These Maine ‘SNL’ Sketches Are Still Funny Years Later
Live from Bangor, it’s Saturday Night!
It’s always cool when Bangor, or for that matter, anyplace in Maine gets mentioned in a movie or television show. For the most part, Bangor is thought of in terms of Stephen King, but there have been some other examples too, including one of the most iconic pop culture institutions of all time.
The legendary Saturday Night Live is in the middle of season number 48, and by my count, there have been four sketches that feature the Queen City. Yes, that’s right, Bangor has been the setting for a couple of funny bits.
If you have never seen the movie "There Will Be Blood," you really should. It’s easily one of the best films of the last 20 years, and it features a brilliant performance from Daniel Day-Lewis. Speaking of brilliant, the incredible Bill Hader does a spot-on impression of the Lewis character, Daniel Plainview.
In this sketch, he travels the country with his son looking for the best milkshakes, for their Food Network show "I Drink Your Milkshake” which is the iconic line from the movie. In the video, they visit the fictional McGarrity’s Dairy Parlor, in you guessed it, Bangor Maine.
This skit is from 2012 when actor Jamie Foxx hosted. It is about a reality show set in a Bangor courtroom and it's called “Maine Justice” It really doesn’t make much sense, considering the judge played by Jason Sudeikis, seems to have a Southern accent that either sounds like Colonel Sanders or Matlock.
The first thing you will notice in the video is the WLBZ Channel 2 logo, and a shot of Downtown Bangor and the Penobscot River.
The bit was so popular, that they did it again when Justin Timberlake hosted!
Last week, while promoting the new season of "Ted Lasso", Jason Sudeikis stopped by Late Night with Seth Myers and referenced the now legendary "Maine Justice" skit.
Although the Bangor area is not mentioned in the sketch, the fictional Dickinson's Roadside Diner is clearly a nod to the famous Dysart's "Buttery Flaky Crust" commercial, where John Palmer and his wife roll off blooper after blooper. In fact, the sign for Dickinson's looks exactly like Dysart's logo.
8 TV Shows That Take Place in Maine And Aren't From Stephen King
Gallery Credit: Jeff Parsons