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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
Available on VOD June 7th from 1091 Pictures, we have an exclusive clip from Keeping Company just for Daily Dead readers!
"Sonny and Noah are two brash door-to-door salesmen climbing the ranks within the corporate world of insurance. One day, after feeling the heat from their boss to get their sales numbers up, they cross paths with Lucas, an enigmatic, anti-social creature, whom they see as a potential new client. With no regard for Lucas' plea for privacy, they rudely force their way into his house but soon find themselves trapped in his basement, incapable of escaping. As the spotlight shifts toward Lucas and his demanding Grandmother, the similarities between this sinister household and the ruthless world of business begin to parallel each other. An exploration on the importance of wealth and class in today's society, Keeping Company mixes ruthless corporate salesmen with vicious suburban serial killers and asks if you can tell the difference.
"Sonny and Noah are two brash door-to-door salesmen climbing the ranks within the corporate world of insurance. One day, after feeling the heat from their boss to get their sales numbers up, they cross paths with Lucas, an enigmatic, anti-social creature, whom they see as a potential new client. With no regard for Lucas' plea for privacy, they rudely force their way into his house but soon find themselves trapped in his basement, incapable of escaping. As the spotlight shifts toward Lucas and his demanding Grandmother, the similarities between this sinister household and the ruthless world of business begin to parallel each other. An exploration on the importance of wealth and class in today's society, Keeping Company mixes ruthless corporate salesmen with vicious suburban serial killers and asks if you can tell the difference.
- 6/6/2022
- by Jonathan James
- DailyDead
“Saturday Night Live” announced three new cast members for the upcoming 45th season Thursday, which includes the addition of its first Asian-American cast member, Bowen Yang. Yang began as a writer on the 2017-2018 season, and appeared in sketches sporadically, most notably playing Kim Jong-Un opposite Sandra Oh. Before joining “SNL,” Yang was a fixture in the New York stand-up comedy scene, where he garnered a following for his short-form videos and as co-host of the “Las Culturistas” podcast. He is also openly gay, making him only the third out gay male cast member in the show’s history (with Terry Sweeney and John Milhiser). He joins fellow out Lgbtq cast member Kate McKinnon.
Joining Yang are fellow new cast members Chloe Fineman and Shane Gillis. Fineman is a frequent performer at La’s prestigious comedy incubator The Groundlings. Both Fineman and Gillis were recently recognized as a New Face...
Joining Yang are fellow new cast members Chloe Fineman and Shane Gillis. Fineman is a frequent performer at La’s prestigious comedy incubator The Groundlings. Both Fineman and Gillis were recently recognized as a New Face...
- 9/12/2019
- by Jude Dry
- Indiewire
YouTube Premium’s longest-running series is back.
The fourth-season trailer for racy comedy Foursome dropped this week, and while it’s still packed full of YouTube talent like leading lady Jenn McAllister (3.4 million subscribers) and Rickey Thompson, the hit show’s next installment is noticeably absent Logan Paul, who played McAllister’s overbearing older brother Alec for the first three seasons. Paul was cut from the series in January following his widely-criticized video showing a dead body in Japan's Aokigahara forest.
Foursome follows four friends through the trials and tribulations of being teenagers. In this latest season, set to premiere on Oct. 24, the Og foursome reunites for one last epic summer together before some of them graduate, leaving McAllister’s character to face her junior and senior years of high school alone.
The series, which has pulled in some impressive viewership numbers for YouTube, also stars Cameron Moulene and Sarah Gilman,...
The fourth-season trailer for racy comedy Foursome dropped this week, and while it’s still packed full of YouTube talent like leading lady Jenn McAllister (3.4 million subscribers) and Rickey Thompson, the hit show’s next installment is noticeably absent Logan Paul, who played McAllister’s overbearing older brother Alec for the first three seasons. Paul was cut from the series in January following his widely-criticized video showing a dead body in Japan's Aokigahara forest.
Foursome follows four friends through the trials and tribulations of being teenagers. In this latest season, set to premiere on Oct. 24, the Og foursome reunites for one last epic summer together before some of them graduate, leaving McAllister’s character to face her junior and senior years of high school alone.
The series, which has pulled in some impressive viewership numbers for YouTube, also stars Cameron Moulene and Sarah Gilman,...
- 10/11/2018
- by James Loke Hale
- Tubefilter.com
In Today’s TV News Roundup, Netflix has cast Freya Allen and Anya Chalotra in its upcoming adaptation of “The Witcher,” and “SNL” has teased the upcoming hosting appearance of series alum Seth Meyers.
Dates
Season two of the Amazon Prime series “Patriot” is set to premiere Nov. 9, starring Michael Dorman (“Wonderland”), and written and directed by Steve Conrad (“The Pursuit of Happyness”). This season will follow Dorman as he continues in his efforts to influence the Iran presidential election, this time without his bag of 11 million euros. Terry O’Quinn will also return as Dorman’s father alongside newcomer Debra Winger who will play his mother. Other cast members include Michael Chernus, Aliette Opheim, Kurtwood Smith and Kathleen Munroe. Watch the season trailer below.
Fox Sport’s 1 announced that its new show “Fair Game With Kristine Leahy” will premiere Oct. 22 at 5:30 p.m. Et. Filmed in Santa Monica,...
Dates
Season two of the Amazon Prime series “Patriot” is set to premiere Nov. 9, starring Michael Dorman (“Wonderland”), and written and directed by Steve Conrad (“The Pursuit of Happyness”). This season will follow Dorman as he continues in his efforts to influence the Iran presidential election, this time without his bag of 11 million euros. Terry O’Quinn will also return as Dorman’s father alongside newcomer Debra Winger who will play his mother. Other cast members include Michael Chernus, Aliette Opheim, Kurtwood Smith and Kathleen Munroe. Watch the season trailer below.
Fox Sport’s 1 announced that its new show “Fair Game With Kristine Leahy” will premiere Oct. 22 at 5:30 p.m. Et. Filmed in Santa Monica,...
