1. Tina Fey did a great job mimicking Gov. Palin's voice and speech patterns. The look was pretty much spot-on as well. But, Tina Fey can't help smirking and telling us that she's in on the joke. This is a fatal flaw in any comic mimicry (the comic actor MUST play it straight and let the material deliver the laughs). Jon Stewart and others manifest this same flaw -- that "chocolate" smile that always curl their lips.

2. The content of the skit fell flat (this is the thing that makes SNL unwatchable -- their comic premise is sometimes good but their execution is often (always?) heavy handed and lame). The SNL writers (and producers and actors) sought to portray Gov. Palin as an airhead -- and Her Highness Hillary as accomplished and entitled -- albeit suffering from overweening ambition and a sense of entitlement. The members (an overwhelming majority, I expect) of the SNL audience probably found this skit funny -- largely because they're up-to-date with the desperate untruths the media has tried to float.

3, This SNL episode put everything in context a few minutes later when it presented a truly awful skit of a kind of college bowl game show pitting some high school dullards against what was supposed to be a "typical" Fundamentalist Christian Family -- lifted right out of the Ozarks (and the set of Deliverance). Of course the SNL skit was unfunny. And of course it was crass. And of course it showed us all once again the ignorance of these writers and producers and actors who have this strange need to imagine that people of faith are stupid and narrow minded -- and only them urban folks have any sense at all.

What I don't get (and never will) is why these folks keep patting themselves on the back and telling each other how smart they are -- and all the while they're insulting folks who might otherwise be loyal viewers. And you wonder why network television (and the MSM) is failing?

Its interesting to note that they did pick Palin and Clinton to parody. They can, and did slam both, but only one is still in contention in the upcoming election. Allows them to claim evenhandedness while only potentially hurting only one candidates changes.

Outside of that the portrayal of Palin is no more demeaning than they have been of Bush41, Clinton^2, Reno, Bush43, Obama.... or any other politician.

(I can hear the screeches of outrage from the Palintroops right now.)

P.S. Jesus, Diane -- stand in front of mirror and read your post of out loud.

they're exploiting all of this for increased ratings.

If you are joking or being sardonic, I apologize: but this is hilarious if a serious assertion. What else does SNL exist to do beside try to get increased ratings?

Why else have they, over the years, made fun of politicos like Ford, Bush 41, Clinton, Bush 43 and the like? So that people won't watch?

Palin is selling her book; getting all kinds of publicity - toys and t-shirts are being sold 'in her name', and I will not let myself get even close to this shameful exploitation!

there probably oughta be a curve.

Judging from the picture of Palin in her workout clothes, there are curves aplenty.

Fey is hotter than Palin, though.

I'd concur, although Palin's six years older and has given birth to five more children so there probably oughta be a curve.