If they go as easy on Hillary tonight, SNL will have lost their "hip" quotient.

[Bicoastal]

I heard that Hillary Clinton sent Tina Fey a phone call thanking her for their "support" last Saturday. Unfortunately, Tina doesn't work there anymore--she was a guest host for that one show. Methinks if she WAS still head writer, the circumstances would have been a bit different--after all, this is the show that invited Bush and Gore on in 2000. As an Obama supporter, I thought there was absolutely nothing wrong with last Saturday. Neither the opening sketch and/or Fey's Weekend Update rant crossed the line--especially since the penultimate show before the strike, the one with Brian Williams, was essentially a love letter to Obama's campaign and even had him on in person.

However, as a fan of the show, I am antsy about tonight. If Saturday Night Live goes as hard on Obama and as easy on Hillary as they did last Saturday, after Hillary's co-opting of their writing in the debates, it'll be as if Lorne Michaels is working for the Clinton's best interests, not the best interests of comedy. I don't know what the cast's true political leanings are, but it'll certainly look like it. Sure, it's a free country, and they can technically do whatever they want--but I've rarely seen a candidate as invested in SNL's portrayal of her as Hillary has been this week. Another show like that, and it'll smack of favoritism--again, not a crime, but SNL should be performing for us, not HRC's campaign.

I predict tonight's show will split just about evenly between them. One writer has already guaranteed there will be another "debate sketch"--but who knows what the premise will be? Jon Stewart gets that you make fun of both sides in an election more or less consistently--but I wonder if SNL will.

[anonymous171]

1. Fey endorsed Clinton, so... nt

[Bicoastal]

2. No she didn't.

She performed a comedy sketch.

[MadBadger]

3. No, that was done because she supports Hillary

She directed that at Texas and Ohio, advocating for Hillary. Bill Clinton called and thanked her aftewards.

[Bicoastal]

5. Well, it's her right as a comedian to do so. But as I said, she doesn't work on the show anymore.

[MadBadger]

7. That piece on Weekend update was probably written by her.

Sure she has the right, but I was till surprised that SNL basically ran a political ad via her for Hillary.

[Bicoastal]

8. I still am skeptical--didn't anyone else notice her tounge planted firmly in cheek

for most of that rant? She could absolutely be behind Hillary, but I haven't seen her throwing any support her way outside of a comedy sketch setting.

And as they say, if it happens on SNL, it doesn't count.

[Jane Austin]

10. The skit about the debates was written by

John (?) Downey. I read an interview with him about the skit.

Seems like he's the one Al Franken used to talk about as a fellow writer on SNL who was very conservative.

[MadBadger]

13. We are talking about her weekend update skit.

[Jane Austin]

18. And I stuck in about the other skit

to add to the conversation.

[Cooley Hurd]

15. Jim Downey never struck me as political...

...but he's an old-timer in SNL history.

[Jane Austin]

19. Just reporting what Al Franken used to say.

He also said he liked him a lot.

[Captain Hilts]

17. This means you don't support the Black Eyed Peas videos for Obama?

[anonymous171]

4. I must have misread the wikipedia article then

whoops.

[slick8790]

6. SNL hasn't been funny or "hip" since the early 90s....n/t

[NastyRiffraff]

9. A COMEDY show! Now we're supposed to look closely at comedy

to make sure all the comedians are "fair and balanced?" Good grief.

Personally, I don't care who SNL supports or doesn't support. I doubt if they support anyone. It's a COMEDY SHOW! Get a grip.

Next, we're supposed to monitor all comedy to make sure Obama gets a fair shake? Jeez.

No need to be antsy. Obama is getting more than his fair share of approval in the media.

[BeatleBoot]

11. In discussing the "hip quotient"....

You might want to stick to macrame or crocheting.

[Cooley Hurd]

12. Lorne Michaels is the God/King/Pope of Late Night...

...and he's a BUSINESSMAN, first and foremost. If he thinks "X" candidate is better for the business of NBC (and for HIM), then he'll shape his show to favor "X" candidate. It's a simple as that...

[Recursion]

14. This is, essentially, Tina Fey (whom I love) sacrificing her hip quotient for Clinton

it's sad to see.

[Captain Hilts]

16. Steph Miller, Bill Maher, etc. aren't enough for you? GREEDY!

[JimGinPA]

20. I Wouldn't Be Surprised To See A "Hardball" Segment Either

I think she's going to get skewered.

[rug]

21. I base all my major decisions on hip quotient.

[LadyVT]

22. oh, only to you! they have decades of hip