- 10/10/2018
- by Nate Nickolai
- Variety Film + TV
Beck Bennett (Saturday Night Live), D’Arcy Carden (The Good Place), Neil Casey (Ghostbusters), Dot-Marie Jones (Glee), and Janicza Bravo (Camping) are attached to star in Greener Grass, a film from writing and directing duo Jocelyn DeBoer and Dawn Luebbe. The helmers will also star in the pic, based on their SXSW short film. It’s set in a timeless suburbia and tells the story of soccer moms Jill (DeBoer) and Lisa (Luebbe). While their children compete on the soccer field, the pair competes in the bleachers in this dark comedy where every adult wears braces on their straight teeth, couples coordinate meticulously pressed outfits, and coveted family members become pawns in the ultimate competition for acceptance. Mary Holland (Veep), Jim Cummings (Thunder Road), Lauren Adams (Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt), Asher Miles Fallica (Ozark), Julian Hilliard (The Haunting of Hill House), and John Milhiser (SNL) co-star. Natalie Metzger is producing Greener Grass,...
- 10/1/2018
- by Amanda N'Duka
- Deadline Film + TV
The heated discussion surrounding “Saturday Night Live” and its inclusion (or lack thereof) of gay cast members rages on, because — of course — Alec Baldwin is Tweeting.
After comedian James Adomian spoke to The Daily Beast regarding his belief that “Saturday Night Live” has an issue when it comes to casting out gay men, “SNL’s” current designated Trump impersonator tweeted a link to the article with the snarky comment, “My dream is to, one day, be as gifted, as brave, as all-knowing as @jamesadomian.”
My dream is to, one day, be as gifted, as brave, as all-knowing as @jamesadomianhttps://t.co/qXyob7vqJX
— ABFoundation (@ABFalecbaldwin) March 17, 2018
Baldwin then followed up by suggesting that people “consider the source” in regards to Adomian’s claims, clearly suggesting that his resentment came from a place of bitterness:
Do you think he has a problem with them? Based upon what? The bitter recriminations of those he didn’t hire?...
After comedian James Adomian spoke to The Daily Beast regarding his belief that “Saturday Night Live” has an issue when it comes to casting out gay men, “SNL’s” current designated Trump impersonator tweeted a link to the article with the snarky comment, “My dream is to, one day, be as gifted, as brave, as all-knowing as @jamesadomian.”
My dream is to, one day, be as gifted, as brave, as all-knowing as @jamesadomianhttps://t.co/qXyob7vqJX
— ABFoundation (@ABFalecbaldwin) March 17, 2018
Baldwin then followed up by suggesting that people “consider the source” in regards to Adomian’s claims, clearly suggesting that his resentment came from a place of bitterness:
Do you think he has a problem with them? Based upon what? The bitter recriminations of those he didn’t hire?...
- 3/19/2018
- by Liz Shannon Miller
- Indiewire
Comedian James Adomian accuses “Saturday Night Live” of being homophobic to gay men and stealing jokes in a new interview with The Daily Beast. Adomian, an out gay comedian best known for his celebrity impressions and for appearances on “Comedy Bang! Bang!” and “Chicago Trap House,” auditioned for the NBC sketch comedy series 13 years ago and did not get cast. According to The Daily Beast, the show has only had one openly gay male cast member, Terry Sweeney, who was on the series during the 1985-1986 season.
“It would be nice if they put a gay man on camera on that show,” Adomian said, “I’ve been out of the closet the whole time since I auditioned 13 years ago. You would think that they would have tried to put someone else on that was a gay man. It’s about time.”
Jake Weisman, the comedian who co-created and co-stars in Comedy Central’s series “Corporate,...
“It would be nice if they put a gay man on camera on that show,” Adomian said, “I’ve been out of the closet the whole time since I auditioned 13 years ago. You would think that they would have tried to put someone else on that was a gay man. It’s about time.”
Jake Weisman, the comedian who co-created and co-stars in Comedy Central’s series “Corporate,...
- 3/16/2018
- by Zack Sharf
- Indiewire
The premise of the new comedy “The Guest Book” is an exciting one: a quiet, unassuming cottage at a cozy mountain getaway plays host to a number of weekend travelers with something to work out or something to hide. Each of them relate their wacky adventures in the room’s guest book, using a few pages to write a confession, an alibi or a farewell. It’s the kind of “if these walls could talk” setup that makes you wonder why TV hasn’t taken advantage of hotel-adjacent stories more often.
There’s a certain flexibility that comes with getting to reinvent a show’s character list every episode. Like its new motel counterpart “Room 104,” each episode of the first season of “The Guest Book” focuses on a different set of occupants: These vacationers range from scientists to quarreling spouses to parents with misplaced preoccupations.
Read MoreHow Squeaky Clean Kellie Martin Wound Up on Greg Garcia’s Quirky Cable Comedy ‘The Guest Book’ — Turn It On Podcast
But the problem with cycling so many of these performers in and out of the world of the show is that creator Greg Garcia has essentially made 10 different pilots. Rather than treating these individual chapters like short stories, there’s an unspoken effort to squeeze a season’s worth of quirks and angst into a twenty-minute window.
Over the course of his work on “My Name is Earl” and “Raising Hope,” Greg Garcia shepherded shows that presented unconventional family dynamics and disjointed inner circles of friendship. But, despite their collective shortcomings, the offbeat characters of those series worked together to create something built on love, appreciation, and understanding. To see so many episodes of “The Guest Book” tinged with cynicism and frustration seems like a misstep that doesn’t play to his strengths as a writer and observer of human tendencies. The humor here often seems forced, both in its writing and the physicality of the performances it asks of its actors.
It’s all the more frustrating when some episodes seem to strike the ideal tone that the others strive for. Episodes 4 and 5 are probably the strongest efforts of this first season, the latter of which stars Jenna Fischer as a scientist uncovering some unexpected memories of an Alzheimer’s patient left in her care. Some of those developments are legitimately shocking, but it doesn’t have the same manufactured chaos that plagues so many of the other installments.
“The Guest Book” boasts an impressive roster of guest stars, including Michaela Watkins, Danny Pudi, Lauren Lapkus, Stockard Channing Tommy Dewey, and Michael Rappaport. But the actors who have worked in previous Garcia shows seem to be the only natural fits for this new venture. Jamie Pressly, a bright spot on “My Name is Earl,” instantly finds the heart a character that in lesser hands could have been an episode-length punchline. Same goes for Shannon Woodward, who finds some an extra emotional layer in a character that could easily be a fodder for sight gags.
