Those old skits pass the test of time

Something we heard on the news yesterday reminded us of an absolutely hilarious skit done two times by the comedian Steve Martin on Saturday Night Live back in the 1970s. In one, he played a character called Theodoric, Medieval Judge, and in the other, Theodoric, Medieval Barber.

As the Medieval Barber (a predecessor to doctors), a series of patients come to him and, shouting orders in a very authoritative voice to his nurse, Brunhilde (played by Gilda Radner), he diagnoses ailments such as “ill humors” and prescribes blood-letting by leeches. In one instance a man who has broken his legs while being run over by a cart in a drunken stupor is hung by the broken legs. When a young patient dies following his recommendations, her mother yells at Theodoric that he is a fake and does not know what he is doing. He walks a few steps from the scene, and, addressing the audience, imagines leading humanity to a world in which medicine is a science and doctors are able to cure people of their ailments. Then he pauses as if in deep thought of this lofty possibility and says “NAAAAAAA!”

http://screen.yahoo.com/medieval-barber-000000006.html

As the Medieval Judge, Steve Martin hears case after case and attempts to use logic to mete out punishments. One of the criminals is missing his hands and feet, and is now brought before the judge for charges of an illicit affair with someone’s wife. Theodoric thinks out loud, pointing out that his hands had been cut off after he stole something, his feet had been cut off after he had run away, and now, he is being charged with adultery, so…. I am not doing this any justice, and have searched high and low but have been unable to find a video of this one. Anyway, again, Theodoric steps from the scene and speaks to the audience, and imagines a world in which men are tried by a jury of their peers, again ending with “NAAAAAAA!”

I think what reminded me of this was a news report of yet another politician being found guilty of using his position for his own financial gain. What struck me was that the amounts were not all that large, so I imagine that if he went to all the trouble to set up this particular gravy train he likely milked it for substantially more than the amount for which sufficient evidence to convict him was collected. Like Theodoric, these politicians insist on their innocence and want us to believe that they are competent leaders. But fortunately mankind does not have to wait six or seven hundred years to discover that they are wrong.

There is a ton of snow out there and it is wickedly cold. Watching old Saturday Night skits is a wonderful way to pass the confinement.

Stay warm!

Love,

Rebecca