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Fey Shines ... Phelps Wobbles on 'SNL'

By JAKE COYLE

posted: 290 DAYS 19 HOURS AGO

comments: 593

filed under: Politics, TV News

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NEW YORK (Sept. 14) - Live from New York ... it's Tina Fey as Gov. Sarah Palin.

After wild conjecture over whom would play Sen. John McCain's running mate on "Saturday Night Live," Fey returned to her old show for an opening sketch featuring her and Fey's former "Weekend Update" co-host Amy Poehler as Sen. Hillary Clinton.

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Putting your politics aside, how'd Tina do?

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The NBC comedy show's season premiere opened Saturday with a "nonpartisan message" where the two pleaded for an end to sexism in the presidential campaigns — which have seen Palin enjoy sudden popularity after Clinton's loss to Sen. Barack Obama for the Democratic nomination.

"I didn't want a woman to be president, I wanted to be president," said Poehler, reprising her caricature of Clinton.

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Let's Play 'Count the Phlubs!'
Obvious mistakes at :50, 01:25 and 02:35 ... can you find more? Post them below.

Many have said Fey bears a resemblance to Palin, a comparison alluded to in the sketch. A frustrated Clinton eventually broke down, complaining about Palin's ease of ascendance and her "Tina Fey glasses."

A few digs were made about Palin being less experienced than Clinton. As Poehler's Clinton bragged about her foreign policy experience, Fey's Alaskan governor exclaimed: "I can see Russia from my house!"

When Poehler said she disagreed with the Bush Doctrine, Fey's Palin acknowledged, "I don't know what that means" — a reference to Palin's apparent confusion on the subject in her first major interview earlier this week on ABC.

Poehler wrapped up the sketch: "In conclusion, I invite the media to grow a pair. And if you can't, I will lend you mine."

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This Week in Pop Culture: October 1-7

Oct 3, 1992: Sin O'Connor stirs up controversy when she rips up a picture of Pope John Paul II on 'Saturday Night Live'.

Youtube.com

Oct. 1, 2006: Narcolepsy is in the London air as David Hasselhoff nods off during an interview on a morning talk show -- he later blames the incident on sleeping pills. Meanwhile, across town, George Michael is arrested after being found asleep at the wheel of his car in the early hours of the morning.

Wire Image / Getty Images

Oct. 2, 2006:Pop star Aaron Carter wants his ex-fiancee Kari Ann Peniche to give back $10,000 earrings he bought her during their nine-day engagement that he broke off. He is spotted with Kaci Brown a few days later. (Pictured: Singer Aaron Carter and Kaci Brown at the 33rd Annual People's Choice Awards.)

Frazer Harrison, Getty Images

Oct. 2, 1951: Gordon Sumner is born in Wallsend, England. While playing with the Phoenix Jazzmen, a black and yellow sweatshirt will earn him the nickname Sting. Following a brief career as a school teacher, hewill move to London, where he eventually teams up with Andy Summers and Stewart Copeland to form the Police.

Tom Hill, Wire Image

Oct. 4, 1990: The original 'Beverly Hills, 90210' premieres on FOX. The show would run 10 seasons and produce two spin offs, 'Melrose Place' and the new CW "90210" which debuted in 2008.

Corbis

Oct. 4, 1970: Janis Joplin, lead singer of Big Brother and the Holding Company, dies of a heroin overdose at the Landmark Hotel in Los Angeles.

Oct 5, 2007: The group, Hanson, has to call off their gig in Tulsa, Okla., after Isaac Hanson is taken to hospital with shoulder and chest pains. Doctors perform an emergency heart surgery, and Isaac recovers.

Mark Mainz, Getty Images

Oct. 4, 2006: It's the Battle of the Blondes as Miss USA 1995 Shanna Moakler and Paris Hilton each claim they were assaulted by the other outside a Hollywood nightclub. No charges are ever filed by either party.

Getty Images / Wire Image

Oct. 7, 2005: George O'Dowd, a.k.a. Boy George, calls the NYPD claiming that his apartment has been robbed. Upon arrival, police find the singer with three and a half grams of cocaine. The whole mess ends with O'Dowd serving five days community service cleaning the city streets.

Nancy Kaszerman, Zuma Press

Oct. 6, 1991: Elizabeth Taylor takes her eighth and final crack at matrimony, marrying construction worker Larry Fortensky, whom she'd met while both were patients at the Betty Ford Clinic. The union will last five years.

Barry King, Wire Image

"SNL" returned early this fall for its 34th season in part to capitalize on the presidential campaign. The show has historically had particular relevance in its political parodies.

