Courtney Barnett Tried To Teach Aussie Slang On SNL, And Killed It In Her Debut Performance
All while wearing a 'Life. Be In It' shirt.
In a chock-a-block Saturday Night Live finale on the weekend, our very own Courtney Barnett dropped in to play some tunes and school the US on the fine art of Aussie slang. Yes, it is every bit of great as you’d imagine, and yes, the term “shrimp on the barbie” comes up.
Sunken into a couch backstage, Barnett tries to teach comedian and SNL mainstay Bobby Moynihan about words that are both normal for Australians and bordering on nonsensical to Americans. Moynihan can’t seem to wrap his head around the term “ute” (hint: it’s short for utility vehicle, mate.). He also overrides Barnett’s attempts to explain the fact that literally nobody in Australia says “shrimp”, probably because that would then make Crocodile Dundee a complete work of fiction and definitely not the true representation of Australia that it 100 percent is.
Granted, most of the lesson is Barnett giggling at Moynihan for being so puzzled by our slang, and calling Paul Hogan on his phone upside down because “he’s in Australia”.
Barnett channelled these ocker vibes in her performance later on the night, smashing out her debut on the SNL stage with ripper style in a Life. Be In It shirt. You can watch the full thing here.
courtney barnett wearing a Life Be In It shirt on SNL, what a legend pic.twitter.com/nBYn9yG4YE
— Bec Shaw (@Brocklesnitch) May 22, 2016
I think we’ve all learned something here today, and it’s that “ute” is far better and easier to say than “pickup truck”. It makes so much more sense and all you drongos bloody know it.