SNL101

S49 E10: Dakota Johnson

In Dakota Johnson’s second crack at hosting SNL, we talk about socioeconomic- and race-based othering in Home Movies, black friends and black-up bands with Justin Timberlake’s musical performance of Sanctified, and the long history of the Dozens in Roast, a film by Please Don’t Destroy.
S49 E9: Jacob Elordi

We discuss the attention economy and the Society of the Spectacle with Katt Williams/Club Shay Shay Extended Cut and the historical case studies of crisis communication in the new media environment with the Alaska Airlines Ad, as well as the relevance – and irrelevance – of laughter in satire in Weekend Update.
S49 E8 Kate McKinnon

We discuss Kate’s unique brand of corporeal comedy in North Pole News, the light and heavy interpretation of distraction of Yankee Swap, the implicit and explicit feminism in Tampon Farm and Rich Auntie with no Kids (as well as Gifts from Mom), and ethics of community expectations in the now-iconic Joke Swap.
S49 E7: Adam Driver

We talk about the congressional hearings on antisemitism, magnification of the conflict between academic expectations and popular discourse in the College Presidents Cold Open, racial and gendered differences in politeness and threat in Beep Beep showcases , the dehumanization of the elderly in Elder PSA, and the tendency to embellish and its impact on the…
S49 E6: Emma Stone

We discuss the role of AI in art in AI: A film by Please Don’t Destroy, art vs. craft and the humor of finding joy in shame in What’s in the Kiln, and the incredibly effective erasure of cigarettes in the public sphere in Michael Longfellow’s appearance as Old Fashioned Cigarette on Banning Vapes on Weekend…
S49 E5: Jason Momoa

Jason Momoa’s second time hosting SNL was a feel good experience as advertised. We discuss the Biden Panda Cold Open and the politics of distraction, Old Timey Movies and the psychology of photography, Remember Lizards and the commodification and production of art, and a few classic Momoa moments like Cast Away and GE Big Boys…
S49 E4: Timothée Chalamet

Timothée Chalamet’s second time hosting SNL was a mix of classic and new characters. We discuss how audiences respond to impersonations with respect James Austin Johnson’s amazing turn as Donald Trump in the Republican Debate Cold Open, flipping the gaze and the pleasure experienced by straight when women when watching gay men in Troye Sivan…
S49 E3: Nate Bargatze

Nate Bargatze is “The Nicest Man in Stand-Up,” and it shows in his SNL debut. We discuss cultural ownership and authentic Blackness in “Chef’s Show,” Liberty, Logic, and American Exceptionalism in “Washington’s Dream,” and commodifying masculinity in Dawg Food: A film by Please Don’t Destroy.
S49 E2: Bad Bunny

Bad Bunny makes the show his own in his hosting debut. We discuss dynamic and robust representations of Latino-ness in the opening monologue and throughout the episode, the complexity of satirizing cultural clashes in Protective Mom 2 and Telenovela, and disrupting stereotypes through normalization in Enrique’s Daughter.
S49 E1: Pete Davidson

Season 49 kicks off with Pete Davidson’s hosting debut. We talk about parody in I’m Just Pete, commodity feminism in Glamgina, and misinterpretations of Blackness in The Original Princes of Comedy: A film by Please Don’t Destroy.