Everything about this sketch is perfection. The writing, the acting, the timing, the music, the costumes. It makes NO sense, but there lies its genius!
It’s making fun of Liza Minnelli who was a famous performer and singer and actress (Judy Garland’s daughter) and also taking a loving irreverent jab at how long it takes people in musicals to do anything simple (like turning off a lamp) because they’re too busy signing and dancing. It’s multilevel Broadway humor that’s so incredibly brilliant and wonderful but they really needed an audience who understands those things
Props to Jonah Hill for not breaking character and laughing. His straight-faced reaction implies that this is just another day with Liza, which makes Wiig's antics even funnier.
@@ymd2516 He is a big boy! From what I've seen, he seems to enjoy life! Food, laughs, fun. Can't hate him for that! (His cardiologist might want to have a word with him though... I hope he takes care of himself.)
Truly. Her impression is great, but the whole concept needs to be applauded. And they both pretty much made it through the whole thing without cracking up, so that deserves an award.
Not only does she get Liza's physicality, but the voice too! Genius! I love Kristen...she's a classic along the lines of Carol Burnett or Gilda Radner.
yeah, kristen wiig cant act. thats why shes one of the most memorable and successful recent snl cast members and has had tons of starring roles since leaving and has been hailed for her impressions for years, because she cant act. lol.
She was literally the only reason I even started watching SNL. She was consistently hilarious each and every night. She was definitely one of the most talented people to ever be apart of that cast.
Man she is so funny. Give her flowers now!!!! She is so underrated to me. She nailed it. You can tell she wanted to laugh herself a couple of times. Lol
Liza Minnelli is a broadway musical star, this is making fun of the way she acts on stage, and making fun of how people take forever to do things in musical because they're too busy singing or dancing.. It's fricken hilarious XD
Probably one of those sketches towards the end of the night when the audience loses their enthusiasm. But there's so many gems there...like when Kate McKinnon does that aged old movie star in an interview with other #metoo actresses.
TBF, I feel like this was only written for theater kids and acerbic gay men. And even that venn diagram overlaps a lot :P With that said, I ugly laughed. "WILL A FOSSE NECK DO IT?!"
When my boyfriend asks me to turn off the lamp, I try and recite everything from this scene as much as I can remember. Asking if a fosse neck will do it is my favourite.
brilliant - and the title graphic is a hilarious play on the Cabaret movie album graphics. Wonder if Liza ever saw this, and what she thought - I'm sure she thought it was hysterical.
This is hilarious. Hands down one of my fav SNL skits. Almost feels like an inside joke if youre familiar with Liza. Go watch some of her early stuff. She was a damn good entertainer.
As a brit I've never seen SNL before, I've just started binge watcing clips. I'm not a fan of most of the humor but I love anything Kristen is in. This whole scene had me in stiches, shes a very intelligent and talented gal.
She's a one-woman show, unbelievable. And she must memorize MANY of her lines, unlike most SNL performers. It's what gives her the physical freedom to do all this other crazy shit that has me laughing til I cry.
I was wondering about all the crazy terms she has for lamps and their parts. That it had to be written in advance, but she delivered it all so effortlessly. And I think she is using the teleprompter to keep on track, but I think you are right about her memorizing here, I don't know how else she could have done it. It's a joy for me to watch 🙂
everything is working for me in this sketch. Jonah Hill is fantastic in this, he complements Kristen Wiig so well! and Ms Wiig, need I say more, so so addictive!
You can usually tell how versatile an actor is when they host SNL and are comfortable in playing the odd parts written for them and they play them with ease. Much like Jonah Hill here.
Well, to be fair it's hard to find a sketch where Kristen Wiig doesn't upstage everyone else, because of her over-the-top characters and her monstruous talent. Especially for a host, and not a regular cast member, I'd say Jonah Hill did fairly well
One of the funniest bits ever. "...look how long the cord is...Ben Vereen it's long...I'm not gettin' anywhere with it, it's like Tommy Tune!" I had to go get some air after this Wiig masterpiece.
