Spotlight on: Will Forte

Lately when speaking of Saturday Night Live most critics and viewers tend to complain that the long-running sketch show has seen better days – save for occasional bright spots that win favor and gain permanent placement in pop culture such as the most recent stellar-from-beginning-to-end episode hosted by Betty White, the whole of 2008’s political coverage and 2007’s Justin Timberlake-conceived, Emmy-winning digital short “D*ck in a Box.”

Feeling like one of the few out there who continues to watch entire episodes of SNL, albeit never L on S but rather Sundays with a morning coffee, I find myself happy with at least one skit every episode and am consistently impressed by several cast members including Jason Sudeikis and Bill Hader. However the one actor who always delivers, feeds my love of the absurd and is hands down most deserving of the next “Best of” compilation is Will Forte. In honor of his recent leading man status upgrade thanks to this weekend’s addition to the cineplex and latest SNL-to-big screen adaptation, Macgruber, I now present my own collection of his greatest hits.

FANCY PANTS

This skit completely encompasses everything I love about Forte – right down to his floppy hair wig and faux ‘stache – as a coach trying to fire up his downtrodden basketball team at halftime by joyfully dancing along with the brassy Burt Bacharach theme to 1967’s Casino Royale. Notice how all the background players and episode host Payton Manning relish having prop towels on hand to hide behind when they can’t keep a straight face.

JON BOVI

Paired with Sudeikis on this recurring Weekend Update bit, the mere sight of his outfit in the opposite tribute band Jon Bovi along with the repeated “Whaaaaaat?!” is enough to put me in hysterics. Add in ridiculous lyrics like “I’m an Indian, on a cotton horse I do not ride” and this will always have a place in my heart.

DON’T VOTE FOR THESE GUYS

Most might not remember that Will Forte had the briefest of stints as one of the four SNL actors who’ve played George W. Bush in the post- Will Ferrell years, a tough act to follow. His was a more zany version of 43, naturally, but he’s also played a couple of other odd politicos over the years. The first clip below is his take on former Democratic senator from Georgia, Zell Miller, who grabbed the media spotlight after backing a Republican candidate for his old seat and caught even more attention for his use of antiquated verbiage.

Next is the more subdued, but truly odd and thankfully fictional, perpetual write-in candidate Tim Calhoun.

I SHALL REMAIN…THE FALCONER

And finally, a truly monumental recurring sketch if only for the fact that the humor rests solely on the manipulation of a stuffed falcon on strings it’s also, in my opinion, Forte’s landmark character on SNL. His delivery of “Oh, Donald” never ceases to elicit a good chuckle.

Glee, Glee What Are You Doin’ to Me?

Not to rant about tonight’s Glee, at times it was highly entertaining, although bloated with messages (being left out at home, less-than at school and lost about ones self/body image – it’s the teenage trifecta!), I do feel the need to express my dissatisfaction to Murphy and his musical minions in two areas.

Issue #1 – While I’m always greatful to have fellow Okie Kristin Chenoweth guesting on a show that appreciates and shines a spotlight on her amazing singing prowess, how could you ever put that perky blonde pixie in a roller rink setting and not choose something for her to belt out from Xanadu? Was it too obvious? I know you didn’t avoid it for being too dated – I loved Kurt giving us “A House is Not a Home” but it ain’t gonna burn up the iTunes charts. KChen can kill an Olivia Newton-John number as she so deftly demonstrated in an early episode of the gone-too-soon series, and one of my personal favorites, Pushing Daisies.

Issue #2 – Would it have killed you to bring in Idina for even the briefest of scenes? A little Wicked Will sandwich action would not have gone unnoticed nor unappreciated.

These issues aside, you did give me a wonderful duet in your Bacharach medley with a revisit to “A House is Not a Home” mashed up with “One Less Bell to Answer.” Burt is bliss.

Lost: There’s no earthly way of knowing…

There’s no earthly way of knowing / Which direction we are going / Not a speck of light is showing / So the danger must be growing / Are the fires of hell a-glowing? / Is the grisly reaper mowing?”

If you were like me as a kid one of the creepiest mise en scenes (yes, I was using such advanced film and theater terminology in my formative years) that still gives me goosebumps to this day is from the 1971 classic Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory when the titular candy proprietor, played to off-kilter perfection by Gene Wilder, took his guests on a wild and trippy boat ride. As the scene progresses Wonka begins singing a tune with words and tone so chilling that you absolutely know this adventure will not end well for some.

Saavy Lost viewers (which there are plenty to spare) will notice that last night’s preview for episode 13 “The Last Recruit” (airing April 20th) had this little ditty as its soundtrack and it couldn’t have been more spot-on for the island mystery as it barrels toward a series conclusion. With only 5 episodes left the danger is growing  for all the castaways and we’ll probably all be quite surprised at the direction they’ll be going.

The Power of Glee

After its long hiatus the best thing about tonight’s all-new Glee was the last 3 minutes pimping next week’s Madge-centric episode. A gloriously multi-pop-culture-layered vision of Jane Lynch as Sue Sylvester as Madonna. Don’t just stand there, let’s get to it!

20 Years Later – Still One Damn Fine Series

In a town like Twin Peaks, no one is innocent.

Belated anniversary premiere date wishes to what still ranks as this TV addict’s number one favorite series of all time – Twin Peaks. On April 8th, 1990 I was introduced to the quirky, creepy and always off-kilter world of Twin Peaks, Washington its diverse denizens and the stranger in a strange land G-man sent in to investigate the tragic death of the sleepy little hamlet’s prom queen. And as the haunting music over the opening credits suggests, not to mention having David Lynch as the mastermind creator, the layers of mystery that were about to unfold promised a beautifully, mesmerizing trip. 

Perhaps a little too adult for a still-developing youngster to be exposed to, looking back I can’t even remember why I was drawn to Lynch’s small screen masterpiece. Up until then I couldn’t think of anything better than ABC’s TGIF family comedy line-up – who could compete with the Tanners, Winslows, Balki and the hijinks in a family of 10 – so how did this one-hour drama filled to the brim with allegory and allusion that could keep not only film but art, history and social science classes talking for years beguile such an innocent mind? I’d like to attribute it to an unconscious knowledge that at any age someone can recognize and appreciate, even if they can’t fully understand, well-made television.

While I’ll never deny my indulgence in guilty TV pleasures both past (oh the sweet, original 90210 days of Brenda and Dylan) and present (those Desperate Housewives on Wisteria Lane, coincidentally the current residence of former Twin Peaks FBI agent Kyle MacLachlan) there’s also no denying that even 20 years later the cult series that spawned the whole cult series craze (you’re welcome X-Files and Buffy) and one that barely lasted two years remains the epitome for any serialized show that crosses my viewing path, particularly those of the mystery genre (another great but always placing silver, Lost), and frankly the hour-long television format altogether.

Happy 20th Anniversary Twin Peaks, now off to celebrate with a damn fine cup of coffee and a slice of cherry pie.

The entire series, including the hard-to-find original pilot, is now available to own or  watch online.