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As Lorne Michaels tells it, Saturday Night Live’s most significant cast shakeup in a generation is a product of the pandemic.
In interviews after the Emmy Awards and with The New York Times, Michaels noted that in normal times, the likes of Kate McKinnon, Aidy Bryant and Pete Davidson might have left SNL in 2020 or 2021 to pursue other work.
“The pandemic had put us in this position where no one could really leave because there were no jobs,” Michaels told the Times, echoing his post-Emmys comments that there “was no place to go” for long-serving cast members who might otherwise have left beforehand.
Regardless of the cause, Saturday’s 48th season opener will be the first show after one of the largest cast shake-ups in its history. The show did a near-total overhaul prior to the 1985-86 season, and a similar one...
As Lorne Michaels tells it, Saturday Night Live’s most significant cast shakeup in a generation is a product of the pandemic.
In interviews after the Emmy Awards and with The New York Times, Michaels noted that in normal times, the likes of Kate McKinnon, Aidy Bryant and Pete Davidson might have left SNL in 2020 or 2021 to pursue other work.
“The pandemic had put us in this position where no one could really leave because there were no jobs,” Michaels told the Times, echoing his post-Emmys comments that there “was no place to go” for long-serving cast members who might otherwise have left beforehand.
Regardless of the cause, Saturday’s 48th season opener will be the first show after one of the largest cast shake-ups in its history. The show did a near-total overhaul prior to the 1985-86 season, and a similar one...
- 9/30/2022
- by Rick Porter
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
It's an interesting time to be a fan of "Saturday Night Live." Since the season 47 finale in May, we've seen the cast departures of Kate McKinnon, Aidy Bryant, Pete Davidson, Alex Moffat, Kyle Mooney, Melissa Villaseñor, Chris Redd, and Aristotle Athari. We've also seen four new cast members join the cast: Marcello Hernandez, Molly Kearney, Michael Longfellow, and Devon Walker. It might sound like a lot of changes, but don't worry: at least we know Kenan Thompson's sticking around.
The last time there was a cast shake-up on this level was in 2013, when Bill Hader, Jason Sudeikis and Fred Armisen all left at the same time, and six new cast members were added for the new season. If you're thinking that's an unusually high number of cast members to add at once, you're correct. The show itself was aware of this, which might be why the host Tina Fey...
The last time there was a cast shake-up on this level was in 2013, when Bill Hader, Jason Sudeikis and Fred Armisen all left at the same time, and six new cast members were added for the new season. If you're thinking that's an unusually high number of cast members to add at once, you're correct. The show itself was aware of this, which might be why the host Tina Fey...
- 9/21/2022
- by Michael Boyle
- Slash Film
Magnolia Pictures will release I Love My Dad in theaters this Friday, August 5 and On Demand August 12 and today they dropped a new trailer for the film.
I Love My Dad had its World Premiere at SXSW 2022 to incredible praise from both fans and critics alike, winning both the Narrative Feature Grand Jury Award and Audience Award.
Inspired by writer, director, and star James Morosini’s true life experience, I Love My Dad follows Chuck (Patton Oswalt), a hopelessly estranged father who desperately wants to reconnect with his troubled son, Franklin (Morosini). Blocked on social media and concerned for his son’s life, Chuck impersonates a waitress online and starts checking in with Franklin. But things begin to spiral when Franklin falls for this imaginary girl (Claudia Sulewski) and wants nothing more than to meet her in person, as Chuck has inadvertently catfished his own son.
A thrilling comedy with an unexpected twist,...
I Love My Dad had its World Premiere at SXSW 2022 to incredible praise from both fans and critics alike, winning both the Narrative Feature Grand Jury Award and Audience Award.
Inspired by writer, director, and star James Morosini’s true life experience, I Love My Dad follows Chuck (Patton Oswalt), a hopelessly estranged father who desperately wants to reconnect with his troubled son, Franklin (Morosini). Blocked on social media and concerned for his son’s life, Chuck impersonates a waitress online and starts checking in with Franklin. But things begin to spiral when Franklin falls for this imaginary girl (Claudia Sulewski) and wants nothing more than to meet her in person, as Chuck has inadvertently catfished his own son.
A thrilling comedy with an unexpected twist,...
- 8/2/2022
- by Michelle Hannett
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
Jennifer Lopez has officially fulfilled a dream almost two decades in the making. The Marry Me star, 52, tied the knot with her fiancé Ben Affleck, 49, in a surprise wedding ceremony at the A Little White Wedding Chapel in Las Vegas on July 16. In addition to saying "I do," Jennifer has also legally changed her name to Jennifer Affleck, per the couple's marriage license. The name change has been a long time coming. In fact, Jen revealed that she had originally planned on taking Ben's last name while cooking with Pat O'Brien as part of Ben & Jen: A Dateline Special released during the couple's first engagement back in 2003....
- 7/17/2022
- E! Online
In today’s TV news roundup, Netflix revealed the trailer for its drama series “Away,” and OWN announced a post-finale special for “Greenleaf.”
Renewals
Quibi announced that “NighGowns,” the documentary performance series, has been renewed for a second season. The series’ first season follows the personal and artistic lives of Sasha Velour and other drag artists as they prepare their own lip-sync performances, while the numbers in season two will center around a single collective narrative. It will also include an international cast of drag performers. The show will continue with executive producers Velour and Sophie Muller, while members of the season one cast will be creative consultants.