This skit has been a running joke between my husband and me for years. It popped up in my recommendations and I laughed just as hard as I did when this first aired. 😂 Kristen Wiig is a gift.
This is almost like a execise they'd have you do as part of an audition for an improv comedy company. Give you something totally mundane to do and one line of setup, and see how you could punch up the situation/how long you could usefully extend the action in a funny way.
My first time auditioning for an improv show, I bombed because I was so young and thought I could do anything but I couldn't do this exercise. Humiliated myself and signed up for improv classes immediately the next day
Jiddy12345 Haha, yeah, I think that reference is a bit surreal. Maybe something to do with Eddie Fischer leaving her for Elizabeth Taylor?? I don't know, but she makes it work.
@Elliepopcorn i don't like ranking comedians but they are both hilarious. I only give Kate the nod as her supporting cast is nowhere near as good as the one Kristen had
This is complete brilliance. In every way shape and form. I watch it EVERY morning and LMAO EVERY morning. Kristen is appropriately OTT, and Jonah...wow...playing the straight man...we gotta see CAAAAAATTTSSS...Hilarious. Brava, Bravo.
“Will a fosse neck do it?” is an underrated line in SNL history.
"Nooooo"
I lost my sh!t when she said that 😭
Tribute to Bob Fossey, the inspired choreographer for whom much of Wiigs mad dance is based on.
Aced Fosse to a T, and with a single dancer.
@@krisdevalleyes everyone knows that that’s why the joke is being pointed out
I ask myself several times a day “will a Fosse neck do it?”
OMG, me, too!
@@garymeise673 don't forget , "chain, ball, kick, chain!" Remember that? 😉 💃💃
Haha!!
Omgggg yessss me too 😂😂😆
“Is it a foot tappah?” that’s me all the time!!
This is one of the most profound pieces of art I've ever experienced
Sal Paradise are you okay
@@chandlermathews2587 no
Amen. 100% comedy platinum
@@Gilliganfrog Hahaha! Love it!
Aw thanks for sticking up for me hahaha @Gilliganfrog
I like that he's constantly reminding her that they're going to be late while himself not moving a single muscle.
😂😂😂
Which husband is he supposed to be?
I say this as someone who adores Cats ((the stage show not the 2019 movie)), you'd probably do the same
Tbf, he offered to help at the start and she turned it down ;)
he did dance at the end. He knew. He wanted to dance after his cigar and skip the show
"don't make those little kitties wait. we're gonna miss Caaaattts."
THAT'S what he says. I honestly had no idea lol
I DIED LOL
Everything about this sketch is perfection. The writing, the acting, the timing, the music, the costumes. It makes NO sense, but there lies its genius!
She's trying to turn off a lamp, makes perfect sense. :)
It _does_ make sense if you're familiar with Liza Minnelli and Cabaret
Nicola Ní Lochlainn Liza is coked out of her mind and making a simple task seem like solving a rubix cube, and every moment is super over-dramatized
It makes all the sense. Watch Cabaret.
It’s making fun of Liza Minnelli who was a famous performer and singer and actress (Judy Garland’s daughter) and also taking a loving irreverent jab at how long it takes people in musicals to do anything simple (like turning off a lamp) because they’re too busy signing and dancing.
It’s multilevel Broadway humor that’s so incredibly brilliant and wonderful but they really needed an audience who understands those things
Props to Jonah Hill for not breaking character and laughing. His straight-faced reaction implies that this is just another day with Liza, which makes Wiig's antics even funnier.
Thanks, I was trying to figure out who that was. (He played perfectly opposite Kristen.)
he's perfect foil/straight man, honestly dont know how he didnt break character
He didn’t break character but rumour has it he broke the chair.
It’s more of a comment really…
@@ymd2516 He is a big boy! From what I've seen, he seems to enjoy life! Food, laughs, fun. Can't hate him for that! (His cardiologist might want to have a word with him though... I hope he takes care of himself.)
@@MikeLinPA I’ve heard his doctor isn’t a nice man. He once asked Jonah to open up and say “oink”
She really deserved the Emmy for her time during SNL.
