Posted on 12/14/2002 2:13:33 AM PST by Quilla
The only "Saturday Night Live" material Al Gore vetoed during read-throughs as too embarrassing was a sketch about flatulence.
"I'm sure this is funny," Mr. Gore said, according to Al Franken, a "Saturday Night Live" alumnus who has written speeches for the former vice president and helped shape tonight's show. "But at the end of this I want to have some bread crumbs leading back to my dignity."
The former vice president has still not revealed what else he expects at the end of his epic monthlong television blitz — a book promotion whirl that has not helped sell two books he wrote with his wife, Tipper, about the American family, nor lifted his low standing in public opinion polls. If, as some of his aides whisper, Mr. Gore is not positioning himself for a rematch against George W. Bush in 2004, then he may be breaking new ground: doing television for television's sake.
Reality shows proved that ordinary citizens will do anything to get on television. Presidential campaigns have shown that candidates will do anything to get elected. Al Gore's television odyssey suggests that politicians will do anything to stay on television.
"He has a sense of humor, and I think he thought there would be something invigorating about doing the show," Lorne Michaels, the creator and executive producer of "Saturday Night Live," explained. Mr. Michaels, who began discussing the appearance with Mr. Gore last June, described his guest host's attitude in rehearsals as "conscientious."
Mr. Gore has been that way throughout his career. In every talk show appearance this week, he has acquitted himself well, or as he put it when Jon Stewart, the host of "The Daily Show" on Comedy Central, complimented his appearance, "I benefit from low expectations."
Mr. Gore balanced somber public policy pronouncements — Iraq, the economy, Trent Lott — with self-mockery about his Supreme Court-determined defeat in 2000. One of his first job prospects after the 2000 Florida ballot debacle, he told Conan O'Brien on "Late Night," was from a seafood restaurant chain promoting a shrimp platter special. The chain invited him to star in a television ad, "counting the shrimp," he said in a drawling deadpan, "then recounting the shrimp."
Funny Gore and Serious Gore smoothly took turns all week until they crashed into each other outside the studio of the NBC "Today" program in New York on Thursday.
Still wearing the fluffy red Santa hat he had donned to show his holiday spirit, Mr. Gore answered a question from Matt Lauer about Senator Lott and segregation. The former vice president gave a stern, thoughtful indictment of the Senate majority leader's praise for Strom Thurmond's 1948 Dixiecrat presidential campaign — while looking like a loony Dr. Seuss creature crashing an office Christmas party.
It is that snag in Mr. Gore's television persona — his propensity to trip suddenly over a clumsy gesture or a coy or overly rehearsed remark — that made him such an irresistible target for "Saturday Night Live" comedians and makes his decision to be the host of the show so puzzling.
Plenty of politicians have appeared on the show, most recently, Senator John McCain, the Arizona Republican, who sang Barbra Streisand songs, among other things. But Mr. Gore has already been on "Saturday Night Live": he made a taped cameo appearance on a 2000 election special along with his rival, George W. Bush. In past weeks and days, he has demonstrated over and over how good-humored and sporting he is — to Barbara Walters, Larry King, David Letterman, Mr. Stewart and George Stephanopoulos to name but a few.
Mr. Gore may not have much to lose by starring on "Saturday Night Live," but neither does he have much to gain, except yet more time on television.
Personal reasons cannot be discounted, of course. Mr. Gore is trying to sell books, although the books' standing on sales charts have actually dropped since his tour began. His appearances have not helped his political stature, despite a bath of favorable publicity right before Thanksgiving. Only 19 percent of the respondents to a late-November New York Times/CBS poll said they held a favorable view of Mr. Gore.
The former vice president, whose presidential bid was endorsed by the Simpsons, seems to genuinely enjoy comedy shows. His wife sat in on the rehearsals, as did his daughter Kristin, a comedy writer based in Los Angeles who is friendly with several members of the "Saturday Night Live" staff and who helped prepare the show.
Behind the scenes, the former vice president was game and affable, said Steve Higgins, a staff writer who worked on some of the skits. Mr. Gore offered some ideas, including a satire of Strom Thurmond's 100th birthday, Mr. Higgins recalled, but he rejected material that could be interpreted as disrespectful to former president Bill Clinton. He also dismissed a joke about Mr. Bush and cocaine as "unfair." Mr. Higgins described Mr. Gore as intelligent and personable or, as he put it, "a fun version of Charlie Rose."
Aides have long complained that Mr. Gore's private charm seems to dissipate as soon as camera lights go on — another reason his determination to take on "Saturday Night Live" baffled even veterans of the show.
"He is probably the most consequential person who has done the show, yet there was no awkwardness or backpedaling, no `How will they take this,' " said James Downey, who began writing for "Saturday Night Live" in 1976 and collaborated with Mr. Franken on a taped sketch at the Oval Office set of "The West Wing" this week.
Mr. Downey said he was not surprised that Mr. Gore worked hard on the material. He was amazed, though, that the former vice president agreed to do it at all. "Usually we have all kinds of people and I almost never get never stunned, but this is one of those times," he said. "I am still surprised."
No truer words!
I know I'd like to see "W" on SNL,he'd love it and be great ;)
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Gore and Bush both belong on SNL. Permanently.
'Course he does! Ran for President, didn't he?
Nice to see him moving closer to his true calling...a circus freak.
They're gonna need a LOT of bread...
Gore is a moron. Always has been, always will be.
I'm convinced of it. When he kissed his wife at the 2000 convention, he looked like he had a 2X4 up his wazoo.
I can't stop laughing at the visual image I have of this.
Hammond does a more convincing take on Al, than even Al can summon. LOL
Thats the way I felt seeing Gorp and his VP choice in a hottub, slinging back champagne like lovers LOL!!!
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