First Looks
Netflix has unveiled the trailer for its new drama, “Away,” set to premiere Sept. 4 on the streaming platform. The show’s plot centers around an international crew’s voyage to Mars, helmed by U.S. astronaut Emma Green (Hilary Swank...
Renewals
Quibi announced that “NighGowns,” the documentary performance series, has been renewed for a second season. The series’ first season follows the personal and artistic lives of Sasha Velour and other drag artists as they prepare their own lip-sync performances, while the numbers in season two will center around a single collective narrative. It will also include an international cast of drag performers. The show will continue with executive producers Velour and Sophie Muller, while members of the season one cast will be creative consultants.
First Looks
Netflix has unveiled the trailer for its new drama, “Away,” set to premiere Sept. 4 on the streaming platform. The show’s plot centers around an international crew’s voyage to Mars, helmed by U.S. astronaut Emma Green (Hilary Swank...
- 8/10/2020
- by Eli Countryman
- Variety Film + TV
One day after A.P. Bio Creator-Executive Producer Mike O’Brien broke the news that the sophomore sitcom had been canceled, fans have taken to social media in an effort to bring it back.
The hashtag #SaveAPBio trended throughout the day Saturday on Twitter. Among the comments, viewers said they were “crushed” and the show “will be missed.”
“Maybe networks should let good quality shows grow for more than 2 seasons before axing it,” one person tweeted.
Another urged Netflix to pick up the series, writing: “C’mon Netflix!!!!!”
Someone else added: “Such an incredible cast and the show was just hitting its stride. There’s still so much potential!”
Written by SNL alum O’Brien, the high school comedy stars Glenn Howerton as disgraced Harvard philosophy scholar Jack Griffin. After losing out on his dream job, Griffin is forced to return to Toledo,...
The hashtag #SaveAPBio trended throughout the day Saturday on Twitter. Among the comments, viewers said they were “crushed” and the show “will be missed.”
“Maybe networks should let good quality shows grow for more than 2 seasons before axing it,” one person tweeted.
Another urged Netflix to pick up the series, writing: “C’mon Netflix!!!!!”
Someone else added: “Such an incredible cast and the show was just hitting its stride. There’s still so much potential!”
Written by SNL alum O’Brien, the high school comedy stars Glenn Howerton as disgraced Harvard philosophy scholar Jack Griffin. After losing out on his dream job, Griffin is forced to return to Toledo,...
- 5/26/2019
- by Anita Bennett
- Deadline Film + TV
“A.P. Bio” has been canceled at NBC.
Series creator Mike O’Brien shared the news with fans on Twitter, writing that “This has been the favorite project of my life.”
In the single-camera comedy, Glenn Howerton portrayed a disgraced Harvard philosophy scholar who lost out on his dream job and was forced to return to Toledo, Ohio, to work as a high school biology teacher. There, he decided to use his students for his own benefit but found himself gradually more entangled with the other staff, especially the principal (played by Patton Oswalt).
Series creator Mike O’Brien shared the news with fans on Twitter, writing that “This has been the favorite project of my life.”
In the single-camera comedy, Glenn Howerton portrayed a disgraced Harvard philosophy scholar who lost out on his dream job and was forced to return to Toledo, Ohio, to work as a high school biology teacher. There, he decided to use his students for his own benefit but found himself gradually more entangled with the other staff, especially the principal (played by Patton Oswalt).
- 5/25/2019
- by Danielle Turchiano
- Variety Film + TV
NBC has set a February 1 preview date for A.P. Bio, its new comedy from Saturday Night Live writer Mike O'Brien, SNL honcho Lorne Michaels and former SNL-er Seth Meyers.
A.P. Bio will air at 9:30 PM ET/PT February 1 following Will & Grace at 9 PM, then will return Thursday, March 1 in the same timeslot following the network’s coverage of the Winter Olympic Games.
In addition, This Is Us will return from its winter hiatus on Tuesday, January 9 at 9 PM, a week later than…...
A.P. Bio will air at 9:30 PM ET/PT February 1 following Will & Grace at 9 PM, then will return Thursday, March 1 in the same timeslot following the network’s coverage of the Winter Olympic Games.
In addition, This Is Us will return from its winter hiatus on Tuesday, January 9 at 9 PM, a week later than…...
- 12/14/2017
- Deadline TV
Jean Villepique (Up All Night) has been cast as a series regular in new NBC comedy A.P. Bio, from Saturday Night Live writer Mike O'Brien, SNL honcho Lorne Michaels and former SNL-er Seth Meyers. Written by O'Brien, A.P. Bio stars It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia co-lead Glenn Howerton as a philosophy scholar who loses out on his dream job and goes to work as a high school Advanced Placement biology teacher but he makes it clear he will not be teaching any biology…...
