Banned SNL Bailout Video Found - Censored or Sensible?

The much coveted and censored NBC Saturday Night Live bailout skit -- aka the SNL Bailout Video -- has been found and can be viewed at the overseas website www.snlbailout.cx, at least until some offended persons take it down.The unhappy website owner, logic indicates an American, claims that this will not happen.

Whatever the reason for the abrupt disappearance of the SNL Bailout Video, the skit hits on some truths and satire that some people may take umbrage to, thus, many conspiracies have been born. Certainly, the website owner is none too pleased as he or she challenges legal action and defends Fair Use. At the bottom of the website, it reads:

"WARNING: ALL COMMUNICTIONS WILL BE POSTED ON THIS WEBSITE!
Please call ....or email.... to make legal threats, I'm very interested in deposing Lorne Michaels, the Sandlers, Barney Frank, Nancy Pelosi, and George Soros." Additionally, on the website are several links regarding the SNL Bailout Video scandal of interest.

Regardless,this comedic finding is good news for conspiracy theorists, those concerned about potential censorship and folks who are simply out-of-whack that they missed their dose of political comedy from SNL. Especially when the lulz include an uncharacteristic, wholesale attack on Democrats.

SNL Bailout Video Ban Sensible or Censorship

Given that NBC has removed inquires and comments expressing concerns for the controversial video that evaporated Monday, so far it is unknown to the public why the SNL Bailout Video was pulled.

Those who subscribe to less nefarious explanations have speculated that it is related to concerns about inciting violence. "People who should be shot" reads the caption underneath the Herb and Marion Sanders characters --rich folks who benefited quite well from sub-prime mortgages.

Mark Hopkins at Mashable has this to say about the Sanders:" As Todd Thurman at Heritage notes, 'the Sandlers are left-wing moguls who built a mortgage company whose major product was subprime mortgages and they sold it to Wachovia for $24.2 billion in 2006. And what do the Sandlers do when they are not peddling subprime garbage? They are busy writing checks to leftist groups like the Center for American Progress, the American Civil Liberties Union, and Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now (ACORN)."

Given that satire of this ilk is not rare, The Colbert Report, Bill Maher and Bill O'Reilly come to mind, inciting violence seems an unlikely explanation. Then again non-politically correct comments are less humorous to its target.

Another speculation is that George Soros, also lampooned in the video, is none too happy. True or not, when you are rich, powerful, offended and armed with counsel ...TV networks shake and succumb -- no trial needed.

Much of the speculation from conservatives includes, of course, that the SNL Bailout Skit Video made liberals look bad, and responsible for the financial crisis. Michelle Malkin provides an interestign explanation, which can be found amidst the blanket theory at Mashable (see sources).

Otherwise, U.S. Rep. Barney Frank, Chairman of the Finance Committee, apparently has a sense of humor about it. Joking that, "My only problem is when the guy who plays me is too fat - then I get upset," -- referring to SNL impersonator Horatio Sanz, reports the Boston Herald.

Whatever the reason for the SNL Bailout Video removal, it is clear that people take their comedy seriously and their political affections are no laughing matter, nor is censorship.

Sources
http://mashable.com/2008/10/06/snl-censorship/
http://news.bostonherald.com/track/inside_track/view.bg?articleid=1123929&srvc=home&position=also
NBC and Saturday Night Live