'Wasn't That Special' Season 26 Bonus Materials
As the Wasn’t That Special co-hosts watch each season of Saturday Night Live, they compare notes on each episode, chatting back and forth about both popular and long-forgotten sketches. Some of the topics they discuss make it to the final podcast; others are left on the cutting-room floor.
But for those of you who join at the Executive Producer level, you will have access to Christian and Scot’s behind-the-scenes notes, as well as bonus materials the co-hosts used to prepare for the episode.
Below is the Season Twenty-Six bonus notes section, with the clips coming next week.
So please help keep the podcast advertisement-free and upgrade to the Executive Producer level, which will keep these emails coming in the future!
Episode One: Rob Lowe
Christian: Out of the gate with a top-flight episode. But...no Dratch? And what does a sister have to do to be made a full cast member?
Scot: Promising start in many ways. New contracts mandate two years as Featured Player before promotion, I believe.
Presidential Debate - Jim Lehrer (Parnell) moderates Al Gore (Hammond) vs. George W. Bush (Ferrell) debate
Christian: Starting the season throwing 105 MPH.
Scot: You know it's a Jim Downey b/c of the joke about what's on other channels. Every time. - Hammond worked like hell to nail Gore and it's so good. - You can tell someone has helped Ferrell also shift his Bush portrayal. - It's ten minutes and deserves it all.
Corn Chip Nail Tips commercial
Christian: Morgan has appeared as a woman on the show more than Melanie Hutsell.
Scot: Morgan as black female alert - Not a fan.
Pros and Cons - Scooby & Shaggy (Lowe) guest to defend how they solve crimes
Christian: Lowe's greatest on-air performance ever. Great specificity.
Scot: Lowe's got the voice down - Laughed a lot, good rhythm and pace to it. Scooby's stuff also was funny.
Weekend Update - Ladies Man Desk Piece - Fey does "Women's News" - Grandmaster Rap and Kid Shazam (Sanz & Minor)
Christian: Fey comes fully formed.
Scot: Meadows back on the very first show to promo his film - good intereaction b/t Meadows and Fey - some of the back-and-forth feels too scripted - Fey comes off very well, Fallon less so - slightly generous 3, but at least this was fun - Robert Carlock still working as producer of WU.
Blind Date - (Ferrell) & (Shannon) endure an awkward blind date at an airport bar
Christian: Appreciate them turning the volume down low and trying something different.
Scot: Really liked this and enjoyed the way everyone was so comfortable. No overselling.
Episode Two: Kate Hudson
Christian: Thom Yorke of Radiohead with the "Let Ralph [Nader] Debate" sign at the end. Thanks for the input, British guy.
2nd Presidential Debate - Al Gore & George W. Bush agree on many things
Scot: Bush pronouncing Nigerian names and finding ways to say more.
Monologue: Sons and daughters of Laugh-In stars stop by
Christian: Did anybody get this 30 years after Laugh-In went off the air? Also, Ruth Buzzi is still going strong on Twitter.
Scot: Black Crowes reference; Hudson and Chris Robinson would marry in Dec. 2000.
TV Funhouse - “X-Presidents” - two-party system is bad!
Christian: I haven't liked any of these, and this is the worst.
Scot: Written by ... Adam McKay, of course. Ron Reagan Jr. takes another shot 15 years after the fact!
Inside the Actor's Studio - Drew Barrymore (Hudson) guests
Christian: Drew Barrymore is the go-to impression for female hosts that can't do impressions.
Scot: Three Ferrells early on. Playing to a strength.
Woodrow - Woodrow brings Hudson to the sewer to pitch his movie script idea
Christian: Prescient in that it kind of was the end of Kate Hudson's movie career. (Aside from some romcoms.)
Scot: Works as a Morgan spotlight but not sure how much more juice the idea has.
Meet the Press - Tim Russert (Hammod) grills Hillary Clinton (Gasteyer), goes easy on Lazio (Fallon)
Christian: Giving it an extra point because maybe it was funnier at the time?
Scot: Was this the feeling at the time? That Hillary was being pounded by the press?
Rabun To Shuri - Japanese sitcom mirrors Laverne & Shirley
Scot: Unsure about this one. Landed in the middle.
Christian: I was not unsure. It sucks. All premise.
Radiohead - “Idioteque”
Christian: It's no Sisquo
Episode Three: Dana Carvey
Scot: Kattan is just doing bit parts and odds and ends at this point
Third Debate - undecided voters question Gore & Bush - Carvey as 41 asking questions
Scot: Clearly the worst of the three, though still has laughs.
Delicious Dish - Teacher (Carvey) besieged by gang activity guests
Christian: Not great, but I appreciate Carvey doing something different.
Scot: James Madison High School is now Cesar Chavez High School. Prescient.
Church Chat - Hillary Clinton (Gasteyer), Anne Heche (Kattan), Eminem (Parnell)
Christian: Comparing bisexuals to people who have sex with dogs probably not happening today. These are jokes Democrats used to make.
Scot: "Welcome to the show, Anee He-she."
Hunting - 41 (Carvey) tries to teach George W. (Ferrell) about weight of presidency
Christian: I promise that I am putting my politics aside when I say this reeks of tastelessness.
VH1 Vogue Fashion Awards - stars celebrate style superlatives -Minor as Gooding, Rudolph as Macy Gray, Kattan as McDermott, Morgan as Samuel Jackson, Carvey as Rudy/Survivor
Christian: Macy Gray has to be one of the most esoteric impressions on the show.
Scot: Impression workout.
Ching Change receives financing for his Broadway play about chickens
Christian: This was too offensive to be on the air a decade earlier. It is crazy to bring it back. Instead of a 10-to 1 it would be better as a 10 after 1. (Although, side note - Sanz makes Carvey break, and NOBODY does that.)
Scot: Are you kidding me?
Episode Four: Charlize Theron
Scot: I do like that WU is given more time to breathe and specific set-ups can develop. Much better than rapid-fire set-up/punchline of Quinn era. It's uncanny. All of Kattan's characters are just the same steps the same moves the same jokes every time out.
Glimpse of possible future - George W. Bush is overwhelmed and a disaster
Christian: Just overt anti-Bushism. No real joke.
Scot: Years prior to Cheney's actual hunting accident - this is OK, nothing special.
TRL - Gemini’s Twin (Gasteyer) & (Rudolph) added (Theron) for looks
Christian: If I recall correctly, get ready for plenty of Gemini's Twin. This is brutal - barely escapes a 1.
Scot: Oh, good. A female 7 Degrees Celsius - Actually a Destiny's Child thing.
TV Funhouse - “The All New Adventures of Mr. T” actors’ strike leads to ad gig
Christian: I love that he punctuates all of his declarations with life advice. "Get eight hours of sleep. Eat your vegetables. Get eight hours of drugs."
Bedtime Stories - Therapy patient (Theron) is sexually excited by Mr. Peepers
Christian: This was dead three appearances ago.
Scot: Kattan this week: "C'mon! Give me something to do! Bring back my characters!" - Why is she humping him?
Buena Vista Social Club members get friendly with audience member (Theron)
Christian: The highlight of Jerry Minor's career - hugging Charlize Theron.
Scot: Might have been more here; show was long and this got cut off seemingly before its end.