- 8/1/2017
- Deadline TV
'The Magnificent Ambersons': Directed by Orson Welles, and starring Tim Holt (pictured), Dolores Costello (in the background), Joseph Cotten, Anne Baxter, and Agnes Moorehead, this Academy Award-nominated adaptation of Booth Tarkington's novel earned Ricardo Cortez's brother Stanley Cortez an Academy Award nomination for Best Cinematography, Black-and-White. He lost to Joseph Ruttenberg for William Wyler's blockbuster 'Mrs. Miniver.' Two years later, Cortez – along with Lee Garmes – would win Oscar statuettes for their evocative black-and-white work on John Cromwell's homefront drama 'Since You Went Away,' starring Ricardo Cortez's 'Torch Singer' leading lady, Claudette Colbert. In all, Stanley Cortez would receive cinematography credit in more than 80 films, ranging from B fare such as 'The Lady in the Morgue' and the 1940 'Margie' to Fritz Lang's 'Secret Beyond the Door,' Charles Laughton's 'The Night of the Hunter,' and Nunnally Johnson's 'The Three Faces...
- 7/8/2017
- by Andre Soares
- Alt Film Guide
The Peacock Network has added a new comedy to its slate. NBC has ordered the AP Bio TV show to series. AP Bio hails from Universal Television, Broadway Video, and Sethmaker Shoemeyers Productions. The network put the comedy into development, back in September of 2016. The AP Bio cast includes Glenn Howerton, Patton Oswalt, Lyric Lewis, Mary Sohn, Aparna Brielle, Jacob McCarthy, and Nick Peine. Vanessa Bayer guest stars in the pilot. Writer Mike O'Brien will executive produce the NBC TV series with Lorne Michaels, Seth Meyers, Andrew Singer and Michael Shoemaker. Osmany Rodriguez will direct.Read More…...
- 5/9/2017
- by TVSeriesFinale.com
- TVSeriesFinale.com
Nick Peine (Office Christmas Party) has booked a series-regular role in NBC's single-camera comedy pilot from Seth Meyers, Saturday Night Live's Mike O'Brien and Lorne Michaels' Broadway Video. Written by O'Brien, the untitled comedy (fka AP Bio) centers on Jack (Glenn Howerton), a hilariously cynical Ivy League professor who loses out on his dream job and goes to work as a high school biology teacher, where he imposes his unorthodox teaching style and uses the kids to…...
- 3/10/2017
- Deadline TV
Another It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia star is getting a broadcast comedy series. Sunny co-creator/star Glenn Howerton has been tapped as the lead in NBC’s single-camera comedy pilot from Seth Meyers, Saturday Night Live's Mike O'Brien and Lorne Michaels' Broadway Video. Also cast in a major role in the project is Patton Oswalt (The Goldbergs, Marvel’s Agents Of S.H.I.E.L.D.). Written by O'Brien, the untitled comedy (fka AP Bio) centers on Jack (Howerton), a…...
- 3/8/2017
- Deadline TV
NBC has given the green light to a single-camera comedy from Seth Meyers, Saturday Night Live's Mike O'Brien and Lorne Michaels’ Broadway Video. Written by O’Brien, the untitled comedy (fka AP Bio) centers on a hilariously cynical Ivy League professor who loses out on his dream job and goes to work as a high school biology teacher where he imposes his unorthodox teaching style and uses the kids to plot out revenge on those who wronged him. Meyers, O’Brien, Mike…...
- 1/24/2017
- Deadline TV
Ex-49er fullback Bruce Miller isn't the type of person who'd punch an elderly man ... at least according to Miller's H.S. coach ... who says his former star is "a great kid." Miller allegedly beat up a 70-year-old man in a San Francisco hotel room this weekend ... before being arrested for aggravated assault, elder abuse, threats and battery. TMZ Sports spoke to Coach Mike O'Brien -- Smith's coach at Woodstock High School from '04-'...
- 9/6/2016
- by TMZ Staff
- TMZ
Mike O'Brien is not joking when it comes to his health. The Saturday Night Live alum posted a series of pre- and post-op photos of himself undergoing surgery on his face Sunday, sharing his own family history with skin cancer and raising awareness so fans might be more vigilant about their own health. "A couple weeks ago those two little red bumps under my right eye were diagnosed as melanoma, a skin cancer that has taken multiple people in my extended family," he wrote on Instagram. "If you have a family history of skin cancer, you should get checked at a dermatologist every 3-6 months.
- 7/25/2016
- by Lanford Beard, @lanfordbeard
- PEOPLE.com
Mike O'Brien is not joking when it comes to his health.
The Saturday Night Live alum posted a series of pre- and post-op photos of himself undergoing surgery on his face Sunday, sharing his own family history with skin cancer and raising awareness so fans might be more vigilant about their own health.
"A couple weeks ago those two little red bumps under my right eye were diagnosed as melanoma, a skin cancer that has taken multiple people in my extended family," he wrote on Instagram. "If you have a family history of skin cancer, you should get checked at a dermatologist every 3-6 months.
The Saturday Night Live alum posted a series of pre- and post-op photos of himself undergoing surgery on his face Sunday, sharing his own family history with skin cancer and raising awareness so fans might be more vigilant about their own health.
"A couple weeks ago those two little red bumps under my right eye were diagnosed as melanoma, a skin cancer that has taken multiple people in my extended family," he wrote on Instagram. "If you have a family history of skin cancer, you should get checked at a dermatologist every 3-6 months.
