SNL gets two new chick to replace one departing Amy Poehler
“Saturday Night Live” has added two femmes to its troupe on the heels of Amy Poehler’s departure from the show last month. Abby Elliott, the daughter of comedian Chris Elliott, has lent her voice to episodes of “King of the Hill” and ABC’s upcoming “The Goode Family.” She’s also performed with the Upright Citizens Brigade. Chris Elliott, known for his tenure on “Late Night with David Letterman,” also logged a year on “SNL” in the 1994-95 season.
Michaela Watkins has spent some time with the Groundlings and has numerous TV guest shots on her resume. Most recently she’s logged three episodes of CBS’ “The New Adventures of Old Christine” and an episode of Showtime’s “Californication.”
- from Variety
Douchebag Tim McGraw to host ‘Saturday Night Live’
Live from New York! It’s Tim McGraw. His spokeswoman, Jessie Schmidt, says McGraw will host NBC’s “Saturday Night Live” on November 22, joining a short list of country stars, including Garth Brooks, Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson and Dolly Parton, to host the show.
McGraw’s hits include “Live Like You Were Dying,” “Where the Green Grass Grows” and his latest, “Let It Go.”
- from Yahoo
Tina Fey and John McCain had a ‘frosty’ chemistry on ‘SNL’
According to a source within Senator John McCain’s camp, McCain’s Nov. 1 appearance on “Saturday Night Live” was something he’d been hoping to do for a long time. “He’s always been up for going on ‘SNL,’” said the source. “He’d been wanting to do it for a while, it’s just tough with the scheduling.”
Unlike Gov. Sarah Palin’s “SNL” appearance , McCain was very involved in the night’s sketches.
“He’s funny, a lot of people don’t realize that,” the source said. “And he was totally up for anything. He can take a joke — actually the only jokes that can bother him sometimes are jokes about Sarah. He really defends her.”
That could, in part, explain what some described as “frosty” chemistry between Tina Fey and McCain.
“It seemed a little awkward,” said one person who saw McCain and Fey rehearse just before the live dress rehearsal, “but he really was up for anything, being as involved as the show wanted him to be.”
- from MSNBC
Sarah Palin bigger than John McCain on SNL
The last “Saturday Night Live” before Tuesday’s election — and featuring a joint appearance by John McCain and Tina Fey as running mate Sarah Palin — didn’t disappoint in the ratings. “SNL” averaged a 9.0 household rating/20 share in the metered markets, according to preliminary data released Sunday by Nielsen Media Research. Final data will be out later this week, but it was another strong performance by the late-night sketch show, which was hosted by Ben Affleck.
Saturday night’s show was only upstaged in the ratings this year — and since 1997 — by the Oct. 18 “SNL” where Palin made an actual appearance. That show, which averaged a 10.7 rating/24 share and eventually more than 13 million viewers, was the highest-rated “SNL” since 1994.
- from THR
Sarah Palin, I mean Tina Fey, with John McCain on SNL
Live from New York was the real John McCain alongside Tina Fey as Sarah Palin on “Saturday Night Live.” McCain took a break from his final days on the campaign trail to open the show with a sketch poking fun at his own campaign’s finances following Obama’s blockbuster infomercial. Earlier in the day McCain appeared in Virginia and Pennsylvania at campaign rallies before heading for New York in a move that demonstrates, once again, how important the show has become this election season.
Yet again proving its primacy in this presidential campaign, “Saturday Night Live” featured John McCain last night in its opening skit — where he and Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin (played, as always, by Tina Fey) hawked campaign wares on QVC. McCain played the part well — pushing blank commemorative plates to remember the 10 town hall debates that never happened between he and Barack Obama, and knives to cut through the pork in Washington.
Fey, of course, stole the show with her portrayal of Palin; in one aside she promised she was “going rogue” and began to promote “Palin 2012″ shirts.
There was even a surprise Cindy McCain appearance!
Some in the political world had questioned McCain’s decision to spend a night in New York City — not exactly a battleground — so close to election day but the Arizona Senator will spend the next 48 hours blanketing a series of key states (Florida, Virginia, Indiana, New Mexico and Nevada) that should quiet those doubters somewhat.
- from Washpost
John McCain on Saturday Night Live Tonight
It’s official. Republican John McCain is making an appearance on the popular comedy sketch show Saturday Night Live this weekend, just days before the November 4 election. SNL has seen its ratings surge this season on the popularity of its political skits, especially actress Tina Fey’s portrayal of McCain’s running mate, Sarah Palin.Palin, who bears a striking resemblance to Fey, appeared on the show two weeks ago, boosting ratings and drawing positive reviews.
McCain, 72, is a joker on the campaign trail himself, often poking fun at his home state or his friends from the Senate.
The Arizona senator has often said he would make appearances on late night variety shows to boost his appeal with younger voters, many of whom have flocked to the candidacy of his Democratic rival Barack Obama, who is ahead in opinion polls.
