"SNL Thursday": You can't do that on television

October 16, 2008 at 10:42pm

Did my eyes deceive me? Did that actually happen? Because I'm pretty sure it did, and I'm pretty sure it wasn't supposed to. I mean, we don't do stuff like that anymore, right?

The second installment of "SNL Thursday" was OK - arguably better than the first - and had some funny stuff. The debate spoof was great, thanks to the hilarious recasting of Joe the Plumber as an imaginary friend, and the Weekend Update segment had Kristen Wiig's Crazy McCain Rally Woman and a ghost apparently walking right through Seth Meyers sometime during the initial set. (Seriously, having a little trouble getting those lines out last night, Meyers?)

But then things got very uncomfortable when they brought out "The Rev. Jesse Jackson" to comment on how race might impact Obama's election chances. And playing Jackson was Darrell Hammond. A white man. So white, in fact, that he also plays John McCain. And white guys don't come much whiter than John McCain.

Isn't that offensive? To have a white man playing a black civil rights leader? Isn't it at the very least a bad idea that somebody probably should have put a stop to before it even started? Am I alone in this?

To "SNL"'s credit, at least they didn't put Hammond in blackface. As far as I can tell they didn't put any makeup on him at all. (The same is true of Fred Armisen's portrayal of Barack Obama, although this feels different to me because Armisen is at least racially diverse-Japanese/Venezuelan-and also, his Obama impression is awful regardless of his ethnicity.) And nothing even remotely racist was said. If anything, the jokes took potshots at white folks, which I fully support.

But I just think back to the flap Mickey Rooney got for playing a Japanese man in "Breakfast at Tiffany's," or Elizabeth Taylor got for playing an African queen in "Cleopatra." (I realize these references are pretty musty, but I'm having a hard time of thinking up any modern counterparts.) The question remains: Isn't it offensive that a white man is portraying an important black political figure? Is "SNL" saying that there are no black actors qualified to take on the role? The show currently has only one black actor in the repertory cast, Kenan Thompson. So I guess the thinking is that a white guy who can do impressions is a better fit for Jesse Jackson than an obese black man?

I recognize that impressions are what Hammond does. It's ALL he does, really. So it's understandable that he'd be your go-to guy. And maybe I'm looking at this wrong. Maybe it's actually good that the show isn't concerned about race, and instead picked the best actor for the job, no matter if he was white, black, red, purple, or, like Joe the Plumber's invisible friend Simon, a unicorn.

Except race IS still an issue in this country. That was even the point of the skit. And I don't think "SNL" was going for something metatextual here by having a white man play a black man talking about how white people don't vote for black people. I just don't give the show that much credit, because it really hasn't earned it lately. So I'm left wondering, what was "SNL" thinking when they put that skit on? That there are no black actors funny enough to play prominent black figures? Because that's the message I took away from it.

Comments for ""SNL Thursday": You can't do that on television" (10)

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Bob said on Oct. 16, 2008 at 11:49pm

I agree with what you said. It was a little weird. I honestly don't think SNL meant to be disrespectful or offensive to anyone. I just think they were trying to scrap together a show. I mean honestly, the production value on these Thursday specials has been SHOD- DY. I think they figure people are gonna tune in no matter what in hopes that Tina Fey will be appearing (which she hasn't.)

Bri said on Oct. 16, 2008 at 11:56pm

Hammond has played Jesse Jackson 15 times on SNL.

pmn said on Oct. 17, 2008 at 1:39am

As a marginally competent entertainment writer, you may be unaware of this, but Hammond has done his Jackson impersonation before with Jackson sitting right beside him.

As for the remainder of your observations, you are a inordinately competent buffoon.

jeff said on Oct. 17, 2008 at 2:08am

I think the days of Jesse Jackson being a "prominent black figure" are over. In addition, I'm sure if you ask the next generation in front of you, the distinction probably did not phase them in the least. A sign of growth.

Eric said on Oct. 17, 2008 at 8:57am

Bri and PMN: Thanks for the info that Hammond has portrayed Jackson before. I was honestly unaware of that, as I haven't watched "SNL" regularly in years.
But honestly, it doesn't matter to me if he's played him 15, 150, or 1500 times, with or without Jackson sitting right next to him. It doesn't address my salient point, which is, isn't it kind of strange that a white comedian is portraying a public figure who is (for better or worse) defined largely by his ethnicity? What message is it sending to African-American actors and comedians that the right person for the job on "SNL" is a white man?
Please note: I'm not calling for anyone's head, I'm not asking for a boycott, I'm not saying anybody's being racist, nothing. I just think it's an unfortunate statement on the state of diversity of the current "Saturday Night Live" cast.

Don said on Oct. 17, 2008 at 9:26am

I don't think there's anything wrong with it. It's comedy, a farce. Racism will not go away until we all stop acting so PC and start defining one another as fellow humans, rather than by ethnic background.

pmn said on Oct. 17, 2008 at 11:05am

Eric: It might be posited Jackson has largely defined himself and all African-Americans by ethnicity (a tired, archaic endeavor). It could be argued such a venture is still a lucrative industry. Many continue to be cowed and buy into it. Particularly whites who crave racial innocence. And in the minds of men like Jackson, that tab will never be paid as long as there is a dollar in it and a complicit media in on the ruse.

Bob said on Oct. 17, 2008 at 12:46pm

pmn: I think that calling Eric a buffoon is childish, uncalled for and inappropriate. State your opinions without resorting to name calling, it has more impact.

Zack said on Oct. 17, 2008 at 3:14pm

While watching this, at first I thought about the fact that Hammond, a white guy, was playing Jackson, a black guy. But then I concluded that Hammond really want the best person on the cast to play that part. And it's not like SNL would go out of their normal sources to find someone to play Jackson. So they had to choose from their available players and Hammond was the best man for the job at the time. At least that's how I said it.

Bob said on Oct. 17, 2008 at 4:25pm

Zack: SNL did out source when casting Gwen Ifill, they got Queen Latifah.

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