Thursday, October 18, 2012

In the 1970s, CBS’ “60 Minutes” had a recurring segment during which two consummate journalists would briefly argue some issue. It was serious television that apparently caused the writers at “Saturday Night Live!” to wonder what these overly-civilized professionals really thought of each other. The result was SNL’s own late night “Point/Counterpoint,” starring Jane Curtain and Dan Aykroyd.

Here’s one of those SNL segments. Take a look. You’ll enjoy it. Sorry, but you may have to sit through a brief commercial.

SNL Episode of “Point-Counterpoint”

By comparison to Tuesday night’s second debate between President Obama and Mitt Romney, the SNL skit seems tame, save perhaps only the colorful language, and certainly less troublesome.

I only wish I had been in the audience and that CNN’s Candy Crowley had called on me for a question.

“Mr. President,” I began, rising to my feet. “Governor Romney. Do either of you seriously believe that this contentious, in-your-face, confrontational, substance-poor ‘discussion,’ if I can call it that, of the most critical issues of our time demonstrates that either of you have the temperament, are mature enough to be our President and Leader of the Free World?”

I’ll leave it to you to speculate how the candidates might have answered. Me? I’m emailing Jane Curtain and Dan Aykroyd to check their party affiliations and availability in 2016. At least they’re funny.

-Next Contestant

Just a screenshot. Try Youtube to see Curtain and Aykroyd on SNL.