By Drew Grant 5/14 10:45pm

Saturday Night Live

Bill Hader leaving SNL. (NBC)

Watch for the Bill Hader-Sized Hole in Saturday Night Live Next Season (Video)

Well this was quite the turn of events. If anyone was going to leave SNL in-between seasons, we knew it would Seth Meyers, who is taking over Jimmy Fallon’s old spot. After him, we would have put our money on Jason Sudeikis saying goodbye, since he’s always trying to negotiate his way off the show in order, we assume, to spend more time banging Olivia Wilde. (Can you blame him?) Or what about Fred Armisen, who already has one foot out the door with his IFC show, Portlandia? (Which, it should be mentioned, is produced by Lorne Michaels.)

If we had to think of a fourth person to leave, we’d probably guess Keenan Thompson, whose perpetually youthful appearance belies the fact that the 35-year-old has been working on the NBC variety sketch show for a decade now.

We just weren’t expecting today’s news that our favorite male performer (okay fine, tied for first with Taran Killam,) Bill Hader would be announcing his departure. Why, Stefon, why??? Read More

By Drew Grant 3/11 3:27pm

Saturday Night Live

Video

Timberlake on Saturday Night Live with Steve Martin, Chevy Chase and Martin Short (NBC

Justin Timberlake’s Triumphant Return to Saturday Night Live Brings Back Banned Chevy [Video]

We knew this weekend’s Saturday Night Live would be good–Justin Timberlake being to the variety show what fruit and sprinkles are to plain frozen yogurt … just something that you know will make the whole supposed treat actually delicious–but did we know it was going to be history-making? Probably not. From Lorne Michaels lifting the Chevy Chase ban to the Jay-Z duet, the return of Stefon, Andy Samberg AND the classic Festrunk brothers, Mr. Timberlake proved once again he’s the consummate entertainer: a song-and-dance man who also can also land a punchline.

Which is more than we can say for the majority of guest hosts this year. Below, the five best moments from this weekend’s show, along with our favorites. Read More

By Drew Grant 12/20/12 9:35am

2012 in review

10 Photos

Biggest Over/Underachiever: James Franco

Celebrity Superlatives: Class of 2012

This has been a big year for the young Hollywood crowd! Channing Tatum made the cover of People‘s Sexiest Man Alive, Taylor Swift dated both a Kennedy and a New Direction, and Lena Dunham did everything else. But now that the year is coming to an end, it’s time we hand out the awards like “Best Smile” and “Most Likely to Become President” (both go to Ryan Gosling). Give a hand for your 2012 Class of Celebrity Superlatives! Read More

By Drew Grant 12/07/12 6:19pm

Saturday Night Live

Video

Big Bird: Best SNL sketch of the year? (NBC)

Are These the Top Saturday Night Live Skits of the Year? (Video)

The Huffington Post just put out a compilation of its top 15 Saturday Night Live videos of the year. Unsurprisingly, Stefon made the cut, as well as The Californians, and a lot of newcomer Kate McKinnon, who in less than a season has proved herself more than able to fill Kristin Wiig’s psychotically sized shoes. And then, yes the Romney and Obama sketch … but some of these other ones? Well, take a look for yourself. Read More

By Daniel D'Addario 10/31/12 12:50pm

television

Anne Hathaway (Getty Images)

The Show Must Go On: SNL Announces Upcoming Guests

Saturday Night Live, which kept airing planned episodes in the wake of Sept. 11, 2001, won’t be stopped by a hurricane. The show has announced two upcoming episodes: Anne Hathaway will appear on the November 10 episode (the first after the election) with musical guest Rihanna, while Jeremy Renner and Maroon 5 will appear November Read More

By Neha Sharma 10/26/12 5:57pm

FUNNY PEOPLE

CK. (Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images)

For One, er, Six Night(s) Only: Louis CK Stands Up, and Tells Jokes and Things, Before Taking on SNL

Stating that, “prejudice is entertainment, prejudice is fun,” Louis CK stripped himself of any social standard for morality at the very beginning of his show at the New York City Center. On the second night of the New York leg of his national tour, one thing was made clear, Mr. CK’s brash shtick is what he is, well, sticking with. In the HBO special Talking Funny (April 2012), Mr. CK told Jerry Seinfeld—who believed in rehashing old jokes that were a hit with the audience every time he tours—that people come to see the comedian and not some live re-run of an older show. The balding redhead trusted his audience enough to throw a completely new routine their way, and he did just that on the night of the 23rd.  Read More