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Date Posted: 03:21:01 02/18/05 Fri
Author: CCS
Subject: Some Good Gnus and Some Bad Gnus
In reply to: Patrick Lonergan 's message, "REVIEWS: Jason Bateman 02/12/05" on 11:16:40 02/12/05 Sat

Well, since I was struggling with my sketch again, I decided to catch a ride on the review ballistic missile. And now, like Peter Sellers, I wave my cowboy hat high in the air as I slip to a fiery oblivion.

<center><b>The Daily Show With Jon Stewart</b>
<i>by Chelsea Almany</i></center>

I'll be honest, I think you reached a bit too far by placing Tony Blair in this sketch. I know you wanted a contrast between Stewart's childish antics and a dignified guest, but Blair is top dog of an entire country. If all you really need is a straight man for the sketch, I'd have gone with one of his top officials or the like, it would ground the sketch a little more by adding plausibility. There were a few funny lines in this, the "I'm not wearing chaps" and catching Dick Cheney by surprise, but overall it felt cartoony.

<center><b>Jason Bateman's Monologue</b>
<i>by Patrick Lonergan</i></center>

The entire thing is pretty much a wind-up for one joke. But that's alright, the joke's funny and the wind-up isn't too long. It gets us where we need to be to appreciate the idea fully. More than can be said for most monologues that seem to make it to air (you'd think the big time writers would realize that belaboring the monologue ALWAYS kills the show's energy).

<center><b>America's Dumbest Customers</b>
<i>by Justin Kaplowitz</i></center>

This was pretty good and fairly funny. The sketch is very well structured, with an accurate show parody. I'd say one thing that could use improvement is in trimming out the extra talk. For example, in Mark Johannson's first bit of talk, everything between him introducing himself and the "our first story..." seems unnecessary. Not only does it take a while to get through, it kind of forces the joke of dumb customers. There are plenty of funny examples of dumb customers coming up, so there's no real need to heavy-hand the joke to start off. Also, one of the neat things about voice-over commentary is how far you can get away with it insulting people. I feel you could have taken it a few steps farther and come away with some terrifically funny lines.

<center><b>The New Message</b>
<i>by Cash Car Star</i></center>

Not my favorite work... I kind of rushed through this because I had been spending so long reviewing (a technique that I once again look to be falling back on this week). There's a few structural things I don't like: the St. Nero joke interrupts the vasectomy joke, my speed limit line was arbitrarily placed when I was about to send the sketch and realized I hadn't put it in, the funny thing the couple really does is the Saint stuff, and I know I could have expanded Evangelista's boasting about watching them go at it. Oh well. Try, try again.

<center><b>Homework Hassles</b>
<i>by DRG4</i></center>

There is a strong absurdist theme to this sketch of all these people coming to a group consensus is alright when its for a grade. I think you do an all right, but only all right, job of milking the absurdity out of the situation. A few of the comments could have been punched up a bit to really juxtapose the characters and the situation they're involved in. For example, Pat's line about medical school just melts. You have a great spot to establish some comic contrast, and instead it heads to clicheville. The parking mix-up seems to come straight out of the first Pranksters with Christopher Walken, which is slightly unfortunate because the methodology is crucial to the plot line and can't be changed very easily. I feel when you have all the students bragging about what you waste a perfect opportunity to professionalize the whole situation up: instead of having the students brag, how about having the professor read from his notes on the proceedings? You can still culminate in the Pauly Shore line (although I'd personally lay off him, he's a bit cliche too), but it would also allow you to provide a little reaction to the killing method, which I think would be really funny, especially if the professor espouses bizarre prejudices (Russian Roulette? Never did trust those damn ruskies). Good karmatic (any idea of this is a word?) finish.

<center><b>Sylvester Asks The Questions</b>
<i>by Jason Dignard</i></center>

A traditionally styled character quirk "sitcom" SNL sketch, Sylvester was given pretty much the most irritating character trait imaginable. Some of the questions were funny, and I especially enjoyed the ending with him trying to figure out a new name in the grave. All in all, there's not really a whole lot left to say - it's a medium level concept that was executed to about its fullest extend. There's a few lines that are only quasiquestions, or not questions at all, but I feel the idea was still expanded upon fairly.

<center><b>Jason Bateman Backstage Part 1</b>
<i>by Prateek Srivastava</i></center>

Why was this called Part 1? I didn't see any other backstage bits. Hrmm. Anyway, I didn't care too much for this sketch - there was too much of people playing themselves and talking too bluntly about their work. It's supposed to be ironic, but I just never really enjoy the stuff. I'm not much of a cameo fan either. Most of the insults seemed to be pretty juvenile.

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