Saturday Night Live

Maya Rudolph to Host SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE on February 18th

by Ethan Anderton    Posted: February 8th, 2012 at 3:16 pm

It’s always fun when Saturday Night Live alums return to host, so it’s great to hear from NBC that Maya Rudolph, who can currently be seen on the comedy series Up All Night, will return to Studio 8H on February 18th. That likely means we’ll see the Bridesmaids star reprise some of her characters from years past including her outrageous Whitney Huston and maybe even a new Bronx Beat if Amy Poehler can be coaxed to make a guest appearance. Rudolph will be joined by musical guest Sleigh Bells making their network television debut.

Jonah Hill and Justin Bieber to Host SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE; Paul Brittain Leaving Cast Immediately

by Ethan Anderton    Posted: January 31st, 2012 at 11:54 am

This season of Saturday Night Live has delivered some solid episodes with hosts like Daniel Radcliffe and hopefully a solid debut from Channing Tatum this coming weekend. Now a couple upcoming hosts have also been revealed with TV Line reporting that Jonah Hill will return for a second hosting stint on March 10th, just in time to promote 21 Jump Street. In addition, according to the Here’s the Thing podcast, Alec Baldwin, while speaking with SNL boss Lorne Michaels mentioned that Justin Bieber would make his debut as host at some point.

However, the real surprising news comes from EW as featured player Paul Brittain, best known for playing Ron Paul and the flamboyant and old time gay Lord Cecil Wyndemere, will be leaving the cast immediately. In fact, his departure will be so abrupt that he won’t even appear on this coming weekend’s episode. While no specific details are mentioned, a source said Brittain “had the opportunity to pursue other projects, and he and the show parted ways amicably.” He wasn’t the strongest presence in the line-up, but I wonder what this fantastic opportunity was that would have him leaving so abruptly.

Melissa McCarthy and Chuck Lorre MIKE & MOLLY Interview

by Christina Radish    Posted: January 14th, 2012 at 8:15 am

At the CBS portion of the TCA Winter Press Tour, writer/producer Chuck Lorre and show star Melissa McCarthy were in attendance to talk about their hit series Mike & Molly. The comedy tells the story of a working class Chicago couple – Officer Mike Biggs (Billy Gardell) and fourth-grade teacher Molly Flynn (McCarthy) – who find love at an Overeaters Anonymous meeting.

During the panel presentation, Chuck Lorre talked about having three shows on the air at one time (with Mike & Molly, The Big Bang Theory and Two and a Half Men), what makes for a successful multi-camera comedy, how you know when something is working and the challenges of doing so many episodes in one season, while Melissa McCarthy talked about having had such a successful year, the fun of hosting Saturday Night Live, the opportunities she gets to make a complete ass out of herself on the show, and how much she enjoys working with the new additions to the cast. Check out what they had to say after the jump:

Channing Tatum and Zooey Deschanel Hosting SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE in February

by Ethan Anderton    Posted: January 11th, 2012 at 9:17 am

Audiences currently have the chance to see Channing Tatum in a hard-hitting fight with Gina Carano in Haywire, but in March the buff actor will flex his comedy chops again alongside Jonah Hill in 21 Jump Street. But between that, NBC has just revealed that Tatum will make his debut as the host of Saturday Night Live on February 4th along with fantastic musical guest Bon Iver. Normally I’m not a fan of Tatum in the least, but glimpses of his comedic work in the trailer for 21 Jump Street and his supporting performance in The Dilemma shows comedy might be where he fits best, even if he does look like an action figure.

In addition, NBC has also revealed that the charming and lovely Zooey Deschanel will make her hosting debut the following week on February 11th along with musical guest Karmin. New Girl has become a surprise hit on Fox, and that’s mostly due to the charismatic and hilarious work done by Deschanel as the quirky titular character Jess. It’s amazing it’s taken this long for Deschanel to hit SNL, but I can’t wait to see how both of these episodes turn out next month.

2012 Art Directors Guild Award Nominees Include HUGO, HARRY POTTER, DRIVE, and GAME OF THRONES

by Brendan Bettinger    Posted: January 3rd, 2012 at 8:56 pm

I like to see the guild awards, because the specificity allows for nominees that you won’t see on more general lists.  The Art Directors Guild is especially interesting because they separate the films into three categories: period, fantasy, and contemporary.  The 15 nominees highlight everything from Oscar favorites Hugo and The Artist, to crowd-pleasers Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2 and Captain America, to poorly received films like Cowboys & Aliens and Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides.  There’s a similar contrast in the TV nominees between the classy HBO programs you’d expect (Boardwalk Empire, Game of Thrones, and Mildred Pierce) and the critical punching bags American Horror Story and The Playboy Club.  The full list of nominees is after the break.

