Will this be the final season of the Kenan Thompson-era on “SNL”? But then who will dress up in drag to impersonate a black female??? Not a black female, I should think. According to Splitsider:
It looks like “SNL” is looking to add a couple new cast members to the lineup for the first time in two seasons, as they’ve started holding auditions in New York for potential performers.
Earlier this week at The PIT, about a dozen people auditioned for Lorne Michaels, Seth Meyers, and other producers of the show. The lineup included local performers from major NYC theaters such as UCB as well as folks flown in from Chicago and LA.
The article also says that we should expect a few members of the “old guard,” such as Kristen Wiig and Jason Sudeikis, to leave after this season, and for a “new performer or two” to be added to the sketch series “in the very near future.” Outside of those two, it wouldn’t be a shock to see other long-term cast members depart at the end of the season — I’m looking at you, Fred Armisen (10 seasons) and Kenan Thompson (9 seasons).
As for Bill Hader, while I hope he goes on to bigger things, I also don’t want to imagine “SNL” without Stefon or his impressions; he’s far and away the most skilled performer on the show. Who do you want to leave? Any up-and-comers you’d like added to the cast? I hear good things about this Victoria Jackson person.
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Add me and Danger so we can debut our new sketch: “The 69ing Family.”
IT’S FUNNY BECAUSE IT GOES ON FOR 10 MINUTES!
This week, the 69ing Family goes to Cinnabon! “That’s not frosting!”
They need to do a full purge. Samberg, Knucle Puck, Moynahan all need to go. Please bring some funny back to SNL. Pweeeeze.
I’m ready for them to lose some dead weight but at this point I think we can safely assume that long-held theory on Keenan having a Lorne Michaels snuff film is probably correct.
That said, I think the writers’ room needs the turnover as much or more than cast.
Fuck the haters, I think this has been one of the stronger casts in recent years. I don’t know how you can replace Bill Hader, Kristen Wiig or Fred Armisen… hell, I still think Kenan Thompson is still pretty great when the writers don’t write him into a Cee-Lo corner
Thompson has his moments. Unfortunately he often gets pushed into the role of “whatever famous black person is in the news right now,” and since impersonations aren’t his strongest suit, he’s sort of wasted in that role. It’s also tough to shine when he’s up there with heavy hitters like Wiig and Hader.
Wiig is a hot property, so is Sudeikis’s penis, apparently.
But Kenan? Is the world ready for Good Burger 2: Whataya Thinks In Tha Burger?”
I had no opinion of Sudekis until I heard he was banging Olivia Wilde. Now I hate him out of pure jealousy.
Can Fred go crawl in a hole somewhere and never return? I’d like that.
They could replace Armisen with an inanimate carbon rod and the show would be better. And Bobby Moynihan is lilke the annoying little brother of Artie Lange, so he should go, too. Seth Myers is horrible. Hopefully there is much turnover.
Somewhere right now, Kel Mitchell is simultaneously crying while cursing God.
he’s probably enjoying the shit out his orange soda though.
I want Fred Armisen to go SO BADLY. He’s the worst.
I love Kristen, but I think it’s time for her to go, too. Too many of her characters have been repetitive, and I’d rather see her in movies.
Losing Hader and Sudekis would suck, but what can you do?
If Armisen could go before the political season gets underway, that’d be terrific.
Is this an SNL only hate, or do y’all not like Portlandia. I only watch the latter and find it funny as hell.
@bob loblaw: I think they just find Armisen’s characters either old or unoriginal. SNL tried to posit him as a Phil Hartman/Darrell Hammond type (one who carries the show) but he wasn’t up to the challenge. Portlandia, on the other hand, is awesome. And because of Portlandia plus Sleater-Kinney and Wild Flag, I’d marry Carrie Brownstein right this second.
I’d marry Corin Tucker, too.
Fred Armisen’s true strength is humor that’s too weird/niche for SNL, but works great on Portlandia. Set Fred free!
I called dibs, AnthonyTX. Sorry.
