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Tina Fey and Amy Poehler spoof Gov. Sarah Palin and Sen. Hillary Clinton on SNL

On last night's season opener of Saturday Night Live, Tina Fey returned to play Alaskan Gov. and Republican VP candidate Sarah Palin, while Amy Poehler reprised her dead-on impression of Hillary Clinton, in one of the funniest skits I've seen on SNL in a long time (and alas, one of the only funny skits of the night).

Palin and Clinton joined forces to send a "nonpartisan message" asking for an end to sexism in the presidential campaigns. Watch it here (or on NBC.com):


Palin's shotgun pose and enthusiastic pronouncement that "I can see Russia from my house!"? Hilarious. And Clinton's comment about sexism in the media being "An issue which I am frankly surprised to hear people suddenly care about" was genius — and very, very true.

The whole thing was so funny, Lori and I watched it three times last night. (Not so funny? The rest of the show.)

The press is eating up the skit, too. The Chicago Tribune is asking, "Did Tina Fey out-Palin Palin?" The TV critic at the Orlando Sentintinel says, "Michael Phelps was the host, but Tina Fey and Amy Poehler were the stars."

ABC News reports that aboard the Jet Blue plane carrying Palin and the press last night, there were "howls of laughter from the sizeable press corps" when the Palin-Clinton skit aired, "but, from the front of the plane, silence" even though "the flight attendants assured us Palin and her entourage were watching."

This review on the website ComedyCentric really nailed it for me: "While Fey mimicked Palin’s painfully clueless, space-cadet deportment to perfection, her fellow Baby Mama star Amy Poehler did an ace version of Democrat Hillary Clinton that made the Republican look like an amateur at Happy Hour onscreen. I guess many would argue real life is about the same."

Love/hate the skit? Favorite lines? Let us know in the comments!

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  • Katherine's picture

    loved it!

    Favorite lines  would be Poehler's biting responses to Palin's comments ("we don't agree on everything/anything.", "I don't agree with the bush doctrine/and I don't know what that is," "can you believe it, hillary?/I CANNOT," "anyone can be president/ANYONE. anyone.", and "you just have to want it/I guess I could have wanted it more/crazy laughter")

    although I am guilty of having referred to Sarah Palin as a MILF. But it was during a debate of whether Bristol or Sarah was MILF-ier. That doesn't sound much better. It was a facebook group! >.>

    Anyway yeah. I loved it.

    omg, inbd

    changetheirhue's picture

    "You know Hillary and I

    "You know Hillary and I don't agree on everything."
    "Anything"

    "I think it's just God hugging us closer."

     

    haha. This is great.

    Jen Sabella's picture

    So brilliant. When Fey

    So brilliant.

    When Fey said "And I believe it's just God hugging us closer" about global warming, I nearly lost it.

    SNL could really benefit from having those ladies back full-time.

    atticusgirl's picture

    Genius

    They both nailed that one!!  Tina Fey and Amy Poehler are both comedy geniuses beyond compare.  That was the funniest thing I've seen in a long time.

    the_Rad_Seed's picture

    my gawd

    i love tina fey but now im getting conflicted. When I look at her will I see Palin? Can I look at Palin without seeing Fey? How can I love one and hate the other? And also SNL just totally pwned her, of course she didn't laugh. Palin doesn't find anything humorous that doesn't belittle women or some minority group.

    ...the above opinions are those of the_rad_seed, and not AE lol..

    http://radisthenewblack.blogspot.com/

    Katie's picture

    i was in tears by the  end

    i was in tears by the  end i think. last night was amazing:)

    i wish we could switch tina fey and palin.. it scared me at first cause they look so much alike!!

     

    "Sometimes when i get homesick i hum the mr softee song"

    chismes's picture

    lmao.

    utter.

    genius.

     

    Rikoleigh's picture

    Oh, those Tina Fey glasses,

    That was just too funny.  Loved those women on SNL.  I agree SNL NEEDs them back full-time. 

    drbambee's picture

    I AM SOOOOO IN LOVE WITH TINA FEY AND AMY POEHLER!!!

