I think psycho love stories are cute. Before you call the police, let me explain. Several shows and movies display fictional love stories between two mentally unwell people. Maybe their hobbies include murder or just destruction. These are the Harley Quinns and Jokers of the world. The couples who create magic and mayhem. This has been a very niche genre that often brings me joy. Deli Boys, available with a Hulu subscription, recently did a psycho love story.

In Season 2, Lucky (Poorna Jagannathan) begins a new relationship with shady casino owner Max Sugar (Fred Armisen). Their attraction quickly blooms into a full romance. Both are crazy, ruthless people, so it’s an electric romance. The TV world needs more romances like Lucky and Sugar.

Warning: Deli Boy spoilers are ahead. Proceed with caution.

Psychos Falling In Love Makes It Seem Like Everyone Has a Soulmate

In the real world, you should probably not engage in a toxic romance. It will leave psychological scars and likely mimic a breakup story movie. Your heart and soul will get crushed. However, toxic romances are not just enjoyable but encouraged in fiction. It’s a very popular genre. I am not a fan of dark romance books, but I am a fan of movies and TV shows where two crazy people find each other and make it work.

I was a Buffy (Sarah Michelle Gellar) and Spike (James Marsters) fan, but I adored Drusilla (Juliet Landau) and Spike when they were initially introduced. He adored her. They were both insane, but it worked. They seemed destined to be together because she found him one day and transformed him from a weak man into a cool vampire. They were my first taste of psychotic characters finding love.

Psychotic characters are supposed to be void of love and beyond redemption. However, these couples somehow seem destined. Lucky and Sugar have a similar vibe because they’re both committing to lives of crime. They don’t need much, but end up needing and wanting each other. The hopeless romantic in me loves the idea that even psychotic people need love and can make it work.

Deli Boys Reminds Me Of How Funny Most Of These Serial Killer Love Stories Are

There are far too few of the best romantic comedies about psychotic love stories. They can be funny too. Imagine cutting up a body while arguing with someone for not taking out the trash? Love in general is kind of a funny thing, but add the aspect of someone being clinically insane on the topic of it? That’s just comedy.

Mr. Right is a quirky romantic comedy where an assassin falls in love. It’s one of Anna Kendrick’s most fun movies. Her character seems normal, but eventually becomes fine with her partner’s profession. She has some psycho in her as well. There definitely aren’t enough romantic movies that explore the idea of two characters who are a little (or a lot) crazy trying to make a relationship work.

We don’t support serial killers or psychos in real life, but fiction has the opportunity to explore dark topics in fun ways. Butcher & Blackbird by Brynne Weaver is a part of The Ruinous Love Trilogy. It’s a popular BookTok series. The first book, at least, explores two serial killers finding love.

The book has a lot of comedy and is more proof that this genre can be popular and funny if done well. I didn’t love Butcher & Blackbird, but I really enjoyed its concept.

Watching Lucky and Sugar deal with their relationship issues (like going to therapy), but threatening the therapist, is comedy gold.

It’s Kind Of Sweet Seeing Someone So Crazy Be Vulnerable

Sometimes the villain gets the girl. Often, movies and shows focus on villains with singular goals: Destroy the hero or the world. However, occasionally, especially on TV shows, the bad guy falls in love. I was not a full Reylo shipper, but I did understand the appeal of Rey (Daisy Ridley) and Kylo Ren’s (Adam Driver) potential romance. The sort of romance inspired a lot of successful fan fiction because it spoke to the idea that someone can be saved by love.

Kylo left the dark side because of Rey’s influence. She inspired him to be a better person and allowed him to be vulnerable when he was set on being evil. Rey and Kylo don’t exactly fit the idea of two psychos falling in love, because only one is in this pairing, but it showcases the idea that a dark character can be vulnerable with the person he loves.

There are many examples of two psychos falling in love, from couples in The Vampire Diaries to romances in books such as The Cruel Prince. Crazy love can also have psychotic characters show sweet sides. We see Lucky become vulnerable with Sugar. He also does some sweet things for her throughout their relationship, even if some of them are criminal.

The Chemistry is Really What Carries These Stories, Deli Boy Proves This

Fred Armisen has had a ton of great performances, and I have seen many of them. I never thought Fred Armisen was hot, but I did while watching him as Sugar on Deli Boys. There was just something hot about his evilness as this character. Poorna Jagannathan and Armisen are hot together. Similar to her character on Never Have I Ever, Jagannathan’s Lucky proves that women over 50 can still be sexy and find love.

Armisen and Jagannathan have insane amounts of chemistry, which helps sell this criminal couple as a romance. You want them together and to do bad things. I think that goes to the heart of the appeal of two bad guys getting together. They’re hot together. Obviously, this isn’t always the case, but when it works, it really works. Lucky and Sugar really work as these toxic criminals who find love, even if only briefly.

Deli Boys Had An Element Of Uncertainty About Betrayal; The Danger Aspect Of Two Killers Falling In Love Adds To The Appeal

One of my favorite examples of two psychos falling in love is Love Quinn (Victoria Pedretti) and Joe Goldberg (Penn Badgley) from You. They were perfect for each other. However, Joe ends up killing Love during the You Season 3 finale. Even though they should have been able to work it out, it ends in tragedy and betrayal.

As much as psychos want to live normal, happy lives, at the end of the day, they’re drawn to darkness. Love and Quinn could only end with one of them dead. Lucky and Sugar should have been a powerful crime couple. This was not their fate.

Sugar betrayed and manipulated Lucky. Our girl deserved better in the end. She got revenge, but had to suffer a broken heart. If you’re going to love a madman (or woman), you need to expect that it could come with a major heartbreak, one that may end in tragedy or unforgivable behavior.

James Austin Johnson is best known for his scary accurate Donald Trump impression, which he’s been doing on Saturday Night Live for years. Real ones who watch the show every week, however, know his stockpile of impersonations is a lot deeper than just the current president. He’s done more than twenty people on the show so far since he debuted in 2021, but he apparently can’t get his absolute best one on the show.

Video from a panel numerous SNL cast members did over the summer at the Television Academy recently emerged, and in it, special guest host Fred Armison tells a story about how he always wanted to get an Ira Glass impression on the show, but it always got shot down because the NPR host of This American Life wasn’t considered famous enough for the audience to get. Johnson spoke up and said he has the exact same problem.

He apparently keeps pitching an impression of longtime Rolling Stone editor David Fricke, but he can’t even get it to dress rehearsal because most people on the cast don’t know who he is. If the name sounds familiar to music fans, it’s likely because he’s been featured as a talking head in numerous specials and documentaries talking about classic music, but he’s not exactly a name that rings a bell for most people.

According to Johnson, however, he’s the comedian’s absolutely best impression. Here’s a portion of his quote, per Entertainment Weekly…

That’s the frustrating thing about doing an impression. It only ever works if the other person in the conversation (or in his case, the audience) has a frame of reference for what the other person looks and sounds like. I’m sure he does a great impression of some of his random family members too, but since we don’t know them, they’re only really worthwhile at holidays, reunions and weddings.

Still, that doesn’t mean there’s not a chance it could get on the show someday. Now and again, SNL does sketches that feature a ton of micro-impressions in a short amount of time. Often they’re various celebrities auditioning for roles in a specific movie (like Star Wars), but now and again, Johnson actually does his own impression round-up on Weekend Update. If he was able to work in Jay-Z screaming at Beyonce from the basement, it’s possible he could get David Fricke greenlighted too.

Regardless, James Austin Johnson has really found his place on Saturday Night Live. He was initially pretty much just the Trump guy, but he now appears regularly in other sketches, sometimes ones where he’s not even doing a celebrity impression and is instead just playing a character. Throw in how popular his signature impression remains and how much Lorne Michaels seems to like it, and it seems likely he’s got a lot of years ahead of him on the show if he wants to stick around. Fingers crossed he does and that someday, we get to see his Fricke in all its glory.

Over the span of five decades, Saturday Night Live has been entertained the masses and will continue to with Season 51 (which hits the 2025 TV guide in early October). Each SNL era has ushered in unforgettable sketches and characters, and Fred Armisen’s Californians is no exception. Now, Armisen is reflecting on how the fan-favorite segments came together, and he had some help putting it all together.

Highlighting some of the funniest reoccurring SNL characters, The Californians is a firm part of the sketch comedy's lore. The topic of how Armisen helped birth the west coast-birthed characters came up during an episode of Mike Bribiglia’s Working It Out podcast. The Wednesday actor explained that his goal was to come up with a sketch that would rely greatly on directions. Thankfully, James Anderson, who ultimately co-wrote the sketch with Armisen, gave him a great suggestion:

On prior occasions, the Portlandia star has highlighted how The Californians got rolling but, in this case, I love the matter-of-fact way in which he mentions Anderson's note. Anderson isn't the only person who deserves some credit either. Armisen’s Stuart was even inspired by a character performed by fellow SNLer Dana Carvey.) When it comes to creative endeavors, two heads are certainly better than one, and I'm glad Armisen had people to look to for assistance whether intended or not.

The Studio 8H alum then expanded on why he wanted to create a sketch centered around people navigating California. As mentioned, it started as a running joke among cast members at the time of discussing just how they traveled from location to location. From there, it all took on a life of its own:

It's ironic how such a casually silly idea could translate into a sketch that's become something of a pop culture staple. I’ve personally loved watching Armisen, Hader, Kristen Wiig and more don goofy wigs and try to keep straight faces while talking about the 101. Considering how funny this all is on paper, I can't imagine a world in which producer Lorne Michaels (who used to dislike reoccurring sketches) would turn down Californians.

As of late, the characters of The Californians have been featured in Volkswagen commercials, and I do hope to see them back on SNL again at some point. Whether that'll actually happen is hard to say. However, there are currently bigger matters to consider as far as SNL Season 51 goes. Stars like Heidi Gardner and Michael Longfellow just exited the show, and a lineup of new SNL stars was just announced this week. With all that drama, I’m sure it’ll take some time for current members to get back on track together.

Here’s hoping that this season ahead brings some Californian-level excellence and maybe even a cameo from Fred Armisen or any other SNL legends. Rewatch Armisen's iconic Saturday Night Live sketches with a Peacock subscription, and make sure to have an active account so that you can stream Season 51 upon its premiere on October 4.

It never ceases to amaze me when an actor is the spitting image of the real person they are selected to play. I do not think a historical portrayal necessarily lives or dies by the performer’s resemblance to the subject, but I think it is something to appreciate, especially when you consider the amount of biopics starring actors who bear absolutely no resemblance to their role. Here are a few notable examples of actors who were clearly hired for their talents above anything else.

Michael Shannon As Elvis Presley (Elvis & Nixon)

The most requested photo in the National Archives depicts Elvis Presley shaking hands with Richard Nixon in the Oval Office, and the events surrounding this historic meeting at the White House are dramatized in 2016's Elvis & Nixon. Kevin Spacey makes for a visually believable depiction of the 37th United States President, but the otherwise wonderfully talented Michael Shannon simply does not cut it as the one many call the King of Rock 'n Roll, even with a decent jumpsuit and wig.

John Wayne As Genghis Khan (The Conqueror)

Oh, boy, where do we begin with this one? The only visual evidence we have of what Genghis Khan looked like is artist renderings, but it does not take an expert to notice that John Wayne was not Asian. Still, the legendary Western movie star was cast as the Mongol chief in 1956's The Conqueror, which has since been regarded as one of the worst films ever made.

Aaron Taylor-Johnson As John Lennon (Nowhere Boy)

Director Sam Taylor-Johnson's 2009 music biopic Nowhere Boy focuses on the pre-Beatles life of John Lennon, as portrayed by Aaron Taylor-Johnson. If you ask me, the Golden Globe-winning actor might have been a better fit to play, perhaps, Paul McCartney or, better yet, George Harrison.

Tom Cruise As Barry Seal (American Made)

If more people knew about Barry Seal and what he looked like, I believe Tom Cruise's portrayal in 2017's American Made would have been criticized as one of the most egregious miscastings in Hollywood history. The otherwise talented movie star did absolutely nothing to alter his appearance and pass for the ill-fated, heavy-set CIA smuggler, save what I regard as an embarrassing Southern accent.

Julia Roberts As Erin Brockovich (Erin Brockovich)

Julia Roberts gives, arguably, the finest performance of her career as a single mother and paralegal who uncovers a small town pollution scandal in Steven Soderbergh's Erin Brockovich from 2000. However, if a resemblance to the person an actor is portraying were part of the Academy's voting criteria, she might not have won the Oscar.

Denzel Washington As Frank Lucas (American Gangster)

Ridley Scott's 2007 biopic American Gangster dramatizes the career of mobster Frank Lucas, played by Denzel Washington, and also stars Chiwetel Ejiofor as Lucas' brother, Huey. Curiously, Ejiofor actually looks a whole lot more like the real Frank than the two-time Oscar winner. However, Washington was a good friend and frequent collaborator of the director's brother, Tony Scott, so he probably had the role in the bag for that, among other reasons.

Johnny Depp As J.M. Barrie (Finding Neverland)

Oddly enough, J.M. Barrie boasted a striking resemblance to another influential author, Edgar Allan Poe, with his tall forehead and small moustache. However, Johnny Depp, who played the Peter Pan author in 2004's Finding Neverland, does not boast a resemblance to either of them, if you ask me.

Hugh Jackman As P.T. Barnum (The Greatest Showman)

Let's not even bother talking about the many historical inaccuracies from The Greatest Showman, 2017's musical retelling of the origins of the circus, and even ignore the fact that P.T. Barnum was not the kindhearted man Hugh Jackman portrayed him as. All that matters to this list is whether or not the Wolverine star looked the part, and the famously attractive Australian actor most definitely was not a match for Barnum in that regard.

Michael Fassbender As Steve Jobs (Steve Jobs)

Michael Fassbender's Oscar-nominated performance in director Danny Boyle and writer Aaron Sorkin's Steve Jobs from 2015 is widely regarded as superior to Ashton Kutcher's portrayal in Jobs from two years earlier. However, at least the former That '70s Show cast member can say he resembled the tech pioneer more closely.

Jesse Eisenberg As Mark Zuckerberg (The Social Network)

Mark Zuckerberg once made a surprise SNL cameo, during which he stood right next to host Jesse Eisenberg on the Studio 8H stage, proving that they are certainly not a visual match. The actor does not even bother to imitate the Facebook founder's distinctly low voice when portraying him in 2010's The Social Network, but his Oscar nomination proves that that is not what really matters in the end.

Tom Hanks As Fred Rogers (A Beautiful Day In The Neighborhood)

Casting a universally beloved actor such as Tom Hanks to play a universally beloved children's television personality like Fred Rogers, of Mister Rogers' Neighborhood fame, is brilliant in theory. However, even giving the Oscar winner the icon's signature haircut and sweaters is not quite enough to distract from the fact that you are still unmistakably watching Hanks on screen.

Leonardo DiCaprio As Howard Hughes (The Aviator)

A major inspiration for Marvel's Tony "Iron Man" Stark was Howard Hughes, whose resemblance is actually a striking match for both Robert Downey Jr. and Dominic Cooper, who plays Howard Stark in his early years in the MCU. In fact, I think either one of them would have been a better visual fit for the eccentric millionaire in The Aviator than Leonardo DiCaprio, even if his performance in the 2005 biopic makes it one of his best collaborations with the director, Martin Scorsese.

Warren Beatty And Faye Dunaway As Clyde Barrow And Bonnie Parker (Bonnie And Clyde)

From a performance standpoint, Warren Beatty and Faye Dunaway make a great onscreen duo portraying the titular notorious bank robbers in 1967's Bonnie and Clyde. However, the screen legends' casting does not earn the film any points for historical accuracy, considering Beatty does not have Clyde Barrow's jug ears, nor does Dunaway boast Bonnie Parker's sharp, thin face.

Taraji P. Henson As Katherine G. Johnson (Hidden Figures)

Taraji P. Henson gives an undeniably commanding performance in 2016's Hidden Figures as Katherine G. Johnson, a mathematician who was pivotal in helping NASA figure out space travel. Yet, when comparing the Empire star to photos of the real Johnson, it is clear the actor does not resemble her much at all.

Anthony Hopkins As Richard Nixon (Nixon)

Reportedly, Anthony Hopkins had some hesitation about taking on the lead role of Oliver Stone's 1995 biopic about Richard M. Nixon. Ultimately, I would say the Academy Award winner went on to give a great performance in Nixon, but I find myself distracted by his struggle to hide his accent and his obvious fake teeth and hairpiece that really do not help make him look any closer in resemblance to the disgraced U.S. president.

Margot Robbie As Queen Elizabeth I (Mary Queen Of Scots)

Cate Blanchett previously gave an Academy Award-nominated performance as the lead of 1998's Elizabeth, and even bore a strong resemblance to the royal based on artist renderings. I cannot say the same about Margot Robbie, even if the Australian actor's portrayal of Queen Elizabeth I in Mary Queen of Scots was still worthy of praise.

Benedict Cumberbatch As Alan Turing (The Imitation Game)

Benedict Cumberbatch has such a distinct appearance, making it difficult for him to resemble anyone else without heavy alterations. However, nothing was done to make him look any closer to World War II-era computer scientist Alan Turing in The Imitation Game.

Javier Bardem As Desi Arnaz (Being The Ricardos)

Oscar winner Nicole Kidman went above and beyond to physically become Lucille Ball for writer and director Aaron Sorkin's dramatization of what went on behind the scenes of the beloved TV sitcom, I Love Lucy. However, playing her onscreen husband is Oscar winner Javier Bardem, who does not pass for Desi Arnaz in the slightest.

Ray Liotta As Shoeless Joe Jackson (Field Of Dreams)

Technically, Ray Liotta plays the ghost of Shoeless Joe Jackson in Field of Dreams, but even a person's spectral remnant should look something like them. The infamous MLB player had a much narrower face and wider ears, not to mention that he pitched left-handed, while the actor did the opposite in the beloved sports movie.

Beyoncé As Etta James (Cadillac Records)

No one could possibly deny that Beyoncé has the pipes to match Etta James, which had to have been the reason why she was cast in 2008's Cadillac Records. However, the "At Last" singer was short and round-faced, and the former Destiny's Child member is neither.

Dominic West As Prince Charles III (The Crown)

I mean no disrespect to Prince Charles III, but is it just me, or was The Wire star Dominic West just a little too handsome to play the Royal Family member on The Crown? Then again, any one cast member's portrayal on the historical Netflix series might pale in comparison to Elizabeth Debicki's striking resemblance to Princess Diana.

Kane Hodder As Ed Gein (Ed Gein: The Butcher Of Plainfield)

The most famous actor to wear Jason Voorhees' hockey mask in the Friday the 13th films must have seemed like an inspired choice to play one of the most notorious serial killers in history in 2007's Ed Gein: The Butcher of Plainfield. However, the 6'2", broadly built Kane Hodder does not boast Gein's narrower face and small stature.

Clive Owen As Bill Clinton (Impeachment: American Crime Story)

In most cases, prosthetics can be very helpful in making an actor look more similar to the person they are portraying, such as when Charlize Theron became Megyn Kelly for Bombshell. Clive Owen adopted this method to play Bill Clinton on Impeachment: American Crime Story, but the makeup only caused the English actor to resemble the 1990s-era President even less.

Angelina Jolie As Christine Collins (Changeling)

Christine Collins is the subject of Clint Eastwood's 2008 period film, Changeling, which is based on the true story of when her missing son was replaced by an impostor. Had she been an even better-known historical figure, there might have been more criticism over casting Angelina Jolie, an actor known for her voluptuous lips, as the thin-lipped 1920s woman.

Fred Armisen As Barack Obama (Saturday Night Live)

Considering the fact that the otherwise extremely talented SNL star Fred Armisen is a white man with a subpar impersonation of the 44th. U.S. President, I'll just say that I am glad Jay Pharoah eventually took over as Barack Obama.

Tom Hulce As Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (Amadeus)

Just based on artist renderings of the seminal composer, Tom Hulce was nowhere near a match to play the title role of director Milos Forman's Best Picture Oscar winner, Amadeus, from 1984. However, the actor is widely admired for his performance as Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, which earned him a well-deserved Academy Award nomination.

Robert Redford As Harry Longabaugh (Butch Cassidy And The Sundance Kid)

I wonder how many others like me had no idea that Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid was based on a true story, which might be how the film was able to get away with casting actors who look nothing like the Western outlaws they play. For instance, Robert Redford's mustache works just fine for the role, but Harry Longabaugh, a.k.a. "The Sundance Kid," did not have long blonde locks.

Diana Ross As Billie Holiday (Lady Sings The Blues)

Most would agree that 1972's Lady Sings the Blues is the superior biopic about the trailblazing "Strange Fruit" singer over The United States vs. Billie Holiday from 2021. However, those same people might also agree that Andra Day was a better fit to play Holiday, physically speaking, than the otherwise wonderfully talented Diana Ross in the earlier film.

Robin Williams As Patch Adams (Patch Adams)

The real Patch Adams hates Tom Shadyac's biopic based on his life, which has nothing to do with the fact that Robin Williams looks nothing like the influential doctor. However, it's still impossible to ignore, especially with how they do not even bother to give the Oscar winner Adams' signature mustache.

Mel Gibson As William Wallace (Braveheart)

In the most well-known illustrations of William Wallace, the Scottish warrior is depicted as having short hair and a beard. Why director Mel Gibson opted against this look when he portrayed Wallace in Braveheart is beyond me.

Serena Scott Thomas As Princess Diana (Diana: Her True Story)

Many actors have portrayed Princess Diana to varying degrees of success, but most consider Serena Scott Thomas from the 1993 two-part miniseries, Diana: Her True Story, to be one of the weakest matches, purely in terms of her physical resemblance.

Zoe Saldaña As Nina Simone (Nina)

The 2016 biopic, Nina, sparked controversy when Zoe Saldaña donned skin-darkening makeup and a prosthetic nose to better resemble singer Nina Simone, which the actor would later admit she regretted.

Waiting too long for a new season of a beloved TV show can be torture, and nobody knows torture quite like Wednesday Addams and the rest of her darkly cloaked flock. Wednesday Season 2 is mere weeks away from making its lo-o-ong awaited premiere on the 2025 TV schedule, but Netflix didn’t even wait to get any viewership stats before quietly ordering up a third season of the horror comedy hit, and it sounds like spinoff talks are really heating up.

Wednesday director and vibe-master Tim Burton joined Jenna Ortega for an interview with THR to dig into some Season 2 details, with the actress also talking a lot about what her life has been like since the first season’s successes, backlashes and more. But they apparently weren’t the ones who offered up the unexpected Season 3 renewal update, and also weren’t the ones who addressed the topic of a new gothed-up series spinning out of Wednesday’s Nevermore journey.

Rather, co-creator Alfred Gough and Netflix’s chief content officer Bela Bajaria were the ones who directly addressed the notion that an offshoot project may or may not be in the works, with Bajaria seemingly wording her response to tip a hat to which character may get the spotlight.

• "It’s something we’re definitely noodling; there are other characters we can look at." - Alfred Gough
• "There’s a lot to explore in the Addams Family.” - Sara Bajaria

Well, well, well. I don’t believe either of them would have been referring to Lady Gaga’s new addition or the new character Steve Buscemi is playing, although I suppose both are still technically in the running, since we don’t know everything about them just yet. But here’s my biggest hope for the spinoff.

I Hope Wednesday's Spinoff Involves Uncle Fester On A Quest That Showcases The Addams Family's History

To clarify, this theory is indeed based on the prior reveal back in December 2023 that the Wednesday creative team had Fred Armisen's Uncle Fester in mind for a follow-up series. Though not much news has surfaced about the project in the meantime, there haven't been any reports refuting that claim, either.

So I think it would be awesome to see Fester branching out (pun intended) to solve a mystery, unearth a treasure, discovery a long-lost artifiact or something adventurous that involves an exploration of the Addams' family tree allowing a smorgasbord of relatives to make appearances in one way or another. In that way,

it would be like the big lavish party that takes place in 1991's live-action film The Addams Family, only with more of the ancestors being made central to the plot. I love thinking about how many different weirdos and outcasts could be introduced, with a slew of A+ actors who could play them. It'd also be cool to see this live-action universe travel back to different historical timelines to show off how various Addams generations coped with the general public at the time.

Obviously, I have no idea if that's what Netflix's CCO was talking about when she used the word "explore." By all means, Maybe the "real" clue here is in Alfred Gough's statement about it, and the spinoff is really about "noodling," the act of catching catfish with one's bare hands. Not very Addams-y, but I bet Thing would be amazing at it.

Wednesday Season 2’s first batch of episodes will be available to stream on August 6 with a Netflix subscription, so don’t let yours get covered in cobwebs. Unless it’s for decoration, that is.

There are a lot of great movies out there with horribly photoshopped family images. You know what I’m talking about. You may see a photo panned to on a shelf and it’s supposed to be of one big, happy, photoshopped family, but instead it's some cut and paste job that's awkward (and not for comedic effect.) Many family-based movies have a moment like this where multiple actors have been frankenstein-ed together to make it seem like they’ve spent time together outside of the context of the movie. But as I was watching Easy A recently and saw one of these very apparent moments thanks to a photo involving Amanda Bynes, I had to ask myself: Why does this happen so frequently?

It turns out, there are several reasons weird Photoshop moments have become a sign of the times.

But first, I think it’s worth pointing out the Amanda Bynes version is so egregious, as they took a literal (and obvious) event photo of her and splashed it into a poorly edited picture with her family (Fred Armisen, also in a tux without context, and Stacey Travis) in the movie. I'm not the first person to notice this either...

“Sometimes It’s Just Kind Of A Nightmare

One frequent set designer, Seth Rutledge, actually spoke to The Guardian about what happens on movie and TV sets leading to such sloppy photos a while back. (Thank goodness I’m not the only person obsessed with this issue.) Rutledge told the outlet it can be a nightmare to figure out what to do about a family photo when a scene calls for one at the last minute.

The obvious answer can often be to get the relevant “family” or “friends” cast members to show up on set and do a quick photoshoot. If everyone is on set at once and the photo required is one that is set in the present day, this can often be a wonderful solution for a movie or TV show. It’s also why some movies have better family photos than others.

But taking a new photo is not always an option. Sometimes a script will call for photos featuring kids who are much younger doing some sort of specific activity, perhaps hugging their parents. Or they might want a photo of friends when they were much younger at some sort of event, like camp, together –the list can go on and on. In those cases, actual monetary resources have to be used in order to create good, solid photos. Otherwise it’s just some random person on set throwing a little lasso action together using Photoshop.

Which brings us to another reason some of these photos look horribly photoshopped in movies: What was the original intent?

Sometimes The Photos Are Just Supposed To Be A Part Of The Background

When a photo is specifically edited to be a really germane part of the plot -- as happened in one Criminal Minds episode -- the results can be spectacular, or at least not noticeably cringe-worthy. But that's simply not the case a lot of times when these photos are being put together, particularly when movies are made on a relatively limited budget, like Easy A, which was made with only $8 million. (And went on to make $75 million.)

Most of the time, these sorts of family photos are simply never supposed to be highlighted onscreen. They are meant to be props on set that sit on a shelf somewhere in the background, perhaps in the viewers’ sightline but never meant to be dissected by people watching. To be fair, that’s the situation with Easy A.

Olive starts getting friendly with mean girl Marianne Bryant by second period one day, until Marianne's boyfriend contracts chlamydia and says it came from Olive. We cut to a shot of Marianne's mother getting ready in a robe while talking on the phone about the chlamydia situation. She's surrounded by these really phony family photos. But the pictures are big enough now on our TV's it's really, really noticeable.

Rutledge says when these images are usually designed, it's because they were meant to be a simple supplement to a scene. Fans were never meant to see them, but sometimes these things are more noticeable in the era of HD TVs.

Other times, a photo gets highlighted more than it was originally intended to when a scene may get shifted around to another part of a room on set or whatever. It might start out in the background and then a director or actor may pick up one of these photos while speaking, suddenly highlighting it, or a photo may shift much closer to where the camera has been placed.

No matter what is actually going on with some of these more egregious photos, it's "gradually becoming more of a problem," as people like myself notice it on the Internet more. But he says everyone is doing the "best they can" even when edited images are not up to snuff. So, if you see a horribly Photoshopped photo, maybe give the people responsible a little grace.

