When Saturday Night Live started in the 1970s political figures were a target. From a bumbling Gerald Ford to my hero Will Ferrell’s dead on George W. Bush to a question-avoiding Sarah Palin, whichever political figure is in the news was also in the script.
The debate over the amount of influence Saturday Night Live has on the political process has been a topic of discussion since the show’s inception as well.
Last year when Tina Fey, who is a dead ringer for Sarah Palin, portrayed her in not only Saturday productions but also the “Update Thursday” several called fowl. During a debate I witnessed someone actually blamed SNL for the Republican loss last November. Yes a television show is the reason the conservative party lost.
The debate has heated back up again as Fred Armisen portrayed President Barack Obama the last few weeks in a less than favorable light.
One week Obama hit the airwaves to defend himself against critics who say he is turning America into a communist country. Armisen channels Obama and says this isn’t the case.
“Because when you look at my record it’s very clear what I’ve done so far and that is nothing. Nada. Almost one year and nothing to show for it.”
This week, writers took on Obama’s Nobel Peace prize win.
“This prize bestowed by the Nobel committee in Norway is given annually to individuals who have made significant contributions to world peace. Jimmy Carter won it for decades of trying to find solutions to international conflicts, Al Gore won it for his years of education [the] U.S. about climate change, and us? Well, I won it for not being George Bush.”
While producer Lorne Michaels has said numerous times that the show does not take political sides, some critics are not convinced, saying the skits will hurt Obama’s popularity.
Maybe I am naive but I don’t see how a little bit of humor can really sway someone’s opinion. Yes there is a little bit of truth to all the SNL skits and yes they may make you think. But at the end of the day they are just humor.
Some argue that the only exposure the younger generation has to politics is through SNL, The Daily Show and other similar programs. Give me a break. While there may be some truth to that I think the younger generation is capable to researching candidates and learning about who is right for different offices. And if they don’t, it is their fault.
People that read that much into a sketch show are to blame if they are influenced — not the SNL writers.
So sit back and laugh at the political sketches — don’t over-think them.
(I welcome any comments, suggestions and criticism at michelleg@dailyamerican.com)
Christmas in …..
One of my biggest pet peeves is stores putting out Christmas decor way too early.
While recently shopping for some Halloween decor for the new hours I noticed one of my favorite stores already had Christmas items on display.
Please someone correct me if I am wrong, but doesn’t Halloween and Thanksgiving come before Christmas? Santa Claus makes his first visit to the malls before the turkey is even carved. By promoting Christmas before other holidays, especially Thanksgiving, sends a message that those holidays are less important.
What is wrong with having some fall displays for shoppers until closer to Thanksgiving? I still cannot find the exact fall garland I want for my living room, but Christmas garland is pretty plentiful.
Now I know some are going to call me a hypocrite because technically I have already started Christmas shopping. I start Christmas shopping early because I like to find the best deals (i.e. I am notoriously cheap). Also sometimes it takes me that long to decide what to get some people since I am adamantly against gift cards. But I do not wrap a gifts or put out a snowman figurine until the weekend after Thanksgiving.
It is also sort of depressing. Once you start truly thinking about Christmas you remember that the snow is about to fly.
If people stop buying Christmas decor early in the year stores will stop pushing other displays aside. Plus the best time to buy Christmas decor is after Christmas anyway, when it is at least half off. I buy all the wrapping paper, tissue paper and ribbons after Christmas (like I said, I am notoriously cheap).
So let’s try to keep the holidays in order. In easy terms they go “lots of candy,” “lots of pie,” and “lots of cookies.”
(I welcome any comments, suggestions and criticism at michelleg@dailyamerican.com)