Kristen Says 'Goodbye'

Mick Jagger, Steve Martin, Kristen Wiig and Bill Hader

Last night saw the final performance from arguably the funniest female on SNL since the brilliant (and sadly missed) Gilda Radner. Yes, Amy Poehler and Tina Fey were great. But neither of them had that "go anywhere for a laugh" thing that Kristen Wiig had. Whether playing a dysfunctional Target cashier; an impishly destructive schoolgirl or an incredibly stupid Broadway actress, Wiig was never afraid to look; sound or be ridiculous, which is what made her such a valuable player on the show's past seven seasons.

And in her final episode, hosted by Mick Jagger, Wiig started the show with my favorite of her characters, Dooneese Maharelli. John Hamm played an Italian crooner who somehow managed to fall under the spell of the deformed and demented girl from the Finger Lakes in what is probably the funniest Maharelli Sisters sketch of all time:

Of course, Fred Armisen's 'Lawrence Welk' had the gayest line of the sketch: "You know what they say about the Finger Lakes. If on vacation you can only fit one Finger in... next time relax and maybe you'll fit in two." Ouch!

Now that Wiig is an Academy Award nominated screenwriter (for Bridesmaids), I hope that she will go on to bigger and better things. I just hope her career doesn't end up like Gilda's, appearing in lame comedies that do little to showcase her awesome comedic talents. 

Excuse me while I go change into drier pants...

More, anon.
Prospero