Sarah Palin’s uncomfortable appearance on SNL Presidential special


Sarah Palin made a surprise appearance on the Saturday Night Live primetime special Political Bash Monday night on NBC. There was no advertising or leak on her or Senator McCain’s appearance on the special so no one was expecting it.

Sitting in a leather chair alone on a stage, Governor Palin addressed the audience and was met with applause to begin with. However, after launching into her written speech, the reception decidedly cooled.

Palin delivered a speech that must have been intended to be tongue in cheek and funny, but it just was not delivered as such. It was actually rather sinister sounding and Palin herself barely cracked anything more than a sarcastic smile during the whole thing.

Palin said that when she first heard about Saturday Night Live was making fun of her, she was annoyed. But, after awhile, she understood that this was a long standing tradition with SNL and political figures. Palin attempted a joke about not knowing Saturday Night Live was still on the air and there was a smattering of laughter. It felt like the audience was trying to figure out what exactly was going on. Was Sarah Palin joking or not?

Then, with nary a smile, Palin then announced that on January 20th, after she is sworn into office, the parody is to end. Now, obviously, the sketch was written as a joke, and meant to be delivered as such, but it came across as more of a command than a joke. Sarah, in another joke that she just could not make work, said that if SNL didn’t stop making fun of her after she was Vice President, she would see to it that NBC had their broadcast license revoked. Followed by another joke about how no one would know, because no one watches NBC. She concluded with what felt like some sort of mob threat, saying that in Alaska “we play for keeps, it’s called The Palin Doctorine.”

It was eerily silent and uncomfortable during her delivery. I almost felt bad for her if it weren’t for the fact that she herself barely cracked a smile. She was very charismatic during her scheduled cameo on SNL a couple weeks ago, so it was surprising to see her so much the opposite on Monday. I sat here stunned during the whole thing, actually hoping that she would pull off a great zinger at the end and get a good laugh at it all, but it never came.

The audience was kind enough to applaud when she signed off, but that was about the extent of a reaction. It was odd and uncomfortable and I’m very surprised they put her on with it. She had to have done something more encouraging in rehearsals.

John McCain opened the show and was charming and funny, sitting in the same chair, delivering his pre-written speech with a smile and a sense of humor. Whether you agree with his politics or not, there’s no denying he comes across as a decent guy with a sense of humor when he does Saturday Night Live. Although, I’ve got to say, he’s pretty much turned into the “celebrity” he lambasted Obama for being now that he’s basically become a cast member on Saturday Night Live this week.

Truly, it’s all for naught, most people have already voted, either early or by mail, and on the eve of the election, the undecideds should be few and far between. Maybe Sarah Palin thought she had nothing to lose so she would show that she was a serious contender in the last minutes, on a political satire show.

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29 Responses to “Sarah Palin’s uncomfortable appearance on SNL Presidential special”

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  1. Donna says:

    “Uncomfortable”???? Really? She seems fine to me. 😕

  2. Carol says:

    Yep, that was the most uncomfortable thing I’ve seen on SNL, possibly, ever. No one laughed, but you could hear them coughing and moving around. It was like a really bad high school production except the audience didn’t want to play along and try to get her through it.

    Mostly she was menacing.

  3. geronimo says:

    Baffling. I need sub-titles and explanations. Not on what she said but who or what prompted her to say it or think it might be a good idea? 😯

    Not that I care in the least since it’s just another nail in her coffin.

  4. vdantev says:

    Saying ‘Joe the Plumber’ every 5th sentence is easy, comedy is hard.

  5. Lara says:

    Yea, kind of weird…her delivery is not that great, but I wonder how much is to blame on the writers….the lines are just not that funny…

  6. daisy424 says:

    Now Sarah Palin and Barack Obama are tied for threads on Celebitchy!!

    Obama 32 threads in 16 months
    Palin 32 threads in 2 months

    Now that the election is here, hopefully we will see more threads on celebrities, not politicians.

