SNL Rips Romney, Depicts Him Firing Everything - Even Food - in South Carolina Diner
It wasn't only the press that completely misunderstood and therefore misrepresented Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney's claim this week that he likes being able to fire people.
NBC's Saturday Night Live actually began Saturday's show with a sketch depicting the former Massachusetts governor trying to fire everything - including the food! - at a South Carolina diner (video follows with transcribed highlights and commentary):
The show opened with Jason Sudeikis as Romney, "Speaking to you from Jim-Bob's Kitchen, a really fantastic diner outside of Aikens, South Carolina."
Sudeikis played Romney as a cold, stiff, almost robotic character with little in common with regular folks. That was made clearly evident when Sudeikis mentioned "tomorrow's" Broncos-Patriots game. Of course, it was to be played "tonight."
Sudeikis then tried to explain Romney's comment earlier in the week about liking to be able to fire people.
"It's like when you've been raking leaves outside and your t-shirt is a little clammy," said Sudeikis. "You go inside and fire it - replacing it with a dry t-shirt, or no t-shirt at all. It's like that."
Sudeikis then shook hands with his waitress and guessed that she was 31 years old. "I'm nineteen," she said.
"Close enough," responded Sudeikis with a wink to the camera.
He then ordered two eggs "laid off." Of course, he meant "over easy." When told they came with bacon, Sudeikis said, "Let's throw the bacon out of work and can I replace it with sausage?"
When the waitress said he could, Sudeikis asked, "Can I replace the bacon with sausage but pay half the price for the sausage I would have paid for the bacon?" She told him it's the same amount. "I just thought I'd ask," responded Sudeikis with another wink to the camera.
"It also comes with toast," said the waitress.
"I don't care for toast, so I'd like to see the toast lose its job, without notice if possible," replied Sudeikis. "Can I have an English muffin instead?"
When told he could, Sudeikis asked, "Can the English muffin be hired on a temporary basis, meaning that if I'm not hungry enough to eat it, I don't have to pay?"
That was fine with the waitress who then asked if he wanted coffee. "No coffee, I'd like some orange juice," he said. "Is it freshly strangled?"
"You mean fresh squeezed," said the waitress.
When she left, Sudeikis said, "She's a nice girl. I'd like to be able to fire her."
The sketch concluded with Sudeikis saying, "Well, I've really enjoyed this time we've spent together, and I think you'll agree that I've come across as genuine and warm."
Obviously not, and that was the point.
Good, clean, albeit not very funny satire? Sure.
But the image left with the viewer is an almost inhuman candidate willing to fire anything if it makes and/or saves him money.
In an era of high unemployment and a movement depicting everyone on Wall Street as greedy, heartless pigs, such an appearance could be deadly, especially as the President and his surrogates will be campaigning against the so-called one percenters.
Anything that helps foster this image of Romney greatly benefits the White House. Sudeikis and the folks at SNL showed Saturday they're willing to do their part.
It just seems that if they're going to act as sycophants, at least they could come up with better material that evoked the occasional laugh or giggle.
Just saying.
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Comments
SN(un)L
Submitted by mcherr on Sun, 01/15/2012 - 10:31am.
has been lame for decades.
i heard Herman Cain come to
Submitted by ricklail on Sun, 01/15/2012 - 10:31am.
i heard Herman Cain come to the defense of Romney the other day on Neal Boortz's show. What he said made sense; a lot more than Romney's opponents are making . He may have the interview up next week on his site.
I saw this, comedy should
Submitted by ant on Sun, 01/15/2012 - 10:36am.
I saw this, comedy should have some element of truth in it to be funny. This doesn't and isn't. SNL just opened up with a Santorum bit last week, with all the nuggets of comedy within the Democratic Party and SNL never touches it. The Obama's appear on tv on everything from iCarly to the Superbowl and these writers couldn't think of a bit for that? Maybe have them show up on Family Feud, or Hoarders, or Scared Straight....something.
I fail to see the funny.
Submitted by The Vet on Sun, 01/15/2012 - 10:52am.
Mr. Romney: I want individuals to have their own insurance. That means the insurance company will have an incentive to keep you healthy. It also means if you don't like what they do, you can fire them. I like being able to fire people who provide services to me. You know, if someone doesn't give me a good service that I need, I want to say I'm going to go get someone else to provide that service to me.
I can't fire the Post Office. I can't fire public schools. I can't fire the Social Security Admin. Even if I break the relationship, my taxes would still be going to them. And the same goes with medical insurance. Uncle Sam is walking down that road to providing that service with Obamacare.
The Office of Management and Budget has calculated that about half of all federal employees perform tasks that are not "inherently governmental." The Bush administration had attempted to contract some of those activities to outside vendors, but such "competitive sourcing" is not privatization. Privatization makes an activity entirely private, taking it completely off of the government's books. That allows for greater innovation and prevents corruption, which is a serious pitfall of government contracting.
So half of all federal employees provide services that rightly should be provided by private companies. Currently. The man was correct in his statement and it is always funny making fun of people that are right. Yeah, I don't see the funny there. Sorry.
Wait. I think I see the funny.
Submitted by The Vet on Sun, 01/15/2012 - 11:23am.
