Post Holiday Weekend Newsletter

Classic SNL Recap - Season 18 Finale

When I rewatch these old episodes I usually go into them trying to remember sketches from that particular show. At the same time I often find myself coming across an old sketch that I remember, but did not remember that this was the episode in which it appeared. Such was the case this time. Kevin Kline hosted the season finale of year 18; it was his second and final time. The only Kline on SNL piece that I have vivid memories of actually came from his first gig. It was a sketch showing the original ending of The Big Chill and it featured a spectacular Glenn Close impression from Jan Hooks. Have I mentioned what a treasure Jan Hooks was? Nothing quite so memorable this time, but the episode featured what I recall as one of the most uncomfortable moments in the the show’s long history.

It occurred in the cold open. Set in the Oval Office, it was another sketch in which Hooks returned to portray Hillary Clinton. This was the period in which she was leading a task force on health care reform, and Phil Hartman’s Bill Clinton was trying to get a progress report ahead of a visit from Bob Dole. Returning alum Dan Aykroyd played Dole. Norm MacDonald’s Dole impersonation is legendary, but Aykroyd’s was almost as good. He chose to portray Dole as a mean spirited troll, and here he was very combative, eventually challenging HRC to a fistfight. This was the uncomfortable moment; at one point he told her that he was going to do to her what Bill should have done years ago. It’s not that the audience laughed at the line, it’s that the line was also greeted with uproarious applause. On second thought, “uncomfortable” isn’t the right word to describe the atmosphere in the studio, “ugly” is a better one. The sketch ended with Hillary gaining the upper hand, forcing Dole to say the “live from New York!” line.

This 1993 episode aired as Kline’s movie Dave was in theaters, and the monologue played on the plot of that film by having Kevin Nealon act as a stand-in for Kline while the real Kline enjoyed a backstage massage. The gig was up when an audience member portrayed by Adam Sandler stood up and yelled that this wasn’t Kevin Kline, it was one of those Saturday Night Live people, he just didn’t know which one. Kline himself came to the stage to complete the monologue himself, although when he mentioned that the musical guests were Paul Simon and Willie Nelson, doppelgängers portrayed by Rob Schneider and Chris Rock stood on either side of him.

The centerpiece sketch was OK; it began in the gate area of the Rome airport. After the gate agent announced that the flight was cancelled until tomorrow, Kline as a famous Italian actor strikes up a conversation with an American passenger portrayed by Julia Sweeney. As he offers to show her around the city, a fart noise is heard as Chris Farley stands next to him. They travel through Rome, but it becomes apparent that Kline’s character is actually the flatulent one.

Better was a take on one of those ubiquitous infomercials which offered financial advice. In this one David Spade, at his smarmy best, was trying to promote his can’t miss get rich quick scheme to his buddy Tim Meadows. It was filled with the types of buzzwords and phrases which signified nothing.

A little of Spade goes a long way, which was obvious in Update, as this week included one of his regular David Spade’s Hollywood Minute segments. I can only take so much snark from the guy. Better was the appearance from Farley as Bennett Brauer. If you don’t recognize the name you might remember the concept. He was the guy who constantly used air quotes while reading his editorials. It’s essentially one joke repeated over and over, but the show generally kept the piece short enough that it didn’t wear out its welcome, and Farley really committed to the bit.

That ends season 18. With Dana Carvey’s midseason departure the generational shift in the show was nearly complete. Few of the old guard who rejuvenated the show in 1986 still remained. This would also be Chris Rock’s final episode; he would leave SNL to join the cast of In Living Color. It was probably for the best; as great as he is as a standup, sketch comedy is not his strength and that is proven whenever he returns to host. Next week I’ll look at the season 19 premiere episode; this was Charles Barkley’s debut as host.

Indy

The Indy 500 had a seemingly inevitable result, but there was still some intrigue attached. There is no getting around the fact that an IndyCar driver can’t say that he had a fulfilling career without a 500 victory. Therefore, despite Alex Palou’s recent dominance - 3 cup titles in the last 4 years, and well on his way to this year’s title - there has been one missing piece to his career. Until now. Palou is now an Indy 500 champion and is young enough that multiple victories are not out of the question.

