Saturday Night Live – News Stories About Saturday Night Live - Page 23

GLOSSIES

Dec 1, 2008 1:03 PM CST

Down-to-Earth Fey on Top of the World

Maureen Dowd chronicles the comedian's rise to fame

(Newser) - How did frumpy writer Tina Fey evolve into a glamorous TV star? Hard work and lots of rules, Maureen Dowd writes in Vanity Fair. “She is the Obedient Daughter, the German taskmistress, the kind but firm maker and keeper of rules," writes Dowd, who also solves the mystery...

How Comedy Turned Serious

ANALYSIS

Nov 29, 2008 7:53 AM CST

How Comedy Turned Serious

A funny thing happened on the way to the election—politics and comedy swapped roles

(Newser) - Politics and comedy are trading places, Lee Siegel writes in the Wall Street Journal, as the antics of politicians get more outlandish and comics are increasingly the people speaking truth to power. Fake newsmen like Jon Stewart and Steven Colbert, with their stern commentary, lean more towards the "dark,...

Iman Crosson for Prez...
on SNL: Bloggers

Nov 27, 2008 12:09 PM CST

Iman Crosson for Prez... on SNL: Bloggers

Should he be Fred Armisen's replacement?

(Newser) - The race to find a new comedian to impersonate president-elect Barack Obama on Saturday Night Live continues, reports ABC News, and bloggers such as Andrew Sullivan and Anovelista have the man for the job. Meet Iman Crosson, whose Obama imitations can be found on his YouTube AlphaCat channel.

Sarah Palin, Come Back! SNL Needs You

Nov 23, 2008 1:07 PM CST

Sarah Palin, Come Back! SNL Needs You

Show loses its edge without the moose-hunting governor

(Newser) - Without Sarah Palin and with a dull Barack Obama impression on its hands, Saturday Night Live is in election withdrawal, Alex Carnevale writes for Gawker. The show’s opening skit about congressional hearings on automaker bailouts was “less than hilarious,” and it “tried to squeeze jokes out...

SNL Seeks a New Post-Election Obama

OPINION

Nov 21, 2008 5:25 PM CST

SNL Seeks a New Post-Election Obama

Four comedians auditioned, but no pick from Michaels yet

(Newser) - Lorne Michaels has a tough decision to make, and the fate of Saturday Night Live may depend on it: Who will parody the president-elect? Fred Armisen played Barack Obama during primary season, but the executive producer can’t squeeze 4 years of laughs out of his milquetoast portrayal, writes Jocelyn...

With Election Gone, SNL Enters 'Rebuilding' Phase

Nov 21, 2008 3:14 PM CST

With Election Gone, SNL Enters 'Rebuilding' Phase

Three new members join comedy show's cast

(Newser) - The election may be over, but SNL still has 14 episodes to fill. Lorne Michaels says the show will be in one of its periodic "rebuilding" periods, but he has much praise for three new faces. Here's the lowdown, from USA Today:

Abby Elliott: The daughter of former cast

...

JT Brings
SexyBack...
In a Leotard

Nov 16, 2008 8:00 AM CST

JT Brings SexyBack... In a Leotard

(Newser) - Justin Timberlake donned a leotard and heels for a surprise guest appearance on Saturday Night Live this weekend, People reports. The singer played one of three incompetent backup dancers, reuniting with real-life duet partner Beyoncé—who ultimately fired the trio. JT rubbed up against Beyoncé and repeatedly intoned a...

Housewives Desperate
for Palin Appearance

Nov 14, 2008 11:52 AM CST

Housewives Desperate for Palin Appearance

Former VP candidate could cash in on SNL popularity

(Newser) - Sarah Palin may have a visit to Wisteria Lane in her future. Desperate Housewives creator Marc Cherry is “very hot to trot to have her appear on the season-five finale,” a Hollywood insider tells the New York Post, and Disney execs love the idea. Cherry "sees her...

Fox Cancels Mad TV

Nov 12, 2008 5:50 PM CST

Fox Cancels Mad TV

Fox cancels comedy show after 14 years

(Newser) - Mad TV will bid adieu after 14 seasons of Saturday night sketches, the final nail in its coffin coming from a failure to boost ratings during the presidential campaign, reports Defamer. Fox's Saturday Night Live competitor, which has been on the chopping block for years, will finish up the season...

SNL Addresses
Estrogen Deficit

Nov 12, 2008 5:34 PM CST

SNL Addresses Estrogen Deficit

Eccentric additions to bring youthful energy

(Newser) - The election cycle is over, along with Tina Fey's impersonations of Sarah Palin and Amy Poehler's run on Saturday Night Live. Lorne Michaels has plucked two young female comediennes to help fill the gap, the Comic's Comic reports. Abby Elliott, the daughter of eccentric funnyman Chris Elliott, and Michaela Watkins...

