther away he stays from those two throwbacks, the better it will be for him.
John McCain is a liberal. He said so himself.
Russert: But who is this
March 3, 2008 - 12:06 ET by Hero SquadRussert: But who is this man? What is his name?
Clinton: Uh, Med... Medyev...
Russert: Dmitry Medvedev. Senator Obama, same question.
Obama: Dmitry Medvedev.
Russert: Correct!
*****
"People only insist that a debate stop when they are afraid of what might be learned if it continues." - George Will