SNL’s Sofa King Sketch
April 18, 2007 by Kath Skerry
Just a little hump day fun. If you need a laugh in the middle of the work day, check out this funny sketch from this past week’s Saturday Night Live. And if you’ve already seen ‘The Sofa Kings’ then you already know it’s funny and you’ll want to watch it again…right?
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So let’s talk SNL for a minute. I’m not sure how I feel about this season of SNL. With the advent of TiVo, I’ve watched more of this season than I have in years. And to be honest, I love my Sunday morning ritual of Dunkin’ Donuts and SNL. But I just can’t get over how uneven the show is. Some skits are fantastic, while others are so lifeless it’s hard to imagine that comedy writers not only came up with it, but thought it was good enough to make the cut and on to the air.
For me it’s not the cast. I actually really love this cast (for the most pasrt). Relative newbies Kristin Wiig, Jason Sudekis are a fantastic addition to the cast (and I’m not just saying that since I developed a major crush on Sudekis ever since he played Jim Halpert in the SNL/Office sketch). Will Forte, Andy Samberg and Bill Hader are really funny, but I think they are underutilized – as is Fred Armisen. And what’s up with Seth Meyers these days? He joins the SNL Weekend Update desk and now he’s hardly in any sketches? I’m kind of over Darrel Hammond – he always delivers, but there’s nothing new and fresh about his imitations. Amy Poehler and Maya Rudolph prove week in and week out why they are perhaps the most respected women in comedy. Oh and Keenan? Sorry dude, but you haven’t won me over yet.
With all these brilliant comedians, SNL should be a slam dunk every week.
For those of you who watch the show like I do (almost) every week, what do you think of this season?
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I agree with you GMMR, its definitely not the cast. I too, am crushing on Jason Sudeikis even since his dead-on impression of Jim. As for Seth Myers, I think he is a head writer now so he gets less air time (I might be wrong about that). It seems to me that there is always a rush to revamp the cast when SNL isnt working, but this time its not the cast that needs revamping, its the writers.
I couldn’t agree more. I never know when to watch it and when to not bother. Usually I’ll tape it (if I remember to) and fast forward thru most of it. I actually liked the Under 21 more than the Sofa King.
Yeah, Seth Meyers is the head writer now so, like Tina Fey before, he does Weekend Update but little else onscreen.
Your assessment of the show is right on. It is very uneven but I think it’s doing better than last season.
I’ve felt the same way about it, although this season is a little better than the last 5 or so. usually the first half of the show is funny for the most part, then the last half starts to go down hill. I disagree with you on one point, however. Keenan is a cutie and I think he does a good job in the right roles.
I have watched SNL since I was 8 and I just turned 28. I have stuck with it through some really painful seasons and the skits that don’t work now do not compare to the entire shows that did not work in the early / mid 90’s. I think humor and jokes are very subjective things. What one person may find funny another may not. Like the “Laser Cat” sketches. I find them hilarious but I can understand why a lot of people may not get it, but it is just the fact that it is so out of this world ridiculous that it is funny. Anyway I am getting off point. I disagree I think it is a great season. There are definitely some things that don’t work but you are going to get that every week. The fact that they can go in and come up with 90mins of quality live material every week is amazing. Since comedy is such a subjective thing I think they do a great job of producing a great show every week. Let’s face it not every week is going a slam-dunk, but it is definitely going to have you talking about a skit on two on Monday morning and if it does that I think SNL has accomplished it’s goal for the week.
P.S. – Seth is the head writer and took over for Tina Fey. Just like Tina he does not appear in as many sketches and his main focus is the writing.
i’m a huge fan of this show and agree that while some sketches are fantastic, others are really disappointing. the cast is great, they’re all funny in their own ways. i’m a big fan of the digital shorts. i’m going to nyc in may for the finale show!
+although sudeikis is very crush-worthy (i love him as floyd on 30 rock) i’m crushing on samberg!
Comedy by definition is subversive, but as SNL grew more and more popular, the writers and cast had to sacrifice more and more of their “edginess” to please their increasingly mainstream audience.
Now, the show is so watered down and the cast is so reigned in that creating something truly funny is extremely difficult. The fact that this cast has able to do it at all when in the past it’s just flat out sucked just proves how talented they are.
I was annoyed at first because I didn’t think this sketch was that funny. Then I got the joke.
