Saturday Night Live
Charli XCX’s SNL Performance Canceled
Well, that sucks. As Omicron, the latest variant of COVID-19, continues to spread at an alarmingly rapid pace, Saturday Night Live had to take immediate safety precautions for its 2021 finale. Unfortunately in this case, it means that there will be no live audience and a limited cast at tonight’s taping, and Charli XCX won’t be able to perform. Charli XCX announced the news in a statement posted on her social media. Caroline Polachek and Christine and the Queens were set to perform with Charli XCX tonight as well. “hi everyone,” Charli XCX began. “due to the limited crew at tonight’s taping of snl my musical performances will no longer be able to go ahead. i am devastated and heartbroken. myself, caroline, christine and all of our crews and teams have worked so hard all week alon...
SNL Proceeding with Limited Cast and No Studio Audience, Charli XCX’s Appearance Canceled
Amid a rise in COVID-19 cases spurred on by the omicron variant, this evening’s episode of Saturday Night Live hosted by Paul Rudd will feature a “limited cast and crew,” with no live studio audience. Musical guest Charli XCX’s performances have also been canceled. “Due to the recent spike in the Omicron variant and out of an abundance of caution, there will be no live audience for tonight’s taping of Saturday Night Live and the show will have limited cast and crew,” SNL said in a statement released on Saturday afternoon. “The show continues to follow all government safety guidelines in addition to a rigorous testing protocol.” In her own statement, Charli XCX wrote, “Due to the limited crew at tonight’s taping of SNL my musical performances will no longer be able to go ahead. I am de...
Paul Rudd’s Best Saturday Night Live Sketches (So Far)
Paul Rudd joins the Five-Timers Club this Saturday as host of Saturday Night Live, and he’s sure to add some new fan-favorite skits to his resume. Still, the fact is that he appeared in enough all-time-great sketches during his previous four appearances that it’s tough to narrow down a list of his greatest hits. While Rudd’s greatest comedic achievement remains his decades-long tradition of setting up the wrong clip for Conan O’Brien, his versatility as a character actor, combined with classic leading man good looks and the apparent willingness to do literally anything presented to him by the writers, has made him one of the best modern SNL hosts. Below are eight of his best SNL sketches, arranged chronologically — a list that by Sunday morning we’re sure will end up being much longer. — L...
Charli XCX Corrects Paul Rudd’s Tongue-Twisted Mispronunciation of Her Name in ‘SNL’ Promo: Watch
Charli XCX is giving Paul Rudd a lesson in how to properly pronounce her name. In a promotional spot for her upcoming Saturday Night Live appearance on Dec. 18, the 29-year-old British singer patiently stands alongside the Ghostbusters: Afterlife star as he attempts to introduce her as the evening’s musical guest. “Hi, I’m Paul Rudd, and I’m hosting SNL with Charli…” the actor says before struggling to finish her name. After a brief pause, the singer politely steps in to help assist Rudd. “X-C-X,” she says. Explore Explore Charli XCX See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news SNL cast member Ego Nwodim quickly chimes in, confidently adding, “I got it, XCX.” Still confused, Rudd asks, “Is that Roman?” Charli XCX previously performed on SNL in December 2014, playin...
Billie Eilish Hosts SNL: The Six Best Sketches
Billie Eilish went through a minor but impressive pop-culture rite of passage this weekend on Saturday Night Live: After appearing as musical guest in September 2019, she returned to the show for double duty, hosting and serving as musical guest. This isn’t exclusively the specialty of young, female pop stars—Justin Timberlake has famously done it, as have Mick Jagger, Paul Simon, and a bunch of others—but it does feel like a particular proving ground for that demo, especially in the past decade-plus. Double-duty gals have included Taylor Swift, Britney Spears, Lady Gaga, Ariana Grande, and Miley Cyrus, who (like Britney) has done a double-double, with two separate host/guest stints. (Cyrus must have been on hand to advise Eilish; she actually appeared in a sketch before Eilish herself did...
Billie Eilish Performs ‘Happier Than Ever’ & ‘Male Fantasy’ on ‘Saturday Night Live’: Watch
Billie Eilish returned to Saturday Night Live on Dec. 11, pulling double duty as host and musical guest. Between some hilarious sketches, the 19-year-old superstar singer delivered memorable performances of songs from her latest album, Happier Than Ever. Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news Following a sweet introduction from her parents, Eilish unleashed her inner rock star with a raucous performance of “Happier Than Ever,” accompanied on guitar by her brother and hitmaker-in-crime Finneas. The performance began with Eilish casually lounging in a cream colored chair beneath a softly lit lamp before turning into a trashing rager with the singer passionately spinning across the stage. For her second performance, Eilish slowed things down with a thoug...
