INSIDER
'SNL' 50th season premiere gets more than 5M viewers, its best opener since 2020
Read full article: 'SNL' 50th season premiere gets more than 5M viewers, its best opener since 2020The 50th season of “Saturday Night Live” is off to a strong ratings start and is a record-breaker for the streaming service Peacock.
Maya Rudolph as Harris and Dana Carvey as Biden open the 50th season of 'Saturday Night Live'
Read full article: Maya Rudolph as Harris and Dana Carvey as Biden open the 50th season of 'Saturday Night Live'Maya Rudolph playing Vice President Kamala Harris has led a parade of returning cast members at the opening of the 50th season of “Saturday Night Live.”.
Steve Martin turns down Tim Walz impersonation role on 'SNL,' dashing internet's casting hopes
Read full article: Steve Martin turns down Tim Walz impersonation role on 'SNL,' dashing internet's casting hopesSteve Martin’s next role will not be the Midwestern politician the internet hoped he’d portray.
Lindsay Lohan, Reneé Rapp and the stars of the new 'Mean Girls' turn out for premiere
Read full article: Lindsay Lohan, Reneé Rapp and the stars of the new 'Mean Girls' turn out for premiereShe doesn’t even go here, but Lindsay Lohan still joined the cast of the new “Mean Girls” at the musical film’s premiere in New Year.
AP Breakthrough Entertainer: Reneé Rapp has always known what she wants — and isn't afraid to say no
Read full article: AP Breakthrough Entertainer: Reneé Rapp has always known what she wants — and isn't afraid to say noFor a 23-year-old, Reneé Rapp has had a lot of practice telling powerful people no. Her first time came at 19, when Tina Fey and Lorne Michaels offered her one of the lead roles in the national touring production of the “Mean Girls” musical.
Billy Crystal and Queen Latifah look marvelous as they headline this year's Kennedy Center Honors
Read full article: Billy Crystal and Queen Latifah look marvelous as they headline this year's Kennedy Center HonorsYou know you’ve made a cultural impact when Henry Kissinger quotes your own joke back to you.
Molly Shannon's tragedy and perseverance in 'Hello, Molly!'
Read full article: Molly Shannon's tragedy and perseverance in 'Hello, Molly!'Molly Shannon made a name for herself as a standout performer on “Saturday Night Live” with memorable characters including the hyperactive schoolgirl Mary Katherine Gallagher.
Paul Rudd hosts 'SNL' sans audience, Charli XCX amid omicron
Read full article: Paul Rudd hosts 'SNL' sans audience, Charli XCX amid omicronPeople’s Sexiest Man Alive of 2021 Paul Rudd has been inducted into the vaunted Five-Timers Club on “Saturday Night Live,” but the surging omicron variant of the coronavirus meant there was no live audience to see it happen.
New this week: 'Don't Look Up,' new 'Matrix' and 'Sing 2'
Read full article: New this week: 'Don't Look Up,' new 'Matrix' and 'Sing 2'This week’s new entertainment releases include fresh music from U2 as part of the soundtrack for the animated “Sing 2,” a marathon of holiday films on TCM and the end-of-the-world comedy “Don’t Look Up.”.
Don Johnson gets his funny on with help from 'SNL' stars
Read full article: Don Johnson gets his funny on with help from 'SNL' starsThis image released by NBC shows, from left, Don Johnson as Rick, Chris Redd as Gary, and Kenan Thompson as Kenan in a scene from the comedy series "Kenan," premiering on Feb. 16. (Casey Durkin/NBC via AP)LOS ANGELES – Don Johnson is getting his funny on with help from a couple of “Saturday Night Live” stars. Johnson's most recent forays into series work came in ABC's “Blood and Oil” in 2015 and HBO's “Watchmen” in 2019. “Kenan and I got on the phone and I felt instant chemistry with Kenan,” Johnson said. Thompson will juggle shooting the series in Los Angeles and doing “SNL” in New York.
Sidelined 'Mean Girls' musical won't reopen on Broadway
Read full article: Sidelined 'Mean Girls' musical won't reopen on BroadwayFILE - The cast of "Mean Girls" performs at the 72nd annual Tony Awards on June 10, 2018, in New York. (Photo by Michael Zorn/Invision/AP, File)NEW YORK – Producers of the Broadway musical “Mean Girls” have decided not to restart when authorities allow theaters to reopen in New York City, the second and likely not last established show to be a casualty of COVID-19 on the Great White Way. “We remain excited to bring this musical to the big screen, relaunch the tour and prepare for a London production,” said “Saturday Night Live” and “Mean Girls” producer Lorne Michaels in a statement. Broadway theaters abruptly closed on March 12, knocking out all shows, including 16 that were still scheduled to open. Late May is the earliest Broadway will reopen, according to the Broadway League.
Jack White to replace Morgan Wallen as 'SNL' musical guest
Read full article: Jack White to replace Morgan Wallen as 'SNL' musical guestNEW YORK – Jack White will be the last-minute replacement musical guest on “Saturday Night Live” after country singer Morgan Wallen was dropped for breaking COVID-19 protocols. Wallen was removed as musical guest on Thursday after TikTok videos showed him partying last weekend without a mask on among a large group of people. Lorne Michaels announced White as a fill-in Friday on the “Today” show. “Saturday Night Live,” which will be hosted this Saturday by comedian Bill Burr, resumed live in-studio shows last weekend with a smaller live audience. Guests were required to take a COVID-19 test and temperature check at arrival, and wear masks inside the building.
Shane Gillis' firing splits comedy community
Read full article: Shane Gillis' firing splits comedy communityNEW YORK - While some comedians are defending Shane Gillis after his firing from "Saturday Night Live" this week, others are supporting NBC's decision. "After talking with Shane Gillis, we have decided that he will not be joining 'SNL'," a spokesperson for the show said in a statement Monday on behalf of producer Lorne Michaels. "I don't know him, never heard of him," but "NBC of course bailed on him," Stern said. Two requested their names not be used in this story, citing "SNL's" influence in the comedy community and fear of professional retribution from comedy club bookers for defended Gillis. Another comic, who is based in Los Angeles and makes regular television appearances, said that while he doesn't know Gillis personally, he thinks industry executives are sometimes too quick to fire someone.