Public access television can be an absolute war zone when you invite callers to ring you up live on air. Prank callers are always ready to feast on your flesh (or just make a series of dick jokes) at a moment’s notice. On last night’s SNL, this law of the public access jungle was placed on full display when host Charles Barkley and a puppet named Bobo attempt to help kids with their schoolwork
In a sketch dubbed “Homework Hotline,” the titular hotline is opened up to elementary school kids that want help from Barkley’s Mr. Leonard and his blue-haired puppet companion Bobo. Too bad for Mr. Leonard and Bobo, Aidy Bryant’s call screener Patty is spectacularly unqualified to keep the crank callers away.
“Hi! I’m Whitney! I’m doing a geography assignment and I can’t find some places,” begins one caller. “This should be easy. I think Bobo was there last night. Where’s Ball’s Deep USA?”
Barkley’s helpful teacher is having none of it and demands that these “turkeys” quit calling the number. As you might expect, this was not a successful deterrent. Things just escalate from there and we’ll let the sketch itself do the heavy lifting. Possibly NSFW depending on how your workplace responds to certain types of suggestive puppet gestures.
