Steve Martin and Martin Short Trade Barbs, and Eulogies, on ‘SNL’ - The New York Times

A definite playful rivalry has ever been the bosom of the concern betwixt Steve Martin and Martin Short. So, taken to its logical extension, the 2 should beryllium astatine their funniest erstwhile imagining themselves astatine each other’s funerals.

That was the thought down their opening monologue connected this weekend’s “Saturday Night Live,” which paired the enduringly fashionable comedians (and stars of the Hulu bid “Only Murders successful the Building”) arsenic hosts connected a holiday-themed broadcast that besides featured the philharmonic impermanent Brandi Carlile.

At their entrance, Short and Martin humorously stepped connected each other’s dialogue, compared however galore times they had hosted “S.N.L.” unsocial (Martin a whopping 16 occasions, Short a specified three) and indulged successful immoderate nostalgia for the aboriginal days of the series. Having shown a photograph of himself with Dan Aykroyd, John Belushi and Mick Jagger, Martin quipped that aft it was taken, “We tested affirmative for everything.”

Short returned fire, observing that their Hulu amusement “is similar Steve astatine the urinal — it streams for 32 minutes.”

Then Martin acceptable up the cardinal premise of the segment, saying that helium realized Short wouldn’t unrecorded forever, “and that is sad, due to the fact that you won’t beryllium capable to perceive the fantastic things I’m going to accidental astatine your memorial.”

“So I thought: wherefore wait?” helium continued. “So what I did was I wrote up your eulogy truthful you tin perceive it now.”

Beginning his imaginary remarks, Martin said: “Wow, not overmuch of a turnout. Marty did not privation to beryllium cremated — excessively late. But I’ll ever beryllium haunted by Marty’s past words: ‘Tesla autopilot, engage.’”

Short past launched into his ain tribute, saying: “There are truthful galore large things that I could accidental astir Steve Martin. But this hardly seems the clip nor the place.” He added, “I cognize Steve is looking down connected america close present due to the fact that helium ever looked down connected everybody.”

Martin said of Short: “Marty was taken distant from america excessively soon. But sadly, not earlier helium played Jack Frost successful ‘Santa Clause 3.’”

And Short said of Martin, “Seeing you successful your casket reminds maine of that classical ‘S.N.L.’ sketch ‘Dick successful a Box.’”

Finally Martin wondered aloud, “Now that Marty’s gone, who volition I ever enactment with?” That was the cue for a cameo from Selena Gomez, their co-star successful “Only Murders,” who asked, “What astir me?”

New vacation modular of the week

In this week’s opening sketch, “S.N.L.” skipped its acquainted topical satire successful favour of a philharmonic conception that recovered Bowen Yang, Cecily Strong and Kenan Thompson lasting astatine a Christmas tree, wondering however to woody with the buildup of anxieties from caller months. (Yang listed the large causes for concern: “War, clime change, the Prince Harry-Meghan Markle documentary.”)

Breaking into song, they explained that the holidays made it OK for them to propulsion disconnected their idiosyncratic worries for a fewer much weeks. For example, Thompson sang that helium could springiness himself support to place his drinking: “It’s starting to get retired of manus / I knew that it whitethorn person / Crossed into a acheronian spot / When Burger King said I was banned.”

In different verse, Yang asked: “Since erstwhile did Hitler travel back? / Didn’t we fundamentally each agree, years agone / Hitler should ne'er travel back?” (Thompson added, “And wherefore are his caller fans Black?”)

Old vacation modular of the week

Like the Irving Berlin creation that inspired it, the 1954 movie philharmonic “White Christmas” whitethorn beryllium a seasonal classic. But let’s astatine slightest admit that it has a mates of bizarre numbers, like “Snow,” successful which Bing Crosby, Rosemary Clooney and Danny Kaye thrust a bid portion crooning astir frozen precipitation arsenic if they’ve ne'er encountered it before.

That country was parodied with an absurdist affection successful this sketch, wherever Short, Martin and Strong sing enthusiastically astir snowfall without seeming to recognize what it is, and Thompson plays a chap rider who is pleasantly baffled by their antics. (If seeing Short and Martin successful Christmas sketches is your thing, bask these further segments successful which they play a department-store Santa and elf and execute an excessively convulsive reimagining of Charles Dickens’s “A Christmas Carol.” )

Weekend Update jokes of the week

Over astatine the Weekend Update desk, the anchors Colin Jost and Michael Che riffed connected the aftermath of the 2022 midterm elections and the merchandise of the hoops subordinate Brittney Griner arsenic portion of a captive speech with Russia.

Jost began:

It was shaping up to beryllium bully week for Joe Biden. He got Brittney Griner back, helium kept matrimony gay, and he’s lone got 14 much sleeps until Santa. But then, conscionable erstwhile helium thought helium had it each nether control, Kyrsten Sinema said clasp my wig. Arizona Senator Kyrsten Sinema, seen present realizing that idiosyncratic is really waving to the idiosyncratic down her, announced that she is leaving the Democratic Party and is registering arsenic an independent. Explained Sinema, “Pay attraction to me.”

He continued:

WNBA prima Brittney Griner was freed from situation successful speech for Russian arms trader Viktor Bout. It’s really a large commercialized due to the fact that Bout was lone averaging 5 points and 2 rebounds a game.

Che past pivoted to the Georgia runoff:

Raphael Warnock defeated Herschel Walker successful Georgia’s Senate runoff race. But I don’t deliberation this is the past you’ll perceive from Herschel Walker. I mean, unless he’s your biologic father. With Raphael Warnock’s win, Democrats successful the Senate volition nary longer person to trust connected Vice President Harris for necktie breaking votes. Harris tin present absorption connected her main priority, waiting for a worse motorcycle accident. [A surface down Che shows President Biden falling disconnected a bike.]

Nineties nostalgia of the week

If you’re going to bring Martin and Short unneurotic connected a pop-cultural drama sketch series, you’d darn good amended fto them wage homage to either “Three Amigos” oregon “Father of the Bride.”

“S.N.L.” opted for the second successful this fake advertisement for “Father of the Bride Part 8,” which casts Martin arsenic the titular father, Heidi Gardner arsenic his now-menopausal girl preparing for her eighth marriage, Short arsenic his flamboyant wedding-planner quality and Kieran Culkin arsenic himself, reminding america that yes, helium truly was successful the erstwhile installments of the franchise, and we’ve each gotten overmuch older since then.