“SNL Presents: Sports All-Stars” certainly became a favorite of anyone who loves sports and likes comedy. The two-hour special aired on Sunday. While Saturday Night Live’s latest Christmas special was hosted by Kristen Wiig’s one-dimensional character Gilly, the hosts of this sports special were much better suited: Jason Sudeikis and Will Forte played their ESPN reporter counterparts, Pete Twinkle and Greg Stink. It was a hilariously refreshing change.
Twinkle’s offensive jokes about various sponsors, Stink’s cluelessness about every sport imaginable and the fact that they are both naturals at hosting a show provided an entertaining and seamless segue in and out of every sketch.
This “SNL” special came just in time for the 2010 Winter Olympics and the Super Bowl. The show brought together some of the best comedic sports sketches throughout the past 30 years. You don’t have to be a sports fanatic to find these sketches funny. In the opening sketch from 2001, Derek Jeter aloofly pelts baseballs into the audience injuring fans, production assistants and lighting equipment, exclaiming, “I’m giving fans the opportunity that they’ve always wanted: to catch a foul ball.”
This special collects sketches from every era of the show. Lorne Michaels created “SNL” in 1975, and while their target demographic might now be a younger crowd, they chose a variety of sketches that have aired since the beginning of the show that appeals to sports fans of all ages.
Sports stars’ endorsements provided a springboard for many of the sketches. While mentoring inner-city children, Super Bowl-bound quarterback Peyton Manning showed them how to “get ahead” in life — by keying into cars, hitting on beautiful women and successfully running from the police.
As for the big game this Sunday, “Saturday Night Live” star Will Forte said he was slightly partial to the Indianapolis Colts, as many of the sketches chosen were from quarterback Peyton Manning’s hosting episode.
“Peyton Manning hosted the show a couple years ago so we love the guy ... but you know, the Saints coming in, they’ve never been to a Super Bowl,” Forte said in an interview with The Eagle. “I want each team to win. I want a tie.”
Fellow star Jason Sudeikis said that he had no prediction for Sunday’s game, but had high hopes for what he thinks will be an apocalyptic 2012 Super Bowl.
“I hope it’s just one long halftime show ... It’s all the Mayans — just the Mayans with the spectacular fire show,” Sudeikis said. “Mayans will win the 2012 Super Bowl — the Mayans by 3 if they get a last second field goal.”
The “SNL Presents: Sports All-Stars” special is available anytime on hulu.com.
You can reach this writer at thescene@theeeagleonline.com.