    Last night's skewering of Palin was refreshing, dead-on, brilliant, and hysterical!!!

    Stand-out lines:

    Palin about the Bush doctrine:  "I don't know what that is."

    Clinton screaming:  "I CANNOT".

    And a standing ovation for "Clinton" pointing a finger at the press for SUDDENLY caring about sexism.

    I hope this drags Palin to the ground and we're finally rid of this moose hunter.

     

    Tina Fey, will you marry me? 

    Imsuchanerd's picture

    "I don't know what that is"

    Tina Fey/Palin giggling in response to Amy Poehler's "I'm opposed to Bush's Doctrine"

    My favorite part of the skit!

    Classic!

    Forza Roma's picture

    LIPSTICK!

    I love that bit- 'cause it's so true... she has given the SAME speech everytime, so by now everyone knows every line. Including the lipstick crack. Which, itself is sexist. What defines a woman? Make up? Please Sarah Palin.

     

    I invite the media to grow a pair. And if you cant, I will lend you mine!

     

    Also gold. This "we can't ask her ANYTHING or critisize ANYTHING because it'll be sexist of us" attitude is very much SEXISM.

     

    I liked the Times op piece that ended by pointing out that John McCain, who has centered his life's work and his campaign around his patriotism, is putting the country at risk in a lame attempt to win by choosing such an unqualified VP.

     

    And even in the role of a scary Republican, I'd still have Tina Fey's babies. She is magic.

    Brianne's picture

    Tina Fey

    Was i not the only one that actually sat there thinking to myself, "Is that really Sarah Palin?" SPOT-ON impression! i was also in tears from laughing so hard. and Amy Poehler did an awesome job with Phelps' mom. but they rest of the night was a let-down :(

     

    Everyone has Avagadro's number!

    xadiz's picture

    best ever!

    They are so on point!!! Smart, funny and perfect!!! 'i can see russia from my house!' she probably can!! and i bet she's waiting on the porch with her shotgun for the coming imaginary invasion!!!
    marshnood's picture

    LOL

    LOL
    Mara's picture

    Brilliant!

    Hilarious sh*t! 

    _ _ _ _ _

    "Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter, and those who matter don't mind." (Dr. Seuss)

    Bend it like...'s picture

    Funny sh*t!

    I loved it.

     

    Its nice to see those ladies back on SNL.

     

    I agree SNL could use them back

    Precious Peace's picture

    F***ING!! FAN-DAMN-TASTIC!!!

    BRILLIANT!!!

    PERFECT!!!!

    WELL ON THE WAY TO BEING A SNL

    CLASSIC!!!!

    BRAVO!!!

    T.L.'s picture

    Now that was cool.....

    I have emailed a linc to this to all the Labinky Park fans......Tina Fey was wickedly funny and Amy as Hillary was a Hoot! Gawd I laughed til I cried.  Awesome!!! 

     

     

    Peace

    T.L.  aka www.labinkypark.com

    whitelabcoat's picture

    Favourite Moments

    The 'lipstick' part - the whole 'you can see this coming a mile off' delivery was awesome.

    The giggling "I don't know what that is" almost made me cry laughing - to the point where I felt a bit guilty that it made me laugh so hard.

    Fey and Pohler together is always a good time and this has to be one of their best ever SNL moments.

    i love tina fey but now im getting conflicted. When I look at her will I see Palin? Can I look at Palin without seeing Fey?

    To be perfectly clueless honest, I really didn't see a resemblance beyond 'dark hair and glasses', even when everyone started talking about it. After this, though, I too am worried that they might become inextricably connected in my mind.

    *Starts marathonic (?) 30 Rock, Mean Girls, SNL, Baby Mama rewatching in order to build up immune-to-Fey/Palin-comparisons system*

    soccercrazzee's picture

    good laugh

    'Yeah Sarah, looking back, if I could change one thing: I should have wanted it more!"

    haha... love how she tears up the podium...

    piebald's picture

    podium

    yes, the podium bit was a nice touch.
    Angie5x5's picture

    Ask Palin about the dinosaurs

    Favorite parts besides the ones already mentioned:

    "Please, ask this one about the dinosaurs."

