Mallory said it was okay to be proud of being just a little bit gay, even if that’s just really liking Kate McKinnon and thinking about her randomly, at odd moments, so now you have to listen to me break down McKinnon’s Angela Merkel impression.
Here is the video. If you are Canadian (and probably if you are from Australia, or other places, too) you may not be able to see it. That’s okay, because I’m going to tell you about it in exhaustive detail, and I’m sure you have some sort of workaround network that will be revealed in the comments.
Have you watched it yet? I mean, don’t lose your job over it. Let’s begin.
1. Correct pronounciation of “Ahngella” by Cecily Strong.
The Germans have their own ways.
2. Correct use of “mobile” over “cell phone.”
It’s the little things.
3. The way her eyes flit down and to the right when she says “eins is the loneliest number.”
McKinnon’s Merkel is deeply sympathetic. How would you like it if the NSA had access to all your personal electronic data? Ho ho ho ho. Semi-seriously, though, McKinnon uses the weird rigidity of the imagined Merkel to make her obvious embarrassment really touching.
4. “During this time, I also sent many tiny ee-youuu-mails. You call this…(slightly recoils head, bares teeth) texts.”
The best line readings in the history of the world. Anyone can do an accent to humourous effect. But if the accent is the joke, it’s only half a joke. I don’t even know how to write out how she said “eu-mails.” “Eughh-mails?” It’s perfect.
5. She looks up to gather emotional strength before telling us about the many shameful tiny ooo-mails she has sent, including to her ex-boyfriend Friedrichs: “Sorry, wrong Friedrichs. But how are you doing?”
The charm is in the thinness of the facade. We’re her friends now. She’s okay telling us about her transparent play to attract Friedrichs’ attention. She also knows it was transparent. Angela Merkela is no fool, just undone by love as are the rest of us orbiting the sun on our fragile blue planet.
6. The moment when she loses all composure, as it occurs to her that Barack Obama may have seen her Google search history.
Let’s draw a momentary veil over her pain.
7. “No, we have a saying in Germany: once the cat is out of the bag you should the cat up in the public square und shake it until it dies.”
That’s the whole idea of confessional blogging, right there.
8. The contents of her search history:
a) “angela merkel lame”
b) “angela merkel boxy”
c) “is toe hair normal?”
d) “nickelback tour schedule”
e) “jason segel no shirt”
9. What Barack Obama’s search history is probably like, according to Merkel:
a) “how to manage your many friends”
b) “what is the healthiest vegetable” (perfect moue of disdain and mild envy)
c) “can your marriage be too happy?”
d) jason segel fully clothed
10. Her little litany of success as she begins to perk back up, freed by her disclosure, joined in the spirit of sisterhood with Cecily and her female audience, mildly sexually charged by the attention of her male audience.
Germany sounds pretty great right now! Female leaders!
11. “I’m a proud hater of dogs.”
Have you googled “angela merkel hates dogs?” yet? Will you? Did you like her little strut of satisfaction on that one?
12. “I’m doing all right.”
Yes, you are. Yes you are.
Tags: angela merkel, gayness, greatness, kate mckinnon, snl, television
Re: “mobile,” a fun fact is that in German, the usual slang term for a cell phone is actually “Handy”, one of those weird it’s-obviously-a-loan-world-from-English-but-it’s-not-used-like-that-in-English words that I find SUPER CHARMING.
Handy is so great. Also, SMS (which is, I think, short message service?) is really what they call texts, and is maybe another funny English-acronym-but-not-really-used-like-that things? (UK/ commonwealth please correct if I’m wrong!)
NOPE, they are now all going to start saying “TIXTS” to please me.
Yeah, ‘SMS’ = Short Messaging Service. It was a popular term in Australia for ages but now seems to be being replaced with ‘text’ as a verb. I’ve heard Germans using both terms about equally, but ‘Das Handy’ always makes me giggle.
I also find the conversion of some digital verbs into native German quite charming, like ‘herunterladen’.
I used to love how texts were officially called “SMS Kurznachrichten,” which is basically the same thing twice (“kurznachricht” meaning “short message”). A rare example of German inefficiency.
The Germans are secretly the most charming people on earth. Mostly because it’s just a nation full of huge dorks.
Ha, I was coming down to say just this.
Plus, the fact that everyone pronounces it “Händy”
Is it time for Stephen Fry? It feels like time for Stephen Fry. http://youtu.be/39EPz2JsbUk
(This is not what I thought my first comment on the Toast would be…)
Tis always the perfect moment for a smidge of Stephen Fry.
And the pronunciation of ‘wifi’ as ‘whiffy’!
Kate McKinnon is by FAR outpacing any of the bakers dozen of new white boys who joined SNL in the last year. It’s like watching … well, it’s like watching a woman run comedy circles around a bunch of white guys who’ve gotten to where they are being interchangeable straight white men. She just brings this hint of “unhinged within the next five minutes” to all her characters that is DELIGHTFUL, and what I loved about Amy Poehler on SNL.
RIGHT? I’ve loved Kate McKinnon since she was on the Big Gay Sketch Show and did “Lesbian Speed Dating” with Julie Goldman. That was perfect, beautiful comedy. There was a hummus buffet and open journaling all night long…. until 10 o’clock.
Here: http://vimeo.com/17212766
BGSS forever! Kate McKinnon KILLED it on that show! She and Julie Goldman in the Facts of Life skit…
Yes. She is SO willing to go so out there, it makes the rest of them look mostly like ninnies. I love her crazy eyes. She is so fierce and so funny. Did you catch the online content of the women sea captains? HER BEARD.
I couldn’t get past Gaga in the wig looking far too much like Ani DiFranco. It made everything funnier.
TOTALLY. I think she’s my favourite cast member fullstop.
I still have a REALLY soft spot in my heart for Bobby Moynihan.
Aidy Bryant is also pretty glorious this season.
The couple of moments near the end when she slips into an English accent and it is still perfect.
I also really loved her as Ann Romney, and SNL’s version of the Romneys in general. The whole Romney campaign was such a bumble, I’m glad they worked that into a portrayal that expressed pity and compassion.
The quote “Everybody loves Be-yon-ce, Seth!” still gets a lot of play in my house.
And the offer to shoot her horse!
Is it seriously not up on Youtube yet?
Is it seriously not up on Youtube yet?
[Petition to have Kate McKinnon write a monthly column for the Toast]
[Petition to have Kate McKinnon write a monthly column for the Toast]
And the offer to shoot her horse!