NFL Recap: Super Bowl LIV Preview (pod)

Taking a look at the positional matchups, the 49ers' & Chiefs' gameplans...and my ultimate pick in this season's final NFL Recap pod.

SNL Recap: Adam Driver

Monologue: Its rare that a monologue gets featured here (especially a non-stand up host monologue), but this monologue was spot on. It was Adam Driver just playing it chill, with a Mitch Hedberg vibe.



Del Taco Shoot: This almost seemed like a sort of "10 to 1" sketch. At first it seems like just a normal commercial shoot, but then Beck Bennett and Driver get agitated with the way Kyle Mooney says "Aww man, I'm all out of cash". And.....that's pretty much the sketch, yet I was literally laughing out loud. The various inflections they put on that phrase was spectacular.


The Science Room: During a PBS show, Driver attempts to teach some science to Cecily Strong and Mikey Day....with frustrating results. There are probably a lot of teachers out there who very much relate to this sketch.


Weekend Update - Melissa Villasenor: Melissa was back for an Oscars update spot. There was a lot of online discourse on Melissa's "White Male Rage" song, but I thought this was a creative use of commentary. She tied the theme throughout the best picture nominees, including "Greta Gerwig snubbed because of 'White Male Rage' ".


SNL returned with a strong showing with Adam Driver. As we enter 2020, eyes will be on SNL to see how they cover the election. Their 2016 general election in hindsight hasn't aged well at all. For this episode, we saw a creative, yet middling cold open political effort. (7.73)


Eddie Murphy: 8.08

David Harbour: 7.78

Adam Driver: 7.73

Phoebe Waller-Bridge: 7.52

Jennifer Lopez: 7.49

Kristen Stewart: 7.45

Harry Styles: 7.38
Woody Harrelson: 7.34

Will Ferrell: 7.21

Chance The Rapper: 6.98

Scarlett Johansson: 6.97

2020 Grammy's Preview

Best R&B Album:
"1123", BJ The Chicago Kid
"Painted", Lucky Daye
"Ella Mai", Ella Mai
"Paul", PJ Morton
"Ventura", Anderson .Paak

I could see Ella Mai take this, given her Grammy last year for R&B Song, but I'm leaning towards "Ventura" by Anderson .Paak. He's just so unique with what he does.

Best Country Solo Performance:
"All Your'n", Tyler Childers
"Girl Goin' Nowhere". Ashley McBryde
"Ride Me Back Home", Willie Nelson
"God's Country", Blake Shelton
"Bring My Flowers Now", Tanya Tucker

This could easily go the safe route with "God's Country", but in terms of the country field, this feels like its going to be Tanya Tucker's year, so I'm going with "Bring My Flowers Now".

Best Country Album:
"Desperate Man", Eric Church
"Stronger Than The Truth", Reba McEntire
"Interstate Gospel", Pistol Annies
"Center Point Road", Thomas Rhett
"While I'm Livin'", Tanya Tucker

A fairly loaded field; I could see Pistol Annies winning, but like I said with country solo performance, I'm going with "While I'm Livin'" by Tanya Tucker.

Best Rock Album:
"Amo", Bring Me The Horizon
"Social Cues", Cage The Elephant
"In the End", The Cranberries
"Trauma", I Prevail
"Feral Roots", Rival Sons

I'll admit, I'm flying a bit blind with this category. Anyway, I'm going with "Amo" by Bring Me The Horizon.

Best Rock Performance:
"Pretty Waste", Bones UK
"This Land", Gary Clark Jr.
"History Repeats", Brittany Howard
"Woman", Karen O & Danger Mouse
"Too Bad", Rival Sons

There's certainly a wide array of nominees. You could make a solid case for any winner, but I'm leaning towards "History Repeats" by Brittany Howard. It was a really solid solo outing for her.

Best Rap Album:
"Revenge Of The Dreamers III", Dreamville
"Championships", Meek Mill
"I Am > I Was", 21 Savage
"Igor", Tyler, The Creator
"The Lost Boy", YBN Cordae

Like with Rock Album, I'm not all that familiar here, but I'm going with "Igor", by Tyler, The Creator.