Watch Billie Eilish Pull Double Duty as SNL Host and Musical Guest
Billie Eilish pulled double duty on Saturday Night Live last night, marking her first time hosting and the second time as the show’s musical guest. She was joined by her brother Finneas for performances of “Happier Than Ever” and “Male Fantasy. As Eilish noted, her appearance marked her last days as a teen, or as she quipped, “middle-aged” in internet years. [embedded content][embedded content] [embedded content][embedded content] The show’s 47th season proved to be epic on the musical front. Kacey Musgraves kicked it off by baring it all on stage, followed by Halsey bringing out Lindsey Buckingham for a song; Young Thug bringing out a slew of guests; Brandi Carlile making her SNL debut, and Taylor Swift performing the 10-minute-version of “All Too Well.” Host Paul Rudd...
Billie Eilish Confirms Her Rock Star Status with SNL Performance of “Happier Than Ever”: Watch
In 2019, Dave Grohl famously proclaimed Billie Eilish as the future of rock ‘n’ roll. “The same thing is happening with her that happened with Nirvana in 1991,” Grohl said. “People say, ‘Is rock dead?’ When I look at someone like Billie Eilish, rock and roll is not close to dead!” While some may scoff at the comparison, one needs to look no further than Eilish’s Saturday Night Live performance of “Happier Than Ever” to see one of the more kick ass concert moments in recent memory. The title track to Eilish’s sophomore LP began as a hushed ballad sung from a love seat positioned on an on-set living room. However, as the song reached its crescendo, the 20-year-old singer assumed the role of rock ‘n’ roll frontwoman, leading her brother Finneas and drummer Andrew Marshall with the same unbrid...
UK Adaptation of Saturday Night Live in Development
Live from New York — and London — it’s Saturday night! NBC’s long-running sketch comedy series Saturday Night Live could soon be getting an adaptation across the pond with a UK version. Variety has confirmed that the Comcast-backed TV broadcaster Sky is in the early stages of developing a British SNL. Considering Sky and NBC share a parent company in Comcast — and the fact that China, Japan, the Middle East, France, Italy, Poland, Brazil, and Korea have already put their own spins on the format — a UK adaptation was pretty inevitable. Since late night programming isn’t as big in the UK as it is in the US, however, Variety points out that a British SNL is likely to air much earlier than its American counterpart. It was only just recently that Sky began distribu...
Motown Founder Berry Gordy, Bette Midler and Joni Mitchell Receive Kennedy Center Honors
Music was in the air, the sitting President was back in the balcony and the Kennedy Center Honors were once again a lavish in-person affair at the opera house complete with proof of vaccinations, negative PCRs and masks for all in attendance Sunday night. Motown visionary Berry Gordy, Bette Midler, Joni Mitchell, renowned bass/baritone singer Justino Diaz and Saturday Night Live creator Lorne Michaels were celebrated at the 44th incarnation of the event honoring lifetime artistic achievement. Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news To mark the celebrations, Stevie Wonder gave a mini concert of Motown hits including “You Are the Sunshine of My Life,” “Superstition” and a custom “I Just Called To Say I Love You.” Brandi Carlile delivered a mesmerizing ve...
R.I.P. Peter Aykroyd, SNL Cast Member and Dan Aykroyd’s Brother Dead at 66
Peter Aykroyd, an Emmy-nominated writer and actor who worked on Saturday Night Live in its fifth season, has died at the age of 66. SNL confirmed the news with a tribute during the November 20th show hosted by Simu Liu. The cause of death has not been revealed. Born November 19th, 1955, Aykroyd followed in his older brother Dan Aykroyd‘s comedic footsteps, first joining the Toronto Second City troupe and then landing on SNL during the 1979-80 season. Along with the rest of the writer’s room, he shared an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Writing in a Variety or Music Program. Peter Aykroyd collaborated with Dan several times throughout his career. Peter is credited with the story for Dan’s screenplay for the 1991 movie Nothing But Trouble, which s...
Pete Davidson Delivers Hilarious “Walking in Staten” Parody on SNL: Watch
The King of Staten Island has struck again. On last night’s Saturday Night Live, Pete Davidson sent up a loving parody of his hometown with a little help from a few friends. Titled “Walking in Staten,” the musical short spoofed Marc Cohn‘s 1991 hit “Walking in Memphis,” and even featured a cameo from the singer-songwriter himself. The clip also included appearances from Big Wet, Method Man, and local Staten Island fixture Chris the Hobby Guy — not to mention the rather alarming amount of wild turkeys outside the Staten Island University Hospital. “And I’m walking in Staten/ This place is the reason I turned out weird/ Walking in Staten/ And thanks to New Jersey, we now have deer/ Walking in Staten/ Where everybody’s dreams go right down the drain/ Walking in Staten/ Babies here are born wi...