And hey, even projects that don’t deal with the curse of family photos still have their own on-camera problems. The world will never forget the Game of Thrones coffee cup. Or Henry Cavill's mustachegate.

One of the most memorable musical acts on Saturday Night Live was The Blues Brothers, which were actually Dan Aykroyd and John Belushi. Of course, they are not the only great SNL cast members who have surprised audiences with their musical talents. See for yourself by taking a look at this list of comedic geniuses who can also sing, dance, and play instruments.

Fred Armisen

Fred Armisen has demonstrated his skills with multiple musical instruments on SNL on various occasions, from playing guitar as Prince, drums as Fericito, or piano as Joshua Rainhorn. Outside of Studio 8H, he would perform on his other great sketch comedy TV show, Portlandia, and even served as Seth Meyers' bandleader on Late Night for a while.

Maya Rudolph

Arguably the single funniest SNL sketch led by Maya Rudolph sees her demonstrate her amazing pipes as a woman who overdoes it a little bit with her World Series National Anthem performance. The daughter of famous soul singer Minnie Riperton and composer Richard Rudolph also made a great Beyoncé on the "Prince Show" sketches and, speaking of the late artist, she is part of a cover band called Princess. She even started in music before SNL when she was a keyboardist and backing vocalist for the '90s band The Rentals.

John Belushi

Not only did John Belushi perform with Dan Aykroyd as The Blues Brothers on the Studio 8H stage but the duo also had a record deal, a hit concert tour, and led one of the best SNL movies ever as Jake and Elwood Blues. The late comedian also performed a striking impersonation of Joe Cocker, including once with the "Feelin' Alright" singer himself.

Melissa Villaseñor

One of Melissa Villaseñor's most impressive impersonations on SNL was a spot-on Dolly Parton but she had been matching the vocals of artists like Christina Aguilera and Britney Spears during her earlier stand-up days. Since her SNL exit in 2022, she has continued to demonstrate her singing talent, such as with her collaboration with Wolves of Glendale for the song "Life's Better in Spanish" in 2024.

Dana Carvey

Dana Carvey debuted his character Derek Stevens in an SNL sketch featuring a ridiculous song called, "The Lady I Know," which is concluded with the repeated lyric, "Chopping broccoli." Then and any other time he would appear as the vapid pop star, Carvey would actually play the song on piano, which he would also incorporate into his early stand-up and demonstrated in his audition for the show.

Jimmy Fallon

Before becoming a "Weekend Update" co-host, Jimmy Fallon had a recurring segment with acoustic parodies of hit songs commenting on various topics. He would go on to incorporate his musical talents into his career as a late-night talk show host and has since released a few musical comedy albums.

Eddie Murphy

After his skillful impersonations of artists like Stevie Wonder and James Brown helped save SNL in the 1980s, Eddie Murphy would later prove that his musical prowess was not limited to comedic imitations. He scored a hit single later that decade with "Party All the Time" and became an Oscar-nominated SNL alum with his performance in the 2006 musical, Dreamgirls.

Andy Samberg

Golden Globe-winning former SNL star Andy Samberg is also known as a member of the comedy hip-hop trio The Lonely Island, alongside Jorma Taccone and Akiva Schaffer. Many of the best SNL Digital Shorts, which the group was in charge of, are their music videos, such as "Lazy Sunday" and "I'm On a Boat."

Adam Sandler

Adam Sandler would perform music often on "Weekend Update," whether it was as himself debuting original tunes like "The Hanukkah Song" or as Opera Man, recalling the week's biggest headlines in melody. The Uncut Gems actor continued to make music a part of his career with movies like The Wedding Singer and the musical grown-up animated movie, Eight Crazy Nights, as well as in his stand-up routines.

Dan Aykroyd

If Dan Aykroyd had not introduced John Belushi to the blues, The Blues Brothers would have never taken the Studio 8H stage and experienced the success they had. Outside his performances as Elwood Blues, the Ghostbusters actor also participated in the chorus for the iconic 1985 recording of "We Are the World."

Martin Short

Martin Short's most notable musical contributions to SNL happened after his one-season stint at Studio 8H when he would return as a host. However, the comedian has numerous musical accomplishments outside the show, from his Tony Award-winning performance in Neil Simon's Little Me to an insult-filled duet he and Steve Martin performed while on tour.

Kate McKinnon

While known better for her hilarious physicality and characterizations, Kate McKinnon has had a number of chances to show off her pipes on SNL. For instance, she had host Ariana DeBose in awe when she joined the future Oscar winner for a medley of songs from West Side Story.

Christopher Guest

During his sole season on SNL, Christopher Guest could be seen playing guitarist Nigel Tunfel in one of the best movies about music, the 1984 mockumentary This is Spinal Tap. The fictional English heavy metal group would reunite for subsequent performances and album recordings, namely 1992's Break Like the Wind and 2009's Back from the Dead.

Taran Killam

Very rarely did Taran Killam, who was also a MADtv cast member for a little bit, have much opportunity to sing on SNL. However, he took many opportunities to carry a tune on Broadway, performing in shows like Hamilton and Spamalot.

Ana Gasteyer

Only a singer as talented as Ana Gasteyer could impress Celine Dion with her impersonation of the French-Canadian diva enough to be invited to join her in concert. The SNL star, also known for performing with Will Ferrell as married music teachers, The Culps, has performed on Broadway as well, such as when she played Elphaba in a Chicago production of Wicked.

Kenan Thompson

Many recurring characters played by Kenan Thompson – one of the longest-running SNL cast members – are musically inclined, such as What Up with That? host Diondre Cole. The former All That and Kenan & Kel star for co-writing an R&B parody song called, "Come Back, Barack," which he also performed with Chris Redd and host Chance the Rapper.

Harry Shearer

Harry Shearer, who was on SNL from 1979 to 1980 and once more from 1984 to 1985, has demonstrated his musical talent in movies like This is Spinal Tap and A Mighty Wind. The Simpsons star has also co-written a satirical stage musical called J. Edgar! The Musical and released five solo musical comedy albums.

Garrett Morris

Before he became a Not Ready for Primetime Player, Garrett Morris was a Julliard-trained singer who performed with Harry Belafonte and did various Broadway shows. He utilized these talents in various memorable moments on SNL, such as when he performed a particularly risqué tune as an inmate auditioning for a prison theatre program.

Robert Downey Jr.

Perhaps if Robert Downey Jr. was given a chance to show off his vocal range during his short SNL tenure, he could have lasted a little bit longer. The Oscar winner and Marvel movie star recorded an acclaimed rendition of Joni Mitchell's "River" for a holiday album called Ally McBeal: A Very Ally Christmas and released a studio album in 2004 called The Futurist.

Paul Shaffer

There is really no surprise that Paul Shaffer is musically talented, given his tenure as part of Studio 8H's house band and The Blues Brothers Band and as the bandleader for David Letterman's late-night TV career. What might be surprising to some – despite making history as the show's first F-bomb dropper in an infamous SNL moment – is that he was actually part of the cast during Season 5.

Pete Davidson

Given his popularity, Pete Davidson could probably release a hit album, having debuted some surprisingly good rhymes on SNL and impressed fans with his viral parody of Barbie's "I'm Just Ken," called "I'm Just Pete." The comedian once had the opportunity to perform his favorite song, "Gangster's Paradise," with the legendary rapper who crafted the song, Coolio, for a Comedy Central event.

Jim Belushi

Years after John Belushi's death, Dan Aykroyd teamed up with John's younger brother for an album called Have Love, Will Travel. Jim Belushi would also perform with a more recent iteration of The Blues Brothers Band as "Zee Blues" and he also composed and performed the theme song for his sitcom, According to Jim.

Christine Ebersole

Somehow, SNL never really figured out what to do with Christine Ebersole, whose one-season stint is much forgotten. Luckily, she would still achieve much notoriety for her Tony Award-winning performances in Broadway musicals 42nd Street and Grey Gardens.

Cecily Strong

Before Cecily Strong left SNL in 2022, she had demonstrated her singing talent as one of the main stars of Apple TV+'s musical fantasy comedy series, Schmigadoon! Thus, audiences knew to expect some special when she ended her Studio 8H tenure singing "Blue Christmas" with host and Elvis star Austin Butler.

Chloe Troast

It is a shame that Chloe Troast only lasted one season on SNL because she has one of the strongest singing voices of almost anybody to join the cast. She wowed audiences with songs she performed as a woman posing as a young orphan named Cassidy and as Mama Cass in fake footage from the recording of "Make Your Own Kind of Music."

Michael McKean

Before he joined the cast, Michael McKean appeared on SNL as Spinal Tap's David St. Hubbins and, when he hosted in 1984, was joined by Harry Shearer and Christopher Guest for a special musical performance as their other fictional band, The Folksmen. Speaking of, when The Folksmen reunited for the 2003 mockumentary A Mighty Wind, McKean won a Grammy for its title song, and another track from the film, "A Kiss at the End of the Rainbow," earned him an Oscar nomination.

Will Ferrell

Probably Will Ferrell's most famous musically inclined character is Marty Culp but we also know from a certain legendary SNL sketch that he can play the cowbell like no one else. The actor also did all of his own singing in the final act of StepBrothers.

Chevy Chase

There is a great cold open from the first season of SNL in 1976 starring Chevy Chase as future president Ronald Reagan, who tries to prove that the conservative politician and actor could still be "hip" by playing keyboard in a jazz band. The comedian actually plays the keys pretty sloppily in the sketch but that is by design, as he is a very talented piano player in real life. While in college, Chase played drums in a band called The Leather Canary, alongside his college friends Walter Becker and Donald Fagen, a band that would go on to become Steely Dan.

Billy Crystal

Despite blessing SNL with many "mahvelous" memories as a host and brief cast member, none of Billy Crystal's most memorable moments from Studio 8H are particularly musical in nature. However, there are plenty of memorable musical moments throughout his career, such as when he hosted the Oscars and honored the Best Picture nominees with parody renditions of popular songs or when he and John Goodman performed "If I Didn't Have You" for the Monsters Inc. soundtrack.

Phil Hartman

The late Phil Hartman had a million-dollar voice that he put to grand use throughout his time at SNL and in other notable credits from his career but not for anything related to music. However, at the end of his very last show, he participated in a The Sound of Music parody, singing the final "Good night" lyric in such a genuine and endearing fashion.

Jason Sudeikis

During his seven years as an SNL cast member, very rarely did Jason Sudeikis make any musical contributions in a sketch, save when he played possessive '80s pop star "Ocean Billy" in a Worst of Soul Train DVD ad or one-half of Bon Jovi rip-off band, Jon Bovi. He has since gotten more use out of his musical talent on an annual basis by hosting a charity event called Thundergong.

Nasim Pedrad

We heard Nasim Pedrad's singing voice in a few SNL sketches, such as a music video for a song about getting busy with your significant other in your childhood bedroom while staying with family for the holidays. It is a wonder why she never got her own song in Disney's 2019 live-action remake of Aladdin.

The idea of having roommates has never been more fun thanks to FOX’s comedy series, New Girl. Even though it’s been over and done with for years, it remains one of the most rewatchable TV shows ever. Aside from hitting play on the hilarious sitcom for all the great bits in the loft, it’s also a blast for all the major actors who guest-starred over the years. While there are way too many for this list to hold, we’ve compiled some of the biggest names that appeared on the show.

Jamie Lee Curtis

Oscar-winner Jamie Lee Curtis guest starred as the mother of Zooey Deschanel’s Jess Day in the Season 2 episode, “Parents.” Curtis was a great pick to match the quirky spirit of the sitcom’s leading character, and she returned to the series five more times after her initial debut on the series in Season 2.

Taylor Swift

When one thinks of Taylor Swift, sure, “actor” isn’t the first title that comes to mind, but over the years the phenomenon of a singer/songwriter has racked up numerous acting credits in projects like The Lorax, Cats and Amsterdam along. Oh, and what about all those epic Taylor Swift music videos? Anyways, Swift made an appearance in the Season 2 finale of New Girl when Cece is getting married to Shivrang. At the altar, the groom calls off the wedding to say that he wants to marry Swift’s character of Elaine instead.

Prince

One of the most memorable moments in New Girl has to be when the cast is invited to go to a party at Prince’s house… and they actually meet Prince. The Season 3 episode came about thanks to the iconic artist expressing interest in appearing in the show as a fan of the comedy. There’s nothing like that scene when Nick and Jess have a freakout when he appears.

Tiffany Haddish

Girls Trip actress and comedian Tiffany Haddish had a small role in the Season 3 episode “Exes” as a date of Damen Wayans Jr’s Coach. She is part of the plotline of Schmidt deciding to get his own apartment and encouraging Winston and Coach to use the place whenever they like for their hookups. In the scene, all three of them have used it at once and it freaks out Haddish’s character of Leslie.

Rob Reiner

All In The Family’s Rob Reiner returned to the sitcom fold as Jess Day’s dad, Bob, in multiple episodes of New Girl. The beloved actor (and director of classics like The Princess Bride, When Harry Met Sally, Misery, This Is Spinal Tap and Stand By Me) was in eleven total episodes of the series, appearing in almost every season of the show.

Lisa Bonet

The Cosby Show’s Lisa Bonet guest starred in the Season 4 episode “Teachers” as an education guru named Brenda Brown. Jess and Coach meet the character while attending together. She calls Coach out for his attitude during the presentation that causes him to stop being Jess’s “buffer” while she tries to ignore her feelings for a British teacher she’s crushing on at her school.

Kaitlin Olson

It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia’s Kaitlin Olson (who is back for Season 17 of the comedy) guest starred in New Girl for two episodes in Season 4. She plays Bob Day’s much younger fiancée, who happened to be the high school rival of Jess and Cece back in the day.

Josh Gad

The Book of Mormon and Frozen’s beloved snowman voice actor Josh Gad guest starred in three separate episodes of New Girl (in Season 2, 3 and 4) as a delivery man named Bearclaw who falls head over heels with Jess. He first appears in the episode “Katie” as a blind date gone wrong before also being in “Birthday” and “Walk of Shame.”

Dermot Mulroney

My Best Friend’s Wedding actor Dermot Mulroney is “Fancyman” in New Girl. The actor appeared as a guest star in eight episodes of the show throughout its run after becoming a favorite in Season 1. In the two part episode “Fancyman,” he is introduced as the wealthy father of one of Jess’s students who she strikes up a romance with.

Olivia Rodrigo

Yes, High School Musical: The Musical: The Series actress turned massive pop star Olivia Rodrigo was on New Girl, but it was before reaching mega-stardom. In the Season 6 episode “Young Adult,” Rodrigo plays one of the students in Jess’s school who becomes a huge fan of Nick Miller’s novel The Pepperwood Chronicles. In an effort for her students (including Rodrigo’s character of Terrinea) to like her better, Jess sets up a meeting between a few of the students and Nick.

Megan Fox

In Season 5 of New Girl, Zooey Deschanel was pregnant in real life and since that was not in the cards yet for Jess Day, the decision was made to have her character leave for a while on Jury Duty while Deschanel went on maternity leave. The creators decided to bring in Megan Fox’s Reagan to take Jess’s place and she ended up being part of 15 episodes of the series. Fox is of course also known for being in the Transformers movies, Jennifer’s Body and the live-action Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movie.

Alan Ritchson

Before Alan Ritchson starred in one of the best Amazon Prime shows, Reacher, the actor had a memorable guest spot on New Girl in the episode “Micro”. In the Season 4 episode, Ritchson used his comedic chops as a guy Jess is seeing who she struggles with getting past the fact that Ritchson’s Matt has a micro penis.

Henry Winkler

Happy Days and Barry actor Henry Winkler appeared in New Girl (alongside the incredible Julie Hagerty and Taran Killam) in the Season 5 episode “What About Fred.” In the episode, Jess is dating a guy named Fred (Killam), who she finds very boring, but falls for spending time with his charismatic parents Winkler and Hagerty’s Flip and Nancy.

Parker Posey

Parker Posey, aka the “Queen of the Indies,” especially during the best movies of the 1990s, had a great guest appearance in New Girl during the Season 2 episode “Re-Launch.” Schmidt is having a re-branding party for himself and Posey plays a dishevelled shot girl who was not as advertised.

John Cho

Star Trek’s John Cho appeared on New Girl for the Season 5 episode “Jury Duty.” Jess tries to get out of getting on a case for a chance to be acting principal. She asks her friends to help, but fails miserably in front of Cho’s character, who ends up being the man questioning her for the case after they initially have a flirty meet-cute.

Adam Brody

The OC and Nobody Wants This’s Adam Brody was one of Jess’s ex-boyfriend’s, Berkley, in the Season 3 episode, “Exes.” In the episode, Jess tries to prove to Nick that exes can still be friends by introducing him to Berkley, but she’s proved wrong when she finds out his true intentions.

Quinta Brunson

Before Quinta Brunson was the Emmy-winning creator and star of the hit ABC comedy, Abbott Elementary, she had a brief role in New Girl, in the Season 7 episode “Mario.” When Nick is trying to propose to Jess, she unexpectedly adopts a dog, throwing off his plans. Brunson plays a restaurant host that Nick speaks to on the phone as the plans shift.

Stephen Amell

Arrow star Stephen Amell, who played the Green Arrow for eight seasons on The CW, was on New Girl for a couple of episodes in Season 1. He played Cece’s jerk boyfriend Kyle in “The 23rd” and “Valentine’s Day.” Cece ends things with Kyle in the latter episode after realizing she has feelings for Schmidt.

Jessica Biel

7th Heaven and The Sinner actress Jessica Biel stopped by New Girl for the Season 4 premiere “The Last Wedding.” When the gang goes to yet another wedding, Biel plays a single woman who ends up competing with Jess to earn the affection of its best man (played by Reid Scott).

Justin Long

Justin Long had a memorable guest star arc on the first season of New Girl. He plays Paul Genzlinger, a music teacher co-worker of Jess’s whom she starts dating in time for the show’s first Thanksgiving episode. Paul is often thought of as a male version of Jess. After the couple date for about a month and breakup, Long made a re-appearance in Season 4’s “Walk Of Shame.”

Linda Cardellini

New Girl fans got to meet Jess’s sister, Abby Day, in Season 3 through Linda Cardellini’s three-episode arc. The Dead To Me actress plays Jess’s troublemaker older sibling, who is just about completely opposite to the sitcom’s leading actress. Jess is constantly embarrassed by Abby’s behavior when she comes to stay in the loft after Jess saves her from prison.

Alexandra Daddario

Baywatch and The White Lotus’ Alexandra Daddario played one of the neighbors to the New Girl gang in two episodes of the series. Daddario’s Michelle is deemed as one of the “hot” new neighbors that Schmidt, Winston, Coach scramble to impress after their first meeting left something to be desired. Daddario appears in Season 3’s “Mars Landing” and Season 4’s “Goldmine.”

Andy Samberg

For quite a few years, New Girl and Brooklyn Nine-Nine were both big comedies airing on FOX at the same time. So in Season 6, the networks decided to crossover the comedies with a special New York episode for New Girl. While the friends are in the Big Apple, Jess gets some help from Andy Samberg’s Jake Peralta and the other cast. (The cast of New Girl was also on an episode of B99 called “The Night Shift” that aired the same week in 2016).

Peter Gallagher

The OC’s Peter Gallagher was in multiple episodes of New Girl as Schmidt’s father, Gavin. The vineyard owner first appears in the Season 5 episode “D-Day” when Jess is assisting Schmidt with wedding preparations. Gallagher, who has also been in famous movies like American Beauty and While You Were Sleeping, was a great fit to play Schmidt’s absentee dad.

Randall Park

Before Randall Park became the star of Fresh Off The Boat, Always Be My Maybe and WandaVision, he was briefly in a Season 1 episode of New Girl as an employee at a phone company (with frosted tips), who makes fun of Nick for his crazy low credit score.

Natasha Lyonne

Natasha Lyonne is a famous TV actress for her roles in Orange is the New Black, Russian Doll and Poker Face. Prior to those roles, she had a small role in New Girl’s third episode ever, “Wedding.” She played Gretchen Nelson, an acquaintance of Schmidt, who he ends up sleeping with at every wedding they both attend even though he claims he cannot stand her.

Dylan O'Brien

Teen Wolf star Dylan O’Brien plays the guy Jess Day lost her virginity to on the night of her prom back when she was in high school. In the episode “Virgins” from Season 2, Jess runs into him many years after their first meeting, but what could have been a sexual fantasy turns into an embarrassing moment for the two of them.

Brenda Song

The Suite Life Of Zack And Cody actress Brenda Song was in a few episodes in Season 2 (and one in Season 3) as Daisy, a love interest for Winston. It’s a short-lived romance for Winston, but Song is a guest star in what we consider to be No. 1 of the best New Girl episodes, “Cooler.”

Joey King

Before Joey King was the star of Netflix’s The Kissing Booth movies or the numerous 2024 movies she’s been in like A Family Affair, Uglies and Despicable Me 4, she was a popular child actor who was in Ramona & Beezus with Selena Gomez or the Taylor Swift music video “Mean.” She was also in a Season 1 episode of New Girl called “Bully” as one of Jess’s students.

Carla Gugino

Carla Gugino, known for the Spy Kids movies and being in multiple Mike Flanagan horror projects was in three 2012 episodes of New Girl as Schmidt’s new boss, Emma. In the first episode Gugino stars in “Menzies,” Schmidt gets into a sexual contract with her that doesn’t go as planned.

Nick Kroll

The very funny Nick Kroll is known for starring in The League, along with creating the Kroll Show and Netflix’s Big Mouth. In Season 2’s “Chicago,” where the gang goes to Nick’s hometown for his father’s funeral, Kroll plays one of Nick Miller’s brothers, alongside Bill Burr! You can tell Kroll and Burr had tons of fun with the Chicago accent bringing some levity to a rather emotional New Girl episode.

Fred Armisen

Saturday Night Live favorite (who was behind some of SNL's funniest recurring characters) and Portlandia lead Fred Armisen had a brief role in New Girl for the season five episode “No Girl.” While Jess is at jury duty, the gang rent out her room to random people, and Armisen plays a guy named Brandon. His short time there made a huge impression because of how funny he is with the guys. Remember when he read Schmidt his romance writing or dressed up like Jess at one point?

The Parks and Rec cast by itself is legendary. Amy Poehler, Nick Offerman, Rob Lowe, Chris Pratt, Aubrey Plaza, Rashida Jones, Adam Scott and more served as regulars on the series for years, and to this day their characters are beloved. However, what made this show even more special was its constant stream of guest stars played by living legends. Everyone from Bill Murray to Michelle Obama to Ben Schwartz appeared on the NBC classic, and today, we’re here to talk about them. 

Paul Rudd

Now, I know we love Paul Rudd for his movies, but we also need to appreciate his brilliant work as Bobby Newport on Parks and Rec. During Season 4, the actor joined the cast to play the man running against Leslie Knope for a city council position. Overall, Bobby is childish, not smart and spoiled, and Rudd plays this silly idiot brilliantly. 

Bill Murray

Obviously, Bill Murray’s funniest roles include iconic characters like Phil Connors in Groundhog Day and Dr. Peter Venkman in Ghostbusters. However, his guest spot on Parks and Rec was unexpected and incredibly memorable. I write this because, for one episode in Season 7, the Saturday Night Live legend played Walter Gunderson, the dead mayor of Pawnee. 

Kathryn Hahn

Playing the cutthroat campaign manager Jen Barkley, Kathryn Hahn made a glorious (and a smidge evil) impact on Parks and Rec. She played a cutthroat manager who worked for Bobby Newport at first, and across ten episodes she popped in from time to time to both help and harm Leslie’s political career. 

Ben Schwartz 

Arguably, Jean-Ralphio Saperstein is one of the best recurring guest stars in Parks and Rec history. The rich boy who is friends with Tom is ridiculous, scammy and he’s constantly trying to flirt with everyone and sing whenever he can. While he’s 100% the worst, he’s also totally not “the WORRRRRRSSSSSTTTT,” if you know what I mean.  

Jenny Slate

In a stroke of perfect casting, Jenny Slate popped into Parks and Rec to play Jean-Ralphio’s sister Mona Lisa Saperstein. The siblings truly are the most chaotic duo, however, they’re also the two of the funniest extra side characters the sitcom has to offer. Just don’t fall for it when they ask for “money please!”

Henry Winkler

After getting to know Jean-Ralphio and Mona Lisa, we meet their father, Lu Saperstein in Season 6. Played brilliantly by Henry Winkler, the patriarch of the Saperstein family is a successful doctor who is willing to go to any financial length to help his kids. 

Sam Elliott

In the later seasons of the show, we met the Eagleton Parks Department. Ironically, each member of that crew matched up with a member of the Parks and Rec cast, and when it came to picking someone to play Nick Offerman’s Ron Swanson’s counterpart, they cast Sam Elliott as Ron Dunn. While they both have legendary mustaches and an appreciation for the outdoors, that’s where the similarities stop, and seeing Ron and Anti-Ron go head-to-head was hilarious. 

Joe Biden

Leslie loves her politicians and had a massive crush on then-Vice President Joe Biden. As an engagement gift, Ben decided to give her the perfect present and prove that he’s the ideal man, by coordinating a meet and greet between Leslie and Joe Biden.

Patton Oswalt

When Leslie tries to change Pawnee’s charter to get rid of some silly laws – like throwing a Ted into a lake – Garth Blundin makes his disapproval clear. Patton Oswalt plays the historian, and he challenges Amy Poehler’s character to a filibuster and a day of living like a colonial person. Ultimately, he and Leslie find common ground, and he joins forces with her to help preserve the laws…he also volunteers to get thrown in the lake.

Michelle Obama

As Leslie tries to figure out if she should take a job at the National Parks Department and leave Pawnee, Michelle Obama comes in to tell her about why she should take it. Let’s just say if I met the First Lady, I think I’d be just as star-struck as Leslie Knope. How could you not stumble over your words if you casually bumped into the First Lady of the United States?

Bo Burnham

Some of the funniest stand-up on Netflix comes from Bo Burnham, and in his special Make Happy, he sings a “Country Song” that pokes fun at the cliches in the genre and how some artists are masters at pandering to their audiences. On Parks and Rec, he worked with that idea as well by playing country singer Chipp McCapp who Leslie and Andy tried to hire for a performance at the Unity Concert. His songs like “Beautiful Like My Mom (Support the Troops)” were truly hilarious, and they complimented the stand-up comedian's sense of humor very well. 

John McCain

Parks and Rec knows how to do a political cameo, and one of the best ones came when Leslie didn’t even realize she’d just met John McCain in a coat closet. She was so distraught over interacting with #4 and #26 on Leslie’s list of amazing women, that she didn’t even notice she was speaking with the senator. 

Megan Mullally

You know chaos mode has been activated when Ron’s second ex-wife Tammy II enters the chat. She’s constantly trying to simultaneously take Ron down and get back together with her, and his efforts to avoid it are truly hilarious. However, what really makes this dynamic duo so hysterical and one of the best recurring inside jokes on Parks and Rec is the fact that Tammy II is played by Nick Offerman’s real-life wife Megan Mullally. 

Will Forte

Amy Poehler and Will Forte were both in some of SNL’s best casts, and it was such a treat to see them reunite on Parks and Rec. In his episode, Forte played Kelly, a man who really wants to get the Twilight books put in Pawnee’s town time capsule. When Leslie refuses and then agrees, it starts an outcry over what can and can’t go in the capsule via a chaotic town meeting. 

Jon Hamm

According to Leslie, Jon Hamm’s Ed is the “most incompetent person I’ve ever worked with.” He worked for our leading lady when she was at the National Parks Department, and he was swiftly fired by her not long after we met him. 

John Cena

In an epic episode of Andy’s show, the Johnny Karate Super Awesome Musical Explosion Show, Burt Macklin, FBI, arrested John Cena – who was wearing so much of his own WWE merch – and took him to the dunk tank. Talk about a dream come true for Andy and viewers.

Keegan-Michael Key

There’s no question that all our hearts grew a few sizes when Donna married Keegan-Michael Key’s Joe. The comedian played the “Treat yo’ self’ queen’s boyfriend-turned-husband in Seasons 6 and 7, and it’s safe to say that we all adored this music teacher. 

Bradley Whitford

Considering Parks and Rec is a show about government and Rob Lowe is one of its stars, it made perfect sense for a West Wing cast member to pop into the sitcom. It was done perfectly too, because the team brought in Josh himself, as Bradley Whitford played Councilman Pillner, the man Leslie replaces on City Council and a model boat enthusiast. 