Best Pop Duo/Group Performance:
"Boyfriend", Ariana Grande & Social House
"Sucker", Jonas Brothers
"Old Town Road", Lil Nas X ft. Billy Ray Cyrus
"Sunflower", Post Malone & Swae Lee
"Senorita", Shawn Mendes & Camila Cabello

I went back and forth between "Old Town Road", "Sunflower" and "Senorita". Given its overall international success, I decided to go with "Senorita" by Shawn Mendes & Camila Cabello.

Best Pop Solo Performance:
"Spirit", Beyonce
"Bad Guy", Billie Eilish
"7 Rings", Ariana Grande
"Truth Hurts", Lizzo
"You Need To Calm Down", Taylor Swift

Like with most of the main awards, I foresee a duel between Billie Eilish and Lizzo. In this case, I'm going with "Bad Guy" by Billie Eilish.

Best New Artist:
Black Pumas
Billie Eilish
Lil Nas X
Lizzo
Maggie Rogers
Rosalia
Tank and The Bangas
Yola

Again, I chose between Lizzo and Billie Eilish. In this case, I went with Lizzo. I think she'll get honored here for her breakout over the last year.

Best Song Of The Year:
"Always Remember Us This Way", Lady Gaga
"Bad Guy", Billie Eilish
"Bring Me Flowers Now", Tanya Tucker
"Hard Place", H.E.R
"Lover", Taylor Swift
"Noram F***ing Rockwell", Lana Del Rey
"Someone You Loved", Lewis Capaldi
"Truth Hurts", Lizzo

The battle between Billie Eilish and Lizzo continues. In this case, I'm going with "Bad Guy" by Billie Eilish. Given how song of the year honors the song-writer, I think "Bad Guy" gets the edge.

Best Record Of The Year:
"Hey, Ma", Bon Iver
"Bad Guy", Billie Eilish
"7 Rings", Ariana Grande
"Hard Place", H.E.R
"Talk", Khalid
"Old Town Road", Lil Nas X ft. Billy Ray Cyrus
"Truth Hurts", Lizzo
"Sunflower", Post Malone & Swae Lee

I could see "Old Town Road" playing spoiler here, but I'm going with "Truth Hurts" by Lizzo.

Best Album Of The Year:
"I, I" Bon Iver
"Norman F***ing Rockwell" Lana Del Rey
"When We Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go?" Billie Eilish
"Thank U, Next" Ariana Grande
"I Used To Know Her" H.E.R
"7" Lil Nas X
"Cuz I Love You (Deluxe)" Lizzo
"Father Of The Bride" Vampire Weekend 

I linked my album of the year reviews to the nominees list. As you'll see, I thought this was a solid field of nominees, but only 1 album received a perfect score....and that was "When We Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go?" by Billie Eilish.

NFL Recap (pod): Conference Championships

The Chiefs mirror the Titans offensive gameplan, and the 49ers run through the Packers. That, and a brief preview of the Super Bowl in this week's NFL Recap

NFL Recap (pod): Divisional Round

A Titan upset, A Chiefs resurgence, and more in this week's NFL recap

Grammy's Album Of The Year Review: "7(EP)" - Lil Nas X

With the Grammy nominations out, its time for my "album of the year" reviews.  I score each track on whether it stands out, is merely okay, or is a miss. The final score will be out of a high of 100.

(All Rights To Columbia Records)

1) "Old Town Road (Remix)" ft/Billy Ray Cyrus

This track really establishes the country/hip-hop feel from the start. Cyrus adds that extra element that makes this pop.

2) "Panini"

"Panini" switches it up a bit. This is about how some in his fanbase reacted to him as he became more mainstream; "Now they need me, number one on streaming. Oh yeah, you used to love me. So what happened, what's the meaning?"

3) "F9mily (You & Me)" ft/Travis Barker

There's a nice groove beat, but this track feels like its pulling in two different directions.

4) "Kick It"

This takes the perspective of a fake friend trying to get in with Lil Nas; "Now you all over the place, Check TL, I see your face".

5) "Rodeo" ft/Cardi B

Starting off with a country/outlaw feel, this track deals with Nas wanting his partner to be independent; "If I spoke on your behalf, then well, you wouldn't know how to talk". Cardi B's verse meshes really well.