Marcus Chan couldn't agree more. I love Kate but seriously Kristen deserved an Emmy every bit as much as her !
That's crazy she didn't get one.. Seriously
She was robbed
She isn't gay, so they chose Kate instead
Nah she's cringy
I say “you tell that to Debbie Reynolds” with absolutely zero context in normal conversation at least once a month.
What does it mean in this context tho?
@@CountryCowboy008 touché….
This just made me LOL
🤣🤣🤣
And this is why you’re Legend
This is one of my favorite sketches. Kristen Wiig really shows her immense comedic talent, and Jonah Hill's characterization is perfect.
I just gotta find the clicker that dims the whole shabang!
@burteriksson really though
I say "the heck with cats let's dance" at least once a week
Then you are living your best life.
I try to turn off all lamps with a Fosse neck, so I feel like we are kindred spirits.
Everyonce in a while, when I turned off a lamp, I say "WILL A FOSSE NECK DO IT?"
My cat doesn't like when I say this.
My personal go to is “..this skinny lady!”
Literally my son when I ask him to complete the simplest task.
Hey! ADHD is real.
😂
I swear to God.
Same with mine.
Ha Ha Ha
Now I call all my floor lamps “skinny ladies” haha
The scoundrel!
LMAO! 🤣
No, you don't
@@BernardProfitendieuyes she does 😂
@@nf3126 nope.
Jonah Hill also murders in this. Just the way his voice cracks when he says "What?" is hilarious
And he is so cuuuuute.
“We’re gonna miss caaaaats!” has me in bits 😂
Okay thank you!! I always think he doesn’t get enough credit !!! He literally makes the sketch. So little said but so much impact
💯
i say it like that whenever i'm confused about something. straight up lifted it from hill in this skit
This audience didn’t deserve this sketch.
Truly. Her impression is great, but the whole concept needs to be applauded.
And they both pretty much made it through the whole thing without cracking up, so that deserves an award.
@Michael Persico Go somewhere else.
Agreed
~~. this deserves the Raspberry Award --this took guts !
Brilliance!
This is such a weird and simple premise and yet I can’t stop watching it.
I love how someone thought of including a faux Warhol portrait of Kristen (as Liza) on the wall!
i hope she got to keep it!
"Ben Vereen, it's long!"
I come back to this every few months when I need to remember that life is indeed worth living.
❤
ew
Absolutely. followed immediately afterward by "It's like Tommy Tune, I'm not getting anywhere!" Underappreciated, great lines.
"Is it a foot tapper, once, twice, threeeeeeeee" I actually became deceased
the way she almost corpses halfway through that bit fucking kills me
😂😂😂
"You tell that to Debbie Reynolds."
"..... what?"
I feel like there's an inside joke here
@@incoglido liza was prety off the chain especially off camera at parties
@@thomasdelvin3683 oh i'm sure, but i meant specifically with this and other references they seem to make. "Ben Vareen, its long" lol
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
What does Debbie Reynolds have to do with it though? I've searched high and low and I didn't get anything lol
I imagine this is what Liza Minnelli's life is like ordinarily.
Wiig played both Judy Garland and Liza Minnelli. No surprise that she got to play both Mom and Daughter.
Not since the brain encephalitis
Yep. Every day lol.
@burteriksson that's Hollywood for you?! What books are you reading?
I picture Liza Minelli as Lucille Astero on Arrested Development.
Not only does she get Liza's physicality, but the voice too! Genius! I love Kristen...she's a classic along the lines of Carol Burnett or Gilda Radner.
Can't overlook that laissez faire performance by Jonah subtle yet sublime
it's honestly my favorite role that Jonah Hill has played
Yes thank you. He's so laid back and it compliments wiig perfectly. I don't know he didn't crack
Yeah he actually added a lot to the performance, not that Wiig's was bad but he managed to elevate it, which is impressive, especially by himself
Louche as fuck
we gotta scoooot Liza
When she's first getting up from the couch and doing that shoulder move as she rises...that's my favorite part haha
I never noticed it until you mentioned it, it’s iconic
Same😆
is there anything this woman can't do,
Kristen wiig is awesome.
paul anthony walsh I could never work with her. I'd be fired for laughing too much.