Daniel Radcliffe and Charles Barkley Hosting SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE in 2012

by Ethan Anderton    Posted: December 19th, 2011 at 9:22 am

This past weekend brought the last episode of Saturday Night Live for the year 2011, but the late night sketch comedy series will return with a bang in the first two weeks of 2012. Kicking off the New Year, and maybe the end of the world, will be NBA All-Star Charles Barkley returning to host for his third time on January 7th along with musical guest Kelly Clarkson. Barkley is usually all over the TV as an analyst for professional and college basketball on TNT and CBS, but when he comes to studio 8H, all bets are off. If you’ve never caught Barkley making an appearance on SNL, we’ve included a couple of sketches from his appearance back in 2010 after the jump.

Jake Szymanski of “Funny or Die” Eyed to Direct HE’S FUCKIN’ PERFECT

by Dave Trumbore    Posted: December 15th, 2011 at 4:01 pm

A Black List spec script written by Lauryn Kahn may have found its director in Jake Szymanksi (Saturday Night Live). Kahn, who had previously worked as an assistant to Adam McKay at “Funny or Die,” had her comedy effort picked up by Fox 2000 earlier this year. Szymanski, a director of numerous shorts at “Funny or Die,” has been eyed by the studio to helm the project, He’s Fuckin’ Perfect. The plot follows a girl who is savvy in the ways of social media but hesitant when it comes to romance. Using her tech skills to vet her friends’ dates, she happens to stumble upon the perfect guy and decides to turn herself into his ideal woman. Emma Stone was previously reported to be circling the role.

He’s Fuckin’ Perfect will be produced through Gary Sanchez, the production company of Will Ferrell and McKay, who also helped Kahn hone and shape her script. Hit the jump for more on the project and an example of Szymanski’s work.

Producers Guild Awards Announces Television Series Nominees Including MODERN FAMILY, GAME OF THRONES, DEXTER, and More

by Ethan Anderton    Posted: December 7th, 2011 at 11:21 am

With awards season in full swing, the Producers Guild of America has just announced the television series nominees for the 23rd Annual Producers Guild Awards which will be announced on January 21, 2012 at the Beverly Hilton Hotel. In the comedy category, I can’t believe a show with such inconsistent writing quality as Glee beats out something like Community, but there you have it. There’s still some deserving nominations with Modern Family and Parks and Recreation though. On the dramatic side of things Game of Thrones gets some well-earned loved for their first season and both Mad Men and Dexter continue their collection of accolades. For the rest of the nominees in each category as well as talk shows, competition shows and non-fictions shows, hit the jump.

Last Night’s SNL Digital Short Spoofs Batman’s Stealth Abilities

by Brendan Bettinger    Posted: December 4th, 2011 at 7:07 am

Steve Buscemi proved to be a very capable host on last night’s very funny episode of Saturday Night Live.  As it turns out, the week when a major pedophilia case is in the news is a great week to have Buscemi in the troupe.  But given his range, Buscemi is also suited to play the ethical Commissioner Gordon when Andy Samberg and Co. needed the character for their SNL digital short.  Samberg plays Batman, paying particular attention to his ability to sneak up on on Gordon, and vanish into thin air with the same ease.  The stealth jokes escalate from the basic setup to the point where… well, hit the jump to see for yourself.

Katy Perry to Host SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE on December 10th

by Ethan Anderton    Posted: November 21st, 2011 at 2:55 pm

After appearing as a musical guest, and taking part in a sketch wearing quite a fantastic Elmo t-shirt, singer Katy Perry will following in her husband Russell Brand‘s footsteps and take the Saturday Night Live stage as host of the late night sketch comedy series. However, unlike hosts like Elton John and Justin Timberlake who have pulled double duty as host and musical guest, Perry will have Robyn as the episode’s musical guest. Perry’s music videos clearly show she has the right personality and talents for comedy, most particularly her alter ego Katy Beth Perry from videos like Last Friday Night which you can check out after the jump.

