Completely Unnecessary

I have mixed feelings about the recent spate of Brian Williams-related comedy on television. There’s the ‘Giant Head of Brian Williams’ that’s been featured on The Daily Show; he participated in Steven Colbert’s ‘Wrist Strong’; he was on Conan recently.

Williams seems like a funny, personable guy, so it’s a shame to see him stuck behind the newscaster desk all the time. And our standard of actual gravitas versus Stone Phillips has kind of fallen by the wayside anyway, so… what’s the harm? Well, I think there is some harm in it - a kind of acceptance of the infotainment character our news has taken on, but… look, I have an interview in 20 minutes so we’ll have to leave my issues behind and move to the meat. Or as fake Joe Biden would say on this week’s SNL - the ‘beef’.

Stuck as I am in the antipodes, we no gets the Saturday Night Live. It’s Sunday afternoon by then anyway. So what I saw of Williams’ appearance is based solely on these soon-to-be-removed YouTube clips.

Firstly, I actually really like the Bond-style Nightly News intro, especially the part where he punches the Earth.

There were, unsurprisingly, a number of primary/debate sketches (including an appearance by Obama). I was actually really happy with the line SNL took on the media’s coverage of the debates. Here’s the video, but I’ve transcribed the parts I like below, as well:

Williams: Incidentally, this arrangement was all determined by the drawing of lots except for Senator Clinton who we’re deliberately placing in the center since all of us in the media want her to be the nominee.
…
Now gentlemen, I’m afraid I have to run. I have a 15-minute pre-debate interview with Senator Clinton. We’re going to ask her about her plans for her first 100 days in office. I wish you all good luck tonight, although we, again, in the media have pretty much made up our minds to go with Senator Clinton. See you in a few minutes.

Funny and true. Credit to Williams for being willing to participate so heavily in self-deprecation regarding… well, his entire profession.

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