And although many of the recurring side players in the town surrounding the cottage are little more than means for advancing the handful of season-long throughlines, Garret Dillahunt is an exception. As Andrew, a local doctor whose marital foibles and parenting misadventures pop up across the season, Dillahunt gets another much-deserved chance to show off his comic chops. The shifting dynamic between Andrew and Kellie Martin’s Officer Kimberly hints at an alternate foundation for the show that might not be as formally innovative, but would make for a more satisfying series.
Read MoreThe 20 Best TV Comedies of the 21st Century, Ranked
The stealth stars of “The Guest Book” might just be Arjay Smith and John Milhiser as two office co-workers who serve as the show’s “Previously On” Greek chorus. Reorienting audiences at the start of each episode, their changing 15-second banter is one of the show’s best bits of character development. That they make such an impression in short snippets is a testament to Garcia’s ability to find some fun developments with a repeatable framework, but it also emphasizes that the constant cast list churn of check-ins and check-outs is rarely the part of this show that’s most engaging.
With a handful of drug-fueled benders and neuroses-driven montages, “The Guest Book” gets the chance to match its changing cast list with a few visual switch-ups. Some split-screen episode bookends and some inventive camera placements keep the cottage from getting too familiar. But those occasional touches can’t replace the fact that the show lives and dies on the strength of its episode-to-episode stories. A few of them are entertaining enough, but a show that’s still in search of its strengths still keeps it from being a reliable trip worth taking every week.
Grade: C+
“The Guest Book” airs Thursday nights at 10 p.m. on TBS.
Sign UpStay on top of the latest film and TV news! Sign up for our film and TV email newsletter here. Related stories'Full Frontal with Samantha Bee' Aired a Positive Segment About Donald Trump, World Still Confirmed to Be Spinning -- WatchHow Squeaky Clean Kellie Martin Wound Up on Greg Garcia's Quirky Cable Comedy 'The Guest Book' -- Turn It On Podcast'Manhunt: Unabomber' Review: Discovery's First Scripted Drama Intrigues as It Evokes Empathy in a Madman...
There’s a certain flexibility that comes with getting to reinvent a show’s character list every episode. Like its new motel counterpart “Room 104,” each episode of the first season of “The Guest Book” focuses on a different set of occupants: These vacationers range from scientists to quarreling spouses to parents with misplaced preoccupations.
Read MoreHow Squeaky Clean Kellie Martin Wound Up on Greg Garcia’s Quirky Cable Comedy ‘The Guest Book’ — Turn It On Podcast
But the problem with cycling so many of these performers in and out of the world of the show is that creator Greg Garcia has essentially made 10 different pilots. Rather than treating these individual chapters like short stories, there’s an unspoken effort to squeeze a season’s worth of quirks and angst into a twenty-minute window.
Over the course of his work on “My Name is Earl” and “Raising Hope,” Greg Garcia shepherded shows that presented unconventional family dynamics and disjointed inner circles of friendship. But, despite their collective shortcomings, the offbeat characters of those series worked together to create something built on love, appreciation, and understanding. To see so many episodes of “The Guest Book” tinged with cynicism and frustration seems like a misstep that doesn’t play to his strengths as a writer and observer of human tendencies. The humor here often seems forced, both in its writing and the physicality of the performances it asks of its actors.
It’s all the more frustrating when some episodes seem to strike the ideal tone that the others strive for. Episodes 4 and 5 are probably the strongest efforts of this first season, the latter of which stars Jenna Fischer as a scientist uncovering some unexpected memories of an Alzheimer’s patient left in her care. Some of those developments are legitimately shocking, but it doesn’t have the same manufactured chaos that plagues so many of the other installments.
“The Guest Book” boasts an impressive roster of guest stars, including Michaela Watkins, Danny Pudi, Lauren Lapkus, Stockard Channing Tommy Dewey, and Michael Rappaport. But the actors who have worked in previous Garcia shows seem to be the only natural fits for this new venture. Jamie Pressly, a bright spot on “My Name is Earl,” instantly finds the heart a character that in lesser hands could have been an episode-length punchline. Same goes for Shannon Woodward, who finds some an extra emotional layer in a character that could easily be a fodder for sight gags.
And although many of the recurring side players in the town surrounding the cottage are little more than means for advancing the handful of season-long throughlines, Garret Dillahunt is an exception. As Andrew, a local doctor whose marital foibles and parenting misadventures pop up across the season, Dillahunt gets another much-deserved chance to show off his comic chops. The shifting dynamic between Andrew and Kellie Martin’s Officer Kimberly hints at an alternate foundation for the show that might not be as formally innovative, but would make for a more satisfying series.
Read MoreThe 20 Best TV Comedies of the 21st Century, Ranked
The stealth stars of “The Guest Book” might just be Arjay Smith and John Milhiser as two office co-workers who serve as the show’s “Previously On” Greek chorus. Reorienting audiences at the start of each episode, their changing 15-second banter is one of the show’s best bits of character development. That they make such an impression in short snippets is a testament to Garcia’s ability to find some fun developments with a repeatable framework, but it also emphasizes that the constant cast list churn of check-ins and check-outs is rarely the part of this show that’s most engaging.
With a handful of drug-fueled benders and neuroses-driven montages, “The Guest Book” gets the chance to match its changing cast list with a few visual switch-ups. Some split-screen episode bookends and some inventive camera placements keep the cottage from getting too familiar. But those occasional touches can’t replace the fact that the show lives and dies on the strength of its episode-to-episode stories. A few of them are entertaining enough, but a show that’s still in search of its strengths still keeps it from being a reliable trip worth taking every week.
Grade: C+
“The Guest Book” airs Thursday nights at 10 p.m. on TBS.
Sign UpStay on top of the latest film and TV news! Sign up for our film and TV email newsletter here. Related stories'Full Frontal with Samantha Bee' Aired a Positive Segment About Donald Trump, World Still Confirmed to Be Spinning -- WatchHow Squeaky Clean Kellie Martin Wound Up on Greg Garcia's Quirky Cable Comedy 'The Guest Book' -- Turn It On Podcast'Manhunt: Unabomber' Review: Discovery's First Scripted Drama Intrigues as It Evokes Empathy in a Madman...