All you need to know about the importance of a sporting event is to see how much it means to the competitors; that pertains to both the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat. One of the pre-race favorites, Scott McLaughlin, spun out and crashed during the pace laps, ending his day before the green flag even dropped. The look of utter despair on his face when he climbed out of the car was difficult to watch. There was also the post-race interview with second place finisher Marcus Ericsson; he was so distraught that he could barely speak. He was the 2022 race winner; it felt like the despair of finishing second was more pronounced than the joy of winning the thing. (It got worse later; Ericsson’s was one of three cars that failed post-race inspection; he officially placed 31st following the penalty.)

Two other tidbits of note: 2-time defending champ Josef Newgarden was making great progress in his attempt to make an unprecedented run from starting in the final row to race victory. 2/3 of the way into the race he had jumped into the top 6, but then his day ended with a mechanical issue. Kyle Larson was only the 5th driver to attempt the Indy/Charlotte IndyCar/NASCAR double on the same day and was also hoping to become only the second of those 5 to complete the entire 1100 miles spread across the 2 races, but his hopes were dashed when he crashed at Indy. To add insult to injury, he crashed in the Charlotte race as well. He may well be the final person to attempt that double, as NASCAR has instituted new rules that penalize a driver too heavily if circumstances prevent him from making it from Indianapolis to Charlotte in time for the race.

This was also the first 500 for Fox since they have taken over the IndyCar contract. The Fox team has considerable racing experience from having broadcast NASCAR for 25 years, and it was a smoothly produced telecast. The network also promoted the race heavily beforehand - Saturday night’s baseball telecasts featured fans planted in the stands pouring celebratory gallons of milk on themselves - and it paid off with outstanding ratings. I do have a complaint about how they handled the end of the race. A caution flag dropped on the final lap, ending the race before Ericsson had an opportunity to attempt a last lap pass for the win. Just as well. Had Ericsson passed Palou it would have resulted in the awkward situation of his victory being stripped hours later following his failed inspection. The Fox camera showed that a car had hit a wall, causing the flag, but did not ID the driver nor did they provide any update. (The driver in question was Nolan Siegel, and he was OK.) Fox also failed to provide the final finishing order beyond the top 3, not even in a scroll during the post-race coverage. To be fair, they fully covered all of the celebrations and ceremonies that help make the race so special: Palou celebrating with his crew and fans, brief interviews with the runners-up, the wreath and milk in Victory Circle. The network just skipped crucial stuff. Hope they do better next time, because otherwise Fox nailed everything perfectly.

Who’s Next?

We are in the prolonged dark period with regards to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction. Everyone has made their instant reactions to the voting results, several honorees have expressed their thanks, and for those that have not we wonder if that means they don’t care/won’t show up. Now it’s just a matter of waiting until the November ceremony draws closer and the Hall begins to reveal the special guests. So in the meantime, why not speculate on who will be on the 2026 ballot?

In recent years the nominating committee has made a concerted effort to open up lanes - they try to avoid nominating similar artists in the same year that could siphon votes away from each other. It then makes sense to see which of the new inductees have opened up those lanes for others to follow their path as well as which of the nominated artists fell short and might therefore be passed over next year in favor of someone else. Today I’ll look at the latter category.

The 7 artists who did not make the cut this year were The Black Crowes, Mariah Carey, Billy Idol, Joy Division/New Order, Maná, Oasis, and Phish. It’s quite possible that none of them will return to next year’s ballot. Candidate recycling is less common these days, especially a nomination for a third year in a row. The Hall clearly wants to see a Mariah induction, but it’s more likely that they will give her a break next year, revisit her candidacy in 2027, and then use a side category to get her in if she still falls short.

The nomination for the Crowes is a sign that the Hall wishes to dig further into the 90’s rock/alternative well. There are more deserving artists who could have had their ballot slot, starting with one who was previously nominated and I was frankly shocked to see was overlooked: Beck. The number of Grammys that he has won indicates a level of industry wide respect that usually results in an induction. If not Beck, here are a trio of 90’s icons that figure to be at the head of the line - Alanis Morissette, Smashing Pumpkins, and Weezer. (Reminder that it’s necessary to be realistic about who does and does not have a chance. As worthy as I believe someone like PJ Harvey is, it’s a long shot to think that she would be considered ahead of others who have more mainstream appeal.)

