She got the accent and nonsense-making fairly right, but what about Arianna's legendary pettiness? Hopefully next time we see Arianna, she'll be huddled over three BlackBerrys in her bathroom sobbing. All things considered, we preferred the original audition:

There are those for whom John Belushi and Gilda Radner was the last SNL worth watching. The next generation insisted that the show could never recover from the losses of Chris Farley, Mike Myers and Adam Sandler. Then Will Ferrell and Chris Kattan represented yet another peak that couldn't be reached. Really, it's just sketch comedy, and it's hit or miss no matter who the members of the cast are. And when you're opening your show with a satire of a congressional hearing with Detroit automakers, you know it's going to be a long night.

That makes it even more inexplicable that they're not doing more with Andy Samberg's sadistic Rahm Emanuel character. If you can't get a laugh out of a little Jewish man going crazy on a congressman, you have problems.

When even Kristen Wiig is having an off-night, you know the cast just needs sleep. Here's her clear retainer sketch featured after the monologue.

A Bond parody is always death, although this one wasn't too terrible. Still, you kinda felt like you were watching Jeff Foxworthy.

Do we really need another sketch where a white guy gets jokes for acting like a rapper? At least T-Pain half-saves this one. Although frankly, the weird human sculptures in his second song were more entertaining.

Bill Hader's Dateline parody wasn't terrible, but come on. We know they're considering hiring a new Obama, but the show's writers can't think of anything fun to do with Fred Armisen in the meantime?

Beyoncé's sketch with Paul Rudd brought back fond memories:

Unlike most of the actors in the Apatow milieu, Rudd didn't start out in sketch comedy or stand-up, as he explains in an interview:

This has been a strange trajectory for me. I’ve always been a comedy fan, but I never did sketch comedy, I never studied improvisation, never did stand-up, that was never my goal. I went to college and studied theater, I went to a theater conservatory, I live in New York because I wanted to do plays and still do plays. I love dramatic films and wanted to do everything. I still do want to go back and forth between different things. How I got started in comedies, with the comedies I’m doing now, I think a turning point for me was Wet Hot American Summer. It was not a standard Hollywood comedy— even Clueless, which I think is very funny and clever, more people will have liked Clueless than Wet Hot American Summer, but Wet Hot American Summer I really thought spoke to a specific part of my sense of humor. That’s how I became such good friends with David and Ken and a lot of that group. As a result I think it helped me get cast in Anchorman because Adam McKay loved Wet Hot American Summer. Within the alternative comedy scene and comedy writers, a lot of people like that movie, Adam McKay being one of them. It helped me get that part in Anchorman, which was the script I read that I had the strongest desire to be in since Wet Hot. I don’t have that kind of reaction to most things.

No longer just a cult movie, Wet Hot was directed by Wain as well, and was way funnier than his follow-up, The Ten. Rudd plays the most amazing asshole boyfriend:

It's too bad Rudd doesn't do more sketch, as he's the anti-thesis of Jimmy Fallon: a total stage pro. He still shows up in the format from time to time, though. This video short was a key part of the VHS tape that the Stella comedy troupe — Michael Ian Black, David Wain, and Michael Showalter — would screen and sell on the road, and eventually formed the basis of the Comedy Central series Stella.

Here's Rudd on a recent ep of Little Britain USA playing the French president.

Then there's the legendary parody of David O. Russell's tantrum on the set of I Heart Huckabees:

Fuckabees!

The SNL Digital Shorts that Andy and Lonely Island writing partners are so frequently involved in can be hit-or-miss, but when the sketch hits, it's usually a big winner. McCain throwing his running mate under the bus is what we'll likely remember from last week's SNL, but "Giraffes" is typical of Samberg and his writing partners, whose comedy I would describe as a tender blend of The State and The Kids in the Hall:

I'm not sure whose brainchild "Dear Sister" was, but this incredible parody of the season two finale of The O.C. never fails to amuse me for some reason. The video below is a parody of a parody, with some kid cutting himself into the misery:

"Andy's Dad" was from last season, when guest star Jonah Hill began a sumptuous bouquet of a relationship with Andy's father Ben Samberg. This is a great example of something you wouldn't necessarily have seen on SNL in years past, from the unconventional structure to the explicit oral:

Who can forget Andy's serenade of Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, "Iran So Far" from last season's premiere?

