SNL Goes Gay!

This last episode of SNL definitely carried a theme with it, and in light of Minnesota's new passing of legalization of gay marriage, a lot of the content was along those same lines. It's always nice when a tv institution comments on what's important in culture at the moment, particularly if the nature of the show is to be funny, which somewhat makes it harder because the issues commented on are usually incendiary and sensitive, but with Ben Affleck at the helm and it's roster of genius writers and repertory players like John Mulaney, Bill Hader, and Cecily Tyson, SNL themed episode on the topic of gay marriage gets my vote.

Ben Affleck and Taran Killam soooooo want it.

There was the sketch about those ridiculous turn-you-straight camps that unbelievably still exist where Affleck plays the head counselor who used to be gay himself, but now can 'totally control it', although everything in the skit proves otherwise and Affleck's characters just decides to 'let it be'. That was actually mildly funny, but the best gay-marriage themed sketch came in the form of the faux commercial for the new Xanax.

'At my wedding we gave everyone cheez-its and a mini bottle of water. Keith and David got us two tickets to Italy and 40,000$.'

It starts off like any commercial for Xanax except you soon realize it's only Xanax that you require when you start getting invited to many fabulous gay weddings which are always going to be much more perfect than yours or any straight wedding you'll ever go to. It's brilliant satire basically outlining the inevitable truths that gay weddings now that more and more are becoming legal around the nations will always be better and more fabulous than the run-of-the-mill straight wedding no matter how many dancing bridesmaids go down the aisle. 

Seth and Stefon happily return to the Weekend Update stage to have all of their regulars rejoice in their new union.

It all culminated with pop-culture institution Stefon's appearance on Weekend Update where he did is usual bizarre monologue and crack up in the middle of which, but then stated he was no longer interested in Seth Meyers and found a new man and was going to marry him, after which he promptly ran off. What followed was comedy gold. Seth tries to carry on but is clearly distraught. I should mention that Amy Poehler makes a surprise cameo on Update and tells Seth to 'go to him' and in a parody of The Graduate (1968), Seth runs after Stefon whom he find in a church at the alter with none other than Anderson Cooper. It was beyond amazing. Everyone Stefon has ever described in his crazy rants is manifest there, including DJ Baby Bok Choy (remember him?) Seth yells for Stefon, and just like in The Graduate, he gets his bride and they off while Anderson Cooper is left jilted at the alter with a black eye. It was nothing short of art, and Stefon and Seth Meyers are finally run off to a happy life together and after that I feel asleep, content and happy. I should also mention that this was Bill Hader's last episode so it was a very touching farewell.

Below some of the clips.