I hate to say it, but maybe it was time for MADtv to go. Fox’s 14-year-old sketch comedy show aired its series finale last night with a mixture of previously shown clips and new bits that proved how thin its material has grown. Old friends (Alex Borstein, Will Sasso) stopped by, and the remaining cast beat a hasty retreat. It might’ve all gone down as an amusing if unmemorable exit but for one thing: the telethon.
The entire episode was presented as "MADtv Gives Back" — parodying American Idol’s erstwhile charity show — with Fred Willard as the host. And maybe I’m making too much of this, but it seems terribly inappropriate to fake a telethon. At times like these (and yes, Lord, I know we’re all sick of saying "at times like these," but still), why would you pretend to collect for needy causes? Why not actually do it? Why not turn MADtv’s final bow into an prime-time special to raise money for those who desperately need it? It would have been a magnanimous gesture — with Fox, viewers, and presumably, the cast ponying up to say thanks for the memories. It also would’ve been the show’s first water-cooler moment in ages.
Understand, I’m not suggesting they had to have some sort of charitable event on their way out. I’m just saying they damn sure shouldn’t have faked it. But what do you think? Am I too hard on Fox’s sketch crew? Was it time for them to go? And can we all agree that they’ve had better days, like this one?:
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I think it would have been tasteless to make it a real telethon. These people just lost their jobs and they have to raise money for other people?
What is that?
Why do a parody of “Idol Gives Back” when Idol only did 2 and didn’t even do one this year? Where is the current? Where is the original?
http://americanidolexposed.wordpress.com/
Really? REALLY? Coming from a magazine that literally worships every single thing the horribly unfunny SNL does? The magazine that treats every utterance by Tina Fey as the funniest thing EVER and could write 5,000 words about the “genius” of Andy Samberg? Really. You’re busting MAD TV for doing a fake telethon when SNL hasn’t been funny 95% of the time in its entire history. Just wanted to get that straight. Considering “30 Rock” JUST did a fake (and enormously UNFUNNY) all-star charity song about needing a kidney? Really? NBC is selling “fake” merchandise for the kidney song and that’s “great.” The HOLY TINA FEY was involved. It was BEYOND GENIUS. The FUNNIEST THING EVER! But Mad TV attempts a parody of the false sincerity of the “Idol” telethon and it’s “wrong”. Really? Great to know how you think. Please, forget this Mad TV crap. Write a fawning piece on how great, fresh and funny “Celebrity Jeopardy” was last night! They had Tom Hanks! Get it? That was FUNNY!
I just watched both MAD TV and SNL from last night. I must say that SNL has lost some of its mojo as of late, but the Timberlake and Ferrell episodes were two of their best in the lat couple of years.
As for MAD TV, I used to watch regularly, hoping that I would see something funny. Once in a while they did hit the mark, but generally they have lost the humor in the lat few years.
I never really liked the show, some of the recurring skits were annoying. http://www.boomersinglesdating.com/
brian wallace: the 30 rock kidney music video on iTunes and merchandise actually do benefit the National Kidney Foundation, so they were able to “parody the false sincerity of the ‘Idol’ telethon” while actually raising money for a real cause
Do you remember when Saturday night was something you looked forward to for both MADtv and SNL? Do you remember? Do you remember? No, neither do I.
I didn’t even know MadTV was still on the air.
Brian Wallace, you speaketh the truth, the whole truth and nothin’ but the truth. Well said. The Kidney song from 30 Rock tried so hard to be funny and I found it to be desperate and as inconsistent as the show itself. I enjoy the show but not it’s constant self-winking because the joke is usually only on them.
I thought this show ended a few years ago when they began the season with multiple episodes comprised of clips. Honestly, the only reason I even read this article was because I didn’t realize the show hadn’t been cancelled long ago.
I wouldn’t call it a blunder, but I was definitely hoping for something funnier. Spike Feresten’s last show was also disappointing, but I don’t think he knew it was his last show.
This is a really awful article and shouldn’t have been written. Is any of your blog material approved before it makes net? I agree with most above SNL, EW praise for crap. A telethon for people who lost their jobs and former cast members who are doing favor coming back at all. NOT!
