I don't consider myself to be a particularly sensitive person but even I think that crosses the line.

Why are there so many posts about SNL? Do people still watch SNL? Is there some sort of promotional agreement here?

I have a friend who DVRs every ep of SNL, and I just thought, Really?! There are people who still watch that show?!

No, it doesnt cross the line, but its not funny. Hausfrau, I only watch the Hulu.com clips of the digital shorts. those are THE only thing funny anymore.

HEY! I watch it..sometimes..okay only when a good celeb goes on.

on topic, I thought "eew" when I saw this video. It definetly crosses the line!

I watch it, and stuck by it even through the worst years. What can I say, I'm loyal.

I do wish they'd get diversity in the cast though. Having Fred Armisen play Paterson and Obama? Yeeeah. Just sayin'.

...he does have Obama's voice down really well though.

I think so to Em. They really do need to get some new cast members! More digital shorts too..Andy is my fave! Get him, Shia Lebuff, and Justin Timberlake..MAGIC.

Okay Shia Lebuff? I obviously meant shia labeouf.

seriously EM you avi is distracting me! Its all your fault

It is a good avi. The digital shorts are my favorite too. I couldn't get that "Lazy Sunday" song out of my head for weeks.

I still watch it. Occasionally they'll have a really great show.

I'm not sure if it crosses the line, but it definately lacks taste. It's one thing to mock a policitican for their lack of grace, smarts, tact, etc it's another thing to mock one because of his/her disabilities.

What people should really be offended by is the fact that they only occasionally have a good show and lack African American cast members to the point that they have to have a white man play patterson and Obama....SAD. I find myself taping it just to fast forward to the musical acts.

I think they could have stuck with some of it but toned down other parts. You want to make sure that you are not rendering a politician immune to dissent just because he/she has a disability, but it should also be for the right reasons.

i was more offended by the nj disses!

"Jizz in My Pants" was a pretty funny digital short too.

I love "dick in a box". Also the "mmmm watcha say" one! That was so funny!

I have to say, the part where he blocks the camera while Amy Poehler (after this clip) was trying to say her goodbyes was pretty damn funny.

hmm when people make gay jokes it's funny or make skits about paralyzed people it's hilarious but a blind man is taking it too far???

while we're at it let's ask stevie wonder how he feels about being the most mocked and lampooned man in comedy history, this is nothing

I don't consider myself a politically correct person so having said that I found the impersonation pretty funny. Also, how is it offensive to the blind person who can't even watch the skit to begin with? I think Americans as a people have a tendency to get offended for others. I would imagine that it's more offensive for a blind person (or for anyone with a disability) to be TOLD that he or she is suppose to be offended.

at first i thought it was pretty offensive. but then i realized they were just portraying the man. he's blind. are they supposed to portray him as a man who is NOT legally blind? it wasn't even about the blindness until the end, when he couldn't find his way off the stage/away from the camera.

so i would say it toes the line, more to the inappropriate/distasteful side, but most comedy does. if it doesn't offend someone, it's not good comedy (george carlin, anyone?). i didn't think the sketch was funny till he interrupted amy poehler. i admit, like amy, i cracked up at that point. which was probably the most offensive part of the whole schpeal.

I'm a supporter of equal-opportunity offending. I didn't find this particularly funny but it wasn't because I was offended.

I think it's in poor taste. They could've done it better

lilprisci he is legally blind but he can still see out of his right eye. So I'm sure people didn't have to tell him how they were making fun of him he saw it for himself.

"Also, how is it offensive to the blind person who can't even watch the skit to begin with?"

So lets make fun of mentally challenged people..they wont know what were doing since you know, their retarded. Or we could make fun of deaf people behind their backs!

I didn't think it was offensive.
Also, I don't watch SNL, but I do love the Lonely Island dudes! Ardy, Jorma, and Akiva have my heart!

I meant to say that I don't watch SNL often, but I did for Hugh Laurie this past weekend.

bah I posted something and it was flagged.

basically lilprisci...he isn't blind completely he can still see out of one of his eyes.

secondly what does it matter whether he could or couldn't see the clip..Im sure knowing that people were making fun of his disability wouldn't feel right.

oops it was posted!

I watch SNL when I have time. As for this, I wasn't offended, but I'm not blind. I will say that if anyone is going to think he is "unable to run a government" chances are it's because of the whole admitted drug use/extramarital affair situation, and not some SNL skit that, apparently according to all of you, no one watched anyway.

"this just makes life harder for the bind."

Shouldn't that be blind not bind?

I'm on the fence over this one.

Its funny that Nya mentioned Stevie because he popped into my head...

Quoting her: "while we're at it let's ask stevie wonder how he feels about being the most mocked and lampooned man in comedy history"

Yeah, its so strange that you happened to mention him because the first thought I had was "they've made fun of Stevie's blindness for..uh..DECADES NOW."

On the other hand, making fun of blindness makes me feel a bit uncomfortable.