  7. Tanya Borden says:

    I had the same thoughts. I think the reason why it was so scary is that her true colors came out in her attempt to “joke.” She is someone who tried to ban books in a public library so for her to joke about censorship just doesn’t come off as funny. She is truly frightening.

  8. Abby says:

    She did not try to ban books, you need to get your facts straight.

  9. DogRunner says:

    I am soooooooooooooo looking forward to this election being over!

  10. Orangejulius says:

    Yes, she did try to ban at least one book. You need to get YOUR facts straight.

  11. Cowbell says:

    Most people had already voted by yesterday? Says who?

  12. Bros says:

    she initiated some conversations about seeing what it would take to get some books yanked off the shelves and backed down after it was apparent no one appreciated her orwellian proclivities.

    she seemed tired and resigned and its hard to act convincing about january 20th when you know your ship is sinking!

  13. mel says:

    Dont worry she’s not going to be the next vice president after today!

  14. Codzilla says:

    Daisy: Agree with you in full.

  15. dr.grrl says:

    i forgot to send this link in, but i have been referring to it as my political advent calendar.

    every day there was something new. be sure to click on EVERY little thing and in some places, multiple clicks get different actions! every day this has been cracking me up! i hope it’s still up today!! check it!

    http://www.palinaspresident.com

  16. texasmom says:

    Well, SHE seemed comfortable, it’s the audience that seemed uncomfortable!

  17. Murmur says:

    I was thinking, huh? What WAS that?

  18. Lana says:

    I saw this! It was so uncomfortable. No one laughed and it wasn’t funny at all. It was a relief when it ended. Sarah’s lines weren’t good and the delivery was wooden.

  19. Bodhi says:

    Dr, that site is hilarious!!

    And yeah, loads of people have already voted by now & those who haven’t probably made up their minds by now.

    And yeah, she DID try to ban books

  20. kate says:

    interesting that mc cain & palin accuse obama of being a celebrity, yet unlike them he seems too busy running a dignified, intelligent campaign to bother with SNL week after week.

  21. JMC says:

    They accuse Obama of being a celebrity, but remember McCain was in “Wedding Crashers”!!!!!!!!!!!

  22. Ron says:

    I’m no Sarah fan, but you have to take any person on SNL who is not an actor with a grain of salt.

  23. Kaiser says:

    Uh, first, MSNBC did report yesterday that Palin would have a “cameo” on the special.

    Second, that was horrible. She comes across as some dictator-wannabe. Buh-bye, Caribou Barbie. Don’t let the door hit you on the ass on your way back to the most socialist state in the Union.

    Third, if you don’t want to read political coverage on a celebrity site, don’t click on it.

    Thanks for your work this election, CB!

  24. T says:

    Awww…the truth hurts, huh?

  25. aleach says:

    yikes, even i was uncomfortable for her, i cant stand this lady.
    i wonder if she realized the very FEW people that did chuckle were laughing AT her, not WITH her.
    after today, hopefully she will be back in alaska for good. (but i dont think they have a Saks or Nordstrom there! she might be in troule…)

  26. huh says:

    There is actually a Nordstrom in Anchorage, (mostly I think for cruise ship tourists) Alaska but I doubt there are Saks or Neimans.

  27. AP says:

    She DIDN’T ban any books. However, she did try to meld the Wasilla library and museum together, and continually cut funding for both. She is not a friend of the sciences, and I doubt she sees the importance in art, culture, and diversity as demonstrated by her praising life and people in one type of America, and shunning and insulting the other sides.

    I absolutely think she is a reformer, but more like nun in reform school who is way too strict and who doesn’t get out enough, period. God help us all if she is elected.

  28. lacey says:

    She doesn’t strike me as having much of a sense of humour, which is too bad, because it might have helped her on the campaign trail. Not sorry McCain and Palin lost though – they just do not have what it takes to lead a nation; including the ability to lighten up once in a while!

    Glad my vote was for Obama – he’s a man who doesn’t seem to take himself so seriously, even though he has a lot of serious work to do!

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