When Tina Fey agreed to return for a brief and brilliant stint playing Sarah Palin, America watched in record numbers. These were some of SNL’s best skits. Here’s a look and the best of the best.
5. SNL Skewers Palin, Best of 2008 — Palin Meets Hillary
The first of Tina Fey’s turns as Sarah Palin, the set up was that Palin appear at a joint news conference with Hillary Clinton to discuss sexism in media. While it’s true that Amy Poehler’s Clinton largely stole the show, we learned that Fey had more than just the looks to take on the character of Palin. The flighty digs she landed would propel froward an image of Pain that never left the campaign. If you haven’t seen this clip, it can be viewed at the SNL website, here.
4. SNL Skewers Palin, Best of 2008 — The Great Debate
The great debate was on, as Fey’s Palin took on Joe Biden in the skit that spoofed the record setting VP debate. While by many accounts, the real Sarah Pain lost the debate, Fey was a clear winner of the laugh grab. Jason Sudeikis had a few good moments as Biden, but Palin’s winks, shout-outs, mavericks and her disappointed bid from the talent portion put her over the top. Adding to the laughs was Queen Latifa’s excellent job as a book pushing version of Gwen Ifill. Bring back the drinking game, and watch here.
3. SNL Skewers Palin, Best of 2008 — The Ringing Endorsement
An SNL skit not on saturday night? On weekend update Thursday, the President is poised to give McCain and Palin a ringing endorsement. The catch is, McCain doesn’t want it. Enter Fey as Palin, announcing that her running mate has headed for the hills. Fey is funny, but overshadowed a bit by Will Farrell’s excellent Bush. The two exchanging notes on being folksy, are some of the skits finest moments, though bigger credit belongs to Farrell relentlessly drawing McCain/Bush parallels. See it here.
2. SNL Skewers Palin, Best of 2008 — McCain Does QVC
If there could ever be a great candidate to bring to SNL, it is the very funny John McCain. Pairing him with the hilarious Fey as Palin, was even better. But when the two were seen in a skit that pushed the campaign’s message on QVC, it became simply classic. McCain pushing “fine gold” as wife Cindy models? Hilarious as it was, watching Fey’s Palin push rouge 2012 t-shirts was even better. Oh, and Fey fingering her suit jacket while talking about campaign expenses? Literally priceless. See the skit here.
1. SNL Skewers Palin, Best of 2008 — Art Imitating Life, The Palin/Couric Interview
The second time that Tina Fey took on the role of Sarah Palin, many of those watching never realized just how adept a job Fey had done in her portrayal. That’s because the skit, which featured Palin being interviewed by Katie Couric (Amy Poehler, again), actually quoted the real interview for large portions of dialogue. Those portions got some of the biggest laughs, and the skit was replayed everywhere, often with comparison footage of the real interview. Proof of its impact? One French newspaper accidentally ran a story of the real interview with a still of the skit, confusing Tina Fey for the real Sarah Palin. Ouch. Watch it here.