I guess my general rule is this:

If a person can help it, its funnier than when they can't. I.E....someone's color, gender, age, or disability. I just have a hard time finding amusement in something that I know is just a part of a person, and sometimes to their discomfort, such as being blind or not having a limb, etc.

But when we start talking about other things - things people can do something about, things they can avoid (and should, usually)..then its another story.

I just can't really say there's an easy answer to this, since this guy technically encompassed both sides, at least in my book.

When I saw the headline on CNN "Governor Upset About SNL Portrayal", I honestly thought it was about Blago and was surprised to see it was about Paterson. I didn't really see the skit as anymore offensive than any number of other ones they have done (Janet Reno, Bill Clinton?).

Funny. perhaps, I didnt see it. I will tell you this: in the earliest yrs I saw a skit where a babydoll was exhibited like a real baby. The actor beat and smashed the 'baby' repeatedly on a table with parts flying everywhere. The live audience laughed at this! I was appalled. I remember thinking, "what has this entertainment world come to whereby they can treat child abuse as fodder for a joke. That's the mentality of Lorne Michaels and his ilk.

I thought the skit was funny but people are EASILY influenced in matters they know nothing about. Most people are not familiar with visually impaired folks and already don't know how to react around them. This skit will not help with people already speaking louder to blind people or treating them like they are not smart.

My mom and stepfather are both blind... I make all kinds of inappropriate jokes with them as part of our relationship when we tease each other. I know they are capable though of many things that I see strangers question about them. When there are few portrayals of the visually impaired in the media, they need to be more positive.

I watched this, and I consider myself a pretty sensitive person but I didn't think this crossed the line. Sometimes, though, they do.

I do not find this offensive. The blind along with every other type of person has been made fun of on SNL & in films/tv; now you have outrage? Please. Yes, jokes can be taken over the line however I do not feel that is the case this time. It wasn't cruel, just dark humor dished in light-hearted way. Does that make sense?

i find this very offending for people from NEW JERSEY! it barley touched at his blindness.. thats just how he looks.

Eh... I didn't think it was funny.

mmm...i was more offended by how unfunny it was than by them making fun of his blindness.

the only funny part of it was when he walking in front of the camera when Amy was giving her thank you speech. of course, they did the same thing with the Crazy McCain lady earlier in the season too so i guess the humorous part lies in walking in front of the cameras without realizing you're doing it?

Nica that was the real funny part! I said it earlier

ok first of all, for those of you who are all like "is there anyone who even watches snl anymore?" yes, obviously there are. and it's gotten funny again, so i'd check it out if you can find the time.
second, i saw the skit saturday night and i am definitely a sensitive person, but i couldn't help laughing...maybe not so much at all of the jokes about his cocaine use, whatever. but once he got up and was all in front of the cameras...that was FUNNY. there's just something about people walking in front of cameras...as if they don't know it...it worked when they caricatured mccain during the 2nd pres debate, it worked when they had the crazy gop lady "i've read about him, he's an arab" on weekend update as well...there's just something about people walking in front of cameras. i don't know why, but it's pretty hilarious.

I just don't think Fred Armisen is that funny. I just consistently find his skits boring. I feel like they are trying to push him, though...he is always in the promos now. They need to find a different star to push!

"Jizz in My Pants" was a pretty funny digital short too.

Dude, Sarah.... I can't get that song out of my head. I'm just hoping I don't start singing it out loud while I'm at work.

Mommatikita: ""Also, how is it offensive to the blind person who can't even watch the skit to begin with?"

So lets make fun of mentally challenged people..they wont know what were doing since you know, their retarded. Or we could make fun of deaf people behind their backs!"

Good point! I read that first quite and was like...wtf...right, making fun of people who don't realize they are being made fun of is super classy...

I think making fun of a permanent disability or characteristic like blindness is a lot different than making fun of something someone can change, like knowing which countries comprise North America. Plus, I have heard so many people say things like, "dude how could we let a BLIND man lead our state!?" Paterson is doing a better job than Spitzer did, and I would prefer SNL didn't make fun of his disability because I can just imagine all the a-holes laughing and questioning his ability to lead. Then again, maybe SNL expects people to be smarter than they really are.

Hey momma tikita, thanks for the feedback. I didn't realize that he could see a little; if he watched it himself, he has a right to feel however he wants about it. My point about a blind person not knowing how they're being portrayed wasn't implying that we should then go ahead and make fun of other disabilities - that implication would only hold if you feel that they were "making fun" of his disability, which I think is the main question and what has caused people to speak up. Some people, like myself feel it was more of a physical portrayal and that they WERE making fun of him (but not his blindness) and his lack of experience, ability, judgment, etc. to govern.

If the governor himself watched the skit (and wasn't told by someone else about it) and he feels offended, then he has every right to. I just don't think we have to feel offended for him.

LOL you missed spelled blind!

However, on topic, I have to agree lilprisci.