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SHOULD SNL CUT DOWN ON SOME SKITS AND REPLACE THEM WITH STANDUP COMEDY ROUTINES?

[+] ballot by Counciltucky
ACTIVE Sat Oct 22, 05 - Thu Jul 17, 08

Look, SNL isn't anywhere near as good as it's been in previous years. I can go an entire episode without laughing. The skits just aren't funny anymore, and it seems that the last half-hour of the show absolutely sucks.

There are several extremely talented comedians out there on the verge of stardom who, given a network audience stage, could really make it big. Mike Birbiglia and Todd Barry are two examples that I can think of off the top of my head.

Why not cut out a couple of skits per episode and allot 10 minutes or so each episode to an up-and-coming comedian? It would benefit both the comedian and the show, as the standup routine would most likely be funnier than whatever skits it'd replace.

SNL used to do this in the early days, namely with George Carlin, and while he was big at the time it shows that it's not a concept that would ruin the integrity or history of SNL. Hell, if anything it'd save it.

Your thoughts?

Do you think SNL would be wise to try this?

Yes -- it'd be a breath of fresh air.

No -- I like the skits as is.

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^and not some big cultural differences

entered by : larrynelmira
Submitted on : Oct 23,2005 11:19:32 am

COMMENTS

The skits are what make it different and funny. Get better writers maybe. Hey! Make a petition!

by FiddleFaddleOnLSD on Sun Oct 23, 05 12:40am [+]

I would definitely support that. Some of the skits are really stupid.

And there are a lot of really good comedians who could use the break. Although I think that would make it less attractive to the members of the cast because they would have less air time.

Alternatively I think the music act is weak. Forget that and put comedians on.

by inter_regnum on Sun Oct 23, 05 12:41am [+]

^True -- that said, it adds a little flavor to the show and breaks up the skit-ads-skit-ads-skit-ads monotony. They need A LOT better music.

by Counciltucky on Sun Oct 23, 05 1:53am [+]

What you don't like the talentless Asslee Simpson.

I like ho-down dancing.

by inter_regnum on Sun Oct 23, 05 2:14am [+]

Looks like SNL might have listened to you and came up with a compromise.

They had some lame skit about a blind prop comic interrupt the news part which is total shit now. Amy Poehler is NOT funny. And she is ugly too.

by inter_regnum on Sun Oct 23, 05 3:24am [+]

I havn't watched SNL in awhile, but the last I saw of it it wasn't very good at all. Stand up might be a good idea. I can remember Carlin and Richard Pryor doing standup on the show back in the 70's and they were great. FiddleFaddleonLSD's idea about getting better writers sounds good too. SNL has really gone down hill in the last few years, and a total overhaul might be what's needed to get the show out of it's rut.

by Lemmingstraggler on Sun Oct 23, 05 6:54am [+]

I have seen both the US and UK version of SNL, and here in the UK, it was cancelled in the1980s as it began to get stale.

Comedy needs to keep pushing the boundaries else we endup with more Everybody Loves Raymond's and less Frasier's.

Apologies to Raymond fans, perhaps its because Im a Brit, but this show just ISNT funny.

I said the same about Seinfeld, maybe Im not supposed to get the humour...

by Steelhamster on Sun Oct 23, 05 8:40am [+]

I don't like stand up comedy that much, the skits make the show IMO

by larrynelmira on Sun Oct 23, 05 9:18am [+]

I like everybody loves Raymond ,Frasier and seinfeld, maybe people just have different taste, I also love the British version of The Office and Coupling, but many of my friends don't.
I watch reruns of are you being served and Keeping up appearances and like those, but have heard a lot of Brits as well as Americans say they are the worst.
so maybe just an individual taste thing.

by larrynelmira on Sun Oct 23, 05 11:13am [+]

^and not some big cultural differences

by larrynelmira on Sun Oct 23, 05 11:19am [+]

I thought the whole Ashlee Simpson thing was hilarious. Just have her on it every week somehow screwing up and all will be well.

by Walken on Sun Oct 23, 05 1:37pm [+]

They aren't funny because the writers,producers and comedians are more concerned with the social commentary than actually being funny.SNL blows now.

by robotthinker on Sun Oct 23, 05 2:57pm [+]

I'm in the same boat with larrynelmira -- I found Everybody Loves Raymond, Seinfeld, and Frasier to be quite funny. I never cared much for British comedy, though. Just didn't tickle my funny bone right. That said, the newer American sitcoms don't have the same flavor as those of the past.

As for SNL, they're no longer willing to push the envelope. I find the skits to be very dumb. I DO think Amy Poehler is kinda hot, though...

by Counciltucky on Sun Oct 23, 05 4:36pm [+]

Yeah but that might have to do with some unique quirk native to Iowans than any real attractiveness on her part lol.

by inter_regnum on Sun Oct 23, 05 5:11pm [+]

I agree that the skits during the second half of their show aren't funny. The one where I laugh the most is Weekend Update. Who cares if they're hot or not jeez, they're funny.
Any time they have a past cast member as the host (like Will Ferrel) the whole show is really good though.. like every sketch is funny.

by Dani_dysfunk on Sun Oct 23, 05 7:13pm [+]

I agree, they need better skits or should do something different the second half of the show. After Weekend Update I go to bed because everything after that is boring and not funny. Sometimes I will only laugh at one or 2 skits the entire show.. they need to change something.

by Sagittarius_Rising on Sun Nov 20, 05 4:22am [+]