J.K. Simmons

Remember Ice Town? Well, Ben’s hometown of Partridge and J.K. Simmons’ Mayor Stice sure do. And that became clear as day when an episode of Parks went back to Adam Scott’s character’s hometown so he could get a key to the city, which ended up just being melted water in a box…because Ice Town. 

Patricia Clarkson

While Megan Mullally’s Tammy II is truly unhinged and chaotic, Tammy I is cold, calculated, and manipulative. She’s played by Patricia Clarkson, and she really adds to the hilarious chaos that is Ron Swanson’s love life. 

Andy Samberg

Back when Andy Samberg was still on Saturday Night Live and before he led his own sitcom, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, he guest starred on Parks and Rec as the incredibly loud Park Ranger Carl. During Season 2, Leslie worked with Carl on a few issues of Parks security, and let's just say that she “might not be so confident, when [she has to] walk a mile in [Carl’s]  size sevens.” 

Rachel Dratch

In the final season of Parks and Recreation, Amy Poehler’s Saturday Night Live co-star Rachel Dratch appeared as Roz Pinwheel, the nanny of Leslie and Ben’s triplets. While a small role, it was such a nice (and funny) nod to the two comedians' time together on the legendary sketch comedy show.

Nick Kroll

If you were looking to get humiliated on the radio look no further than "The Douche." This hilarious and terrible radio host was played by the mastermind behind one of the best animated shows, Big Mouth, Nick Kroll, and anytime he showed up to host a radio spot on the series, you knew something wild was about to go down.

Chelsea Peretti

While Leslie ran for City Council, April filled in for her one time, and during one of her seminars Brooklyn Nine-Nine’s Chelsea Peretti showed up as one of the attendees, Zelda. Fun fact: before Peretti was part of the Brooklyn Nine-Nine cast, she actually wrote two episodes of Parks and Rec, which helps explain her lil cameo in the series. 

Kristen Bell

Kristen Bell was quite literally the perfect person to play Leslie Knope’s Eagleton councilwoman counterpart, Ingrid de Forest. It turns out, Bell was born to thrive on a comedy like this, because after Parks and Rec, she went on to lead the cast of The Good Place, which was Michael Schur’s next show after Parks.  

Dax Shepard

When Tom decides to become Andy’s manager as he works on Johnny Karate, they have a run-in with Hank Muntak, a TV executive in Pawnee who is played by Dax Shepard. Before this guest spot, the actor had spent a lot of time on NBC as one of the stars of Parenthood, these days you can find him hosting his podcast Armchair Expert. 

Will Arnett

Before Leslie meets and falls in love with Ben, she goes on some wildly terrible dates, including one with MRI technician Chris. At the time, Amy Poehler and Will Arnett were actually married (they’re divorced now), making this blind date even funnier because they were a real-life couple too. 

Sean Hayes

Bobby Wood was Indianapolis’ best talk show host, and he was played by Sean Hayes. As television appearances tend to go for Leslie and co. her interview with him didn’t exactly go well, and both comedic actors were so funny in the moment. 

Fred Armisen

You can always count on Fred Armisen to play the wildest goofy guys, and he did exactly that on Parks and Recreation. In the episode “Sister City,” the SNL vet appeared as Raul Alejandro Bastilla Pedro de Veloso de Maldonado, the Venezuelan officer who came to represent his city on a trip to Pawnee. 

Tatiana Maslany

Tom Haverford’s love life was always a funny point of interest on Parks and Rec, especially because it was only brought up occasionally. For instance, in Season 6, he had a short-lived relationship with Tatiana Maslany’s Nadia Stasky, a doctor who eventually left Pawnee and moved to Rwanda.  

Parker Posey

Indie darling Parker Posey came on to Parks and Rec to play Lindsay Carlisle Shay. The character was Leslie’s counterpart from Eagleton, meaning she was the Deputy Parks Director in Pawnee’s fancy rival town. The twist here was that Lindsay was actually Leslie’s friend and went behind her back a long time ago to take the job in Eagleton. 

Jason Schwartzman

Jason Schwartzman’s role in Parks and Rec presented an interesting issue for Pawnee when he decided to turn his video rental store into an adult store. Watching Leslie flounder as she figured out how to help the character played by the Asteroid City star was so funny, and the character of Dennis was perfect for Schwartzman.  

Honestly, the guest stars from Parks and Rec are next level. From comedy geniuses to beloved dramatic actors, so many notable names took a quick trip to Pawnee, Indiana and I love that for them, this wonderful show and us. 

One of the things that makes talk shows so popular is the friendly intimacy they create. As viewers, we all want to feel like we're welcoming the show into our own homes. Obviously, the best talk show hosts drive the conversation, but every great host needs a great foil and that's where the sidekicks come in. Here's our list of the best sidekicks on talk shows, and how each was used to make the show better. 

Ed McMahon (The Tonight Show With Johnny Carson)

The granddaddy of all talk show sidekicks has to be Ed McMahon. For 30 years, McMahon was Johnny Carson's right-hand man on The Tonight Show. He served as the announcer, coining the famous "Heeeeeeeeere's Johnny!" intro to the show, and he also sat on the couch next to Carson's desk for the entire show, mingling with the guests and laughing at Carson's jokes. 

Paul Schaffer (The Late Show With David Letterman)

Paul Schaffer wasn't the first bandleader to be incorporated into the banter of a talk show, but he was the first to be the bandleader AND sidekick. Schaffer was first the leader and keyboard player for the "World's Most Dangerous Band" on Late Night With David Letterman on NBC, then served the same role in the CBS Orchestra when Letterman switched networks and started The Late Show With David Letterman. He was also the guy Letterman bounced jokes off nightly and was a true sidekick in all senses of the word. 

Andy Richter (Late Night With Conan O'Brien)

When Conan O'Brien took over for David Letterman on Late Night, he brought with him comedian Andy Richter. Or, more accurately, head writer Robert Smigel brought in Richter. He was an important member of the cast for the show's first seven years before departing. He would later rejoin O'Brien on his short-lived stint as host of The Tonight Show and again on Conan for TBS, from 2010 to 2021 when that show ended. 

Geoff Peterson (The Late Late Show With Craig Ferguson)

By far the most unique sidekick on this list has to be Geoff Peterson. Geoff, you see, isn't a person, he's a robot. A robot that was actually designed by the late Mythbusters host, Grant Imahara. He was the sidekick on The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson and he was voiced by Josh Robert Thompson.

Guillermo Rodriguez (Jimmy Kimmel Live!)

Guillermo Rodriguez has to be the least likely person to become a talk show sidekick on this list. Rodriguez started as a security guard at the theater where Jimmy Kimmel Live! is filmed and by complete chance ended up as one of the most beloved people on the show as his appearances became more and more frequent and he got more and more comfortable playing bits in skits and commenting on the show's happenings. 

Questlove/The Roots (The Tonight Show With Jimmy Fallon)

Jimmy Fallon doesn't really have a traditional sidekick on The Tonight Show, instead, he has a whole band. Sure, Questlove is the most prominent member of the house band, The Roots, in respect to the show, but the whole band plays its part as the host's sidekicks. 

Fred Armisen (Late Night With Seth Meyers)

Seth Meyers has the ultimate sidekick in Fred Armisen on Late Night With Seth Meyers. Not only is Armisen a comedian and SNL vet along with Meyers, but he's also a great musician and as such, is both a comedic foil for Meyers AND his bandleader. 

Chuy Bravo (Chelsea Lately)

Chuy Bravo had an interesting road to fame. Unconfirmed legend has it that he fell in love with acting when the Steve Martin movie Three Amigos was filmed in his village in Mexico when he was young. While that may or may not be true, it still took Bravo years to get into the industry, but when he did, he made the most of it as the sidekick on Chelsea Lately for the show's entire run. Bravo died in 2019. 

Stephen "tWitch" Boss (The Ellen DeGeneres Show)

Stephen "tWitch" Boss tragically died by suicide in 2022 just a few months after the show that helped make him famous, The Ellen DeGeneres Show, went off the air. He was a beloved part of the series, serving as both DJ and sidekick, as well as the occasional guest host when Ellen DeGeneres was on vacation. 

John Melendez (The Tonight Show With Jay Leno)

One wouldn't think that a guy with the nickname "Stuttering John" would make for a good announcer, but John Melendez proved that wrong as the announcer and sidekick on The Tonight Show With Jay Leno. In addition to traditional announcer duties, Melendez was often a part of skits and other bits on the show alongside host Jay Leno. 

Regis Philbin (The Joey Bishop Show)

It's almost impossible to imagine Regis Philbin as anything other than a host. The television legend set records in his career doing just that, but he started as Joey Bishop's sidekick on The Joey Bishop Show. Throughout the show's brief run (less than three years), Philbin played the role of the young apprentice to the Rat Pack veteran, often as the butt of Bishop's jokes about his young age (though Philbin was in his mid-30s when the show aired). 

Reggie Watts (The Late Late Show With James Corden)

Reggie Watts has the distinction of being the sidekick on not one, but two shows. First, he served as DJ/band leader on Scott Aukerman's mock talk show Comedy Bang! Bang! and left that show to do the same thing on The Late Late Show With James Cordon in 2015, where he remained until the show ended in 2023. 

Max Weinberg (Late Night With Conan O'Brien)

In 1989 Bruce Springsteen broke up his longtime group, The E Street Band, and drummer Max Weinberg was left in the wilderness. After bobbing around for a while looking for a steady gig, he landed a spot as the bandleader for Late Night With Conan O'Brien. At first, he was just that, in charge of the music, as Andy Richter was the real sidekick. When Richter left the show in 2000, Weinberg started filling that role, in addition to playing drums and leading the band.  

Hannibal Buress (The Eric Andre Show)

As sidekick on The Eric Andre Show, Hannibal Buress was unique. He was expressly disdained by the audience (on purpose) and rather than support host Eric Andre, he was often critical of Andre's performance. Like the whole show, it turned the standard talk show fare on its head and it was brilliant. 

Branford Marsalis (The Tonight Show With Jay Leno)

When Branford Marsalis landed the bandleader job on the new Tonight Show With Jay Leno he was already a world-renowned jazz star. The saxophonist served both as bandleader and sidekick, as Leno didn't have a traditional sidekick. It was that second role that Marsalis came to dislike, and it eventually led him to leave the show after just three years. 

Gene Rayburn (Tonight With Steve Allen)

Tonight with host Steve Allen, which aired in the mid-1950s, was the forerunner to NBC's Tonight Show and it set the template for pretty much all talk shows that followed. That template included announcer Gene Rayburn as a sidekick, participating in comedy skits and banter with the host. 

Steve Wilkos (The Jerry Springer Show)

Steve Wilkos is a different kind of sidekick. As head of security in the heyday of The Jerry Springer Show, Wilkos' main job was to break up the endless fights that happened between guests. He was so prominent that his role evolved into one of foil for host Jerry Springer and he eventually parlayed that into his very own talk show. 

Hugh Downs (Tonight With Jack Parr)

Hugh Downs was ubiquitous on television from the 1940s until his retirement in 1999. His first major exposure came as the announcer and sidekick to host Jack Parr on Tonight With Jack Parr, the second iteration of what would become The Tonight Show. Like other announcers in the show's history, Downs served as a comedic foil to the host. 

Steve Higgins (The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon)

The most recent in the long line of announcers/sidekicks on The Tonight Show is Steve Higgins, who has been in the role since Jimmy Fallon took over as host in 2014. Like the others, he's involved in comedy sketches and banter with the host. He previously served the same role when Jimmy Fallon hosted Late Night. 

Jon Batiste (The Late Show With Stephen Colbert)

Following in the path first taken by Branford Marsalis with The Tonight Show, jazz great Jon Batiste was the bandleader and de-facto sidekick for the first seven years on The Late Show With Stephen Colbert, before leaving for other career opportunities in 2022. 

"Weird Al" Yankovic (Comedy Bang! Bang!)

"Weird Al" Yankovic needs no introduction. For more than 40 years he's been a legend in the music industry, known for his hilarious parodies of hit songs. Less well-known to the general public was his brief stint as the bandleader and sidekick in the final season of Comedy Bang! Bang! where he brought his trademark surrealism to an already completely surreal show. 

Edd Hall (The Tonight Show With Jay Leno)

Like Ed McMahon before him, Edd Hall served as the announcer for The Tonight Show when Jay Leno took over for the retired Johnny Carson. While he didn't sit on the couch like McMahon, he was an important part of the show, often participating in comedic sketches and bantering with Leno during the monologue. 

Skitch Henderson (Tonight With Steve Allen)

The first bandleader in Tonight Show history was Skitch Henderson, who led the band for both the Steve Allen-headed show and later in the first few years of the Carson-led show. He wasn't as involved as a sidekick as his successors, and in what few clips that survive, didn't seem comfortable in that role. He left in 1966 to pursue a more serious career as a conductor. 

Doc Severinsen (The Tonight Show With Johnny Carson)

The Tonight Show has had a lot of bandleaders over the years, but maybe the most beloved is Doc Severinsen. Severinsen was in the band on the show from the very first iteration with Steve Allen in 1953, until Johnny Carson retired in 1992, for the last 25 years of which, he was the leader. He also assumed sidekick duties when Ed McMahon was out, or both McMahon and Carson were off and there was a guest host. 

Tom Scott (The Chevy Chase Show)

Tom Scott is an incredibly accomplished musician, having played on albums by George Harrison, Pink Floyd, The Grateful Dead, and many more. He also has the unique distinction of being a bandleader/sidekick on two infamous talk shows by celebrities that didn't last. First, The Pat Sajak Show, and second, The Chevy Chase Show. 

Louis Cato (The Late Show With Stephen Colbert)

When Jon Batiste left The Late Show With Stephen Colbert in the summer of 2022, they wasted no time installing fellow Stay Human musician Louis Cato as the new band leader. Cato has a more traditional approach to being a bandleader and is less of a comedic sidekick as a musical one, often performing full songs with the band and with guest musicians. 

Arthur Treacher (The Merv Griffin Show)

When Merv Griffin developed The Merv Griffin Show, he chose Arthur Treacher as his sidekick, who played the part very much like Ed McMahon played it on The Tonight Show. Treacher was a show business veteran, but found his highest degree of fame sitting next to Griffin and bantering on the show. 

Kevin Eubanks (The Tonight Show With Jay Leno)

Jay never never had a traditional sidekick during his long run as host of The Tonight Show, instead, he used his bandleaders, like Kevin Eubanks, as his bantering partner. Eubanks took over from Branford Marsalis in 1995 and remained there until leaving the show in 2010, a few years before Leno retired himself.

Craig Shoemaker (The Magic Hour)

For eight magical weeks in the summer of 1998, NBA superstar Magic Johnson hosted The Magic Hour in first-run syndication. For about the first three of those weeks, his sidekick was comedian Craig Shoemaker. Shoemaker was fired after publicly calling the show "The Titanic." Turns out, he was right, and the show was canceled a few weeks later. 

Glenn Humplik (The Tom Green Show)

One of the weirdest talk shows of all time was The Tom Green Show on MTV. Host Tom Green, who was never afraid to earn an R-rating, picked his sidekick because it was his childhood friend Glenn Humplik, whose main job, it seems, was to just take abuse from Green. Sure, it was funny, but wow, it was pretty denigrating, also. 

Jimmy Vivino (Late Night With Conan O'Brien)

While Max Weinberg was the bandleader for Late Night With Conan O'Brien, he was often away later in the show's run, touring with Bruce Springsteen. On such occasions, Jimmy Vivino took over. Eventually, Weinberg left the show and Vivino took over the role Weinberg had played as the bantering partner for O'Brien. 

Norman Baker (The Wendy Williams Show)

The Wendy Williams Show was unlike anything else, mostly because of Williams' unique personality. She was mostly a one-woman show, but occasionally bantered with the show's producer Norman Baker. 

Every great host needs a great partner, so as long as there are talk shows, there will be sidekicks to joke with. 

What is it that makes a Saturday Night Live character worthy of becoming the star of their own recurring sketch? Is it the way they dress or style their hair, the general ridiculous nature of their given situation, or is it their manner of speaking? We would actually say that much credit goes to that last example of criteria, based on the many great SNL character catchphrases we have compiled below.

“Well, Isn't That Special?” - The Church Lady

The chameleonic Dana Carvey has portrayed many recurring characters, but perhaps his single funniest SNL sketch is “Church Chat,” in which he plays Enid “The Church Lady” Strict. The deeply religious TV host has returned to Studio 8H several times and the secret to her enduring success is her hilariously sarcastic delivery of her signature line with a raised eyebrow.

"Yeah, That's The Ticket" - Tommy Flanagan

The phrase, “That’s the ticket,” is not exactly unique to Jon Lovitz’s Tommy Flanagan — the president of Pathological Liars Anonymous (or so he claims). However, it became imbedded in the SNL character’s legacy by the way it accompanies his most amusing fibs.

"We Are Two Wild And Crazy Guys!” - The Festrunk Brothers

Legendary Not Ready For Primetime Player Dan Aykroyd and Steve Martin — arguably the greatest SNL host of all time — make up the swinging Czechoslovakian duo called the Festrunk Brothers. Of course, most people might know them better as the “Two Wild and Crazy Guys” from their vigorous mantra.

"New York's Hottest Club Is..." - Stefon

“Weekend Update” hosts just want Stefon (Bill Hader as the wild character he and John Mulaney created) to talk about the best family-friendly activities in New York. Instead, he would start his spiel by announcing the city’s new popular after hours joint, and it would only get funnier from there.

"We're Not Worthy!" - Wayne And Garth

Wayne Campbell (“Wayne’s World” creator Mike Myers) and Garth Algar (Dana Carvey) have come into contact with several celebrities (both on their cable access program and in their classic SNL spin-off movies). But, rarely have they been able to keep their cool around them, resorting to dropping to their knees, bowing, and declaring their undeserving presence.

"... I Live In A Van Down By The River!" - Matt Foley

The definitive performance by, arguably, the definitive ‘90s-era SNL cast member, Chris Farley, is his gut-busting portrayal of Matt Foley. In addition to being one of the most iconic divorced TV characters, the ill-advised motivational speaker’s most recognizable trait is his unfavorable place of residence (“a van down by the river”), which he reminds people of any chance he gets.

"Oooh, It's A Lady!" - Leon "The Ladies Man" Phelps

The most iconic character played by Tim Meadows (one of SNL’s longest-running cast members) is Leon Phelps, who would receive calls from men and women alike during his live romantic advice program. However, he always made it clear that he especially enjoyed attention from the opposite gender, which is exactly why they called him “The Ladies Man.”

"Cheeburger, Cheeburger, Cheeburger" - Pete Dionisopoulos

When Don Novello created the beloved SNL sketch from Season 3, “The Olympia Restaurant,” he might not have realized that simply repeating the word “cheeseburger” would create such an impact. Yet, John Belushi’s distinct pronunciation of it as the cafe’s Greek manager, Pete Dionisopoulos, served up a decadent comedy feast. 

"I’m Good Enough, I’m Strong Enough And Doggone It, People Like Me" - Stuart Smalley

Easily one of the most wholesome SNL characters ever conceived is Stuart Smalley, played by longtime series veteran and former U.S. senator Al Franken. He would begin each episode of his talk show, Daily Affirmations, with this personal affirmation that, perhaps, we should all be starting our days with.

"I'm Verklempt" - Linda Richman (Coffee Talk)

For various reasons — be it her strained relationship with her daughter or Barbra Streisand’s latest Oscar “snub” — Linda Richman often found herself overcome with emotion as host of “Coffee Talk.” By referring to these episodes as her being “verklempt,” the catchphrase became one of Mike Myers’ funniest quotes and never failed to get the audience howling.

"... Makin' Copies!" - Richard Laymer

Office worker Richard Laymer (Rob Schneider) is better known as “the Richmeister,” in reference to his tendency give his colleagues similar-sounding nicknames. This was typically followed by Rich acknowledging they were “makin’ copies” with the machine that just happened to be near his desk, much to their chagrin.

"We Want To Pump You Up!" - Hans And Franz

Austrian fitness “experts” Hans (Dana Carvey) and Franz (Kevin Nealon) had a pretty apt slogan for their program, Pumping Up, stating that they “want to pump [clap] you up!” However, we would discover that they failed to earn the respect of their famous bodybuilder cousin, Arnold Schwarzenegger, when he appeared in one of the most jaw-dropping SNL cameos as himself.

"Party On..." - Wayne And Garth

It was always a party on Wayne’s World, as co-hosts Wayne and Garth often reminded  audiences with this endearing, celebratory greeting. Of course, this phrase is also associated with another famous duo from the same era: Keanu Reeves and Alex Winter’s titular dudes from the Bill and Ted movies.

"I’m Chevy Chase And You’re Not" - Chevy Chase (Weekend Update)

We can sum up Chevy Chase’s signature style of charming smugness and dry wit in just six words. It is with this same phrase that the future Community cast member began nearly every “Weekend Update” segment he hosted during his short, but memorable run on SNL in the 1970s.

"... But I Love Him" - Jodi Deitz (Bronx Beat)

The talk show Bronx Beat was, essentially, an excuse for New York housewives Betty Caruso (Amy Poehler) and Jodi Deitz (Maya Rudolph) to voice their boisterous, and sometimes condemning, opinions on various subjects — with Jodi’s husband being a frequent topic. However, her complaint over her spouse’s moronic tendencies was always accompanied with a tearful affirmation that he still made her happy.

"Give Me A Break" - Ed Grimley

It’s hard to believe that a legend like Martin Short was only on SNL for one season, especially with his impressive assortment of characters like Ed Grimley. The pop-culture obsessed, erratic man-child — borrowed from the actor’s SCTV days — had a few different catchphrases, but his delivery of and situational choices for using “Give me a break” made it a classic.

"It Just Goes To Show Ya, It's Always Somethin'. If It's Not One Thing, It's Another" - Roseanne Roseannadanna

One of the most iconic “Weekend Update” guest characters was Roseanne Roseannadanna, who ended each of her nauseating appearances declaring that, “It’s always somethin’.” The phrase would serve as the title for the late, great Gilda Radner’s memoir, in which she reveals she borrowed it from her own late father’s favorite expression. 

"Superstar!" - Mary Katherine Gallagher

While her intentions may have been hard to interpret at face value, Mary Katherine Gallagher’s commitment to becoming a “superstar” was made clear in the way she exclaimed the phrase with an irresistible gusto. As such, Superstar became the name of a 1999 movie that put Molly Shannon’s quirky Catholic school student in the cinematic spotlight.

"Would You Like To Touch My Monkey?” - Dieter (Sprockets)

West German talk show host Dieter (Mike Myers) is another one of those characters who had many iconic catchphrases at his disposal, with the most famous being “Would you like to touch my monkey?” While it initially sounds a bit suggestive, he is genuinely curious if the guests on his show, Sprockets, would be interested in petting his pet, Klaus.

"Oh No!" - Mr. Bill

Few SNL bits are more traumatic than the short films starring Mr. Bill. The meek, indefensible clay figure could never do anything to prevent the painful situations he found himself in, but to exclaim, “Oh no!” right before they occurred.

"Bring It On Down To ...-Ville!" - Dancing Mascot

Nearly every one of Five-Timers Club member Justin Timberlake’s SNL gigs see him dressed in a ridiculous outfit, performing spoofs of hit songs to promote a local business — such as Omeletteville or Wrappingville — and upstage the competition on the same sidewalk. The pop star and actor even referenced the recurring sketch and its signature quote during a “Weekend Update” appearance when he imagines a non-existent Thanksgiving episode in which we would have brought it on down “Turkeyville.”

"Talk Amongst Yourselves. I'll Give You A Topic..." - Linda Richman (Coffee Talk)

When in need of a moment to compose herself after becoming “verklempt,” Linda Richman always avoided leaving her Coffee Talk audience empty-handed by offering them a conversation piece to pass the time. Examples of her given discussion topics include “Rhode Island is neither a road, nor is it an island” and “Ralph Fiennes is spelled neither rafe nor fines” among many others.

"Buh-Bye" - Flight Attendants

One of the funniest David Spade quotes comes courtesy of a flight attendant who wastes no time letting passengers know he does not want to be there. The character and his iconic “Buh-bye” debuted in a Season 19 SNL sketch also starring Helen Hunt as his equally rude colleague.

"Oh. Well, That’s Different. Nevermind!" - Emily Litella

As the elderly Emily Litella, Gilda Radner appeared on “Weekend Update” numerous times to present an opposing viewpoint to an editorialized topic, only to be informed that her supposed hearing problems led her to dish on something entirely different from the intended subject. Some of the most classic examples include “violins on television” instead of “violence on television” or questioning why the Supreme Court made a decision on a “deaf penalty” when, in fact, it was a decision on the “death penalty."

"What're YOUUUU Doin' Herrre?" - Stuart (The Californians)

The key as to why a sketch as simple as “The Californians” has stood the test of time is Fred Armisen’s preposterously over-the-top West Coast accent when portraying Stuart, especially when asking why certain acquaintances are in his house. Apparently, as Bill Hader shared with Seth Meyers on Late Night, he and Kristen Wiig did not know Armisen would pronounced “What’re you doing here?” so cartoonishly, causing the sketch to not go quite as planned with their uncontrollable laughter.

"You Look Marvelous" - Fernando Lamas

The peak highlight of Billy Crystal’s brief SNL stint was his portrayal of Fernando Lamas as a talk show host who often gushed over how “mahvelous” his guests looked. The Argentinian actor’s son, Lorenzo Lamas, even said that his father actually loved the impression.

"It's Reno Time!" - Janet Reno

For as long as Janet Reno served the U.S. Attorney General, Will Ferrell played her for years as the misplaced host of a teen-centered musical program called “Janet Reno’s Dance Party.” On the final edition of the sketch, the real politician herself crashed through a brick wall to shout out her SNL doppelgängers catchphrase.

"... Is That Bad To Do Do Do...?" - Junice Merill

No character portrayed by Academy Award-nominated SNL star Kristen Wiig is really known for having any definitive catchphrases, but Junice Merill does have her own “catch-lyric.” When she and her sisters appear on The Lawrence Welk Show, she takes one moment of their performance to confess something grotesque and possibly illegal before asking if it is “bad” in song.

"Delta Delta Delta! Can I Help Ya, Help Ya, Help Ya?" - Delta Delta Delta Sorority Sisters

One of the youngest SNL cast members (being 23 at the time) is Melanie Hutsell, whose most famous character was a sorority pledge named Di. She and her fellow sisters (played by Siobhan Fallon and Beth Cahill) would answer the sorority house phone in this most hilariously upbeat way.

"I Got A Fever And The Only Prescription Is More Cowbell!" - Bruce Dickinson

One of the most iconic SNL sketches prominently featuring an A-list host is a faux clip of Blue Öyster Cult recording “Don’t Fear the Reaper” under the supervision of Christopher Walken as Bruce Dickinson. His likening of Gene Frenkle’s (Will Ferrell) cowbell as a cure for his metaphorical illness in this one-off sketch may not exactly count as a catchphrase, but is undeniably one of the most celebrated lines in the series’ history. In fact, Walken claims it “ruined” his life with how often people quote it at him.

"Don't Look At My Bum" - Simon

Mike Myers stars in a recurring sketch as a young British boy named Simon, who likes to show the audience his drawing from a bathtub. In many instances, as he would turn around to reach for another example of his artwork, the child felt compelled to remind his viewers not to stare at his “bum.”

"That's What Your Mother Said Last Night" - Sean Connery (Celebrity Jeopardy!)

For no discernible reason, Darrell Hammond’s Sean Connery was more interested in spending the entirety of his appearances in SNL’s best Celebrity Jeopardy! sketches taunting Will Ferrell’s Alex Trebek than winning the game. Most of his insults involved the host’s mother, whom he jokingly claimed to have a relationship with.

These SNL catchphrases prove that, sometimes, it is not what you say, but how you say it. These characters said it hilariously.

In its several decades on air, Saturday Night Live has made icons out of many of its cast members. For some — including some of SNL’s one-season wonders — you might argue that the sketch comedy series is the peak of their careers, until you remember the acclaimed and widely beloved movies and TV shows they would go on to star in. Take a look at our picks for the finest work some of our favorite SNL stars have put out beyond their time at Studio 8H.

