Live from St. Louis — It’s ‘Thursday Night Live’!!!

What an event! This is almost like the real thing. Watch Sarah Palin do a dead-on impression of Tina Fey. Listen as Joe Biden pretends that the writer’s lines are his. Sympathize as Gwen Ifill tries to make sense of their answers.

It will be show-business history. We won’t know until then whether Sarah’s script will include real answers to the questions, or whether her coaches have simply taught her a killer sound bite or two that she will recite no matter what.

We also have no idea whether Joe, in his efforts to be funny, will be unable to restrain himself and blurt out some inappropriate one-liner that manages to offend women, minorities and just about any other group that is not in a joking mood.

The two will present a stark contrast. On one side, you have Biden, whose efforts to shorten his phrasings might cause him literally to explode. On the other, there’s Sarah, who will attempt to recite a coherent sentence and remember all that stuff her coaches have been jabbering about during those cram sessions.

Who knows? Maybe Palin will spring a surprise, and suddenly announce that Uncle John McCain will sit next to her during the debate. That way she has a “lifeline” close by, just in case she forgets her programmed answer or has a hard time selling her argument that “Ignorance is Bliss.”

An alternative might be that when she’s stumped, Biden can step in and help out. It’s the only was he can have a meaningful role in this skit. Otherwise, it’s all about whether Palin avoids looking like a total fool. If she does, she’s the winner.

So this is not just a one-act comedy; the show will present its musical guests at the end. This week it’s The Spinners doing their song and dance. They’ll be performing “Send in the Clowns.”

Visit Mr. Franken’s website at www.bobfranken.tv.