+paul anthony walsh Turn off a lamp
same here!!
Act.
yeah, kristen wiig cant act. thats why shes one of the most memorable and successful recent snl cast members and has had tons of starring roles since leaving and has been hailed for her impressions for years, because she cant act. lol.
I like that several people clapped when she managed to turn off the lamp.
Haha I didn't notice that until I read your comment! Now it's my favorite thing to point out when I force people to watch this.
I just need to find the clicker or the switch that turns this whole coo-coo thing down!
This is exactly my type of humor, really off the wall and off-beat. Pure genius.
Mine too…and Gawd how I miss Wiig and her genius on SNL.
Omg that Fosse neck.This is genius. I hope Liza gets how very clever it is, even after all this time.
She was actually laughing for real many times. Omg I love her
This is my favorite SNL sketch ever. Along with "Ann Margaret Tries to Throw a Wad of Paper into a Trash Can."
Did you watched marry poppins one or the national anthem .. they are amazing ;)
is that a real skit? Ann M? I cant find it
@@forasec www.nbc.com/saturday-night-live/video/ann-margret/n13141
@@guyincognito7165 THANKS BABE. X0X
guyincognito71 thank you! I’ve been looking for that!!! Too funny!
Wow how brilliant is she, SNL was lucky to have her :)
She was literally the only reason I even started watching SNL. She was consistently hilarious each and every night. She was definitely one of the most talented people to ever be apart of that cast.
Now she lives in a cave somewhere....it is too bad they fired her
"I'm gettin' no where with this! It's like Tommy Tune!" Oh man what a reference
Man she is so funny. Give her flowers now!!!! She is so underrated to me. She nailed it. You can tell she wanted to laugh herself a couple of times. Lol
Will a Fosse neck do it LOL
hahahaha was hoping to find someone commenting this here!!
haha gets me every time
try telling that to Debbie Reynolds!
She needs to do this character with Christina Applegate's Fosse dance instructor
🤣🤣🤣
idk why "'Cause you're walking in PLAAAAAAAAAACE" sends me every time 😂
Nicola Ní Lochlainn it’s that voice he uses! It’s half old weirdo and half Tony Soprano’s mother. Amazing work by him.
@@jdturingkai564 I've seen this so many times and I totally just heard a bit of Tony Soprano's mother in there lmao
I don't understand this at all but I bloody love it.
Liza Minnelli is a broadway musical star, this is making fun of the way she acts on stage, and making fun of how people take forever to do things in musical because they're too busy singing or dancing.. It's fricken hilarious XD
Kristen Wiig is so on point
Kodie Jc yes and liza minnelli was also know for being drunk all the time... love that skit
thats how liza acts on stage.............get it!
I suppose there's also a lot of subcultural references. "Ask Debbie Reynolds about that!" Huh?
“Ben Vereen it’s long”. One of the million underrated lines in the skit!!!
"I'm not getting anywhere with it; it's like Tommy Tune" was the savage throwaway
If you’re not revisiting this sketch once a month, get your life together 🙌🏽
This is oddly true!!!!!!!!
Indeed
Perfect advice
I watch this at least once a week to get ne through all this covid crap
Absolutely right!👏
"Kick, ball, chain, remember?....Atlantic City....I choked on a shrimp"..... Bwahahahahaa!!!!!
and her legs on sofa spread open...so funny..i revisit this skit to lol a few times a week
Hahahahahhaha I'm thinking it might be in a box in a middle of a caarrrrr
"Not my house. Not my lamp." I can watch this over and over.
That’s a good life philosophy, as a matter of fact.
Why are SNL audiences so weak? This was hilarious I was crying
I think they either have to be at least 45 years old or just know a lot about older Hollywood and Broadway to get most of the references.
Yeah I bet almost no one in the audience even knows who Liza is and so cant appreciate how spot on this is.
Probably one of those sketches towards the end of the night when the audience loses their enthusiasm. But there's so many gems there...like when Kate McKinnon does that aged old movie star in an interview with other #metoo actresses.