My current cell phone is old, the battery is shot, and I have dropped it a few times so I really need to replace it. My cell phone plan with my current wireless provider expired long ago. So I am free to shop around. What with my raging alcoholism and bad habit of borrowing money and not paying it back, I really don't use the cell phone all that much. I have no friends and most of my family are suing me. I don't need any web services. I don't text. I can read a map. I already have an mp3 player. All I need is a basic cell phone that provides the ability to place a voice call so my wife will be able to call the bar a few times a week and beg me to come home.
When I visit the website of my current provider, I have the choice of 3 phones all priced around $250 with all the functions I really don't need and actively disdain. A competitor's website lists quite a few phones with basic functions only that are priced between $50 and $80. Free if I sign a 2 year plan.
Now supposing the government were to be providing wireless services, my options would be 3 phones. One priced at $279, one priced at $270. and one priced at $269. And my monthly fee would be rising at inflation plus 1%.
Hey, that is funny and I should be mocked for wanting to be able to shop around.
Is this piece of garbage STILL on the air???????
Submitted by BBallleaper on Sun, 01/15/2012 - 10:59am.
Holy Crap! Who in their right mind would watch this drivel?
SNL
Submitted by truckinmann on Sun, 01/15/2012 - 11:07am.
SNL stopped being funny back in the late 70's. Their writers have a one track (and it's the left track) mind, and their skits are just not funny anymore. Every now and then I will try to watch them again to see if they've regained some of their old flair for humor, but they never do, and probably never will.
SNL
Submitted by NVRAT on Sun, 01/15/2012 - 11:15am.
You mean that show is still on TV. I gave up watching it way back in the ...O`well, whenever it started. Even my children would not watch it, said it was stupid and ridiculous. Guess nothing has changed.
I wonder
Submitted by HockeyKid on Sun, 01/15/2012 - 11:29am.
when they'll do a sketch of "shopping at B.H. Obama's", where everybody waits in line to see if they'll be allowed to buy a pacemaker, a knee replacement, etc. They could have Moochelle at the Customer Info desk, responding angrily to every question with the same comment about how proud she is to be an American now that everyone is forced to shop at B.H.O's.
Now THAT would be funny. Or at least true.
"Beauty is only skin deep, but liberal's to the bone." - me
Remember the good old days?
Submitted by Newsbubba on Sun, 01/15/2012 - 12:39pm.
Comedians used to be able to poke fun at pompous politicians in BOTH parties, and bring them down to earth for a short period of time.
Now, they can find nothing to satirize about a liberal, only the conservatives.
Where are Will Rogers, Bob Hope, etc, when you need them?
That was a pretty good jab at Romney, who does tend to be stuffy and plastic. I could write a skit about Da One, and I'm not even a comedy writer! You'd think one of the idiot writers on SNL would have a clue.
How funny would it be to have a skit about a debate between the two robots, Obama and Romney, played by R2D2, and C3PO?
The Dark Ages for SNL..
Submitted by krendler on Sun, 01/15/2012 - 12:41pm.
It has its peaks and valleys. The past few years have been bottom of the barrel. Bad writers and no one on the cast is anywhere near the level of an Aykroyd, Hartman, Ferrell, or Belushi.
OT: Speaking of bottom of the barrel, anyone see Gregory's oh-so-gentle interview of Harry Reid this morning? Stunning contrast with how he goes after anyone with an R by their name (e.g., constantly interrupting, raising his voice, regurgitating the opposing side's talking points, etc). Gregory's tone was almost apologetic any time he *had* to ask Reid a mildly difficult question (most questions were veiled attacks on conservatives, teeing up Harry). It was as if he were embarrassed to have to ask it. Very gentle, soft tone of voice, like he was conversing with his grandmother in the home. Never interrupted Reid. Allowed Reid to ramble on and repeat the phrase "obstructionism on steroids" about 12 or 13 times.
Gregory did note at the outset that Reid very rarely granted interviews. It's clear why. The guy is either senile, not very bright to begin with, or both. Staggering that the Dems chose him to be their LEADER in the senate.
What a contrast to someone like Boehner or Paul Ryan sitting in the chair across from Gregory.
They want another Tina Fey /
Submitted by Kevpot on Sun, 01/15/2012 - 1:07pm.
They want another Tina Fey / Palin moment. The lefty media so loved their bashing of Palin that SNL has started to believe they are a major player for the left. So they try to make political points instead of comedy. They know Palin never said, "I can see Russia from my house", and they know Romney never said he enjoys firing people in the context they used. But repeat a lie often enough...It's really easy when your demographic is dope smoking kids in their 20's who can't find their own state on a map.
IF
Submitted by HockeyKid on Sun, 01/15/2012 - 3:03pm.
laughter is the best medicine, it's no wonder New York thinks they need Obamacare--they have SNL.
"Beauty is only skin deep, but liberal's to the bone." - me
Perception vs Reality
Submitted by America47000 on Sun, 01/15/2012 - 6:17pm.
Whatever Romney's context, the ability to fire people is the essence of freedom. Supporting deadbeats who can't carry their own weight is the essence of the Democrat party.
I figured theyd get around to dissing Romney eventually,,
Submitted by NJRightWinger12 on Sun, 01/15/2012 - 6:56pm.
Havent seen the ep yet, but was only a matter of time. Once they ridicule and eliminate all the other candidates, he'll be next, and we'll get a 10 month barrage of insults and put-downs for whomever the Republican will be.
As long as lame-assed Armisen doesnt "do" his O'Bozo, Im fine with that!