Cartoon video on media consolidation - shown once only on SNL, then removed for subsequent airings

[JohnyCanuck]

From the Youtube info:
The 1998 Robert Smigel animated short film "Conspiracy Theory Rock", part of a March 1998 "TV Funhouse" segment, has been removed from all subsequent airings of the Saturday Night Live episode where it originally appeared. Michaels claimed the edit was done because it "wasn't funny". The film is a scathing critique of corporate media ownership, including NBC's ownership by General Electric/Westinghouse.

So it wasn't funny, and I guess the name "Conspiracy Theory Rock" didn't help make it any funnier either for the network execs.

[ReasonableToo]

1. Must see TV. (Rec) (end)

[radiclib]

2. I'm shocked this ran even once

No doubt someone got fired.

[Adenoid_Hynkel]

3. Been seeing this one a lot these past few days

The clip's been online for several years, so I wonder why it's suddenly getting such an increase in traffic. Did someone just feature it somewhere prominently?

Not that I'm complaining, Smigel is a genius.

[unblock]

4. michaels himself once said "people forget that snl was never all that funny"

he said it in the context of people whining that the show hadn't been delivering the laughs that it had in the early seasons. he was trying to make the point that people have selective memories, that many skits from all seasons bombed, but when remembing the early seasons, people only remember the skits that made them laugh. so the current season always seems lame by comparison.

in any event, given that statement, it's pretty funny for him to use "not funny" as an excuse for editing out anything....

[The_Commonist]

5. I remember seeing that live back in the day...

It was actually quite a shocker in the moment.
I remember thinking that it would never make it into the reruns.
I guess I was right about that.
And of course, things have only gotten worse since then...

[daleanime]

6. Classic!

[raouldukelives]

7. The desires of Wall St investors made reality.

It ain't the desires of the bigwigs, they just do as the shareholders demand.

For every individual out there legitimately fighting for freedom, for democracy for all people, there are 100's if not 1000's joining forces with multi-national corporations who do all they can to skew our political process in order to line their own pockets.

[Enthusiast]

8. Spread this fucker far and wide!

Go forth and tell the truth!

[AndreaCG]

9. I laughed at that

I seldom do at SNL which is why I rarely watch anything but weekend update on that show.