BAD: Michael Phelps, Stick to What You Know

I watched the first episode of the new season of Saturday Night Live last night.  The opening skit with Tina Fey returning as vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin and Amy Poehler as Hilary Clinton was pretty amusing, no doubt due to Fey’s uncanny resemblance to Palin and an awkward Alaskan “drawl.”   Unfortunately, the host, unnaturally adept multi-gold medalist Michael Phelps, was not as laugh-worthy.

I appreciate the decision to have Michael Phelps as the special guest.  I can’t think of any actors who are that hot right now that would have been any better.  In fact, if I had been in the position of Lorne Michaels and Co. I might even have suggested Phelps myself.

But sorry Michael Phelps (did you notice it is basically impossible not to say his full name?), you’re just not that funny.  I was really hoping he would be.  I thought that because he was more like a regular person than Hollywood that the average Joe charm would cross over comedically. 

But it didn’t.  Not even a little.  Phelps could not even successfully read the cue cards. The only skit of his in which I mildly chuckled is the one in which Phelps was wearing headgear because, as every bully knows, headgear is just funny (and sad ). 

It was also funny that Phelps can’t fit into normal people clothes because of his super- platypus-man scuba steve body that they always discuss so feverishly.  

Oh well, here’s to hoping with James Franco next week.

Side note: What is up with that new little Jonah Hill type guy on SNL?  I can’t decide if he’s actually humorous or just really weird looking.  What do you think?

 

M