If you’ve ever worked retail, especially at the holidays, this sketch from SNL will hit a bit close to home. It is like stepping into a cheap Twin Peaks parody set in the very back of a K-Mart, full of odd characters, strange happenings, and probably some pie somewhere. The cavalcade of strange people looking to return items is a very real thing that happens, though sometimes they will wait until after the holidays. The people you deal with during the holidays are typically there to buy and disappoint their loved ones.
Mikey Day is hardly playing the straight man in this sketch, but even compared to the others he’s completely normal. Just a young guy tossed into a situation he doesn’t understand with people who have lost all sense. Like the woman who bought the adult diapers for her child and still got upset at the store or the man who purchased the wrong type of muff for his hands. They’re all one step from reality and that’s scary.
Cecily Strong and Kate McKinnon could be the all-stars here, particular Strong with her outraged shopper who feels her rights have been violated. Then again, the real star is probably K-Mart. A fine place to shop that is still doing its best to stick around in a world full of Amazon and Walmart. Unless your K-Mart closed recently. Probably tough to watch if that’s the case.
(Via SNL)
