what I did mind is that many of them were just placed seemingly randomly, i.e., right in the middle of a sketch, which is stupid as shit.

As someone in the same situation, I’m considering building a TP fort.

Yeah, for some reason that really bothers me, too.  And as someone who formerly worked in the ad industry (tangentially), I know that those repeat ads have quickly diminishing returns.  In fact, in a case like this where we’re actively bothered by them, they basically start having negative value at some point.

I assume it’s meant to be useful in a descriptive sense - i.e. to confirm someone’s identity, just like height or eye color.  And in most cases, it probably is useful in that sense.

Metaphysical Sex Essentialists is going to be my new band name.

Tina is definitely asking the right person that question (not that I don’t love Carrie Fisher).

Chase was definitely a full-fledged movie star, although for a shorter window than Murphy. Definitely during that Caddyshack/Vacation/Fletch/Spies Like Us/Three Amigos run, with a few years before and after.

I thought it started out strong, but it seemed to run out of gas pretty quickly (4 or 5 episodes). Really good ensemble cast, though.

I always thought less of Ice Cube after I found out that he was a pimp.

I mean, he’s been the host (multiple times, I think), since all the trans stuff started, so I’m not sure why him popping up for 5 seconds at the end of the show is suddenly a big deal.

Yeah, I’ve been frustrated by that for a while, as well. Along with the reasons you mention, the main thing that bothers me is how lazily the writing always is for those skits. It’s as if they count on the audience being sufficiently wowed by Celebrity XYZ, so they don’t need to write any actual jokes.

“Investigative journalism”? We’re not talking about Woodward and Bernstein here, dipshit.

Don’t worry, Doug - there’s always barber college.

“Smallhands Strikes Again”

Yep, Piece was the first thing that came to mind for me as well. I liked the pizza, but actively disliked the beer I tried there.

Bing is even worse at shoving AI generated garbage down your throat, in my experience.

Why is “official” in quotes?

“but the emotionality of the scene”

Yes, it is like the CEO of McDonald’s manning the fryer...  It isn’t something a rational person would do.