If there were a way to completely stop people on the Internet from saying, "Why do you keep watching this? Saturday Night Live hasn't been good since the days of Gildaphil Belushikroyd Normfeyrrell!", I would punch that button (or that person). Thinking a little more optimistically, there can always be better days ahead, for SNL is forever renewable, with an ever changing cast and crew. The thing that gets the fastest turn-over is the host, who has the opportunity to bring something new and exciting from week to week.
Now that the so-so 33rd season is over, I like to pretend everyone at SNL has kicked aside all the beach time and BBQ invites to plan something exciting for their return. Picking good hosts is an important part of having a successful season, so I've compiled my own list of nine people that must host, just in case SNL decides to re-work the entire show based on blog responses. I'm just covering all my bases, all right?
Actually, NBC already had its upfront over a month ago. This is a "spotlight event," a Part 2, if you will (a walk-thru set up at 30 Rock for advertisers and the media), but they did make some interesting announcements today.
This biggest announcement (though hardly a surprise at this point) was that Jimmy Fallon will take over on Late Night when Conan O'Brien takes over for Jay Leno. This will happen next year.
Here are some of the other announcements made at today's even and a recap of the new shows and the shows that have been canceled. And in this post, I promise not to fail you, rainbow chicken.
Now that Jimmy Fallon has been officially announced to replace Conan O' Brien I have a lot of questions. Will the show still tape in New York? Will he have a sidekick? Who will be his band leader? Will he constantly laugh at himself like he used to on Saturday Night Live?
I have always found him to be a very funny guy but when Fallon sat in for Dave Letterman, I have to admit, I was not impressed. He seemed to constantly be fighting with the need to be personable with his guests while still trying to be his ultra-hip self.
There are two reasons why I think this story might be wrong. One, it's Roger Friedman, and scientific studies have shown that he's wrong 9.2 times out of 10. Second, Friedman says that NBC will make the announcement at their upfronts in May. Well, the network already made their fall annoucements a few weeks ago.
Bill Carter over at The New York Times is reportingthat ABC and FOX (as well as Sony Pictures Television) have indeed started their campaign to lure Jay Leno over to their networks once Conan O'Brien takes over for Leno at NBC's Tonight Show next year.
Now, the two networks can't "legally" try to get Leno right now, but senior executives at the companies have been getting word to Leno through other sources that they are interested in doing business with him in some way. NBC wants to keep Leno at their network as well, perhaps as host of another show, prime time specials, or maybe as host of a late night infomercial about non-stick pans. Leno's contract runs though the end of 2009, though he probably won't actually be on the air the last half.
This probably isn't great news for Carson Daly, who has made it known he really, really wants the 12:30am gig. But it seems that Ludwin really likes Daly and thinks (as do Tina Fey and others) that Fallon and O'Brien would make for a great late night lineup at the network. Fallon told Howard Stern several months ago that he might get that gig after signing a development deal with NBC.
In today'sNew York Post Cindy Adams gets the story behind the story of Leno's quiet abdication of his late night throne to Conan. While it shouldn't come as a surprise to anyone, Leno had no intention of retiring in 2009. The decision to hand the 11:30 reigns over to Conan was made by network executives who were interested in capturing a younger demographic. NBC could hold on to Leno, but would owe Conan a major default fee.
Adams reports that ABC and Fox are both interested in scooping Leno up if NBC really does kick him to the curb in two years, which it probably will considering this move has been public for nearly three years now. Carson Daly and Jimmy Fallon have already thrown their hats into the ring for Conan's old slot. Things could get even wilder in late night if Letterman announces his retirement. (...a big "if"...) Carson retired when he was 67. Dave turns 60 in April so he's got a few more years in him, but sooner rather than later, this playing field is going to be wide open.
The late night race for Conan's hosting gig is on. Conan O'Brien will be leaving his 12:30 post for Jay Leno's 11:30 slot in 2009. That gives executives only two years to bandy about an improbably long and unlikely list of names as possible replacements. Last week Carson Daly threw his hat into the ring. Today the New York Times announced that former SNL cast member Jimmy Fallon may enter into a "holding deal" with NBC.
The deal would essentially tie Fallon to NBC for future television productions, which could take the shape of a sitcom, a sketch show or a late night talk show. Whether Fallon would want to give up his fledging film career for television remains to be seen. (Insert your own joke about Taxi here.) Fallon's name will not be the last one we hear over the course of the next two years, and NBC could always pull a Conan and send in a dark horse at the last minute. Expect to see more candidates considered in this race than in the '08 primaries.
Many of you speculated in the Saturday Night Livefinale post that Tina Fey's celebration during Weekend Update and her "Thank You" t-shirt meant she was leaving. Well, according to this article, Fey has yet to make a decision on whether or not she will be abandoning her post on SNL as head writer and Update co-anchor.
I guess people assumed that she would need to leave to dedicate herself to her new show, 30 Rock... Or maybe she was going to leave, but changed her mind once she saw all the buzz for Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip, a show with a very similar premise. Hmm, very curious, indeed. We'll just have to wait and see what she decides. In the meantime, a warning to Fey: Look out. Aaron Sorkin can smell fear.
If there were a way to completely stop people on the Internet from saying, "Why do you keep watching this? Saturday Night Live hasn't been good since the days of Gildaphil Belushikroyd Normfeyrrell!", I would punch that button (or that person). Thinking a little more optimistically, there can always be better days ahead, for SNL is forever renewable, with an ever changing cast and crew. The thing that gets the fastest turn-over is the host, who has the opportunity to bring something new and exciting from week to week. 
Actually, 
Now that Jimmy Fallon has been officially announced to replace Conan O' Brien I have a lot of questions. Will the show still tape in New York? Will he have a sidekick? Who will be his band leader? Will he constantly laugh at himself like he used to on 
Roger Friedman is reporting that the rumors of 
Bill Carter over at The New York Times is reporting that ABC and FOX (as well as Sony Pictures Television) have indeed started their campaign 
What's happening on other blogs via the interweb.
Rick Ludwin, NBC's head of late-night programming, says that 
Charlie Rose: Ian McEwan
Charlie Rose: Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck and Sherwin Nuland 
In today's 
The late night race for Conan's hosting gig is on. Conan O'Brien will be leaving his 12:30 post for Jay Leno's 11:30 slot in 2009. That gives executives only two years to bandy about an improbably long and unlikely list of names as possible replacements. Last week Carson Daly threw his hat into the ring. Today the 
Many of you speculated in the Saturday Night Live 
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