Last season, a sketch making fun of the media's fawning over Obama was seen as causing the press to rethink its coverage. In 2000, Darrell Hammond's impression of Al Gore in the debates made the phrase "lock box" ubiquitous.

This year's season debut was expected to dive even further into politics because of a planned appearance from Obama. But the Senator canceled his cameo early Saturday. His campaign spokeswoman Jen Psaki said Obama decided it was no longer appropriate because of the devastation caused by Hurricane Ike.

Olympic swimming champion Michael Phelps was the host. Phelps, who won eight gold medals at last month's Beijing Olympics, said in his opening monologue: "This seriously is like the ninth best moment of my life."

FanHouse Responds: Phelps Is the Bomb!

Phelps' mother, Debbie, got in on the joke from the audience, as did William Shatner, who made an irreverent cameo.

The star swimmer stumbled over a number of lines, but also performed in a reprise of a sketch another athletic "SNL" host, Peyton Manning, played last season. As he did a similarly football-themed sketch, cast member Will Forte played a swimming coach trying to rally a despondent swim team in a locker room.

As team captain "Michael Phillips," Phelps said: "I just don't think I'm cut out for this whole swimming thing."

Copyright 2008 The Associated Press. The information contained in the AP news report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed without the prior written authority of The Associated Press. Active hyperlinks have been inserted by AOL.

2008-09-14 00:47:38

Dan Steinberg, AP

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Surfdogge69

04:37 PMDec 24 2008

Tina Fey has certainly brought something back to SNL. I haven't watched it in years. We used to be ANYWHERE there was a TV in Sacramento on Sat nights in the 70's..I would put her #4 or 5 behind Jane Curtin, Gilda Radner, Loraine Newman, and Casey Wilson. Casey's rap for Palin while pregnant, and her weekend update skits in my perspective make her and Tina equals. While Tina got more press for the Palin thing, Casey is the unsung hero of this revitalization. My hats off to all these wonderful talented women for bringing joy and laughter to us when we've needed it most..Ed Rapp Napa Californa

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ORLANDOPOOLHOMES

10:10 PMOct 14 2008

Sorry Tina...Your EARS ARE TOO BIG. Sarah doesn't have those big old ears. Maybe you could impersonate DUMBO. :o)

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Midmktinc

10:28 AMOct 13 2008

Tina Fey is a terrific comedienne...and that particular team has been outstanding. If they don't get too hateful, they'll keep overall support.

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KimberlyLynn 423

04:50 AMOct 12 2008

Yeah... Palin is a mother, she's happy... tough... and kind....GIVE ME A BIG OL' BREAK!!!! SHE IS CERTAINLY A FISH OUT OF WATER IN THE PRESIDENTIAL ARENA... Also...who cares if she is married, kind or pretty!!! GOOD LORD! DUH!

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KimberlyLynn 423

04:46 AMOct 12 2008

Phelps is a swimmer. Period. Not much personality though. Very monotone...

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Licksalotofmuff

12:35 AMSep 21 2008

Sarah Palin is a MILF

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XSCOTT9

08:17 PMSep 20 2008

SNL just isn't the same as it was in the good 'ol days of Chevy Chase, Steve Martin, or even back when Eddie Murphy and Joe Piscapo were on the cast. There is way too much political bias on the show today

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ByronMega

01:50 PMSep 18 2008

Protecting the Children of this Country and Many others. This should come first above all else. I see that we alll have Children and Understand this on a Personal Level. Now with this in mind Please think carefully The Polygamy Homes exist in Texas and Arizona(Colorado City). To me I think America Can and Will do better with someone who actually Cares For Our Children FROM THE HEART.... Obama and Biden They Truly Care

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CabbieSada6

12:10 PMSep 18 2008

I must say the skit was funny and very true when you look about the campaign. I palin does love her children even though I'm not voting for her, she is doing what most moms want to do, everything. There is nothing wrong with that .

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SmokeScreen619

02:08 AMSep 18 2008

Then you said a "MOTHER".... Pretty FUNNY! She kept her 3 day old baby in a car seat under her desk, cause her money came first, not FAMILY. No mother I know would do such a thing.. "TOUGH" she is, and I got another name for that STUBORN BULLy.... "KIND"----YAH RIGHT! She hunts helpless animals for SPORT. AND that crazy BROAD, speaks in tongues. COME ON IN TONGUES?? SHE IS MADE FOR THE JERRY SPRINGER SHOW.....

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