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Hard Times
written by: Jason Dignard & Mark Jennings Reese II


Guard...Finesse Mitchell
Joshua...Ewan McGregor
Emily...Amy Poehler
Nunzio...Seth Meyers
Scarface...Horatio Sanz
Q-Ball...Kenan Thompson
Warden...Chris Parnell
Jada Jones...Maya Rudolph
Parole Officer...Fred Armisen


(Guard lets convict Joshua into the room, where the phones are in jail and plate-glass window to talk to relatives)

Guard: Come on now, here’s your pretty little girl. You got 5 minutes.

(Joshua sits down and smiles at his wife on the other side of the glass)

Joshua: Oh, honey, it’s so great to see you. I miss you so much.

Emily: Oh, me too. I love you so much. I’ve been waiting to talk to you for so long. This place is so scary, and the walls smell like urine.

Joshua: Ah, it’s not so bad. I truly thought it would be a lot worse.

Emily: When are you getting out, babe, I really miss you. I really, really miss you.

Joshua: Emily, you know that I’m going to be here for a long, long time. I have to meet with the parole board in a couple of weeks, and if I don’t pass, it will likely be five more years.

Emily: Oh, I couldn’t stand something like that.

Joshua: Please, this place is a resort. They let us exercise, read, watch TV…it’s practically a five-star hotel.

(Sees prisoner (extra) drooling in the corner on the other side of the window)

Emily: I seriously doubt that. Josh, I don’t think I can handle five more years without you.

Joshua: Don’t worry about it. I’ve been very helpful around here.

(Joshua winks)

Emily: Huh?

(Convicts come in and catcall and hoot and howl)

Joshua: Hey, what’s up, guys?

Emily: Josh, this is uncomfortable for me.

Joshua: Actually, I don’t think they’re hollering at you.

Nunzio: Hey, hey, hey! Look at who we have here. The one and only...the champion! Right here!

Scarface: The king of it all.

Joshua: Nunzio, Scarface, Q-Ball. This is my wife, Emily.

Q-Ball: Wife? You have a wife? Funny, you wouldn’t think that…maybe something (shifts his shirt collar) a little different.

Emily: What do you mean by that?

Scarface: Oh...nothing.

(All inmates laugh, including Joshua)

Joshua: Oh, these guys are cut-ups, aren’t they?

Nunzio: Josh, you remember that you have to work on me tonight, right?

Joshua: Oh, I remember.

Nunzio: And could you brush your teeth this time? It just feels like an oven, that’s all.

Emily: Brush your teeth?

Scarface: Mrs. Joshua, this guy is the pro of pros. He can make you squirm and smile in a matter of minutes.

Joshua: These guys, huh? All right, I’ll brush my teeth. Anything else?

Q-Ball: Well...

Joshua: Well, what?

Q-Ball: Could you not use your teeth so much? I mean, if it’s just as easy not using them, it would really be more comfortable.

(Cut to Emily seriously confused and not knowing what’s going on)

Joshua: You got it, guys.

(Inmates leave and high-five each other)

Emily: What the hell was that?

Joshua: It’s kind of an in-prison type of thing. I don’t think you would understand.

Emily: What was all that talk about using the mouth and everything? I mean, I’m just worried. What exactly are they referring to?

Joshua: Let’s not talk about it. Let’s talk about ourselves. How have you been doing for money?

Emily: Oh, it’s been rough. I can barely pay for the loans on the house and car. (Starts to cry)

Joshua: Oh, honey, don’t worry. Guard!

(Guard comes over)

Guard: Yes?

Joshua: Can I get a down payment on the next servicing?

Guard: Well, I...um...uh....

Joshua: I don’t have to do it, you know.

Guard: (thinks it over and gradually accepts) Okay, okay. But I better be getting the true stuff. And no holding back! None whatsoever!

Joshua: You got it. (Guard leaves and Joshua slides 5 grand into the drop box) Here’s 5 thousand bucks. That should cover some loose ends.

Emily: My goodness. You’re selling drugs. I knew it, I knew it. You’re going to get in more trouble...

Joshua: No, no drugs. It’s much more complicated than that!

Emily: Oh....

Joshua: Actually, it’s not very complicated. I’m very surprised you haven’t found out yet.

Emily: Oh....

Joshua: Are you all right, Em?

Emily: Yes, I’m just so tired.

(Warden enters room and confronts Joshua)

Warden: (elated) Joshua, how are you?

Joshua: Doin' fine, warden? How are things?

Warden: Can’t complain. As long as you’re around, huh?

Emily: Anyway, Joshua, the kids want to know where you are. Soon enough, they’ll be old enough to understand and I don’t know what I’m going to do.

Warden: Speaking of kids, I disciplined the life out of this guy a couple of weeks ago. Wow, I apologize for any emasculating comments I made that would have hurt your feelings. It just comes out in the heat of....

Emily: Whoa, whoa, whoa. What are you talking about? Josh, what is he saying?

Warden: Look, I’ll get back to you later. I also apologize for giving your knees such severe rug burns. My bad.

Joshua: Don’t worry about it.

(Warden leaves)

Emily: This is all very confusing.

Guard: Hey Joshua, you got a phone call from the women’s prison!

Joshua: Thanks. Patch it through the phone line here.

(Split Screen)

Jada Jones: Hey Joshua! When you coming back over to the ladies prison! These prisoners might be dykes, but they can’t go down for nothing!

Joshua: Hi Jada! I’ll be over there this weekend. Tell the girls to brush their teeth real good, too!

Jada Jones: I’ll do dat! You stay sweet, Joshua!

(End Split Screen)

Emily: Who was that?

Joshua: That was no one. Just a friend from the women’s prison.

Emily: This is all very confusing.

Joshua: (dumbfounded) Really?! I thought you would have caught on by now. In a way, I’m sort of relieved that you don’t know. I have to take off now, I have to go meet the parole officer.

Emily: I thought you said you were meeting him in a couple of weeks.

Joshua: Yes, for my parole hearing.

(Parole officer puts his head through the door)

Parole Officer: Sorry to bother you but I really need ya, man. I’m getting withdrawals over here like I’m on DTs.

Joshua: I’m coming! I’m coming!

Parole Officer: I got those kneepads for you that you asked for.

Joshua: (frustrated) Yeah, yeah.

(Parole officer exits)

Emily: I....

Joshua: Let’s just say that the parole board may agree to cut me loose from this joint. I got to go, honey, tell the kids I love them.

Emily: I will, I love you. I love you so much, Josh.

(Both touch the glass and are about to exit; suddenly the three inmates come in)

Q-Ball: Hey Josh, are you ready?

Joshua: Hey, I don’t have to go near you till later tonight.

Scarface: Oh, no, not that. It’s time for your daily anal gang rape.

Joshua: Oh, God, no. Not that. Anything but that. Emily, go contact the guards.

Emily: Hey, you gotta do what you gotta do.

(Inmates start pushing Joshua around, and Emily exits)

Joshua: Guys! Guys! Come on! I can only “filate” so much. Even Jenna Jameson has her limits!

(Inmates laugh; fade)


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