Louis C.K. returned as host of Saturday Night Live. The comedian and ‘Louie’ star had a memorable night and has generated quite a buzz in part for his opening monologue and its unsparing sendup of a number of sensitive topics. But what did the critics have to say of his return? Check out a roundup of reviews and see some video highlights.
The cold open did not feature Louis C.K. It was a spoof of the Obama administration’s efforts to use social media to encourage young people to sign up for Obamacare before the deadline. As President Obama has already been on Zack ‘s ‘Between Two Ferns,’ to mixed reviews, the exaggerations were at once not far from the truth and, somewhat unfunny — dancing with ‘Pope Francis’ for a Vine video, for instance, and a final kiss on the lips with Kate McKinnon’s decidedly creepy bad boy ‘Justin Bieber.’
But Louis C.K. walked out on the famed stage of Studio 8H and delivered an eight minute long opening monologue that, whether liked or not, drew notice as he has never been one to shy away from the subjects that make people uncomfortable, and that night he took particular aim at patriarchal religion and asked the simple question “Where is our mother?” and in the absence of an answer opined as to her fate — from murder to divorce
The ‘Black Jeopardy’ skit maintained the same edge as well, on that other hot-button topic of race, as Louis C.K. was a clueless — literally — alleged African-American history professor who proved himself a winner in but one category ‘White People.’
The rest of the show had its usual its and misses as critics have taken note. Here’s a roundup.
“….So it came as no surprise when the second-time “Saturday Night Live” host drew big laughs with an eight-minute barrage of jokes on everything from God and heaven to domestic abuse and hunger during the show’s opening monologue. “I don’t have third-world hunger. I have first-world hunger,” CK explained with signature drollness. “I would like a doughnut….” — The Wrap
“….Risk-taking. This was one extremely weird show, and I can see a dozen people having a dozen different reactions to it. Only the cold open was really anything resembling “safe,” as writers/performers got the chance to try out some really interesting material. The fact that not all of it work isn’t really important. The last thing tonight’s episode felt was “stale,” and as such, it was overall a joy to watch even when it wasn’t fully working …..” — Hitfix
“….This was a very weird episode of SNL, to which we say: good! A show that’s been on since before Star Wars existed should get weird occasionally, to break up the mediocrity that’s inevitably going to creep in after four decades, especially when its got a host as talented and willing to take awkward chances as Louis C.K. He’s not exactly the world’s greatest actor, but he doesn’t have to be; he plays “dejected man in a suit that’s one size too big” and “period piece cop” really well, and SNL got a lot of mileage out of that archetype…..” — UPROXX
“…It didn’t meet our expectations for yet another week. We’d much preferred a 90-minute stand-up special from Louis. There was nothing that clever or interesting about most of the ideas, and while the cast members did what they could, there were just so many misses late in the show that it makes the good stuff feel like a mile away…..” — CarterMatt
“… This time around we didn’t have any classic sketches come our way but the show was overall one of the more solid we’ve seen. I’m not sure if it’s thanks to the quirk that Louis C.K. just naturally has or if the writing was extraordinarily excellent this week but even the bizarro sketches were great with Louis C.K. getting behind them.
First, we need to address how killer the opening monologue was, which really isn’t surprising. But while it may have just been Louis C.K. doing what he does best, it’s never a bad time to watch him launch into a comedy bit and just hang there with everyone hanging on his every joke….” — FanSided
Louis C.K. had set the bar high for himself with his previous hosting stint on Saturday Night Live, and no doubt, he will be back again and again, until he joins the Five-Timers Club and beyond. For those who have missed him on his FX show ‘Louie,’ it’s back for another season in May. But in the meantime, we do have the highlights below from last night’s show!
Cold open Obamacare
Monologue
Black Jeopardy
Doctor’s Appointment
Dyke & Fats
Pictures: Photo by David Shankbone
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/RightCelebrity/~3/DJ7X8mFBkJg/
Ali Larter Sienna Guillory Joss Stone Laura Prepon Erica Leerhsen Rachel Hunter
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