The Catch for Betty White’s SNL is Disappointing

Ausiello tweeted “Exclusive: Betty White nearing a deal to host SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE — but there’s a catch (and it’s GOOD)!” So, like any good minion I headed over there. But I was not happy with the catch at all. I wouldn’t call it good, I’d call it…meh!

White would not be hosting alone. Rather, I hear SNL is putting together a “Women of Comedy” episode that would team the former Rose Nylund with several of her younger contemporaries. Ex-SNL MVP Molly Shannon is on board, I hear, and feelers have also been put out to Tina Fey and Amy Poehler. (An NBC spokesperson insists no one has been confirmed at this time.)

It’s a multi-host kind of deal. I understand the reasoning behind that could be because White is 88-years-old and might not want to carry an entire show. But part of it seems to diminish her hosting capacity. I’d rather see her as the sole host, and have that honor – and just make her skits few and far between. It’s not like SNL hasn’t done this before with other people who have been horrible. And there’s another thing that worries me…

And hey, anything that gives Fey an opportunity to dust off her Sarah Palin impersonation — as she’s rumored to be considering — is okay with me.

I am so very much on board with making fun of Sarah Palin, who is a horrible human being. But sometimes I worry that mocking her too much makes people familiar with her, and at ease with her. This might actually help make her popular.

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