Mariah’s absence is causing a bit of a bottleneck. There are several contenders who fall somewhat in her pop/R&B/hip hop niche, covering one or two of those genres, but it would be tough to picture any of them getting in before she does. Think TLC, P!nk, maybe even Britney Spears or Christina Aguilera. Destiny’s Child could also be a candidate, but with Beyoncé only a year away from eligibility as a solo artist, the Hall is likely to honor her that way first. I would guess that next year’s Mariah will be the first 21st century artist to receive a nomination - Alicia Keys. (The debut White Stripes album came out in 1999, so even though they did not become well-known until the aughts they are not technically a completely 21st century act.)

Billy Idol might have a shot at a second consecutive nom next year, but I think there are 2 other 1980’s MTV era stars who are more likely to receive consideration. I’m not a fan, but I can’t deny that Mötley Crüe was such an indelible part of the culture that one can make a strong argument on their behalf. In my eyes the 80’s act that is most deserving of a chance at induction would be INXS. Michael Hutchence was one of the lead characters in the music scene, and that is something which often holds currency in the voting process.

Oasis and the Joy Division/New Order combo are similar in that anyone I can think of who might take their place are either unrealistic of they fall into either of the 80’s or 90’s categories that I described above. As nice as it might be to think that the Hall would further explore Britpop and nominate either Blur or Pulp, it’s safe to say that if Oasis has not gotten in yet, Blur and Pulp stand little chance. And who could take the Joy Division/New Order slot? Erasure? The Pet Shop Boys? Neither of them measure up to New Order; I couldn’t imagine either getting in ahead of them. I have brought up The B-52’s time and time again; this feels like it could be their slot.

There is no “next” Maná, either. They filled the out of left field ballot slot that appears most years. Whichever act is that choice next year is anyone’s guess. But what if committee attempts to nominate a different Latin act next year? They could try giving another look at Los Lobos, but their one previous nomination had that same left field feel. A Shakira nomination feels similarly unlikely, as she could also be grouped in with the artists I named above who probably need to wait their turn behind Mariah Carey.

Phish are so uniquely their own thing that there is probably no one who matches up with them. It’s more likely that rather than finding an act to slot into their lane that the committee will instead have them follow the path that The Dave Matthews Band did - a nomination that fell short, a year off, and another chance a year later. I could very well be overlooking someone obvious, but I can’t think of a band with a fanbase as passionate as there is for Phish that is not already in.

As of late May 2025 my much too early picks for artists that could be on next year’s ballot are as follows: The B-52’s, Beck, INXS, Alicia Keys, Alanis Morissette, Mötley Crüe. Next time I will look at who could swim in the wake of the artists who were elected this year.

The DC Comics IP - Swamp Thing

For a variety of reasons Swamp Thing became one of the most crucial characters in the entire DC pantheon, and over the years there have been 3 separate live action adaptations of the character, varying in tone and quality. The title is now one of many potential future movies in veeeery early stages of development, so if he is seen again onscreen, it will be some time from now. But there is always hope.

Originally seen in a one-shot story in 1971 with a slightly different alter ego and timeframe, the concept was rebooted a year later as the character that most people now recognize. Alec Holland was a botanist in the Louisiana bayou who, along with his wife Linda, had developed a bio-restorative formula which would rejuvenate plant life. Bad guys attack his lab, shoot Linda to death, and knock Alec unconscious. He awakens just in time to see a time bomb go off, and he runs into the swamp doused in both flames and his formula. Days later he emerges from the muck as half man, half plant.

The Swamp Thing series ran for a couple of years and was a very solid example of effectively creepy gothic horror. Early on he was unable to speak and therefore unable to convince people that underneath the moss he wasn’t a monster, he was Alec Holland. His chief antagonist was a mad scientist named Anton Arcane, his chief ally Arcane’s niece Abigail. As well-admired as the series was, it debuted just when horror comics were fading in popularity. The comic was cancelled, but DC had by then incorporated the character as part of its extended universe.

