‘SNL’ Cast Evaluation: Mikey Day Has The Potential To Take The Show To Unexpected Places

The premise of “Live Report” is that the nerdy Day is married to Robbie, who appears in a slinky black dress, and that the two witnessed a sinkhole opening. On the scene, news reporter Kenan Thompson is increasingly distracted from the sinkhole by the improbability of their union.

The sketch says much about the competitive lens through which men often view each other, including judging whether a man is worthy of the woman he’s with. This sketch introduced the side of Day we’ve seen most on SNL, that of a man given less than his due by those around him.

Day played this straight, almost underplaying it, which was precisely what the sketch called for. As Thompson, Bennett (as the news anchor back in the studio), Jones (sports reporter) and Alex Moffat (outside expert) all attempt to justify Robbie’s feelings for him, wondering if he’s rich, famous, or well-hung, Day lets the smartly-written jokes do the work.

In one sense, it’s easy to watch this sketch and conclude that Day had the least challenging role. The action here happens around him; he is the topic of discussion rather than the instigator of the action. But in acting, reacting is equally important, and Day plays it just as his character, Matt Shatt, would seem to — passive, never defensive, willing to be rolled over to an extent, and, most impressive given that this was his first episode, allowing the incredulity to swirl around him without absorbing or reflecting that energy. He jumps in when he needs to, and allows the laughs around him to breath when they don’t. His first SNL success and still one of his best, it would show a very different Mikey Day than his other greatest sketch on the show to date.

Here, Day plays a centenarian who funded a theater, and is now attending one of their plays from his specially-made medical chair. He’s given a special perch to watch from, right in front of the performers, but there are age-related problems. He’s there with his nurse Keely, played by host Felicity Jones, and he’s got some annoyances and medical issues that need tending to – even if it means disrupting the performance.

Day’s performance here was the sort of physical comedy showcase we rarely see on SNL these days, making it all the more welcome.

After he screams about the play’s volume, Keely attempts to feed him a medicinal yogurt, and his thrashing and squirming in the background as Kate McKinnon and Bennett act out a dark relationship drama is a wonder of comedic contrast, with Day slamming his head to and fro, his face caked in streams of yogurt.

From his pained outbursts to his herky-jerky physical rhythms, Day squeezes every possible laugh out of the premise. During the scene where Keely attempts to change his medical stockings, I half expected Day to fly off his chair.

Strong physical comedy hasn’t been part of SNL‘s regular playbook for some time, and this sketch showed the promise of more to come. Unfortunately, Day hasn’t matched it since.

Another example of Day playing the straight-man. Here, he portrays the president’s son, deepening his voice and conveying a Trumpian sense of self-worth, but otherwise giving it a pretty straight-forward take. The laughs in this come from his pairing with Moffat, who plays Eric Trump as a dunce barely able to care for himself.

Day’s Don Jr. is a caring brother, dutiful son, and father figure. More importantly, he’s a generous comedic partner, setting the table for Moffat to respond quizzically and cluelessly to his every move (literally, at times). The role of comedic straight-man is foundational, and more challenging than it appears. Here, as with “Live Report,” Day shows he can nurture a laugh just as reliably as he can generate it himself.

This sketch found Day playing Bert Sampson, a young man who is bullied due to his resemblance to Bart Simpson, including his spiky yellow hair. On a talk show to discuss being a bullying victim, Day attempts to convey his grievances just like the other victims, but something about him makes his issues less relatable. Apparently, he’s the only person bullied for this reason. But as even those he looks to for sympathy wind up in on the joke, he never gets bent out of shape. Altering his voice just so in a way that builds the character’s vulnerability, Day brings it to a perfect point – just enough to understand it, but not enough to feel guilty for laughing at his plight.

Larry Getlen is the author of the book Conversations with Carlin. His greatest wish is to see Stefon enjoy a cheeseburger at John Belushi’s diner. Follow him on Twitter at @larrygetlen.