Top Ten Non-Political Sketches - My Take

I think 2008 has been a great year for SNL, so it is hard to narrow down my top 10 favourites, but I'll give it a shot.

1. The Lawrence Welk Show -(Anne Hathaway)
Maybe the most perfect sketch all year. It proved that hilarity and perfection can lie in brevity. The sketch can't be any longer than three minutes, but every aspect is excellent. From Armisen's Lawrence Welk impression, to the four ladies singing, to the final verse when Wiig's character revealed that she ate a cat, to the costumes. It all left me wanting more, like any good SNL sketch.

2. Annuale -(Tina Fey)
This is sure to go down as a classic in SNL commercial parodies. One of the best and most memorable sketches all year. "Do not take Annuale if you ever plan on becoming pregnant as it may turn your baby into a fire monster."

3. Everyone's A Critic (Paul Rudd)
Weird and wonderful, this is the digital short of the year. It far surpasses Jizzed in My Pants in imagination, and absurdity. Just when you think it's over, something else happens!

4. Countdown with Keith Olbermann (Ben Affleck)
Is it possible to have an epic sketch? If so, then this is the Ben-Hur of SNL sketches. Ben Affleck did one of the best impressions in a sketch with a wholly ridiculous premise, that Keith Olbermann lives with his mother and cat. Hilarity ensued when Olbermann accusedJohn McCain of having Nazi sympathies and comparing his application refusal to a co-op board to the Trail of Tears.

5. Clancy T. Bachleratt and Jackie Snad Sing Songs about Spaceships, Toddlers, Model T. Cars & Jars of Beer (Jonah Hill)
Perhaps not the best sketch of the year in terms of edginess, but this one never fails to make convulse with laughter. If you remember, Jonah Hill could barely make it through his lines without a big silly grin on his face. From Will Forte and Kristen Wiig's impression of country singers, to the premise of the songs, I can't help but giggle with glee at this sketch.

6. Single Ladies Dancer Sketch (Paul Rudd)
Samberg, Moynihan, and honorary SNL cast member Justin Timberlake play male dancers dancing to Beyoncé's feminist anthem Single Ladies. Did I mention they are wearing leotards? Enough said.

7. La Rivista Della Televisione with John Malkovich (John Malkovich)
In a year where we really haven't seen all that much of Bill Hader, this reminded me why he's one of the greatest cast members in recent years. From his Malkovich impression, to the Being Vinny Vedecci clip, to shutting his child up with cigarettes, this was a joy.

8. New York Times (James Franco)
You would have thought that a sketch lampooning the liberal media would have been warmly welcomed by McCain supporters and conservatives, and yet this was coolly received due to a comment made about incest between Todd Palin and his daughters. Instead of seeing that this sketch was highlighting how out of touch NY Times reporters are with regular people, conservatives saw this as an attack on the wannabe "First Dude". In actuality, this sketch was one of the funniest of the year, and showed SNL isn't afraid to mock liberals and conservatives alike.
"What's your name?"
"Karl Marx."

9. Mary Poppins (Anne Hathaway)
I hate Mary Poppins. I liked seeing her depicted as an STD carrier, and as someone afflicted with supercalifragilisticexpialadocious, a "disease of the liver".
"Must be your cooking Mary Poppins!" Delightful!

10. The Looker (James Franco)
How unprecedented and random was a reference to Penny Marshall? Not hardhitting like others, and free of offensive material, but it tickled my funny bone and continues to do so. Kristin Wiig needs to reprise her Kyra Sedgwick impression also. "Con-fay-uss!"

What are your favourites? Did I leave any mega ones out?