The new Saturday Night Live season premiered yesterday with a skit on politics featuring Tina Fey and Amy Poehler. Fey took on the role of GOP vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin and Poehler starred as Senator Hillary Clinton. There have been many talks about the resemblance between Fey and Palin, so the role fitted her very well. As expected, the two put on a show, disagreeing on all sorts of topics, looking to underline the differences between them.

"I was so excited when I was told Sen. Clinton and I would be addressing you tonight," Fey told the audience, receiving the reply from Poehler "And I was told I'd be addressing you alone." The sketch was filled with this extremely funny light humor that we are used to seeing on the show.

Poehler addressed another controversial issue saying "I believe global warming is caused by man." Fay responded with a very amusing line "And I believe it's just God huggin' us closer." There was also a joke about Palin’s lack of experience with international affairs, with Fey’s character saying that she can see Russia from her home. Poehler finished the sketch with a bold message: "In conclusion, I invite the media to grow a pair. And if you can't, I will lend you mine."

The show’s producers invited Michael Phelps as the host. He managed to set an astonishing record at the Beijing Olympics, bringing back home eight gold medals in swimming. He was very excited with his presence on the show, clearly having a good time and also entertaining the audience. "It's so great to be here hosting 'Saturday Night Live,'" Phelps said, adding that "This seriously is the ninth greatest moment in my life." He had to play several characters throughout the show, such as a home-schooled Amish teenager and also himself during an interview with Charles Barkley, played by Keenan Thompson.

Even though castmember Kristen Wiig joked before the show about writing some sketches that would demand Phelps to get undressed and show off his muscular body, the host remained fully dressed for the whole 90 minutes of the show.

Many wondered if his talents go beyond swimming and he managed to prove to everyone that acting could be his new direction once he finishes his current career. The show did receive some bad reviews and also Phelps’ acting skills were considered a let down by some, but after all, no show can please all its viewers.

Overall, the new season of SNL got off to a good start but there is always room for improvements. This weekend’s premiere represents the start of the show’s 34th season and the upcoming weeks are expected to be focused on the presidential campaign.

One of the things that goes out to prove SNL’s rising interest in politics is the planned appearance from Barak Obama who canceled it at the last moment as he decided that it was no longer appropriate due to Hurricane Ike’s devastation. The explanation was offered by the Senator’s campaign spokeswoman Jen Psaki.