Steve Martin’s next role will not be the Midwestern politician the internet hoped he’d portray.

With Maya Rudolph’s wildly popular impression of Kamala Harris on “Saturday Night Live,” fans clamored to see who the late-night comedy show would pick to play Harris’ new running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz.

With similar hairstyles and their signature glasses, many fans quickly drew comparisons between Walz and Martin, who’s been a frequent “SNL” guest but never a formal cast member.

The Los Angeles Times reported Wednesday that “SNL” producer Lorne Michaels called Martin to offer him the role on the upcoming 50th season, premiering Sept. 28, which he declined.

  • edric@lemm.ee
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    3 months ago

    Is SNL still even funny? I don’t think I’ve ever laughed at their skits since Bill Hader’s time on the show.

    • KingOfSleep@lemmy.ca
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      3 months ago

      You know you’re getting old when you “remember when Saturday Night Live used to be funny.”

      • almar_quigley@lemmy.world
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        3 months ago

        The secret is it was never really that funny. They have a banger skit every couple years but otherwise it’s mostly misses.

        • RBG@discuss.tchncs.de
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          3 months ago

          Exactly. A lot of jokes and scenes have no punchline, I am not sure why, but that’s how they work.

          • Zahille7@lemmy.world
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            3 months ago

            I think it’s moreso about the idea of the situation being funny.

            Schweddy Balls is one of my all-time favorite sketches. I don’t know if that’s unrelated or not.

            • wjrii@lemmy.world
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              3 months ago

              Even Schweddy Balls drags a bit by the end. Wayne’s World sketches tended to meander. Unfrozen Caveman Lawyer is literally one joke that needed Phil Hartman (RIP) to be funny. SNL is what it is. Young comics rushing through ideas under intense pressure, targeting the demographic of people with nothing to do on Sunday morning. Charisma and selective memory have always been keys to its success.

        • mercano@lemmy.world
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          3 months ago

          When you have to create 1.5 hours of content in a week 20 times a year, it’s not all going to be gold, but when you go up that many times, you’re eventually going have a hit.

    • This is fine🔥🐶☕🔥@lemmy.world
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      3 months ago

      I’m not American and I don’t get it either.

      Most of their skits are just the premise stretched far too long and without any punchline.

      I’d rather watch UK panelshows. Brits have figured the funnies somehow.

    • dogslayeggs@lemmy.world
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      3 months ago

      What you just said has been said by almost every person who has watched the show, except change the name Bill Hader with a different comedian from their era.

    • Trubble@startrek.website
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      3 months ago

      I think it has cycles. Depends on what pop culture content there is to joke about, as well as writers and cast “meshing”.

    • Snapz@lemmy.world
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      3 months ago

      Stopped watching when they had trump in as host, followed eventually with elon and (very temporarily) casting that bigot comic. Desperate creeps platforming wannabe fascists who… Are not even remotely funny or charismatic people.