White Comics Lack Nuance Needed to Mine Obama

OPINION

Nov 7, 2008 3:37 PM CST

White Comics Lack Nuance Needed to Mine Obama

President-elect not lacking in comic fodder; it's mainstream comedians who are lacking

(Newser) - Bill Maher recently said Barack Obama “needs to give comedians something to work with.” The President-elect is “too perfect,” he groused, and worse, liberals are afraid to laugh at black people. If only Dave Chappelle were working, laments Salamishah Tillet for the Root. He’d quickly...

Fey Waves
Goodbye to
Playing Palin

Nov 6, 2008 10:35 AM CST

Fey Waves Goodbye to Playing Palin

30 Rock creator vows to get back to day job

(Newser) - To the list of political figures out of a job after Election Day, add one: Sarah Palin impersonator Tina Fey. "I have to retire just because I have to do my day job," the creator and star of 30 Rock tells Entertainment Weekly.

McCain Pals With Fey, Skewers Himself on SNL

Nov 1, 2008 11:49 PM CDT

McCain Pals With Fey, Skewers Himself on SNL

(Newser) - John McCain capped a busy day of campaigning with an appearance on Saturday Night Live, where he teamed with his VP-lookalike, Tina Fey, to poke fun at himself and Barack Obama. In the opening sketch, he and "Palin" hawked wares on QVC because he's a true maverick—"a...

Real McCain Set for SNL

Oct 31, 2008 11:29 AM CDT

Real McCain Set for SNL

Exec won't deny rumor that Obama will be on, too

(Newser) - John McCain will take a page from Sarah Palin's book and appear on Saturday Night Live tomorrow, aides tell the AP. It will be his first appearance on the show since May. Meanwhile, rumors continue to fly that Barack Obama will stop, too, but SNL reps aren't confirming or denying...

Britney
May Host
SNL Next
Month

Oct 28, 2008 9:55 PM CDT

Britney May Host SNL Next Month

(Newser) - Britney Spears is going to host Saturday Night Live on Nov. 22, an anonymous source tells Celebuzz. If the rumor is true, it will be Britney's third time. Eight years ago, at the tender age of 18, she became the youngest person to host and perform on the same show....

Amy
Poehler
Has a
Baby Boy

Oct 26, 2008 12:17 AM CDT

Amy Poehler Has a Baby Boy

(Newser) - Amy Poehler missed work last night, but she had a very good excuse: The Saturday Night Live star gave birth yesterday to a baby boy named Archie, the Huffington Post reports. It's the first child for Poehler and her hubby and fellow comedian, Will Arnett. Poehler had been rehearsing for...

New Palin Had to Dress
Like Old Palin on SNL

Oct 24, 2008 3:35 PM CDT

New Palin Had to Dress Like Old Palin on SNL

(Newser) - The life of a stylist is all about communication. When Sarah Palin appeared on Saturday Night Live, the show's designer had to convince her to scrap her fancy new clothes and instead dress the way she used to—in essence, to dress as the character of Sarah Palin as played...

SNL 'Bush' Endorses Squirming 'GOP' Pair

Oct 24, 2008 4:23 AM CDT

SNL 'Bush' Endorses Squirming 'GOP' Pair

Ferrell's Bush praises 'heavily patriotized' ticket

(Newser) - Will Ferrell reprised his role as a bumbling George Bush for last night's special edition of Saturday Night Live to force his endorsement on an extremely unreceptive GOP "ticket." Ferrell first explained to Tina Fey's Sarah Palin that the vice president tells a president what to do and...

Fey: Palin Sketches
'Fair, Quite Gentle'

Oct 22, 2008 9:49 AM CDT

Fey: Palin Sketches 'Fair, Quite Gentle'

To complete transformation, 'we glue my ears down,' Fey says

(Newser) - Should Tina Fey take it easy on Sarah Palin? She doesn't think so, Access Hollywood reports. "I stand by the pieces as both fair and quite gentle," says Fey, who plays the veep nominee on SNL. At first Fey "didn’t think we looked alike at all,...

SNL Expects Obama Nov. 1

Oct 21, 2008 4:25 PM CDT

SNL Expects Obama Nov. 1

Meyers spills the beans to Palin at afterparty, aide tells blogger

(Newser) - Saturday Night Live has lined up Barack Obama for Nov. 1—the weekend before the election, blogger Martin Eisenstadt says he’s hearing from an aide to Sarah Palin. In boozy glee over the successful Palin appearance Saturday, SNL political writer Seth Meyers blurted, “just wait til you see...