Eddie Murphy (Coming To America)

48 Hrs. and Beverly Hills Cop made him a movie star, but Coming to America might be the absolute best Eddie Murphy movie, especially as the first to show just how far the comic’s extraordinary talents extend. He gives his most heartfelt performance as an African prince searching for love in New York City, but that is far from his only role in this dazzling romantic-com from 1988.

Kristen Wiig (Bridesmaids)

Along with her writing partner, Annie Mumolo, Kristen Wiig joined the club of Oscar-nominated SNL stars for penning this 2011 instant classic comedy. She also transcends what made her a Studio 8H all-star by leading the Bridesmaids cast with her most down-to-earth performance yet as a baker suffering an existential crisis after her best friend (played by Maya Rudolph) gets engaged.

Adam Sandler (Uncut Gems)

Some argue that an SNL star who should have been nominated for an Oscar is Adam Sandler for his performance in one of the best A24 movies, Uncut Gems. If self-destructive jeweler Howard Rattner had been played by anyone else but the guy behind “The Hanukkah Song” and movies like Happy Gilmore, it might have been tough to root for the protagonist of Josh and Benny Safdie’s anxiety-fueled, 2019 crime drama.

Kate McKinnon (Barbie)

After previously working with Margot Robbie in Bombshell and making the A-lister laugh uncontrollably in an SNL sketch, Kate McKinnon reunited with the Australian actor in the Barbie cast in 2023. The Emmy-winner is perfect as “Weird Barbie” — now a real doll in Mattel’s catalog — in co-writer and director Greta Gerwig’s cleverly satirical and surprisingly moving blockbuster based on the legendary toy.

Will Ferrell (Stranger Than Fiction)

We love Will Ferrell in funny movies like Elf and Talladega Nights, but never has he given a performance as tender, reserved, and relatable as his Golden Globe-nominated role in Stranger Than Fiction. That is only one reason director Marc Forster’s inventive 2006 dramedy is his best movie in our eyes.

Molly Shannon (Wet Hot American Summer)

The Wet Hot American Summer cast is full of actors who went on to become superstars, but one of the biggest names among that ensemble at the time was SNL great Molly Shannon. She stars in the 2001 cult-favorite summer comedy classic as camp counselor Gail, who seeks consolation for her second divorce from surprisingly mature adolescent campers.

Bill Murray (Lost In Translation)

To this day, many believe that Bill Murray should have won the Academy Award for his performance in one of the best movies of the 2000s, Lost in Translation. Also one of the best movies produced by Focus Features, he stars in writer and director Sofia Coppola’s Oscar-winning sophomore effort as a disillusioned actor who strikes up a unique bond with a young woman (played by Scarlett Johansson) who is also struggling to navigate her life after meeting in Japan. 

Tina Fey (Mean Girls)

From her time on SNL as a cast member and head writer to her development of beloved comedies like 30 Rock and Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, Tina Fey has had one of the most impressive careers in comedy, let alone show business in general. However, her one credit that has best stood the test of time is her sharply satirical high school movie, Mean Girls, which she adapted from Rosalind Wiseman’s book and also stars in as Ms. Norbury.

Dan Aykroyd (The Blues Brothers)

Dan Aykroyd may have a Best Picture Oscar winner under his belt (Driving Miss Daisy, for which he also received an acting nomination) and also wrote and starred in one of the beloved Ghostbusters. However, the movie that he will always be best known for is 1980’s The Blues Brothers, which is arguably the all-time best movie based on SNL characters (Ayrkoyd and John Belushi’s brotherly musicians, Jake and Elwood Blues) and one of the most important movies set in Chicago as well.

Gilda Radner (Haunted Honeymoon)

Highlights of Gilda Radner’s post-SNL career included sharing the screen with her husband, Gene Wilder, such as 1986’s Haunted Honeymoon, in which they play a couple staying in a spooky house to cure the groom’s anxieties. Unfortunately, the fun horror-comedy movie would also be her final film before she passed away in 1989.

Chevy Chase (Community)

After making a huge impact in so little time on SNL (not even two full seasons), Chevy Chase had a memorable film career (especially with National Lampoon’s Vacation movies), but it was his return to the small screen in the late 2000s that really had us especially impressed. He starred in the Community cast as Pierce Hawthorne — one of many Greendale Community College students experiencing often strange circumstances and meta pop-culture references in creator Dan Harmon’s inventive sitcom.

Chris Farley (Tommy Boy)

Perhaps the most influential ‘90s SNL actor was the late Chris Farley, whose one-in-a-million, energetic comedic talent made him a legend. He also made an impeccable team with fellow SNL actor David Spade in the hilarious road trip comedy, and one of the funniest and most iconic movies of the ‘90s, Tommy Boy.

Jimmy Fallon (Almost Famous)

Jimmy Fallon has had a stellar career, from his memorable SNL stint to hosting The Tonight Show, but most of his movies did not quite have the same impact — save his Oscar-winning feature-length debut in 2000. Fallon starred in writer and director Cameron Crowe’s Almost Famous cast as the touring manager for Stillwater, Dennis Hope.

Amy Poehler (Inside Out)

Amy Poehler is the kind of performer who brings a sense of joy to everything she does, from her SNL days to the Parks and Recreation cast as Leslie Knope. Thus, it only makes sense that she would star as the personification of “Joy” in one of Pixar’s best movies: 2015’s Inside Out.

Will Forte (Nebraska)

We all know and love the masterfully goofy Will Forte from the “MacGruber” sketches and as the star and creator of a show canceled too soon called The Last Man on Earth, but 2013’s Nebraska showed a rare side of the actor we cherished seeing. He gives a somber, yet beautifully endearing, performance in director Alexander Payne’s Oscar-nominated drama as a man accompanying his estranged father (played by Bruce Dern) on a trip to collect a supposed million-dollar prize.

Maya Rudolph (The Way Way Back)

Maya Rudolph’s career outside SNL has been nothing short of impressive, but we were most impressed by her work in 2013’s The Way Way Back. From the Oscar-winning writing duo behind The Descendants (Nat Faxon and Jim Rash), this winning dramedy features Rudolph as Caitlin, a manager at a water park where teen protagonist Duncan (Liam James) works to escape a miserable summer at his mother’s boyfriend’s house.

Bill Hader (Barry)

Bill Hader never failed to surprise audiences with his impeccable impersonations and excellent commitment to character on SNL, but he surprised us in other ways with his first major small-screen follow-up. He played the title role of HBO’s Barry cast (in addition to co-creating the very dark comedy series), who is a hitman trying to reinvent himself as an actor.

Cecily Strong (Schmigadoon!)

One of the greatest surprises of John Mulaney’s SNL musical sketches was Cecily Strong’s smashing singing voice. It would also come in handy when she and Keegan-Michael Key led AppleTV+’s Schmigadoon! cast as a couple trapped in a world that looks and sounds like a lavish musical production.

Chris Rock (Nurse Betty)

In 2000, Chris Rock teamed up with Morgan Freeman as hitmen searching for a delusional widow (played by Renée Zellweger) convinced she is engaged to a soap opera character in director Neil LaBute’s sharp, quirky dramedy, Nurse Betty. We will, however, give an honorable mention for one of the best sitcoms starring an SNL vet, Everybody Hates Chris, which the comedian created and narrated.

Jane Curtin (3rd Rock From The Sun)

Years after playing an alien in, arguably, her single funniest SNL sketch (“The Coneheads”), Jane Curtin played one of the few human series regulars on a series also about otherworldly visitors trying to blend in. The former “Weekend Update” anchor starred on NBC’s hit sitcom 3rd Rock from the Sun as Dr. Mary Albright, a colleague, and later fiancée, of Dick Solomon (John Lithgow) at Pendleton State University.

Andy Samberg (Palm Springs)

There is only so much that we are actually willing to reveal about our pick for Andy Samberg’s best effort outside of SNL, Palm Springs, for anyone who has not seen it yet. What we will say is that the 2020 rom-com — and one of the best movies on Hulu — stars the Lonely Island member and Golden Globe-winning Brooklyn Nine-Nine actor and Cristin Milioti as wedding guests who become embroiled in a very strange predicament.

Mike Myers (Shrek)

We love almost all of the characters Mike Myers has created or portrayed, from Wayne Campbell to Austin Powers, but picking his true all-time best work outside of Studio 8H is easy. Myers put on his best Scottish accent to voice the title role of 2001’s Shrek — the first movie to win the Best Animated Feature Oscar, for its sharp send-up of fairytale tropes and heartwarming unlikely romance.

Pete Davidson (The King Of Staten Island)

There have been some great Pete Davidson movies and TV shows over the years, but the former SNL star’s best work might also be one of his most personal. The Bupkis cast member based The King of Staten Island (which he co-wrote with director Judd Apatow) on his own life as the son of a firefighter who tragically passed on 9/11. 

Julia Louis-Dreyfus (Seinfeld)

Julia Louis-Dreyfus’ time on SNL often goes forgotten, but you cannot say the same about the career she had after the show, which includes Emmy wins for shows like Veep and joining the MCU. However, she really blew up when she joined the Seinfeld cast as Elaine Benes, who was the focus of many classic and hilarious moments on the legendary sitcom.

Jason Sudeikis (Ted Lasso)

Jason Sudeikis is the kind of SNL performer who could make the Devil himself seem likable, which is why he was the perfect choice for the charming lead of the Ted Lasso cast for Apple TV+. Indeed, his Emmy-winning performance as the titular American football coach hired to manage an English football (a.k.a. soccer) team is key to its jubilant success.

Norm Macdonald (Dirty Work)

In 1998, the same year that the late Norm Macdonald was infamously fired from SNL, the actor came out with one of his best movies, Dirty Work. Also written by Macdonald and directed by Bob Saget, the comedy about a man who literally becomes a specialist in the business of revenge has gained a cult following despite getting bad reviews in the 90s.

Kenan Thompson (D2: The Mighty Ducks)

Before he became one of the longest-running SNL cast members, Kenan Thompson was part of Nickelodeon’s more kid-friendly sketch comedy, All That. However, before then, the Emmy winner made his acting debut in one of the greatest hockey movies, D2: the Mighty Ducks as the inventor of the Knuckle Puck, Russ.

Ana Gasteyer (Happiest Season)

As the creator of beloved sketches like “NPR’s Delicious Dish” and the astonishing ability to hide when sketches don’t go as planned, Ana Gasteyer’s SNL days do not get talked about enough. In 2020, she appeared alongside the Happiest Season cast in a brief, but memorable, role in the acclaimed LGBTQ+ romance dramedy.

Fred Armisen (Portlandia)

While he was still on SNL, Fred Armisen was the driving force of a whole different kind of sketch comedy series called Portlandia. In partnership with non-SNL sketch comedy actor Carrie Brownstein, the pair poked fun at life in Portland in a Monty Python-esque style of quirky and bizarre bits.

Tim Meadows (Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping)

Despite his impressively long tenure, Tim Meadows is one of the most criminally underrated SNL actors and his big-screen presence is no different. Case in point: even one of his most prominent movie roles is from a vastly underrated, mockumentary-style comedy, Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping, from 2106 as Harry, manager to conner4real (Andy Samberg).

Tracy Morgan (30 Rock)

How fitting that one of Tracy Morgan’s greatest successes after being a sketch comedy show performer was playing a sketch comedy show performer. The comic stole every scene in creator and star Tina Fey’s brilliantly surreal broadcasting satire, 30 Rock, as over-the-top actor, Tracy Jordan.

Aidy Bryant (Shrill)

Even before she left SNL (a bit later than she anticipated as a result of Covid-19), Aidy Bryant had already ventured on with a series of her own called Shrill. The actor received an Emmy nomination for her performance on the Hulu original comedy (which she also co-created) as an overweight journalist aspiring to change who she is inside without changing who she is outside.

Even if Saturday Night Live is what these actors are remembered best for, that does not mean it will always be the best thing they are remembered for.

I don’t think anyone could have expected the Addams Family would end up sparking one of Netflix’s biggest shows to date, but Jenna Ortega’s Wednesday success can’t be denied. It can, however, be potentially replicated, with Wednesday Season 2 garnering as much anticipation as any other pop culture staple. And it sounds like the streaming giant has at least one spooky-ooky spinoff plan in mind.

Wednesday is set to kick off filming in April 2024, having changed filming locations from Romania to Ireland. But it appears additional plans could be in place for TV’s most macabre family, as Bloomberg reports conversations have been had regarding the early development for a spinoff based on the smooth-headed oddball Uncle Fester. 

Within Wednesday, Gomez’s brother Fester is portrayed by SNL and Portlandia vet Fred Armisen, and while I admittedly had reservations about that casting choice when it was first announced, Armisen’s ineffable charm quickly won me over during the character’s minimal appearances. So I’d definitely light up like a bulb in Fester’s mouth if and when Netflix officially unveils those plans.

Armisen previously spoke about how past TV and film performances from Jackie Coogan and Christopher Lloyd influenced Wednesday’s Uncle Fester, in that he kept the core vibe while bringing his own mystique to the role. Considering the role was only utilized for a single episode, Season 1’s penultimate installment, a spinoff would be the most ideal way to put him in the spotlight in a far bigger way.

Especially if an Uncle Fester spinoff might mean audiences could spend more time with the older Addams Family members, such as Luis Guzmán’s Gomez or Catherine Zeta-Jones’ Morticia. It’s understood why Wednesday kept its scope largely limited to the characters immediately around Jenna Ortega’s moody teen, but I can’t be the only fan eager to see more from them. 

For all that I'm trying to manifest this project into the universe through sheer happy thoughts, this alleged idea for an Uncle Fester follow-up is still in the earliest stages possible, and shouldn't be considered a sure thing until the cameras start rolling. But if word-of-mouth positivity has even the smallest shot of influencing Netflix bosses' choices, I'll happily be that megaphone. 

And just to put it out there, Emma Myers has enjoyed a wave of success thanks to Wednesday. The Family Switch has been one of Netflix’s big holiday hits of late, she’s already filmed the BBC series The Good Girl’s Guide to Murder, and she was recently cast in Jason Momoa’s Minecraft movie. So if there are any Netflix execs thinking about plans for an Enid spinoff, they’d better keep the actress from signing up for so many other roles.

Wednesday Season 1 can be streamed now with a Netflix subscription, with more news hopefully coming soon for Season 2. Until then, check out all the 2024 Netflix movies and TV shows we can look forward to.

We could talk forever about our favorite SNL actors and their funniest sketches, but when was the last time we showed our appreciation for the people who were the real brains behind the operation? That is what we intend to do here as we look back at some of Saturday Night Live’s most celebrated bits and characters as we share the stories behind those who wrote them into reality.

NPR's Delicious Dish: Schweddy Balls (Ana Gasteyer)

The glorious piece of suggestive comedy that is “Schweddy Balls” is just one — let alone, arguably, the funniest — edition of a recurring sketch called “NPR’s Delicious Dish,” which was the brainchild of one of its stars, Ana Gasteyer. The Happiest Season cast member recalled to NPR — of all places — that she was still part of the improv comedy troupe, The Groundlings, when gastronomic radio shows from LA called “The Splendid Table” and “Good Food” inspired her to write the bit. 

Close Encounter (Mikey Day and Streeter Seidell)

We have SNL actor Mikey Day and writing partner Streeter Seidell to thank for what is widely considered one of Kate McKinnon’s best SNL sketches, “Close Encounter.” According to Day and Seidell’s talk with Vulture, they knew that host Ryan Gosling would not be able to stop laughing at Colleen Rafferty’s horrendous experience with an alien abduction because he wasn’t able to hold it together during any of the rehearsals.

The Olympia Cafe (Don Novello)

Comedian Don Novello is best known for playing Father Guido Scarducci on SNL, but he is also the unsung hero of “The Olympia Cafe,” which some may recognize better as the “cheeseburger, cheeseburger, cheeseburger” sketch. According to Ultimate Classic Rock, the bit was inspired by an actual Chicago restaurant called the Billy Goat Tavern, which Novello and the sketch’s star, John Belushi, would frequent.

Matt Foley: Van Down By The River (Chris Farley, Bob Odenkirk, And Robert Smigel)

After seeing Chris Farley perform at Second City as his character, Matt Foley, Bob Odenkirk was inspired to write the sketch that introduced the motivational speaker to SNL in 1993. However, as the former Breaking Bad cast member revealed on Hot Ones, it was Robert Smigel’s last-minute idea for Farley to fall down onto the table.

More Cowbell (Will Ferrell) 

According to Rolling Stone, the faint sound of the cowbell on Blue Öyster Cult’s “(Don’t Fear) The Reaper” inspired Will Ferrell to write a now-classic sketch — that Christopher Walken believes ruined his life — revolving around the one playing the obscure instrument on the 1976 hit. He later discovered from an SNL art department employee whose father worked on the Agents of Fortune album that he had unwittingly captured the characteristics of the song’s real cowbell player… save the low-cut sweater and overzealous gyration.

Church Chat (Dana Carvey And Rosie Shuster)

On an SNL 40th Anniversary retrospective by People, Dana Carvey recalls performing as the Church Lady in his pre-SNL days at clubs, where he spontaneously improvised her famous catchphrase, “Isn’t that special?” He teamed up with writer Rosie Shuster to develop the character’s SNL debut, leading to the creation of “Church Chat” — which Carvey would revive as a host in later years.

Wayne's World (Mike Myers)

According to Primetimer, when Mike Myers showed then-SNL writers Conan O’Brien, Robert Smigel, Bob Odenkirk, and Greg Daniels his idea for “Wayne’s World,” they politely advised him against pitching it in the writer’s room. Well, the joke is on those nobodies because the sketch — a cable access program filmed in Wayne’s (Myers) basement and co-hosted by Dana Carvey’s Garth — was a huge hit that inspired one of the best SNL movies ever.

Haunted Elevator (Ft. David S. Pumpkins) (Bobby Moynihan, Mikey Day, and Streeter Seidell)

Wanting to break free from the political-heavy humor of SNL’s 42nd season, Bobby Moynihan, Mikey Day, and Streeter Seidell — after much trial and error — crafted a sketch for the Halloween show featuring a strange man who would become one of Tom Hanks’ best SNL characters: David S. Pumpkins. According to Vulture’s oral history, the trio was astonished by the success of “this dumb, dumb thing” that even inspired an animated special on NBC the following year.

Mom Jeans (Tina Fey)

In an interview with Jess Cage for Sirius XM, Tina Fey recalls purchasing a “really unfortunate pair of jeans” at J. Crew, and she decided to use that as fuel on writing night at Studio 8H. The result was one of SNL’s funniest commercial parodies, for which the future 30 Rock cast member and creator wore a prosthetic stomach and rear end.

MacGruber (Jorma Taccone)

Played by Will Forte, easily distracted special forces agent MacGruber was first envisioned by Jorma Taccone — one-third of the Lonely Island — according to Vanity Fair’s oral history. Having later spawned a feature film and a Peacock original series, you could argue that the recurring sketch hit a level of attention that resembled the love for the TV show that inspired it, MacGyver (whose star, Richard Dean Anderson, cameoed in one edition).

Two Wild And Crazy Guys (Dan Aykroyd, Steve Martin, Marilyn Suzanne Miller)

In collaboration with writer Marilyn Suzanne Miller (according to Ultimate Classic Rock), Dan Aykroyd partnered with SNL host hall-of-famer Steve Martin to create the Festrunk Brothers, who are better known as the “wild and crazy guys!” The Czechoslovakian swingers became a staple of the show, and they would return in more recent years alongside another famous duo: Justin Timberlake and Andy Samberg’s highly inappropriate R&B singers.

Sarah Palin and Hillary Clinton Address the Nation (Seth Meyers)

One of SNL’s sharpest pieces of political satire sees Sen. Hillary Clinton (Amy Poehler) struggling to remain civil during a non-partisan appearance alongside Gov. Sarah Palin (Tina Fey) in response to the latter’s Vice Presidential nomination. According to Vulture, then-head writer Seth Meyers penned that legendary SNL cold open, which also featured a few jokes by Poehler and Fey and Palin’s iconic line “I can see Russia from my house,” courtesy of Late Night producer Mike Shoemaker.

Stefon (Bill Hader And John Mulaney)

At The New Yorker Festival in 2014, Bill Hader recalled how a flamboyant barista he frequently bumped into and a strange email John Mulaney received about an aspiring club owner’s bizarre ideas — including “a room full of broken glass” — were the catalysts for Stefon. Hader also mentions that he tested the character in a particularly forgettable sketch opposite host Ben Affleck before making him Weekend Update’s city correspondent. The former Barry cast lead has never been able to play the role without laughing and covering his face, thanks to Mulaney’s last-minute cue card additions and Seth Meyers’ immaculate patience.

Lazy Sunday (The Lonely Island, Chris Parnell)

Chris Parnell was SNL’s resident rap star before the emergence of The Lonely Island (Andy Samberg, Jorma Taccone, and Akiva Schaffer), which is why they asked him to collaborate on a music video about him and Samberg seeing The Chronicles of Narnia. As they recall in Variety’s oral history, “Lazy Sunday” made SNL Digital Shorts a celebrated event, skyrocketed The Lonely Island’s stardom, and, most importantly, dawned a new era of viral comedy.

The Coneheads (Dan Aykroyd)

In the book Live From New York: The Complete Uncensored History of Saturday Night Live, Dan Aykroyd recalls how he was watching TV in a heightened state of mind, and he noticed that people’s heads rarely hit the top of the screen. This gave him the idea for a sketch about characters with noggins that are several inches taller than the average humans, who eventually became the out-of-this-world family known as The Coneheads. 

Celebrity Jeopardy! (Norm Macdonald)

As the late Norm Macdonald revealed to Howard Stern (via SoundCloud), we have SCTV to thank for "Celebrity Jeopardy!” The comedian — who also played Burt “Turd Ferguson” Reynolds — took inspiration from the Canadian sketch comedy series’ game show parody “Half Wits” when crafting this recurring bit featuring Will Ferrell as an Alex Trebek driven mad by absent-minded famous people and taunting from Sean Connery (Darrell Hammond).

Debbie Downer (Rachel Dratch And Paula Pell)

Rachel Dratch recalled to Salon that while vacationing she told someone at a communal dining table that she was from New York, to which the stranger replied, “Were you there for 9/11?” That ultimately inspired her to team up with Paula Pell — with whom she later reunited for Wine Country — to create the character Debbie Downer, whose debut SNL sketch did not go as planned, but was all the more memorable for it.

Spelling Bee (Will Forte)

On a Reddit AMA hosted by Will Forte (via AMATranscripts.com), one user asked if the actor’s insanely long misspelling of the word “business” in Season 31’s “Spelling Bee” was recited as written or all spontaneous. The MacGruber cast lead revealed that the bit originated from his days on the improv comedy troupe, The Groundlings, and that he would have listed off even more random letters in the SNL sketch if he wasn’t being directly followed by musical guest Neil Young.

The Ladies Man (Tim Meadows, Dennis McNicholas, and Andrew Steele)

A character as lewd and crude as Leon Phelps might not be so successful these days, but, then again, it’s hard not to be charmed by any role portrayed by Tim Meadows. While promoting the 2000 movie, The Ladies Man, the Mean Girls cast member revealed to The Crimson that the lispy voice was his biggest contribution to the character, who was initially conceived by Dennis McNicholas and Andrew Steele.

The Californians (Bill Hader, Fred Armisen, And James Anderson)

While speaking to Seth Meyers on Late Night, Bill Hader shared how he and Fred Armisen would kill time before table reads by mockingly describing how they would get around in LA while donning over-the-top West Coast accents. Sometime later, Hader learned that Armisen and writer James Anderson took that gag, made it into a soap opera, and, thus, “The Californians” was born.

Girl Watchers (Conan O'Brien, Robert Smigel, Bob Odenkirk, And Greg Daniels) 

Retired late-night talk show host Conan O’Brien actually came up with a few of Tom Hanks’ best SNL sketches, such as “Girl Watchers,” in which the Oscar winner and Jon Lovitz comment on their losing streak with the ladies with contrarian confidence. O’Brien shared on Dax Shepard’s podcast, Armchair Expert, how he jokingly demonstrated this characteristic on a whim while hanging out with fellow SNL writers Robert Smigel, Bob Odenkirk, and Greg Daniels, who all worked together to turn into the classic sketch.

Hans And Franz (Kevin Nealon And Dana Carvey)

While Arnold Schwarzenegger has never hosted SNL, he would make a cameo alongside fellow Austrian bodybuilders, Hans and Franz. It probably comes as no surprise that the Terminator star — who was even interested in doing the scrapped Hans and Franz movie — is also the inspiration for the characters. Kevin Nealon told Juice that it all started when he and Dana Carvey caught an interview with the actor on TV that compelled them to talk like him for days.

Diner Lobster (John Mulaney And Colin Jost)

Season 43’s “Diner Lobster” was an instant classic that started a tradition of Broadway-inspired sketches anytime John Mulaney hosts SNL, but its road to success was longer than you may think. The comedian and Weekend Update anchor Colin Jost revealed in a featurette that they actually wrote the sketch eight years earlier, but no one wanted to touch it at the time.

Lunch Lady Land (Adam Sandler, Bob Odenkirk, Tim Herlihy, And Allen Covert)

One of Adam Sandler and Chris Farley’s funniest collaborations was a musical sketch set to a song called “Lunch Lady Land,” which the Uncut Gems star did not write himself. According to Uproxx, his co-composers were Bob Odenkirk, Tim Herlihy (father of Please Don’t Destroy’s Martin Herlihy), and Allen Covert.

Weekend Update: The Iceberg On The Sinking Of The Titanic (Bowen Yang And Anna Drezen)

The bit that made Bowen Yang one of SNL’s biggest stars was his viral “Weekend Update” appearance as the Iceberg that sank Titanic, who believes he is the real victim of the tragedy. He spoke to former SNL star-turned-Tonight Show host Jimmy Fallon about how writer Anna Drezen texted him about the concept months before they decided to give it a try, despite not having much faith in it at the time.

Mary Katherine Gallagher (Molly Shannon)

Apparently, an unnamed SNL writer did not believe that Molly Shannon’s character Mary Katherine Gallagher had a chance of making it onto the show, as she told People in 2015. Luckily, the nervous schoolgirl did make it onto air and the White Lotus cast member’s energy and commitment to the role made her a hit. Even Whitney Houston would agree to appear alongside this superstar.

What Up With That? (Kenan Thompson, Bryan Tucker, And Rob Klein)

According to Rolling Stone, Kenan Thompson — the longest-running SNL cast member — came up with an idea in 2009 for a talk show host who becomes obsessively unable to stop singing his own theme song. After bringing the idea to fellow writers Bryan Tucker and Rob Klein and teaming up with musical director Katrees Barnes for the song, the idea eventually made it onto the show as “What Up With That?” which became a recurring hit.

Target Lady (Kristen Wiig)

Academy Award-nominated SNL star Kristen Wiig could be the show’s greatest female cast member, judging purely on the amount of diverse characters she has brought to the table, such as “Target Lady.” She told James Lipton on Inside the Actors Studio that the role — originally conceived for The Groundlings — was inspired by an actual Target cashier she met with an “eggy” voice.

Papyrus (Julio Torres)

Ryan Gosling gives one of his funniest performances ever in a pre-taped SNL bit as a man driven insane by the fact that the logo for one of the most popular movies of all time, Avatar, is just a modified version of the common font “Papyrus.” Julio Torres told EW that this was initially a joke he used in stand-up until the Oscar-nominated actor suggested turning it into the hilarious viral hit that even James Cameron responded to.

Super Bass-O-Matic ’76 (Dan Aykroyd)

A 12-year-old Dan Aykroyd once witnessed his aunt — a Canadian cooking show personality — dump a whole fish, bones and all, in a blender for a bouillabaisse. That story, which he revealed to The Food Channel, was his inspiration for one of his funniest faux infomercials, “Super Bass-O-Matic ’76.”

The Barry Gibb Talk Show (Jimmy Fallon, Steve Higgins, Ken Scarborough)

Out of Jimmy Fallon’s many great collaborations with Justin Timberlake, one of the funniest is “The Barry Gibb Talk Show.” While having the actual surviving Bee Gees as guests on Late Night, Fallon recalled how he and his future sidekick, Steve Higgins, actually crafted the sketch together with fellow writer Ken Scarborough, who went on to become the head writer of Sesame Street.