Lastly, just for kicks, there's Andy Samberg's introduction on Weekend Update:

What did I miss? Please nominate your favorites below.

SNL and my Football Night In America show share adjoining studios, so upon my arrival yesterday, awaiting me was one of the cue cards from the bit, with Ben writing of the sketch: "Keith - Remember, a) I didn't write this; b) it took years of study - fondly, Ben."

As to the giddiness: Honestly, everybody deserves a laugh but if on the weekend before the presidential election they spent more than seven seconds bothering with ME, the campaign staff has even less of a clue than I thought.

Also, what's this "about time" jazz? Since spring they've been trying to cajole, sweet-talk, bully, threaten, blackmail, and bribe everybody at NBC from the pages to the presidents to get the milquetoast coverage they want - especially to shut me down. Then McCain spoiled his otherwise impeccable performance at the Al Smith dinner with that angry-old-man bit about me. They have helped bury their own guy in the polls and helped me pass O'Reilly in the ratings. So, seriously, if they'd like to spend any part of the penultimate day talking about me I'll send them all fruit baskets of gratitude.

One last SNL thing: I'll be reporting the details on this tonight. ask them why Governor Palin didn't say her first line as scripted three shows ago. As they pulled back from the monitor shot of Tina doing the impression she was supposed to compliment Tina. Could've been a real rehab to her image - why'd she refuse?

McCain's SNL "point man," hagiographer aide Mark Salter, says the stuff about Palin refusing to compliment Tina Fey is ridiculous and untrue. Also he says "Keith olbermann. An angry man." That is not a palindrome even though it sounds like it should be. [Update: Nor is it an anagram.]

In other news, it is the day before the election and there is no news.

From the sound of it, even the Masked Avengers got a little spooked at how seriously they're being taken here.

Here's a partial transcript:

A: Yes, hello, Gov. Palin.

P: Hello, this is Sarah, how are you?

A: Fine, and you? This is Nicolas Sarkozy speaking, how are you?

P: Oh, it's so good to hear you. Thank you for calling us.

A: Oh, it's a pleasure.

P: Thank you sir, we have such great respect for you, John McCain and I. We love you and thank you for taking a few minutes to talk to me.

A: I follow your campaigns closely with my special American adviser Johnny Hallyday, you know?

P: Yes, good.

A: Excellent. Are you confident?

P: Very confident and we're thankful that polls are showing that the race is tightening and...

A: Well I know very well that the campaign can be exhausting. How do you feel right now, my dear?

P: I feel so good. I feel like we're in a marathon and at the very end of the marathon you get your second wind and you plow to the finish.

A: You see, I got elected in France because I'm real and you seem to be someone who's real, as well.

P: Yes, yeah. Nico, we so appreciate this opportunity.

A: You know I see you as a president one day, too.

P: Maybe in eight years.

A: Well, I hope for you. You know, we have a lot in common because personally one of my favourite activities is to hunt, too.

P: Oh, very good. We should go hunting together.

A: Exactly, we could try go hunting by helicopter like you did. I never did that. Like we say in French, on pourrait tuer des bebe phoque s, aussi.

P: Well, I think we could have a lot of fun together while we're getting work done. We can kill two birds with one stone that way.

A: I just love killing those animals. Mmm, mmm, take away life, that is so fun. I'd really love to go, so long as we don't bring along Vice-President Cheney.

P: No, I'll be a careful shot, yes.

A: Yes, you know we have a lot in common also, because except from my house I can see Belgium. That's kind of less interesting than you.

P: Well, see, we're right next door to different countries that we all need to be working with, yes.

A: Some people said in the last days and I thought that was mean that you weren't experienced enough in foreign relations and you know that's completely false. That's the thing that I said to my great friend, the prime minister of Canada Stef Carse.

P: Well, he's doing fine, too, and yeah, when you come into a position underestimated it gives you an opportunity to prove the pundits and the critics wrong. You work that much harder.

A: I was wondering because you are so next to him, one of my good friends, the prime minister of Quebec, Mr. Richard Z. Sirois, have you met him recently? Did he come to one of your rallies?