    Tina Fey posing while Amy Poehler is ranting.

    Still, nothing tops Tina Fey's "Bitch is the new black" SNL skit during the primaries:

    http://www.nbc.com/Saturday_Night_Live/video/clips/tina-fey-on-update/221773/

    monica_ca's picture

    Posing

    I LOVED the posing!  It was so freakin' funny!
    Boobookitttyf***k's picture

    agreed but

    Tracy Morgan KILLED it with the "Sorry Tina, bitch might be the new black, but black is the new president!" comeback line, ha!
    oifack_19pdx's picture

    Oh my..

    "...Tina Fey glasses!"

     

     

    I'm thoroughly impressed, Tina Fey has Palin down to the T! Accent, Gestures, cluelessness... AMAZING

    oifack_19pdx's picture

    Oh my..

    "...Tina Fey glasses!"

     

     

    I'm thoroughly impressed, Tina Fey has Palin down to the T! Accent, Gestures, cluelessness... AMAZING

    cappuccinogirlie's picture

    The sketch just took on a whole new meaning.

    The New York Times bloggers are reporting that:

    "On Sunday, a campaign adviser confirmed that Ms. Palin had, indeed, watched the “Saturday Night Live” skit from her screen at the front of the plane. “She thought it was quite funny,” the adviser said in an email response to inquiries, “especially because the governor has dressed up as Tina Fey for Halloween.”

    http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/09/14/palin-on-fey-quite-funny/
    lushbliss's picture

    hahahahah no way! I bet

    hahahahah no way! I bet Hilary got a kick out of it, I would have but i doubt shes dressed up as amy for halloween

     

    "I can see russia from my house"

    InXanadu's picture

    Best female comedy duo of all-time.

    "nooooooooooooooooooooo MINE! IT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE MINE!!!!"

     

    And, of course, "I can see Russia from my house!"

     

    It's quite possible Tina Fey is the perfect woman.  

    woops's picture

    Priceless!

    The second Tina Fey opened her mouth I could have died laughing!  The whole thing was hysterical.  I would be here all day if I tried to list my favorite parts!
    x-tina_pt's picture

    it's Tina Fey and Amy

    it's Tina Fey and Amy Poehler do i need to say anything else.... amazing.... hilarious...
    Alyssa's picture

    wow

    one of the funniest skits in a VERY long time. and yeah, the rest of the skits sucked.
    lectra's picture

    this is one of the best

    this is one of the best sketches i've ever seen. great perfomances, great punchlines and soooo true!
    vegasgrl's picture

    The skit had me rolling with

    The skit had me rolling with tears streaming down my face! The best skit ever! Tina Fey's impersonation was amazing. The one thing I can't figure out? Why does Sarah Palin have a deep Minnesotan accent? She sounds like my family from there. I've had plenty of friends from Alaska who don't have that accent...or maybe they just didn't. It isn't an Idahoan accent, I know that.

    I think I laugh harder each time I watch it. Some of my favorites....

    "And me, being a fervent supporter of Barack Obama....as evident by this pin..."

     "I invite the media to grow a pair...and if you can't, I will lend you mine!:

    "I don't agree with the Bush Doctrine."  "And I don't know what that is..."(giggle, giggle) 

     "Ya know, it reminds me of a joke we tell in Alaska."  "Oh boy..." 

     "...Wearing your pageant sash and your Tina Fey glasses!"

    Okay, I am starting it: The Tina Fey/Amy Poehler '08 ticket!!!  Who's with me?!?!  

     

    "Women keep a special corner of their hearts for the sins they have never committed."  Cornelia Otis Skinner

    brackishtea's picture

    Brilliant!

    Count me in....

    Kat's picture

    Palin's accent

    It's not as much as a deep Minnesotan accent, but kinda a Canadian accent. Minnesotan accents sound like some Canadian accents (I have some good friends from Canada so I know what they sound like) and some Canadian accents sound like Alaskan accents. I think it just gets thicker as you go north. Or something. And plus, not everyone for one place is going to have the same accent.

