No, the political rivals didn’t put aside partisan differences to throw a joint press conference. It was all in the name of late-night comedy as Alaska’s governor was lampooned to open NBC’s long-running “Saturday Night Live” program.
In the sketch, Tina Fey plays Palin while Amy Poehler portrays Clinton. The women are supposedly holding a press conference, presenting a united front to address sexism in the media. The ongoing punchline in the sketch is Clinton’s disdain for Palin, with Fey’s Palin seemingly clueless to Clinton’s hostility toward her.
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“Just two years ago, I was a small-town mayor of Alaska’s crystal meth capital,” fake-Palin said. “And now I am just one heartbeat away from being president of the United States.”
That part of the sketch rubbed Wasilla City Councilman Marty Metiva the wrong way. Also, Palin’s last term a mayor ended in 2002, not two years ago.
“You’ve got to be kidding me,” Metiva said Monday reacting to the jibe. “It’s like a slap in the face.”
Metiva said the city has a lot more to offer than its drug problem.
“I don’t think it’s funny, to tell you the truth,” he said.
Mat-Su Borough Mayor Curt Menard agrees, saying he wasn’t happy about the crystal meth reference. But overall, Menard said he thinks Fey did a good job of impersonating Palin, who he’s known since she was a child.
The sketch, which opened the show, lasted 5 1/2 minutes. It has also become a viral video after numerous Web sites began hosting the video shortly after it aired on television, including YouTube. The video has been posted by numerous users on the world’s largest online collection of video clips. Although posted multiple times on YouTube, as of Monday afternoon the most watched one had more than 400,000 views.
In Alaska, the skit has overall received a relatively positive response.
Local attorney Verne Rupright, who at times gave Palin advice when she was mayor of Wasilla, said Fey’s portrayal of the governor was spot on.
Rupright said he doesn’t think the skit was meant to degrade Palin.
“Imitation is the highest form of flattery,” he said.
Rex Shattuck, a legislative aide for Rep. Mark Neuman, R-Big Lake, said Fey did the best impression of Palin he’s ever seen.
“I don’t think I’ve ever seen anybody do as good a job at portraying who they were trying to do,” Shattuck said.
He added that he didn’t think the skit painted Palin in a harsh light and was generally light-hearted.
“If we can’t laugh at ourselves ...” Shattuck said.
It’s unclear exactly what Palin thought of the skit. A message left with her spokesman, Bill McAllister, was not returned by press time. ABC News, however, reports on its Web site that the show did air on Palin’s campaign jet as it flew from Reno, Nev., to Denver. According to ABC News, the press corps seated in the back of the plane was howling with laughter during the skit.
There was silence, however, from the front of the plane where Palin was sitting, according to ABC. Flight attendants told reporters Palin and her team were watching the show, but Alaska’s governor made no indication as to her thoughts on the skit.
There’s no telling if Fey will be back to reprise her role as Palin during future Saturday Night Live broadcasts.
The Associated Press reports Fey is largely tied up with her NBC comedy “30 Rock,” and an SNL spokesman said the script for next week’s show isn’t written yet.
Contact Michael Rovito at michael.rovito@frontiersman.com or 352-2252.
Comments
20 comment(s)James D. Giddings wrote on Sep 23, 2008 4:26 AM:
http://www.jgiddings.com "
jiggsaroo wrote on Sep 22, 2008 9:24 AM:
comin home wrote on Sep 18, 2008 2:37 PM:
just asking wrote on Sep 18, 2008 11:37 AM:
Irresposible reporting wrote on Sep 17, 2008 3:14 PM:
Obammad Up wrote on Sep 17, 2008 1:31 PM:
Open your eyes wrote on Sep 17, 2008 12:57 PM:
eric wrote on Sep 17, 2008 9:14 AM:
Dusty wrote on Sep 17, 2008 7:21 AM:
Tinas my favorite wrote on Sep 16, 2008 2:02 PM:
I have a new appreciation for Fey's natural and youthful beauty now that her photo is placed right next to the gov's.
But the funniest political line reported last week was a quote by Wasilla Mayor Diane Keller where she stated that being the mayor of Wasilla would make one fit to be President of the United States! "
ROFLMAOOOOOOOOO wrote on Sep 16, 2008 1:49 PM:
Lolloool, or the Moose Dropping Festival ..lolll, OMG! I think I just wet my pants! "
Dont you have a job to do wrote on Sep 16, 2008 1:16 PM:
Get an "ice pack" lol, get it..ice pack?
Seems to me you should be more worried about the problem at hand, not the referance to it.
And just a suggestion, maybe you can use some of those millions in earmarks you're getting for some DRUG AWARENESS PROGRAMS!
Fill in the blank:
If you're not part of the solution, you're _________________. "
Sue wrote on Sep 16, 2008 12:34 PM:
jack wrote on Sep 16, 2008 12:16 PM:
The show and Fey were a riot wrote on Sep 16, 2008 10:38 AM:
mreid wrote on Sep 16, 2008 9:41 AM:
srbeck wrote on Sep 16, 2008 9:38 AM:
Dan Quayle all over again wrote on Sep 16, 2008 9:34 AM:
MaxKatt wrote on Sep 16, 2008 5:50 AM:
Really? Have you ever seen the show? This chick is a gold mine of material. I think you can bet your nuggets you will be seeing her every Saturday. If they win, and for the world's sake let's hope not, you can set your TiVo for the next 4 years. "
Are you kidding me Marty wrote on Sep 15, 2008 10:37 PM:
But, after November, no one will remember Wasilla anyway "