P: I haven't seen him at one of the rallies but it's been great working with the Canadian officials. I know as governor we have a great co-operative effort there as we work on all of our resource-development projects. You know, I look forward to working with you and getting to meet you personally and your beautiful wife. Oh my goodness, you've added a lot of energy to your country with that beautiful family of yours.

A: Thank you very much. You know my wife Carla would love to meet you, even though you know she was a bit jealous that I was supposed to speak to you today.

P: Well, give her a big hug for me.

A: You know my wife is a popular singer and a former top model and she's so hot in bed. She even wrote a song for you.

P: Oh my goodness, I didn't know that.

A: Yes, in French it's called de rouge a levre sur un cochon, or if you prefer in English, Joe the Plumber...it's his life, Joe the Plumber.

P: Maybe she understands some of the unfair criticism but I bet you she is such a hard worker, too, and she realizes you just plow through that criticism.

A: I just want to be sure. That phenomenon Joe the Plumber. That's not your husband, right?

P: That's not my husband but he's a normal American who just works hard and doesn't want government to take his money.

A: Yes, yes, I understand we have the equivalent of Joe the Plumber in France. It's called Marcel, the guy with bread under his armpit.

P: Right, that's what it's all about, the middle class and government needing to work for them. You're a very good example for us here.

A: I see a bit about NBC, even Fox News wasn't an ally as much as usual.

P: Yeah, that's what we're up against.

The campaign has confirmed it's real: "Governor Palin was mildly amused to learn that she had joined the ranks of heads of state, including President Sarkozy, and other celebrities in being targeted by these pranksters. C'est la vie," Palin spokesman Tracey Schmitt said. If she really was presidential material, a prank call would make her fly into a murderous rage, wouldn't it?

Ben Affleck as Keith Olbermann on NBC just won't be as meaningful now. Last SNL before the SNL before the election, go!

Her brief Rachael Ray impression (video below, warning: bad quality) was amusing. So was that kind of bizarre paraplegic stripper skit she had early last season. But other than that... Well, it's mostly been the straight woman to Wiig's or the boys' wacky! characters. Maybe now that Poehler is gone, she'll get a chance to shine, thus getting more comfortable. Right now she just seems a bit stilted, a bit awkward. She's trying too hard. She needs to rein it in from the stage to fit the television. Also, she cowrote the upcoming Kate Hudson movie Bride Wars, which we're sorta counting as a knock against her (except, you know, good job selling a script, Casey. Hope you bought something nice.)

But! She has a nice face and gave the wicked Sarah Palin a big ol' hug at the curtain call a coupla weeks back, so maybe she's a nice person, too. Now let her be funny! I mean, she got on the show, right? That must mean something! Though, Finesse Mitchell and Jim Breuer got on the show at various points, too. And we all know how well that worked out.

It looks like it's now or never, Casey. Go buy the writers a round of drinks.

Does anyone know her from her UCB days? Was she funny then?

Standing in the way of Rep. Murtha's re-election is Iraqi War vet Lt. Col. William Russell, who came into the race with a far smaller profile. After describing the area he represents as racist and redneck in separate recent comments, he was already expecting his five point edge over Russell to continue evaporating. And then this largely unfunny thing happened last night:

Observer of the contest Mark Hemingway immediately wrote that the sketch

...may have just cost an embattled John Murtha his seat in congress. It should dominate the press tomorrow, and I expect it will be inescapable on the news in Murtha's district for the next week.

Although normally we'd be inclined to dismiss that as hyperbole, if it gives the Murtha story extra legs, Hemingway might be on target.

As for the man they call Pat Fingers: it was good to see them give Jon Hamm something to do that doesn't involve trading on the reputation of a Don Draper character most of America doesn't even know, but last night's mock ad pales in comparison to the best version of that sketch ever done.

Don't take our word for it. Here's Pat Finger...

...and here's the timeless David Cross-Bob Odenkirk sketch from HBO's Mr. Show:

Who can forget Amy's magnificent satire of her own coming unborn! It's just good to know Steve Holt will have a brother.

And think of Will Arnett! When he was on the set of Let's Go To Prison, could he have imagined he'd be able to afford to see this day?

It was so real when all the ladies were in the show's open that time. Dratch and Rudolph and Wiig and Poehler! Who could ask for anything more?

Lastly, who can forget Amy's poignant run in the legendary sketch troupe Upright Citizens Brigade. This sketch changed the way I view life in general, and Amy 's performance as Charna McMadison is what holds it together. Her acting here in multiple roles is Gilda Radner-worthy.

