Sarah Palin visits 'SNL': Is this what we were waiting for?

Sarah Palin's stop by Saturday Night Live unfolded the way many politicians' visits there do, with Palin relagated to a minimum of lines while the rest of the cast -- and a few inspired guest stars -- brought the funny all around her.

And while Fey-as-Palin and the real-life Palin never actually met on camera, it seems odd that Fey came across as much more Palin-ey than the Governor herself. Gone was the folksy swagger and sayings we see Palin use on the stump -- excepting a quick 'you betcha' at the end of Weekend Update -- with much of her bits centered on refusing to do anything funny.

Of course, the appearance brought record ratings for SNL, which drew its largest viewership in 14 years last night -- eventually expected to be about 14-million viewers.

Still, it was inspired fun watching Mark Wahlberg looking to school Andy Samberg after his Mark Wahlberg Talks to Animals skit two weeks ago, only to re-enact the skit himself. And Alec Baldwin's mistaking Palin for Fey produced one of the evening's best lines: "I MUST tell you this...you're way hotter in person."

But the prize goes to increasingly valuable player Amy Poehler -- what are these guys going to do when the election is over and Poehler has her baby? -- who takes over doing a rap the show prepared for Palin when the Alaska governor decides not to perform it. Hard as it is to spoof an election absurd as this one -- Thursday's sketch on the debate felt like half the dialogue was ripped stright from the transcript -- this bit pulls it off, simultenously enshrining Poehler in the pantheon of legendary Update performers.

Check it here:

 

(A Beat kicks in)

"MY NAME IS SARAH PALIN, YOU ALL KNOW ME,
VICE-PREZZY NOMINEE OF THE GOP,
GONNA NEED YOUR VOTE IN THE NEXT ELECTION,
CAN I GET A WHAT-WHAT FROM THE SENIOR SECTION,
MCCAIN GOT EXPERIENCE,
MCCAIN GOT STYLE,
BUT DON'T LET HIM FREAK YOU OUT,
WHEN HE TRIES TO SMILE,
CUZ THAT SMILE BE CREEPY,
BUT WHEN I'M V.P.,
ALL THE LEADERS IN THE WORLD GONNA FINALLY MEET ME,

(FRED ARMISEN & ANDY SAMBERG enter as ESKIMOS)

POEHLER --  (contd)HOW'S IT GO ESKIMOS?TELL TELL ME WHAT YOU KNOW ESKIMOS!HOW YA FEEL ESKIMOS?TELL TELL ME WHAT YOU FEEL ESKIMOS!     SAMBERG/ARMISEN -- ESKIMOS!ESKIMOS!ICE COLD!SUPER COLD!
POEHLER –
"I'M JEREMIAH WRIGHT CUZ TONIGHT IM THE PREACHER,
I GOT A BOOKISH LOOK AND YOU'RE ALL HOT FOR TEACHER,

(The camera cuts away to Meyers and Gov. Palin enjoying themselves)
(JASON SUDEIKIS enters as TODD PALIN and stands next to POEHLER)

TODD LOOKING FINE ON HIS SNOW MACHINE,
SO HOT FOR EACH OTHER, NEED A GO-BETWEEN,
IN WASILLA, WE JUST CHILL BABY CHILLA
BUT WHEN I SEE OIL, IT'S..."

ALL -- "DRILL BABY DRILLA!"

POEHLER –
    "MY COUNTRY TIS OF THEE,"
FROM MY PORCH I CAN SEE,
RUSSIA AND SUCH."

ALL THE MAVERICKS IN THE HOUSE, PUT YOUR HANDS UP,
ALL THE MAVERICKS IN THE HOUSE, PUT YOUR HANDS UP,
ALL THE PLUMBERS IN THE HOUSE, PULL YOUR PANTS UP,
ALL THE PLUMBERS IN THE HOUSE, PULL YOUR PANTS UP,

WHEN I SAY OBAMA,
YOU SAY AYERS,
OBAMA!
SAMBERG/ARMISEN –
"AYERS!"
POEHLER –
"OBAMA!"
SAMBERG/ARMISEN –
"AYERS!"
POEHLER –    
"I BUILT ME A BRIDGE AND IT AINT GOING NOWHERE!
OOOOOHHHHHHHH.
MCCAIN/PALIN
GONNA PUT THE NAIL IN
THE COFFIN... OF THE MEDIA ELITE"
SAMBERG/ARMISEN –
"SHE LIKES RED MEAT!"
(A MOOSE ENTERS)
POEHLER –
    "SHOOT A MUTHA HUMPIN MOOSE EIGHT DAYS OF THE WEEK,
NOW YOURE DEAD
NOW YOURE DEAD
CUZ I'M AN AMINAL, AND I'M BIGGER THAN YOU
HOLDIN' A SHOTGUN, WORKIN' THE PUMP
Everybody party, we GOING ON A HUNT
LA LA LA LA LA LA LA LA
YO I'M PALIN I'M OUT!

(AMY, SUDEIKIS AND SAMBERG/ARMISEN EXIT AS SNOW FALLS)

MEYERS – "I think you made the right decision not to do that."

GOV. PALIN – "You betcha."

Comments

[jim]

she ,palin doesn't know what's going on, asked vp duties didn't know , the main thing that a vp has to vote in the senate to break a tie and take over for the president if something happens to him, nothing more, the vp job is not very important, unless he or she is the next one in command.lord knows if palin is in charge , will have todd by her side as always, has no place in the polical world only to be her husband that's all what is his expierence to advise her on certain things.she usees tax payers money to get her kids around different places during these debates. use her own money to buy these trips for her family, every body else has to do it why not her.

[CarDriver]

Sarah is so fresh!

SNL died a very long time ago.
Why do they even bother?

SNL was bought to life with Sarah, for one night, but will be like fallen leaves again. SNL is a mess.

[Kathleen]

Oh Al, it's comedy. Enjoy it for what it is - funny. Chill! And Amy Poehler - brilliant!!!

[gordo]

Uh, Palin and Fey do meet on camera.

The fact your post focusses on Poehler, who was off her game (tho the rap was smart) and Wahlberg & Samberg were far from funny, makes it abundantly clear the perspective you would've brought re: Palin no matter how well she did.

You couldn't be more transparent, Eric: Palin did great and for someone so abused by SNL and other pro-Obama quarters, she showed she's got more guts than most. And she showed a great sense of humor.

[Al]

Watched it, She showed up with class and dignity. Clearly was above all the cheap shots the SNL hacks could come up with. And Libs don't kid yourselves, Sarah Palin is the reason that show had it's highest ratings in a long time.

[plooger]

"SO HOT FOR EACH OTHER, NEED A GO-BETWEEN"

A veiled reference to Palin's rumored affair with Todd's business partner?