Can a Post-Fey/Palin 'SNL' Still Thrive?

By Mike Hess Posted Sep 26th 2009 10:29AM

Last season, a golden egg filled with laughs and publicity was laid in the lap of 'Saturday Night Live' during the 2008 TV season and election year. By mere chance, republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin happened to look exactly like 'SNL' alumnus Tina Fey. Even better for the show, Fey's ability to pull off an uncanny impression of the Russia-seeing former governor of Alaska propelled the show into nearly every weekend headline in the lead-up to the presidential election. But now that Sarah Palin is not a major news topic and the political cycle has died down, can 'SNL' keep up their momentum in a post-Palin world?

"The thing about 'Saturday Night Live' is they always survive. They do well and then sometimes they hit really big and you never know," Roger Friedman, an entertainment journalist who writes The Hollywood Reporter's 'Showbiz 411' column, tells PopEater. He goes on to cite that Andy Samberg's digital shorts paired with the popularity of the 'Weekend Update' news skit should be enough to keep 'SNL' going strong. "It's based on the news, so you have to wait for things to happen to respond to them," Friedman said.

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Tina Fey Snapshots

Tina Fey proudly holds up her Emmy that she snagged for her dead-on Sarah Palin impression on 'Saturday Night Live.' Click for More Pics of Fey >>>

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Tina Fey Snapshots

THE INVENTION OF LYING Tina Fey as Shelley

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THE INVENTION OF LYING Rob Lowe as Brad Kessler and Tina Fey as Shelley

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Actress/writer Tina Fey attends the Governors Ball for the 61st Primetime Emmy Awards held at the Los Angeles Convention Center on September 20, 2009 in Los Angeles, California. 61st Primetime Emmy Awards - Governor's Ball Los Angeles Convention Center Los Angeles, CA United States September 20, 2009 Photo by Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic.com To license this image (58435832), contact FilmMagic.com

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LOS ANGELES, CA - SEPTEMBER 20: Actress Mariska Hargitay (L) and Tina Fey arrive at the 61st Primetime Emmy Awards held at the Nokia Theatre on September 20, 2009 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Tina Fey;Mariska Hargitay

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LOS ANGELES, CA - SEPTEMBER 20: Actress Tina Fey arrives at the 61st Primetime Emmy Awards held at the Nokia Theatre on September 20, 2009 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Tina Fey

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Actors Tina Fey and Jack McBrayer attend the Governors Ball for the 61st Primetime Emmy Awards held at the Los Angeles Convention Center on September 20, 2009 in Los Angeles, California. The 61st Primetime Emmy Awards - Governors Ball Los Angeles Convention Center Los Angeles, CA United States September 20, 2009 Photo by Mathew Imaging/WireImage.com To license this image (58433411), contact WireImage.com

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Actresses Julia Louis-Dreyfus and Tina Fey attend the Governors Ball for the 61st Primetime Emmy Awards held at the Los Angeles Convention Center on September 20, 2009 in Los Angeles, California. The 61st Primetime Emmy Awards - Governors Ball Los Angeles Convention Center Los Angeles, CA United States September 20, 2009 Photo by Mathew Imaging/WireImage.com To license this image (58433720), contact WireImage.com

Mathew Imaging/WireImage.com

LOS ANGELES, CA - SEPTEMBER 20: Actresses Mariska Hargitay and Tina Fey arrive at the 61st Primetime Emmy Awards held at the Nokia Theatre on September 20, 2009 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Mariska Hargitay;Tina Fey

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LOS ANGELES, CA - SEPTEMBER 20: Actress Tina Fey backstage at the 61st Primetime Emmy Awards held at the Nokia Theatre on September 20, 2009 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Tina Fey;Alec Bladwin

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Sandy Deane, the managing editor of AOL Television, seems to think otherwise, wondering whether 'SNL' can rebound this season. "The show will probably peak with the season opener due to the Megan Fox effect, then it'll be all downhill from there," Deane tells PopEater.

"Without Tina Fey's Palin and Amy Pohler's appearances to boost interest, it's going to be a huge challenge for the show to maintain buzz beyond Samberg's digital hits," Deane continued.

Fey even won an Emmy this past week for her portrayal of Palin.

Highlights of the Fey-Palin Era

Couric Interview

VP Debate

Friedman says that if there's one thing he's learned over time, it's that Lorne Michaels generally comes out on top.

"You never bet against Lorne Michaels. He's outlived everybody, he's always right, he has incredible instincts," Friedman says.

Tags: andy samberg, AndySamberg, sarah palin, SarahPalin, saturday night live, SaturdayNightLive, snl, tina fey, TinaFey

Comments

(42)

Sunday 27 September

By mintrubble71

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Again, if you've been watching the Weekend Update Thursday specials they've been mocking Obama plenty. Unless you think Fred Armisen should come out draped in a Soviet flag in Al Jolson blackface and sing "Mammy". I guess that would be harsh enough for most people... Of course they haven't made as much fun of Obama as Dubbyah , Obama can actually speak English properly.