Then there's Amy's classic Dakota Fanning series. How confusing are these vignettes going to be for young Winston Jammer to absorb?

It Must Have Been A Beautiful Baby [TMZ]

After the lead Coleman started with, it's heartening for Democrats to see that Franken has closed the gap in some polls. Since polling is a dangerous art best practiced by Nate Silver, you can judge for yourself here:

Complicating the race is independent candidate and former Jesse Ventura protege Dean Barkley, who is polling as high as 19 percent, and whose reform agenda may be hurting Franken more than Coleman. Franken knows it's going to be a battle, recently using Hillary Clinton in a television ad, but it might be time to break out the big guns: reprising his Stuart Smalley persona in the campaign commercial to rule them all.

For a debate nerd like me, there was no greater joy than hearing this race would feature five debates, and that may end up hurting Franken in the waning days of the campaign. While he's a brilliant guy, he's still not the most polished pol, and it shows.

Franken-Coleman-Barkley, Round Three [C-Span]

The last great era that show saw was the fall of 2000, when their political humor was at its peak. Will Ferrell and Darryl Hammond were the dynamic duo of that election season, because Al Gore and George Bush were such perfect foils for each other. The comedic possibilities for Obama/McCain are not nearly as great, but ... whoo-boy do those VPs bring a lot to the table.

I would post my favorite sketch from that era here, but NBC has stupidly not provided any clips of it on Hulu. Way to seize the moment, guys! So I'll just throw this one up there, because it's hilarious and then leave you to your own devices.

By the way, Barack Obama himself was actually supposed to appear on SNL tonight, but canceled to due to Hurricane Ike. Which brings us full circle. Yay! I'm out for the evening and someone else will walk in the sun with you tomorrow. It was fun! Thanks for having me and thanks for reading!

[Hulu; HuffPo, ABC News]

The funnier candidate nearly always loses. This has been true since time immemorial. It's why Lincoln was the best President ever and why LBJ only got in accidentally. Is a dude who was in Wedding Crashers really suited to run the nation? Really?

The nation does not care for irony or wisecracks. The nation hates smarty-pants who think they're better than everyone else, which describes most good comedians. Adlai Stevenson was witty. Al Gore, painted as a stuck-up nerdlinger, has a deft, ironic sense of humor. We still think Hillary making fun of Barack Obama was funny. Big fat losers, all of them.

And John McCain can crack wise with the best of them, which is why reporters love him. He's got no filter (though he's working on it), he invites the press to bullshit with him, and they eat it up. He's been on The Daily Show 500 times. Of course, the last appearance was his least funny appearance. And this SNL cameo will be appropriately bland.

Hosted by NBC because they hate YouTube. Sorry! The monologue was actually pretty good too, btw.

The Daily Show and The Colbert Report are both going to repeats—though Jon Stewart has offered to pay two weeks of writer's salaries himself—and poor Amy Winehouse, the real victim in all this, will probably not be making her SNL debut this week, and no one seems clear on what Letterman will be doing, least of all Dave Letterman.

So now's your opportunity to do some scabbing, struggling unethical would-be writers of New York! Hop down to the real 30 Rock and make up some funny things for Tracy Morgan to say!

Stashwax:

SNL:

Earlier: Gawker's Coverage of Mel Gibson

Earlier: 'NYT': Euphemism for Male Genitalia Placed Inside Square Gifting Receptacle

In conjunction with your Marci Klein loves the big boobed white girl piece, she did have a buxom asian assistant for about a minute. After fully torturing her and making her cry on a regular basis, the assistant applied for other jobs and used Marci as a reference (with her blessing). When the assistant was called in for an interview at a new gig the HR people told her they had talked to Marci and get this....does the assistant want to press charges?? Apparently, and not surprisingly, Marci broke a number of laws when they called her for the reference. Marci told HR that the assistant was a coke addict, never came to work, possibly mentally retarded, etc!!! HR at this company was so stunned they offered up their lawyers to represent the assistant if she wanted it. The funny thing is that the girl got the job since they thought if she can deal with wackados like Marci, she's golden. The assistant was quite young and didn't end up doing anything about Marci, she just wanted to get away from her.