Fuck "Studio 60"

Hear hear, bud. Totally agreed with basically 100% of this post. I've never heard of the show, but if what you say is true, I hate it more than any other show of which I can currently think.

It reminds me, sorta, of this dumb-ass comic I saw once back around the election. Actually, here's an image of it:

http://www.hellblazer.com/media/united-states-of-canada.jpg

The blog I found that on is equally ridiculous. So ridiculous that I thought it was satire at first...no, this guy really thinks that seceding from the "red states" and joining Canada is a good and/or viable idea. What a load of hogwash...one of my friends (who lives in Chicago and grew up near Louisville, KY) sent that out in a mass E-Mail around the time of the '04 election and I gave him an earful, cuz I'd seen the thing already and been disgusted by it. I swear, people think voting for John Kerry makes 'em all righteous or something? I think the '04 election was the worst case of "lesser of two evils" (assuming you voted major party...which I didn't) that I've ever studied, by a LONGSHOT.

Anyway, let's not ramble, I hate political discussion but just wanted to say that you've got it spot on as far as I'm concerned, bud. I especially like the bit about bigoted Connecticutians...that "Jesusland" mumbo-jumbo is indeed far worse and more abundant than the hateful bigotry I've heard in my days as a Missourian.

Pat,

People who aren't from New York or LA are stupid. That is just science.

I honestly did like this show until the last episode... you are right. They just shot themselves in the foot. These "stupid" people who are barely alive, are the ones who win Political elections, and ultimately decide what shows stay on the air and what shows hit the shelf never to be seen again. Studio 60 is 1 and done.

Ian

Pat! i TOTALLY agree with you about this show. I saw 15 minutes of the second episode and turned it off. its like who cares??? WHY IS THERE NOT ONLY 1 SHOW, BUT 2 SHOWS ABOUT SNL ON THE AIR RIGHT NOW WHEN SNL ISN'T EVEN FUNNY ANYMORE AND IS BARELY WATCHED!!?? Maybe 20 years ago, this show would be interesting when there were loads of drugs involved. and i did see that part last night about the parents coming in. Just seemed so stupid. Lately, working in tv, i'm definitely turned off by how important people think they are just because they work in entertainment when there are more important things to think about it. Yet, we eat it up anyway! Even I can't help myself. Why do I keep refreshing celebrity blogs all day! its an addiction. I think there should be treatment facilities because its no way to live. Its crazy how all celebrity relationships are on CNN. (sorry, i took the comment to a different topic)

Jeff Foxworthy makes fun of his audience for being rednecks, and they love him for it. Why can't Chandler?

Pat, I've got to say I'm with you. Nobody was more excited for this show than I was, even if the premise sounded a little weak, because I am one of Aaron Sorkin's biggest fans. HUGE fan of Sports Night (Sam, I remember you and I bonded over this), and compulsively watched The West Wing until about Season 5.

That being said, last night did it for me. Sorkin has lost his fastball. Look, I'm a Northeastern Democrat, possibly THE Northeastern Democrat, and even I thought Nate Cordry's subplot was biased and insulting. Sorkin's like Robin Williams... clearly his creative side needs illegal substances. Somebody get this man some cocaine!

I'm gonna go ahead and play devil's advocate here, and defend Studio 60. And remember that this is coming from someone who was born and raised in Dayton, Ohio. (At least Columbus is the state capital! I must have really been on life support all those years in Dayton.)

Now Studio 60 certainly has its problems, but Sorkin's actually gone out of his way to give the "red states" a passionate advocate within the world of the show: the character of Harriet Hayes. From defending her own appearance alongside Pat Robertson, to convincing them not to use a joke mocking a midwestern high school for banning "The Crucible," she's both the romantic and ideological foil to the Matthew Perry character. (Though I think she was wrong about the crucible thing, and Pat Robertson really is a bigot). Sorkin is obviously trying to address the red/blue state divide by dramatizing the relationship between these two. That being said, she's also the weakest character on the show, because she feels like a conceit, and not a real person. The actress playing her is very miscast, and not for one moment do I believe that she's some Gilda Radner level comedian. This keeps me from being very interested or engaged in their romance subplot.