Foreign Man: Mighty Mouse (Andy Kaufman)

On the very first episode of SNL, Andy Kaufman appeared, nervously starring at the audience while playing the theme song to Mighty Mouse and only exhibiting a more confidant demeanor to lip-sync the lyric, “Here I come to save the day!” According to Fandom’s SNL wiki page, the very bizarre bit — something totally on brand for the legendary comedian — was a branch of his character known as “Foreign Man,” which was one of his earlier and most iconic acts.

If you have ever found yourself watching one of these classic SNL sketches and wondered who came up with these ideas and how, now you know.

While Saturday Night Live is constantly changing with the times, one segment that’s remained a constant throughout the decades is Weekend Update. The bit anchored by a cast member or two goes over the headlines of the week, and also features a cast of characters visiting the desk. From Bill Hader’s viral character Stefon and Gilda Radner’s legendary Roseanne Roseannadanna, the list of Weekend Update guests is extensive and incredible, here are 32 of the most iconic characters to appear on the SNL segment.

Stefon (Bill Hader) 

Do you need to know what “New York’s hottest club” is? Well, Bill Hader’s Stefon has you covered. Famously, this beloved character was written by Hader and John Mulaney, after he received a weird email, and the latter would add outrageous lines at the last minute to try and make the actor crack up. It almost always worked, leading to Stefon covering his hands with his face in that signature pose. Overall, the voice, the look, and all those absolutely wild club descriptions are what led to Stefon becoming one of the most iconic SNL characters. 

The Girl You Wish You Hadn’t Started A Conversation With At A Party (Cecily Strong) 

While I think it’s safe to say none of us would actually want to run into Cecily Strong’s The Girl You Wish You Hadn’t Started A Conversation With At A Party, when she showed up on Weekend Update to bug Seth Meyers, it sure was funny. Her sporadic thinking and sassy tone mixed with the fact that most people have probably been lured into a conversation like this makes her such a fabulous Update guest. 

The Iceberg On The Sinking Of The Titanic (Bowen Yang) 

For the anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic, Bowen Yang played the iceberg that sank it. However, the iceberg was not there to talk about the tragic event, he was there to promote his new album Music. Eventually, he defended himself though, because, as he put it, the boat “came to where I live, and you hit me.” It’s an ultra-sassy and completely iconic sketch that has easily become a modern SNL classic.

Pete Davidson 

SNL helped launch Pete Davidson’s career in TV and movies, and some of his best bits came when he showed up as himself on Weekend Update. He’d come on to talk about his own life, politics, and more, and every time he’d kill it with his signature sense of humor. 

Marcello Hernández

Before Marcello Hernández’s killer sketches with Bad Bunny made many realize he should be a full-time player, it was his Weekend Update bits that had me convinced he was going to be an SNL star. In his first season on the sketch show (Season 48) he made a few appearances at the desk as himself. His infectious energy and comedic physicality are hysterical.

The Trump Brothers (Mikey Day and Alex Moffat)  

During Donald Trump’s presidency, Alex Moffat played Eric Trump and Mikey Day played Donald Trump Jr., and they would come onto Weekend Update to discuss their father’s political career. Day’s brother takes over, and speaks in a fairly diplomatic way, while Moffat plays the other brother, who never says the right thing. And that’s all funny, but what makes this bit iconic is Eric trying to mimic his brother and his silly comments about his dad and the state of the world. 

Peyton Manning Explaining Emily In Paris

While he wasn’t an A-list host during this episode (although he did nail it when he hosted), Peyton Manning was brought on to Weekend Update as a guest to talk about football in 2022. However, he’d been binge-watching the new season of Emily in Paris, and he needed to talk about it. Using NFL lingo to describe the “plays” that were going on during the Netflix show, he's the last person you ever expected to describe this series, explained it, and the lessons he learned while watching, in the funniest way. To this day, if Emily in Paris is brought up, you better believe that Peyton Manning’s recap is also at the top of mind.

Drunk Uncle (Bobby Moynihan)

It’s highly likely we all know someone who is like Drunk Uncle, which is probably why he’s so funny. Typically, around the holidays, Bobby Moynihan would play this inebriated family member, and he’d come to lament to Seth Meyers about technological advancements, kids these days, and his general frustrations with how the world has changed. 

Sarah Sherman 

Every time Sarah Sherman rolls up to the Update desk, you know you're in for a treat, because she’s about to roast Colin Jost! Sherman and the ensemble of Season 47 were one of SNL’s best casts, and that’s in part because of how committed they are to their bits. And let me tell you, this is on full display when you see the hilarious camaraderie between Sherman and Jost as she absolutely demolishes him. 

Cathy Anne (Cecily Strong)

Any time there was major breaking news (that was typically political) the lady who was always yelling out Michael Che’s window, Cathy Anne, would come up to talk about it. Using a silly Southern accent and wild hand gestures, Cecily Strong’s character would share her hot takes, and some absolutely unhinged stories. 

The Devil (Jason Sudeikis) 

These days we know Jason Sudeikis as the titular character on one of Apple TV+’s best shows, Ted Lasso. However, before that, he was playing tons of fun characters on SNL, including this Weekend Update staple, The Devil. He’d come on to talk about the controversial news of the week, and how it’s impacting his work as the leader of the underworld. 

Trend Forecasters (Aidy Bryant and Bowen Yang) 

If you need to know what is “in” and “out,” Aidy Bryant and Bowen Yang’s Trend Forecasters are here to help. The two self-proclaimed trendy characters would come on Update to aggressively go over the trends of the season, and passionately tell the audience what is “in,” before looking deep into the camera and dramatically explaining what is “out.” 

Garth and Kat (Fred Armisen and Kristen Wiig) 

Even though Garth and Kat were never prepared, they were always hysterical, and that’s why Fred Armisen and Kristen Wiig’s musical bit worked so well. For years, they’d show up at the desk to sing some holiday songs, however, the catch was, that they were never written in advance. What resulted was hilariously chaotic improvised tunes that only these two incredible comedians could have come up with. 

Jacob Silj (Will Ferrell)

Jacob Silj is the state department attache who suffers from voice immodulation. This means whenever Will Ferrell’s character came on to update the world about the state of politics he couldn’t control the pitch or volume of his voice. 

Nicolas Cage and Nicolas Cage (Andy Samberg and Nicolas Cage)

“Get in the Cage with Nicolas Cage” had been an ongoing bit Andy Samberg did for a long time, and then, in 2012, the legendary actor joined him for it. However, the twist is, the real Nicolas Cage is playing a clone of himself, and Samberg’s version is the “real” version. However, throughout the sketch, the real actor, who is well aware he’s a meme legend, roasts both himself and the comedian's impression of him. 

Jebidiah Atkinson (Taran Killam) 

Taran Killam’s 1860s newspaper critic Jebidiah Atkinson would appear from time to time to chat about his passionate takes on both historic moments, like the Gettysburg Address, and more modern pop culture topics, like holiday movies. His opinions were brutal and hysterical, and every moment was always topped off with him aggressively yelling “Next!” and throwing his note card into the wind.  

Adam Sandler's Hanukkah Song

“Put on your yarmulke, it’s time for Hanukkah!” Adam Sandler sang in 1994 to celebrate the Jewish holiday. During the tune, the comedian names various celebrities who are Jewish, half Jewish, a quarter Jewish and not Jewish to an extremely catchy melody.  It was a hit then, and it’s a hit now. Even after all these years, Sandler sings his legendary song live, and it’s always present during SNL’s holiday specials. Talk about iconic.

Jacob the Bar Mitzvah Boy (Vanessa Bayer)

It was always fun when Seth Meyers would welcome his podiatrist’s son, Jacob, to teach the audience about Judaism. Vanessa Bayer played the nervous boy who would bring his little folder to the desk, nervously read it, and then crack some cheesy, yet brilliant, jokes.  

Tim Calhoun (Will Forte) 

Will Forte’s soft-spoken Tim Calhoun would appear on Weekend Update every once in a while to explain why everyone should vote for him for president. However, the thing is, he’s not that good at talking, he would occasionally use song lyrics to convey a point, and he tended to lose his place in his notecards while speaking directly into the microphone using a very funny ASMR-like voice. 

Guy Who Just Bought A Boat And Guy Who Just Joined Soho House (Alex Moffat and Ryan Gosling)

While Ryan Gosling has been serving Ken-ergy ever since Barbie, he was also unintentionally showing off big Ken energy long before he got the role. This happened when he joined Alex Moffat on Weekend Update to play Guy Who Just Bought A Boat’s friend, Guy Who Just Joined Soho House. Greta Gerwig even admitted that she saw his potential to play Ken through his performances on SNL on the SmartLess podcast, specifically referencing this great Weekend Update bit where these two sleazy dudes talk about their bougie lives.  

Roseanne Roseannadanna (Gilda Radner)

One of Gilda Radner’s greatest SNL sketches was her bit as Update’s health correspondent Roseanne Roseannadanna, especially when she came on to talk about smoking. Yelling to the camera, Radner would give audience members advice and tell stories as her outspoken correspondent. Her character is so legendary Emma Stone even recreated the OG Update personality for SNL’s 40th reunion. 

Bennett Brauer (Chris Farley)

Chris Farley’s character Bennett Brauer rolled up to the desk to tell Kevin Nealon his latest commentary. Using lots of air quotes, he spent the majority of his segment commenting on himself, until he quite literally flew away. In true Farley fashion, it was a physical comedy masterclass.

Opera Man (Adam Sandler)

If you want to have your news sung to you, Adam Sandler’s Opera Man has you covered. With a thick accent, a white handkerchief and some very useful captions, the performer relayed the current events, ending every phrase with “oh” so they all rhymed. 

A Grumpy Old Man (Dana Carvey) 

He’s “old” and he’s “not happy” about the world being “improved.” Dana Carvey’s Grumpy Old Man bit has big “back in my day we had to walk uphill both ways” energy, and he brought that aggressive vibe to the Update Desk in the funniest ways. 

Baby Yoda (Kyle Mooney)

Whenever there was Star Wars news to talk about, Kyle Mooney’s Baby Yoda would visit the Update desk to chat about his fame and success. The over-the-top prosthetics the comedian wore were truly impressive and juxtaposed with Baby Yoda’s hype beast mentality, the bit is hysterical. 

Dr. Wenowdis (Kate McKinnon)

Any time Weekend Update needed a medical expert, especially in 2020 or 2021, Kate McKinnon’s Dr. Wenowdis would show up to tell us if “Wenowdis” or “this, we do not nowdis.” While the bit itself is very funny as the comedian talked about various medical situations, what makes it iconic is when both McKinnon and Colin Jost would break and start laughing over it all. 

Bailey Gismert (Heidi Gardner)

Heidi Gardner’s Bailey Gismert is Update’s teen movie critic, and she’s the star of her YouTube channel “Bailey at the Movies.” She’s kind of a nervous wreck, but what teen wouldn’t be if they ended up on Weekend Update? And while she’s there to talk about movies, it almost always ends with her trying to flirt with Michael Che. 

Leslie Jones

Over the course of Leslie Jones' run on Saturday Night Live she appeared on Weekend Update to share her thoughts on topics like “her perfect man,” “vacation,” “being hacked,” “summer beach bodies,” and so much more. She was also the segment’s “relationship expert,” and her commentary on love, dating and relationships was always entertaining. 

Emily Litella (Gilda Radner)

During the first season of SNL, Gilda Radner’s Emily Litella would appear on Update to give her editorial replies. However, she typically misunderstood what she was responding to, which would lead to her creating a response centered around the wrong topic, like violins instead of violence, for example. 

Rebecca LaRue (Kristen Wiig)

If you need a flirting expert, Rebecca LaRue probably isn’t your gal, despite her title, but boy is she funny. During the viral SNL sketch, Kristen Wiig used her physical comedy skills to make the audience crack up as she waved her arms in the air, winked constantly, and tried desperately to flirt with Seth Meyers.

Tommy Flanagan (Jon Lovitz) 

Jon Lovitz’s Tommy Flanagan, the president of Pathological Liars, would come on Weekend Update to talk about the news and how lies play into them. The thing is, he’s also lying the whole entire time.  

Mr. Subliminal (Kevin Nealon) 

Before he started anchoring Weekend Update, Kevin Nealon played Mr. Subliminal. As he shared his take on news, at the end of each sentence, he’d share his hot takes by sliding in one-word quips. 

As you can see, there are so many iconic characters played by legendary comedians, actors and even athletes. Weekend Update has been a constant on Saturday Night Live since the beginning, and it along with the cast of characters who sit at the desk, help make the sketch comedy show what it is. 

There are just as many great and popular Saturday Night Live sketches as there are segments that are not remembered quite as fondly. However, there also exists a strange middle ground of sketches that seem so one-note and infantile that we should feel like our time is wasted, but we don't. This is because the bizarre nature of the bit or even just one unique key component or moment makes it all feel enjoyable and worthwhile. We actually managed to come up with many examples of SNL sketches we believe you will enjoy while not quite understanding why.

Angelo (Season 47)

While he only made it one season on SNL, Aristotle Athari still had an ultra-memorable recurring character whose whole premise seemed like it would get old immediately after his Season 47 debut. Yet, somehow, international lounge singer Angelo’s improvisational songs — all nearly identical ramblings of gibberish — get big laughs every time. Maybe he truly is the genius they say he is.

SNL Digital Short: Anger Problem (Season 32) 

In their infancy, the SNL Digital Shorts were, dare we say, plagued by a shabbily random structure, like this one involving an unstable fast food manager (Fred Armisen), an exploding head mannequin, and a holiday greeting in the Lost font — supposedly in reference to host and Lost cast member Matthew Fox. Armisen’s commitment to every ludicrous threat at his employees — complete with an estimated time of attack — is what keeps this bit amusing.

Chandeliers (Season 31)

This sketch pokes fun at local ads for specialty shops from a few different angles — such as promoting the titular ceiling installation as the highway to a fancy lifestyle and an awkward attempt to include the store owners’ child (host Scarlett Johansson). Above all, however, the funniest part about the sketch might be Fred Armisen’s pronunciation of “chandelier” with a heavy Brooklyn accent.

SNL Digital Short: Daiquiri Girl (Season 33)

This Digital Short — framed as a creepy dude’s (Andy Samberg) poorly produced musical tribute to a woman who shares his love of daiquiris — kind of cheats its way onto this list. It apologetically acknowledges its own objective flaws with a cheeky text scroll explaining that musical guest Gnarls Barkley backed out of the original plan, forcing the creators to turn to alcohol for inspiration.

SNL Digital Short: The Date (Season 35) 

The joke here initially seems to be based on the unlikelihood of a woman, like host Megan Fox, dating a guy as strange as Will Forte’s character, until she appears to like him for being a S.W.A.T. team commander and his heart-wrenching confession about selling his pet lambs’ meat. The twist that even he would refuse to marry her is a bit predictable, but Forte’s unsettling manner of speaking and his tendency to turn his emotions on a dime at least keeps your attention.

Fart Face (Season 34)

When you establish the main idea of a sketch — in this case, a veteran office worker begrudgingly nicknamed “Fart Face” — and the audience responds with dead silence, you know you are in trouble, especially when this playground insult is repeated enough times to play a potentially fatal drinking game with. Leave it to host Josh Brolin to give the bit a slight boost by incorporating the same level of professionalism we have seen in all his best movies though to make it funny.

Haunted Elevator (Ft. David S. Pumpkins) (Season 42)

It is easy to understand why, according to The Hollywood Reporter, Tom Hanks was initially hesitant to play the very bewildering David S. Pumpkins. However, it is equally easy to see how the incomprehensibly charismatic goof instantly became one of Hanks’ most iconic SNL characters. After our first interaction with the silly character, he would also return with his skeleton friends (Bobby Moynihan and Mikey Day) in an animated Halloween special and a Season 48 sequel sketch. 

The Herlihy Boy House-Sitting Service (Season 19)

Sometimes, just putting Chris Farley and Adam Sandler on stage together was enough to ensure comedy gold. I think with any two other SNL cast members, this sketch — starring Sandler as a house-sitter desperate for work and Farley as his extremely supportive boss (or father or rehab sponsor, maybe?) — would have crumbled underneath its thin concept.

SNL Digital Short: Hey! (Murray Hill) (Season 34)

In the history of SNL Digital Shorts sending up modern teen TV dramas, some have been refreshingly clever (i.e., “Dear Sister"), while others offer nothing of the sort. Like this one in which the only joke is that James Franco’s character has a “tiny ding-dong.” If not for the Gossip Girl cast member Blake Lively’s rejuvenating cameo at the end, this Murray Hill episode would have been completely lost in obscurity.

Holes (Season 44)

This musical video in the style of a ‘90s power ballad is just a little too repetitive to earn the honor of being a classic, even with a guitar-shredding Adam Sander flashing some dirty, protrusive teeth for some reason. However, its concept about clothes technically counting as holes with the purpose of covering holes on the human anatomy is oddly fascinating.

I'll See You In Hell (Season 21)

By the end of this sketch — in which Joe (Jim Carrey) gets addicted to saying, “I’ll see you in Hell,” after its use on a thieving colleague earns him respect in the office — you’ll never want to hear the phrase again. That being said, Carrey keeps the one-joke bit somewhat fresh with a new take on the insult almost every time, and the final punchline is not bad either.

Joker Wedding (Season 48)

For the first half of this sketch — in which a Halloween wedding ceremony is nearly ruined by the best man (Andrew Dismukes) dressing as Heath Ledger in The Dark Knight — it seems like the only point is hearing “Joker” repeated ad nauseam. It takes a pretty fun turn, however, when the guests vote on his right to keep the costume Survivor-style, complete with a Jeff Probst cameo.

SNL Digital Short: Lettuce (Season 31)

While the legendary “Lazy Sunday” was The Lonely Island’s breakout SNL moment, their official, much-forgotten debut digital short was “Lettuce.” Honestly, we don’t blame anyone for subconsciously blocking out this bit — nothing more than Andy Samberg and Will Forte discussing a personal tragedy between big bites of leafy green vegetables — but if you can find it, you might find yourself unable to look away.

The Librarian (Season 42)

I imagine the pitch here was, “Let’s make Margot Robbie disgusting!” Well, we can’t say they didn’t nail it, and with some ideas that we truly did not see coming — eating a banana peel, “straight-up murder,” and the random appearance of Beck Bennett with a snake. Plus, setting the scenario to the iconic movie song, Yello’s “Oh Yeah,” from Ferris Bueller’s Day Off is an inspired choice.

Meatballs (Season 47)

Maybe it is not entirely fair to call this pre-taped, partially musical bit “terrible” since the concept of a woman (Sarah Sherman) with singing meatballs on her skin is pretty inventive and heightened by the participation of host Oscar Isaac and musical guest Charlie XCX. It’s just that it’s pretty gross and, therefore, not the easiest thing to sit through for the more squeamish.

SNL Digital Short: My Testicles (Season 31)

The subject matter of this ‘90s dance music parody featuring a Right Said Fred-esque duo called Ariel (Andy Samberg) and Efrim (Tom Hanks) makes us thoroughly uncomfortable and their inability to rhyme a single lyric is cringeworthy. Yet, we cannot stop watching it and can’t help but chuckle every time.  

Rap Roundtable (Season 46)

Nunya Bizness (Ego Nwodim) hosts a panel of hip-hop artists including Queen Latifah (Punkie Johnson), Questlove (as himself), and a fresh, young duo (Pete Davidson and Timothée Chalamet) whose primary contribution to the conversation is the sounds “yeet” and “skirt.” Admittedly, some of their mindless ramblings earn a chuckle or two, but Questlove slapping Davidson and then striking Chalamet’s character with his hair pick are the most satisfying moments.

Ratatouille (Season 46)

In our opinion, the night John Krasinski hosted SNL for the first time was what we might call a “terrible, yet amazing” episode, especially with this sketch. It’s a far less kid-friendly take on one of the best Pixar movies, Ratatouille, and instead of a rat helping a man with his performance in the kitchen, this rat helps Krasinski’s character with his performance in bed.

SNL Digital Short: Roy Rules! (Season 32)

Early on, it’s easy to write off this musical short in which Andy Samberg professes his unhealthy attraction toward his sister’s husband, Roy, as an egregiously raunchy one-joke throwaway bit. However, you start to see the clip in a whole new light when Andy reveals the segment is a prank on his actual brother-in-law, as he confirmed in an IGN interview in 2012. 

Potato Chip (Season 35)

When choosing SNL sketches we believed were both terrible and amazing, the first one we thought of was this thoroughly peculiar bit in which an aspiring astronaut (Jason Sudeikis) blows his chance when he steals a potato chip from a NASA recruiter’s (Will Forte) desk. For one, everyone's commitment to this asinine concept — especially host Blake Lively — is legendary, but what really takes it over the edge is when Sudeikis physically returns the chip he ate.

Short Term Memory Loss Theater (Season 38)

This is one of those sketches that is actually enhanced — dare we say, saved — by someone who couldn't stop laughing during a sketch. In this case, it was Bill Hader as a doctor who must constantly assist his patients afflicted with short-term memory loss with their lines in a play. Otherwise, the joke might have gotten too old and too fast, leaving no bearing on our memory.

Spelling Bee (Season 31)

Will Forte plays a young spelling bee contestant so nervous that he spends well over a minute spouting random letters (mostly “q’s”) while attempting to spell the word “business.” It’s a very simple premise, but Forte’s stone-cold, deadpan delivery actually keeps it afloat, and the Tenacious D cameo is a perfect way to end it.

Suitcase Boy (Season 11)

In an otherwise forgettable moment from one of SNL’s most infamous seasons, Robert Downey Jr. performs a “confrontational monologue” while housed in a suitcase for no discernible reason. The one incoherent ramble we found unintentionally interesting was when the future MCU star mentioned that he learned why whales beach themselves from Spider-Man.

Technology Hump: Emma Stone (Season 37)

This sketch featuring Andy Samberg and host Emma Stone is actually just one edition of a recurring bit in which smartphones, cameras, and other forms of technology are used to simulate intimate romance scenarios. Why? We have no idea. Why do we find it entertaining? Still totally stumped.

Waking Up (Season 48)

Pedro Pascal could not help but laugh on SNL a few times during his hosting debut, including in this sketch in which he comes out of a coma with a strange new personality and an even stranger voice. While you could see the voice as a bit annoying, the dialogue maddeningly low-brow, and the entire concept pretty lifeless, it's honestly so hilarious, and that's because the Last of Us cast member makes it charming.

What The Hell Is That? (Season 5)

We have little interest in watching two brainless individuals take turns expressing their bewilderment over an unidentifiable object without any context. We do, however, love Bill Murray (seemingly debuting his Caddyshack character here) and Steve Martin (arguably the all-time greatest SNL host), whose collaboration saves this otherwise empty bit.

America's Funniest Pets (Season 42)

Cecily Strong and Kate McKinnon play hosts of a French show presenting funny homemade clips of domestic animals who prove to have a dark sense of humor (or lack thereof) when visiting its American version. What makes the mostly one-joke premise particularly memorable, however, is that the American host is Oscar-winning filmmaker Ron Howard, portrayed with an overly-animated impersonation by a star of many Ron Howard movies, Tom Hanks.

Big Dumb Hat (Season 48)

This sketch, featuring host Amy Schumer, quickly begins to suffer from being as irritating as the titular fashion trend it is poking fun at. Luckily, it does earn some solid chuckles for a few jokes about the kind of people who do wear “Big Dumb Hats” that, as anyone who knows this kind of person can support, are pretty spot on.

Sarcasm 101 (Season 23)

Host Matthew Perry essentially plays Chandler Bing in this classroom sketch, technically making it one of three Friends parodies from this episode alone (including the monologue), for which we deduct points. Also, many of the funniest moments from this lesson in smart-alecky behavior come courtesy of the late Norm Macdonald, but in ways that almost seem unintentional from his broken cadence, giving the bit a thoroughly awkward aura.

Patrick Kelly and Gunther Kelly (Season 28)

This is actually one of several segments in which Patrick (Will Forte) and Gunther Kelly (Fred Armisen) appear on “Weekend Update” to inform people of a pressing topic with a song that actually offers no valuable information, save Forte’s ability to hit some crazy high notes. We chose to highlight this song asking viewers to “listen up” about SARS because, out of all their greatest hits, it is the weirdest and most irritating, but perhaps the biggest banger, too.

Steve's Beanie Babies (Season 47)

We’d call Lizzo a non-actor who nailed her SNL hosting gig, especially in how her uncontrollable laughter likely enhanced this sketch in which she plays the wife of a man (Andrew Dismukes) who freaks out after learning his Beanie Babies collection is worthless. The ensuing revelation of how he quit his job (talking through his butt like Jim Carrey in Ace Ventura) and ludicrous aspiration to make a living drawing Nintendo’s Mario feel so half-heartedly wedged in, but its the ludicrousness of the situation that also earns laughs.

In retrospect, maybe being a little awkward and bizarre is exactly what makes an SNL a classic.

Spoilers for Netflix’s Unstable lie ahead, so read at your own risk.

Unstable, one of the most recent releases from Netflix’s 2023 TV schedule, generates a good number of laughs, thanks in great part to its capable cast. Rob Lowe leaves the charge, with others like his son and co-star John Owen Lowe and Sian Clifford also hitting some solid punchlines. Between the humorous actors and the funny situations that the show puts them in (like Lowe’s nude scene), it seems all but certain that some stars would break character during some takes. John Owen and Clifford confirmed that was indeed the case and, as they explained, castmate Fred Armisen was greatly responsible for them getting the giggles amid production.

The workplace comedy sees Fred Armisen play the role of Leslie, a quirky therapist brought in by the board of Ellis Dragon’s (Rob Lowe) company to help him process the death of his wife. However, things take an unexpected turn when Ellis kidnaps Leslie so that he doesn’t report his eccentric behavior to his business partners. But in time, the two forge a friendship, with Ellis counseling Leslie on the marital problems he’s having with his own spouse. With this, the two roommates become something of an odd couple, to Jackson’s annoyance.

Given the circumstances surrounding his character, the Saturday Night Live alum gets a number of very funny moments. So it shouldn’t have been much of a surprise that his name cropped up when I asked John Owen Lowe and Sian Clifford about the moments at which they broke character amid filming. Lowe noted that just about all of his scenes with the comedian were tough to get through, but there’s one moment in particular that stands out for him the most:

Should we really be surprised that the entertainer managed to get a lot of laughs out of his co-stars? I mean, his comedic exploits are practically the stuff of legend at this point. In addition to working on SNL for 11 years, he also headlined the acclaimed comedy Portlandia and Documentary Now! Of course, he’s also guest-starred on a slew of shows, from 30 Rock and Brooklyn Nine-Nine to Bob’s Burgers and Schmigadoon! Netflix subscription holders also recently got to see him play Uncle Fester on the hit show Wednesday. 

Sian Clifford has a lot of respect for Fred Armisen and, based on her own experience, the star was nothing but giving. She, too, recalled not being able to control her laughing while performing with him and, at the same time, she remembered a scene that didn’t involve Armisen, which kept her chuckling:

There are plenty of humorous moments – like the freezer sequence – that can be found in Unstable and, given the staging of that particular moment, I can see why the stars would’ve had a tough time not breaking. As for Fred Armisen’s Leslie, he ends up remaining with the Dragon family by the end of the season. So if the show ends up scoring a second season, there’s a strong possibility that viewers will see more of Armisen and his shenanigans.

You can stream Unstable on Netflix now and, after you’ve done so, you can check CinemaBlend’s 2023 TV schedule for info on other shows headed your way this year.

Wednesday star Jenna Ortega may not have been alive when The Parent Trap remake with Lindsay Lohan first came out, but that didn’t stop her from delivering a remake that was spot-on tonally on Saturday Night Live last night. Okay, maybe it wasn’t exactly the same, but that was mostly because, after her stand-in called in sick, Ortega was forced to act alongside returning SNL legend Fred Armisen, who read the lines as if he was playing her twin sister in the remake.

The hilarious sketch went over very well with the audience and played strongly on social media too. It’s the most popular non-Weekend Update, non-monologue segment from the show on YouTube, and it’s easy to see why. You can check out the extreme awkwardness below…

First of all, the 1998 remake of The Parent Trap, led by Lindsay Lohan and directed by Nancy Meyers, is a banger (even if not all of it makes sense), and that movie still holds up so well. It, of course, features numerous scenes in which Lohan acts opposite herself, though I'd have to imagine her shooting experience was less awkward. If you've never seen it before, I can think of few better ways to spend a lazy Sunday than by throwing that movie on. You can check it out with a Disney+ subscription. 

