Female cast members take the lead on 'SNL' with Joseph Gordon-Levitt

September 23, 2012|By Claire Zulkey

<p>"Saturday Night Live" writers gave the presidential candidates a break last night, instead addressing politics in more peripheral--and female-oriented--ways.</p><p>New cast member Kate McKinnon enjoyed a standout moment in "Weekend Update" for her impression of Ann Romney. Did it bear any actual resemblance to Mitt Romney’s wife? Probably not, but McKinnon’s Romney was amusing for her blend of sassiness with a touch of wild-eyed insanity: Would you think of Mrs. Romney as a Beyoncé megafan? “Everyone is a Beyoncé fan, Seth!” Unfortunately, Hulucut the part where McKinnon performed some of the singer’s choreography, but it's worth catching for viewers who recorded the episode. What worked best about the character is that McKinnon didn’t attack Romney via her impression but instead made her tough and sympathetic, complaining about not getting to hang out with cool celebrities (instead having to touch “Jon Voigt’s cold lizard hand”) and snapping back at Republican naysayers who doubt her husband. Can we elect the fake Ann Romney to office?</p></div></div><div class="float" style="clear:both;height:1px;line-height:1px;"><img src="/images/pixel.gif" height="1" width="1" alt="" /></div><div id="mod-ctr-lt-in-top" class="mod-latarticlesadcpc mod-adcpc with-fourth-cpc"><script type="text/javascript"> var adSkipCounter = 0; </script> <script type="text/javascript"> //<![CDATA[ var loc = window.location.href + ""; var float = ""; google_hints = "cast members female cast new cast";google_ad_client="pub-0227802054925200"; google_ad_output="js"; google_ad_channel="5212128158,6138855783,8321278795,8261105409"; google_ad_type="text"; google_image_size="300x250"; google_safe="high"; google_feedback="on"; google_max_num_ads="2"; google_skip="" + adSkipCounter + ""; google_adtest="off"; google_page_url=document.URL; function google_ad_request_done(ads) { if (ads.length == 0) { return; } // If no ads are returned then dont build the ad block if (ads[0].bidtype == "CPC") { adSkipCounter += ads.length; } // Increment ad skip counter when cpc google_ad_request_done_internal(ads, "", "", "true", "medium_rectangle", "", "", "pgtp=article&pi=34&ci=34044561&cat=arts+%26+entertainment&pe_id=34044561&tv=ap-LA12-G02&rna=pub-0227802054925200&rn=g&rnrci=5212128158&rnrcn=CMI-A-002&rncci=6138855783&rnccn=CMI-A-009&rnpci=&rnpcn=&rntci=&rntcn=&rnlci=8261105409&rnlcn=8261105409&rnp=c&rt=cpc&paidClick=1&placement_id=ctr-lt-in-top", "", "", "", "", "", "ap-LA12-G02", "Los Angeles Times Articles"); } //]]></script> <script type="text/javascript" src="/google_ad_request.js.php"></script> <script type="text/javascript" src="http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/show_ads.js"></script></div><div id="mod-a-body-after-first-para" class="mod-latarticlesarticletextwithadcpc mod-latarticlesarticletext mod-articletext"><p>Female cast members took the lead on the majority of the strongest material of the night. Vanessa Bayer appeared in an ad for <a href="http://www.hulu.com/watch/404167?playlist_id=1124">“G.O.B.” tampons</a>, made for women by Republicans: the writers’ take on how conservative male politicians understand the female anatomy was both funny and unsettling. Cecily Strong opened and closed a commercial parodying the self-importance and complete ignorance of the election’s <a href="http://www.hulu.com/watch/404175?playlist_id=1124">undecided voters</a>, a group the show has needled in the past.</p><p>In non-political material, Nasim Pedrad and Jay Pharoah had fun exploring the new on-air relationship between Kelly Ripa and Michael Strahan. It’s clear that the show’s writers are fond of Ripa, as throughout the years she’s been portrayed as ditzy but well-meaning and ambitious, tiny but unexpectedly strong. And McKinnon again took a star turn in a pleasantly bizarre sketch where parents introduce their daughter Evelyn (host Joseph Gordon-Levitt, who seemed rather absent from the episode compared with his last time on the show, whereas musical guests Mumford & Sons appeared as a Beatles cover band in one sketch in addition to two strong performances) to a potential suitor via a musical number with compellingly strange lyrics. For instance, McKinnon sang that Evelyn was “hiding inside me” but “now she’s outside me”. Like last week’s <a href="http://www.hulu.com/watch/401532">Amish website</a> sketch, it was one of those so-weird-it-just-might-work sketches that rewarded the viewer for staying through the end of the episode.</p><p>The show returns live on Oct. 6 with host Daniel Craig and musical guest Muse, while Mick Jagger's episode reruns next week, which was worth watching if only to see <a href="http://www.hulu.com/watch/363324">Mick fail at being Mick</a>.</p><p><strong>ALSO:</strong></p><p><a href="http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/tv/showtracker/la-et-st-saturday-night-live-premiere-seth-mcfarlane-frank-ocean-political-humor-20120916,0,5655120.story">'SNL' season premiere dominated by political humor</a></p><p><a href="http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/tv/showtracker/la-et-st-snl-romney-video-fox-and-friends-20120921,0,639734.story">'SNL Weekend Update Thursday' mocks Romney, 'Fox & Friends'</a></p><p><a href="http://www.latimes.com/news/politics/la-pn-romney-snooki-honey-boo-boo-20120914,0,5304980.story">Romneys discuss pop culture with Kelly Ripa and Michael Strahan</a></p><p><a href="https://twitter.com/Zulkey">@Zulkey</a></p></div><div id="mod-a-body-after-first-para-ad-cpc" class="mod-adcpc"> <script type="text/javascript"> //<![CDATA[ var loc = window.location.href + ""; 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