Pat, I didn't find the scene between Tom and his parents as infuriating as you, because there was a subtext to it that was interesting. When Tom first tells Simon that his parents are coming to the show, it's obvious that he's feeling insecure about receiving their approval, as though they still can't accept that he's actually successful. So he overcompensates by bragging about how much money he makes and putting down where he came from and giving them a long and overblown tour of the studio to show how important he is. Yes, this behavior makes him look like an elitist, pretentious asshole, and Simon even calls him out on it at one point. "What are you doing? These people work for a living." (I'm not going to defend the Mom's racial comment, because that was way too heavy handed on Sorkin's part). But when Tom yells at his parents about the difference between a sketch and a skit, the real point of that moment is the subtext, because what he's actually saying is, "What I do is really important, Dad! And I want you to acknowledge it, Dad! Why won't you accept me, Dad? Why won't you love me? (cue music) And the cat's in the cradle and silver spoon/Little boy blue and the man on the moon."

The "Who's on First" stuff was just an (admittedly clumsy) attempt to show how little Tom and his father relate to one another, further demonstrated by the fact that his Dad at one point calls Tom the wrong name (that of his brother), and it's later revealed that the brother is off fighting in Afghanistan and that the Dad probably feels like comedy is pretty trivial compared to that. While I don't think the subplot worked completely, it was more than Sorkin saying, "Gee, look how stupid people in the midwest are."

Man, great post. I read it on my coffee break and wanted to write a long comment - but I had to get back to work – BTW - Mail Merge is great - but the last time I used it was 1993-ish - so I was online refreshing my memory for hours - jeez.

Television:

Politics:

Links:

Dean:

http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1549330,00.html

http://www.dnc.org/a/party/a_50_state_strategy/

Also, take this quiz from CNN:

http://www.cnn.com/ELECTION/2006/special/issues/caucus/quiz.html

The show has a fake Christian wannabe character so that the "red states" won't get upset about a show, which is about a show, poking fun at Christians. How about Sorkin having some balls and have a sketch called "Crazy Muslims"? Last night's show was a poorly hid attempt at another bash at the red states and Bush and the Iraq occupation. Sorkin did not even have the balls to come out and say "Your brother is in Iraq!"

The abbot and costello thing was fucking insane. I'm pretty sure the Amish even know that joke and who invented it.

Too bad they got rid of Judd Hirsch the first episode.

Studio 60 has me half the time. I hate the red state/blue state nonsense, yet they keep coming back to it. Last night was an all time low, with the aformentioned parent subplot. But I do like Matt/Danny dynamic and the backstage dynamics of putting together a live broadcast (I don't care if it's realistic, just that it's entertaining). Both of these elements harken back to "Sports Night," one of my favorite shows of all time.

This all might be moot anyway, because the show is losing most of "Heroes" lead-in and should be canceled very soon.

Speaking of Heroes, despite some bad acting and writing, It's a cool show. Suprisingly good special effects and great endings that keep me coming back.

I have been watching this show since it began, and every week the show leaves me a little more angry and insulted. I made the exact same comment about that "they're SKETCHES" line to my boyfriend while we watched the show. The show's writing does more than condescend to middle America. The heavy handed preachiness of the dialogue - every line sounds like "THIS is the point we are trying to make. THIS is what we want you to get from this show" as if the viewer is too ignorant to come to any conclusion on his or her own. That Christian girl really irritates me- I know Christian people, and I have never encountered a single one who defines him or herself by it. The idea of a Christian person having a sense of humor is nothing shocking. Why does this show try to tell me it is? I really don't need a television show to talk down to me.

