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Okay, NBC's Saturday Night Live is in the business of satirizing, goofing, and generally being irreverent. #Fair enough. #A lot of their humor is just too broad to interest me much. #But I hope some of you folks who were so upset at the PBS documentary on Appalachia last week had a chance to see the 'Appalachian Emergency Room' skit on SNL tonight - truly, truly offensive. #To country people, poor people, male & female, black & white. #Now here's a subject worth of your wrath.
I didn't see it. But it is just a skit. A parody. A parody is, in part, making fun of the prejudice. Everyone knows that most of these city people coming out here have nowhere near the common sense of a rural idiot, let alone a fully functioning redneck. Even the city people themselves look embarassed that they're essentially clueless without big brother and global commerce providing a suitable context to live in. City wimps expect road signs and guard rails, ask us if there's a "McDonalds" nearby [we've carefully practiced the astounded look and annoying chuckle - why do you think God made possums so slow???], expect their cell phones to pick up signals [fat chance], and can't drive their SUVs worth beans [want something funny, put one in a bass boat]. Simply no basic survival skills.
I don't generally find parody offensive, although I sometimes feel a little embarassed that I laugh at skits poking fun at handicapped people, women, men, teachers, and folks of various ethnic backgrounds. But I'm not offended.
I am offended by racist, sexist, etc subtle stuff in commercials, in TV programs, and elsewhere. That's offensive. Parodies make fun of the bias, which should embarrass and educate us.
This may not be the place for this but I heard a great joke the other day about country idiots:
A man owned a small business in Georgia The Wage and
Hour Department of Georgia claimed he was not paying
proper wages to his help, and sent an agent to interview him.
"I need a list of your employees and how much you pay
them," demanded the agent.
"Well, there's my Mechanic who's been with me for 3 years.
I pay him $600 a week"
"The Mechanic's helper has been here for 18 months, and I
pay him $500 a month."
"Then there's the half-wit that works about 18 hours a day.
He makes $10 a week and I buy him Cigarettes & Beer,"
replied the Owner.
"That's the guy I want to talk to; the half-wit," says the agent.
The Owner says, "That would be me."
Gianna, well said. I do agree with you on just about everything you said. Although it doesn't necessarily 'offend' me. It does get under my skin a little.
It's the old saying, if somebody has to jab it's more than likely because they don't understand it or scared of it. Most of those idiots on SNL couldn't count 13 Hickory nuts. I'm curious as to how many on here knows how to count 13 Hickory Nuts? http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/...cons/smile.gif
Its just the same old song and dance that has been going around for 150 years now. I could make this political but I won't. But it does have political ramifications from unhonest Abe and that 'war' that he wanted. Same jargon going on today-southern redneck farmer ignorant and stupid or northern businessman smart and intelligent.
The worst problem with the SNL skit was it wasn't funny enough to be entertaining.
After each description of ailments the patients were sent to a numbered room. So what?
Made me want to watch an episode of Monty Python to remind me that it is possible to have humor on TV. http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/...ticons/wow.gif
Not Monty Python calibre by a long shot--but it's a funny skit. And, as usual, I found myself laughing to it last night. #It's so over the top that it's apparent they're laughing at the stereotype--not embracing it. #Now the Blue Collar Comedy guys--that's offensive.
I'm surprised that someone would be criticizing this one and not the racially tinged jokes (which was obviously satire) in the Vicente Fox/Al Sharpton bit on Weekend Update. #Or how the one legged woman sketch was insensitive to people w/ one leg. #As with much humor, we only seem to get incensed when it hits close to home--otherwise we laugh carefree.
One of the classic bits of the old SNL was Garrett Morris "interpreting" Chevy Chase's Weekend Update newscast for the hearing impaired. #Of course, he just screamed out whatever Chase said (instead of signing). # Was it irreverently funny or insensitive? #I'm a social worker for the mentally ill, but I bust a gut whenever I think of or see the skit.
Anycase, none of this has anything to do w/ mandolins and really isn't an appropriate discussion for the message board. Let's get back to what's the best mando to buy for $50.
Jim
Jim:
I agree this discussion has no place here. But let's make it more challenging: The best F-style for under $50!
The skit did have "devil's dream" playing in the background. I played along, although they did it in the key of G rather than A. So it did have some fiddle tune content.
SNL ? I grew up with SNL from day one, and USED to LOVE it. Some of the talent and writing is suffering now and they have a real left political bias that really takes the fun out of it for me these days. Gianna is right they are just skits and parodys for the most part.I just think they could do much better cause I don't laugh like I used to. Long live cow bell guy ! Now onto some topics that have to do with MANDOLIN
Scott,
Where is the mando content on this topic?
Tim
There's none here, Tim.Quote:
Originally Posted by (Tim Saxton @ May 22 2005, 15:26)
If you're referring to why the Bands I Hate thread was shut down and this one wasn't, it was because the other slid down the slope too far in inappropriate language and pictures that were clearly outside of the posting guidelines. I don't mind conversation straying a bit as long as it's kept within reason and the language is appropriate.