October 11, 2020

Finally! The steaming pile of insect politics I've been waiting for!

I saw that the NY Post hated it — "'SNL’ somehow screwed up the VP debate fly" — but I — an intense fan of the Jeff Goldblum version of "The Fly" — think it's truly great:

 

That guy in the Post objected to the use of Jim Carrey as Joe Biden combined with Jeff Goldblum — characterized it as "this strange, aspiring 1980s East Village performance art piece." I'll just guess he doesn't know the movie "The Fly." How can you have missed "The Fly"? And I mean the Jeff Goldblum "Fly." Nothing against the Vincent Price "Fly." That's also great. But come on, if you're going to review American satire, there's a certain baseline of experience you need to have in your brain. 

Kudos to "SNL"! Every one of the actors did a fine job and the material was even politically balanced. The only thing I'd change is the color of Kate MacKinnon's lipstick. She played the moderator Susan Page in pretty bright red lipstick, but Susan Page had on a color that made me laugh:
Just a little missed opportunity. They perked Susan Page up a bit. And Kate MacKinnon is already way perked up compared to the hilariously dull Susan Page. Anyway... other than that — excellent. Thanks, "SNL"! 

ADDED: Here's the very best thing in "The Fly" — the part about "insect politics" (and by they way, Kate MacKinnon would make a great Geena Davis, if the Geena Davis part had found its way into the sketch):

 

"Have you ever heard of insect politics? Neither have I. Insects... don't have politics. They're very... brutal. No compassion, no compromise. We can't trust the insect. I'd like to become the first... insect politician. You see, I'd like to, but... I'm afraid, uh... I'm saying... I'm saying I - I'm an insect who dreamed he was a man and loved it. But now the dream is over... and the insect is awake... I'm saying... I'll hurt you if you stay."

("SNL" did not use the "insect politics" material.)

52 comments:

rhhardin said...

Unwatchable. There's no self-mocking component.

rhhardin said...

The fly is not reasoning well just now. A man buzzes at its ears. This is enough to render it incapable of good advice. If I would have it find truth, I should chase away this animal which holds its reason in check and disquiets that intelligence which governs kingdoms.

- Lautreamont

wendybar said...

It would have been funnier if they had the fly land on Obama first, then Hillary. Because THAT did happen in real life, and somehow SNL missed those times....It could have been...even the fly is jumping on the Trump train!!

Wilbur said...

I missed The Fly. How could I miss it?

wendybar said...

Even the fly left the Democrat party!! #walkaway!! (Meme on FB)

buwaya said...

One cannot reason reason into existence.
Or for that matter clarify perception of facts, the material for reason to chew through. All gross mistakes in statesmanship came from failures of perception.

Our peaceful societies are peaceful not because all people, or even tribal groups within the larger society, reason their way into this condition. It is because there is an unreasoned habit of trust in society and culture that peaceful habits like forbearance from retaliation or accepting credit will not cause unacceptable loss.

AllenS said...

Instead of wasting your time watching SNL, may I suggest watching "Idiots with chainsaws" videos.

William said...

It was a historic inevitability that SNL would use fly incident in its open. I don't think they were particularly inventive or funny but all that is subordinate to their main goal of discrediting Trump and his supporters. The important take away was that Trump killed Herman Cain and any Black person who listens to Trump is a fool and at risk of early death......Do people under the age of forty know Jeff Goldblum as The Fly? I always think of Jeff Goldblum as the rapist in Death Wish.

Lucid-Ideas said...

"Insects don't have politics."

Ants have politics. Bees have politics. They organize, build together,sacrifice, fight wars, herd animals (aphids), and have symbiotic relationships with other organisms. And they all have a version of Hillary Clinton directing the daily activities of the colony.

They have politics, but no one said it was good politics.

Larvell said...

You think that was balanced?

Temujin said...

Jeez. It could have been so funny, but instead, it was just another over-the-top We're for Biden and you need to be, too commercial. Very clever bringing back one of the best remakes of all time and inserting the career of Jeff Goldblum. I did laugh out loud at the Apartments.com bit. That was classic. But the rest of it was sophomoric writing. Just teenage Dem talking points.

Top remakes in sci-fi: The Fly, The Thing, Invasion of the Body Snatchers.

I feel like I woke up in this country a few years ago and more than half of the country had been taken over by body snatchers.

Ann Althouse said...