I think they already saw it during the dress rehearsal.
TBF, I feel like this was only written for theater kids and acerbic gay men. And even that venn diagram overlaps a lot :P
With that said, I ugly laughed. "WILL A FOSSE NECK DO IT?!"
When my boyfriend asks me to turn off the lamp, I try and recite everything from this scene as much as I can remember. Asking if a fosse neck will do it is my favourite.
brilliant - and the title graphic is a hilarious play on the Cabaret movie album graphics. Wonder if Liza ever saw this, and what she thought - I'm sure she thought it was hysterical.
This is hilarious. Hands down one of my fav SNL skits. Almost feels like an inside joke if youre familiar with Liza. Go watch some of her early stuff. She was a damn good entertainer.
Mine too! 😂
Kristen has such good rhythm and is so much fun!
..."skinny lady" how I will refer to floor lamps going forward.
They way she embodies characters is so perfect
This never ever ever gets old. Beyond classic
Jonah doesn’t get the props he deserved for this skit- perfect. One of my favorites.
He’s a genius.
You can throw any role or character at Kristen and she'll kill it!
As a brit I've never seen SNL before, I've just started binge watcing clips. I'm not a fan of most of the humor but I love anything Kristen is in. This whole scene had me in stiches, shes a very intelligent and talented gal.
She's a one-woman show, unbelievable. And she must memorize MANY of her lines, unlike most SNL performers. It's what gives her the physical freedom to do all this other crazy shit that has me laughing til I cry.
I was wondering about all the crazy terms she has for lamps and their parts. That it had to be written in advance, but she delivered it all so effortlessly. And I think she is using the teleprompter to keep on track, but I think you are right about her memorizing here, I don't know how else she could have done it. It's a joy for me to watch 🙂
Ben Vereen, it's long
This performance is damn funny and nuanced, all the little movements and gestures, cultural references. Everything.
She's brilliant, capturing the manic nature of Liza and making it funny.
Don't make those little kitties wait, we're gonna miss Cats!!
everything is working for me in this sketch. Jonah Hill is fantastic in this, he complements Kristen Wiig so well! and Ms Wiig, need I say more, so so addictive!
WHY DOES NO ONE EVER TALK ABOUT THIS
Sophie Really! Well, I'm talking about it right now. (Not on here, on Twitter with the person who posted it there.)
Lmao! This is hands down one of my absolute favorite snl skits ever.
My friends and I reenact this bit when we’re drunk
@@nspector that's what I was just thinking. All these years later and going.
Watch her do ann margaret!!!
Every once in awhile, there comes along a sketch that nobody else could possibly make work.
This is one of those sketches.
omg, Kristen's commitment to the bit, hahaha
this skit fundamentally changed me
the fosse neck did it....it really did HAHA
You can usually tell how versatile an actor is when they host SNL and are comfortable in playing the odd parts written for them and they play them with ease. Much like Jonah Hill here.
gutz1981 Amen
He’s a chubby mess.
His contribution here was minimal to say the least. Kristen completely stole it.
Well, to be fair it's hard to find a sketch where Kristen Wiig doesn't upstage everyone else, because of her over-the-top characters and her monstruous talent. Especially for a host, and not a regular cast member, I'd say Jonah Hill did fairly well
True True
no matter how bad my day could be, this sketch will always make me laugh! it's like the ultimate medicine for joy!
I'm oddly addicted to this sketch I don't laugh at it anymore its just really entertaining and almost hypnotic to watch
"I'm not getting anywhere with it. It's like Tommy Tune!" 🤣🤣🤣🤣
Funny how that slid by...The audience didn't get it at all.
Kristen almost breaks at 2:11 but holds it together. Comic genius, this whole sketch.
I love when she almost breaks at 2:20. It shows how much fun they're really having in this sketch.
One of my favorite sketches from Wiig
One of the funniest bits ever. "...look how long the cord is...Ben Vereen it's long...I'm not gettin' anywhere with it, it's like Tommy Tune!" I had to go get some air after this Wiig masterpiece.