- 8/3/2017
- by Steve Greene
- Indiewire
The twisted world of Dark/Web is slowly approaching. If you’ve ever needed a reason to fear the world the internet, this upcoming series is sure to give you one. With its healthy combination of both serialized and anthological storytelling, Dark/Web seems poised to scratch an itch that a lot of consumers are having.
If you’re unfamiliar with the digital series, here’s the official synopsis:
"When Ethan (Elerding), Sam (McKissack) and James (Nardelli) find themselves the target of cryptic emails from someone posing as their childhood friend Molly (Gonzales), they assume she’s been the victim of an all-too-common hack. After they reach out to alert her, however, they discover that Molly’s been missing for months and no one has any idea what happened to her.As the emails keep coming, each containing a tale written by Molly, her friends realize that this may be...
If you’re unfamiliar with the digital series, here’s the official synopsis:
"When Ethan (Elerding), Sam (McKissack) and James (Nardelli) find themselves the target of cryptic emails from someone posing as their childhood friend Molly (Gonzales), they assume she’s been the victim of an all-too-common hack. After they reach out to alert her, however, they discover that Molly’s been missing for months and no one has any idea what happened to her.As the emails keep coming, each containing a tale written by Molly, her friends realize that this may be...
- 7/11/2017
- by Joseph Medina
- LRMonline.com
If you didn't get a chance to catch this week's episode of "Game of Thrones," leave it to Jonathan the hairdresser (Jonathan Van Ness) to fill you in with Funny or Die's "Gay of Thrones." This week's episode of "Gay of Thrones" features comedian John Milhiser, whose "GoT" devotion is just as impressive as Jonathan's. Read More: Watch: Love 'Game of Thrones'? Here's Funny or Die's 'Gay of Thrones' Recap of This Week's Episode Watch as the two recap "Blonde Cher" Cersei's ladle-beating, and the "Titanic"-esque scene with everyone "bum-rushing to the lifeboats" that did not inspire the urgency that it should've, according to Jonathan and John. "Game of Thrones" airs Sundays at 9pm on HBO. ("Gay of Thrones" goes live on Funny or Die the Tuesday following.) Read More: Review: 'Game of Thrones' Season 5 Episode 8: The Dead Rise in 'Hardhome'...
- 6/2/2015
- by Sarah Choi
- Indiewire
Last year, during the annual Presidential pardon of a single turkey, President Obama cracked a joke that, for turkeys competing to stay off the Thanksgiving table, "It was, quite literally, the Hunger Games." The folks at Nerdist took the remark a step further and created this parody short called “Gobble Games.” If you rolled your eyes at Obama’s lame dad joke (you’ll hear plenty more just like it during Thanksgiving), you’ll likely roll your eyes at yet another Hunger Games parody. But don’t worry, this also spoofs scenes from some classic war movies.
“Gobble Games” was directed by Clinton Jones and stars Shelby Fero, Matt McCarthy, John Milhiser, Jessica Chobot, Kyle Clark, John Ungaro, Kyle Hill, Malik Forte, Ben Mekler, Jason Nguyen, Dan Casey, and Charles Ingram.
H/T: GeeksAreSexy...
“Gobble Games” was directed by Clinton Jones and stars Shelby Fero, Matt McCarthy, John Milhiser, Jessica Chobot, Kyle Clark, John Ungaro, Kyle Hill, Malik Forte, Ben Mekler, Jason Nguyen, Dan Casey, and Charles Ingram.
H/T: GeeksAreSexy...
- 11/25/2014
- by Eli Reyes
- GeekTyrant
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
CBS Entertainment has promoted casting executives Karen Church and Fern Orenstein to the role of senior VP, casting. Both will report to Peter Golden, CBS’ executive VP in charge of talent and casting. “For over a decade, I’ve been fortunate enough to work side by side with Karen and Fern, two of the industry’s most talented casting executives,” Golden said in a statement. “Their relationships with casting directors, agents, managers, showrunners and executives are unparalleled, their knowledge of actors is immeasurable, and their passion, dedication and commitment are boundless.” Church, who joined CBS as a director of casting in 1998 and began working in comedy in 2000, handles casting of series-regular and guest star roles on “The Big Bang Theory,” “Two and a Half Men,” “2 Broke Girls," "Mom," and "The Millers," among others. Meanwhile, Orenstein handles casting long-form and event series, reality programming, and the network's original mobile content. She...
- 9/18/2014
- backstage.com
Saturday Night Live alum and "Stefon" mastermind Bill Hader will return to the show, which is now entering its 40th season, as host for the October 11th episode. Indie-soul singer Hozier, whose self-titled debut comes out next week, will appear as the episode's musical guest.
The actor, who appeared on eight seasons of the series, stars as a man who reconciles with his twin sister (fellow former SNL cast member Kristen Wiig) in the recently released movie The Skeleton Twins. The movie has been praised for showing off both actors'...
The actor, who appeared on eight seasons of the series, stars as a man who reconciles with his twin sister (fellow former SNL cast member Kristen Wiig) in the recently released movie The Skeleton Twins. The movie has been praised for showing off both actors'...
- 9/17/2014
- Rollingstone.com
Last season, "Saturday Night Live" added a whopping seven new cast members. This season, the grand total is one. 20-year-old standup comedian Pete Davidson has joined "SNL" Season 40 as a featured player, partially filling the void left by departed freshmen Noel Wells, Brooks Wheelan and John Milhiser earlier this summer. In addition, Sasheer Zamata, Beck Bennett and Kyle Mooney have been confirmed to return as featured players, while fellow freshman Michael Patrick O’Brien has been sent back to his post as a writer after being given a trial run as a cast member last season. Davidson's few TV credits include a guest appearance on "Brooklyn Nine-Nine," several episodes of Nick Cannon's "Wild 'N Out" and a standup appearance on "Jimmy Kimmel Live" in April (embedded below). It's been a big few news days for the stalwart late-night sketch series. Last week it was announced that former "SNL" writer...
- 9/15/2014
- by Chris Eggertsen
- Hitfix
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
Pete Davidson, a rising standup comedy star in New York City, has been added to the cast of Saturday Night Live.
Pete Davidson Joins 'SNL'
The addition of Davidson, 20, was announced by Saturday Night Live from the show’s Twitter account on Monday morning. SNL confirmed the casting news to Deadline.
