Stupid or liar.
Comedian Adam Carolla poses the questions to sketchy politicians. Are they dumb enough to believe what they’re saying, or is it a calculated lie?
Simple. Powerful. Effective.
Stupid or liar. It always comes back to stupid or liar
— Adam Carolla (@adamcarolla) June 29, 2015
The podcaster’s maxim rushed to mind while processing a Hollywood Reporter interview with key “Saturday Night Live” players. The magazine interviewed show founder Lorne Michaels along with Weekend Update hosts Michael Che and Colin Jost.
Why now? It’s “SNL’s” 50th season, an impressive milestone for any TV program.
No show can maintain its level of excellence during that span. That applies to “SNL.” Quick, name the last time a show regular became a breakout movie star? How many modern “SNL” skits fueled feature-length comedies?
Even more damning? The show long ago lost its counter-culture cred. Its liberal bias isn’t just showing. It’s impossible to miss.
Michaels, Che and Jost discussed season 50, the show’s political reach and more in the dishonest interview. Why dishonest? The trio continues to insist the show is a bipartisan attack on sacred cows.
Reality doesn’t just suggest otherwise. It screams so. The show celebrates progressive power, lets fumbling Democrats skate and won’t defend free speech.
The THR reported pressed Che if the show still speaks “truth to power?” The question included a quip he made last season about President Joe Biden’s disconnect with Black Americans.
The crowd didn’t take kindly to the jab, a very rare “SNL” line that hit Biden hard.
I can’t agree with everything political that we’ve had on the show. And I’m sure there’s stuff I’ve written that’s made some castmembers bristle or some writers go, “What are we putting on? We can’t say that.” But we have to live with each other; we’re renting this space and trying to get this real estate for our ideas. So, there’s no one mission statement, I don’t believe, beyond funny is funny. Maybe Lorne has an idea of what he wants the identity to be.
Later, Che acknowledges how partisan political satire has become of late. He comically denies “SNL” joined that chorus, ignoring years of overt liberal bias.
… the show is not about being left leaning or right leaning or any leaning. It’s about seeing the truth and pointing out that the emperor is not wearing clothes. That’s what I like about comedy, so I’ll always go for those types of jokes.
Michaels similarly addresses the show’s political takes.
But if it feels like you’re talking to the audience and want to be supported because your values are the same as their values, you really shouldn’t be in comedy.
He’s right. And, apparently, his home lacks a single mirror. Later, Michaels digs a deeper hole for himself.
You can’t lecture the audience, which most of politics is now, people lecturing the audience. Ours is like, yeah, there are kind of idiots on both sides. And we’re not going to do anything that didn’t work at dress [rehearsal]. It has to play. It has to be comedy. We’re first and foremost a comedy show.
Does this look like a comedy show?
Or this?
"SNL" paid a heartfelt tribute to Obama by singing "To sir, with love" https://t.co/x0RgHcjqF6 pic.twitter.com/B23TtiFkck
— BuzzFeed (@BuzzFeed) January 22, 2017
“SNL” at 50 isn’t just a shell of its former self. It’s betrayed both the shows bipartisan roots and its founder’s public stance.
The only chance we’ll get to see “SNL” in its glory days comes on Oct. 11. That’s when director Jason Reitman’s “Saturday Night” hits theaters. The film captures the behind-the-scenes chaos from the show’s debut episode.
