"Toiling"? You're making me feel bad!

And the answer to your Xander question is - two words, "plot device".

Now cut that out. If I didn't want to do it, I wouldn't have offered.

And I would have chosen "lazy writers" as the two words, but that's just me.

I can think of few things that are more romantic than a husband accessing his amazing artisic skills to produce a masterpiece for his wife. That he chooses to "toil" is a testimony to his commitment to excellence in his art and desire to give his best to his beloved. :)

When Ken vaccums, he even moves the couch!

Sid

It also doesn't hurt that he gets to hang it in his own digs.

And I believe the Xander question is answered in the following key phrase: lack of continuity.

In fact I think the "Xander-remembers-his-military-skills-so-well" thing got so out of hand they mocked it internally by having Spike tell Xander his friends thought he should enter the military and by having Xander say in, I think season 6, in response to "Does that come from your military training you remember?" "No, that comes from every military movie I've ever seen." I mean, he was a soldier for all of what, less than an evening?....they certainly got plenty of mileage out of it....

Emcee: And finally, the man you've all been waiting for, this is his first Star Trek convention in quite a long time, I know he's thrilled to be here, Captain James Tiberius Kirk himself, WILLIAM SHATNER! [ Shatner walks to the podium. ] Now Bill's here to field a few questions so just fire away!

Trekkies: Mr. Shatner! Mr. Shatner!

William Shatner: Alright, the first question, uh, go ahead!

Charlie: Yeah! Okay, um, when you were gonna beam down to the planet, okay, for the last time in Episode 25? I was wondering, like um, w-w-what was going on with the crew in that particular....

William Shatner: Uh... Episode 25?

Charlie: Yeah!

William Shatner: Um... you gotta give me a PLOT, see, cause it's 20 years and it's a long time... a PLOT... uh....

Charlie: Yeah, Episode 25, that's where you and the crew of the Enterprise get attacked by these spores? And started acting real weird, like hippies and stuff?

William Shatner: [ smiling ] Oh oh, yeah right, I remember, okay uh... what's the question?

Charlie: Well um, I was wondering if you could settle a bet for me and my friends, okay? Um, like, when you... um, left your quarters for the last time? And you opened up your safe? Um... what was the combination?

William Shatner: [ lengthy pause, incredulous expression ] I-I-I don't know! I mean, it's been a long time! I, uh... I don't know that! Uh, okay?

Charlie: [ disappointed ] Okay! Okay!

William Shatner: Anybody? Oh, all right, go ahead! You? Go ahead! You in the funny shirt!

Artie: [ wearing Kirk uniform ] Okay! Another bet... okay... on your horse farm... alright? How many saddle-bred horses do you have?

William Shatner: Uh... 34.

Artie: Wait, wait... is that including the colt that was born earlier this week?

William Shatner: [ stunned pause ] That mare had a foal?

Artie: Tuesday!

William Shatner: Well I... guess it's 35 then!

Artie: ALL RIGHT! ALL RIGHT! [ congratulated by his friends ]

William Shatner: You know, before I answer any more questions there's something I wanted to say. Having received all your letters over the years, and I've spoken to many of you, and some of you have traveled... y'know... hundreds of miles to be here, I'd just like to say... GET A LIFE, will you people? I mean, for crying out loud, it's just a TV show! I mean, look at you, look at the way you're dressed! You've turned an enjoyable little job, that I did as a lark for a few years, into a COLOSSAL WASTE OF TIME!

[ a crowd of shocked and dismayed Trekkies.... ]

I mean, how old are you people? What have you done with yourselves?

[ to "Ears" ] You, you must be almost 30... have you ever kissed a girl?

[ "Ears" hangs his head ]

I didn't think so! There's a whole world out there! When I was your age, I didn't watch television! I LIVED! So... move out of your parent's basements! And get your own apartments and GROW THE HELL UP! I mean, it's just a TV show dammit, IT'S JUST A TV SHOW!

Charlie: Are- are you saying then that we should pay more attention to the movies?

William Shatner: NO!!! THAT'S NOT WHAT I'M SAYING AT ALL!!! HEY, YOU GUYS ARE... THE LAMEST BUNCH... I'VE NEVER SEEN... [ walks away from podium ] I can't believe these people... I mean, I really can't understand what's....

[ Emcee argues with Shatner off-mike, shoves him, Shatner shoves back harder.... ]

Second Emcee: Uh... that was William Shatner, ladies and gentlemen. Uh, I'd like to remind you Trekkers that we have some fine refreshments from all over the galaxy... Coke, Diet Coke, Bubble Up, Orange, I believe. We....

[ Meanwhile, Emcee waves the contract in front of Shatner, who then reluctantly returns to the podium.... ]

William Shatner: Of course, that speech was a "re-creation" of the "Evil Captain Kirk" from um... Episode, um... [ Emcee whispers ] THIRTY-SEVEN... uhh... called... [ another whisper ] "The Enemy Within."

[ Trekkies get happy, applaud ]

William Shatner: Yuh, Yuh, so thank you... and, and... Live Long and Prosper...

[ Trekkies make Vulcan "peace sign".... ]

William Shatner: So everybody... set your phasers on stun, cause... THIS CONVENTION'S AHEAD WARP FACTOR NINE, Y'KNOW? RIGHT! ALL RIGHT! WARP FACTOR NINE!

Don't forget, people who don't like you wouldn't bother giving you a hard time. I'd insert a smiley, but, you know...

Ladies and gentlemen, I give you... the best man at my wedding! Give him a big hand, he'll be here all week.

What I love about that skit is Shatner gets back up there and does his little bit, because you don't mess with the fans.

That's got to be one of my favorite SNL skit's of all time. Big Bill really 'sells it with the face'.
And I'll say it for you ('cause you're nicer than me): If I did more stuff, I'd have more things to make fun of (as if there's not enough.) My laziness is a thing of beauty.

Apparently, I hallucinated my favorite SNL skit. I remember a "Coneheads on Family Feud" episode with the real Richard Dawson, in which "Beer" was the number one answer to the question "Name something you eat with eggs!" But the SNL Transcripts site has something different.