Remember the SNL sketch with Reagan and the girl scout?

[Kid_A]

Phil Hartman played Reagan as a sweet-natured, kindly old man when the Girl Scout who sold the most cookies came into the Oval Office, and then as soon as she left he went back to his arms deals. I haven't seen this skit in years, but the stuff on TV last weekend reminded me of it. I've always thought that skit perfectly summed up the Reagan presidency: kind face to the public, but behind closed doors they were all ruthless war profiteers.

[Ready4Change]

1. I want an SNL Political skits DVD collection.

It doesn't exist, but I really really want this. I picture one DVD containing all the SNL political skits done during each 4 year presidential term. (ie: 1 Ford, 1 Carter, 2 Reagans, 1 Bush I, 2 Clintons, 1 Bush II...)

I'd love it, as I think SNL has always been their best when doing politics, particularly so for all but the original cast.

And yes, I do recall this Reagan sketch. I saw it live and was ROFLing the whole way through.

[Lisa]

8. they did do a special edition just before the 2000 election

"The SNL Presidential Bash". I'm hoping that they do an extended version this year, so I can tape it ...

That Hartman skit is one of my all-time faves. I also liked the one where he portrayed Clinton in a McDonald's, bumming food from everybody.

[CatWoman]

11. here's the audio on quicktime

http://politicalhumor.about.com/library/multimedia/snl_reaganhartman.mp3

[meegbear]

2. "Don't make me have to kill you ..."

saying that to Jimmy Stewart, when he stopped by for a visit and trying to get rid of him.

There's another one with Robin Willaims doing Reagan. They give him an earpiece to tell him what to say at a press conference and the piece keeps picking up different radio frequencies. That was a good one.

[Yupster]

13. It was a classic

I still laugh when I think of it.

I also loved the one with Perot ditching Stockdale in the forest.

[mark11727]

3. Saw a similar sketch on the alternative show to SNL, "Fridays"...

... where RR would switch back and forth between a good-natured photo-op personality, and a tough-talking Machiavellian character. The funniest part was conducting phone calls in different languages, and his aides pleading with him to please keep them in the loop, as only he knew all the details to everything happening around him.

[geek tragedy]

4. That sketch was one of the funniest things I've ever seen

"Back to work!"

My favorite part was where he did some rough math, some junior aide started giving him the exact figure, and then ol' Ronnie finishes it off to the decimal point, followed by a snotty "Thank you so much."

Oh dear lord that was good stuff.

[tridim]

9. That was SNL, not Fridays

Actually it was the same sketch with the Girl Scout with Phil Hartman as Reagan.

[lanparty]

10. Ah, the old "Carter" joke ...

That super-competent Carter was really a hoot, wasn't he. No one ever makes fun of HIM for being a dumb-ass like Reagan, Ford and Bush.

[Lisa]

12. that SNL sketch on the newly-elected Carter ...

... as he shows detailed expertise in everything from fixing obscure Post Office sorting machines to talking down a freaked-out pill-popper, just wasn't as funny as the Reagan skit.

"Ask President Carter"
http://snltranscripts.jt.org/76/76ocarter.phtml

"Masterbrain" (Reagan)
http://snltranscripts.jt.org/86/86fmasterbrain.phtml

Just too easy to imagine Carter actually giving out good information, I guess!

[jpgray]

5. I think they were satirizing his image as an out-of-touch puppet

Rather than playing him as a war profiteer, they were playing him as a hard-working, hands-on type of president--which of course was ridiculous. I liked the Robin Williams sketch, wherein they gave him an earpiece and he picked up the radio signals. :D

[denverbill]

6. That's the way I took it too.

Because I always figured it was Bush I running most of the show, while the doddering old ex-actor just played President. I thought it was funny because just the idea of Reagan actually taking charge and being in on the planning sounded ridiculous. You just couldn't imagine him talking like that or having any clue what was really going on.

[Yupster]

14. Reagan had no respect for Bush

Gave him little to do.

Bush pulling Reagan's strings makes me laugh. Bush never even got up to the residential floor of the White House -- even after he was elected, Reagan didn't invite him.

[Cocoa]

7. "this is the part of the job I hate"

when told the girl scout was there to see him. :-)