Who else thought the opening sketch was weak? It probably didn’t help that the senator — busy trying to get, you know, elected — wasn’t given much time to prepare. We got lame gags based on talking points from his recent speeches. We got a lame McCain-Feingold joke. Even Tina Fey/Sarah Palin was uninspiring. Let’s just place the blame for this mess on the writer’s room. (His ‘Weekend Update’ bit was marginally more amusing — and in both bits, McCain showed a genuine, if wooden, capacity for self-deprecation.) What were your thoughts on his appearance? And what do we take away from the fact that a late-night comedy show became a strangely significant campaign-trail stop in the most important presidential election of our time?
UPDATE 1: Two quick things. First: Let’s please keep the comments free from personal attacks on either candidate. Second: Of course I don’t mean to suggest that John McCain lacks a sense of humor: I thought Barack Obama’s SNL performance was similarly stiff and clumsy. And that’s totally fine with me. What I really want from the next person who sits in the Oval Office is an ability to govern and lead and, hopefully, inspire. I’d rank "brilliant sense of comic timing" somewhere around No. 473 in a list of qualities I’d most want in a president. Okay, I’m stepping off my soapbox. Back to your thoughts on the show. And I agree with some of you: the View bit was unfunny and way too long.
UPDATE 2: It seems that politics and comedy make for comfy bedfellows: Lynette Rice reports on the show’s string of landslide ratings wins. We’re betting that Lorne Michaels isn’t the only one who wishes the campaign were extended for a few more weeks.
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I thought it was pretty funny. I laughed!
thought it was pretty lame and felt forced. Tina Fey is becoming more Palin than the real Palin. Odd
Now the Keith Oberman bit was histerical.
I thought this whole episode was disappointing and the worst of the season. I agree that Tina Fey’s Sarah Palin is becoming more and more Sarah Palin like. That has got to be hurting the McCain/Palin campaign in some ways and makes the Tina Fey bits harder to watch.
I agree the QVC sketch felt long and strained, but it had moments (Tina Fet shilling the “Palin 2012″ T-shirt made me laugh out loud). Affleck’s Olbermann was pretty spot-on, and McCain was marginally better on Weekend Update than during the cold-open. Felt like he loosened-up a bit, although his whole appearance felt very stiff – like he was trying too hard to be the next Bob Dole, who loses big but turns himself into a self-deprecating spokesman for Viagra. Have to say I was surprisingly impressed with David Cook – SNL’s stage is not kind to a lot of musical acts (Coldplay, I’m looking at you), but those guys sounded pretty rockin’.
i liked the show last night. i think it was a good one to have before the election. i wonder how many people watched? i wish obama had been on instead of mccain, but he was still funnier then i thought. ben afflick was good but he usually is a good snl host. ted i thought the musical guest was good too much better thn coldplay last week who sounded not good live.
I thought it was bad – on so many levels.
Love Ben Affleck – but didn’t laugh that much. The Oberman bit was OK, but long. The QVC bit was OK, but long. “Palin in 2012″ was the best part.
“The View” bit was OK – the jokes were not that funny. Hasselback saying she had printouts was funny, the first few times. Keenan does a good Whoopi. Ben missed Alec – something was missing – he sounded like someone else – just could not think of who.
I think it is sad that a man has to go onto SNL to try to be President of the United States of American. Just sad.
I thought McCain was surprisingly funny; I enjoyed the QVC bit in particular. Some parts of Weekend Update were funny, too, but the rest of the non-music parts of the show were pretty boring for me.
I LOVED David Cook’s new song Declaration, and it was pretty gutsy to debut it on live TV, on SNL no less. It was his first chance to show off his own songwriting skills, as I believe he either wrote or co-wrote that one.
The band did great. I love that it includes two former bandmates from his MWK days, Andy and Neal. The two new guys did great, too.
David Cook wast the highlight of the night, he totally was the show, I’m buying his album on November 18, it is the best album ever.
I’m glad Obama didn’t stoop to doing this show three days before the election. I thought it felt desperate on McCains part – like he used it as his own infomercial. It was propoganda through and through. Ben Affleck was creepily hlarious in that Target sketch, even if Kristen Wiig bugs.
McCain was hilarious as always!! He did a good job of showing he has a sense of humor while still highlighting his own agenda against the socialist policies of Barrack Hussein Obama.
I finally got a chance to watch this show and see the Palin impersonation. Damn, she’s amazing (no not Palin). The music was rocking, wow. I’m going to look into his album.
John McCain has hosted SNL before and I remember him being funnier. He seemed really old last night – like in the debates when Obama just looked so much more presidential than that cranky old man. Ben Affleck is hot I’m sorry (I have loved the man since Dazed & Confused and think he and Jennifer Garner are one of the cutest celebrity couples ever). Never really paid attention to David Cook before but he’s pretty easy on the eyes too. I thought they did a better job on the small SNL stage than some bands I’ve seen. I don;t think the accoustics there are supposed to be very good so I forgive Chris Martin.