Second of all, I love this sketch because it's obvious it was written by people who love The Parent Trap. The little details like her shirt are a nice touch, and there are just enough updates that it feels like this could conceivably be another remake being made for modern audiences. Also, shoutout to Fred Armisen for hilariously saying the remake must be for streaming if the parents are played by Ed Helms and Leslie Mann. Love both of them, but that just seems accurate.

If you need further evidence of how well the sketch worked, look no further than original star Lindsay Lohan. The popular actress took to her Instagram account after the skit aired to voice her approval. She posted a short clip on her stories, along with heart emojis and the word "Bravo." You can check out a screenshot below...

Following Jenna Ortega's episode, Saturday Night Live will be on hiatus for a few weeks. The popular sketch comedy show will return on April 1st with Quinta Brunson from Abbott Elementary as host and Lil Yachty as musical guest. It'll be Brunson's first time delivering the monologue in Studio 8H, and fans are already pumped. Beyond that, we should see several more new episodes before the end of the season, though those upcoming SNL hosts haven't been announced yet. 

When it comes to movies that I adore, a film I always grew up watching and loving was The Addams Family, as well as its sequel. Released in the 1990s, the films were a big part of my childhood and I’m about 90% sure that they’re a part of the reason I grew up liking creepy things, like the best horror movies. I'm sure a lot of horror fans started with this kooky family. And, of course, my favorite character was Wednesday. 

Turns out, she’s just about everyone's favorite character in The Addams Family franchise, because that character has gotten her own TV series on Netflix, called Wednesday. The series follows the legendary character as she goes to the school called Nevermore, a place for misfits like herself, while discovering the secrets that the school has hidden. 

With a very large ensemble, the Wednesday cast is full of stars. Here is where you might have seen them before. 

Jenna Ortega (Wednesday Addams)

Starting off with our star, we take a look at Jenna Ortega, who plays the titular character in Wednesday. From the moment I saw Ortega in that first teaser trailer, I knew she was the perfect fit for this role, and with her background, it’s even better. 

While Ortega got her start on children’s television shows, mainly on the Disney Channel, she only started to grow in popularity as she began to appear in more adult roles. She had a main character role in Season 2 of You on Netflix, and has established herself as a scream queen with roles in both 2022’s Scream (a role she is reprising in Scream 6), and in the gory A24 film, X. 

Truly, she may be young, but this actress is just getting started, and I’m sure this is not the last time we are going to see her. 

Gwendoline Christie (Principle Larissa Weems)

Next up on the list is Gwendoline Christie, who portrays the leader of Nevermore, Principle Larissa Weems, in Wednesday. The actress is probably most known for her role in the Game of Thrones cast as Brienne of Tarth, a role she played for several seasons until the show concluded. 

However, Christie has done plenty of other work in the world of television. She played Lexi in Wizards vs Aliens, Lucifer in the fantasy series, The Sandman, and is set to be in the second season of Severance. She also had a role in the Star Wars universe as Captain Phasma, and appeared in films such as The Personal History of David Copperfield, Welcome to Marwen, The Darkest of Minds, and more. 

Jamie McShane (Sheriff Galpin)

Next up on the list, we have Jamie McShane, who plays Sheriff Galpin in Wednesday, someone who isn’t the biggest fan of Nevermore. McShane has been in a variety of television roles, including on the popular FX drama, Sons of Anarchy, as well as in Southland, The Lincoln Lawyer, CSI: Vegas, and Bloodline. He also had small roles in shows like 24, The Fosters, Fear the Walking Dead and more. 

McShane also had a small role in the Marvel Cinematic Universe when he played Agent Jackson in both Thor and The Avengers. He also appeared in movies like Argo, Gone Girl, the Disney+ original film Togo, and Mank among others. 

Percy Hynes White (Xavier Thorpe)

Percy Hynes White plays Xavier Thorpe in Wednesday, and the young actor has done plenty in television ever since he started. White is probably most known for his role in The Gifted, where he played Andy Strucker, but he’s appeared in several other TV shows like Between, Odd Squad, Murdoch Mysteries and more. Recently, he’s been in the cast for Pretty Hard Cases. 

Hunter Doohan (Tyler Galpin)

Next up, we take a look at Hunter Doohan, who plays Tyler Galpin in Wednesday. Doohan is probably most known for his role as Adam Desiato in the fantastic Showtime series, Your Honor, where he stars alongside Bryan Cranston, but he’s done plenty of other great roles, too. 

Doohan played Teenage Warren on Truth Be Told, and guest starred on several other shows including Coffee House Chronicles, Westworld, Schooled, and Aware I’m Rare. He also appeared in the films Where We Disappear and Soundwave. 

Emma Myers (Enid Sinclair)

Moving on, we look at Emma Myers, who plays Enid Sinclair, Wednesday’s cheerful roommate in Wednesday. The talent is relatively new to Hollywood, but she’s guest-starred on several television shows before, including Dead of Night, The Baker and the Beauty, and The Glades. She also appeared in the movie Girl in the Basement. 

However, this will be Emma Myers' first major role on a television series, and one can only imagine what she’ll do next. 

Joy Sunday (Bianca Barclay)

In Wednesday, Joy Sunday portrays Bianca Barclay, a classmate of Wednesday's in the show. Sunday has appeared in multiple TV shows, and had a recurring role in Yas Kween, while also appearing in shows such as Carol’s Second Act, Good Trouble, MacGyver, and Dear White People.

Joy Sunday also appeared in the films Dog, The Beta Test, and Bad Hair. 

Naomi J. Ogawa (Yoko Tanaka)

Next up, we take a look at Naomi J. Ogawa, who portrays Yoko Tanaka in Wednesday, another classmate at Nevermore and a vampire. Ogawa is relatively new to the world of Hollywood, with her only role so far being Kate in the film Skylines, but I’m sure that after Wednesday, it won’t be long before we see her in something else. 

Moosa Mostafa (Eugene Ottinger)

Moosa Mostafa plays Eugene Ottinger in Wednesday, another classmate at Nevermore, and the young actor is still relatively new to the world of television and movies. His only film credit thus far lists him as being a part of St. Bernadette’s class in Nativity Rocks!, and he portrayed Nas in the TV series, The Last Bus. But I’m sure that after Wednesday he’ll pop up in more fun shows and movies soon enough.

Georgie Farmer (Ajax Petropolus)

The last classmate we’re going to be talking about today is Ajax Petropolus, who is played by Georgie Farmer in Wednesday. Farmer is mainly known for his role as Jake Crossley in the TV series, The Evermoor Chronicles, but he’s appeared in several other shows, including The Ministry of Curious Stuff, Ill Behavior, Doctors, and Treadstone. Farmer also appeared in the film, Ready Player One.

Riki Lindhome (Dr. Valerie Kinbott)

Moving on, we take a look at Riki Lindhome, who plays Dr. Valerie Kinbott in Wednesday, a therapist who is trying to help Wednesday. Lindhome has done a lot in television, appearing in shows such as Titus, the fantasy series Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Gilmore Girls, The Big Bang Theory, Enlightened, and more. Lindhome has also lent her voice to the world of animation, with one of her biggest roles being as Kimberly Harris on Duncanville. 

Lindhome has also been very successful in the movie industry, appearing in films such as Million Dollar Baby, Much Ado About Nothing, The Lego Batman Movie, Nothing, Pulse, The Wolf of Snow Hollow, and in 2019, Knives Out. 

Christina Ricci (Marilyn Thornhill)

I mean, we can’t have a Wednesday TV series without one of the most recognizable versions of Wednesday, and that is Christina Ricci – although she doesn’t play the titular character, considering that the actress is all grown up now. However, who she does play in Wednesday is Marilyn Thornhill. 

Ricci has done a lot in her career after her time in The Addams Family franchise. Most recently, she was a part of the cast of Yellowjackets, a role she’ll be reprising in Season 2 of the series. However, Ricci has done a lot on television, including roles on shows like Ally McBeal, Pan Am, The Lizzie Borden Chronicles, and Z: The Beginning of Everything, among many guest appearances. 

Ricci has also appeared in many films, including Casper, Now and Then, The Ice Storm, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, Anything Else, Prozac Nation, Speed Racer, The Matrix Resurrections, Penelope, and more. 

The Rest Of The Addams Family

Look, we all know that the series is focused on Wednesday and that is completely alright, but let’s talk about the rest of the Addams family for a little bit before we go, because it’s something to see in Wednesday. 

Playing Morticia Addams is Catherine Zeta-Jones, someone who is well known in the movie world and has been in several critically-acclaimed films. She even won an Academy Award for her starring role in Chicago. Luis Guzman plays Gomez Addams, the patriarch of the family. Guzman has done plenty in the world of movies, appearing in films such as The Limey, Traffic, the Jordan Peele-written movie, Keanu, and more. He was also on the HBO series, Oz. 

Isaac Ordonez plays Pugsley Addams, Wednesday’s little brother, and he is new to Hollywood, as Pugsley is his first major role. Fred Armisen plays Uncle Fester in Wednesday, further continuing his ability to play hilarious characters on television. Armisen has been in the Schmigadoon! cast, Portlandia, Documentary Now!, Moonbase 8 and more. 

Truly, there are so many amazing cast members of this show that we could talk about for hours on end and give them so much praise. And, I’m sure that after Wednesday, we’ll be seeing a lot more of them in movies and on TV – maybe even in a 2023 movie or television release.  

Wednesday is one of November’s most-anticipated Netflix titles, and it only takes one look at the actors playing America's creepiest and kookiest family to understand why. The Addams Family adaptation has an awesome cast that includes Jenna Ortega as Wednesday, Luis Guzman and Catherine Zeta-Jones as Gomez and Morticia, as well as former Saturday Night Live cast member Fred Armisen as Uncle Fester. Armisen comes into the series after Christopher Lloyd delivered a popular Fester performance in the movies from the 90s, so understandably, those interested might want to know if Armisen based his performance on Lloyd's. 

Fred Armisen had a chance to speak to Entertainment Tonight about his character, and how Christopher Lloyd's Fester performance in The Addams Family and The Addams Family Values informed his own in Wednesday. Armisen confirmed he's looked at Lloyd's work, as well as the work of Jackie Coogan in the original series, explaining: 

It's unknown what unique flair Fred Armisen will bring to Wednesday, though one can imagine what he'll bring to the table with his past Saturday Night Live performances. Between that and his work in Portlandia, he's done some pretty surreal comedy that falls right in line with the friendly but creepy vibe of Fester. Take that, and mix in a weird obsession with pain, and that's Fester! 

Of course, Christopher Lloyd's Fester was also characterized by his loneliness. The first Addams Family movie focused on his need to feel accepted and a part of a family, and the second movie tackled his quest for love. Fred Armisen's Fester is already a known member of the family on Wednesday, or at least I'd assume so given the brief interaction available with him and his niece Wednesday. That said, I wouldn't be mad to see Fester get some sort of love subplot if the story calls for it. 

Audiences will likely have to take some time to adjust to the portrayals of Fred Armisen or other stars in Wednesday, as it's doing something a bit different than past adaptations. Jenna Ortega already spoke about the difficulty of playing Wednesday similar to how fellow co-star and former Wednesday actress Christina Ricci did back in the '90s, and how she didn't just want to do every scene with a flat delivery. In a movie where she's part of an ensemble it might work, but as the main character in a dramatic series, there are times when the character needed to show a bit more emotion. Perhaps the opposite will be true for Fred Armisen's Fester, where less screen time compared to Christopher Lloyd's Fester will create a bit more freedom for him to make the character his own with less scrutiny. Not that it's really possible for modern adaptations to escape judgment from fans these days, so perhaps it's best they just played it how they best felt comfortable. 

Wednesday premieres on Netflix on Wednesday, November 23rd. This definitely looks like a series that's worth holding onto a Netflix subscription for, just in case anyone was wondering which service they may want to cut ahead of the holiday season. 

Selena Gomez has always had tons of dedicated fans, considering she grew up as a “Disney kid” in front of the camera before becoming a global pop star and business owner. While many people are familiar with the Only Murders in the Buildings actress’ battles with lupus, there was one aspect of her journey that Gomez kept to herself — at least until now. It turns out when she underwent a kidney transplant in 2017, she named her new organ after former Saturday Night Live comedian Fred Armisen, and she recently explained her reasoning.

In an interview with Rolling Stone, Selena Gomez revealed the name she gave her new kidney, as well as the hidden agenda she had for choosing that specific celebrity. She said: 

Consider that tea sufficiently spilled, Selena! Fred Armisen is certainly known for all things weird, so that does seem like something he could appreciate. Armisen was part of some of SNL’s best single-season casts, where he was known for his silly-voiced character in the Californians sketches and Church Lady, among many others. His post-Saturday Night Live career has seen him creating his own unique series in Portlandia and Documentary Now!, as well as appearing in the casts of Schmigadoon!, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Forever on Amazon’s Prime Video and Our Flag Means Death (which was rated as one of the best new shows of 2022 on IMDB), to name a few. 

Fred Armisen’s tendencies for the weird also apparently spill into his personal life, as Russian Doll actress Natasha Lyonne revealed in April that she and Armisen had ended their eight-year relationship because she wanted a swimming pool and he didn’t. 

So now that the cat is out of the bag, and Fred Armisen could very likely find out that he’s the namesake of Selena Gomez’s kidney, is there a chance for a collaboration in the future? Gomez is already working with iconic comedians and Saturday Night Live veterans Martin Short and Steve Martin on Only Murders in the Building (available to stream with a Hulu subscription), so it’s definitely not outside the realm of possibility. 

Selena Gomez got her start in the entertainment business on Barney & Friends when she was 10 years old, and rose to fame on Wizards of Waverly Place, where she played Alex Russo. In 2015 she was diagnosed with lupus, undergoing her transplant two years later. Her mental and physical struggles are documented in the recently released documentary My Mind & Me, which is available for streaming with an Apple TV+ subscription. 

While we wait for any word on if the “Hands to Myself” singer ever hears from Fred Armisen about the weirdness of her kidney’s name, you can check out some of the other best movies on Apple TV+, and see what shows are premiering soon with our 2022 TV schedule. 

Fred Armisen’s silly accent and actions from the over-the-top soap opera sketch the Californians is something that lives rent-free in my head, specifically him saying “What are you doing here?” whenever the week's guest shows up. It turns out this outlandish accent has surprising origins, as Armisen revealed he was inspired by SNL alum Dana Carvey’s son.

In the sketches, Armisen leads an ensemble of silly characters who talk almost exclusively about driving in Los Angeles (because it’s notoriously difficult to drive in Southern California). Armisen’s character Stuart fumbles over his words, speaks with an outlandish Valley accent, and is overall a very goofy character. While chatting with Dana Carvey and David Spade on the podcast Fly on the Wall the comedian revealed who helped inspire the character, saying: 

He went on to say that the way his character talks is based on Carvey’s impression of his son. The comedian behind the Church Lady went on to do the impression of his kids in a funny Valley accent on the podcast, and it became clear how this all helped inspire the iconic Californians sketch. 

It’s hilarious that Carvey’s kid helped inspire this character for a few reasons. One: it’s fun to know that this goofy bit is based on a real person, and two: this adds to the list of characters that Carvey’s family has inspired. It’s famously known that the Wayne’s World actor based his character Garth on his older brother Brad. Also, Mike Myers has opened up about how Carvey indirectly inspired Austin Powers. So, not only is Carvey a beloved Saturday Night Live alum, but he’s also inspired multiple classic characters over the years. 

During Armisen’s tenure on SNL, the Californians was a popular recurring bit, many of the sketches have over 2 million views on YouTube, with some that have more than 7 million. Big stars have also played ridiculous characters in this sketch, including Mick Jagger, Josh Brolin and Justin Bieber. You can check out this hilarious classic sketch here: 

Both Armisen and Carvey are some of the best in the business in my opinion, and it’s fun to learn about how the younger comedian was inspired by the ‘90s SNL alum. 

While Armisen left SNL back in 2013, he’s gone on to have a wildly successful career in comedy. You can catch the actor all over the 2022 TV schedule in shows like Big Mouth and Documentary Now! He’ll also appear as Uncle Fester in Wednesday, which can be watched with a Netflix subscription on November 23. Armisen will also make an appearance on the 2023 movie schedule in The Super Mario Bros. Movie as Cranky Kong. As for SNL, you can catch watch Season 48 of the show on Saturdays at 11:30 ET on NBC or you can stream it with a Peacock subscription. 

There are lots of reasons relationships don’t last. Whether it’s infidelity, financial problems, or just two people growing apart, relationships come with obstacles, and sometimes they can’t be overcome. One circumstance you don’t hear too often, though, is couples who break up over a swimming pool. That’s the reason Natasha Lyonne gave, however, when she revealed in an interview that she and The Bubble actor Fred Armisen had broken up. 

Natasha Lyonne — the star of Russian Doll, whose second season is among a number of exciting Netflix premieres coming in April — and Portlandia creator Fred Armisen started dating in 2014. They were introduced by his former Saturday Night Live co-star Maya Rudolph and reportedly split time between her place in Manhattan and his house in Los Angeles. Lyonne is a native of New York (you’ve heard her accent), but during an interview with THR, she was asked if she was now based in L.A. Her response yielded an unexpected update about her relationship status:

Okay, maybe to such a quintessential New Yorker, the real scandal would be purchasing a home in L.A., but what’s this about breaking up over a swimming pool? It seems like a strange reason to end an eight-year relationship, but hey, I’m not judging. Everybody has things they’re not willing to bend on. Fred Armisen didn’t want a pool, and Natasha Lyonne needed to get her laps in. 

It sounds like there’s no real bad blood between the former couple, with the Orange Is the New Black actress saying they still love each other and talk frequently. It’s a shame they couldn’t just buy a second house with a pool — since that’s what the actress did anyway — but it’s possible (and likely) the lack of a pool wasn’t the only reason for the split. It’s so rarely just one thing, right?

Back in 2013, before he was connected to Natasha Lyonne, Fred Armisen reflected on his past marriages to singer Sally Timms and actress Elisabeth Moss, reportedly telling Howard Stern that he was a “terrible husband” and he felt bad for everyone he’s ever gone out with.

We’re happy to hear that Natasha Lyonne got her swimming pool, and we wish both parties the best whether separate or together. If you’re a fan of Lyonne’s projects, you can watch the latest season of Russian Doll with a Netflix subscription when Season 2 premieres Wednesday, April 20. After a critically acclaimed first season, the critics had some good things to say about the sophomore effort. If you need a refresher on how Season 1 ended, here’s what you need to remember before Season 2 premieres. Be sure to check out our 2022 TV Schedule to see what other shows are premiering soon.

Whenever a Judd Apatow movie comes along you are almost guaranteed to see some of Hollywood’s biggest stars being put in rather ridiculous situations, but few of those compare to his latest film, The Bubble, which debuted on Netflix on April 1, 2022. The movie, which centers on a group of actors brought together to film the sixth installment in the fictional Cliff Beasts dinosaur franchise on a closed set, sounds like some fever dream, but it is all too real and the list of actors involved is something else.

The Bubble cast features everyone from the acclaimed director’s wife, Leslie Mann, and daughter, Iris Apatow, to Hollywood action stars like Karen Gillan and Pedro Pascal, and even David Duchovny, and that’s barely scratching the surface. With so many names involved, you know we had to go through and break down the entire cast from this hilarious COVID Netflix comedy.

Karen Gillan (Carol Cobb)

Leading The Bubble cast is Karen Gillan, who portrays Carol Cobb, one of the longtime stars of the Cliff Beasts franchise, which is now in its sixth installment when the new Netflix movie starts. And, just like her character, Gillan knows a thing or two about successful action franchises.

Gillan has been a part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe since she first played Nebula in Guardians of the Galaxy back in 2014 and has continued to pop up in some of the best Marvel Movies in that time. The actress, who had a breakout role on Doctor Who, has also been a part of the Jumanji franchise since the long-dormant property was brought back with 2017’s Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle. Her other credits include Gunpowder Milkshake, Stuber, and Oculus, to name a few.

Iris Apatow (Krystal Kris)

Iris Apatow, the daughter of director Judd Apatow and co-star Leslie Mann, pops up in The Bubble as Krystal Kris, a Tik Tok star who has recently joined the Cliff Beasts 6 cast.

Throughout her career, which started with a performance in her father’s 2007 romantic comedy Knocked Up, Apatow has appeared in a number of her dad’s films including Funny People and This is 40, as well as the Netflix original series Love, on which she portrayed Arya Hopkins.

Fred Armisen (Darren)

Taking on the role of Cliff Beasts 6 director Darren in The Bubble is former Saturday Night Live mainstay and Portlandia co-creator, Fred Armisen.

Throughout his career, Armisen has also appeared in countless movies, including Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy, Easy A, The Smurfs film franchise, and most recently The Mitchells vs. the Machines. Outside of SNL and Portlandia, Armisen has been a part of shows like Crank Yankers, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Documentary Now!, Big Mouth, and Late Night with Seth Meyers, where he serves as the late night talk show’s band leader.

Maria Bakalova (Annika)

Maria Bakalova plays Annika, one of the employees at the hotel where the Cliff Beasts 6 cast is holed up during the closed shoot in The Bubble.

Bakalova is most recognizable from her appearance in Borat Subsequent Moviefilm, in which she portrayed Sacha Baron Cohen’s on-screen teenage daughter, Tutar Sagdiyev. Her performance was met with universal praise and earned her a Critic’s Choice Award and nominations at the Academy Awards, Golden Globes, BAFTA Film Awards, and Screen Actors Guild Awards, to name a few. Her other work includes Bulgarian dramas Transgression and Last Call, as well as the 2022 A24 horror movie Bodies Bodies Bodies.

David Duchovny (Dustin Mulray)

Taking on the role of Dustin Mulray, another mainstay of the Cliff Beasts dinosaur action franchise in The Bubble, is David Duchovny, who brings with him years of experience in comedy, sci-fi, and just about every other genre imaginable in film and TV.

Best known for his portrayal of FBI Special Agent Fox Mulder on the long-running supernatural thriller series, The X-Files, and its film adaptations, Duchovny is also remembered for leading the comedy-drama series Californication as Hank Moody, with both roles earning him Golden Globe Awards and other accolades. Duchovny’s other work includes Aquarius, Twin Peaks (the 2017 revival), Evolution, and Beethoven.

Keegan-Michael Key (Sean Knox)

Keegan-Michael Key shows up in The Bubble as Sean Knox, another longtime member of the Cliff Beasts franchise, and one who seems to be down for any and all stunts.

Although best recognized for the long-running sketch comedy show, Key & Peele, alongside Jordan Peele, Key has an extensive body of work outside the hit Comedy Central series, including Mad TV, Reno 911!, Whose Line is it Anyway?, Friends from College, and Schmigadoon!, to name just a few. His film work includes a great deal of animated features like Toy Story 4, The Lion King, the Hotel Transylvania series, and the upcoming Super Mario Bros. movie.

Leslie Mann (Lauren Van Chance)

Showing up as Cliff Beasts franchise star Lauren Van Chance in The Bubble is Leslie Mann, who has appeared in a number of her husband’s films, including The 40-Year-Old Virgin, Knocked Up, Funny People, and several others over the years.

Throughout her career, Mann has been a part of several dozen other film projects including George of the Jungle, Big Daddy, Orange County, Blockers, Motherless Brooklyn, and Blithe Spirit, to name just a small portion of her film work. Man has also popped up on shows like Freaks and Geeks, Modern Family, and The Simpsons. She is next set to lead the upcoming Amazon original series, The Power.

Pedro Pascal (Dieter)

Taking on the role of Dieter, one of the members of the Cliff Beasts 6 cast, in The Bubble, is Pedro Pascal, who fans of The Mandalorian will recognize from the sound of his, oh so familiar, voice.

In addition to playing one of the most badass Star Wars characters introduced in quite some time, Pascal has also made his mark on TV with explosive performances on shows like Game of Thrones and Narcos (with The Last of Us HBO series on the way). Pascal has a great deal of film credits to his name as well, including Wonder Woman 1984, Kingsman: The Golden Circle, If Beale Street Could Talk, and the ridiculous upcoming Nicolas Cage action comedy, The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent.

Peter Serafinowicz (Gavin)

Peter Serafinowicz shows up in The Bubble as Gavin, the producer of Cliff Beasts 6 who has been put in the unenviable position of making sure the production doesn’t go off the rails.

One of the actors who have appeared in Star Wars and the Marvel Cinematic Universe (he voiced Darth Maul in Star Wars: Episode I — The Phantom Menace and Solo: A Star Wars Story and portrayed Denarian Garthan Saal in Guardians of the Galaxy), Serafinowicz has also popped up in movies like Shaun of the Dead, The World’s End, and John Wick: Chapter 2 throughout his career. He has also appeared in dozens of TV shows, with some of the most notable being The Tick, Archer, and South Park.

Guz Khan (Howie Frangopoulos)

Guz Khan appears in The Bubble cast as Howie Frangopoulos, another longtime actor in the successful yet out-of-this-world dinosaur action franchise, Cliff Beasts.

Fans of the Netflix original movie Army of Thieves will certainly recognize Khan from his portrayal of Rolph in the 2021 heist comedy, but that’s just one part of the British comedian’s career. Since making his debut in 2016, Khan has had major roles on shows like Borderline, Zapped, Man Like Mobeen, and Our Flag Means Death, as well a few movies, including Finding Fatimah and Walk Like a Panther.

Harry Travaldewyn (Gunther)

Relative newcomer and star-in-the-making Harry Travaldewyn shows up in The Bubble cast as Gunther, the COVID-19 compliance officer who is constantly trying to keep everyone healthy (from COVID, anyway) and under control on the set of Cliff Beasts 6 so that the movie's complicated production can finally come to a close.

The new Judd Apatow movie is only Travaldewyn’s second film credit to date, with his previous feature film being the Netflix historical drama, The King, in 2019. He’s next set to appear on the TV series Call My Agent and in the upcoming comedy-drama, Sweet Sue.

Nick Kocher (Scott)

Taking on the Scott, a member of the Cliff Beasts 6 crew, in The Bubble is former Saturday Night Live writer Nick Kocher, who has appeared in a number of movies, shows, and short films throughout his career.

A co-founder of the internet sketch comedy duo BriTANick alongside Brian McElhaney, Kocher has made brief appearances on shows like The Movie Show, CollegeHumor Originals, Next Time on Lonny, How I Met Your Mother, and Louie. His film credits include Awesometown, Much Ado About Nothing, and Balls Out.

Hopefully, this helps you make sense of the massive The Bubble cast and where you’ve seen the stars before. But, this is just the beginning of the list as Kate McKinnon, Rob Delaney, Vir Das, and multiple other familiar faces pop up from time to time in Judd Apatow’s latest effort. If you want to know what other movies are coming to the popular streaming service, check out our breakdown of the 2022 Netflix movie schedule.

And, if you haven't already, you can stream The Bubble on Netflix.

When one thinks of video game movies that didn’t fare well, inevitably 1993’s Super Mario Bros. comes up. But after all these years, Mario, Luigi and the rest of the characters from this corner of the Nintendo entertainment empire are finally getting another shot at cinematic flory, albeit in animation rather than live-action again. Illumination has a Super Mario Bros. movie coming up, and it’s been announced that Chris Pratt and Anya Tayor-Joy are among the many big names that will make up the main cast.

Freshly announced from the Nintendo Direct event, we now know that Chris Pratt will be voicing Mario in the new Super Mario Bros. movie, while Anya-Taylor Joy has been brought aboard as Princess Peach. The rest of the main voice cast includes Charlie Day as Luigi, Jack Black as Bowser, Keegan-Michael Key as Toad, Seth Rogen as Donkey Kong, Fred Armisen as Cranky Kong, Kevin Michael Richardson as Kamek and Sebastian Maniscalco as Spike. And for those of you who’ve enjoyed Charles Martinet’s vocal performances as Mario and various other characters in the video game franchise since the 1990s, not to worry, as he’ll be participating in the movie through “surprise cameos.”

