- Gorgeous visuals, charming characters fill Disney's 'Big Hero 6' (11/13/14)
- 'Fury' covers the same ground as other war movies (11/6/14)
- Murray finds his career-best role in 'St. Vincent' (10/31/14)
- My 'Odd' goodbye to working on the McCook stage (10/24/14)
- My 'Odd' goodbye to working on the McCook stage (10/23/14)
- Fall TV coverage: FOX aiming to keep their cool points (10/2/14)
- Fall TV coverage: CBS pins fall hopes on procedurals, NFL (9/25/14)
Opinion
Palin's SNL appearance a big hit, but why?
Friday, October 24, 2008
Last week's appearance by vice-presidential candidate Sarah Palin on "Saturday Night Live" helped the show reach a dizzying height. (And, no, it wasn't Alec Baldwin repeatedly referring to Palin as "Tina.") "SNL" achieved an astonishing 14-year high in the Nielsen ratings; enough people watched the episode to make it the third most-watched program on all of television, including prime time series.
I'm sure that there was a curiosity factor involved, and that's what goosed the ratings. (That curiosity isn't limited to drawing viewers to late-night comedy series, either; don't forget, the vice-presidential debate between the Alaska governor and her opponent's running mate, Joe Biden, was watched by more people than any of the debates between the ticket heads.)
The sketches Palin played a part in were the highlight of the show, laughs-wise. Plus the crowd's enthusiasm for her pair of on-screen appearances was remarkable; the screams were more akin to those offered to a rock star than a standard politician.
But I was left a little confused by all of it, particularly the audience's reaction. Specifically, why was the live audience so effusively happy to see someone that -- at least according to most of the national polls -- they don't like?
Think back to the early years of "SNL," then ask yourself if walk-ons by Presidents Ford or Carter -- in sketches where they were being openly spoofed -- would have earned the same approval? Or would there have been more grumbling about it, before, during and after the show? (And not just from the cast or the audience, either.)
And what to think of Palin herself? She takes time during campaign stops to complain about her portrayal in the "liberal media," then makes an appearance on a show that wears its political heart on its sleeve; a heart, by the way, that plainly doesn't beat for her.
Ultimately, I just think that it's rather disingenuous of the audience to provide an outpouring of love to someone they have little affection for -- and that it's equally dishonest for a politician to repeatedly rail against the media circus, only to show up in the center ring as the starring act.