Welcome to the cast, @petedavidson! http://t.co/Q8XfDnLiSw #SNL
— Saturday Night Live (@nbcsnl) September 15, 2014
Davidson, a native of Staten Island, started performing standup when he was 16. He was discovered by Nick Cannon, who had a chance to catch the young comedian’s act in New York City. Cannon eventually had him as a series regular on his improv series Nick Cannon Presents: Wild ‘N Out, which got Davidson noticed by MTV2, which cast him on Guy Code.
Davidson’s career got another boost when Fox signed him to a talent holding deal after watching him...
Pete Davidson Joins 'SNL'
The addition of Davidson, 20, was announced by Saturday Night Live from the show’s Twitter account on Monday morning. SNL confirmed the casting news to Deadline.
Welcome to the cast, @petedavidson! http://t.co/Q8XfDnLiSw #SNL
— Saturday Night Live (@nbcsnl) September 15, 2014
Davidson, a native of Staten Island, started performing standup when he was 16. He was discovered by Nick Cannon, who had a chance to catch the young comedian’s act in New York City. Cannon eventually had him as a series regular on his improv series Nick Cannon Presents: Wild ‘N Out, which got Davidson noticed by MTV2, which cast him on Guy Code.
Davidson’s career got another boost when Fox signed him to a talent holding deal after watching him...
- 9/15/2014
- Uinterview
Saturday Night Live‘s Weekend Update desk is getting another makeover.
In its second iteration since Seth Meyers left the NBC sketch series last winter to host Late Night, Weekend Update as Season 40 opens will be cohosted by SNL scribe/sometime Daily Show correspondent Michael Che and… second-year newsreader Colin Jost.
Related Saturday Night Live Season 40: Chris Pratt, Sarah Silverman Picked as First Hosts
“This is about a new era, what feels appropriate for now,” SNL boss Lorne Michaels told the New York Times, which broke the news. “That’s why we did a lot of combinations and tests,...
In its second iteration since Seth Meyers left the NBC sketch series last winter to host Late Night, Weekend Update as Season 40 opens will be cohosted by SNL scribe/sometime Daily Show correspondent Michael Che and… second-year newsreader Colin Jost.
Related Saturday Night Live Season 40: Chris Pratt, Sarah Silverman Picked as First Hosts
“This is about a new era, what feels appropriate for now,” SNL boss Lorne Michaels told the New York Times, which broke the news. “That’s why we did a lot of combinations and tests,...
- 9/12/2014
- TVLine.com
I am Groot… ing for this Saturday Night Live host.
Related Fall TV Spoilerpalooza: Exclusive Scoop and Photos From 42 Returning Favorites
Parks and Recreation cut-up Chris Pratt, who this summer fronted the blockbuster film Guardians of the Galaxy, has been tapped to Star-Lord over the NBC sketch series’ Season 40 premiere, airing Sept. 27.
Pop “it girl” Ariana Grande will serve as musical guest.
Then on Oct. 4, funny lady Sarah Silverman will make her own debut as SNL host, with musical guest Maroon 5.
Related Fall Preview 2014: Your Handy Calendar of 99 Premieres
Among SNL‘s Season 40 changes, one-and-done players Brooks Wheelan,...
Related Fall TV Spoilerpalooza: Exclusive Scoop and Photos From 42 Returning Favorites
Parks and Recreation cut-up Chris Pratt, who this summer fronted the blockbuster film Guardians of the Galaxy, has been tapped to Star-Lord over the NBC sketch series’ Season 40 premiere, airing Sept. 27.
Pop “it girl” Ariana Grande will serve as musical guest.
Then on Oct. 4, funny lady Sarah Silverman will make her own debut as SNL host, with musical guest Maroon 5.
Related Fall Preview 2014: Your Handy Calendar of 99 Premieres
Among SNL‘s Season 40 changes, one-and-done players Brooks Wheelan,...
- 9/10/2014
- TVLine.com
Along with Noël Wells and John Milhiser, featured player Brooks Wheelan was let go from Saturday Night Live earlier this month after only a year at the sketch institution. “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!” the Los Angeles transplant tweeted on July 14, adding two days later, “Whats the protocol on length of departure from SNL and your 'Best Of' DVD coming out. So stoked to see mine. Bet it's super long...” Undeterred, he quickly announced his Brooks Wheelan Falls Back on Stand-Up Comedy tour and prepared for his return to Montreal’s annual Just for Laughs comedy festival. From the circular bar at Jfl's host hotel, the Hyatt Regency, Wheelan talked to Vulture about what’s next.How’s your festival experience been thus far?It’s been great!
- 7/25/2014
- by Julie Seabaugh
- Vulture
Brooks Wheelan, Noel Wells, and John Milhiser are in good company! After just one season, the Saturday Night Live newbies were fired from the NBC sketch comedy this week, but they weren’t the first to be let go before their time. Over the years, tons of comedy stars couldn’t hack it on SNL. Stars like Mindy Kaling, David Koechner, Anthony Michael Hall, and Letterman band leader Paul Shaffer had short-lived careers on the hit show. Here are the most shocking stars who didn’t last on SNL: 1. Robert [...]...
- 7/19/2014
- Us Weekly
With this week's bloodletting over at "SNL" making headlines - cast members Noel Wells, John Milhiser and Brooks Wheelan were all "fired" from the NBC series after a single season - we got to thinking of all the hugely-talented individuals who also had short-lived stints on the late-night stalwart before going on to win fame and fortune with other projects. So naturally, we decided to make a list of some of our favorites and share it with all of you. While not all the performers in the below gallery were actually terminated from the show - a few quit, and one left before appearing in even a single episode - all went on to prove that not cutting it on "Saturday Night Live" is far from a career catastrophe. Or at least, it doesn't have to be. Follow Riot on Twitter...
- 7/18/2014
- by Louis Virtel, Chris Eggertsen
- Hitfix
Your Daily Roundup of Hollywood Happenings & Star Shenanigans!
Not So Live Anymore From New York: The cast shakeup on "Saturday Night Live" continues with two more newcomers being shown their way out of 30 Rock. According to Deadline, featured player newcomers Noel Wells (the one who impersonated Lena Dunham) and John Milhiser (he did a great Jon Cryer impression) are not being asked back for the show's 40th season. This news comes after fellow newbie Brooks Whelan Tweeted that he'd been fired from the NBC series. "SNL" vet Nasim Pedrad will also reportedly be leaving the show to ...