I have given this show a chance, but the more it tries to resemble "real" life, the more pathetic it becomes. I am cancelling my Season Pass, and watching "Heroes" twice in a row instead. That show may have some goofy acting and/or writing, but if you watch it like a comic book come to life, it's pretty damn amazing.

Sorry folks – I think some of the links were dead/misspelled – and it appears that I can not copy and paste from Word with hyperlinks... darn... well for the CNN link above just fix the word 'ca ucus' and you should be able to get to the quiz.

As for TV - looking forward to the return of 24...and Scrubs.

Go Cards.

Welcome to the new readers, even the unfortunately named "Ass." What was your mother thinking?

Everyone made some great points here. For those of you that agreed, I can't exactly argue with you...because you're right.

And for those of you who disagreed, you made some excellent points.

Bryan,

I particularly like how you acknowledged there is a "character" there meant to represent good, Christian, Middle America folk...but were able to admit that she is a really bad character. As for "these people work for a living," sorry that line didn't patch things over with me. I agree with you that the Tom subplot was more than Sorkin saying "Look how dumb people in the midwest are," but you know...he was certainly saying that too.

Jackson,

I loved "Sports Night" as well. I've never seen an episode of "The West Wing" but I have always intended to.

Vijaya,

I don't get that either, why we're supposed to be impressed that someone can believe in God and also have a personality. NOTE: Her character is NOT as funny as everyone seems to think, and probably not as funny as, say, anyone I know.

JJ,

I'm trying to get caught up on '24' and love 'Scrubs.'

As for the "Heroes" mentions, I like the show as well, and will be discussing it in an overall TV post soon. I also really dig "Friday Night Lights," which is doing poorly in the ratings also, despite being the exact opposite of "Studio 60."

Still, as much as '60' infuriated me Monday night, I can not say I'll be deleting my season pass. In a way, I think it is good that a TV show can inspire any kind of feelings at all, even feelings of anger. Really, as far as network TV, only this show and "The Bachelor" have the power to upset me like this.

And yes, GO CARDS! This is our year!!!

One more thing, what did everyone think of the "race" material Monday night? I think I would have been much more troubled by it had it not been eclipsed by the Ohio stuff.

First off, DL Hughley's monolgue about growing up on the "mean streets." Yikes. Second, the comedian they walked out on was a lot funnier than, say, DL Hughley, whose "comedy" is also in the "Big Asses and Black People Is Po'" vein. And third, they hired a comedian who they found not funny, because he was black and handy? Really?

What'd everyone think of that story? I don't really know what to make of it, I think it was well-intentioned, but...

This was posted this morning over at "The Onion's" web site. First they took my iPod shuffle idea, now this!

No, actually the internets are full of converation on this particularly polarizing episode. This critic makes many of the same points I did, so it's good to see I wasn't alone. Interesting comments here, too.

http://www.avclub.com/content/node/54473

I think people missed the point of the "Who's On First" scene. Tom gave him the album because his dad loved it so much when Tom was a kid, and that spurred Tom's love of comedy. That's why he told his Dad he learned from him. He wasn't telling his father he'd laugh and laugh because it would be so surprisingly funny and new, he was telling him that because that's what his dad would do when he listened to it when he was younger.

I was watching an episode of THE FRESH PRINCE OF BEL-AIR today and I was reminded of this post, because Geoffrey said something like "It doesn't matter what you do, it's how hard you try and what's inside" and Hillary was like "Maybe if you live in Des Moines, but this is Bel-Air." I thought that, even though it expressed the same sentiment as some of the quotes you pulled from this Studio 60 show, the intention was clearly the exact opposite. Or in any case, it was an attempt to show how shallow a character Hillary really is, rather than an attempt at a TOTAL HIGH FIVE SLAM ON DES MOINES IOWA, THE FARMING EAST BUTTFUCK EGYPT CAPITAL OF THE WORLD, TAKE THAT!

If you catch my meaning.