Saturday 26 September

By bill

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Not to worry - as long as there are conservatives and Christians, SNL will always have raw meat for their perverse humor. And there will always be conservatives and Christians.

By TJ

MAD TV IS still on. Saturday Nights at 11 on FOX. Thet are in season 14, so they must be doing SOMETHING right.

Those are just re-runs. The show has been canned. The producers were shopping the show around to other networks but no takers so far.

To all those morons who actually believe Fey was using Palin's actual words - get a clue! Get educated. In every instance she took Palin's words, then added/subtracted/changed bits of it to make it PARODY and SATIRE. In case you missed it, THAT'S WHAT SNL IS!

You're right, the sh*t Palin said was actually dumber than the stuff they made up.

By Mike

SNL hasn't been funny in years. How it stays on is beyond me. To see phonies like Farrell and Sandler rake in $$$$$ is comical in and of itself. Neither is funny.

By annie kowles

Oh I just love your saying that Tina Fey looks exactly like SP!! Surely you need to get your eyes checked. She isn't HALF as pretty as Palin is, and that's not hard to see.

SNL is Waaaaaaaaaaaaay past it's welcome. It is SO stupid that it just shows how many morons there really are out there, both on the show thinking they're funny, AND their audience, all 10 of them. I guess I just will never get over some of the people in this world who can only thrive when being mean and making fun of someone unwarrantedly, hoping to get a few laughs from the dorks of the world.

Do you write secret love letters to Palin? Fey & Palin aren't exactly identical twins, but they could certainly be sisters.

By Bill

Palin is my hero. Only weak men follow Obama.

Tuesday 29 September

By Serpico

Bill...Bill...Bill...Most men who like Palin and say they are conservatives and Christians have showed only true hate for all Americans and hang around pubic restrooms looking for men and you are one of them Mr.Bill Gay

What some fools wont admit, Palin was on OBAMAS short list. I wonder why. She is pretty smart. And only appeals to real Americans.

You are sooooooooooooo right.

By aedinstructor

The episode where Sarah Palin appeared as herself was the highest rated SNL in 14 years. Lorne Michaels, the producer of SNL, was so impressed with her in person that he donated money to the McCain/Palin campaign even though he is a Democrat. For all of you Kool-Aid drinking Obama lemmings out there, don't get so comfortable, when this woman speaks, plenty of people listen.

By fishon

Fey was funny? SnL hasn't been funny since Chris Farley died. Her and whats his face Weekend Update was crap.Between that and its usual crappy musical guests I found myself watching MadTV on Saturday nights.

By m

SNL is just another liberal forum to ruin people and force their political views down your throat. It sucks. Never was the same after Akroyd, Murray, Morris left. Turn if off.

By Joanne38

Tina Fey is disgusting. SNL is disgusting. Palin never said the things she got tagged with. The Democrats will do anything to win. They have NO integrity. Palin will be the only one to come out on top. Hollywood giving Hollywood awards. Pleazzze, they have to give it to themselves because no one else will. Hollywood needs a big pay cut next.

By GREETINGS 2 ALL

TINA FEY IS SARAH PALIN'S CLONE.DURING PALIN MEDIA BLITZ TINA WAS DOING VERY WELL. HOWEVER; NOW THAT PALIN IS OUT OF FOCUS IN THE MEDIA AND FOR THE MOST PART NEWS JOURNALISM I TRULY BELIEVE THAT TINA WILL NEED TO DO A COMPLETE MAKEOVER OF SOMEONE ELSE. WHEN SOME CELEB OR INTERESTING PERSON IS OUT OF NEWS MEDIA THEY ARE SOON FORGOTTEN. HER CAREER WILL SUFFER OVER TIME. I ALSO BELIEVE THAT HER POPULARITY AS PALIN WAS AT ITS PINNACLE BUT SOON TO DROP SLOWLY BECAUSE THE WINDS OF THE SAIL WERE GONE WHEN PALIN LOST ON THE TICKET.

By sean

hey green...nice ignorance...no SNL never made fun of Clinton while he was in office...obviously your just a just an eight-year old or another idiot conservative...both about the same intellect...besides WU and Fey's stellar impersonation SNL is horrible these days...Some critic was praising that new lady's breakout performance and I almost fell off my chair...she is terrible and tries to force every joke...watch an old episode of SNL and see how often the actors looked for cue-cards... and then watch nowadays and they don't take their eyes off them...it is painful to watch

By greenlandmj

I must admit I haven't watched the Thursday Weekend Update specials...got too much to do in real life.

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