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SNL Rides High on Campaign Satire
NBC’s “Saturday Night Live” drew another crush of viewers this weekend, with approximately 10 million tuning in to watch comedian Tina Fey’s latest sendup of GOP vice-presidential candidate Sarah Palin.
That rating, based on preliminary data from Nielsen Media Research, is 42% higher than the same show last year and 23% higher than last week’s episode.
Interest was fueled by last Thursday night’s vice-presidential debate, which drew 69.9 million viewers to become the most-watched VP matchup ever.
The debate, in which Gov. Palin faced off against Democratic vice-presidential candidate Joe Biden for the first and only time during the campaign, provided considerable fodder for Ms. Fey and her fellow writers.
Ms. Fey dramatized Gov. Palin’s folksy expressions, general evasiveness and habit of winking at the camera. They also took aim at Sen. Biden’s backhanded compliments of Republican presidential candidate John McCain, his frequent smiling and his hair.
This year, “Saturday Night Live” has catapulted to a level of cultural prominence the show hasn’t seen for years, with its most significant presidential election satire ever, beginning with a series of popular skits during the Democratic primary contest that spoofed the tense race between Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton.
The 33-year-old comedy has opened with a political sketch in every episode this fall, capitalizing on intense general interest in the election and Ms. Fey’s imitation of Gov. Palin, to boost ratings around 49% over the same period last year. This weekend’s show scored ratings just shy of the 10.2 million viewers who tuned in for the season premiere last month.
The show’s clips, including spoofs of Gov. Palin’s damaging interviews with “CBS Evening News” anchor Katie Couric, have turned into viral hits online and have even helped frame more serious discussions about Gov. Palin’s candidacy. Former “NBC Nightly News” anchor Tom Brokaw aired Saturday night’s “SNL” clip Sunday morning on “Meet the Press,” NBC’s serious political interview show.
Seeking to feed the demand for political comedy, “SNL” has planned three live half-hour prime time political specials this month, the first on Oct. 9.
– By REBECCA DANA
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