Is it just me or does McCain actually look more comfortable with Tina Fey than the real Sarah Palin?! He did good, but I have to agree that the writing sucked this week. “Whoopi Goldberg” saved that View skit. Affleck’s a better host than most others who’ve handled it. Colour me surprised that David Cook was a hell of a lot better than Coldplay (last week) or the Killers (couple of weeks back) and some other bigger rock bands that have been on this show. I suppose this means his album has just been released.
I thought the QVC sketch was pretty funny, but John McCain’s apperances weren’t desperate at all. I’m sure he wanted to go on much earlier but couldn’t fit it in his schedule or SNL had a busy schedule, etc. Ben Afflect has been one of the funnier hosts in recent memory (Jon Hamm was rocking it last week as well), but the show is becoming a little blah. It needs some pizzaz and/or glitter. And more Bill Hader.
I liked the band too but why is everyone hating on Coldplay? I’ve seen them in concert before and thought they were just as good last week. McCain was only okay. This may help him on Tuesday though because he might have swayed some younger voters. Tina Fey is amazing! I wish this wasn’t her last time doing Palin. Though if Palin does run in 2012 Tina may have a gig for a really long time.
It’s time for Tina to retire the Palin bit.
McCain is a true comedian. I appreciate a man who can laugh when his ship is sinking. He knows it’s over.
This week’s musical guest was a step up from Coldplay’s trainwreck. Might check them out.
Overall weak episode.
The Keith Olbermann sketch was funny. The rest of the bits were somewhat boring. David Cook rocked the stage.
I loved Affleck’s Keith Olbermann impression – that was the funniest thing for me last night because I used to watch Olbermann all the time on ESPN. McCain was OK but I totally agree with the poster who said that he seems more comfortable with Tina Fey (who was very prfessional despite her well-known political stance). Things have gotten so strained in that campaign, if McCain/Palin win on Tuesday it’s going to be an ugly four years bewteen those two. If I did not read this blog all the time I would not know that David Cook won American Idol from his performance last night. He was not at all what I expected (pleasantly surprised because I listen to mostly rock music and he is pretty good from what I saw).
I love how American Idol fans try to judge the real talent of Coldplay and find him lacking. These are the same people who voted for Taylor/Blake/Clay. You people don’t real music if it came and sat on your faces.
I thought the McCain Palin parts were funnier than the View skit. Affleck did great in the Target skit, and the Olbermann piece. He got a lot of Olbermann’s mannerisms down pat.
David Cook’s new song Declaration was incredible. Can’t wait for the album to drop Nov 18. This guy and his band have real talent.
that guy won american idol? did they say that last night? i’m shocked and a little scared because i really liked that band. i can’t stand that stupid show but i guess they can find good singers sometimes. i might actually go listen to that cd. wow, ok. john mccain was blah – i think obama would have been much funnier but i’m glad he decided to campaign for real instead of trying to get sympathy votes from appearing on a comedy show.
I thought McCain was funny – he has always been a good late-night guest. He seemed more relaxed than Andy Samburg in the Mark Wahlburg face-off sketch.
I seriously can no longer separate Tina Fey and the actual Sarah Palin in my mind. They have become one and the same person.
Had a few really funny bits (Giraffes!) and Affleck was surprisingly fun. Congrats to David Cook for pulling this off. He was beautiful. and it is so cool that two of the guys he performed with pre-idol are along for the ride.
The only good things about the show were Olbermann and the music. I don’t see people here hating on Coldplay. I like them a lot but obviously last week wasn’t their best showing.
I like Coldplay alot but last week they were just not good. I just don;t think Chris Martin’s voice is very good live. But they make great studio music. I didn’t watch the musical guest last night but I guess I should go back and watch again. I thought Ben Affleck’s monologue was funny. It was short and sweet when sometimes those get drawn-out too much. Some of the skits should have been edited though. SNL has been fun this election season but it is still very uneven. Weekend update is usually good. McCain just did not seem very comfortable up there. It seemed like he was given pretty good writing (except some of the QVC sketch), but his delivery was weak. It is amazing to me that candidates feel they have to go on this show to win an election.
McCain’s “Sad Grandpa” line was pretty funny.
I liked the QVC portion except for the fact it was too long. The Target sketch really grossed me out, but I guess it was supposed to. Ben was super hilarious in that one. I didn’t care for the Oberman thing – but I don’t like the real Oberman, so my biases might be showing there. Who would have thought that a new band with lead singer from American Idol would sound so good? A lot of artists haven’t done well on SNL’s soundstage, but I got to hand it to Cook and his band – they pulled it off.
The giraffes was the best skit. And I had no idea the musical guest was the guy who won American Idol. WOW! They were suprisingly awesome. Does he have a cd out?
No David Cook’s album comes out November 18th. David Archuleta’s is out in just over a week NOVEMBER 11!!!!!!!!!