Copyright 2014 by NBC Universal, Inc. All rights reserved.
This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Not So Live Anymore From New York: The cast shakeup on "Saturday Night Live" continues with two more newcomers being shown their way out of 30 Rock. According to Deadline, featured player newcomers Noel Wells (the one who impersonated Lena Dunham) and John Milhiser (he did a great Jon Cryer impression) are not being asked back for the show's 40th season. This news comes after fellow newbie Brooks Whelan Tweeted that he'd been fired from the NBC series. "SNL" vet Nasim Pedrad will also reportedly be leaving the show to ...
Copyright 2014 by NBC Universal, Inc. All rights reserved.
This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
- 7/16/2014
- by access.hollywood@nbcuni.com (AccessHollywood.com Editorial Staff)
- Access Hollywood
Well, so much for my theory that the Saturday Night Live blood-letting (read: staff-letting) was over after Monday’s news that newbie featured player Brooks Wheelan had been fired after just one season on the sketch comedy series. Deadline reports that fellow featured players Noël Wells and John Milhiser will also not be returning for the show’s fortieth season come this fall, bringing the current axing total up to three. As Deadline reminds us, “the first year on SNL is considered a boot camp, in which new cast members have a season to make a mark. This past year was particularly tough.” The thirty-ninth season saw the addition of seven new featured players, bloating the cast and kind of making it seem like a real sink or swim situation for the new kids. Apparently, about half of them sank. The outlet also confirms news we’ve known for weeks, that...
- 7/16/2014
- by Kate Erbland
- FilmSchoolRejects.com
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
News
A&E networks is airing a series of PSA spots championing diversity, including sexual diversity. Guess which A&E stars are missing from the series?
TVLine reports that the Teen Beach Movie sequel is officially going forward. They also have a list of which cast members have signed up for a second round.
Teen Beach Movie
Saturday Night Live is down three more cast members. Newcomers John Milhiser and Noel Wells won’t be returning. Meanwhile, Nasim Pedrad has officially quit the show for her upcoming Fox sitcom Mullaney.
Perhaps Brooks Wheelan, Wells and Milhiser can console themselves with Variety‘s slide show of Saturday Night Live alumni who had a short run on the sketch comedy show but did pretty well afterward.
Here is one of those one-season SNLcast members who were in no memorable comedy roles afterward
I think she quit acting to go into politics.
Vulture...
A&E networks is airing a series of PSA spots championing diversity, including sexual diversity. Guess which A&E stars are missing from the series?
TVLine reports that the Teen Beach Movie sequel is officially going forward. They also have a list of which cast members have signed up for a second round.
Teen Beach Movie
Saturday Night Live is down three more cast members. Newcomers John Milhiser and Noel Wells won’t be returning. Meanwhile, Nasim Pedrad has officially quit the show for her upcoming Fox sitcom Mullaney.
Perhaps Brooks Wheelan, Wells and Milhiser can console themselves with Variety‘s slide show of Saturday Night Live alumni who had a short run on the sketch comedy show but did pretty well afterward.
Here is one of those one-season SNLcast members who were in no memorable comedy roles afterward
I think she quit acting to go into politics.
Vulture...
- 7/16/2014
- by Lyle Masaki
- The Backlot
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
And two more bite the dust: A source confirms to EW that Saturday Night Live has elected not to renew the contracts of Noël Wells and John Milhiser, both of whom joined the sketch show last fall as featured players. Deadline first reported the news.
Word of Wells and Milhiser’s oustings comes one day after another former featured player, Brooks Wheelan, announced his own exit from the show in an irreverent tweet (“Fired from New York, it’s Saturday Night!”).
Milhiser’s booting shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone who kept up with SNL last season; the...
Word of Wells and Milhiser’s oustings comes one day after another former featured player, Brooks Wheelan, announced his own exit from the show in an irreverent tweet (“Fired from New York, it’s Saturday Night!”).
Milhiser’s booting shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone who kept up with SNL last season; the...
- 7/15/2014
- by Hillary Busis
- EW - Inside TV
Three more Saturday Night Live castmembers will not be back next season. Featured players Noel Wells and John Milhiser's contracts with the NBC sketch comedy show have not been renewed, a source close to the series confirms to The Hollywood Reporter. Photos From Live TV to the Big Screen: 12 'SNL'-Based Movies News of the pair's departure comes one day after Brooks Wheelan, another freshman featured player, announced that he would not be returning for Season 40 with a tweet that read, "Fired From New York It'S Saturday Night." Also confirmed as not returning is Nasim Pedrad, who joined
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- 7/15/2014
- by Seth Abramovitch
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
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
Heads are rolling like a Game of Thrones finale at Saturday Night Live this week.
Hot on the heels of firing rookie Brooks Wheelan yesterday, NBC’s sketch-comedy series has dropped fellow featured players Nöel Wells and John Milhiser heading into its 40th season this fall, according to Deadline.
Wells and Milhiser were among eight featured players — alongside Wheelan, Beck Bennett, Mike O’Brien, Kyle Mooney, Sasheer Zamata and Colin Jost — who debuted during SNL‘s critically maligned Season 39.
Milhiser was mostly relegated to the background during his SNL tenure. Wells got a strong start in the Season 39 premiere playing...
Hot on the heels of firing rookie Brooks Wheelan yesterday, NBC’s sketch-comedy series has dropped fellow featured players Nöel Wells and John Milhiser heading into its 40th season this fall, according to Deadline.
Wells and Milhiser were among eight featured players — alongside Wheelan, Beck Bennett, Mike O’Brien, Kyle Mooney, Sasheer Zamata and Colin Jost — who debuted during SNL‘s critically maligned Season 39.
Milhiser was mostly relegated to the background during his SNL tenure. Wells got a strong start in the Season 39 premiere playing...