Shea,

That's actually not correct, earlier he asks his parents about the sketch and they have no idea what it is. That's why he buys his father the album. You probably just missed that exchange, it happened on the lengthy studio tour he was giving them.

Rob,

Who knew "Fresh Prince" was such a tolerant and progressive show?

Actually, that show and really any comedy I watched growing up would never have made a crack like that unless, as you said, it was used to show how self-absorbed and shallow a character was. The joke was always on the person making the comment, not the people getting dissed.

That's actually a perfect point/counterpoint to show how much things have changed.

Exactly.

FRESH PRINCE is so awesome...usually I get to see an episode of that or THE COSBY SHOW (or if I'm really lucky, BOY MEETS WORLD) while I work out on my lunch break.

~YOU~ worked for SNL? Yeah, right. That means you are probably:

a) a liar b) unfuny.

I suspect you are both: a liar and unfunny. Your're a liar 'cos you never worked for SNL. Sure, you can claim it, but, hey, let's see some proof buddy. Can you do it? No? I figured as much.

You're unfunny because even if you had worked for SNL (and we now know that you did not), that show has not been funny any time during your employable lifetime. Moreover, I have yet to read anything really funny here, so, we can all safely assume you are an unfunny little man.

But thanks for playing.

You *are* right about the Cards, though, so you can't be all bad. Just an unfunny liar.

"Yeah Right", I want to congratulate you on a well thoughout post. I love the emprical two step argument that is clearly intellegent because it uses numbers.

Pat did indeed work for SNL, and various other NBC shows. I suppose you will call me unfunny, and a liar, but if that puts me in the same category as Pat, then I will thank you for the compliment.

Next, what do you do with all the time you save by abbreviating "because" with "'cos" I bet you use all that time wisely. Also I like how you accentuated the word "you" with two tildes. Doing this gave you all the textual sass of a sixteen year old girl.

Finally I really don't want to argue with someone cool enough to end a post with "Thanks for playing" it is so dismissive and cool that I hope you will be my best friend. In the world.

In sum, eat a dick you mother fuck. Your sister tastes like peaches.

xoxo, Mike

Yeah Right,

Welcome aboard! My first heckler, how exciting!

This particular post was not intended to be funny, but I do have archives full of posts that were. If you don't find them amusing, that's totally cool. It's mostly dick jokes to be honest, and I can tell you have a more sophisticated comedy palate.

I am not, however, a liar. I did work at "SNL" for exactly six months. I was not a writer for the show, nor did I claim to be. They have other jobs. I worked there as a Page. I certainly didn't have creative input or anything like that, but I worked right outside the studio every weekend, got to meet the cast and guest hosts, and definitely got to see the way the show was put together. It was awesome. The only reason I mentioned it was to prove my point that no one behind the scenes there wears suits.

I can't prove I worked there, although there are many readers of this site who can vouch, and frequent commenter Bryan actually worked there with me! Bry, give Yeah Right a shout, won't you?!

Oh, and I have the "SNL" brand on my ass. If you want to come see my ass.

So there you have it. I know it must be hard not to be skeptical of others with a name like Yeah Right, but I assure you I am no liar.

Thanks for playing, though.

Hey "Yeah Right". I like you. A lot of people have a problem with misusing 'your' and 'you're'. I see you've solved that by simply combining the two into 'your're'. Brilliant. Your're biggest fan, Sonny

FYI, I worked at NBC with Pat, and he did in fact work at SNL, you insecure, jealous fuck.

Pat, own up. Obviously it is you who is 'Yeah Right'. I know you as a genuine self hater and you've seen the posts take a nose dive. No shame in trying to heat up the precedings.

p.s. Mike, you doth protest too much. Your critism of 'yeah right' either implicates you or shows that you are more than a little gay for Pat. Either way, fess up.