While Sebastian Maniscalco revealed that he’d be voicing Spike in the Super Mario Bros. movie earlier this year, now we know who’ll be making up our main lineup of characters. Having already looked at social media a bit, it’s good to know I’m not alone in being surprised that Chris Pratt was tapped to play Mario, but this’ll add another entry on his list of voice acting bonafides, having previously participated in The LEGO Movie, The LEGO Movie 2: The Second Part and Onward. And while Super Mario Bros. will mark Anya Taylor-Joy’s first animated movie, she does have some voice acting experience under her belt from the Netflix series The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance.

Behind the scenes, the animated Super Mario Bros. movie, which was first announced in 2017, will be directed by Teen Titans Go! To the Movies duo Aaron Horvath and Michael Jelenic, while Minions: The Rise of Gru’s Matthew Vogel wrote the script. Illumination founder Chris Meledandri and Shigeru Miyamoto, the creator of the Mario franchise, are attached as producers. Here’s what Meledandri had to say about the project in a statement (via THR):

As of right now, no plot details for Super Mario Bros. have been revealed, although like the classic Mario games, I imagine Princess Peach being kidnapped by Bowser will come into play, and Kamek will be among his many minions. It’s also interesting to see that Donkey Kong will appear in the movie, as he’s been part of Mario’s history since the beginning, with his 1981 arcade game seeing Mario (previously known as Jumpman) trying to rescue his then-girlfriend Pauline from the gorilla. Nowadays these two usually just cross paths in “event” games like Super Smash Bros., Mario Party and Mario Kart, so the fact that both Donkey Kong and Cranky Kong are showing up has me wondering if this movie will pave the way for a spinoff to more deeply explore the Kong side of the Nintendo universe.

Illumination’s Super Mario Bros. movie arrives in North American theaters on December 21, 2022. Learn what other movies come out next year in our 2022 release schedule.

Apple TV+ has been coming out strong with some awesome series the last couple of years, from the hilarious Central Park to the heartwarming Ted Lasso. However, a newcomer is coming to the stage soon, added onto the 2021 TV shows that are debuting – Schmigadoon!

Yes, you read that right. The new musical comedy has come to our laptops and TVs through Apple TV+, joining the 2021 Summer TV schedule, giving us glorious skits and catchy tunes for several weeks. With so many stars in this one, there’s no doubt in my mind that you have seen this cast before. From Cecily Strong to Keegan-Michael Key and Dove Cameron, here is where you have seen the Schmigadoon! cast before.

Cecily Strong (Melissa Gimble)

As the first half of the couple who stumbles into the world of Schmigadoon!, Cecily Strong portrays Melissa Gimble. If that name sounds familiar, it’s probably because you might have seen her as a current cast member on the legendary primetime sketch show, Saturday Night Live, showing off her comedy skills.

If not, you’ve most likely seen her in the 2016 remake of the classic film, Ghostbusters, the sports-comedy film, The Bronze, or heard her voice on the animated comedy, The Awesomes. Cecily Strong has also had plenty of guest spots on TV shows as well, such as Superstore and Scream Queens. This, however, will be her first leading role in a live-action, non-sketch TV show, so it’s super exciting for her to be showing off her comedy skills in a leading lady way.

Keegan-Michael Key (Josh Skinner)

If you haven’t heard of Keegan-Michael Key, you’ve definitely been living under a rock. Portraying Josh Skinner, Key takes the second lead in Schmigadoon! He has been in plenty of TV shows that you might have seen him in before, namely the popular sketch show, Key and Peele, which he did with Jordan Peele. Key has also been in a couple of other television series, including the comedy series Playing House and the Netflix original series, Friends from College.

Keegan-Michael Key has also been in several films – almost too many to put down here. Some of his highlights are portraying Sammy in Pitch Perfect 2, voicing Murray the Mummy in the Hotel Transylvania series, playing Clarence in Keanu alongside Jordan Peele, voicing Ducky in Toy Story 4, playing Jerry Jones in Dolemite Is My Name, Gustafson in Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey, and Tom Hawkins in the Netflix musical, The Prom. Now that’s an actor with plenty of range.

Alan Cumming (Mayor Aloysius Menlove)

Portraying Mayor Aloysius Menlove in Schmigadoon!, Alan Cumming has been in the film and TV industry for a long time. However, another part of the entertainment world he has been a part of is theater, where he has performed in many productions, including Hamlet, The Accidental Death of an Anarchist, and Cabaret, for which he won a Tony Award.

Even so, Alan Cumming has been in plenty of television shows and films as well. For television, one of his bigger roles that you might have seen him in was The Good Wife, where he played Eli Gold. For film, some of his more popular roles were portraying Gutsy Smurf in The Smurfs film series, and performing in Battle of the Sexes, Goldeneye, and Son of the Mask. He’s definitely shown off some amazing talents over his years of acting, so it’s great to have him in Schmigadoon!.

Fred Armisen (Reverend Howard Layton)

In Schmigadoon!, Fred Armisen portrays Reverend Howard Layton, adding to the long list of many films and TV shows this famous actor/comedian has been in. Fred Armisen really came into the public eye when he signed on to become a cast member of Saturday Night Live, a role he would hold for several years, from 2002-2013.

However, after his time on SNL, Armisen went on to do many more projects, especially in comedy. He co-starred in the IFC sketch comedy, Portlandia, and the mockumentary IFC series, Documentary Now! with Bill Hader and Seth Meyers, two other SNL legends. Currently, he’s in the Showtime series, Moonbase 8, and has a recurring role on the Netflix animated comedy, Big Mouth. Fred Armisen has also done many film roles, with some of his big hits being Easy A, Anchorman, Battle of the Sexes, and plenty more.

Fred Armisen is also known for having some hilarious guest and recurring spots on famous sitcoms, such as Brooklyn Nine-Nine, 30 Rock, Parks and Recreation, and so many others. He’s really been all over the place – it wouldn’t be a surprise if you’ve seen him elsewhere prior to Schmigadoon!.

Kristin Chenoweth (Margaret/Mildred Layton)

As Margert/Mildred Layton in Schmigadoon!, Kristin Chenoweth is the perfect fit for the musical role. Prior to her success in the film/TV realm, Kristin Chenoweth was (and still is) a very popular Broadway performer, with two major hits behind her – playing Sally in You’re A Good Man, Charlie Brown, and Glinda in Wicked, the first of which she won a Tony Award for.

However, Kristin Chenoweth has done a lot in TV and film, as well. She had a recurring guest role on the popular Fox show, Glee, and the classic children’s show, Sesame Street. Chenoweth also had a recurring (later main) role on The West Wing as Annabeth Schott, showing off her drama skills as well. Recently, Chenoweth has portrayed Maleficent in the Disney Channel film series, Descendants, and had a role in the Netflix Christmas film, Holidate.

It’s great to have her on a show like Schmigadoon! where we get to hear her singing talents once again.

Aaron Tevit (Danny Bailey)

Portraying Danny Bailey, Aaron Tevit is a great choice for a show like Schmigadoon!, because he has been many musicals prior to this. For example, he was in Next to Normal, originating the role of Gabe, and as Frank Abagnale Jr. in the musical version of Catch Me If You Can, as well as playing Christian in the stage version of Moulin Rouge!, which he received a Tony nomination for.

Tevit has also taken his talents to film and TV before, portraying Enjolras in the 2013 film, Les Miserables, and Danny Zuko in Grease: Live. Other than musical talents, Tevit has also had a recurring role on the popular CW show, Gossip Girl, portrayed Mike Warren on Graceland, and Gareth Ritter on BrainDead. Tevit is also going to be in the upcoming American Horror Stories series on Hulu.

Dove Cameron (Betsey McDonough)

Dove Cameron, who portrays Betsey McDonough in Schmigadoon!, has a lot of TV credits. From a young age, she started with a dual role in Liv and Maddie, the popular Disney Channel series that won her a Daytime Emmy Award. While working at Disney, she also starred as Mal in the Descendants series, as the daughter of Maleficent (Kristin Chenoweth).

Cameron has also had a recurring role on the Marvel show, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., and is going to be in the upcoming CW show, Powerpuff, a live-action version of The Powerpuff Girls, playing Bubbles.

In terms of film, Cameron hasn’t done as much as some of her co-stars, with one of her major roles being in the Netflix film, Dumplin’. However, after her role in Schmigadoon!, we might get to see her in more films soon. Her musical talents are second to none.

Ariana DeBose (Emma Tate)

In Schmigadoon!, you’ve already seen we have plenty of musical talent, and Ariana DeBose only adds onto that list, playing Emma Tate. Ariana DeBose has done a lot in theater, including her role as The Bullet in Hamilton: An American Musical, and main roles in both A Bronx Tale and Summer: The Donna Summer Musical.

In terms of film/TV, Ariana DeBose hasn’t done much yet, with her only major role recently being in The Prom on Netflix, starring as Alyssa Greene, but you better watch out for her. In 2021, she’s going to be portraying Anita in the Steven Spielberg remake of West Side Story, so you’ll for sure see this talented actress popping up on your newsfeed after Schmigadoon!.

Jaime Camil (Doc Lopez)

Portraying Doc Lopez in Schmigadoon!, Jaime Camil has been all over the place – namely on Spanish language TV. While he’s done Spanish dubs for Open Season and Bee Movie, he’s also had voice roles in films such as Coco, The Secret Life of Pets, and Hotel Transylvania 3.

If you’re thinking you’ve seen him in American television, he did have a main role in the popular series, Jane the Virgin, where he played Rogelio de la Vega, and in Legend of the Three Caballeros.

However, Jaime Camil is more known for his roles in telenovelas – and he’s been in several. His big one was portraying Fernando Mendiola in La Fea Mas Bella, where he played the role for 300 episodes, but he’s been in many others, including Mujer De Madera, Los Exitosos Perez, Por Ella Soy Eva, and so many others.

Ann Harada (Florence Menlove)

In Schmigadoon!, Ann Harada portrays Florence Menlove. Prior to her appearance on the show, she was in the off-Broadway show, Avenue Q, originating the role of Christmas Eve. She also had roles in Broadway productions of Les Miserables, 9 to 5, Cinderella, along with several others.

However, Schmigadoon! is actually her first major role in film/TV, and it’s a welcome entry into the entertainment world for this talented singer.

Also in Schmigadoon, Jane Krakowski and Martin Short both guest-starred, as the Countess Gabriele Von Bierkom and the Leprechaun, respectively, adding onto the already long list of stars.

Jeez, with a talented cast like that, Schmigadoon! seems sure to succeed – maybe even become one of the best Apple TV+ shows that the streaming site has to offer. I can already feel myself singing along with the songs. Next thing you know, I’m going to be in a musical, too.

What do Saturday Night Live alum Maya Rudolph, Eastbound and Down’s Danny McBride, and Broad City co-creator Abbi Jacobson have in common. If you guessed that they are all some of the most unique comedic voices of our time, you wouldn’t be wrong, but it’s not what we’re going for here. The correct answer is they all headline Netflix’s The Mitchells vs. the Machines cast alongside Mike Rianda, who makes his directorial debut in the new Phil Lord and Christopher Miller-produced animated film.

In the new Netflix movie, which was produced by Sony Pictures Animation, the Mitchells set off for what appears to be a normal cross-country family road trip before they find themselves being humanity’s last hope after a rogue artificial intelligence (voiced by Olivia Colman) captures every other living soul in a tech uprising. But outside of the family at the center of the story, The Mitchells vs. the Machines features a remarkable voice cast featuring comedians, singers, basketball players, and even a pug with a bigger social media presence than most celebrities.

Abbi Jacobson - Katie Mitchell

At the center of The Mitchells vs. the Machines is Katie Mitchell, an aspiring filmmaker whose decision to go to the film school in California leads to the family taking the fateful road trip. If Jacobson’s voice sounds familiar it probably has something to do with her successful Comedy Central series Broad City, which she co-created with co-star Ilana Glazer, first as a 2010 webseries and then again on cable from 2014 to 2019. The new animated film isn’t the first time Jacobson has worked with Netflix (she voices Princess Bean on Disenchantment) nor is it her first experience with Lord Miller Productions (she’s Nya in The Lego Ninjago Movie).

Danny McBride - Rick Mitchell

Providing the voice of Mitchell family patriarch who’s prone to clash with his teenage daughter Rick Mitchell is Danny McBride. Prior to landing a role in The Mitchells vs. the Machines, McBride made a name for himself in movies like Pineapple Express, The Foot Fist Way, and Hot Rod, but to some, the multi-talented actor/writer/director/producer will always be known for one role and one role only: Kenny Powers on Eastbound & Down. Danny McBride, who co-created the popular HBO series back in 2009, has since gone on to lead some of the network’s other comedies like Vice Principals and The Righteous Gemstones.

Maya Rudolph - Linda Mitchell

Linda Mitchell, the loving and supportive movie that serves as the glue that keeps the family together in The Mitchells vs. the Machines is voiced by Saturday Night Live alum Maya Rudolph. Prior to her voice work in the new Netflix movie, Rudolph brought characters to life in titles such as Shrek the Third, Big Hero 6, and the upcoming Luca. In addition to her voice acting, Rudolph has been a part of some of the biggest comedies of the modern era, including Bridesmaids, Booksmart, and the 2013 coming-of-age story The Way, Way Back.

Mike Rianda - Aaron Mitchell

Rounding out the Mitchell family portion of The Mitchells vs. the Machines’ cast is writer-director Mike Rianda who voices Aaron, the dinosaur-obsessed son of Linda and Rick. Primarily known as a writer, creative director, and occasional voice actor on the Disney Channel original animated series Gravity Falls, Rianda has also provided the voice of characters in the animated short Princess of the Magical Tears and a 2014 Gravity Falls short.

Eric Andre - Dr. Mark Bowman

Eric Andre brings to life Dr. Mark Bowman, the scientist and tech genius behind PAL Labs who inadvertently causes the machine uprising in The Mitchells vs. the Machines. While his voice may sound familiar to certain audiences following his portrayal of Azizi in the 2019 remake of The Lion King, to others Andre is remembered for his unique brand of absurdist and surrealist comedy as seen on his long-running Adult Swim series The Eric Andre Show and his 2021 prank comedy film (also on Netflix) Bad Trip.

Olivia Colman - PAL

Another member of The Mitchells vs. the Machines’ voice cast with a history at Netflix is Olivia Colman. Before lending her voice to PAL, the emotionally damaged artificial intelligence with a bone to pick with humanity, Colman won a Golden Globe for her portrayal of Queen Elizabeth II on The Crown, which is just one of the awards the talented actress has won over the years. Other notable awards include an Oscar for her performance in The Favourite and multiple others for her work on The Night Manager, Hyde Park on Hudson, and The Lobster.

Fred Armisen - Deborahbot 5000

Not all of the PAL robots are bad in The Mitchells vs. the Machines and that’s where Fred Armisen’s Deborahbot 5000 comes in and helps out the family in their quest the save humanity. In addition to appearing on Saturday Night Live from 2002 to 2013, Armisen has led a number of television shows over the years with the most notable being Portlandia and Documentary Now. Over the years, Armisen has also appeared in multiple movies including Easy A, The Little Hours, and Battle of the Sexes to name only a few.

Beck Bennett - Eric

Another longtime Saturday Night Live standout to appear in The Mitchells vs. the Machines is Beck Bennett, who provides the voice of the other damaged PAL robot, Eric. Prior to landing a spot on the SNL cast in 2013, Bennett had his first brush with fame after appearing in the hilarious “It’s Not Complicated” AT&T commercials where he interviewed children about a number of topics including cell phone services. On the film side of things, Bennett has shown up in dark comedies like Brigsby Bear and family-friendly animated musicals like Sing.

Conan O’Brien - Glaxxon 5000

Voicing the advanced PAL Labs robot Glaxxon 5000 in The Mitchells vs. the Machines is Conan O’Brien. In addition to hosting multiple late night talk shows including a brief and controversial run on The Tonight Show between 2009 and 2010, O’Brien has appeared in countless television shows, mostly in cameo roles as himself, though he did voice The Riddler in the Lord Miller-produced 2017 animated film The Lego Batman Movie. Before that, O’Brien served as a writer on both Saturday Night Live and The Simpsons before taking over for David Letterman on Late Night from 1993 to 2009.

Charlyne Yi - Abby Posey

Charlyne Yi provides the voice of Abby Posey in The Mitchells vs. the Machines. Prior to portraying Aaron Mitchell’s neighbor and love interest in the Netflix animated film, Yi popped up in a number of comedies over the years starting with 2007’s Knocked Up (and its sequel This Is 40) before joining the casts of The Disaster Artist and Always Be My Maybe. No stranger to animation, Yi lent her voice to characters on shows like Steven Universe and Summer Camp Island.

Chrissy Teigen - Hailey Posey

Chrissy Teigen voices Hailey Posey, the Mitchells’ fearless neighbor who appears to be perfect in every possible way. Over the years, Teigan has become one of the most popular and influential celebrities with appearances on a string of successful television shows starting with the first season of Deal or No Deal back in 2007. She’s gone on to host shows like FABLife and Lip Sync Battle.

John Legend - Jim Posey

Playing Hailey Posey’s husband, Jim, in The Mitchells vs. the Machines is Chrissy Teigen’s real-life husband John Legend. An EGOT winner, Legend has appeared in countless movies and television shows over the years, giving outstanding performances in titles like La La Land and Ask the StoryBots.

Blake Griffin - PAL MAX Prime

Blake Griffin, the 2011 NBA Rookie of the Year and six-time NBA All-Star provides the voice of the ultra-sleek PAL MAX Prime robot in The Mitchells vs. the Machines. It doesn’t get brought up all that often but Griffin’s acting career goes back farther than his days in the NBA, having appeared in two episodes of the ABC Family drama series Greek back in 2008. Throughout his professional career, Griffin has jumped over to the acting world on several occasions, showing up on episodes of 90210, The Book Club, and a few shows, as well as Whitney Cummings’ 2017 comedy The Female Brain.

Doug The Pug - Monchi

And then there is Monchi, the Mitchell family dog in The Mitchells vs. the Machines, who is “voiced” by the internet sensation that is Doug the Pug. Although this is social media pup’s first movie role, he’s been a hit for a few years now, providing parodies of shows like Stranger Things, Toy Story, and even Spider-Man. According to People.com, Doug the Pug provides every snore, bark, and other bodily noise for his on-screen counterpart in the new Netflix animated film.

This may seem like a large cast, but this isn’t every actor who appears in The Mitchells vs. the Machines. In addition to all of the aforementioned names, Sasheer Zamata, Elle Mills, Alex Hirsch, Griffin McElroy, and Jay Pharoah also appear in what looks to be one of the best 2021 Netflix movies thus far. And in the event you want to know what’s coming to theaters later this year, check out CinemaBlend’s list of 2021 movie premiere dates while you’re at it.

So, here’s the thing. I’m not sure we fully appreciated the star-power of New Girl while the FOX series was on the air from 2011 to 2018. Sure, we’ll never forget Zooey Deschanel’s Jess going full-on quirky girl or Jake Johnson’s Nick Miller being the lovable doof he was, Max Greenfield’s Schmidt with his lotus pear conditioner or Lamorne Morris’ Winston and his misadventures with Ferguson. But, what also makes a sitcom as good as it was the New Girl guest stars who often managed to be super memorable and added a ton of laughs to the series. I’m talking about Taylor Swift, Prince, Dylan O’Brien and Jamie Lee Curtis.

Following my recent rewatch of the series and a few years removed from its series finale, I figured its time to rank the best guest appearances during New Girl’s seven season run. But first, I want to get a notable honorable mention out of the way:

New Girl's Guest Of Honor: Megan Fox

Megan Fox had a 15-episode guest arc while Zooey Deschanel’s Jess was on jury duty and the actress took maternity leave on the show. Although it didn’t seem fair to rank her with the others because she had significantly more screen time, I wanted to highlight Fox’s part in the series. Writing your star out of their series for a while is supposed to be a disaster, but it wasn’t thanks to the Transformers star. Fox’s Reagan brought a completely different flavor to the series, as a closed-off and suave temporary roommate to the New Girl cast. In the process, the actress showed off her comedic chops in a new way and provided a really interesting arc to the series. New Girl took a big swing and it paid off here. Anyway, on to the ranking!

11. Dylan O’Brien - Virgins - Season 2

Remember the time when the loft recalled how they lost their virginities? In the Season 2 episode, each of the roommates told their own stories of their first times and as it turns out Jess’ story involved The Maze Runner’s Dylan O’Brien. The actor struts into the show with style after an ill-fated prom night for Jess. He only strums a song for her on the guitar, but as the story goes, years later they meet each other at a bar and the results are absolute chaos. 

Dylan O’Brien’s guest spot is incredible because we expect him to be the rom-com heartthrob of Jess’ past, but nope… we were played in the best way.

10. Taran Killam - What About Fred - Season 5

One of the funniest aspects of New Girl continues to be its dating stories, and one Season 5 treat gave us Taran Killam’s Fred. In the episode, Jess is going out with the SNL alum’s character, who plays a hilariously boring oddball that feels like someone we’ve all met somewhere. What happens is she ends up sticking around with him because she loves hanging out with his parents more than him (played by Julie Hagerty and Henry Winkler). Killam is having fun playing around with his boring boyfriend bit and it really shows. Not to mention that amazing break dance moment with Winston.

9. Linda Cardellini - Sister - Season 3

Megan Fox wasn’t the only “anti-Jess” to shake up the FOX show throughout New Girl. In Season 3, Linda Cardellini’s character of Jess’ rebel sister was introduced into the show. You really can’t help but laugh and cringe at the wacky storyline Cardellini's character goes through as she uses her and her roommates, most memorably by dating Schmidt just so she can have a place to stay. It’s just about the worst match ever when Abby Day gets with Greenfield’s character, but it’s fun to watch play out.

8. Jessica Biel - The Last Wedding - Season 4

We really don’t get to see Jessica Biel in enough comedy roles these days, but in Season 4 of New Girl, she did a hilarious guest spot as the other woman in the way of Jess going home with the best eligible bachelor of the wedding she and the loft is attending. Throughout the episode, Jess and Biel’s character Kat end up following a man around (played by Ben Feldman) to crazed levels. Biel has solid chemistry with Zooey Deschanel in the episode and her character swept us off our feet in the matter of 20 minutes.

7. Adam Brody - Exes - Season 3

The OC and Shazam! actor Adam Brody also joined New Girl as a guest star to play another one of Jess’ former lovers in a Season 3 episode that tackles the question of whether one can be friends with exes. In the episode, Jess attempts to convince Nick that he can remain friends with his ex Caroline (played by Mary Elizabeth Ellis), but in the process she learns that she has been leading on Adam Brody’s Berkley for years. Adam Brody plays an adorable new dad who seems harmless, but then really mixes things up in a sharply funny way.

6. Fred Armisen - No Girl - Season 5

Another gem that came out of the time New Girl was without Zooey Deschanel is when SNL funny man Fred Armisen played one of their strange live-in roommates early on. Armisen played a reserved and mysterious housemate that kind of just hangs around the house with nothing to say until the very end when he does a 180 and shows up dressed as Jess Day, and even acts like her. It’s an odd anomaly since he hadn’t met Jess during his stay, but that’s kind of why it’s so hilarious and a great guest appearance.

5. Taylor Swift - Elaine’s Big Day - Season 2

A truly great celebrity guest appearance is a surprise one, and that’s what happens in the Season 2 finale of New Girl with Taylor Swift. The pop singer’s role in the series might actually have the shortest screen time on this list, but it’s undeniably memorable, and for that it finds a place in the top five! During the memorable finale that has Cece getting her arranged marriage to Shivrang amidst protest and pranks from Schmidt and Winston, along with some developments in Jess and Nick’s relationship. As the wedding episode reaches its finale, Taylor Swift pops out to pronounce her love for Shivrang. It’s a weird and funny twist for the episode and the perfect insert of someone as iconic as the singer.

4. Jamie Lee Curtis And Rob Reiner - Parents - Season 2

A genius bit of casting in New Girl was the decision to make Jamie Lee Curtis and Rob Reiner Jess’ parents in the series. The pair made a few recurring appearances to the Fox series after their introduction in Season 2, but every single time they were an absolute delight. They play a divorced couple who are convincingly Jess’ mom and dad and it’s so much fun to see the pair play off each other and the cast. They truly struck gold with these two and New Girl is better for their additions to the series.

3. Josh Gad - Katie - Season 2

New Girl also gave us Josh Gad more unhinged than ever with his role as Bearclaw in Season 2. In the episode “Katie”, the actor uses his unique brand of humor to play a man she meets at a bar on the same episode she meets David Walton’s Sam Sweeney (her famed doctor boyfriend). In the episode, she blows off Bearclaw to go out with Sam, and things get super awkward. Gad returns in two more episodes to deliver his best moment, a woodland animal musical. Bearclaw makes excellent use of the Frozen actor and has some of the most laugh-out-loud moments in the show.

2. Justin Long - Bad In Bed - Season 1

As we soon approach the end and top of the New Girl guest star ranking, we’ve come to the last of Jess’s ex boyfriends. I guess that makes my favorite guest boyfriend in the series Justin Long’s Paul Genzlinger, who is basically the male version of Jessica Day. The couple meet in the first season of New Girl at school and then briefly date. Long has a few episodes on the show, but every time his dynamic with the cast is absolutely perfect. He plays a bit of a golden retriever boyfriend and plays off the awkwardness of Jess in a really fun way. A moment of silence for that cringe-y sex scene where Jess tries to mix it up in bed with roleplaying… nope, can’t do it, still hilarious as ever.

1. Prince - Prince - Season 3

Was it ever going to be anyone else but the late Prince? The Season 3 guest spot might be the most iconic moment in the series ever, and there are so many reasons why. The singer was apparently a big fan of the sitcom, and therefore allowed the cast to grace his presence for an episode about the loft gang getting into an exclusive party hosted by Prince. The episode comes at a pivotal moment in the series where things are heating up between Jess and Nick, and Zooey Deschanel’s character is gearing up to say those three special words to him. The Prince episode is majestic, fun and showcases everything that’s wonderful about New Girl.

All seven seasons of New Girl is currently available to stream on Netflix. Which notable guest star on the series was your favorite? Vote in the poll below. That's my queue to backwards moonwalk out of here!

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There are few Saturday Night Live recurring sketches I have enjoyed more than Kenan Thompson’s What Up With That? The talk show/ musical/ explosion of weirdness has only been done 11 times since it debuted to positive responses back in 2009. Each time, it’s a welcome surprise, and last night was no exception. SNL gave us a special quarantine edition, and it featured all of the classics including Jason Sudeikis in the jump suit, Fred Armisen playing the saxophone, SNL favorite Charles Barkley getting irritated and DJ Khaled looking like he’s been in quarantine for 10 years.

Since Saturday Night Live returned for special quarantine episodes, you can see the cast members wrestling with how to be funny with the new constraints. They’re not in the same location. They don’t have access to the same sets or levels or production value. In a weird way, though, What Up With That? is such a bizarre almost stream-of-consciousness type production that I think it might benefit from the Zoom aspect. Check out what I mean…

There is a lot of great work from the supporting players here, but as always, What Up With That? stops and starts with Kenan Thompson’s individual greatness. It is outrageous that not even understands how good he is at sketch comedy. He consistently elevates other people’s sketches with his reaction faces and his willingness to set other players up, and when he gets the random sketch where he’s asked to do heavy lifting, he’s always up to the challenge. I’m not saying he’s the greatest SNL cast member ever, but if you’re doing a top 25 list and Kenan isn’t on there, you should throw it out and start over. If you don’t believe me, just ask other SNL cast members.

I also need to give a quick shoutout to Jason Sudeikis here. He started trending on Twitter almost immediately after this sketch aired. Watching him dance without any self-awareness in that stupid track suit will never get old. Like Kenan, he just commits so hard (no matter what he's doing). It’s wonderful to watch. And obviously, additional shoutouts to Fred Armisen and Bill Hader, the latter of whom kinda sort makes an appearance as the perpetually passed over Lindsey Buckingham from Fleetwood Mac.

In addition, yesterday’s Saturday Night Live featured appearances by Brad Pitt, Adam Sandler and many more. If response on Twitter was any indication, most of it went over very well. It’s great to see Saturday Night Live finding a way to stay relevant, even as other shows have stopped production. We need a comedic voice commenting on what’s happening right now as much of the world flies around in a holding pattern.

