The fifteen minutes of fame it should have been…

Who should we blame for the disappointment that was this week’s Saturday Night Live? Should we blame the script writers or the influence the people working for Palin’s campaign had over them? The truth is that both are at fault.

In their own respects, each failed to gain anything from Palin’s stint on SNL–something that could’ve helped the election from either side.

SNL’s producers and script writers, in featuring Palin in only a tiny fraction of the show failed to deliver what the 14 million veiwers, a record amount in 14 years, wanted. And what did we want? Well some of us wanted yet another chance to laugh at the VP nominee. Others wanted her appearance on SNL to prove to the American people that she really is just like us, aside from the appearing on national television bit. They wanted to know that Palin can be relaxed, funny and self-depreciating. In short, they wanted to know that she is capable of being something other than a pitbull.

If SNL had featured Palin for longer on the show, like we were expecting, it could have been a huge boost for the McCain-Palin campaign. If she had been allowed to open up to the American people on SNL as more than a stiff, awkward prop, it could have done wonders for her image. Not to mention it would have helped her sketchy reputation for being so damn secretive with the media.

Then again, it was SNL’s Palin related skits featuring Tina Fey that put her in hot water in the first place. If Palin had played an active, rather than passive role in the show, it could’ve turned even more voters against her, cementing her as the laughingstock of the country. So much about Palin is considered laughable, that she might have just embarrassed herself, which perhaps is what all the folks in charge were afraid of.

In the end, it was the No Child Left Behind of television appearances. Much like with her previous interviews, we gained nothing and we learned nothing about Palin–from either side of the aisle

here’s a blog post from the Gaurdian about Saturday’s episode:

and the suspension keeps building…

Tina Fey as Sarah Palin on Saturday Night Live

Originally uploaded by feastoffools

Sarah Palin spoke to Fox News today about her appearance on SNl which will be tomorrow night and said “I have no idea what to expect because I haven’t seen any scripts or anything else yet, but it will be fun. The opportunity to show American television watchers anyway that you get to have a sense of humor through all of this or even just this really would be wearin’, tearin’ on you so an opportunity to show that sense of humor and that side of all of this I look forward to it.”

I know we’re looking forward to it too Sarah.

On the same topic, Palin also spoke to the Indianpolis Star today about Tina Fey’s caricature of her on SNL.

Question: You have been widely criticized, including in parodies on “Saturday Night Live,” as ignorant and ill-informed. What do you need to do to overcome that image?

Answer: Well, you know, the media, it’s their prerogative how they want to capture someone and sort of caricaturize that person. And they have a lot of power in their ability to do that. I’ll just keep speaking to the American voter and letting them know about the plans that John McCain and I have to get this economy back on the right track. The plans that we have to put government back on the side of the American people and not allow the greed and the corruption and the self-dealings that have gone on in Washington, D.C., to affect policy and we’ll keep talking about our plans and our commitment to win the war against terrorism. That’s the task that I have at hand.

I can’t fight the person that buys ink by the barrelful, of course, but I think that the American voter is quite intelligent, wise, and discerning. They see through a lot of that characterization. I believe that the American voter knows Sen. McCain and I are quite capable and willing and able to serve them as president and vice president.

While it’s true that Palin isn’t exactly shown in the most positive light on SNl, the Daily Show or the Colbert Report, it doesn’t mean the image of her presented is completely unfounded. After all, the SNL spoof of Palins interview with Katie Couric borrowed lines directly from the real interview, even as exaggerated as they might have been. In this election, all lines continued to be blurred between comedy and reality when Palin is involved.

stay tuned…

Yes, I know most of America has been watching Sarah Palin each week on Saturday Night Live. Oops…I mean Tina Fey. However, John McCain announced on the Late Show with David Letterman tonight that the REAL Sarah Palin will be appearing on SNL soon. This should be interesting…and perhaps her comedy will come a little too close for comfort for most of us. Letterman also expressed his hopes that Palin will appear on his show in the future.