SNL feels a bit out of sync lately

I skimmed through the headlines on Google News and caught the following words: “duel,”… I skimmed through the headlines on Google News and caught the following words: “duel,” “crash,” “anger” and, of course, “death toll.” It’s not that I read the news expecting the top stories to evoke that wonderful, wrapped-in-a-blanket-during-a-blizzard feeling, but at that moment I wasn’t in the mood to know just why the New Orleans cops mangled some guy.

I wanted something new, something different, something else. Fortunately, I found an inspirational story buried not too far beneath all that precisely worded woe. I found this story of forgiveness and growth in the place most known for decency and gravitas – the entertainment section.

Lorne Michaels, a man to whom we all owe a great deal, allowed Ashlee Simpson a chance to redeem herself. Last year, the article assured me, Simpson performed on “Saturday Night Live” and managed only the Saturday Night part of the gig.

“Empire Records” fans were enraged that an artist betrayed the relationship between performer and audience. “High Fidelity” fans were astonished that anyone could still be surprised at Simpson’s disregard for all that should be sacred. My immediate concern, of course, was for the girl.

How horrible a place she must have been in to go onto “Saturday Night Live” without being able to perform, well, live. After her insecurities had been outted so publicly, Ashlee could have retired from the entertainment world.

She did not. She persevered. She took her pain and used it to help her create something special – she captured her feelings in a lovely little song she performed on Saturday night called “Catch Me When I Fall.”

I’d say that desecrating a venue that has hosted Chuck Berry, Elvis Costello, Bob Dylan, Miles Davis, Queen, Philip Glass, R.E.M., Nirvana, Counting Crows, Rage Against the Machine and Radiohead is quite a fall.

Sadly, Ricky Martin, Hanson and Vanilla Ice have also played on the show. Every new episode is not a revelation, and ratings matter. From a public relations standpoint, the Simpson lip-syncing incident was not a tragedy. So, they forgave her – but what about Sinead?

Sinead O’Connor infuriated the people at SNL when she tore a picture of the pope in half while on stage. She didn’t clear it with them. They’d never have approved it. While I acknowledge that it created a mess for NBC, I respect her for it. She had a chance to say something. She took it. She did it skillfully and soulfully and honestly. She did it knowing the consequences.

O’Connor caused chaos, but she made a point. Her motivation for violating SNL’s rules was, if not altruistic, certainly in keeping with the spirit we should demand of our artists. I read or heard that Simpson was afraid her voice would go out last time, and that’s why she had the “back-up” tape. She didn’t want to let down her fans.

I’m not a Sinead O’Connor fan. I might recognize a song or two on the radio, but I can’t name a single one of her albums. I’ve no real connection to her, but it seems to me that making a political statement at whatever the cost should be far more forgivable than cheating to soothe insecurity.

Ashlee Simpson has done nothing extraordinary. The market made her a princess, and, typically enough, she gathered her newfound powers and violated something sacred. The first incident is not my real objection. Lorne and the guys letting her back onto SNL is disappointing, but not shocking.

The fact that she hasn’t even the character not to return is appalling. We’ve come to expect egotism from our geniuses. I suppose now we’ll get to enjoy narcissism from their shadows.

E-mail Zak Sharif at rzs8@pitt.edu once you’ve torn a picture of Ashlee Simpson in half.