In the early 80’s a Swamp Thing movie was put in production, with a decidedly campy feel to it. There was some big name talent connected - Wes Craven directed, and it featured Ray Wise as Holland, Louis Jourdan as Arcane, and Adrienne Barbeau as the love interest, but it was pure schlock. The special effects budget was minimal; Swamp Thing looked like a guy in a rubber suit. DC used the movie as an opportunity to fully revive the character, and unlike the movie, the comic kept the more serious tone that was at the root of the character. It was doing well enough, and then a new writer took over the book. The legendary Alan Moore was now the man behind the character, and he changed everything.

At this point the book’s villain was a retired military man/evil businessman named General Sunderland, who was seeking Swamp Thing’s secrets in his pursuit to produce swamp men of his own. After his forces killed Swamp Thing, he hired a third tier DC villain, Jason Woodrue the Floronic Man, to perform a necropsy. In the landmark issue titled The Anatomy Lesson, Woodrue’s autopsy reveals that all of Swampy’s internal organs were faux approximations of human organs. Alec Holland did in fact die in the explosion and when he dove into the swamp the properties of his formula combined with the swamp flora. He was not half-man half-plant, he was a living plant who thought he was half-human.

Woodrue presented his findings to Sunderland, who scoffed at his conclusions and refused to pay him. As revenge, before leaving Woodrue changed the temperature settings in the hothouse where Swamp Thing’s body was being held, because as he famously said you don’t kill a vegetable by shooting it in the head. He then left his notes behind, knowing that when Swamp Thing woke up he would learn the truth and murder Sunderland.

The years that Moore wrote the book served as one of the high water marks in the entire history of comics. There were so many memorable moments. There was an issue in which a local hippie came across a tuber that had grown out of Swampy and discovered its powerful psychedelic properties. There was an issue that served as a tribute to Walt Kelly with Swamp Thing encountering a small alien that looked a lot like Pogo. There was an issue in which he finally defeated and killed his old enemy Anton Arcane. In the following issue he had to visit Hell and at one point in his odyssey he came across Arcane. Always the villain, Arcane first spent some time taunting his old foe, until he asked how many centuries he had been confined to Hell so far. Swamp Thing responded by telling him that he had only died last week; in the following panel there was a word balloon with an off-panel blood-curdling “noooooooo!”

There were 3 elements that made the book such a landmark. First was that the series eventually produced a cross-species romance between Swamp Thing & Abigail Arcane that was very well presented. It was in this book that DC introduced the character of John Constantine. And it was with this series that DC finally stopped using the old Comics Code seal of approval, at first branding it as “sophisticated suspense” to show that it was intended for a mature audience. This started the ball rolling to what eventually became the Vertigo line of books.

I mentioned that there were 3 live action adaptations; the first being the Wes Craven movie which eventually produced a sequel even cheesier than the original. In that one Heather Locklear portrayed Abigail and it included this classic exchange: “I’m a plant.” “That’s OK, I’m a vegetarian.” There would later be a half-hour weekly series which ran for 3 seasons on the USA Network in the early 90’s. This was years before USA made a full-fledged commitment to original series, so it had the tone and production values of the syndicated action adventure series which were so prevalent at the time.

The lost opportunity came with the TV series that ran in 2019. Intended to be the flagship of the short-lived DC Universe streaming service, there were some heavy hitters in the cast such as Will Patton and Virginia Madsen. It was a bad sign when the original order of 13 episodes was suddenly cut to 10, and before too long the DC service was dissolved and much of its programming was absorbed into Max, or HBO Max, or whatever the hell it’s calling itself this week. Notably, Swamp Thing, which was cancelled after those 10 episodes, was not one of the shows which migrated. At this moment it is only available on Pluto TV. Those 10 episodes showed some real potential, although let’s just say that some of the Louisiana accents were a bit over the top.

I don’t know if the folks at Warner Brothers have much interest in giving the character a 4th shot; it’s more likely that the potential future project mentioned above will be stuck in developmental hell. It’s worth a shot though; there is so much potential there. If we have already seen the final attempt at a live action Swamp Thing that’s OK, the character has established a great legacy.

Closing Laughs

Hope you all had a relaxing and enjoyable long weekend. Thanks for tuning in and we will be right back here again on Friday. See you then!