- 7/15/2014
- TVLine.com
Noel Wells and John Milhiser are also leaving “Saturday Night Live,” a person with knowledge of the situation told TheWrap. The news follows Monday's departure of fellow former freshman player Brooks Whelan. Nasim Pedrad is also officially exiting the sketch comedy show — her departure comes at least in part to her commitment to Fox comedy “Mulaney.” That casting move was not unexpected. Also read: Brooks Wheelan Not Returning to ‘Saturday Night Live’ Kyle Mooney, Beck Bennett and Mike O'Brien were also brought on in the beginning of Milhiser's, Wells’ and Wheelan's only year on the long-running NBC show. Decisions have yet to.
- 7/15/2014
- by Tony Maglio
- The Wrap
Brooks Wheelan, the first-year cast member from the last season of Saturday Night Live, was reportedly let go from the show, according to a story from Variety.
Wheelan also tweeted Monday evening that he was “Fired From New York”.
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
Variety also speculated that Wheelan may just be the first to go. According to this chart, Wheelan only appeared in 3.37 percent of all of SNL’s sketches in its 39th season, just ahead of more recently added African American cast member Sasheer Zamata (who isn’t going anywhere unless they find a new black woman for the cast) and John Milhiser (who did a Jon Cryer impression, so yeah). The aforementioned Milhiser and Noël Wells have also been let go,...
Wheelan also tweeted Monday evening that he was “Fired From New York”.
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
Variety also speculated that Wheelan may just be the first to go. According to this chart, Wheelan only appeared in 3.37 percent of all of SNL’s sketches in its 39th season, just ahead of more recently added African American cast member Sasheer Zamata (who isn’t going anywhere unless they find a new black woman for the cast) and John Milhiser (who did a Jon Cryer impression, so yeah). The aforementioned Milhiser and Noël Wells have also been let go,...
- 7/15/2014
- by Brian Welk
- SoundOnSight
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
After only a year, featured player Brooks Wheelan announced on Twitter that he has been fired from the cast of Saturday Night Live. One of six new featured players added at the beginning of season 39, SNL's resident sleeper hottie had a pretty rough season, debuting few memorable characters and struggling to find time on air. (In Vulture's semi-scientific analysis of the new cast members' first season, Wheelan had one of the lowest impact scores, second only to co-star John Milhiser.) Still, getting fired from SNL is a tough blow, and to his credit, the 27-year-old stand-up seemed pretty good-natured about it, tweeting on Monday: “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!”...
- 7/15/2014
- by Anna Silman
- Vulture
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
Saturday Night Live is shedding a little weight during its summer hiatus.
Brooks Wheelan, who joined the cast of NBC’s long-running sketch-comedy series last fall, announced on Twitter this evening that he’s been “fired” from the show.
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
Wheelan was one of eight featured players — alongside Beck Bennett, Mike O’Brien, Kyle Mooney, John Milhiser, Noel Wells, Sasheer Zamata and Colin Jost — who debuted during SNL‘s critically uneven 39th season.
Brooks Wheelan, who joined the cast of NBC’s long-running sketch-comedy series last fall, announced on Twitter this evening that he’s been “fired” from the show.
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
Wheelan was one of eight featured players — alongside Beck Bennett, Mike O’Brien, Kyle Mooney, John Milhiser, Noel Wells, Sasheer Zamata and Colin Jost — who debuted during SNL‘s critically uneven 39th season.
- 7/15/2014
- TVLine.com
Lorne Michaels says that Saturday Night Live can expect cast changes before its 40th season begins in September. In an interview with Deadline, the creator and longtime executive producer of NBC’s late-night sketch show said, “We’re still in the middle of rebuilding. So there will be changes this year.”
Last season, which was the first since 2002 without stalwarts Fred Armisen, Bill Hader, Andy Samberg, or Jason Sudeikis (Seth Meyers also left in February), the show struggled with audiences. Many longtime fans complained that some of the new Not Ready For Prime Time Players weren’t ready for SNL,...
Last season, which was the first since 2002 without stalwarts Fred Armisen, Bill Hader, Andy Samberg, or Jason Sudeikis (Seth Meyers also left in February), the show struggled with audiences. Many longtime fans complained that some of the new Not Ready For Prime Time Players weren’t ready for SNL,...
- 6/13/2014
- by Jeff Labrecque
- EW - Inside TV
… Kate McKinnon. Which should come as no surprise, whether you faithfully watched each of season 39′s episodes or only caught a few of its sketches online.
Let’s back up. Each week in our SNL recaps, EW’s writers have selected one cast Mvp — the featured or repertory player who made the best individual impression in that Saturday’s episode. Sometimes those Mvp slots were shared between two cast members; sometimes, as in this season’s premiere, we cited both a New Cast Mvp and an Old Cast Mvp, just to spread the wealth around. Because our recaps are written...
Let’s back up. Each week in our SNL recaps, EW’s writers have selected one cast Mvp — the featured or repertory player who made the best individual impression in that Saturday’s episode. Sometimes those Mvp slots were shared between two cast members; sometimes, as in this season’s premiere, we cited both a New Cast Mvp and an Old Cast Mvp, just to spread the wealth around. Because our recaps are written...
- 5/19/2014
- by Hillary Busis
- EW.com - PopWatch
What did you think of SNL’s 39th season?
Maybe, instead, we should begin with a different question: What did SNL itself think of its 39th season?
The answer: Not much, if Saturday’s finale was any indication. Any time a former cast member hosts the show, we’re guaranteed to see a barrage of cameos from fellow alumni. But the sheer volume of ex-repertory players that showed up last night — and stuck around, taking up more attention and screen time than some new featured players have gotten all season — made the finale feel more like an unearned victory lap than a standalone episode.
Maybe, instead, we should begin with a different question: What did SNL itself think of its 39th season?
The answer: Not much, if Saturday’s finale was any indication. Any time a former cast member hosts the show, we’re guaranteed to see a barrage of cameos from fellow alumni. But the sheer volume of ex-repertory players that showed up last night — and stuck around, taking up more attention and screen time than some new featured players have gotten all season — made the finale feel more like an unearned victory lap than a standalone episode.
- 5/18/2014
- by Hillary Busis
- EW.com - PopWatch
That headline isn’t meant to be a knock on Andrew Garfield, who was nimble and vibrant as Peter Parker (post-spider bite, of course) in his SNL hosting debut. His face sported a gigantic, adorable grin for about 75 percent of last night’s 90-minute show; he easily and smoothly transitioned between British and American accents, even multiple times in the same sketch; he showed a real knack for flustered buffoonery, almost saving an iffy wedding toast sketch by sheer force of personality alone. (Key word there: almost.)