This season, i would usually only watch SNL when there was a specific host or musical guest that was on b/c, honestly, it had lost most of its humor. It used to be hilarious, but, w/ sketches this season, i found myself scratching my head and thinking, Was that supposed to be funny? True, there are some absolute brilliant ones but overall, this season didn’t do it for me. I love the cast though. I share the Jason Sudekis love (even before he did Jim Halpert) and the rest of cast is amazing, but the writers…they’re not doing this cast justice.
Question. Do any of the cast members write the sketches (other than Seth)? Or are the writers separate from the cast? I’m not sure how SNL does this sooo…i didn’t want to hate on the writers if the cast (whom i think is great) is also writing these horrible sketches ^^;;
Heh heh heh What’s sofa king funny? I won’t admit how far into that sketch I was before it landed. …. what?
OK .. so the skit is kinda funny. It’s a shame that it’s a rip off of a joke from one of the best episodes of Aqua Teen Hunger Force – ya know the one where the witchdoctor tries to bring back Master Shake cuz he killed himself – easily one of the best episodes – but I forgot GMMR doesnt watch Adult Swim – I think it’s about time ya started 😉
Cips Little Bro – Not all of us can watch cartoon and play with video games all day… ha ha!! Kidding. Hope you are well J!!
You know.. its ok. It definately doesnt have the magic of the old ones, but its still pretty good television.
Usually i HATE the shorts, but this past weeks with Shia LeBouf was hilarious.. with the shooting.
And..P.S… i am in LOVE with jason sudeikis. Maybe because of his Halpert, maybe because of his 30 Rock Floyd.. but i LOVE him no, when before i didnt even think about him.
Ever since Tina Fey left, it’s truly gone downhill. Uneven is an understatement. It’s CRAP! There taped segments are usually the funniest parts, but they are over-doing the “Digital Short” segments. It use to be every once in awhile and they were hilarious, now they are trying to make a hit short every week. It’s not working.
I’ve really held a grudge since they totally screwed Rainn Wilson and Jaime Pressley with horrible writing. Rainn did what he could with what he got, but he got crap from the writers.
I’m so over SNL. FNL all the way!!
There are two things bringing down SNL.
First Loren Michaels is getting old. He has baby boomer generation humor and SNL is a show for young people who stay up late at night. His sense of what is funny is on par with his good friends Chevy Chase and Paul Simon – both great guys but they are “classics” and have not done something great in over a decade. My grandfather is a funny guy, but I wouldn’t let him produce SNL.
Second are the guest hosts. Best SNL this year was “Dick in A Box” with Justin Timberlake, who is very talented in more than just music. He commits to a character or sketch and has great timing. They need more people hosting the show that have broad talent and are not just pushing a movie with the limited talent of just acting in a movie. Why not have another political figure host again, someone who is not a pretty face, or take a chance and have a writer or porn star host. Has SNL become so mainstream they can’t take chances? Sofa King is a 20-year-old joke and hardly pushing the envelope.
I’ll keep watching, but I don’t have to like it.
psquared – I completely agree with you on finding the RIGHT host for the show. I personally have found that committ to the hosting gig are so much better – even if they aren’t actors. I laughed much more during Peyton Manning’s recent hosting gig than I did at the “mailed in” hosting of Academy Award winners/nominees like Robert DiNero and Annette Benning (among others).
I definitely agree that the cast is the best it’s been in a long time, but the writing is weak. I think they should cut the show back to one hour, that way they will get to cut 3-4 sketches each week and only show the really funny ones. This will cause many of the talented cast to lose screen time, but I would rather see a few cast members less if it meant every time I saw them I knew it would be funny.
Even funnier than the Sofa King sketch was this Dear Sister digital short. I love how they totally spoofed the season two finale of The O.C.: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jFLWQgSgzbk
I don’t mean to be a jerk, but that is an example of SNL being good? It consisted of one single joke being repeated multiple times. Not only that, but isn’t an original joke at all: it’s one that I heard way back in middle school.
I did however enjoy that Dora the Explorer spoof that was posted hear a couple weeks ago.
Aww.. seriously Keenan? I’ve loved him since first sight (and I speak of All That and Good Burger). I am so excited that he is now on what I used to refer to as “grown up All That”.
I have a new rule when it comes to SNL…when you think its going to be great b/c of a hilarious host, it won’t. When I’m cautious b/c of a dramatic actor being the host it will be great. The only exception to this rule is Justin Timberlake. He has been the best host this season and I knew he would be b/c it was so great the last time he hosted.
I too, feel the Sudekis love, but when it comes down to it, Bill Hader sofa king needs to be my boyfriend.