    Anyways, I loved it. Really one of the most brilliant SNL skits in a long time. And Tina Fey looks so much like Palin, it's scary!!! Must separate the two!

    regularjo's picture

    I don't know about that. I'm

    I don't know about that. I'm Canadian and I can honestly say I haven't ever met a fellow Canuck with an accent quite like that. I have friends and family in Jersey/NY State/Boston, though, and they all talk like that. Maybe it's a further east thing?
    charbonneau's picture

    Tina Fey Does Frances McDormand

    Tina Fey/Palin's accent is totally Frances McDormand in Fargo. Not even close to any Canuck accent but oh so funny in its own right.

    I would love to believe the story that Palin and her "people" watched that video on the plane in total silence. Could be for one of two reasons: a) they didn't get it. b) they did and were suitably embarrassed. ;)

    Arneneithel's picture

    Incredibly funny/true. Wow,

    Incredibly funny/true. Wow, thanks for posting about this.
    Camis's picture

    So damn funny...

    One of the funniest things I watched in a long time... too bad this is real life.
    Di's picture

    Totally agree

    And I only watched SNL for their skit. Just outstanding, that Tina Fey...and Amy Poehler too. That duo is gold. I wish it could just be the Tina & Amy hour. That I would watch. SNL, otherwise? Totally sucks.

    jeepdawg_34's picture

    Best. Skit. Ever.

    Tina and Amy nailed that bit.

    Tina maybe was too much like Palin 8) Nah, just genius acting. The giggling as she she says "I don't even no what that is", "it's God hugging us closer" and the posing were hilarious. 

    Amy's, "I was told I would be addressing you alone", her facial expressions throughout, the hysterical laughter as she said, "Maybe I should have wanted it more", then tore up the podium and the last quip about the media growing a pair and if the couldn't she would lend them hers. 

    These ladies know funny! Thank the Universe for Tina and Amy!!

    buffaloBlue's picture

    Wonderful!

    So funny. Definitely had to watch it multiple times. I think Tina Fey is a perfect Palin but I don't think even that could ruin her or ever make me confuse the two in my mind. I don't watch SNL but Tina and Amy doing weekend update always made me want to watch... they are so good together.
    drbambee's picture

    FEY/POEHLER '08

    "Ask this one about dinosaurs!"  That was beyond fraking funny.

     

    Now I'm hoping they do a skit where Palin/Clinton (Tina and Amy) end up making out.

     

    Yeah, call me a pervert. 

    heart1e55m00mba's picture

    MADE OF WIN

    This was amazing. There should be more skits like it.

     

    "No power in the 'verse can stop me." ~River Tam, "Firefly"

    Denae's picture

    LOVED IT

    Ohh man, that was a good time.  It really is freaky how much the two look alike (especially since they are so polar opposite).  Am I the only one who thinks it's hysterical that Palin and Fey are dressing up as one another? LOL.
    marshnood's picture

    My favorite part...

    My favorite part... all of it!!! still laughing
    pecola's picture

    Hilarious

    I was near tears while laughing at this last night. The rest of SNL, though, not so much--Michael Phelps is certainly no Peyton Manning.

    Glad to see Fey back and the horror that was the rest of the show makes me worry about the fate of SNL once Amy Poehler goes off to do her own thing (maternity leave included).

    PS: For a more regular satarizing of Gov. Palin, though not nearly as on point, check out Sara Benincasa's vlog.

    -----

    "The spirit of liberty is the spirit which is not too sure that it is right..." - Judge Learned Hand, The Spirit of Liberty

    jennifer from pittsburgh's picture

    Sara Benincasa

    Caty's addicted to SB's vlog! It's brilliant without being nonoffensive.
    the fallen's picture

    Phelps is no Peyton

    But you know who one of my favorite  guest hosts was? NBC Anchorman Brian Williams. He was just awesome. He is one of Jon Stewarts favorite guests for a reason.

     

    And I have to admit to feeling guilty for looking at the picture on egotastic of Amy Poehler sunning topless the other day. I am weak..I have lust in my heart.