- 7/25/2016
- by Lanford Beard, @lanfordbeard
- People.com - TV Watch
Mike O'Brien is not joking when it comes to his health. The Saturday Night Live alum posted a series of pre- and post-op photos of himself undergoing surgery on his face Sunday, sharing his own family history with skin cancer and raising awareness so fans might be more vigilant about their own health. "A couple weeks ago those two little red bumps under my right eye were diagnosed as melanoma, a skin cancer that has taken multiple people in my extended family," he wrote on Instagram. "If you have a family history of skin cancer, you should get checked at a dermatologist every 3-6 months.
- 7/25/2016
- by Brittany King, @brrriitttnnii
- PEOPLE.com
Saturday Night Live director Matt Villines has died of cancer at age 39, People confirms.
Villines and his directing partner Oz Rodriguez, best known as the duo Matt & Oz, were responsible for SNL's hilarious pre-taped sketches like "The Jay Z Story", "Sad Mouse" and "Monster Pals."
The series remembered Villines in a statement obtained by People.
"We are deeply saddened by the loss of Matt Villines. His talent, grace, and unerring comedic intelligence will be irreplaceable," the statement read. "Everything he touched, he made better; everyone he worked with, he made happier. We will miss you, Matt."
Before getting his...
Villines and his directing partner Oz Rodriguez, best known as the duo Matt & Oz, were responsible for SNL's hilarious pre-taped sketches like "The Jay Z Story", "Sad Mouse" and "Monster Pals."
The series remembered Villines in a statement obtained by People.
"We are deeply saddened by the loss of Matt Villines. His talent, grace, and unerring comedic intelligence will be irreplaceable," the statement read. "Everything he touched, he made better; everyone he worked with, he made happier. We will miss you, Matt."
Before getting his...
- 7/11/2016
- by Emily Strohm, @emablonde
- People.com - TV Watch
Saturday Night Live director Matt Villines has died of cancer at age 39, People confirms. Villines and his directing partner Oz Rodriguez, best known as the duo Matt & Oz, were responsible for SNL's hilarious pre-taped sketches like "The Jay Z Story", "Sad Mouse" and "Monster Pals."Before getting his start at SNL in 2012, Villines attended film school in Los Angeles before going onto create hit videos for Funny or Die. In 2014 he was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer, which began in his kidney. Villines' friend and fellow director Mike O'Brien posted a photo on Instagram Sunday confirming the heartbreaking news. "On...
- 7/11/2016
- by Emily Strohm, @emablonde
- PEOPLE.com
Back when Donald Trump hosted Saturday Night Live last fall, he was barely featured in the show itself. And yet, if you count pure minutes of air time, it's possible that Russell Crowe got even less this week. I get burying a politician or an athlete for whom sketch comedy isn't their strong suit. But Crowe? He didn't do badly enough in his limited screen time to justify his exclusion. One can theorize that his notoriously difficult personality might have had something to do with this, but we'll probably never know.
- 4/10/2016
- Rollingstone.com
Will Ferrell and Mike O'Brien ladle up a heaping helping of fun bits in their new 7 Minutes in Heaven, but none quite as fun as Meme This Choke, a cool new meme where people choke each other and write funny text over the image. Our only question is, how have we not started doing this for real yet? We're a fraction of an inch away from Meme This Choke, internet-wise. Historians are going to look back on this 7 Minutes in Heaven and point to it as an ominous turning point in meme culture. Seriously, call us in 2017 and let us know if the kids aren't choke-memeing each other on Snapchat. Haha, those memes will probably be really funny, though.
- 1/19/2016
- by Halle Kiefer
- Vulture
With Fxx's Man Seeking Woman returning for its second season last Wednesday, we asked the show's mastermind Simon Rich to look back on his years as a Saturday Night Live writer and pick the most obscure sketches he penned. He obligingly chose nine, with one caveat: "All of my SNL sketches were obscure, so I went for my favorites." With constant praise for the cast, the hosts, and his co-writers John Mulaney, Marika Sawyer, Mike O'Brien, Colin Jost, and Heather Anne Campbell, and a ton of self-deprecation reserved for himself, Rich took us through the thought process of creating one-joke premises, making dog death funny, adding in ass humor, and much more. "It's very important to note that none of these sketches were popular or particularly successful," he says. "These are sketches I unfortunately loved writing.""O.J. Jury Selection," September 20, 2008The premise: After O.J. Simpson is arrested for kidnapping...
- 1/13/2016
- by Dan Reilly
- Vulture
Sometimes the guests on Mike O'Brien's 7 Minutes in Heaven don't get a full smooch, or occasionally even cringe away from the smooches O'Brien proffers them. Not Sisters star and WWE champion John Cena. In addition to riffing on the exact odor of fellow wrestler Big Show, tag-team couples therapy, and the most common wrestling injury (a broken heart), John Cena both accepts and grants the exact right number of smooches during the interview. John Cena is the new the Rock, right? Right.
- 12/31/2015
- by Halle Kiefer
- Vulture
Much like someone telling you about all the amazing food at a party you weren't invited to, there is a particular sting in hearing about bizarre SNL sketches that never made it to air. On Late Night With Seth Meyers last night, Mike O'Brien had a whole laundry list of hilarious-sounding weirdness your dumb eyes will never get to see, and oh God, that Betty White unicorn sketch. Just an irritable Betty White doing an insane monologue about unicorn eye infections. You can picture it in your mind's eye all you want. It won't be as good. Ha ha, okay, I pictured it. It's still pretty good. Is there really no way they can't pull a Jennjamin Franklin and get Betty White to perform this now?...