Eh, I think we'll find out that Yeah, Right is actually someone we know, because that post was just a little too trolly. Just in case he is the angry pre-pube his post suggests him to be, though, let me also jump to Pat's defense. We were Pages together, and he did in fact work SNL Desk, one of the all-time coolest jobs on the planet for $10 an hour.

Pat is wrong about one fact, though. Some people behind the scenes of SNL did wear suits, namely us. Shiny blue ones that didn't fit anybody, with bright yellow peacock ties. It is probably a sign of advancing age that I am thinking about those things with fondness rather than as the sweat drenched bane of my existence that they were.

what about darrell's black blazer? Does that count as a suit? Or is it a trench coat?

Pat, Ian Etc,

As you may know, I worked in the radio biz for 10 years. I don’t miss the smelly studio in the basement, or the evil Program Director (actually, compared to some of the blowhards that I’ve met in corporate America – he was not that bad).

However, I do miss the sound of my own voice …and entertaining the listening audience with news and entertainment.

Do you have any suggestions about what equipment to buy (software, microphones, etc) to put together a sweet podcast? Unlike your podcasts, my show will focus more on political issues, arts, and sports… and less on qweef and dick jokes.

BTW – we want to hear the ‘lost Ian’ podcast! – Was it like a Mel Gibson rant?! Poor Mel – he was trying to have a poli-sci debate while drunk – never a good idea.

Sonny, I look forward to checking out your site, but your website is blocked at work.

PW, when did you work at NBC?

PW and NBC - HAHAHAH! Just messing w/ ya bro.

YEAH RIGHT! AS IF...

as if you needed any more vouchers that you worked at SNL, Pat, here I go;

Dear Yeah Right,

I currently work at the SNL reception desk. He worked here. Feel free to email me; Ken.Donnelly@nbcuni.com if you have any questions regarding; Pat Walsh's employment here, his hair color or any other questions about how to give yourself fellatio you effin c*m dumpster.

I'm sorry, I got carried away, I've been listening to a lot of rap mixtapes.

Dear "Yeah, Right"

I worked with Pat at SNL. If you need empirical evidence, check out either the Hillary Swank and Will Ferrell hosted episodes from 2005. We're the shockingly handsome guys in the background wearing blue blazers.

One more thing ... does being a skeptical douchebag make you feel cool?

I just have one question regarding this episode. Where did Tom dig up the 78 for "Who's on First"? Where the hell did that come from? Did he send an intern out in the middle of the night? WTF? S60 sucks a lot. It feels like its written on the Sorkimatic 8000.

Thanks all for coming to my defense.

And Allen, that's a wonderful point. There was so much preposterosity (look it up people) going on, I didn't even notice that.

You're totally right, unless he had that just lying around, there simply is no way he could have found it that fast. I'd wager if you had a DAY and no internet access you wouldn't be able to find such an item.

Brown,

I am clearly gay for Pat. But if you want, I can also be gay for you. OOOST!

Mike

Dude, saw this originally posted on an AICN talkback, and followed the link at the end to get back here. I think you are spot the fuck on. Keep on truckin'.

Looks like I'm a little late to the Studio 60 bash here, but seriously, how fucking disappointing. The show is really looking like a train wreck right now, and NBC knows it. To be fair, I don't think a lot of people outside the industry would be all that interested in this show to begin with, but throwing it in their faces? "For all of you out there in the "flyover states" who are still on the fence about sticking with my show ... well, fuck you." Well-played, Sorkin. The man is obviously begging to be cancelled.

I see I'm a little late to the Studio 60 bash here, but seriously, what a fucking train wreck. "Hey, for the dozen or so of you country bumpkins in the 'flyover states' who are actually still on the fence about whether you want to stick with my condescending, self-important, piece-of-shit show ... well, fuck you!" Well-played, Sorkin. Prediction: Studio 60 is shut down after sweeps and disappears forever after going on hiatus for the holidays.

Thanks for playing, Sorkin?

we all know the snl uniform is a blazer with a t-shirt and jeans. duh.

i hated this show from the start.