December 11, 2003

Al Sharpton

Did anyone else hear about this? Apparently, many NBC affiliates, including those that serve Iowa, refused to air the Sharpton SNL on Saturday because it would give unequal airtime to a presidental candidate. Supposedly it's a violation of federal law. Plus, Tina Fey slammed Des Moines good.

So, what do you think?

Posted by Shippy at December 11, 2003 10:07 PM
Comments


i think they were looking for an excuse not to broadcast an entirely awful SNL. kudes.

Posted by: mrp at December 11, 2003 10:58 PM

this is don parto saying, "suck it des moines!"

Posted by: don parto at December 11, 2003 11:08 PM

this was my favorite one so far this year. bryan and ryan fellows, awesome. al sharpton selling sushi to raise money for his campaign, awesome. the goddamn return of tracy morgan, double awesome.

i think it's funny because of any state besides possibly nebraska, either dakota, wyoming, kansas, montana or idaho, iowa is the least likely to nominate him. arizona too - they still don't even celebrate mlk day.

Posted by: lw at December 11, 2003 11:13 PM

Um... Lizz, the Arizona state government overturned Mecham's ill-advised rescinding of MLK day 10 years ago.

New Hampshire was the last state not to celebrate Dr. King, not adding the holiday until '99. Virginia, on the other hand, acutally celebrated the combined Lee-Jackson-King day until 2001. That's fucked up.

As for SNL politicos, didn't Al Gore make an appearance during the last election, or at least during the primaries? Not as the host, but in a cameo as himself? I know I remember his cameo, but I'm not totally sure of the time frame, and you guys are way more up on your SNL than I am. But no politician's foray into the live late night humor genre can top the real Janet Reno busting through the wall on to the set of "Janet Reno's Dance Party." That was amazing.

Posted by: e lo at December 12, 2003 06:52 AM

Don't forget that Janet Reno actually held a dance party in Miami as a fundraiser when she ran for govener of FL.

Posted by: gs at December 12, 2003 07:13 AM

Geoff, is that true? I had no idea. That's totally awesome. I got to see Donna Shalala dance once at a concert at the NIH. That was rad.

Posted by: e lo at December 12, 2003 09:17 AM

Gore hosted last fall, after he announced he wouldn't run in 2004. It was a pretty solid show, too. McCain also hosted around the same time and did a pretty good job. The late Paul Simon hosted back in the 80s, and politicians have been appearing as themselves throughout the show's history. Though not while they were running for office, if I remember correctly.

Posted by: Shippy at December 12, 2003 11:21 AM

Gore was on the weekend before he declared he wasn't running in deuce thousand quad.

Kudes.

Posted by: ae at December 12, 2003 12:00 PM