This weekend’s “Saturday Night Live” seemed to successfully achieve some key objectives.
Following the departure of veterans Bill Hader, Jason Sudeikis and Fred Armisen, it aimed to position Taran Killam as its irrefutable leading man. It also continued offering fan favorite Kate McKinnon an opportunity to show off her comedic chops. And, though it did not arm her with excesses of humorous material, it did provide Miley Cyrus a platform for positioning herself as both likable and musical.
But reaction to all of those efforts pales in comparison to that for its “We Did Stop (the government)” video. A parody of the government shutdown set to Cyrus’ hit “We Can’t Stop,” the sketch, making direct reference to the original song’s video, featured Killam as John Boehner and Cyrus as Michele Bachmann. Both, particularly Killam, replicated the original video’s infamous, sexual images.
As “We Did Stop” was designed as a clear attempt to generate viral buzz, NBC was predictably quick to fuel online conversation. It quickly shared the music video and lyrics; both are featured below:
It’s our party
We can do what we want
It’s our party
We can say what we want
It’s our party
We can stop what we want
We can vote how we want
Defund what we want
Red states and sweaty bodies everywhere
Bill’s in the house like we don’t care
‘cause we came to shut it all down now
No government around now
If you’re not ready for health care
Can I get a “HELL, NO!”
‘Cause we’re gonna keep it out shut down
D.C.is a closed town all-round
So la da di da di
Republican Party
Repping G.O.P.
Doing whatever we want
This is our house
This is our rules
And we did stop (the government)
Yeah, we did stop (shut it down)
Can’t you see it’s we
Who are right?
Can’t you see it’s we
Who ‘bout that life?
To my government workers on the furlough
Even though you’re already paid low
Remember only God can judge us
Forget the haters ‘cause somebody elected us
And everyone in line for early childcare
Anyone who planned to see a grizzly bear
We are all shut down here
Getting so shut down, yeah, yeah
So la da di da di
Republican Party
Repping G.O.P.
Doing whatever we want
This is our house
This is our rules
And we did stop
Yeah, we did stop
Can’t you see it’s we
Who are the right?
Can’t you see it’s we
Who ‘bout that life?
It’s our party
We can do what we want
It’s our party
We can say what we want
It’s our party
We can stop what we want
We can vote how we want
Defund what we want
Shut it down.