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SNL shorts fail to live up to ‘Narnia’
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Lately, SNL Digital Shorts are almost entirely responsible for keeping "Saturday Night Live" on the public radar. If it didn't imply a workplace environment, I would say the shorts have risen to such popularity that they are discussed "around the water cooler." Perhaps more appropriately, I will say that SNL Digital Shorts are commonly discussed "around the keg" and most definitely "around the keyboard." The most popular short, and the one that made digital shorts a near-weekly installment, was "Lazy Sunday," which originally aired Dec. 17, 2005 and shot to Internet fame in the following weeks. For those living under a rock, which is under another rock, which doesn't have Internet access or a television signal, the short featured Chris Parnell and Andy Samberg rapping about their anticipation to see "The Chronic(what?)cles of Narnia." This last weekend, two more digital shorts appeared on SNL. The first was called "Andy Popping into Frame," which, as the name implies, featured digital short regular Samberg repeatedly popping into the frame. This skit began with that simple premise and was only marginally funny. It was somewhat redeemed by Will Forte taking over and eventually being forced out of the frame at gunpoint. The second short, and the one I would like to discuss further, was called "Sloths," or at least that's what NBC titled it on their YouTube page. First of all, I find NBC having a YouTube account extremely hypocritical since NBC originally condemned YouTube by yanking every single copy of "Lazy Sunday" and all subsequent shorts off of the site in favor of featuring them exclusively on NBC.com. Since then, apparently NBC has realized the wide audience that YouTube can reach, which I assume is valuable for a struggling network. Now that NBC is uploading videos to YouTube, I feel like that directly contradicts the supposed harm that past independent posters were doing. Uploading a copy of the video will only promote the show. Whether or not NBC officially posts the video is beside the point. Anyway, back to "Sloths." The short features a music video performed by sloths, mainly about their bad habits. I have mixed feelings about this short. On one hand, I find it slightly amusing. On the other hand, it comes off as something anyone with a computer and a basic-to-intermediate grasp of editing software could have made. This is sort of explained, since in the setup for the short, a fictional employee of the Staten Island Zoo says the "documentary" was made by a group of students from Staten Island Technical High School. I understand that this is supposed to make the presentation funnier, but I still feel like this explanation was probably tacked on after the video was already made. Whether or not this is the case, I cannot be sure, but either way, the introduction seems to exist mainly to justify the video's random and amateurish style and not as the setup to a punch line. I think what happened with "Sloths" is an attempt to create a viral video, rather than simply allowing the short to go through the natural process of becoming popular on its own. It is basically a replica of several existing Internet videos, with a seemingly random idea, rudimentary animation, poorly cropped pictures, basic computer text and a crudely written and performed song. In fact, "Sloths" reminds me a lot of the spongmonkeys (correct spelling), most notably featured in those bizarre Quizno's commercials from a few years ago. ("We love the subs!!! 'Cos they are good to us!") Here are actual lyrics from the "Sloths" song: "Hire a dog to burn down a hospital/ Eat cocaine off America's gravestone." A line about hiring a dog to burn down a hospital is no cleverer than watching several badgers bounce up and down repeating the word "badger." Sure, it may be kind of comical, in a way, but is it really the direction sketch comedy should be heading? The line literally means absolutely nothing. It isn't related to sloths, it isn't a play on words, there's no joke or message. Even Monty Python's nonsense usually has a purpose, some sort of insane logic or a cyclical flow of comedy. This sort of thing might be entertaining on the Internet, but when I watch "SNL," I expect to see comedy at a level above what I can find just by surfing the web (even if this has not necessarily been the case during the current season). If "SNL" is no better than YouTube, then I see no reason to tune in. "Lazy Sunday" was a clever, timely, well-shot short that deserved its viral video status. Though it had its randomness, it nonetheless humorously depicted a day in the life of two nerds, and when mixed with a catchy rap song, that's enough, in my opinion, to make the skit coherent. "SNL" needs more shorts like "Lazy Sunday" and fewer shorts like "Sloths," which was, well, just lazy. Mike Peters is a senior focusing on communication arts, film and business. Heard of a good short around the keg lately? Let Mike know at mpeters@badgerherald.com.
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there was one short that you didn’t mention, which was Natalie Portman’s hard-core rap video (with shaved head courtesy of “V for Vendetta”) that was pretty excellent
I have to disagree. This was intentionally poorly done to add to its humor. The nonsense of it is what makes it stick. And I eagerly anticipate what SNL with have next time. I won;t watch it live, but DVR it and skip the commericials and boring crap. My co-workers and I spend plenty of time discussing it and joking about it. Check “www.thelonelyisland.com” for the roots of all this humor.
What about that one recent SNL short that featured Justin Timberlake and a special Christmas box? I would argue that the infamous “dick in a box” skit ranks right up there with “Lazy Sunday.”
I guess if you were put-off by the “anyone could have made that” quality, you probably didn’t like “Lazer Cats” either.
You’re free to not like it, i guess, but I’m thinking you’re just missing the point. SNL has been in a slump the last few years because they’ve been relying too heavily on recurring characters and political impersonations. It’s nice to see them experimenting a little with stuff so blatanly dumb and fun.
Sloths was funny as hell why do u have to write an analysis on a SNL short video. Your just weird.
I also strongly disagree. Sloths is one of the funniest bits ever. I actually like it better than Narnia. I can’t believe one of your points of criticism is that it looks amateurist and cheap. Since when does that have anything to do with comedy? And, in fact, the effect very much works in this instance IMO. I think you just don’t get it. I’m guessing you’re old or something?
what are you talking about?
“Dick in a Box”, “Body Fusion”, “Natalie Portman Rap” and “Sloths” are all fhillarious!
yeah i’m just posting anonymously cause it’s quicker, but you missed the point totally mr. “Mike Peters is a senior focusing on communication arts, film and business.”
the sloths short for the fictional tv show was supposed to be something that kids actually made, so the animation totally fits into being something made by high school aged kids w/time to waste, and it’s damned funny. the set-up didn’t feel tacked on to me, it felt pretty damned solid.
i hardly believe it was created backwards as you suggest, and you’re looking waaaaaay too deeply into something that’s just pretty damned funny.
i suggest that you go make my french fries and lay off the psuedo intellectual commentary.
“A line about hiring a dog to burn down a hospital is no cleverer than watching several badgers bounce up and down repeating the word ‘badger.’”
what kinda college senior uses the word “cleverer?” anything with more than one syllable requires the use of the word “more” instead of an “er” at the end. smart.
you’re doing your university proud kiddo.
The dog/hospital line is actually MUCH funnier than badgers jumping up and down. Of course it’s utter nonsense. Sloths don’t play electric guitar in the oval office either, but just writing about it makes me giggle.
“Sloths” is one of the funniest skits I have ever seen…period! My wife thought we she was going to take me to the hospital I was laughing so hard. Oh, and don’t forget “Doppelganger”; that was a good short too. T