How ‘Saturday Night Live’ Betrayed Its Legacy (and Us)

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“Saturday Night Live” is doing a victory lap this weekend, and for good reason.

This year marks the NBC show’s 50th anniversary, a remarkable feat in broadcasting.

The festivities kicked off at Radio City Music Hall with “SNL: The Homecoming Concert”. This high-profile event showcased a collection of big names from rock, pop, and soul genres, including Cher, Lady Gaga, a stand-in for Nirvana (represented by Post Malone in place of the late Kurt Cobain), and Snoop Dogg.

On February 16th, the “SNL50: The Anniversary Special” is scheduled to air at 8 p.m. Eastern Time, on none other than NBC. This grand event will feature the likes of Peyton Manning, Robert De Niro, Scarlett Johansson, Tom Hanks, Steve Martin, Miley Cyrus, and other renowned stars.

A large number of viewers are tuning in for nostalgic reasons, yet many recognize that this milestone carries a mix of emotions. Regrettably, what’s on screen now feels like a shadow of what it once was. This has been true for almost a decade.

What changed?

Initially, “SNL” shifted towards a highly partisan approach, discarding the practice of bipartisan satire. This change in direction is reminiscent of traditional media outlets, as “SNL” predominantly overlooked President Joe Biden’s apparent mental deterioration, which could be seen as evidence of its liberal leanings.

Show founder Lorne Michaels pretends the show remains nonpartisan. Reality says otherwise.

Screams it, to be precise.

As a movie enthusiast, I can’t help but notice the growing disconnect between the public and traditional news sources. It seems like more and more fresh perspectives are being overlooked by established outlets, which only fuels the skepticism towards the once-trusted media giants.

The other serious flaw infecting “SNL” is less obvious but just as important.

In a similar vein, Saturday Night Live (SNL) might have led the charge during the cultural revolution. Back then, SNL dared to challenge societal norms on topics like race, sexual boundaries, and others, which initially left viewers in a state of shock.

Not every sketch hit the bullseye. On average, about half the night’s sketches made us howl.

Sometimes less.

As a movie enthusiast, I’d put it this way: “I didn’t care about the balance; Saturday Night Live was swinging big, dishing out fresh jokes and bold perspectives, aiming for laughter and insight. That’s what made us love the show to begin with. The latest SNL flick managed to capture that hilarious pandemonium.

The show’s unique status once let it explore topics other programs avoid.

Not anymore.

The current “SNL” (Saturday Night Live) has become overly cautious and repetitive. You can guess the subjects they’ll tackle, the humor they’ll employ, and which taboos they’ll breach.

Very few, if any. And here’s why that matters.

In the middle of the 2010s, the “woke mind virus” flourished, during a period when “Saturday Night Live” continued to be a significant influence in popular culture. The show had an opportunity to confront this new wave directly, poking fun at its characteristics just as they do with other trends, in their signature “SNL” style.

No rules. No off-bound topics. Chevy Chase would be proud.

SNL” deliberately steered clear of controversial topics such as Identity Politics, censorship by sensitivity readers, content warnings, and extreme examples of progressive hypocrisy.

What’s the significance here? Free speech serves as the vital essence for both humor and “SNL.” The so-called “woke mind virus,” as labeled by Elon Musk, poses a direct threat to the freedom of expression.

Saturday Night Live (SNL) didn’t generate a lot of comedic backlash towards the Twitter Files controversy or the Biden administration’s period of censorship.

It gets worse.

Instead of emphasizing the celebration by guest Brad Pitt, the NBC show overlooked Dr. Fauci’s role in suppressing scientific discourse, his inconsistency regarding mask use, and his advocacy for societal lockdowns.

When Gina Carano was terminated by Disney over what seemed like an innocuous, emotional statement that touched on accusations of “Star Wars” harboring anti-Semitic undertones.

Nothing more.

Every now and then, under a stunning cobalt-blue sky, Saturday Night Live dips its toes into the realm of cinema, sometimes producing outstanding outcomes.

The “Woke Jeans” illustrations were an unusual case, defying the implicit guideline that the show should avoid engaging with progressive or socially aware themes.

In simpler terms, “Saturday Night Live” didn’t have any significant comment on the cancellation of Dr. Seuss. However, they repeatedly invited Dave Chapelle as a host, despite the fact that some of his trans-related comedy sketches came close to being criticized or canceled themselves.

Lately, “SNL” has appeared unwilling to intervene as artists of Jewish descent such as Matisyahu, Michael Rapaport, and Bret Gelman faced cancellations orchestrated by pro-Palestinian groups.

Cancel Culture? What Cancel Culture?

Supporters have been asking for small doses of satire, such as when comedian Bill Burr used his opening monologue to speak frankly about those in power. This was the most we could hope for.

In a speech during the 2023 broadcast, Woody Harrelson humorously criticized excessive measures taken during the pandemic, which seemed as though Saturday Night Live (SNL) had finally regained its boldness. However, this moment of defiance was brief.

Originally, “SNL,” a show most of us grew up with, ought to have stood against the critics of wokeness and fiercely challenged Cancel Culture online. However, today’s “SNL” seems isolated within a protective progressive sphere, seldom acknowledging opposing perspectives.

While traditional comedians were absent, rebellious ones stepped up. There hasn’t been an “SNL” skit as powerful as the scathing review by Ryan Long and Danny Polishchuk in recent times.

News events taking place just outside the TV series’ New York City setting, such as the surge of people squatting in homes, were often overlooked. Yet again, counter-cultural rebels seized the opportunity presented by “SNL’s” lack of commentary.

One notable “SNL” low?

In 2019, Michael decided to bring onboard the up-and-coming talent, Shane Gillis, into the Not Ready for Prime Time Players group. However, after some of his past jokes about the Asian community were brought back to light, Michael subsequently withdrew the offer.

Gillis achieved superstardom independently of “SNL,” and they hesitantly asked him to host an episode the previous year.

That says it all, no?

Yes, “SNL’s’ extreme liberal bias is a stain on its once-great legacy. That matters.

The show’s refusal to tackle head-on the most significant societal change of our time, which used to fit well with the show’s humor, now seems outdated.

When “Saturday Night Live” (SNL) was truly needed, it faltered. This unavoidable truth must be addressed in any celebration of its lengthy career.

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2025-02-16 01:03