I’m curious, does anyone know if that was the first time someone (Artie Lange) appeared on new episodes of *both* SNL & MadTv, on the same night?!? [it'll definitely be the *last* time!]
I find it amusing that last night Artie Lange, who helped start MadTv was over at SNL singing a song about vietnam with will ferrel and tom hanks. Even he didnt care that MadTv was still on.
This blogger is WAY off base. It’s one thing for “American Idol,” with its 30 million viewers each week, to want to do something constructive in the real world, apart from treating its singing competition as if the future of our civilization is riding on it–but to imply that a sketch comedy show is somehow being immoral by presenting a fake telethon instead of a real one is preposerous. An entertainment program does not need to do anything other than entertain. If the producers decide at some point to raise money for a charity, fine. But comedy sketches about telethons have existed for decades. Steve Allen did a lengthy and hilarious telethon sketch for prickly heat over 30 years ago. Should he have only done it if it was to be a real fundraiser for a serious medical malady?
Geez, get a sense of humor, blogger, whoever you are. Leave the pontificating to those who know what they’re talking about.
OVERREACTING! it’s a sketch show, let them make sketches. it may have been stupid but not insulting or out of line
To A. Wheat. Ummm yeah you are being to hard and I find it ridiculous that you think making fun of a telethon is the worst thing that show has done! I loved Mad Tv and there were times when I thought it was fresh and original where SNL is old and stale.
I enjoyed a few Madtv bits but Im an SNL fan…
To borrow from the other (better) sketch show, REALLY?! Really! Really. Telethons are sacred cows? MadTV shouldn’t have parodied a telethon? Why, because real telethons aren’t ripe with unintentionally amusing moments? Really!
annie wrote: “Do you remember when Saturday night was something you looked forward to for both MADtv and SNL? Do you remember? Do you remember? No, neither do I.”
Maybe you’re like me, and you were thinking about The Carol Burnett Show!
I’m bummed Mad TV is going – I’ve been a huge fan for years and actually think it got edgier and more clever as time went on. Fantastic talent and excellent writing! Writers like Steven Cragg & Ike Barinholtz really pushed the envelope – Thank you for the laughs guys). I used to love SNL back in the 70s – but after Eddie Murphy and the gang left in the 80’s, it just felt forced to me. It’s really not an either/or thing – if it makes you smile then it’s all good! But. . . . if anyone from Mad’s contract negotiating team reads these comments, my vote is bring back Mad TV. Not only stoned, unintelligent, or ill-informed people enjoy it. I’d even venture to call it pot replacement therapy.
I will miss the show, it had a long run. What is Michael McDonald up to these days??
@ Alynda Wheat
Were you hard up for an angle for this story?
You’re p*ssed they faked a telethon?
REALLY?
this was the worst late night show on television. anyone who enjoyed this show was mentally challenged and should have a telethon thrown in honor of their stupidity.
Not on the subject of MadTv but I’m glad there are some people out there who think Tina Fey is over rated. I really don’t get the greatness of “Tina Fey” humor. I like SNL, but I really hated when Weekend Update was Tina Fey and Amy Poehler. 30 Rock is ok, but it’s far from being the funniest thing on TV yet it snags every award and accolade every year. There are a lot of shows that have far more superior writing than 30 Rock, and I’m so sick of hearing about her “genius”.
Actually SCTV did THE EXACT SAME THING for their last episode. 14 seasons is a pretty good number compared to, say, Fridays two seasons (remember that show? anyone? someone? see…)
Uhh, yeah… you’re making a big deal out of absolutely nothing. Lighten up.
Didn’t they do a bit like that on SCTV about 30 years ago? Way to keep it fresh MADtv – good riddance.
YO Shaw – didn’t see yr comment – good on ya.
SCTV did the same exact thing. I cannot believe how many people caught that. The difference was that the original concept (SCTV’s version) worked because the show was based around a fake television station (for arguements sake, the Weird Al movie, UHF was a bit of a copycat), Mad TV’s version, not so much. The later version of Mad just really became Stuart TV. Michael McDonald is funny, but you cannot base a sketch show on one character just like SNL is focusing too much on Kristen Wiig and Adam Sandberg. Mad is over, they took their bow. Hopefully Lorne Michaels will learn from Mad’s mistake and get better writers!