Saturday Night Live -- Gerard Butler / Shakira -- 10/17/09 -- a Review

Note to Lorne Michaels: Fred Armisen SUCKS as Obama. Time to get someone new. Oh wait, there's The Rock, in a cameo, showing how it is done. Yes, it is a repeat of a prior sketch, but The Rock is funnier and more confident in his role. And it sure is fun as heck to see Mitch McConnell get his arm ripped off by an angry Hulk. Sadly, the sketch goes nowhere after that when Jason Sudekis shows up as Joe Biden and throws the rhythm off completely. A bit of fun to see Mitch McConnell get a bit of long overdo ribbing, but otherwise a flat rehash of the much funnier original sketch.

Gerard Butler Monologue -- 7

The 300 star does a number from Phantom of the Opera, and is suddenly attacked by invading maurauders and ninjas. A funny sight gag, although it would be funnier if his singing was a little better. The best monologue this year.

Grand Hoochie Skank Rose Commercial -- 5

Keenan Thompson is a smooth playa selling a cheap champagne specially made for "pouring down women's asses." A slightly amusing bit of ghetto humor.

Riding My Donkey Political Show Outtake -- 7

It's always fun to see the cast breaking up, and here they do as they're all riding fake donkeys and apparently losing it at the ridiculous nature of the sketch. This is an outtake sponsored by Budweiser.

Game Time with Randy & Greg -- 2

It's the talk show with a former NFL player and a guy who is "not an alien". This was mildly amusing last year, but certainly not something that we needed to see again. This is like a goat boy sketch with even less humor. Horrid.
Perspectives Outtake -- 6

Tim Meadows and Chris Rock can't keep a straight face in this outtake from 1996. The outtake might be funnier if they showed more of the sketch.

Beauty and the Beast -- 7

Kristen Wiig and Gerard Butler are Belle and the Beast, with a switch. The Beast thinks HE is the beauty and she's the beast, "like a six". The candlestick and the clock join in the discussion and tell Belle beauty is all in the eye of the beholder, and they like big "asses".

Casino Outake -- 5

Harvey Keitel shows up in this 1993 outtake dressed as an Indian. He cannot stop laughing long enough to get through his lines. Seems odd that all of the "backstage" material shown tonight is of the cast breaking up, something Lorne Michaels supposedly hates to see.

Shakira -- She Wolf -- 5

Generic dance pop made so much more enjoyable by the stunning visuals of Shakira dancing. Wow. Also interesting was seeing the Weekend Update stage being pushed out to the front of where the band is setup for the monologue.

Scared Straight Outtake -- 8

Bill Hader is laughing uncontrollably to the point of tears at Keenan Thompson's out of control inmate. Hader broke up live, and now we see why. He is laughing to the point of tears at the dress rehearsal. Funny.

Weekend Update -- 6

Not as funny as last week, but some amusing bits from Kristen Wiig as a sufferer or perpetual orgasms who is in recovery, and an appearance of Balloon Boy's foil balloon in an interview with Seth. Gerald Butler also makes an appearance to talk to his family in Scotland while Seth interprets. The "news" jokes are mostly unfunny, though, ruined by Seth's delivery. Funny line: "Olympia Snowe's vote was hailed as a victory for bipartisanship. So now you only need one Republican to be bipartisan? Those are pretty low standards. That's like saying you're bilingual because you say "hola" to the nanny.

Weekend Update Outtakes -- 5

Simply shots of Amy and Seth cracking up at mistakes during Weekend Update.

300 -- Don't Ask, Don't Tell -- 7

Gerald Butler leads Spartans into battle but refuses to address the "don't ask, don't tell" policy, figuring it doesn't matter because his army can't be gay. Guess what..... his whole army is. Funny.

Jeffrey's Outtake -- 3

Sean Hayes and Jimmy Fallon can't stop laughing at Will Farrell. That's it.

What's Up With That? -- 2

A BET talk show spoof, with Keenan Thompson doing another in a long line of unfunny characters. He's a soul singing talk show host who takes one line from his guests and riffs on it with his "What Up With That" song. For some reason, James Franco is there. This appears to be solely there to bring everybody in the cast up on stage. But where is Andy Samberg? Is there truly a sketch so bad that even HE wont' be in it?

Robot Dinner Outtake -- 8

This 1995 outtake has a robot trying to crash through a breakaway wall that won't give. It isn't clear who is in the costume, but it is funny that they keep going until the whole wall is down enough for them to pass. Funniest outtake from dress rehearsals tonight.

Advertising Pitch Meeting -- 1

While I think Kristen Wiig can be funny, she does far too many characters that can be described as "odd-faced woman with funny voice who acts strange". She shows up in this sketch as a secretary who interrupts her boss's meetings to pitch a Cottage Cheese campaign. Could be the worst sketch so far this season.

Shakira -- Did It Again -- 4

Energetic and empty dance pop.

Daveheart -- The story of Scotland's biggest hero -- 2

Gerard Butler plays a coward in the time of Braveheart. Woefully unfunny.

Overall -- 3

An absolutely terrible episode, with most of the laughs coming from the outtakes shown throughout the night. The writing was terrible and the cast seemed tired and/or bored.