Even though we were almost a full week removed from the Super Bowl, Saturday Night Live could not let the blackout (and CBS's coverage) go unspoofed. We were treated to a fairly brilliant cold open during this past week's episode. Keenan Thompson as James Brown really steals the show here. It is a mix of trying to mask his own panic while trying to keep everyone else's under control.
Jay Pharoah as Shannon Sharpe: "Don't make us watch those first half highlights again! I can't watch those again!"
Jason Sudeikis as Dan Marino: "I'm running on fumes, man."
Tim Robinson as Bill Cowher: "We did a six hour pre-game, what more is there to say?"
Now of course I would argue if they could fill six hours of pre-game, surely four professionals could find a way to fill an unscripted half hour, but they couldn't, and that's why we're here.
Taran Killam, as Steve Tasker, has withouht a doubt the funniest exchange with Thompson, not only asking him to not cut back to him, but then accusing him of making up updates the next time he does, and then disappearing.
The end of the skit, in which desperation hits an all-time high, Brown puts Marino on the spot by asking about his extra-marrital affair, which the real CBS avoided for some reason.
The skit was really a humorus take on the obvious overwhelming panic felt by the CBS analysts. From the continuous promotion of 2 Broke Girls, to the awful analysis of the game when an impromptu blackout forces them all out of their comfort zone, the skit hit on pretty much every angle.
SNL is certainly no longer in its prime, but occassionaly will expose us to its brilliance of the days of yore, and this skit is certainly a shining example.
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About Reva Friedel
Reva is a staff writer for Awful Announcing and the AP Party. She lives in Orange County and roots for zero California teams.