Sunday, October 4, 2020

'SNL' lampoons the debate, Trump's COVID diagnosis, and Supreme Court nomination in season premiere after winning six Emmy Awards

I concluded Seth Meyers and Samantha Bee weigh in with their closer looks at the first presidential debate "while this is my second bite at the apple of the debate, it might not be my last. I haven't checked the TV schedule yet, but if Saturday Night Live and/or John Oliver revisit the debate, I'll probably post their takes on it as well. Stay tuned to find out." I also told my readers yesterday to "Stay tuned for a post celebrating Wester followed by the Sunday entertainment feature. I'll probably write about another Emmy winning show." As I expected, I get to do both for this week's Sunday entertainment feature, as SNL couldn't resist the debate, converting it into First Debate Cold Open to begin the new season.

Chris Wallace (Beck Bennett) moderates the first presidential debate between Donald Trump (Alec Baldwin) and Joe Biden (Jim Carrey).
That's about the level of absurdity that debate deserved, as portrayed by two great comic actors, Baldwin and Carrey, in the roles of Trump and Biden. We know we'll get Baldwin as Trump and Maya Rudolph as Kamala Harris back as Trump if there is another debate. I hope we get Carrey, again, too.

While President Trump testing positive for COVID-19 was only hinted at in the cold open, it was an explicit topic of the next segment, Chris Rock Stand-Up Monologue.

Host Chris Rock does stand-up about Donald Trump contracting COVID-19, the pandemic and the U.S. government.
Rock raised a number of serious points in his monologue, including rethinking government. I'll have to ponder them beyond "if I want a bunch of dukes and duchesses running the country, I'd advocate for a new constitution that replaces the republic with a constitutional monarchy and invite Meghan Mountbatten-Windsor to be Queen." That's my unpopular poltical opinion and I'm sticking to it.

Weekend Update: Trump Tests Positive for Covid went right after the big story.

Weekend Update anchors Colin Jost and Michael Che tackle the week's biggest news, like a poll showing overwhelming support for Joe Biden from the LGBTQ community.
The segment continued with Weekend Update: SCOTUS Nomination Fight & Vin Diesel Releases Song.

Weekend Update anchors Colin Jost and Michael Che tackle the week's biggest news, like the Senate moving forward with a vote on Trump’s supreme court nominee, Amy Coney Barrett.
It concluded with something lighter, but still important, Weekend Update: Chen Biao on TikTok.

Chinese trade representative Chen Biao (Bowen Yang) stops by Weekend Update to talk about the US’ ban on TikTok.
Hah, hah, that's a good spot to end the coverage of last night's episode, but a good place to start covering SNL's six Emmy wins. Follow over the jump.



Here are the nominees and my opinions from It's Saturday night, so here are the 15 Emmy nominations for 'Saturday Night Live' along with SNL's wins.
Outstanding Variety Sketch Series

A Black Lady Sketch Show (HBO)
Drunk History (Comedy Central)
Saturday Night Live (NBC)
Last year, 'Saturday Night Live' leads sketch variety series nominees with 18 Emmy nominations. This year, it has 15. In contrast, both "A Black Lady Sketch Show" and "Drunk History" have three and "At Home with Amy Sedaris" has one, which was not in this category. That's something of a snub. The favorite is SNL, which won six Emmy Awards last year, including this category, and the year before, so I expect the result will be the same; SNL will win.
SNL won, but no one uploaded a good video. Darn and phooey. Still, chalk one up for SNL and me.

Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series

Adam Driver as Host on Saturday Night Live (Episode: "Host: Adam Driver") (NBC)
Luke Kirby as Lenny Bruce on The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel (Episode: "It's Comedy or Cabbage") (Prime Video)
Eddie Murphy as Host on Saturday Night Live (Episode: "Host: Eddie Murphy") (NBC)
Dev Patel as Joshua on Modern Love (Episode: "When Cupid Is a Prying Journalist") (Prime Video)
Brad Pitt as Dr. Anthony Fauci on Saturday Night Live (Episode: "SNL at Home #2") (NBC)
Fred Willard as Frank Dunphy on Modern Family (Episode: "Legacy") (ABC)
SNL has three nominees in this category, Adam Driver, Eddie Murphy, and Brad Pitt. The two strongest are Murphy and Pitt, whose nominated performance I used to open SNL at Home on last week's coronavirus news. That alone is enough to get me to root for him. However, he has tough competition. Luke Kirby won for playing Lenny Bruce on "The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel" last year, so he's the nominal favorite. Also, Fred Willard passed away, so he might earn a sympathy vote in tribute. Dev Patel is also a talented actor, so I have to mention him.
I was rooting for the wrong SNL guest actor, as ET Canada reported Eddie Murphy Wins First Emmy For 'SNL' Appearance and interviewed the winner.

Eddie Murphy reacts to winning his first-ever Emmy for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy for hosting “Saturday Night Live”, 36 years to the day he made his "SNL" debut. During a virtual Q&A session following the award show, the legendary comedian called the win "special" and opens up about his plans to return to the standup comedy stage.
Congratulations to Murphy on his first Emmy!

Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series

Angela Bassett as Mo on A Black Lady Sketch Show (Episode: "Angela Bassett Is the Baddest B***h") (HBO)
Bette Midler as Hadassah Gold on The Politician (Episode: "Vienna") (Netflix)
Maya Rudolph as The Judge on The Good Place (Episode: "You've Changed, Man") (NBC)
Maya Rudolph as Senator Kamala Harris on Saturday Night Live (Episode: "Host: Eddie Murphy") (NBC)
Wanda Sykes as Moms Mabley on The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel (Episode: "A Jewish Girl Walks Into the Apollo...") (Prime Video)
Phoebe Waller-Bridge as Host on Saturday Night Live (Episode: "Host: Phoebe Waller-Bridge") (NBC)
On the one hand, "The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel" won this category last year. On the other, the Emmy went to a different actress in a different role, so I'm not considering Wanda Sykes as Moms Mabley to be the nominal favorite, as talented as Sykes is. That means that someone else actually has a good shot at winning. My personal favorite is Maya Rudolph as The Judge on "The Good Place," but she also earned a nomination for playing Kamala Harris crashing the December Democratic debate. I'd prefer her winning as The Judge, but I'll take her carrying home an Emmy for either performance. I just hope vote-splitting doesn't hurt her chances.
I got my wish, as Rudolph won. ET Canada interviewed her in Maya Rudolph Reacts To ‘SNL’ Emmy Win.

It’s been an exciting week for actress Maya Rudolph, who took home two Emmys, including Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy for her portrayal of Senator Kamala Harris on “SNL”. The former "SNL" cast member says she feels lucky to still be a part of the show and reveals which other characters she may play in the upcoming season.
Congratulations on Rudolph for both of her Emmy Awards!

Outstanding Directing for a Variety Series

Dime Davis, A Black Lady Sketch Show (Episode: "Born at Night, But Not Last Night") (HBO)
David Paul Meyer, The Daily Show with Trevor Noah (Episode: "Dr. Fauci Answers Trevor's Questions About Coronavirus") (Comedy Central)
Paul Pennolino and Christopher Werner, Last Week Tonight with John Oliver (Episode: "Episode 629") (HBO)
Jim Hoskinson, The Late Show with Stephen Colbert (Episode: "Live Show; Chris Christie; Nathaniel Rateliff") (CBS)
Don Roy King, Saturday Night Live (Episode: "Host: Eddie Murphy") (NBC)
Linda Mendoza, Tiffany Haddish Presents: They Ready (Episode: "Flame Monroe") (Netflix)
SNL won this award last year and the two years before that, so I expect they will win it again.
The Television Academy did upload a video of the announcement and acceptance of this award, 2020 Creative Arts Emmys: Directing for a Variety Series.

The team from Saturday Night Live wins the Emmy for Outstanding Directing for a Variety Series.
Congratulations to SNL. Also, I called it.

Outstanding Lighting Design / Lighting Direction for a Variety Series

America's Got Talent (Episode: "Live Results Finale") (NBC)
Jimmy Kimmel Live! (Episode: "Jimmy Kimmel Live in Brooklyn - Jason Alexander, Tracy Morgan, John Krasinski, Paul Shaffer, and Music from Kanye West") (ABC)
Saturday Night Live (Episode: "Host: John Mulaney") (NBC)
So You Think You Can Dance (Episode: "Finale") (Fox)
The Voice (Episode: "Live Finale") (NBC)
SNL won this category last year and the year before, so I consider it to be the favorite. It's strongest competition would "The Voice," which won four and five years ago. As for "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" I now count three for the show proper plus a fourth for the show's short form spinoff.
Watch the Television Academy's 2020 Creative Arts Emmys: Lighting Design/Lighting Direction for a Variety Series for the announcement of the winner.

The team from Saturday Night Live wins the Emmy for Outstanding Lighting Design/Lighting Direction for a Variety Series.
Congratulations!

Outstanding Production Design for a Variety, Reality or Competition Series

At Home with Amy Sedaris (Episodes: "Outdoor Entertaining", "Travel") (truTV)
Drunk History (Episode: "Bad Blood") (Comedy Central)
Last Week Tonight with John Oliver (Episode: "Episode 629") (HBO)
Queer Eye (Episode: "We're in Japan!: The Ideal Woman") (Netflix)
Saturday Night Live (Episodes: "Host: Eddie Murphy", "Host: John Mulaney") (NBC)
SNL won this award both times in its current form and also in its previous incarnation as Outstanding Production Design for a Variety, Nonfiction, Reality or Reality-Competition Series. It's the favorite and it helps that the last show to beat it, "Portlandia," is no longer airing new episodes.
Television Academy: 2020 Creative Arts Emmys: Production Design for a Variety, Reality, or Competition Series

The team from Saturday Night Live wins the Emmy for Outstanding Production Design for a Variety, Reality, or Competition Series.
For the final time today, congratulations to SNL for their six Emmy Awards.

"Last Week Tonight with John Oliver" will have a new episode tonight, so I'll have another opportunity to examine the debate, pandemic, and the rest of last week's news. Stay tuned.

Previous posts about the 2020 Primetime and Creative Arts Emmy Awards
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