And Mr. Loblaw, I think Fred’s great on Portlandia, but borderline terrible on SNL. His characters are so one-note, and he’s not able to use of one of his best attributes, his nerdy charm, often enough.
Thanks guys, I guess not watching SNL since the Phil Hartman days might have something to do with my ignorance.
+1 on Carrie Brownstein
Expendable: Armisen, Thompson, Moynahan
Critical: Hader, Sudekis, Wiig, Killiam, Samberg (only for his Digital Shorts)
Has Potential: Pharoah
Who cares?: Pedrad, Elliot, Meyers
The real problem, as always, is the lazy, repetitive, unfunny, reluctant-to-push-envelopes writing
Plus the fact that the quality of most sketches is generally inversely proportional to their length.
I care about nasim pedrad – she’s the sexiest Iranian since the iron sheik
As far back as October I have been hearing from my “inside source” (read: friend of a friend who is an intern at SNL) that word around the office was this would be Wiig’s final season. So, uh, do with that information what you will.
Wouldn’t be surprised to see Thomas Middleditch get the call. And if Community is cancelled, Donald Glover would make a lot of sense. Other than that, just racking my head for who else seems to be at the top of his or her game at the moment: Paul Rust, Suzi Barrett, Charlie Sanders, Ben Schwartz (should house of lies be cancelled), Alison Becker, Eugene Cordero, Colton Dunn, Zoe Jarman, Lauren Lapkus (assuming are you there vodka is cancelled), Marisa Pinson.
Jay Pharoah needs to be a full cast member.
Am I the only one that doesn’t really mind Keenan?
Yea?
Alright then.
I don’t mind him. I don’t think he is good at impressions, which is kinda important on this show, but I don’t think he comic timing is bad. Though I probably just have a soft spot for him cause he was in D2: the Mighty Ducks, the best hockey movie that isn’t “Slap Shot”
I like Keenan as well. I don’t get why people hate on him so much. “What up with that?” is one of the simplest, yet best sketches. I’d honestly hate for any of this cast to leave.
If Jason and Keenan go, I’ll probably stop watching SNL. Those two are my absolute favorites. Jason’s hilarious, and I’ve been a huge admirer of Keenan since All That! I’d be sad to see Bill Hader peace out, as well.. I can live without Fred Armisen or Kristen Wiig.. I’ve never been a fan of either or them.. but it’s sad that their shaking up this strong cast!
I guess if Mitt Romney, by some incredible feat, wins the Republican nomination and Presidential election, Jason would HAVE to stay, right? If I weren’t a liberal, I could get behind this..
The best thing SNL could do is have more funny comedians host–Seriously, Miley Cyrus? Charles Barkley? Woof– and fire the writers. Or hire more writers whose sole purpose is to come up with original one off sketches every week. I actually don’t mind the cast. Though, more Nasim in different type character roles would be welcomed as she is pretty funny.
@ThatsAmare everytime I think SNL is terrible, and that is anytime I watch it, because it is fucking terrible, I go onto nexflix and watch a random full episode with a cast I love (the Phill Hartman/Chris Farley/Dana Carvey years, the John Belushi/Bill Murrary/Gilda Radnor years) and I realize the best an average episode ever seems to have gotten, even when they had amazing casts, was 1 out of 3 skits being something I actually find funny.
I’m really not that hard a critic when it comes to comedy so i’ve concluded its one of these things:
1. The format somehow makes it impossible to be consistently funny
2. The show is funny and I just don’t personally like sketch comedy (Monty Python kinda proves that isn’t the case)
3. Lorne Michaels is an idiot of bans people from his comedy show for trying to improves lines to be funnier (Damon Waynes, Adrian Brody), cuts the best parts of the show in re-runs: [warmingglow.uproxx.com] and I have never seen even try to tell a joke in any interview I have seen him in.
You can guess which option I’m leaning towards.
Anyone think there is something else at fault? I’m genuinely curious.
3.
No Jon Bovi, no happiness.