Here’s to hoping Saturday Night Live keeps surprising us with the occasional What Up With That? every year or two for the next decade. I can guarantee I’ll be excited every time.

With The LEGO Movie and The LEGO Batman Movie, the LEGO franchise has managed to win over a healthy fanbase. These films have maintained their quality (which is not a guarantee in the world of sequels) and fostered quite a bit of enthusiasm inside the movie industry, as well as outside of it. In fact, I recently spoke to Fred Armisen about the process of signing on for The LEGO Ninjago Movie during a press junket at LEGOLAND California, and he admitted that he wanted to work in this universe as soon as he saw the first film. Armisen elaborated:

What Fred Armisen describes in that statement pretty much encapsulates what the LEGO franchise has managed to get right so far. These films tend to be accessible for adults as much as they are for kids, and the earnestness of the material from the first film immediately drew him in. The fact that almost every other performer in the movie is a colleague of his is just icing on the cake. It also definitely shows where Armisen's head was at when the offer came in; while it took the presence of a cat to get Dave Franco on-board, Armisen likely would've jumped at any chance to work on a LEGO film.

Of course, despite Fred Armisen's enthusiasm for working on The LEGO Ninjago Movie, he has no misconception about his role in the story. Dave Franco's Lloyd Garmadon is the star of the show, but Armisen seems content to settle in as one of the other main ninjas in the movie. Elsewhere in our interview, he even explained that he thinks he thrives in his performance as Cole because of the film's economical use of his character. By his own admission, he doesn't consider himself a strong monologue performer, so much of the strength of his performance lies in the sparing use of his character and the emphasis on awkward pauses.

In fact, by taking a more restrained approach to how Cole is portrayed in the movie, Fred Armisen even admitted to me that it allows his non-verbal comedy talents (such as his thousand-yard stares seen on Portlandia) shine through even more than if he had a leading role in the ensemble.

With that said, Fred Armisen only represents one piece of a much larger LEGO design here. In addition to the Saturday Night Live alumni, The LEGO Ninjago Movie has also enlisted the diverse acting chops of Dave Franco, Zach Woods, Abbi Jacobson, Jackie Chan, Justin Theroux, Michael Pena, Kumail Nanjiani and Olivia Munn. It's a strong ensemble of comedic performers from top to bottom, and it looks like the LEGO franchise hasn't forgotten that sound basis of well-developed jokes in its third installment.

The LEGO Ninjago Movie is now playing in theaters. Looking ahead, take a look at CinemaBlend's 2017 movie premiere guide and our comprehensive 2018 movie premiere guide for more information on everything debuting on the silver screen over the next year!

Saturday Night Live has produced plenty of running gags over the years that bring the laughs week in and week out. One of the most bizarrely entertaining was the Californians soap opera parody. The Californians sketches regularly featured Bill Hader, Fred Armisen, and Kristen Wiig decked out in blond wigs dropping melodramatic L.A. references in Valleyspeak accents. Bill Hader stopped by Late Night with Seth Meyers to reveal just what went on behind the scenes to create the premise. Hader had this to say as he spilled the details of the Californians origin starting up while he and Armisen would wait for table reads to begin:

As it turns out, fans everywhere have Lorne Michaels' tardiness to thank for what became The Californians. If the SNL head honcho hadn't been habitually late for episode table reads, we might never have gotten the weirdly hilarious soap opera sketches. Fred Armisen's leap from Valleyspeak traffic chatter to a fake soap is one that not many comedians might have made, but it definitely worked.

The ongoing love triangle of Fred Armisen's Stuart, Kristen Wiig's unfaithful Karina, and Bill Hader's forbidden love interest Devon was off-the-walls enough that even those of us who didn't get the barrage of L.A. references could still find reason to laugh. Honestly, I snickered a little bit whenever Vanessa Bayer wandered into the room as the only frequent flyer brunette on the fake show. Check out a clip of one of the best Californians "episodes" for a refresher:

Oh, the joys of forbidden love in Valleyspeak. What would SNL have been without it during Bill Hader's time on the show with Fred Armisen and Kristen Wiig? The sketches aren't necessarily for anybody, but the crew who put the premise together definitely deserve credit for creativity. At the very least, the bits were fun to watch for the bloopers as somebody inevitably cracked up on screen.

To hear the rest of what Bill Hader had to say about his time on SNL and the origin of The Californians, check out the full video of the story on Late Night with Seth Meyers.

The Californians may be a thing of the past now that the key players have moved on, but there are still plenty of gags worth catching on SNL. The show returns to NBC for Season 42 on Saturday, October 1 at 11:30 p.m. ET. Check out our fall TV schedule to see when your other favorite shows premiere in the near future.

Earlier today when an extended TV spot for Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows dropped we got our first really good look at the villain Krang, a fan favorite nemesis of the titular amphibian martial artists. He’ll make his big screen debut later this year, and when he does, we just learned who will provide the voice, and it’s not who you might expect. Comedian and Saturday Night Live alum Fred Armisen will handle the vocal duties for the antagonist from Dimension X.

This news was just announced at Wonder Con, which is going on right now at the Los Angeles Convention Center. While it may seem late in the game to cast a major player in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows, since this is just a voice role—the CGI or motion capture has probably largely been accomplished—Fred Armisen should have plenty of time to record the dialogue. Voice actors were similarly brought on late in the game for Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles in 2014.

While it may seem kind of strange initially for Fred Armisen to play a character who is a warlord from another dimension, Krang’s voice have never been all that menacing. Sure, he uses a large, powerful, if a but unwieldy, mechanical body to move around—appearance wise, he’s always resembled something along the lines of a brain in a jar—but his voice, provided by a number of actors over the years, has always been a bit shrill and strange. We’re not talking a deep, booming, menacing set of vocal chords here, and the Portlandia star should be able to give the character a memorable voice in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows.

Krang first appeared on the animated Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles in 1987, in the episode "Enter the Shredder." He was banished from Dimension X and showed up on Earth, and over the course of his time on TV and in the show, he’s pursued his modest goal of trying to rule over every dimension. I guess if you might as well go big if you’re going to go at all.

While we’re not sure how close Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows will stick to this origin story—they haven’t been shy about altering things—we’re curious to see what they do in this situation. With the shots of the sky opening up and what appear to be visitors from another dimension popping through (is that Krang’s Technodrome? That would be awesome), however, it does look like Krang and some others will originate in an alternate dimension.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows hits theaters this summer on June 3.

As one of television’s most established series, Saturday Night Live has been a massive breeding ground for the comedy world. And while a sizable number of actors only end up sticking around the show for a few years (or even just one season) before guiding their careers to other areas, some performers stick around longer than most TV series are even on the air.

Some of the most iconic former SNL actors can even say they were part of the cast for at least a decade. The following are the nine Studio 8H alumni who have earned that honor, so far.

10. Colin Jost (10 Years)

Years Active: 2014-Present

Even though his primary contribution to SNL on camera has been sitting behind a desk as Michael Che’s co-anchor, Colin Jost still counts as a cast member and one of the few who has made it to ten years on the show. In fact, the husband of two-time Academy Award nominee and Five-Timers Club member Scarlett Johansson holds the record as “Weekend Update's" longest-running host, having surpassed Seth Meyers in 2021. Jost’s time at Studio 8H is actually double what we have seen on camera, having first been brought on as a writer in 2005 and later serving as a co-head writer from 2012 to 2015 and again from 2017 to 2021.

9. Tim Meadows – 10 Years

Years Active: 1991-2000

A Second City vet who worked alongside Chris Farley, Tim Meadows joined the cast and writing staff in Season 16 and, when he left the show in 2000, he was the most established repertory performer at the time. He was responsible for hilarious and/or frightening impressions of such celebs as Michael Jackson, Oprah Winfrey, and Sammy Davis Jr. – the latter of which he also played in Wayne’s World 2. In fact, the Mean Girls cast member’s film career started out with just SNL movies, and he topped that off with the big screen debut of his popular hornball Leon “The Ladies Man” Phelps in 2000, which coincided with him leaving the show.

8. Aidy Bryant (10 Years)

Years Active: 2012-2022

After a decade on SNL, Aidy Bryant exited (a little later than she initially intended, due to Covid) alongside fellow heavy-hitters from one of the strongest ensembles in the show’s history – Kate McKinnon, Pete Davidson, and Kyle Mooney – in 2022. Some of the actor’s most notable highlights include playing Sen. Ted Cruz, a bit in which she is the object of host Oscar Isaac’s desires called “The Sexual Woman,” and the current most popular SNL sketch on YouTube: “Porn Teacher.” Outside of Studio 8H, Bryant earned an Emmy nomination leading her Hulu original series, Shrill, and lent her voice to Netflix’s Human Resources cast, more recently.

7. Fred Armisen – 11 Years

Years Active: 2002-2013

Though his early career saw him in the music field, Fred Armisen joined the Saturday Night Live cast in 2002, becoming a repertory player in 2004. During his long tenure, he succeeded in churning out dozens and dozens of hilarious impressions – including  Barack Obama, Prince, and Steve Jobs – and gut-busting original characters like Stuart from “The Californians,” which he helped create. To be expected, several of Armisen’s other recurring characters are music-related, such as his Sid Vicious spoof Ian Rubbish and Garth of Garth & Kat. The Wednesday cast member is also one-half of the sketch series Portlandia, in which much of his SNL-honed talents are showcased.

6. Kate McKinnon (11 Years)

Years Active: 2012-2022

Many of the funniest SNL sketches in recent memory could also be categorized as the best sketches starring Kate McKinnon – such as “Close Encounter,” in which her otherwise harrowing alien abduction story had host Ryan Gosling in stitches. The comedian essentially snuck onto the show very late into the 37th Season as Paul Brittain’s replacement, but by 2013, her one-of-a-kind sense of humor, flawless impersonation skills, and hilarious characters earned her repertory status and, in 2015, an Emmy for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series. Even before leaving in 2022, McKinnon launched a successful movie career that included joining the Barbie cast, most recently.

5. Cecily Strong (11 Years)

Years Active: 2012-2022

The longest-running female cast member in SNL history is Cecily Strong, whose twice-Emmy nominated tenure ended with a duet of “Blue Christmas” with host and Elvis star Austin Butler. Many of her most famous characters – such as “The Girl You Wish You Hadn't Started A Conversation With At A Party” – could be found behind the desk during “Weekend Update,” which she also co-hosted with Colin Jost for a season. Her accomplishments outside Studio 8H so far include leading Apple TV+’s Schmigadoon cast alongside Keegan-Michael Key and starring in the upcoming Garfiled movie. 

4. Al Franken – 12 Years

Years Active: 1977-1980, 1985-1986, 1987-1995

One of the funniest political writers out there, Al Franken is the one performer on this list whose writing gig overshadowed his acting, since he never made it to the repertory player stage. However, he’s also the only one whose career years weren’t completely contiguous, having joined the staff as a writer for Season 1 (alongside comedy partner Tom Davis) and, later, as a featured player in 1977. He left the show when executive producer Lorne Michaels did (temporarily) in 1980, and returned for the 1985-86 season before leaving and returning again from 1987-95. The former U.S. Senator’s most popular character was “Daily Affirmations” host Stuart Smalley, whom he reprised in the 1995 film, Stuart Saves His Family.

3. Seth Meyers – 13 Years

Years Active: 2001-2014

With an early comedy career in improv, Seth Meyers joined Saturday Night Live in 2001 and his writing contributions became as significant as his performances (most notably as a “Weekend Update” anchor), as he ended up becoming the show’s head writer in 2006 once Tina Fey left. With such impersonations as Anderson Cooper and Osama Bin Laden, Meyers seemed likely to become the cast member with the longest career, if not for his choice to follow SNL vet Jimmy Fallon as the host of NBC’s Late Night and, eventually, becoming one of the most respected late night hosts of his time.

2. Darrell Hammond – 14 Years

Years Active: 1995-2009

Roll out the red carpet for celebrity impersonator extraordinaire Darrell Hammond, who was on the show as a regular performer for 14 years, amassing a whopping 107 impressions (a record which was later beaten by Kenan Thompson). Joining the show in 1995, Hammond immediately made a name for himself with impressions of Bill Clinton, Al Gore and Sean Connery, along with George W. Bush, Donald Trump, and over 100 others coming over the years. Though he retired from the show after Season 34, Hammond couldn’t leave Saturday Night Live in his rear view completely, as he returned for guest spots several times and even rejoined the show officially in 2014 as a replacement announcer after the legendary Don Pardo died.

1. Kenan Thompson – 21 Years

Years Active: 2003 – Present

After establishing himself as a strong comedic talent when he was still a child while starring in All That, Kenan & Kel, and Good Burger, Kenan Thompson joined the SNL cast in 2003 and hasn’t looked back since, still getting excited for each new season without fail. It is hard to pick which is his single funniest sketch as there are so many classics to choose from, such as “Black Jeopardy!” or “What Up With That?” In 2022, the Emmy winner celebrated his 1500th sketch and, after more than 20 years, is still enjoying his astonishing record as the series' longest-running cast member – an honor he could very likely hold forever, especially if his prediction to end SNL after 50 seasons came true.

To this day, there are still people who believe no SNL star has surpassed the quality of the original Not-Ready-For-Primetime Players, who consisted of Dan Aykroyd, Jane Curtin, the late John Belushi, and other icons. Regardless, none of them can say they had a tenure surpassing five seasons, can they?

J.K. Simmons hosted Saturday Night Live for the first time last night, and for his opening monologue he did what every fan of his hoped for: reprised his terrifying Whiplash role. Watch as he rips apart drummer after drummer (played by SNL cast members) until a special guest star sets the harsh band conductor straight.

In order to prove that he is not nearly as mean and offensive as his conductor character, Fletcher, J.K. Simmons puts together an opening number with cast members, Kyle Mooney and Aidy Bryant. And while there was no chair throwing, or bleeding on the drum kit, Simmons was far from the ‘nice guy’ he claims.

Fletcher came out almost instantly, as Mooney struggled to keep tempo. Simmons used similar language as he does in the film Whiplash telling Mooney, "Kyle, that’s not my tempo." It is the exact same way he started to show his true colors in the film, when Miles Teller’s character gets his chance in the big leagues, and Fletcher goes from comforting to bringing the young man to slobbering tears. There was no crying per se, but there was a sense of fear lingering in the air as Simmons started to raise his voice.

But, within the mix of the intensity of Simmons reprisal of his character, there are some classic SNL one liners to lighten up the mood. The newcomer on the show, Pete Davidson, disappointed Simmons with his drumming attempt. He glares at Davidson that maybe he should practice as much as he smokes pot. To which Davidson responds:

Simmons brought down everyone. When Leslie Jones hit the stage (and the kit), Simmons didn’t let up. But Leslie Jones called the actor out, telling him to "pump your brakes, dude". And that was the line that introduced the special guest. The man that would finally put Simmons’ Fletcher persona to rest. The one and only Fred Armisen takes a seat in a familiar place.

In case you didn’t know this, Armisen actually is a drummer and been playing since the ‘80s, and he’s pretty darn good. So Simmons starts trying to put the former SNL cast member down by telling him to wipe his goofy smile off his face. But in Armisen's own adorable fashion he states:

Badass drum solo [drops mic].

While this wasn’t Simmons best skit of the night, it definitely was a fun watch. Not only because Fred Armisen completely mocks Simmons character, but also the fact that Simmons, nominated for an Oscar for this role, can also make fun of it in his own way, and finally sneak a smirk in there.

Anyone with Saturday Night Live on their resume undoubtedly has a strong talent for impersonations, since that’s seemingly 75% of the sketch material. And it’s no surprise that former cast members like to poke fun at each other using such talents. But sometimes, things get totally (faux) personal, as they did when Bill Hader recently showed off his best Fred Armisen on Conan. Here is Armisen’s hand-hanging response.

Armisen, who appeared on Conan with his Portlandia co-creator and co-star Carrie Brownstein, has been known to show off winning impressions of Barack Obama, Martin Scorsese, Steve Jobs and more. But his “Bill Hader” is pretty one-note, all things considered. He just made his voice nasal and laughed really big, which is technically Hader-ish in nature. But you’re getting comedy-centered revenge, Armisen! Bring out the big guns and muss up your hair while widening your eyes to the size of basketballs. This isn’t selling the bit for me.

In comparison, Hader is almost better at aping himself than he is imitating Armisen, as seen in the image below. It’s all about the eyes with this guy.

Now what really needs to happen is some network getting a reality series together that centers on Armisen and Hader’s professional lives, only with Armisen playing Hader and vice versa. You can’t tell me that show wouldn’t print money. And let’s have Brownstein playing the money-printer, while we’re at it.

Hader appeared on a Portlandia episode back in Season 3, and it’s a shame that it was his only time on the show. Speaking of the IFC sketch series, it recently came back for its Season 5 opener on January 8, with a bit of a change-up in its approach. Instead of just a string of random scenes involving its quirky characters, Armisen and Brownstein are deepening the focus here and giving them all one story to live and breathe in. Pretty sure Hader’s Birdman can find a home here.

Will Hader’s upcoming voice roles in The Good Dinosaur or Angry Birds have him telling someone that he can “pickle that?” We shall see, as we wait for this impersonation war to put forth its next battle.

Surfboard. Maya Rudolph stole the spotlight in Saturday Night Live's season finale cold open last night, reprising the role of Beyonce for the opening sketch. As one of numerous guest stars to pop up in the episode, Rudolph garnered the biggest laughs of the opening bit, as she randomly worked lyrics to classic Beyonce songs into her "official" statement about the well-publicized elevator incident between her sister and Jay-Z. This is actually the second time a recent Saturday Night Live sketch worked Beyonce into one of the funnier moments of the show. When Andrew Garfield hosted a couple of weeks back, he was hunted down for not loving Beyonce enough.

Andy Samberg returned to Saturday Night Live to host the finale last night, and though there were a few solid sketches, the episode fell short of some of the better installments this season. As Samberg pointed out himself in his opening monologue, though he had a very memorable run on SNL when he was among the stars of the sketch comedy series, he was more of a digital short guy and less a live-sketch contributor. But he was on hand to get overly affectionate with the Vogelchecks. The recurring sketch featured the return of Kristen Wiig, Fred Armisen, and a guest appearance by Paul Rudd.

The opening monologue featured a couple of guest appearances as well, with Bill Hader and (more randomly) Martin Short dropping in...

As for the mentioned digital shorts, we got to watch the world go nuts as the bass finally dropped in this one.

The Lonely Island's "Hugs" digital short featuring Pharrell Williams made it to air, but the same can not be said for this web exclusive digital short, "Testicules."

Watch the full Season 39 finale of Saturday Night Live below:

I’m not the world’s biggest Fred Armisen guy. During his heyday on Saturday Night Live, I could have rattled off seven or eight Not Ready For Primetime Players I preferred. There’s just something about the eccentricities of his characters that rub me the wrong way a decent percentage of the time. As such, I’m a prime candidate to hate Seth Meyers’ decision to cast his former co-star as the leader of the Late Night band, but actually, much to my surprise, there’s something about this position that feels oddly perfect. Let me explain why.

Unlike Jimmy Fallon, Meyers is not at his best when he’s dancing around and injecting energy into a comedic moment. He’s not at his best when he’s trying to play a character or do something the audience has never seen on television before. He’s a buttoned-up, straight-laced throwback comedian in the same mold as David Letterman or Jimmy Kimmel. He’s a conversationalist whose humor runs dry and whose arsenal of snarky comments never runs out. His tone is almost always sensible with a slight hint of condescension, which is why he always, always worked best on Weekend Update opposite characters that were borderline mental.

Think about how many wonderful moments Meyers had just reacting to Bill Hader’s immortal Stefon. Think about how great he was lecturing the duo of Garth and Kat every time they failed to write lyrics to their songs. He thrived off their energy. They gave him the momentum he sometimes has difficulty generating himself, and Armisen is absolutely, positively perfect for that job because he’s a chameleon who is never afraid to try weird shit. He always generates momentum.

Until a show actually premieres and we’re able to see the dynamic, it’s impossible to know exactly how a bandleader will be used. Letterman banters quite a bit with the far goofier Paul Shaffer. The contrasting dynamic is always good for a laugh during any moment the show might be sagging, and Paul has become an extremely popular personality in his own right. Kimmel uses his bandleader, Cleto, more as a traditional musician, but he gets the same goofy, over the top dynamic from his security guard Guillermo and other ABC workers who regularly appear in sketches to tone down the serious level. Fallon, conversely, uses the Roots quite a bit in various sketches, but he rarely uses them to up the energy level. Instead, he interacts with Questlove almost as the sensible, relaxed one. Why? Because he already has that goofiness himself.

I think Armisen is capable of delivering the goofy spirit Meyers will need to counterbalance his personality. I think, as a longtime Saturday Night Live scribe, the talk show host will inject his program with some goofy skits and strange characters. Meyers himself is not the man for that job. Armisen is, and as a skilled musician, he’ll have no problem carrying the actual music load.

Here’s to hoping everyone is just as smiley fifteen years from now as they are in this picture…

In anticipation of the upcoming, guest-star filled fourth season of Portlandia on IFC, comedic duo Carrie Brownstein and Fred Armisen — the show’s creators and stars — have teamed up with famed photographer Alex Prager for a series of bustling shots that perfectly encapsulate the series. In true Portland fashion, the intersection of absurd and art finds these two smack dab in the middle of it all. Gosh, could these two be any better? No, we think not.

In fact, we're so convinced that the images are a masterstroke, we've decided to make it our life’s work to sway you to our side. We're obsessed. OB-SESSED — as if we needed more reasons to be excited about the upcoming season of Portlandia. But you, dear reader, may not be of the same ilk. So we've decided to sway you the only way the Internet knows how: through the magical power of lists.

• It’s a Mash-Up that Makes Sense: Considering Portlandia’s love of the absurd and surreal, the photos play up the brilliant convergence of art and comedy that is inherent in the heightened environment of the series.
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• It Paints a Picture: Just like what Brownstein and Armisen accomplish on the series, these images take tiny details about the idiosyncratic place the show calls home and exaggerates them in order to accomplish the mutual goal of the series and Prager’s work: one that emphasizes the proximity and distance of this varied cross-section of life.
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• It Creates a World: As Armisen and Brownstein accomplish with words and video, Prager’s images aren't just snapshots, they're positively cinematic, with movement and energy that jumps out at you. Like the Portlandia duo, Prager doesn’t just capture a moment, she creates an entire, vibrant existence, something both simple and incredibly complex (not to mention challenging and impressive as hell).
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• They Elicited This Brilliant Insight from Armisen: "Right before I started SNL I always wanted to be Cindy Sherman. When I first started hearing about her and seeing her pictures I was like she is doing the best thing ever … I'll just say that Cindy Sherman is what I aspire to be."
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• It’s SO Portland: I mean, come on: weird and whimsy? The town practically invented the stuff.

The two images feature aspects that have become hallmarks for Prager’s work. In particular her most recent series, “A Face in The Crowd.” Because of that, the bustling cacophony of folks roaming around perfectly encapsulates the weird and wacky wonderfulness of the series’ home/true star, Portland. In fact, the whole thing reads eerily similar to the goals and accomplishments of Portlandia’s comedic work, as evidenced by the exhibit’s description.

See? SO Portlandia. The series’ upcoming 4th season premieres on IFC Thursday, February 27th at 10PM.

On Thursday, things began looking a bit grimmer for Saturday Night Live. After losing several cast members at the end of last season, cast members Taran Killam, Jay Pharoah, and Vanessa Bayer stepped up to fill in the gaps. Next season, the newbies might have to work to build an entirely new show, as reports are indicating Fred Armisen and Jason Sudeikis are leaving SNL, too.

If both Armisen and Sudeikis are leaving the late night sketch program, it means the tally is up to four veteran cast members leaving the show. Writer and “Weekend Update” host Seth Meyers is already set to leave the program in order to take over Jimmy Fallon’s late night slot. Luckily, however, the man plans to stick around in the fall to usher in a new “Update” host. On Tuesday, Bill Hader also announced he would be leaving the show after years of working the grueling pace the sketch comedy format demands.

The NY Post is reporting that Armisen and Sudeikis will reportedly jump ship at the end of Season 38, as well. If both men do decide to leave the series, it wouldn’t be a huge surprise. Sudeikis, after all, was waffling toward the end of last season, but was convinced to stick around, I’m guessing in part due to his excellent election coverage and portrayal of Mitt Romney. Armisen, too, has created the popular IFC series Portlandia and may want to leave the show for other creative projects; he has, after all, been a part of SNL since 2002.

As important as Armisen and Sudeikis are to the show, in recent years, both men have been cutting back their screen time in order to make room for the new players (and, hopefully, a lot more “Drunk Uncle” appearances). Most notably, Armisen has ceded his role as President Obama to Jay Pharoah, who joined the cast in 2010. With Hader and Meyers leaving, losing Armisen and Sudeikis will definitely be a loss, but hopefully the cast will be able to fill in and cover the gaps, much like they did last year. Hopefully, Kenan Thompson will stick around to leave at least one veteran name on the masthead.

Expectations will surely be high this Saturday night. Kristen Wiig departed Saturday Night Live last year, ending a long and successful run on the sketch comedy series to pursue her acting career outside the NBC series. While she has a slew of projects in the works, including an appearance in the upcoming revival of Arrested Development on Netflix, she's set to return to SNL this Saturday night to host an episode. As she mentions a few times in the promos above, Vampire Weekend will be the musical guest this week.

Will Gilly return? Will we see the return of The Lawrence Welk Show? Or The Californians? The sight of Wiig with Fred Armisen, and some of the more dramatic moments featured in the video above makes me think we might expect a Californians sketch. Personally, I'd prefer a revival of "The Two A-Holes. The sketches that featured Wiig and Jason Sudeikis playing two bored preppy people was always one of my favorites back during Wiig's tenure on the show. We haven't seen the Two A-holes in years though and for whatever the reason, The Californians keeps coming back, so it's probably more likely that the soapy parody will return, assuming we get at least a couple recurring sketches this week.

Wiig's episode of SNL airs this Saturday (May 11). Lined up for the week after, Ben Affleck will host the final episode of the series' 38th season, with Kanye West set to be the musical guest.

Most people might be unwilling to admit fault when it comes to their divorces, but Fred Armisen has no such issue. The longtime Saturday Night Live star appeared on Howard Stern a few days ago to talk about the downfall of his marriage to Mad Men actress Elisabeth Moss, and not only did he take the lion’s share of the blame, he described many of the reasons why she had to leave him.

Speaking to Stern, Armisen said he plows in very quickly at the beginning of relationships, frequently moving in and being very attentive before inevitably getting bored and intentionally pushing the other party away. Through video games, music or other women, he apparently makes it very clear where his priorities sit. Here’s how he summed up his own behavior, as per US Weekly…

Never one to accept a statement at face value, Stern pushed Armisen further and asked if he feels entitled to having other women, and the actor admitted that while he doesn’t like to say it out loud, the answer is probably yes. I can’t imagine any of this will make Fred seem more desirable to other women in the future, but maybe there’s a girl out there who can truly get him to change.

Here’s to hoping Armisen eventually finds whatever it is that’s missing and carves out some kind of long-term happiness. Either that or he stops pushing his partners away and learns to just suck it up.

Sony has started production on The Smurfs and they’ve announced two more actors hired to provide voices for the film’s smurfy, little blue characters. Star Trek’s Anton Yelchin is on board to play Clumsy Smurf and Fred Armisen is in to play Brainy Smurf. Already announced voices include Jonathan Winters as Papa Smurf, Katy Perry as Smurfette, George Lopez as Grouchy Smurf, and Alan Cumming as Gutsy Smurf.

It’s been at least two decades since I saw a Smurf episode, but I don’t remember a Smurf named Clumsy. At least his name is self-explanatory. Brainy Smurf, however, was one of the core Smurfs in the cartoon. His name might suggest that he’s a genius, but most of the time Brainy came off as a self-important know-it-all rather than a genuine genius. Armisen should be able to pull that off.

So what’s the movie about? Here’s the first Smurfs plot synopsis:

This confirms what many had suspected, that the live-action, CGI hybrid film won’t take place in the Smurf village and they’ll probably end up living in some little kid’s bedroom or something. Smurfs in the real world… is that a good idea? We’ll find out when The Smurfs hits theaters August 3, 2011.