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December 14, 2002
Don't Forget
Don't Forget
Gore's hosting SNL tonight. Here's a peek at what's to come.The only "Saturday Night Live" material Al Gore vetoed during read-throughs as too embarrassing was a sketch about flatulence.
"I'm sure this is funny," Mr. Gore said, according to Al Franken, a "Saturday Night Live" alumnus who has written speeches for the former vice president and helped shape tonight's show. "But at the end of this I want to have some bread crumbs leading back to my dignity."
Don't be silly, Al, Das Gorebot doesn't fart. I mean, can you imagine him walking up to Tipper and saying "Pull my finger"? Never. Happens.
Funny Gore and Serious Gore smoothly took turns all week until they crashed into each other outside the studio of the NBC "Today" program in New York on Thursday.
Still wearing the fluffy red Santa hat he had donned to show his holiday spirit, Mr. Gore answered a question from Matt Lauer about Senator Lott and segregation. The former vice president gave a stern, thoughtful indictment of the Senate majority leader's praise for Strom Thurmond's 1948 Dixiecrat presidential campaign — while looking like a loony Dr. Seuss creature crashing an office Christmas party.
Ah, the faces we put on to meet the faces we meet. Al Gore, the consummate post-modernist. I know people who could pull that off, wearing the Santa hat while holding forth on important issues...Al's not one of 'em.
Behind the scenes, the former vice president was game and affable, said Steve Higgins, a staff writer who worked on some of the skits. Mr. Gore offered some ideas, including a satire of Strom Thurmond's 100th birthday, Mr. Higgins recalled, but he rejected material that could be interpreted as disrespectful to former president Bill Clinton. He also dismissed a joke about Mr. Bush and cocaine as "unfair." Mr. Higgins described Mr. Gore as intelligent and personable or, as he put it, "a fun version of Charlie Rose."
"a fun version of Charlie Rose"? Now there's what I'd like to be know as...*snicker*...what's that saying about "damning by faint praise"? Oooo, Al, a satire of Strom's birthday debacle? You're so edgy and daring, a real wild guy.
Aides have long complained that Mr. Gore's private charm seems to dissipate as soon as camera lights go on — another reason his determination to take on "Saturday Night Live" baffled even veterans of the show.
Yep, Al's definitely got that "deer caught in headlights" camera presence, don't he? Makes you wonder what it is that causes him to repeat these acts of self-flagellation over and over. He's so obviously uncomfortable and terrified that it's painful to watch sometimes. C'mon Al, loosen up. Slam back a coupla tequila shooters and let go. And if you fart on-camera, well, it would at least give us some hope that you're human.
SNL tonight. Don't miss it.
Posted by Rita at December 14, 2002 06:15 AM