Description
Background History: “History of Punk” aired on Season 28 of SNL. The skit saw Armisen, Taran Killam and Bill Hader portray the fictional Ian Rubbish and the Bizarros. If that sketch was a tribute to American punk, then this other one below is a nod to the Sex Pistols and the steady rightward drift of John Lydon. Armisen plays lead singer Ian Rubbish (you know, of Ian Rubbish and the Bizarros) whose lyrics decry and attack everything…except for Margaret Thatcher. The Queen? She’s useless (and other words we can’t write on Open Culture), but Maggie? Ian has a soft spot.
1. Season 38: The History of Punk 2013: This 2013 skit came shortly after Thatcher died and Americans were treated to videos of some Britons (not all, but *a lot*) celebrating her death much as you would the death of Hitler or Mussolini. Goodbye, good riddance, and let me know where she’s located so we can pee on her grave. That sorta thing. And if that’s where you’re at, you might find the turn this sketch takes a bit too nice. But kudos to ex-Pistol Steve Jones for turning up and doing the Rutles-like thing. There’s even a nice parody of the infamous Bill Grundy interview.
2. Season 38: The History of Punk (Part 2) 2013 Season Finale: One of the last sketches to feature Fred Armisen but it seemed like a fitting farewell. Drawing on his pre-SNL background in music, the multi-talented (and well-connected) comedian closed the show’s season finale in the guise of Ian Rubbish, the Thatcher-loving British rocker he introduced just over a month ago in the “History of Punk.” Backed by fellow departing castmate Bill Hader, Jason Sudeikis (who the Post’s source says is probably also leaving) and Taran Killam as the Bizarros, Armisen sang a wistfully optimistic little number called “It’s a Lovely Day.” He was soon joined onstage by Portlandia co-creator Carrie Brownstein, followed by a supergroup’s worth of other indie rock royalty: Kim Gordon of Sonic Youth, J. Mascis, Steve Jones of The Sex Pistols, Aimee Mann of Til’ Tuesday and Michael Penn.
Background History: “The Californians” is a recurring sketch on Saturday Night Live which parodies a soap opera and features Karina (played by Kristen Wiig), Devin (played by Bill Hader), Stuart (played by Fred Armisen), Trey (played by Kenan Thompson) and Rosa (played by Vanessa Bayer), who is also the only brunette, as wealthy blondes with Valley Girl accents exaggerated to the point of incoherence. Throughout the melodramatic plot developments in the sketch, much of the dialogue consists of descriptions of freeway routes taken from place to place. Each installment includes three scenes, each of which ends with all of the characters in the room crowded around a single mirror and gazing at their own reflections. Below are the appearances of this sketch of which this collection contains 6
3. Season 37: May 19, 2012 – Mick Jagger as Timothy; Steve Martin as the amnesia victim
4. Season 38: October 13, 2012 – Christina Applegate as Brie
5. Season 38: November 17, 2012 – Jeremy Renner as Craig
6. Season 38: February 9, 2013 – Justin Bieber as the runaway kid
7. Season 38: May 11, 2013 – Kristen Wiig as Brad/Karina
8. 40th Anniversary Special SNL 40: February 15, 2015: Laraine Newman, Bradley Cooper, Kerry Washington, Taylor Swift and Betty White
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