Fey Failure
Dreamy Christmas elf Justin Bieber makes a comic statement with music on SNL
An army of 8-year-old girls — Canadian pop idol Justin Bieber's target audience — woke up as groggy and red-eyed today as Lindsay Lohan does on every Sunday evening. Bieber made a musical appearance (if you want to call it that) on Saturday Night Live, which instantly lowered the average age of a viewer of Lorne Michaels' gasping franchise by 30 years.
In the wake of Bieber's showing — which include the traditional two songs from the musical guest and a few skits — many are wondering when the 16-year-old money making machine will take on full SNL hosting duties for a show. When will Bieber completely embrace comedy?
Wait ... didn't these questioners watch Bieber's musical numbers? He did go for the comedic touch all night, no? How else do you explain Bieb's agonizingly awkward go at doing Ludacris' rap part in "Baby"? And his lame try at jumping with his backup singers (was that a 16-year-old or Phil Mickelson straining for a few inches of vertical?) ... surely, that was intentionally hilarious.
Bieber's stage songs came out much funnier than host Tina Fey's surprisingly weak return attempt at tapping more out of that Sarah Palin gold mine. In fact, Fey's most amusing line came when she dubbed Bieber, a "dreamy, Christmas elf." Michaels should have yanked Fey and installed Bieber as an emergency fill-in host on the spot.
Then, let him sing for laughs.
What do you think though Bieber-ites? Surely, your hero meant to be funny when he broke into his notes. And don't be surprised when he brings Tina Fey (his latest Barbara Walters-level seduction attempt) to RodeoHouston next year.