The times have changed at Saturday Night Live
Saturday Night Live has been the commander of “presidential parody” since it premiered in 1975, but now it is a place for the politicians themselves.
Chevy Chase was the original tormentor of politicians and began the famous staple of Saturday Night Live. Through the good and bad, viewers have always been able to count on SNL for some hilarious portraits of the president, his cabinet members and candidates.
However, there has been a change in the long relationship between SNL and the politicians it mocks.
In 2000, in the midst of the presidential election, both Al Gore and George W. Bush appeared on the opening skit of the show. The parodies of candidates and the incumbent presidents have never stopped, but the appearance of politicians has increased to the point where it seems any politician running for office must appear on the show for popular support.
In 2007, Barack Obama appeared in the opening of the show in a skit called Hillary Clinton’s Halloween Party. He wore a mask of himself and stripped it off to show that he was in fact himself beneath it, and shouted the famous line, “Live from New York, it’s Saturday Night!”
The most recent political moment was Hillary Clinton’s stint on the show when it returned after the writers strike in early March. In an “editorial response” to a skit mocking both her and Barack Obama in a debate, Clinton said she “simply adored Amy [Poehler]’s impression of [her].”
Then Poehler came out, wearing Clinton’s exact wardrobe down to the earrings, and they had some banter until it was Clinton’s turn to say, “Live from New York.”
Alisa Sjolin, a freshman open-option major, said these kind of appearances do not have an effect on her feelings about a candidate.
“It doesn’t really change my opinion when I see a nominee go on a TV show, especially that skit with her [Clinton],”Sjolin said. “It seemed forced.”
Clinton’s appearance was during the week of the Texas and Ohio primaries, which were supposed to either make or break her campaign. There is no doubt that Clinton has been stereotyped as an “ice queen,” and many have said her cold public appearances keep her from gaining the votes she needs over Obama.
“I think it is pretty obvious that [nominees] would eventually start responding to the things people say about them on TV,” said Samantha Madden, a freshman open-option major. “I hope its not necessary for them to be on shows like Saturday Night Live for people to like them, though.”
Clinton ended up taking both Texas and Ohio, but it is impossible to know if her SNL skit had anything to do with it. However, it did attempt to show a cheerier side of Clinton and her ability to laugh at herself. Still, some miss the good old days when Saturday Night Live was the impartial teaser of all politicians alike.
“I liked it better when they just made fun of the politicians,” said Dan Gruber, a freshman astronomy major. “The show has gotten less and less funny, but the one thing that I always liked was the impressions. I hope that doesn’t change.”
Contact Campus Press Reporter Emma Dessau at Emma.Dessau@colorado.edu.
