Saturday Night Live

New Red-Band Trailer for THE DICTATOR; Sacha Baron Cohen Kidnaps Martin Scorsese on SNL

by Adam Chitwood    Posted: May 7th, 2012 at 10:38 am

A new red-band trailer for the Sacha Baron Cohen comedy The Dictator has gone online.  The clip is basically structured similarly to the other trailers, but it includes alternate takes and different jokes.  I was a big fan of Borat and admired the ballsiness of Bruno, but I’m starting to feel like The Dictator may be a bit one-note.  This is the first Cohen comedy that’s set up as a true narrative feature instead of a mockumentary, so it’ll be interesting to see how this outlandish character fares throughout a true story arc.  I liked the opening scene of the film so hopefully I’m wrong, but I’m not entirely convinced that I won’t tire of the character after 30 minutes of the film.

Hit the jump to watch the trailer.  We’ve also included an embed of a sketch from this past weekend’s Saturday Night Live in which Cohen appeared in character as said Dictator holding the actor’s Hugo director Martin Scorsese hostage.  The Dictator opens on May 16th.

Mick Jagger to Host and Perform on the Season Finale of Saturday Night Live

by Dave Trumbore    Posted: May 3rd, 2012 at 4:21 pm

Another decade, another appearance for Mick Jagger on Saturday Night Live.  The Rolling Stones legend will return to SNL for the season finale on May 19th as both a host and a performer.  Jagger and the Stones have appeared on the show numerous times over the years but this will be the first solo perfomance and hosting double duty for the vocalist.  Apparently, Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney was originally expected to host, but has rescheduled to appear in the fall when SNL returns.  Count that as a win for the comedy show, as the fact that this is The Rolling Stones’ 50th anniversary and the rumor of a possible on-air reunion with Keith Richards should generate a good amount of viewership.  Hit the jump to take a look at some of Jagger’s skits from over the years.

Will Ferrell to Host SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE on May 12

by Ethan Anderton    Posted: April 27th, 2012 at 10:03 am

The season is winding down, and while the first weekend in May will see the untested comedic talent of NFL quarterback Eli Manning take the stage of Saturday Night Live, the following weekend will bring a seasoned veteran of the late night sketch show back to Studio 8H. NBC has announced that Will Ferrell will host Saturday Night Live on May 12th with musical guest Usher. Anytime Ferrell has shown up on SNL after his time on the show as a cast member, it’s been fantastic. But the question remains as to who will close out the season with the finale on May 19th. Who can top Will Ferrell?

New SNL Digital Short for LASER CATS Goes Full-On Spielberg

by Matt Goldberg    Posted: April 15th, 2012 at 8:24 pm

The popular SNL Digital Short series Laser Cats got a new installment last night featuring none other than the legendary Steven Spielberg.  And with the Spielberg touch, just about everything in the short parodied the director’s most popular movies, or at least his popular popcorn movies.  Don’t expect to see any Saving Private Ryan or Schindler’s List references floating around.  Even though you won’t see anyone shouting “Give Us Us Free!” it’s nice that Spielberg decided to drop by and join in the Laser Cats fun even though he wasn’t promoting an upcoming movie or TV series.

Hit the jump to check out the short, which also stars Laser Cats regulars Bill Hader, Andy Samberg, and Saturday Night Live creator Lorne Michaels.

Sofia Vergara and Josh Brolin to Host SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE in April

by Ethan Anderton    Posted: March 20th, 2012 at 11:18 am

She’s quite the Latin bombshell on Modern Family, and now the lovely Sofia Vergara will bring her two best assets (I’m talking about comedy and charisma) to late night with a hosting stint on Saturday Night Live set for April 7th. Vegara will be joined by musical guest One Direction, also making their debut on the sketch comedy series following the success of their hit single What Makes You Beautiful, and it should be a feast for both our eyes and our funny bones (please don’t take that sexually).

In addition Josh Brolin is slated to host SNL for a second time on April 14th with musical guest Gotye joining for his first musical appearance. The song Somebody That I Used to Know is all over the radio, and Brolin is surely looking to get audiences amped up for his promising turn impersonating a young Tommy Lee Jones in Men in Black 3 (watch the new trailer right here). Brolin’s comedic sensibilities are just as tuned as his dramatic chops, so I’m looking forward to his return to Studio 8H.

Taylor Swift Talks DR. SEUSS’ THE LORAX, Her Favorite Movie, Director and Actor, SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE, Karaoke, and More

by Steve 'Frosty' Weintraub    Posted: February 27th, 2012 at 5:32 pm

From the creators of Despicable Me comes the animated feature film adaptation of Dr. Seuss’ The Lorax, a beloved cautionary tale of environmental conservation wrapped up in a colorful children’s story.  The 3D-CG animated adaptation is an adventure that follows the journey of idealistic 12-year-old Ted (voiced by Zac Efron) while he searches for a real Truffula Tree for Audrey (voiced by Taylor Swift), in order to win the affection of the girl of his dreams. To find one, he must learn the story of the Lorax (voiced by Danny DeVito) from the enigmatic and bitter old hermit, known as the Once-ler (voiced by Ed Helms), who let the temptation of greed and success get the better of him.  For more on the film, here’s some images, trailers, 8 clips from the movie, and the Super Bowl spot.

At the recent Los Angeles press day, I was able to speak with Taylor Swift for our partners at Omelete.  During the interview, Swift talked about making The Lorax and how she got cast, what surprised her about the recording process and whether or not her character changed throughout the development process.  In addition, she talked about her favorite movie, director and actor, her go-to karaoke song, and the experience of hosting Saturday Night Live including whether or not she had a favorite sketch from the night.  Hit the jump to watch.

TV Casting Call: Abby Elliot May Leave SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE for Fox Comedy Pilot; Bradley Whitford Joins THE ASSET

by Ethan Anderton    Posted: February 23rd, 2012 at 2:45 pm

Paul Brittain has already exited Saturday Night Live for other pursuits and now it appears the late night sketch comedy show might lose another cast member. EW has learned that Abby Elliott (who, in case you didn’t know, is the daughter of SNL alum and recurring How I Met Your Mother guest star Chris Elliott) is nearing a deal to lead a new Fox comedy pilot called Ben Fox is My Manny (which I think combines the words “man” and “nanny”) and it just might have her leaving SNL. The series, from Couples Retreat writer Dana Fox, follows an uptight single mother (Elliott) and her laid-back brother who move in together to raise a child. Hit the jump for more, including news on a new series for The West Wing alum Bradley Whitford.

Lindsay Lohan to Host SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE on March 3rd

by Ethan Anderton    Posted: February 20th, 2012 at 11:36 am

That’s right, folks. Despite the fact that Lindsay Lohan has nothing to promote and the troubled actress really doesn’t have much of a career beyond some risque photo-shoots showing up on the internet every couple weeks, the Freaky Friday and Mean Girls star is set to host Saturday Night Live on March 3rd with musical guest Jack White, making his debut as a solo artist outside of his work with The White Stripes and The Raconteurs.

NBC announced the news during a commercial break on this past weekend’s SNL with host Maya Rudolph, and while we’re not sure how the new episode with Lohan is going to turn out (or if people even care anymore), last weekend’s episode was an absolute laugh riot. Not only did it mark the return of SNL veteran Rudolph as host, but Justin Timberlake, Amy Poehler (on both Weekend Update and a Bronx Beat sketch), Bill O’Reilly and Kate Upton all made surprise appearances, and you can check out those and a few of our favorites sketches from the show after the jump.

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.

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