"Ants have politics. Bees have politics. They organize, build together,sacrifice, fight wars, herd animals (aphids), and have symbiotic relationships with other organisms."

No. They have social behavior, programmed into them. There's no way the ants and bees are going to vary in their ideas about how things should be done and any kind of mode of resolving what to do differently going forward. There's no mind involved.

Fernandinande said...

They have social behavior, programmed into them.

So do people. But what does that have to do with politics?

Here's google's definition of "politics":

"the activities associated with the governance of a country or other area, especially the debate or conflict among individuals or parties having or hoping to achieve power."

Note that not even social/group behavior is required; same here.

Mark said...

There is a time when remarking on a MILDLY amusing situation, which one might spend a moment or two on, becomes malice.

Iman said...

Yawn.

I recorded the show - first time in over 20 years - to watch and hear Jack White play guitar. What creativity!

Now there’s an oasis of talent, in the desert of SNL...

walter said...

"Susan Page had on a color that made me laugh"
?

Unknown said...

Only watched for Bill Burr.

Sam L. said...

I gave up on SNL yearrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrs ago. Late '70s.

Andrew said...

"No. They have social behavior, programmed into them. There's no way the ants and bees are going to vary in their ideas about how things should be done and any kind of mode of resolving what to do differently going forward. There's no mind involved."

That's what they want you to think. But some of us can hear them speak, and we know what's coming. 2020 is just the beginning.

Ralph L said...

Just a little racist with the jive Herman Cain.

Ralph L said...

There's no mind involved.

So we hope.

Mark said...

Jim Carrey's Biden impersonation jumped the shark the second show, the only humor was with the Goldbloom bit.

I am shocked they never made fun of the 'Thank you Vice President' endless repetition by Page.

Seems like just a vehicle for their guest stars to mug at the camera and never be told 'no'.

fleg9bo said...

They have social behavior, programmed into them. There's no way the ants and bees are going to vary in their ideas about how things should be done and any kind of mode of resolving what to do differently going forward. There's no mind involved.

They have social behavior, programmed into them. There's no way the Democrats are going to vary in their ideas about how things should be done and any kind of mode of resolving what to do differently going forward. There's no mind involved.

FIFY.

Mary Beth said...

You need to believe in non-tangible things like gods, peace, and trade agreements to have politics. Insects have not demonstrated evidence of this.

I couldn't make it through to the end of the video. I am going to start writing "Joe Biden" as "J'Biden", so I got something out of the part I did see.

I made a reference on FB to replicants and confused a friend's friend. I thought "Blade Runner" was known to everyone. I was wrong. Some things we think are classic cultural knowledge are not.

Francisco D said...

Ann Althouse said... There's no way the ants and bees are going to vary in their ideas about how things should be done and any kind of mode of resolving what to do differently going forward. There's no mind involved.

Sort of like Democrats and SJWs.

AllenS said...

Democrats are producing SNL, so there's no mind involved.

Michael K said...

No. They have social behavior, programmed into them.

You mean like Democrats? Great analysis. Thinking among Democrats ended about n20 years ago, if not earlier.

MCubed said...

Focus on the fly is the lowest take on an important debate and a marker of Dem futility.

Robert Cook said...

"Top remakes in sci-fi: The Fly, The Thing, Invasion of the Body Snatchers."

The first two, yes, but every remake of "Invasion of the Body Snatchers" has fallen far short of the classic 1956 original starring Kevin McCarthy.

Iman said...

No. They have social behavior, programmed into them. There's no way the ants and bees are going to vary in their ideas about how things should be done and any kind of mode of resolving what to do differently going forward. There's no mind involved.

The Hive Mentality of the Left!

Thanks

MayBee said...

I didn't/don't watch, but this morning I saw Bill Burr's monologue and laughed.

Qwinn said...

The Invasion of the Body Snatchers was an allegory for communist subversion and infiltration.

Cookie roots for the pods.

Spiros said...

SNL skewered Biden by reducing him to one of the lowest forms of life!!! Very edgy.

doctrev said...

Are women fundamentally unserious? It's not my position, but by God I'm coming close to the Shouting Thomas standpoint. I get why someone might not watch the debate, but who puts more space towards the SNL parody than an actual event showcasing the real Democratic candidate for President? (Just kidding, Kamala Harris is NEVER going to be President, not even as a puppet.)

