Jenny Slate is leaving SNL.
If you don't know who she is, she's the girl who never really got a good chance to shine in any of the skits.
Sure, there was Tina-Tina Chaneuse but that's it? She would have been great as the "happy hipster" or the "teen-angst cheerleader." Maybe the "mom who brings her baby everywhere."
With Kristen Wiig playing 80-90% of the leads in all the sketches, there isn't much room for anyone else. Some people call her the "MVP of SNL" but really I think she's just the one that played the game and got on set. Sure she's funny, but in a traditional and reincarnation-of-Gilda-Radner kind of way- and we all loved Gilda. I also don't get the whole Gilly Character or why a whole episode at christmas was devoted to her. Lorne, I would much rather you treat the players on SNL like your children. Of course let the more experienced ones do some of the heavy lifting, but don't sign your will over to one kid. Politics, Schmolitics- be fair and the show gets better.
I like to think there are plenty of funny people who wouldn't do well on SNL. Louis CK would be a disaster. And no one would get Demetri Martin whatsoever. Even Zach Galifinakis, who was FANTASTIC when he guest hosted, would only do so well for so long. You have to be a completely traditional kind of comedian on SNL.
So here's a little video Jenny Slate worked on. She wrote it and is the voice of the Marcel the Shell... and it's a clear, perfect example of her talents not being used adequately on SNL.
