Uncle Paul Comes To Visit

Who would have ever thought back in the sixties that Paul McCartney would become America's favorite houseguest. That foreign cousin who stops by once or twice a year and always does something to brighten your day.

Watching Saturday Night Live this past weekend it became fascinatingly clear that our comfort level with Paul, along with his constant desire to please, makes him uniquely qualified to lift our mood.

Saturday Night Live's cold open this week featured only a children's choir singing. It was heartfelt and emotional and without addressing this past week's senseless tragedy dealt with it perhaps in a way that was more meaningful than any other tributes we will see.

The episode itself was uneven with only a skit called Your a Rat Bastard Charlie Brown and the always funny What's Up With That making me chuckle. Even Seth Myers struggled to be funny on Weekend Update although another edition of " Girl you don't want to start a conversation with at a party " showed that it is a keeper.

Sir Paul started his night off by performing My Valentine. All I can say to that is Paul we love you and we are glad you are in love again but that song is nothing we need to keep hearing. Much better was his performance of his new song recorded with the boys from Nirvana. Dave Grohl, Krist Novoselic, and Pat Smear joined him, as they did at the 12/12 concert for Cut Me Some Slack an original tune that features a Helter Skelter like feedback laced riff in which Paul shows that he can still howl pretty well, amazingly well for a seventy year old.

The last skit of the night featured host Martin Short and a character played by Paul auditioning to perform at a village Christmas concert. Short's character is the singer and Paul's only plays the triangle. Eventually the skit gives way to Paul asking the judges if he can sing now and of course they say yes and the stage is cleared and Paul joins his band to sing his Christmas single from the days of Wings Wonderful Christmastime. About halfway in he is joined by the same choir that started the show. Paul having great fun, and the joy on these children's faces as they sang with,inevitably some guy there parents were more excited by than they were, was a tonic we could all use about now.

So yes I believe if not in Santa Claus at least in America's new favorite Uncle. Uncle Paul with his vegetarian ways, his younger wives and his eccentricities. But Sir Paul still has his heart in the right place and he wants us all to feel better. He is welcome on our side of the lake and on our television anytime.

Thanks Paul