The following is a list of recurring Saturday Night Live characters and sketches introduced between September 24, 2011, and May 20, 2012, the thirty-seventh season of SNL.
J-Pop America Fun Time Now
Michigan State University students Jonathan Cavanaugh "san" (Taran Killam) and Rebecca Stern-Markowitz "san" (Vanessa Bayer) present a campus TV show based on their obsession with, and profound misunderstanding of, Japanese pop culture. Their Japanese studies professor and reluctant faculty advisor Mark Kaufman (Jason Sudeikis) is less than enthusiastic about the show, pointing out that the hosts are not speaking actual Japanese and are the worst students in his class. Unfortunately, he has no choice because he has to be present in order for the show to happen. When accused of racism, Jonathan points out his Japanese girlfriend (Fred Armisen, who thought he was Japanese- but found out he is actually 1/4 Korean).
In an interview with Vulture, Bayer said she did not think the "J-Pop" sketch was racist:
We're obviously making fun of a certain kind of person that loves that culture so much and is sort of ignorant about it. That's why we have [Jason Sudeikis] there to put us in our places a bit. It's certainly not meant to be racist. I hope the majority of people don't think of it that way.
Reception to the sketch has been mixed, with several reviewers growing weary by its fourth appearance. Ryan McGee of HitFix said: "I used to love this sketch, but at this point, I would rather see a digital short involving Jason Sudeikis' horrified professor after a taping of this show. I think they've milked this as far as it can go." The Huffington Post's Mike Ryan felt similarly, writing, "We got the joke a long time ago. Most recurring sketches try to develop personalities for its characters. Unfortunately, when the gist of the joke is, 'These two are doing something offensive and they don't realize it,' it's hard to give them meaningful personalities." However, Vulture's Joe Reid said, "In classic SNL fashion, it's the one-joke premise stretched out over countless repetitions, but I am so fond of Taran Killam and Vanessa Bayer, I could watch them bounce around to that theme song all day." Hillary Busis wrote for Entertainment Weekly that "It’s been long enough since the sketch last appeared for Bayer’s anime eyes, Killam’s wig, and the pair’s cultural insensitivity...to be amusing again."
Rob Bricken of Topless Robot called the skit "a 100% accurate recreation of the most obnoxious portion of anime fandom".
Appearances
Lord Wyndemere
Lord Cecil Wyndemere (Paul Brittain) is a 47-year-old man dressed like an 18th-century fop, who prances around and desires "sweets". He is loved by his girlfriend's father (Jason Sudeikis) and hated by others, such as his girlfriend's brother Steven (Andy Samberg).
Following the January 31, 2012 announcement that Brittain was departing the show immediately, several sources expressed disappointment that there would be no further appearances by Lord Wyndemere, whom Entertainment Weekly called "wonderfully weird."
Appearances
Getting Freaky with Cee-Lo Green! As Cee-Lo Green, Kenan Thompson hosts a talk show to help people with their sex lives. The show also features Bill Hader as "Colonel Nasty."
We're Going to Make Technology Hump
Andy Samberg and a female co-host host a television show devoted to acting out pornographic vignettes using various technological devices as the characters (e.g., an iPad as a wealthy hotel guest who recognizes his chambermaid, a video game controller, as a downtown callgirl).
Both the first and second appearances of the sketch were well received. Calling it "so-stupid-its-funny", Katla McGlynn of The Huffington Post wrote: "The funny part is the dialogue, which is so soap opera-y and over the top that it sounds hilarious coming from an iPad or a curling iron in a tiny yet dramatic bedroom set. Not to mention the notion that this could actually be a show, or that it would be hosted by friendly, upbeat young people and not some creepy techno-file." On the sketch's return, Sarah Devlin of Mediaite noted that "the production values were much higher this time around! I thought perhaps the joke would have worn thin, but then I laughed my head off...They've still got it!" Wired'''s Angela Watercutter wrote, "'Technology Hump' shouldn’t be funny. It's only mildly amusing when kids make G.I. Joe and Barbie play doctor, so having a beeper and a Nintendo Entertainment System gun engage in a beach rendezvous should be just plain weird. But when it incorporates the age-old trick of making a digital numeric screen spell out "80085" it's just too hard not to laugh."