- 12/8/2015
- by Halle Kiefer
- Vulture
Parades and pigskin aside, there wasn't much happening on television during the week of Thanksgiving. But for the past seven days? The box has been overstuffed. While various series are racing toward their seasonal end games, the networks have begun trotting out some early holiday diversions, hoping to capitalize on the viewers who are already eager to surround themselves with mistletoe and holly. There were even a few premieres last week, including a sneak preview of NBC's new sitcom Superstore, the return of Bravo's Top Chef, and a single-episode sneak-peek...
- 12/7/2015
- Rollingstone.com
The Writers Guild of America announced some of its nominees for its 2015 awards on Thursday, including television, new media, and radio, and among the TV nominees are series both new and old, and all beloved.
In the comedy series category, freshman Netflix show "Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt" scored a nomination for best series, as well as an overall best new series nod. "The Last Man on Earth" also landed in that latter category, and was singled out for its pilot episode writing, too.
On the drama side of the equation, lauded "Breaking Bad" spinoff "Better Call Saul" also got best series and best new series nominations, in addition to a an episode writing nod. Newly-minted Emmy winner "Game of Thrones" also scored a best drama citation, as well as an episodic writing nomination.
The full list of nominees released this week are below. Nominations in the theatrical and documentary categories will...
In the comedy series category, freshman Netflix show "Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt" scored a nomination for best series, as well as an overall best new series nod. "The Last Man on Earth" also landed in that latter category, and was singled out for its pilot episode writing, too.
On the drama side of the equation, lauded "Breaking Bad" spinoff "Better Call Saul" also got best series and best new series nominations, in addition to a an episode writing nod. Newly-minted Emmy winner "Game of Thrones" also scored a best drama citation, as well as an episodic writing nomination.
The full list of nominees released this week are below. Nominations in the theatrical and documentary categories will...
- 12/3/2015
- by Katie Roberts
- Moviefone
Scarlett Johansson is sexy, and thanks to Her, we know for a fact that her voice alone is enough to make you give undivided attention. So, how perfect was it that ScarJo just so happened to be around to lend her titillating vocals to Saturday Night Live alum Mike O'Brien's new project, Tasty Radio. On October 30, the celeb will release a new comedy album of that name, which will include the track, "Sexy Bible," which features Johansson reading passages from the Book of Deuteronomy on Wsex, Sexy Talk Radio. After revealing that he'd need help making the Old Testament sound sexy (understandable), O'Brien finds out that the blond bombshell is outside in the hallway. So, of course,...
- 10/29/2015
- E! Online
As Oprah recently hinted, the Bible's got this sensual undertone to it when you really read between the lines. That's especially true if you've hired Scarlett Johansson to lead your Bible Study group, something former Saturday Night Live writer/cast member Mike O'Brien foresaw when he got ScarJo to sex up the Old Testament for his new comedy album, Tasty Radio. On "Sexy Bible," Scarlett brings her best naughty Sunday-school teacher impression to O'Brien's Sexy Talk-Radio with her titillating reading of Deuteronomy. Prepare to kneel before the Altar of ScarJo by the time she heats up Chapter 21, verses 10–13. Hallelujah!
- 10/28/2015
- by Dee Lockett
- Vulture
Review: 'Saturday Night Live's' Low-Key Season Premiere Features Some Comedic (And Political) Promise Mike O'Brien has released a track from his upcoming sketch comedy album, "Tasty Radio," on Soundcloud almost a full month prior to its official release. O'Brien has been writing for "Saturday Night Live" since 2009, and he's tapped into those comedy connections to stack the album with guest appearances from Scarlett Johansson, Jason Sudeikis, Fred Armisen, Seth Meyers, Bill Hader, John Mulaney and more. The released track, titled "Fun Girls," is a sketch about a frustrated husband making a late night call to a phone sex hotline. The call gets more and more absurd as he grapples with the automated directory. As an exercise in comedy writing, "Fun Girls" is impressive in its ability to generate laughs without relying on visual cues and gags, and the talented performances bring home some hilarious moments. "Fun Girls" was.
- 10/5/2015
- by Wil Barlow
- Indiewire
For a comedy writer, having even one sketch make it to air on Saturday Night Live is a dream come true. On the other hand, trying to get a scene to go from page to screen can be a living nightmare for the staff scribes. As current employee Mike O'Brien and former writers Emily Spivey and Simon Rich reveal, what often seems hilarious on paper can lead to hellish shoots or, thanks to constant rewrites and last-minute hiccups, a disaster that plays out in real time. With the documentary Live From New York coming out today and presenting the show as a rosy place to work, Vulture asked the trio to pick the sketches that gave them the most trouble and lasting agita, and explain how it all went down. Emily Spivey, SNL 2001–2010, creator Up All Night, co-executive producer The Last Man on Earth Sketch: 2009's "The Today Show With...