This skit has been a running joke between my husband and me for years. It popped up in my recommendations and I laughed just as hard as I did when this first aired. 😂 Kristen Wiig is a gift.
That kick-ball-change towards the sofa was hilarious 😂😂😂
This is literally the funniest performance I've ever seen from this show, I love Kristen Wiig's acting with a passion.
I have never laughed so much at SNL before. This is the funniest thing I have ever seen.
I didn't laugh once and I did get the reference to the coke addict. I'm not sure exactly what I missed.
I come here every so often when I'm having a bad day.
the “what?” with the voice crack absolutely killed me after you tell that to debbie reynolds
This is almost like a execise they'd have you do as part of an audition for an improv comedy company. Give you something totally mundane to do and one line of setup, and see how you could punch up the situation/how long you could usefully extend the action in a funny way.
+Robert Haworth Wow, if someone could improvise this, it'd be unreal.
My first time auditioning for an improv show, I bombed because I was so young and thought I could do anything but I couldn't do this exercise. Humiliated myself and signed up for improv classes immediately the next day
"Chain, ball, kick, chain..." CLASSIC!!
This has become one of my top 5 favorite SNL skits of all time
This must be the best sketch ever. Lol I keep coming back to it
Come on Liza, we gotta goooo
This woman is pure talent.
BEN VEREEN THIS CHORD IS LONG. THIS IS THE MOST UNDERRATED SKETCH OMG
"Ben Vereen!" is such a great exclamation, and it works anywhere. "Ben Vereen, it's hot today!"
Eric J....i am gong to start circulating that...morrow will be in the 90s....and im using that line.....
Yeah, but when you say "it's long!", the reference takes on a whole new meaning.
"I found the cord! I just gotta pull it outta the wall! Ohhhh look how long this cord is! Ben Vereen it's long!" I'm dyin
Broadway and Liza Minelli would be so proud 🤣 This sketch still makes me laugh in ways I can't even explain!
This is incredible. This is how I'm going to turn off lamps in my house from now on
+jmurphy432 Ahahaha, how's that working out for you?? :p
@@nspector well the electricity bill is a little higher hahaha
@@_wegota2319_ Ahh, a small price to pay!
Lol!
This is my favorite SNL skit of all time.
I don't know, Liza. It's probably pretty simple.
You tell that to Debbie Reynolds!
What?
Jiddy12345 Haha, yeah, I think that reference is a bit surreal. Maybe something to do with Eddie Fischer leaving her for Elizabeth Taylor?? I don't know, but she makes it work.
@@nspector It's so funny! My friend spit out her drink when I showed her that and that line came up.
“You tell that to Debbie Reynolds”
“What.”
That knocked me out of my chair.
I’m so glad this exists on the internet forever where I can watch it anytime I want. And I watch it almost daily.
kristen is the reason i started watching snl.. too bad she's not there anymore
Kate Mckinnon is equally as good, if not better
@Elliepopcorn i don't like ranking comedians but they are both hilarious. I only give Kate the nod as her supporting cast is nowhere near as good as the one Kristen had
“To heck with cats, *LET’S* *DANCE* “
That last bit is a lovely nod to Liza and DeNiro in New York, New York.
And I end up watching this again & die laughing. Just realizing she’s cracking herself up throughout... 😂
Every time I watch this it makes me laugh
I am horrified that I reached the age of 35 before discovering this sketch. This could have seen me through some hard times
3:33 has anyone ever looked happier than jonah hill and kristen wiig do dancing together at the end of this sketch? i don't think so
Honestly that slow stand up with the shoulders bobbing kills me.
This has to be one of the best skits in SNL history
Agreed
"Ben Vereen, it's long!" LOLOL I will never not laugh at this sketch, and I've watched it at least 10 times.
I'm an old Liza fan, and Kristen absolutely nailed her movements; brilliant
This is complete brilliance. In every way shape and form. I watch it EVERY morning and LMAO EVERY morning. Kristen is appropriately OTT, and Jonah...wow...playing the straight man...we gotta see CAAAAAATTTSSS...Hilarious. Brava, Bravo.