6) "Bring U Down"

This track features Ryan Tedder in unison with Nas. There's a grunge-like backing to it, as this track deals with people trying to bring him down from his career rise. Overall the track feels a bit off.

7) "C7osure *You Like)"

The timing feels off in this throwaway track.

8) "Old Town Road"

I'm so used to the Billy Ray Cyrus remix, that the original seems to be lacking.

Lil Nas X was certainly looking to break the mold with this effort, getting into the country genre. There are some interesting/incredibly catchy tracks, but hopefully he can improve with a full-album effort that seems him stick with a singular theme/feel. (50)

"When We Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go" - Billie Eilish (100)

"Cuz I Love You" (Deluxe) - Lizzo (96.5)

"I Used To Know Her" - H.E.R (84.2)

"Father Of The Bride" - Vampire Weekend (80.5)

"i, i" - Bon Iver (79.2)

"Thank U, Next" - Ariana Grande (75)

"Norman Fucking Rockwell" - Lana Del Rey (64.3)

"7 (EP)" - Lil Nas X (50)

Top 50 SNL Sketches of The 2010s

As we enter a new decade, I though I'd look back and rank the Top 50 SNL sketches over the last ten years.



50) "The Duel" (S44 - 2019)

Sandra Oh was able to show off her comedic chops in this oddball sketch, with a feel of "The Favorite". This was very akin to "Farewell, Mr. Bunting" in terms of its shock factor.



49) "Michael Buble Christmas Duets" (S37 - 2011)

Whenever SNL does a piece centered on impressions, they can tend to veer away from being topical as time passes. The ones we see here however continue to live on as they give a glimpse of pop culture in the moment (from Surprised Taylor Swift, and a fresh on the scene Bieber).



48) "Boy Dance Party" (S39 - 2013)

A dance party with Bruce Willis, I mean what more can you ask for?



47) "Monster Pals" (S39 - 2014)

Mike O'Brien wasn't able to shine during his time on SNL, but he did make an impact with his shorts.



46) "WWE Promo Shoot" (S40 - 2015)

This was the kind of sketch where the host (in this case Dwayne Johnson) just completely commands it.



45) "FBI Simulator" (S41 - 2016)

One could argue that this sketch was the blueprint that would lead to David Pumpkins.



44) "Beers" (S43 - 2017)

Kyle Mooney and Beck Bennett have excelled when doing these joint pieces, and this one was one of the best.



43) "Dying Mrs. Gomez" (S43 - 2018)

It takes a fine line for one-note sketches to succeed, and this was one of them. Who could have imagined a Nickelback-centered sketch in 2018?



42) "A Thanksgiving Miracle" (S41 - 2015)

Only one thing can stop a family from fighting.....Adele.



41) "Gumby Returns (Weekend Update)" (S45 - 2019)

Eddie Murphy brought back a ton of classic characters during his hosting gig, but I honestly wasn't expecting Gumby. Despite Gumby itself being niche, he was used really well here.



40) "Djesus Uncrossed" (S38 - 2013)

Christopher Waltz brought life to this Django Unchained parody.



39) "Bronx Beat (W/ Katy Perry)" (S36 - 2010)

Amy Poehler and Maya Rudolph work so well as Betty and Jodi in Bronx Beat. We see them with an excited "Maureen" (Katy Perry).......



38) "The War In Words" (S44 - 2018)

Mikey Day and Claire Foy's war-time correspondence increasingly gets out of control.



37) "Almost Pizza" (S37 - 2012)

This was an ad parody with a deeper backstory....just what exactly is this 'almost pizza'?



36) "Listening Party" (S40 - 2015)

I have no idea how Kevin Hart had the energy for this sketch. He just kept going and going, never missing a beat.



35) "Papyrus" (S43 - 2017)

Who would have thought that a short centered around the font-type 'Papyrus'......and "Avatar" could somehow connect?



34) "The Undecided Voters" (S38-2012)

A classic take on undecided voters that will always play well, no matter what election cycle we're in.



33) "Haunted Elevator" (S42-2016)

And thus, Davis S. Pumpkins was born. What a character.



32) "World's Most Evil Invention" (S42-2017)

This sketch got pretty dark, but was constructed well.



31) "Marcus Comes To Dinner" (S43-2018)

Sam Rockwell simply commanded this sketch.



