‘SNL’ sees Nate Bargatze return as host, along with another debate cold open

'SNL' sees Nate Bargatze return as host, along with another debate cold open

As a long-time enthusiast of Saturday Night Live, I must say that this week’s episode was a true delight! The sketches were sharp as ever, maintaining the show’s signature blend of absurdity and intrigue.

As a cinephile, I can’t help but express my excitement about the return of comedian Nate Bargatze to “Saturday Night Live” so soon after his impressive debut! It seems the audience loved him as much as I did, because he’s back for another round, joining an absolutely stacked lineup of hosts for Season 50. Actress Jean Smart, stand-up comedian John Mulaney, and actor Michael Keaton are just a few of the names gracing our screens this season. Can’t wait to see what they bring to the table!

In my humble opinion, this time around it wasn’t quite as captivating as the last performance. The monologue felt more disjointed and less refined than the one from last year, and while some sketches were brilliant, they didn’t quite match up to the consistently great ones we saw previously. However, there was still some genuinely funny material that shone through.

In different locations, Bargatze took on roles such as an EMT attempting to persuade water park staff to let a deceased individual slide down instead of carrying him up 255 stairs (alongside Michael Longfellow). He also played a coach seeking payment for football jerseys and the husband of a competitive eater (Heidi Gardner) aiming to win a chaotic eating contest at a restaurant. Coldplay performed two songs, “All My Love” and “We Pray,” the latter featuring Elyanna, a Palestinian singer, and Tini, an Argentine singer. Before the final farewell, a title card paid tribute to Kris Kristofferson, who passed away on September 28 at the age of 88. This legendary musician-songwriter and actor had hosted “SNL” during its first season in 1976.

'SNL' sees Nate Bargatze return as host, along with another debate cold open

In this week’s episode, hosted by Bargatze, the cold open reprised the same formula: “If it worked once, let’s do it again!” The actors who participated in last week’s cold open were back for SNL’s portrayal of the vice presidential debate. Bowen Yang and Jim Gaffigan stepped into the roles of Sen. J.D. Vance and Gov. Tim Walz on stage, while Maya Rudolph took on Vice President Kamala Harris, Andy Samberg played Doug Emhoff, and Dana Carvey reprised his role as a somewhat puzzled President Biden.

Kamala found herself elated after receiving endorsements from Liz Cheney and Bruce Springsteen, but her happiness quickly faded as she observed Walz stumble with lines – such as “I’m friends with school shooters” – and getting too cozy with Vance. She exclaimed in frustration, “Why are they friends? Why do they seem so comfortable together?” On the debate stage, Vance and Walz became so casual that they attempted to shake hands even though there was a partition between them while “Take My Breath Away” played. Walz later explained his error about claiming he was in Hong Kong during the Tiananmen Square massacre by saying he had mistakenly thought he was at Epcot. Meanwhile, Vance interjected requests to not be fact-checked as he expressed backing for former President Trump in the middle of his statements.

Once again, just like the previous week, Dana Carvey’s portrayal of Biden stood out, whether he was discussing falling gas prices and Emmy wins for “The Bear,” or playfully waving an ice cream cone that ended up covering Kamala’s face. Despite the ice cream trickling down her chin, Kamala managed to keep her cool. It was intriguing to recall that Carvey and David Spade, co-host of “Fly on the Wall” podcast, mentioned this week that some physical improvisations or mishaps during the show could be intentionally unintentional – a situation similar to last week when Biden playfully hid his face in Kamala’s hair.

Bargatze’s speech was more concise than previous times and lacked a powerful conclusion, yet it still contained humorous moments as the comedian addressed topics such as attending community college (“… where they essentially say, ‘You’re likely to stay in your town.'”) and his obsession with processed foods (“I’m a farm-factory-table kind of guy.”), including late-night DoorDash orders. Bargatze admitted he even resorted to double-ordering from the food delivery service, which causes him distress when two drivers arrive simultaneously. “I wish one of them would get into an accident!” he joked. The performance also included amusing segments about the “extra” in extra virgin olive oil and his first experience with raspberries at age 40. Unlike last year’s monologue, this one wasn’t as sharp, but it retained Bargatze’s distinctive specificity and bewilderment towards the world.

Best sketch of the night: Washington returns to claim freedom for hot-dog lovers

Diminishing returns are sometimes fine if the original was this strong. In a sequel to the weights and measure sketch, George Washington (Bargatze) stands on a boat, telling his soldiers about the future of the English language. A dozen is a word for 12, but, “Only 12 shall have its own word.” We’ll spell Jeff two ways, one with a J and, “The stupid way with the G.” A hot dog, Washington says, will not be made of dogs. But when asked what they’re made of, he says, “Nobody knows.” When a soldier questions that, he’s invited to leave the boat, right into the water. Like last time, Washington largely ignores questions from a soldier (Kenan Thompson) over what will happen to slaves after the war, at least this war in 1776.

Also good: You don’t have to know Spanish to understand ‘Sábado Gigante’

In this rephrased version: During the show, Bargatze was chosen from the audience by host Don Francisco (Marcello Hernández), who guided him through an assortment of skits, dance performances, and game-show segments – all reminiscent of what viewers experienced on the actual show, especially for those who grew up in Spanish-speaking households prior to 2015. The genuine dedication by Hernández, Bargatze’s convincing bewilderment, the child wearing a beard and dressed as Bargatze’s character, and the puppet orange clad in a sailor suit were all elements that captured our hearts just as effectively as winning five dogs on a game show might have.

Will probably go viral: ‘Sushi Glory Hole’ is the new ‘Dick in a Box’

Towards the end of the “SNL” broadcast, a digital short by Lonely Island’s Samberg and Akiva Schaffer was quite unexpected, engaging, and slightly inappropriate, hinting at viral potential. The term “Sushi Glory Hole” even started trending on social media shortly after the episode ended. Essentially, the concept revolves around a bathroom wall opening that serves fresh sushi. Sounds simple, right? But it’s stretched into absurdity as those trying to exit the room are subjected to this bizarre idea, with Maya Rudolph among them.

‘Weekend Update’ winner: Jane Wickline stayed at the party too long

Getting acquainted with new cast members can take time, but this segment provided a delightful first impression. In the water slide sketch, Jane Wickline stood out as the voice of reason, and in a “Weekend Update” segment, she played piano and sang about extending her stay at a party that had turned into something else entirely. Despite Colin Jost’s attempt to end the song prematurely, Jane insisted on continuing. The witty lyrics and powerful performance hint at promising things for Jane Wickline on “SNL”.

2024-10-06 11:01

Peter Stefanovic and wife Sylvia Jeffreys show off their beach bodies as they enjoy a day at the seaside with young sons at Bronte