Saturday Night Live: Hugh Laurie/Kanye West - VIDEOS

(S34E11) Can you hear the ladies and British comedy fans screaming? It's Hugh Laurie! The writing this week was stronger than usual, but I could not help but feel like they didn't use Hugh Laurie enough. When you get someone like that on the show, you better make sure the audience is sick of seeing him by the end of the episode. That said, Mr. Laurie did beautifully with what he was given and he's well on his way to becoming a regular host. Check out these video highlights from the episode.
"Wedding Toast": Hey, I dig this format! It was a lot like Appalachian Emergency Room, except not annoying. They should use this more often, as it gives us a chance to see characters that probably wouldn't see the light of day in any other context. For example, Bobby Moynihan's super-brief appearance was hilarious.
"Weekend Update": As soon as Fred Armisen's Governor Paterson rolled on-screen, the two New Yorkers that were watching this episode with me immediately groaned with sympathy and started going on about how that was super-mean. Is this just a New York attachment? Because I've seen SNL do so much worse with other political figures, but does Governor Paterson get special treatment?
"Really!?!": This was really well-done. Perhaps it's just the mean streak in me, but I had no problem with them directing the majority of these jokes at Governor Blagojevich's hair. "It's like someone put the hair on backwards on one of those Fisher-Price people!"
Amy's final good-bye was incredibly touching, but I knew they wouldn't let her get away with something so precious! Using humor to cut the tension as soon as they get a little too real... Typical funny kid. Anyway, it's sad to see Amy go, but I suppose it's important for her to devote as much time as possible to working with Will Arnett to raise the funniest baby in world.
"Digital Short: Cookies": Man, what a weak Digital Short. I feel like the digital short format is wasted if the piece involves material that can very easily be done like a normal skit. This was just a bunch of people talking in an office. Also, they had Hugh Laurie, so why didn't they use him more? It's Hugh Laurie! Did I mention that it's Hugh freakin' Laurie?
"Lamps!": I swear to God, when this skit started, I mumbled to myself, "Someone is going to get shot." I then realized that I've been watching and analyzing too much SNL and proceeded to beat myself about the face.
Kanye West: I don't care for his new album (except for "Love Lockdown" and "Paranoid"), but I love how much attention Kanye puts into his visuals. Damn. I also had my fingers crossed for a Kanye West skit. He did one the last time he was on the show, and it was incredibly funny. In case you don't remember it, here it is...

36 Comments