The trip to New York, where the show is filmed, will take McCain out of important battleground states like Ohio and Florida just days before voters go to the polls, but the campaign clearly believes the time is well spent appealing, for free, to a national television audience.
The appearance will be McCain’s third on the show.
- from Reuters
Aides to John McCain said Friday the Republican presidential candidate will detour from battleground states this weekend and, after a long nap, will appear on “Saturday Night Live.”
When McCain’s running mate, Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin appeared on the show Oct. 18, it helped the show earn its best ratings in 14 years.
McCain last appeared on “Saturday Night Live” in May, after clinching the nomination and while the Democratic primary continued. The 72-year-old Arizona senator joked about his age, saying: “I ask you, what should we be looking for in our next president? Certainly, someone who is very, very, very old.”
When McCain hosted “SNL” in 2002, the very old senator mocked singer Barbra Streisand’s political advocacy by performing a medley of her songs.
Barack Obama appeared on “Saturday Night Live” briefly last season but canceled a return for its season opener in September, citing Hurricane Ike. Actor and Democrat Ben Affleck will host the show and the musical guest is Your American Idol, David Cook.- from here
Olbermann stops by SNL set, pissed over Ben Affleck skit
Ben Affleck, who’s hosting “Saturday Night Live” this week, was rehearsing a skit this afternoon mocking Keith Olbermann when Olbermann himself got past security to watch, according to a source with knowledge of the incident.
A source described the skit as “savage,” in portraying Olbermann as a deranged person living at home with his mother. Affleck, said a source, became uneasy with Olbermann in attendance at the 3 p.m., closed-set rehearsal.
But Olbermann, through a spokesman, was complimentary on his first time being mocked on “SNL” — a position his MSNBC colleague Chris Matthews has been in over the years.
“I’m not Sarah Palin,” Olbermann said. “I know how valuable it is to me. And it’s funny.”
- from Politico
Sarah Palin – Live for New York, It’s Saturday Night!
After watching “Saturday Night Live” make fun of her from afar, Sarah Palin witnessed it first hand this week as Tina Fey engaged in fiction by depicting her at the news conference the Republican vice presidential nominee has yet to hold.
Later, Palin came on stage during the Weekend Update mock news segment and bobbed to the beat as cast member Amy Poehler performed a rap song the Alaska governor decided was too hardcore for her to perform personally.
“I’m Jeremiah Wright ‘cuz I’m the preacher; I got a bookish look and you’re all hot for teacher,” Poehler rapped as actors dressed as Eskimos, Palin’s husband, Todd, and a moose pranced across the stage.
The appearance was anticipated since September, when Fey began portraying Palin just after GOP presidential nominee John McCain selected the little-known governor as his running mate. The two look alike, and Palin remarked that people often told her — before Fey started portraying her — that she resembled the actor.
In the show’s opening, Fey’s impersonation of Palin told a group of reporters, “First off, I just want to say how excited I am to be in front of both the liberal elite media as well as the liberal regular media. I am looking forward to a portion of your questions.”
Moments later, the camera cut away to the real Palin watching a television monitor alongside the show’s executive producer, Lorne Michaels.
“You know, Lorne, I just don’t think it’s a realistic depiction of the way my press conferences would have gone,” Palin said. She said she wished he would have let her do a sketch about “30 Rock,” the NBC program in which Fey now stars. That prompted Michaels to deadpan: “Honestly not enough people know that show.”
Palin then stood mute as Fey’s “30 Rock” co-star, Alec Baldwin came onto the stage, mistook Palin for Fey and pleaded with Michaels not to let the actor go onstage with the governor.
“This is the most important election in our nation’s history and you want her, our Tina, to go out there and stand with that horrible woman?” Baldwin said.
When Michaels broke down and introduced him to Palin, Baldwin feigned embarrassment and replied, “I see. Forgive me. I feel I must say this: You are way hotter in person.”
Palin got even by saying, “Thank you, and I must say, your brother Stephen is my favorite Baldwin brother.”
The camera soon cut back to Fey who answered a question about the polls.
“I don’t worry about the polls. Polls are just a fancy way of systematically predicting what’s going to happen. The only poll I care about is the North Pole, and that … is … melting. It’s not great.”
The real Palin then walked onto the news conference set, sending Fey fleeing.
“Thank you, thank you,” the governor said to applause from the studio audience. “No, I’m not going to take any of your questions, but I do wanted to take this opportunity to say, `Live from New York, it’s Saturday Night.’”
It was not immediately clear if McCain, overnighting in Ohio, watched the show, but earlier in the day he told a crowd in Woodbridge, Va., that he thought Fey and Palin were “separated at birth.”
Speaking of his running mate, he added, “I know she’ll do a great job.”- from AP
Was she funny? You betcha!
Sarah Palin raised the roof last night on her “Saturday Night Live” debut, yukking it up with Alec Baldwin and executive producer Lorne Michaels as she watched dead-ringer Tina Fey lampoon her at a fake news conference.