It's understandable that the feyest of the urban homosexuals would have opinions about Saturday Night Live, but they'd only admit to watching it in a taxicab on Monday, or because Youtube wouldn't stop recommending the clips on Sunday afternoon. Watching the thing live two weeks in a row is a confession: you have nothing going on, but you insist on staying up until midnight.

Bilwick said...

Insect politics is nothing new. Collectivists have long aspired to the "perfection" of the beehive as a model for society. No stubborn selfish individualism there! Then in the 1980s Joseph Sobran and Tom Bethel dubbed "liberals," socialists and other statists "The Hive." I still use it because no other name for this mob of creeps has ever seemed so apt.

rcocean said...

Give Jeff Goldblum an insect Oscar! Of course, the makeup does 80% of the acting, but good voice over.

rcocean said...

The actress playing Harris is much more likable then she is.

mikee said...

Gina and Jeff and Jim also costarred in the wonderfully bad "Earth Girls Are Easy," a much more upbeat movie than The Fly, including Gina in a bikini, while Jeff and Jimget shaved furless over 95% of their bodies. Maybe we could put in a few references to this movie next time the skit is aired.

rcocean said...

Did SNL satirize Kamala's ridiculous, and incorrect, quote about Abe Lincoln? Or the absurdity of her - and Biden - refusing to disavow Packing the SCOTUS? Or that Susan Page didn't think Packing the SCOTUS was an important issue, and preferred to ask about Climate Change or some fantasy about Roe v. wade being overturned?

Joe Smith said...

I haven't watched the show in more than a decade, not will I start again.

I don't reward actors/networks for calling me a moron every week...

They'll all get rich anyway, but not with my money.

Fuck them all.

Lucid-Ideas said...

I remember watching a documentary about trapjaw ants. These little bastards are starting to move into the USA but they (and some other species) have some unusual "social behaviors" during mating season. It seems that they can choose (select) for health from incoming or outgoing princesses (damsels). It's not unheard of for a colony to kill the queen and destroy the existing genetic lineage (their own) in favor if a new, healthier and stockier brood.

Again, 2016 came to mind.

Yancey Ward said...

"They're very... brutal. No compassion, no compromise."

Here is my problem with your fascination for this segment of "The Fly": you can find this in human politics, too- through all of history, even today.

J. Farmer said...

"Top remakes in sci-fi: The Fly, The Thing, Invasion of the Body Snatchers."

Pretty good list. I'd add 12 Monkeys and replace the 1978 Body Snatchers with the 1998 The Faculty, a campy pastiche of John Carpenter and John Hughes.

The Invasion of the Body Snatchers was an allegory for communist subversion and infiltration.

It's ironic that the two main interpretations of Body Snatchers are that it's either warning of the dangers of communist subversion or of McCarthyite paranoia. Perhaps it's both. Or neither.

Yancey Ward said...

"I didn't/don't watch, but this morning I saw Bill Burr's monologue and laughed."

Wow, he did that on SNL last night? I didn't know that- I watched a 3 minute clip late last night that came via someone's twitter feed- I just assumed he was in a comedy club somewhere. Talk about big brass balls.

narciso said...

eric stolz was in the sequel with daphne zuniga, as the davis standin, mel brooks was the director/producer in this,

narciso said...

naw the faculty was fun, famke jansens turn around when the aliens took her over, was the best one,

Gunner said...

If someone like Greg Gutfeld did a sketch about a black liberal who died just weeks ago, Fox would be forced to fire him.

Bunkypotatohead said...

A few years ago SNL decided to get woke and hire a variety of POC's.
Unfortunately they aren't very funny.
So they have had to increasingly bring back players from the past who had some comedic talent. That, plus Alec Baldwin must be costing them a fortune in extra wages. Another case of going broke by getting woke.
Oh well, Maya Rudolph's second career as Karmala Harris will be over in a couple of weeks. So they can cut her from the payroll. And there won't be any need for a J'Biden impersonator either.

Rabel said...

"And, yet more bizarre, because there was an online push to have Jeff Goldblum play the pest since he starred in “The Fly,” Carrey went into a Goldblum impression."

Helps to read the whole piece.

n.n said...

Insect politics follow a single/central/authoritarian theme, and adhere to a Pro-Choice quasi-religion ("ethics"), viable, expendable, disposable, to govern diversity on lower rungs of their social order.

Narr said...

Napoleon chose bees as the dynastic animal. Busy busy bees.

Narr
Everybody likes bees

Ann Althouse said...

They should remake The Fly with Adam Driver. He's the new Jeff Goldblum.