Garfield was good enough that it’s puzzling the show didn’t give him more to do.
Garfield was good enough that it’s puzzling the show didn’t give him more to do.
- 5/4/2014
- by Hillary Busis
- EW.com - PopWatch
After a three-year stint at Paradigm, Fred Hashagen has joined UTA as an agent in the talent department. He’ll be working out of the agency’s NYC offices. Hashagen’s clients include Kate McKinnon (Saturday Night Live), John Milhiser (SNL), Jordan Klepper (The Daily Show With Jon Stewart), Drew Tarver (How I Met Your Dad), Chris Smith (We Are Men) and Britt Lower (Man Seeking Woman). “Fred is a great advocate for artists and someone we know will be a great addition to our culture,” said UTA partner and television department head Matt Rice. “We’re really pleased he is joining the UTA team.” Prior to Paradigm, Hashagen was a talent agent at the Ksr Agency.
- 5/2/2014
- by THE DEADLINE TEAM
- Deadline TV
Paradigm talent agent Fred Hashagen has joined UTA, The Hollywood Reporter has learned. During his three-year tenure at Paradigm, Hashagen, who will be based in UTA's offices in New York City, repped Saturday Night Live cast members Kate McKinnon and John Milhiser as well as The Daily Show with Jon Stewart's Jordan Klepper, Drew Tarver of CBS' upcoming How I Met Your Dad, Britt Lower of FX's upcoming Man Seeking Woman and Chris Smith, most recently of CBS' We Are Men. Story: News Corp to Acquire Romance Novel Publisher Harlequin "Fred is a great advocate for artists and someone
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- 5/2/2014
- by Rebecca Sun
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
It’s too bad the Polar Vortex doesn’t inspire the same creativity as Hurricane Sandy.
When Louis C.K. first hosted SNL in 2012, his debut was nearly ruined by devastating weather. Against all odds, the show went on anyway — and it ended up being one of that fall’s more successful episodes. Although Saturday’s weather (in New York City, anyway) echoed 2012′s cold, rainy November, the show wasn’t quite as on point this time around. C.K. acquitted himself fairly well, minus a few flubbed lines and character breaks. That said, he only really let loose in his opening monologue,...
When Louis C.K. first hosted SNL in 2012, his debut was nearly ruined by devastating weather. Against all odds, the show went on anyway — and it ended up being one of that fall’s more successful episodes. Although Saturday’s weather (in New York City, anyway) echoed 2012′s cold, rainy November, the show wasn’t quite as on point this time around. C.K. acquitted himself fairly well, minus a few flubbed lines and character breaks. That said, he only really let loose in his opening monologue,...
- 3/30/2014
- by Hillary Busis
- EW.com - PopWatch
So, how did Lena Dunham do in her inaugural episode of Saturday Night Live? It depends who you’re asking.
Those who are generally into Dunham’s work were probably amused on the whole, even if they also wished Lena had broken out of her comfort zone a little more. (Perhaps unsurprisingly, Dunham played a bunch of girls — immature, fast-talking, hyperbole-happy variations on her HBO persona — and one serviceable Liza Minnelli.) But if you’re one of those people who can’t stand cable’s wunderkind — here I’ll give you the benefit of the doubt, and assume that dislike...
Those who are generally into Dunham’s work were probably amused on the whole, even if they also wished Lena had broken out of her comfort zone a little more. (Perhaps unsurprisingly, Dunham played a bunch of girls — immature, fast-talking, hyperbole-happy variations on her HBO persona — and one serviceable Liza Minnelli.) But if you’re one of those people who can’t stand cable’s wunderkind — here I’ll give you the benefit of the doubt, and assume that dislike...
- 3/9/2014
- by Hillary Busis
- EW.com - PopWatch
Exclusive: From obscurity to a lead of one of the hottest pilots — that has been the trajectory for young actor Drew Tarver over the past month. Exactly a month ago, the Upright Citizens Brigade member performed at CBS‘ 9th annual Diversity Showcase as a Lgbt participant. The network signed him in a talent holding deal, and he has now been cast as one of the leads of How I Met Your Mother spinoff How I Met Your Dad. In the vein of the original series, Himyd tells the story from a female point of view, that of Sally (Greta Gerwig), and revolves around a new group of friends in New York. Tarver will play Todd, Sally’s best friend and roommate from college who is now married to her brother. Related: 2014 CBS Pilots Tarver, repped by Paradigm and Industry Entertainment, has trained at Ucb, the Groundlings, Westside Comedy Theatre and Acme Theater in New York.
- 2/26/2014
- by NELLIE ANDREEVA
- Deadline TV
Even after 38 and a half seasons, SNL still has the capacity to surprise. Yesterday, I assumed that 2014′s first episode would make some noise about new featured player Sasheer Zamata; given the show’s unusually public search for black female talent, fanfare or at least a formal introduction seemed likely.
But in the end, SNL decided to go a more matter-of-fact route: Zamata wasn’t set apart from the rest of the cast. Instead, she was simply and easily integrated into the show, appearing in no fewer than five sketches throughout the episode. And though Sasheer certainly got more screen...
But in the end, SNL decided to go a more matter-of-fact route: Zamata wasn’t set apart from the rest of the cast. Instead, she was simply and easily integrated into the show, appearing in no fewer than five sketches throughout the episode. And though Sasheer certainly got more screen...
- 1/19/2014
- by Hillary Busis
- EW.com - PopWatch
Live from New York, it's Sasheer Zamata! That's right, Saturday Night Live has a new cast member. E! News has confirmed Zamata will join the cast of NBC's long-running SNL this January. Look for Zamata to make her SNL debut on Saturday, Jan. 18, the first live show of 2014. Drake will host and be the musical guest. Zamata is Saturday Night Live's first female black cast member since Maya Rudolph left the show in 2007. Deadline first reported Zamata's casting. The lack of diversity amongst the SNL cast made headlines after six new cast members—Beck Bennett, John Milhiser, Kyle Mooney, Mike O'Brien, Noël Wells and Brooks Wheelan—all of them white joined the show for...
- 1/6/2014
- E! Online
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