- 6/12/2015
- by Dan Reilly
- Vulture
Our weekly column in which writers share their off-beat, wacky and unexpected current obsessions. The ladies on "SNL" are killing it this season, particularly the unstoppable trio of Kate McKinnon, Aidy Bryant and Vanessa Bayer. Speaking of Bayer, I am currently obsessed with one particular facet of the underrated cast member's formidable skill set: her obvious knack for portraying repressed suburban housewives. We first became aware of her genius in this regard during the hilarious Totino's Activity Pack Super Bowl ad this year, which for once took us behind the scenes of every male-driven beer and pizza roll ad in existence to show us what really goes down on the other side of that sunny kitchen threshold: a slow descent into madness. Bayer's vapid Stepford Wife sunniness, delivered with a plastered-on smile that shows signs of breaking into a wail at any moment, perfectly encapsulates the outdated "doting housewife" persona...
- 4/15/2015
- by Chris Eggertsen
- Hitfix
The first time Michael Keaton hosted Saturday Night Live back in 1982, the New Joe Jackson Band served as the episode's musical guest (the next time he hosted, ten whole years later, Morrissey was on deck to provide the jams). The New Joe Jackson band may no longer exist, but Keaton happens to be in the midst of a major career resurgence (note to Joe Jackson: hey, maybe now it's time for that comeback tour), and a return to the SNL stage feels like a necessary, if not still amusing stop...
- 4/5/2015
- Rollingstone.com
Oh those silly SNL guys and gals! Watching this, I wondered if this was SNL's own attempt at commentary on the many instances of character whitewashing seen in Hollywood films since the early days of cinema; a quintessential example. The story of Jay Z's rise from drug dealer to hip-hop mogul is documented in this entirely inaccurate re-creation which stars Mike O'Brien as Jay Z, Sasheer Zamata as Beyoncé, Jason Sudeikis as Kanye West and J.K. Simmons (who hosted the episode) as Nas. It got a chuckle out of me, which is rare for an SNL skit!
- 2/1/2015
- by Tambay A. Obenson
- ShadowAndAct
The next time we see the Saturday Night Live crew, it will be in two weeks' time when everyone – no, really, everyone, even Eddie Murphy will reportedly be in attendance – comes together to celebrate the venerable sketch comedy series' fortieth anniversary with a dazzling new special. After three solid weeks of new shows (including last week's Blake Shelton-hosted outing, one of the lowest energy offerings of the season), our current cast is probably hungry for a bit of a break from their everyday comedic grind.
But first, they had...
But first, they had...
- 2/1/2015
- Rollingstone.com
Our own Ryan McGee wasn't a particular fan of last night's "Grow a Guy" sketch on "SNL," but it seems to have been one of the more popular bits amongst viewers on social media. The Mike O'Brien-directed video short was certainly one of the oddest things on last night's show - and certainly not as immediate as, say, "Jingle Ballerz" or the "Star Wars" parody - but it was nevertheless a chuckle-worthy curiosity that lingered in the mind longer than any of the episode's more traditional spoofs. Though there are broader moments - we've all encountered an obnoxious, aggro partygoer like the one played by Beck Bennett - the loopy, "Weird Science"-esque sci-fi bit is a grower, not a shower. Watch below as James Franco's mail-order friend gets a lesson in how to be human.
- 12/7/2014
- by Chris Eggertsen
- Hitfix
After taking a well-deserved week off to celebrate the Thanksgiving holiday – presumably, a break that included at least a smidge of Back Home Baller-ing – the cast of Saturday Night Live returned to Studio 8H to begin wrapping up the 2014 portion of the show’s fortieth season. James Franco (self-professed "actor, poet, artist, dude") was on hand to host for the third time, with best pal Seth Rogen and musical act Nicki Minaj frequently popping up to assist in the merry-making duties.
The episode was a mostly mid-level energy affair, one...
The episode was a mostly mid-level energy affair, one...
- 12/7/2014
- Rollingstone.com
Seth Meyers unveiled the second installment of "Second Chance Theatre," in which axed SNL sketches get a mulligan, last night on NBC's Late Night — and thank God, because the absurdity and success of Jennjamin Franklin was starting to get lonely. As Meyers puts it, this latest almost-forgotten sketch features a "young dreamer who yearns to bring joy and happiness to people's lives, while also teaching them a little something in the process." It's called "Juggling Flyer," and it stars Jason Sudeikis, with a little help from Mike O'Brien, Fred Armisen, and the rest of the Second Chance Players. The skit builds slowly, but funnily, and then after a line hiccup near its latter half, gives way to some fine improv magic.
- 11/26/2014
- by Sean Fitz-Gerald
- Vulture
“SNL” will let Prince play uninterrupted for 8 minutes Instead of two performances on Saturday, Prince will play "eight full minutes of unadulterated, commercial-free Purple glory," Billboard reports. Bob Odenkirk on “Better Call Saul”: “It’s 85 percent drama, 15 percent comedy” “It’s total drama, man,” says Odenkirk, who admits “I haven’t seen a frame of it.” Odenkirk also admits to not watching much of “Breaking Bad." Listen to Amy Poehler chat with Howard Stern for an hour and a half The “Parks and Rec” star, a Stern superfan, joked about "that bitch" Julia Louis-Dreyfus always stealing her Emmys. She also talked about boyfriend Nick Kroll and once going out to dinner with John Stamos and not being sure if it was a date or not. Click Read Full Post For More “The Bachelor” Juan Pablo Galavais and Nikki Ferrell may have split She unfollowed him on both Instagram and Twitter last night,...
