part of Norm McDonalds firing was more about the content of his jokes, not about him being unfunny. His jokes were sometimes very raw and un-PC for broadcast TV. Some of his more controversial jokes: Michael Jackson and Lisa Marie Presley planned to divorce, Macdonald joked about their irreconcilable differences on Weekend Update: "She's more of a stay-at-home type, and he's more of a homosexual pedophile." Norm showed the famous photo of naked Vietnamese children running from a South Vietnamese napalm attack, and said, "In other news, Woody Allen is dating again!" on the broadcast following Simpson's acquittal, Macdonald opened Weekend Update by saying: "Well, it is finally official: murder is legal in the state of California.
Yep, exactly. The entire point was to recycle old crap but it wasn't working. Fault the fact he couldn't build up the joke, a joke that is funny from the repetition of the ridiculous line. But still, you bombed, own it. He acted too cool or above the joke which is a death sentence for a comedian for me.
I thought he was simply going "OK, I'm done. Why is the camera still on me? What do you want me to do? I'm done." Nothing wrong with that. That's live TV. When you've done your thing and the camera doesn't cut away, what do you do? Just how like Seinfeld had to say "we'll be right back" twice because the camera was focused on Larry David the first time he said it. He had that same "What?" type of reaction.
I just rewatched it... got more laughs than the joke that everybody already knew/heard deserved. I agree with cannonball... it was more a case of "why is the camera still on me... i'm finished." There were quite a few camera issues that night.... starting with "w**** ads" in the Jeopardy skit. Like was said above, that's live tv.
It is awkward laughter which makes me cringe. Just like the "laughs" Wiig got with the fake laughter during the same segment. I still say you stay in the bit
You realize they were performing in front of old cast members and celebs... there was little to no "general public" there... which clearly clouds any sort of "laughter-judging". Additionally, he's staring at the drop-down camera wondering why they haven't zoomed away... he's not there asking for "laughs" from a bunch of his former peers.
Yeah, you know, Chris Rock didn't get a lot of applause when he came out to introduce Eddie Murphy. I think that there were just so many people there, so many tributes to people and bits, that it was hard to continuously get excited and be enthusiastic for 3 1/2 hours.
Chevy chase is doing another vacation movie? He could barely walk to the stage. Hollywood really is magical.
3 1/2 hrs is just crazy to me. I've gone to movies and I could barely stood 2 1/2 hrs without having to stretch my back or go for a quick walk. A live show might be different though.
Eddie Murphy kept SNL from being cancelled. Read the Shales/Miller book about the show. Original cast was gone. Lorne Michaels was gone. It wasn't the institution it is today. It was a sketch comedy show that seemed to have run its course. Then Murphy blew up and became a must-watch tv sensation. After so many critical and box office bombs, Murphy has become sort of a joke. But he was a massive money-making star in the 1980s and it started on SNL.
Really? I didn't realize they were doing another movie. Hope it can come close to recapturing the glory of the earlier ones.
A pro stays in the bit. Meaning you stay in the same joke to stretch time. Watch Seinfeld on the Brian Williams joke. It was a mixed reaction not exactly laughs, some groans, some boos, but he stretched it by staying in the same attitude and conversation of the same joke. You stay in the bit. Comedy 101.
Yeah, there were a few of those moments. I will fight to the death anyone that says "choppin' brocoli" isn't always hilarious. This wasn't the only time it happened when the camera was supposed to be on someone else and it wasn't, and the person reacted.