Check Out This Small Batch of Promos for Emma Stone Hosting SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE This Weekend

by Ethan Anderton    Posted: November 9th, 2011 at 2:11 pm

How soon can we get Fred Armisen and Emma Stone in a movie together? That’s my immediate thought after watching this small batch of short promos from NBC letting everyone know that the Easy A and The Help star is hosting Saturday Night Live for her second time this weekend with musical guest Coldplay. Their chemistry is flawless, and while these kinds of promos aren’t usually anything to write home about, they’re quirky and almost feel like they could easily be a part of Armisen’s sketch series Portlandia on IFC. Check out the SNL promos and my personal favorite sketch from Portlandia after the jump!

Charlie Day, Emma Stone, and Jason Segel Hosting SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE in November

by Ethan Anderton    Posted: October 17th, 2011 at 9:33 am

After starting strong in September, but fizzling out this past weekend with a mostly poor episode with host Anna Faris (musical guest Drake was actually funnier in the couple sketches he appeared in, like this fantastic SNL Digital Short), it looks like Saturday Night Live has the potential to turn things around next month. NBC has just announced the next round of hosts for three back-to-back episodes in the first three weeks of November.

On November 5th, It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia star Charlie Day will host for his first time with musical guest Maroon 5 followed by Emma Stone taking the stage with musical guest Coldplay on November 12th, and finally Jason Segel makes a long awaited debut on the late night sketch series with musical guest Florence + the Machine. And considering The Muppets is the big reason for Segel showing up on SNL just in time for the film’s release, I’m betting that at least a few of our favorite Jim Henson characters will show up for some fun.

Zoolander Meets Stefon on Last Night’s SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE Hosted by Ben Stiller

by Brendan Bettinger    Posted: October 9th, 2011 at 8:26 am

Last time Ben Stiller host Saturday Night Live, it was 1998, aka the pre-Zoolander era.  By the time Stiller returned to host SNL last night, the show had created the perfect counterpart for Stiller’s male model character in flamboyant New York scenester Stefon (played by Bill Hader).  While all involved are trying to get Zoolander 2 going in features, Stiller revived the character for an appearance with Stefon on last night’s Weekend Update.  Get your Zoolander fix in the clip posted after the jump.

As a bonus, look for the show’s Moneyball parody, in which Billy Beane (Taran Killam doing a great Brad Pitt impression) turns to steroids instead of statistics.

Joseph Gordon-Levitt Talks 50/50, SNL, LOOPER, Steven Spielberg, and IMAX on THE DARK KNIGHT RISES

by Steve 'Frosty' Weintraub    Posted: September 27th, 2011 at 6:49 pm

The dramedy 50/50, directed by Jonathan Levine (The Wackness), is one of my favorite films of 2011.  Starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Seth Rogen, Anna Kendrick, Bryce Dallas Howard, and Anjelica Huston, the film is based on screenwriter Will Reiser’s real-life battle with cancer and focuses on the twists, turns, shock, sadness, and comedic relief that he experienced along the way.  While all the performances are fantastic, Gordon-Levitt is operating on another level.  I really believe he’s one of the best actors working in Hollywood.

While at the Toronto Film Festival, I was able to speak with Gordon-Levitt about how he got involved in 50/50, if he’ll ever host Saturday Night Live again and how he’ll top his amazing opening number, if he prefers doing a few takes like Clint Eastwood or tons like David Fincher, what it means to be working with Steven Spielberg on Lincoln, and if he’s seen a rough cut of Rian Johnson’s Looper.  In addition, while I knew he’d be guarded about The Dark Knight Rises, I was able to get a good answer on what it’s like work with the IMAX cameras.  Hit the jump to watch.

Ben Stiller and Anna Faris to Host SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE in October

by Ethan Anderton    Posted: September 26th, 2011 at 11:46 am

The new season of Saturday Night Live kicked off this past weekend with host Alec Baldwin, and next weekend Bridesmaids star Melissa McCarthy takes the stage for her first time as host of the late night sketch comedy series, but now we have word on two more hosts for October. Today NBC announced that Ben Stiller will return for his second time as host on October 8th with musical guest Foster the People and Anna Faris will also make her second SNL appearance to host the show on October 15th with musical guest Drake.

You may not remember, but Stiller was a featured player and writer on SNL back in 1989, so his return to the stage is a bit of a homecoming. As for Faris, despite the fact that her comedies aren’t always of the best quality, she’s certainly dedicated to the genre, and I respect her continued efforts as a straight-up comedy actress. This season seems to be off to a strong start, so here’s hoping the momentum continues into October.

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