- 10/27/2014
- by Norman Weiss
- Hitfix
This weekend's episode of Saturday Night Live was Halloween-themed, but it failed to address the scariest thing of all: children. Fortunately, Mike O'Brien is here to take on those mini terrors. Though no longer an official cast member, O'Brien has been making shorts for the show, like the hilarious "Whites" from the Sarah Silverman episode. This week, his "Kids" was cut despite being both so, so funny and so, so creepy. The whole thing is a morality play of sorts, or maybe it's an immorality play. Either way, the message is clear: Don't trust kids, they're selfish jerks who get in the way of your desire to be a selfish jerk for a little while longer.
- 10/27/2014
- by Jesse David Fox
- Vulture
While "Saturday Night Live" is long (sometimes painfully so), the producers still aren't able to include everything that is intended for any given episode. Things have to be cut, and sometimes those odds and ends wind up online. One of those abandoned sketches, from Saturday's episode, is truly bizarre and hilarious and even though it might not have made the cut over the weekend, it still deserves your attention.
The sketch (more along the lines of the pre-taped digital shorts popularized by Andy Samberg and his Lonely Island crew) was created by Mike O'Brien, who was downsized from being a regular cast member this season but still contributes to the show (he did that amazing "Whites" commercial from a few weeks ago) and it is really, really great. The basic conceit revolves around a man and his unease with children and it goes into some really dark, weird places. Just...
The sketch (more along the lines of the pre-taped digital shorts popularized by Andy Samberg and his Lonely Island crew) was created by Mike O'Brien, who was downsized from being a regular cast member this season but still contributes to the show (he did that amazing "Whites" commercial from a few weeks ago) and it is really, really great. The basic conceit revolves around a man and his unease with children and it goes into some really dark, weird places. Just...
- 10/27/2014
- by Drew Taylor
- Moviefone
Saturday Night Live returned last night with Maroon 5 and Sarah Silverman, who recently scooped up an Emmy for the writing work on her HBO special We Are Miracles. Below, we've got the night's biggest sketches, all nice and ready for you.
"Monologue"
If you love Sarah Silverman, you might know she spent a year on SNL in the early '90s. Her "return," as a first-time host, was a total triumph, with the monologue serving as a preemptive victory lap. Silverman was on-point enough that we're guessing even the...
"Monologue"
If you love Sarah Silverman, you might know she spent a year on SNL in the early '90s. Her "return," as a first-time host, was a total triumph, with the monologue serving as a preemptive victory lap. Silverman was on-point enough that we're guessing even the...
- 10/5/2014
- Rollingstone.com
There's a lot that will seem different this weekend when the 40th season of "Saturday Night Live" premieres, with Chris Pratt as guest host. Many old faces and voices gone, some new ones just arrived, and even some on-air talent demoted But more than those cosmetic changes, what should we be expecting from the four-decade-old comedy show?
For one thing, we can expect the chaos and growing pains of last season to continue. That doesn't mean the show's in crisis; indeed, for a show that's been around so long, it's all but inevitable to muddle through periods of upheaval.
About once a decade, "SNL" seems to go through what losing sports teams call "a rebuilding year," scrapping much of the cast and starting from scratch with newbies. Unfortunately, "SNL" fans have to watch them learn on the job. We have to endure horrible seasons like the 1985-86 year or the 1994-95 stretch.
For one thing, we can expect the chaos and growing pains of last season to continue. That doesn't mean the show's in crisis; indeed, for a show that's been around so long, it's all but inevitable to muddle through periods of upheaval.
About once a decade, "SNL" seems to go through what losing sports teams call "a rebuilding year," scrapping much of the cast and starting from scratch with newbies. Unfortunately, "SNL" fans have to watch them learn on the job. We have to endure horrible seasons like the 1985-86 year or the 1994-95 stretch.
- 9/26/2014
- by Gary Susman
- Moviefone
After a shake-up at the "Weekend Update" desk, "Saturday Night Live" continues to tweak its lineup with the addition of a new featured player to the cast.
Pete Davidson will join "SNL" when its 40th season premieres later this month. Here's a quick bio of the 20-year-old stand-up comic, via Deadline:
A native of Staten Island, NY, Davidson started his career in comedy at 16, using it as a therapeutic outlet after losing his father, a New York City firefighter, on 9/11. Making his rounds in the New York comedy scene, he was spotted by Nick Cannon who took him under his wing. Davidson was a semi-regular on the revival of Nick Cannon Presents: Wild 'N Out improv comedy series on MTV2 last year, leading to a gig on the MTV2 comedy/reality show Guy Code. Davidson, who dropped out of college, made his film-acting debut in Cannon's direct-to-video School Dance.
Davidson...
Pete Davidson will join "SNL" when its 40th season premieres later this month. Here's a quick bio of the 20-year-old stand-up comic, via Deadline:
A native of Staten Island, NY, Davidson started his career in comedy at 16, using it as a therapeutic outlet after losing his father, a New York City firefighter, on 9/11. Making his rounds in the New York comedy scene, he was spotted by Nick Cannon who took him under his wing. Davidson was a semi-regular on the revival of Nick Cannon Presents: Wild 'N Out improv comedy series on MTV2 last year, leading to a gig on the MTV2 comedy/reality show Guy Code. Davidson, who dropped out of college, made his film-acting debut in Cannon's direct-to-video School Dance.
Davidson...
