Posted on 12/14/2008 2:49:02 PM PST by 2ndDivisionVet
Saturday Night Live pushed the envelope last night with a drop-dead impression of Gov. Paterson that mocked his blindness and past drug use.
The skit features SNL castmember Fred Armisen as Paterson during a segment on "Weekend Update."
Like disgraced Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich, Paterson must appoint someone to the senate seat being vacated by Sen. Hillary Clinton. Blagojevich was arrested last week for trying to sell the seat left open by President-elect Barack Obama.
Armisen, as Paterson, says he has three criteria: economic experience, upstate influence and someone with a disability who is completely unprepared for the job - just like him.
"I want to choose a senator not from the glitzy coke parties of Manhattan but rather from the shabbier coke circles of upstate new york," he said. "I'm tired of all these fancy, two-eyed smart alecs from the big city running the whole show."
"It's time we get someone from Utica, Syracuse or Schnectady - towns where people have something a little off about him. I mean, they don't have to be blind," he said. "I just need someone with like a gamey arm or maybe the giant gums with the tiny teeth. Let's get one of those in the Senate."
The fake Paterson points out that he only became governor because of former Gov. Eliot Spitzer's prostition scandal.
"Whoever is appointed senator must - like me - be caught totally off guard and be comically unprepared to take office," he said. "Come on, I'm a blind man who loves cocaine who was suddenly appointed governor of New York. My life is an actual plot from a Richard Pryor movie."
Paterson also holds up a chart illustrating job losses in the state - but holds it upside down.
Later, he wanders in from of the camera during SNL cast member Amy Poehler's announcement that she is leaving the show.
"Governor, you're in our shot," she said.
The governor's office is expected to release a statement reacting to the skit later today.
I loved it. And the opening Blago sketch. SNL was one big Dem-bash for once.
Bassturds each and every one of them
Both! Loved it!
The end, with him walking in front of the
camera shot for Amy Poehler was hysterical!!
I was crying.
The impression .. look, speech, manner was
unbelievably spot on. Fred Armisen is genius.
They find this offensive but yet said nothing about Tina Fey making a mockery of Gov. Palin.
As far as I am concerned SNL can go straight to you know where... Tina Scarfeyce can lead the pack.
LOL
They gave Clinton the business big time throughout the 90s.
They might be dems but they never miss a chance to rip into someone for a laugh...
When they first rolled Armisen out as Patterson, I thought it was actually him for a second. Then I spit my drink laughing at his cockeyed imitation.
I don’t know anything about Patterson, SNL mocked Belagosie, and Soros about the Freddie/Fannie bailout, and that skit got pulled from youtube. If this skit ends up on Youtube only to be susequently pulled off, then I say it was a good skit - this without having seen it. From what I read it sounds kinda funny, Though the blind part is not. Unless he got blind by doing drugs, then it’s funny sad.
Agreed, by going after Patterson, they can cover themselves for not going after Obama, because of his race. After all, if they go after Patterson, that would show they aren’t afraid of going after black politicians.
Patterson should simply appoint Blagojevich to Hillary’s seat.
There is the video at this site
While it's true that they parodied Clinton on some of his personal character defects or eating habits, they NEVER took a any shots at his policy positions or competence. Effectively, the subtext was always that Clinton was a flawed or even deeply flawed individual, he was a "great" president.
Compare that to what they've done to Bush/Cheney and other Republicans the last eight years. Not only do they take characters jabs at them, but Bush is portrayed as just this side of retarded and Cheney comes off as Hitler's illegitimate child. There is no balance anywhere in broadcast entertainment, especially at SNL.
The skits:
http://www.nbc.com/Saturday_Night_Live/video/clips/update-gov-paterson/881501/
http://www.nbc.com/Saturday_Night_Live/video/clips/update-amys-goodbye/881441/
Poll Results
You can only vote once.
Do you think the ‘SNL’ skit went too far?
Yes, it was offensive. 28%
No, it was hilarious. 72%
Now that was funny!!
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