30) "Sean Spicer Press Conference" (S42-2017)

And thus Melissa McCarthy's Sean Spicer was born. This outside casting worked a whole lot better than Alec Baldwin's Trump.



29) "Neurotology Music Video" (S40-2015)

This was a spot-on remake of an actual Scientology music video that found its way online. But you don't even need to see that for this to be hilarious.



28) "80s Music Video" (S43-2018)

A parody of an actual music video by Oran "Juice" Jones, this is quintessentially 80s.



27) "Taste Test" (S37-2011)

Melissa McCarthy excels at this kind of character, trying her best to get noticed (physical comedy and all).



26) "Grouch (Joker Parody)" (S45-2019)

This was an incredibly creative 'Joker' parody, using Grouch and the cast of Sesame Street. There were so many small moments and 'easter eggs' that you could spot throughout this trailer.



25) "Mokiki" (S38-2012)

Just a completely odd-ball/bizarre short, but Taran Killam became 'mokiki'.



24) "Undercover Office Potty" (S43-2018)

When done well, this kind of bathroom humor can really work.



23) "(Do it On My) Twin Bed" (S39-2013)

Among the first iterations of this sketch, this has become a staple on the SNL Christmas special.



22) "Puppet Class" (S38-2012)

It was a shame that we saw this character from Bill Hader so late in his SNL run.



21) "Wes Anderson Horror Trailer" (S39-2013)

This is exactly what I envision a Wes Anderson horror movie would look like.



20) "Star Wars Undercover Boss: Starkiller Base" (S41-2016)

It was a sight to see Adam Driver fully get into character as Kylo Ren.




19) "Bushwick, Brooklyn 2015" ( S40-2015)

This was a perfect take on gentrification.



18) "Career Day" (S44-2018)

Once again, Adam Driver went all-in and simply became this character.



17) "Sad Mouse" (S38-2012)

'Sad Mouse' could easily have acted as a short film, it was that fascinating.



16) "Hobbit Office" (S40-2014)

Middle-Earth and The Office, a perfect combination.



15) "Census Taker V. Old Lady" (S35-2010)

Tina Fey and Betty White just going back and forth, that's all you need.



14) "Walking Dead Chapelle's Show" (S42-2016)

This sketch was all Dave Chapelle, running through a lot of classic character from Chapelle's Show.



13) "Mister Wizard" (S36-2011)

For a sketch where the punchline was simply rubbing balloons on each other, there were layers to this.



12) "Toilet Death Ejector" (S44-2019)

That pure physical gag of the bodies being launched placed this high up.



11) "Z-Shirt" (S38-2013)

A perfect take on 90s culture, Kevin Hart's manic energy fuels this. (And there was an added surprise sequel).




10) "Cha Cha Slide" (S44-2019)

A timeless sketch, John Mulaney and Ego Nwodim had perfect chemistry in this sketch.



9) "28 Reasons To Hug A Black Guy" (S39-2014)

Reason #1, they deserve a chance. Reason #'s 2-28....you'll just have to find out.



8) "Totino's w/ Kristen Stewart" (S42-2017)

A french short film within a Totino's ad, what more is there to say?



7) "Santa Baby" (S41-2015)

Hilarious, but also eerie. You could easily see this concept be converted into a thriller/horror movie.



6) "Stefon's Halloween Tips" (S38-2012)

There are a number of Stefon clips that could be included here.



5) "Picture Perfect" (S40-2015)

This was a perfect take on a controversial topic.



4) "Farewell Mr. Bunting" (S41-2016)

A take on 'Dead Poet's Society', this sketch shocked me with where it went, but I'm glad it went there for the comedic aspect.



3) "Black Jeopardy w/ Tom Hanks" (S42-2016)

SNL kind of whiffed on their 2016 election coverage, thinking it was a sure thing. This broke the mold, taking a look at two types of voters who on the surface seem completely different.



2) "Stefon's Farewell" (S38-2013)

Bill Hader's exit meant the regular farewell of Stefon. Stefon rightfully got an extravagant send-off.



1) "Diner Lobster" (S43-2018)

The sheer production value of 'Diner Lobster' put this over the top for me. This showed what SNL was capable of some 40+ years later.