- 9/15/2014
- by Katie Roberts
- Moviefone
Saturday Night Live has lost two more new members and one veteran from its ever-shifting cast. According to a Deadline report, two featured players from last season, Noël Wells and John Milhiser, have been dismissed from the sketch series, and five-season cast member Nasim Pedrad has departed to co-star on the new Fox series Mulaney (which is executive-produced by SNL's longtime boss, Lorne Michaels).
50 Greatest Saturday Night Live Sketches of All Time
This latest batch of cast shake-ups arrives after newcomer Brooks Wheelan announced his firing on Monday via Twitter.
50 Greatest Saturday Night Live Sketches of All Time
This latest batch of cast shake-ups arrives after newcomer Brooks Wheelan announced his firing on Monday via Twitter.
- 7/16/2014
- Rollingstone.com
First Brooks Wheelan, now two more departures from "Saturday Night Live's" freshman class. Noel Wells and John Milhiser will not be returning to NBC's late-night stalwart next season, according to Deadline. In addition, five-year veteran Nasim Pedrad is leaving the show to focus on her Fox series "The Mulaneys," though her departure had been expected. Wells, the lone female to join the "SNL" cast last September, is best known for a number of impressions including Emma Stone, Kristen Stewart, Zooey Deschanel, Nancy Grace and - my personal favorite - Lena Dunham. Milhiser's celebrity impersonations included Matthew McConaughey, Billie Joe Armstrong and Jon Cryer. Remaining freshman cast members from Season 39 include Beck Bennett, Kyle Mooney, Michael Patrick O'Brien (whose future with the series is also said to be uncertain) and, in January, Sasheer Zamata. Will you be said to Wells and/or Milhiser go? Let us know by voting in...
- 7/15/2014
- by Chris Eggertsen
- Hitfix
Noël Wells and John Milhiser will not be returning to Saturday Night Live next season, according to Deadline. They join the also-cut Brooks Wheelan, who announced his exit yesterday. Milhiser and Wheelan were both largely absent from the second half of this past season, and Wells wasn't that much more of a presence. Fellow rookies Kyle Mooney, Beck Bennett, and Sasheer Zamata are shoo-ins for next year, but still to be determined is the exact fate of Mike O'Brien. Also Tbd is the exact fate of humanity.
- 7/15/2014
- by Margaret Lyons
- Vulture
The cast shakeup at Saturday Night Live continues: Noël Wells and John Milhiser, season 39 additions, will not return to the late-night series for its landmark season 40. A source confirmed the departures to E! News. Wells and Milhiser aren't the only cast members leaving the series. Brooks Wheelan announced his departure on Twitter on Monday, July 14. Nasim Pedrad has implied she's likely not returning and will be featured full-time on former SNL writer John Mulaney's Fox sitcom Mulaney. Wells, Milhiser and Wheelan joined the show prior to the start of season 39 alongside Kyle Mooney, Mike O'Brien and Beck Bennett. Sasheer Zamata joined the show during midseason. The trio may not be the...
- 7/15/2014
- E! Online
Brooks Wheelan, who was one of the new faces on Saturday Night Live last season, has been fired from the comedy sketch show.
Brooks Wheelan Fired From 'SNL'
Wheelan, 27, announced his firing on Twitter with a sense of humor. “Had a blast and loved every second of it,” he wrote. “I'm totally honored to be able to make this next joke... Fired From New York It's Saturday Night!”
Had a blast and loved every second of it. I'm totally honored to be able to make this next joke... Fired From New York It's Saturday Night!
— Brooks Wheelan (@brookswheelan) July 14, 2014
Comedy director Judd Apatow appears to be a fan of the young comic talent, tweeting him, “You will have the Robert Downey Jr. post SNL career! (minus the painful drug addiction). Rock on friend!" Appreciating the confidence from Apatow, Wheelon joked about playing Iron Man in the 2021 reboot.
.@JuddApatow thanks man!
Brooks Wheelan Fired From 'SNL'
Wheelan, 27, announced his firing on Twitter with a sense of humor. “Had a blast and loved every second of it,” he wrote. “I'm totally honored to be able to make this next joke... Fired From New York It's Saturday Night!”
Had a blast and loved every second of it. I'm totally honored to be able to make this next joke... Fired From New York It's Saturday Night!
— Brooks Wheelan (@brookswheelan) July 14, 2014
Comedy director Judd Apatow appears to be a fan of the young comic talent, tweeting him, “You will have the Robert Downey Jr. post SNL career! (minus the painful drug addiction). Rock on friend!" Appreciating the confidence from Apatow, Wheelon joked about playing Iron Man in the 2021 reboot.
.@JuddApatow thanks man!
- 7/15/2014
- Uinterview
Saturday Night Live is shaking up its cast for the landmark 40th season. Brooks Wheelan, who joined the show before season 39 premiered, tweeted that he's been let go from the NBC series. "Had a blast and loved every second of it. I'm totally honored to be able to make this next joke...Fired From New York It's Saturday Night!" he tweeted. A source confirmed to E! News that Wheelan will not be returning and stressed that casting changes are normal. Wheelan was one of several new cast members to join the long-running Saturday night staple. He joined the series alongside Beck Bennett, Noel Wells, Kyle Mooney, Mike O'Brien and John Milhiser. Sasheer Zamata joined...
- 7/15/2014
- E! Online
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