SNL Bailout Skit

UPDATE: NBC to restore SNL bailout skit -- slightly edited

NBC is going to restore a Democrat-skewering "Saturday Night Live" sketch to its Web site Tuesday after yanking it down due to content concerns.

The sketch mocked Golden West Financial founders Herbert and Marion Sandler for their role in the subprime mortgage market meltdown, as well as featured an unflatteringly portrayal of philanthropist George Soros. The sketch was embraced by conservatives for appearing to blame Democrats for the Wall Street meltdown.

...NBC's removal of the sketch without explanation Monday caused uproar among some viewers, who flooded the network with calls and e-mails, believing the sketch's right-leaning stance must have prompted the media outlet to censor its message.

But sources say the real reason for the removal was a faux C-SPAN ticker line that ran across the bottom of the screen during the skit reading "people who should be shot" and listed the Sandlers. Needless to say, network lawyers prefer that shows restrain from making on-air death threats.



"Upon review, we caught certain elements in the sketch that didn't meet our standards," an NBC statement said. "We took it down and made some minor changes and it will be back online soon."

________________

Don't expect the YouTube posting of the Saturday Night Live skit criticizing Democrats over the bailout to be up for long.

SNL exercises its copyright authority.

But for the time being, here it is:

(Note: The YouTube version of the original skit was removed.)

Here's the edited version:



From NewsBusters:

As NewsBusters reported Sunday, NBC's "Saturday Night Live" in its most recent installment did an extraordinary skit which amongst other things accurately blamed Democrats for the current financial crisis.

Early Sunday morning, as is customary for NBC, the video of this sketch was posted at its website. Some time Monday, it was taken down without any explanation.

It was extraordinary for SNL to be so critical of the Democrats.

I was amazed that they dared to mock George Soros, "Multi-Billionaire Hedge Fund Manager" and "Owner, Democratic Party."



I'm surprised that the skit was posted on the SNL website at all.

As far as I know, the skit that mocked the New York Times' reporting on Sarah Palin never made it up. It's possible that video wasn't posted because the skit included references to incest in the Palin family, but I'm more likely to believe the incest stuff wasn't the reason for its absence on the website.

Bottom line: SNL is Dem-friendly even when it isn't.