Fey, the show’s former head writer, who donned a red blazer and Palin’s up-swept do and glasses, took a poke at the Alaska governor’s press-shyness.
The screen then cuts to “SNL” show creator Michaels and the real Palin watching the show backstage.”I just didn’t think it was a realistic depiction of what my press conferences are like,” the Republican veep hopeful said to Michaels.
All of a sudden, Baldwin strolled up and mistakes the Alaskan governor for his “30 Rock” castmate, Fey, pleading with Michaels not to let “Tina” do the show with Palin, whom he calls “Caribou Barbie.”
“You can’t let Tina go out there with that woman. She goes against everything we stand for,” the notoriously liberal actor said. “This is the most important election of our lifetime.”
After Michaels points out that he’s speaking to the real Gov. Palin, a red-faced Baldwin backtracks and said, “Forgive me, but I feel I must say this, you’re way hotter in person.”
“I can’t believe they let her [Fey], you know, play you,” Baldwin said.
Palin shot back, “You know, your brother, Stephen, [a conservative] is my favorite Baldwin.”
After the pair strode off to the set arm in arm, Baldwin walked up to Fey, who is still in character, and whispered in her ear. Fey then exclaimed, “The real one?” and walked away from the podium, crossing Palin on stage.
The country’s most famous hockey mom then deadpaned: “I’m not going to take any of your questions, but I do want to take this opportunity to say, live, from New York, it’s Saturday Night.”
Palin returned to the stage for the Weekend Update segment, bopping to a rap by Amy Poehler while Eskimos, a moose, and a snowsuit-clad man danced in the background. “All the mavericks in the house, put your hands in air!” Poehler yelled as Palin pumped her hands in the air.
The show, hosted by Josh Brolin, who plays President Bush in the biopic “W.” joked in the opening monologue that he was in a recent political movie, “No Country For Old Men.”
“It was about John McCain,” he quipped.
- from NYpost
Saturday Night Live returns September 13 Michael Phelps and Lil Wayne
“Saturday Night Live” makes its 34th season premiere on Saturday, September 13 featuring two of the biggest names of the summer – Michael Phelps and hip-hop superstar Lil Wayne.
US Olympic swimming phenomenon Michael Phelps will make his acting debut hosting the season premiere hot off his record-shattering performance in Beijing.
The SNL season premiere kicks off four live shows in a row, a rare practice that generated momentum for the show this past spring when the show returned after the WGA Strike-imposed hiatus. All told, seven all-new SNL’s will air on Saturdays prior to the election.
Phelps went a perfect 8-for-8 in Beijing, breaking Mark Spitz’s single-Games record for most gold medals won. In addition, Phelps broke another Olympics record, becoming the most decorated Olympian in history, winning a stunning 14 career gold medals. Phelps currently holds seven world records in swimming.
Unprecedented millions tuned in to watch Phelps in action, from the US Swim Team’s explosive victory over the French in the 4×100m freestyle relay, by just .08 of a second; to Phelps’ record-demolishing performance in the 4×200m freestyle relay breaking the record by more than four seconds and his seventh gold medal win, beating Serbia’s Milorad Cavic by the slimmest and most dramatic margin imaginable – one-one-hundredth of a second.
Joining Phelps and also making his SNL debut is hip-hop superstar Lil Wayne.
Not only one of the best rappers of his generation, Lil Wayne is arguably the biggest story in music for 2008. His sixth album “Tha Carter III” sold over 1 million copies in its first week of release, a feat not achieved since 2005’s “The Massacre” by 50 Cent. “Tha Carter III” has blazed up the singles charts as well with three top-ten singles in “Lollipop,” “A Milli” and “Got Money.” In addition to the platinum debut numbers for the CD, Wayne is a tireless performer so prolific that in 2007, Vibe magazine ranked and graded songs to which Wayne contributed and the list was 77 songs long. Wayne is a constant presence on the internet, releasing his own mixtapes for free on a regular basis. He has been one of GQ’s “Men of the Year” for 2007 and was named the “Best Rock Star Alive” by Blender magazine (2008). Rolling Stone may have said it best: “The self-proclaimed greatest rapper proves he wasn’t kidding.”
In addition to the revved-up Saturday schedule, “SNL” is ready for primetime with “Saturday Night Live Weekend Update Thursday.” Three LIVE primetime half-hours beginning October 9 at 9:30pm ET. These primetime special editions will be anchored by the show’s signature “Weekend Update.” This marks a return to the NBC Thursday night lineup for “SNL,” which produced similar live “Update”-centered broadcasts in 2001.
“Saturday Night Live” is from SNL Studios in association with Broadway Video. The creator and executive producer is Lorne Michaels. Steve Higgins produces. Marci Klein and Mike Shoemaker are producers. Seth Meyers is head writer. Don Roy King directs.
