EPISODE REVIEWS


Norm Macdonald / Dr. Dre featuring Snoop Dogg & Eminem
October 23, 1999


I was really excited about this episode because I was a really big fan
of Norm McDonald and was really sorry to see him leave the show
especially after such a ridiculous reason...because some NBC big shot
thought he wasn't funny. He was always sort fo a rebel on the show and I
expected some of that tonight...

OPENING-Rudy Guliani
I found this impression and sketch very funny, and I was happy to see
Darrell Hammond get some much deserved audience reaction. HAmmond is a
genius with impersonations but he's not become the breakout start he
deserves to be for one main reason...unlike Dana Carvey's Bush or Chevy
Chase's Ford...Hammond's impressions are usually not exaggerated enough
and therefore not as funny. For instance his Clinton is vocally and
visually right on but usually the CLinton skethces are amusing but
repetetive and ae lacking life. This Guliani was great and I loved how
he made him seem so absurd. Also the various insults made aboutthe
Alanta mayor being a hick were very funny
A

Monologue-Norm
Norm was in great form...poking fun at the ridiculousness of his
departure and then how funny it is that while he was deemed unfunny he
was considered funny enough to host the show. Nothing fancy but pretty good
B+

Martha Stewart
I've never been really into Ana Gastyer I sort of thought she was stiff.
But now I see her merging as the next Jane Curtin sort of the straight
woman/bitch....This was one of the best Martha Stewarts I'd ever
seen...I think my favorite moment was when Ana plainly stated "in
reality Martha Stewart is a 58 yr old divorcee with a foul mouth and a
mean streak" or somehthing like that..really good
A-

Yankee History
A sort of one joke sketch that I didnt think was that funny. I mean Norm
was good but it jut ended so abruptly it seemed sort of pointless.
C+

Celebrity Jeopardy
A wonderful skecth that I really really missed. Norm's Burt Reynolds is
excellent as always forcing Alex Trebek to refer to him as Turd and
Hammond's Connery was also hilarious with his "ethnic slurs" referring
to Trebek's "dego mustache" and "guinea charms"..as often is the cae
with this sketch one character is a little weaker than the other too and
while Fallon's impression of French Stewart was great he didn't have as
many good lines. Overall nearly perfect..
A

MSNBC Crosstalk
A little odd this skecth seemed to be pointless but it had some good
laughs. Oteri wasn't that funny but Gastyer's "dead" 70 yr old fashion
woman was hilarious and that woman playing Calista Flockhart looked so
much like her it was scary
B

Larry King's News And Views
A very funny sketch that was probably not appreciated as much as it
should have been when Norm used to do it. If you haven't actualy read
Larry King's news and views in USA Today it might not be as funny to
you. Some of my favorite lines were.."Ted Kasinsky is not the unabomber"
"if you see one movie this year see Mickey Blue Eyes" and "I am sick of
Nelson Mandela"...I also loved the random stare that Norm would have
sometimes in between his thoughts...
A

Cartoon by Robert Smigel
I found this somewhat interestng since I'm very Anti-NRA and Charlton
Heston and if anything this cartoon shwoed how crazy he is and how
stupid Tom Selleck is for being involved with him. And I'll never
understand how TOm Selleck could appear in a seemingly liberal movie
like In & Out where he played a gay man and even kissed Kevin Kline yet
he is a big spokesman for the reactionary NRA..Not hilarious but thought provoking
B-

Larry King's News and Views
Unfortunately not as funny as the first time and in my opinion to soon
following the first...still the long pauses I think Norm improvised
still were used to great effect.
B-

Weekend Update
Once again Colin seemed stiff and boring, essentially reading the jokes,
and I was a little dissapointed because I was sort of hoping Norm would
sit in as anchor tonight like Chevy had before when he'd come back to
host. The hilarious Millenium's "moments that never happened" and
Cheri's take on Marla Maples "This is Park Ave. kooch baby" helped
salvage it
B-

Musical Guest-Dre and Snoop
It was cool seeing these guys reunited although there kind of rap has
quickly given way to a more pop sound like that of Puff Daddy and Mase.
Still very talented it was a good performance
B

Dr.McMullan and Wife
Absolutely hilarious...Norm and Cheri are such a good comedic match and
this one has so many great touchs... especially Cheri's little dance to
the tune of Ghostbusters..I laughed a lot at this one
A

Michael Jackson in bar
I respect Michael Jackson as a musician and singer and it's too bad his
personal life is always blown out of proportion. This show has alwasy
been a little cruel to him and Tim Meadow's gross caricture plays a big
role in it but this skecth was a little toned down and funnier because
of it. the idea of "Jacko" walking into a bar and confessing his
problems to Norm was so funny it even made Norm crack up a little bit
during the sketch..
A-

Dre and Emenem
Pretty entertaining...I didn't expect it to be because Dre's songs
mostly sound the same to me but Emenem had some good energy
A-

Inside The Actor's Studio
Excellent skecth...probably humorless to anyone who's never seen the
show but since I watch ot regularly this was dynamite. Ferrel's
impression of James Lipton convinced me that he is my favorite and in my
opinion the most vertsatile performer on SNL right now...very funny
recreation of the atmostphere too of the show
A+

Chess For Girls
I'd seen this commercial pardoy before and was slightly amused but I
foung it really funny this time for some reason
B+

Closing
A really spectacular epsiode I thought..maybe even a little improvement
over the last one and definitely better that the opener and bonus points
for having Savion Glover show up before commercials...he would make an
excellent musical guest or host for that matter cause he really is an
awesome, talented guy.


Episode Review written by A. Howard


BACK to Norm Macdonald "SNL" Episode Reviews