Saturday Night Lost?

Has anyone else noticed the declination in comedic actors? They seem few and far between now days. Saturday Night Live used to be the birthplace of the next comedic stars in Hollywood. SNL gave us such greats as John Candy, Eddie Murphy, Jane Curtin (3rd Rock From The Sun), Dan Aykroyd, Dana Carvey, Chevy Chase, Mike Meyers, and a whole slew of others. We've seen spin-off's like "In Living Color", and "Mad TV", but it seems like the last successive generation of comedic actors (in quite some time) has ended with "Jim Carrey" "The Wayans brothers", and a few others from the "In Living Color" cast.

Is there a changing trend in Hollywood that doesn't require as many comedic actors as there used to be? Is the talent just not there? Does anyone have an inside scoop?

- Josh

I've never been too fond of SNL...but you raise an interesting point. That said, I don't think anyone can really answer your question conclusively because trying to explain these things is akin to figuring out why bell bottoms went out of style with time.

You're leaving yourself too short. It isn't that there's no comedic actors, it's because of bad scripts! Bottom line is you need a good story for any comedy actor to blossom. However, the crap we've had over the last copule years is no better than the best potty humor anyone can expect. Case and point, "Van Wilder", "Up the Creek", "American Pie II", etc..

Tim,

Good point about the "potty humor". I love Jim Carrey, and his style of comedy, however, there's a point at which even I've seen enough variations of his "Mask", and "Pet Detective" personas. I hope we get some "new blood" in the mix soon. I think Jim "might" be breaking out of his comedic shell with his upcoming movie "Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events" this December, but we'll have to wait and see on that one.

Chin,

"Bellbottoms" never went out of style... pants just got baggier, and wider to compensate for the bells! :D

Nudity hasn't gone out of style yet though. thankfully :D

What about Will Ferrell? And as much as I hate to say it Adam Sandler as well. They are doing the same thing as their SNL brethren before them. SNL has gone downhill dramatically since its revival in the early 90's, but it still has no effect on it's former stars pumping out movies.

I used to love SNL, but nowadays, it seems like they're not even trying. They have their agenda and they're gonna push it... with quotes made in snickery voices, opposed to true cleverness or any amount of real, laughable humor.

Oh, and "3rd Rock from the Sun" should be released on DVD, because it's one of my favorite shows.

I started watching SNL in about 2001, and loved it then. The cast now is just not funny. But just like Jim said, its only half their fault, as the writing is horrible as well. The actors, and scripts, in the "teen" movies are just terrible. They try to make you laugh be making someone incredibly stupid, or a stoner. Case in point: Sean William Scott. Alot of my friends, and brothers friends think he is hilarious. I think he's annoying, particularily in the American Pie movies. He is supposed to be funny because in every movie he is typecast as being stupid, and I never found it funny. Another thing writers are trying to make funny is the "he looks funny, so I command you to laugh". Such as "Dodgeball" (my least favorite movie of all time), and "Anchorman". Just beacuse both the main characters in each film (played by Ben Stiller and Will Ferrel) and "funny" looking mustaches/clothing, doesnt make them funny.

-matt