Cecily Strong To Co-Anchor "SNL's" Weeked Update, Lorne Michaels Talks More Changes

[JamesG]

New Course for "Weekend Update," and All of "SNL"
by Bill Carter
9/15/13


With his cast depleted of some of its most talented and most loved performers of recent vintage, Lorne Michaels had an exceptionally busy summer vacation from "Saturday Night Live", the show he created and still produces.

Mr. Michaels — after the departure of Fred Armisen, Bill Hader and Jason Sudeikis — is overseeing one of the biggest "SNL" overhauls in its almost four-decade history. That refitting includes not only the addition of six cast members but also a revamp of the show’s enduring, signature segment, "Weekend Update".

The popular incumbent anchor, Seth Meyers, is making his own exit in February to spend four nights a week hosting the "Late Night" show on NBC (for which Mr. Michaels is also the executive producer). So a question looming over the new season has been: Who will replace Mr. Meyers and inherit the chair that has provided an almost guaranteed ride to the next level of stardom?

(Other recent occupants: Amy Poehler, Tina Fey and Jimmy Fallon)





In an interview in his longtime office at 30 Rockefeller Plaza in Manhattan, Mr. Michaels revealed his plan for the segment’s future: Starting with the "SNL" season premiere on Sept. 28, Mr. Meyers will be joined at the "Update" desk by Cecily Strong, who emerged as a rising star last year, her first season on the show.

“Cecily, from the first show, was right there,” Mr. Michaels said. “She exploded.”

One of her regular characters was a visitor to the "Update" desk — the Girl You Wished You Hadn’t Started a Conversation With at a Party.





Mr. Michaels said his general plan was to have Ms. Strong share the "Update" desk with Mr. Meyers for the season’s initial shows and then segue into a solo role later, maybe in the first season — but maybe not. If possible, Mr. Michaels would like to see Mr. Meyers stay on "Weekend Update" even after he moves to “Late Night”, starting on Feb. 24.

“Seth is a unique case,” Mr. Michaels said, noting that the new late-night show would not have a Friday edition, letting Mr. Meyers potentially drop in and work that day and Saturday on "Update".





Having Mr. Meyers around, at least initially, would bring more stability in a changeover season. That was also the motivation behind inviting Ms. Fey to be the guest host for the season premiere, Mr. Michaels said.

“Also, her writing won’t hurt.” (Mr. Meyers has also been the head writer; for the new season, Colin Jost and Rob Klein will share that duty.)





Mr. Michaels settled on the final addition to the cast last week: Brooks Wheelan, a young stand-up comedian who has been working in Los Angeles. The names of the other new cast members have been circulating for several weeks, and NBC will make them official on Monday.

Probably the most recognizable of the group is Beck Bennett, who is seen in the ubiquitous AT&T commercials with gaggles of kids. A performing partner of his, Kyle Mooney, is also an addition.

The others are John Milhiser and the only new woman in the cast, Noël Wells.









In another change, Tim Robinson, who had been a new cast member last season, will move to the writing staff. At the same time, Mike O’Brien, a writer for the show since 2009, will join the cast.

Mr. Michaels, whose record for elevating talent is among the most impressive in show business history, selected the new group following his usual process of auditions in New York, Chicago and Los Angeles. He acknowledged a bit of dread at the daunting size of the task this year.

“Everyone said to me, ‘Oh, you’ve done this before,’ which was cold comfort.”





The level of talent departing was so high, he said, that he knew the inevitable process of unfair comparison — people declaring the show to be in decline, not up to its usual standards, nothing like the great casts they remember from their youth — might be especially acute this season.

“People attach to the cast they see in high school,” Mr. Michaels said.

“In those years they generally can’t drive. They don’t have any money. Staying up late is exciting. Being with friends up late is really exciting. So they’re very connected to the cast they see then.”



That’s one reason Mr. Michaels pays no attention to what prospective cast members have done in a commercial or in an online sketch, on YouTube or Funny or Die.

“You can’t be famous before you’re famous,” he said. “It’s one thing to be on a stage in Chicago or L.A.; it’s another thing to be standing in 8H,” he said of the show’s studio.

“It’s like standing in Yankee Stadium. They can all play baseball, but this is something different. And the weight of all that was just more palpable to me this summer, more than ever before.”





Mr. Michaels said that he does “absolutely think about who I am replacing,” but, he added, “One thing you can’t do is look for another Kristen Wiig.”

Even so, last season was a success in terms of new female talent, with Ms. Strong joined by another breakout performer, Kate McKinnon.



The talent selection process, like the show, has been in place for 39 years. Somehow “SNL” remains a weekly event, racking up bigger ratings on Saturday nights than anything else anywhere on television — at any hour.

“I think there’s something about what it’s trying to be,” Mr. Michaels said. “It will never get there. Never get to be as good as I am hoping it will be or people imagine it used to be. But every week, even in the worst weeks, there’s always something I’m proud of.”

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/09/16/bu...new-cast.html?

[JamesG]

"Saturday Night Live" Adds Six Featured Players
Sep 16, 2013
by Liz Raftery


Six new faces are joining the "Saturday Night Live" cast as featured players, NBC announced Monday.

Stand-up comedian Brooks Wheelan joins previously reported new hires Beck Bennett, Michael Patrick O'Brien, John Milhiser, Kyle Mooney and Noël Wells.

"Saturday Night Live" returns on Saturday, Sept. 28 at 11:30/10:30c with host Tina Fey and musical guest Arcade Fire.

http://www.tvguide.com/News/Saturday...s-1070375.aspx

[TMC]

http://blogs.indiewire.com/shadowand...w-this-picture

All six new cast additions appear to not be minorities.
Read more at http://www.hitfix.com/tv-tattle#PMuM0Kl4GAhYyy1e.99

[gilligan fanatic]

Amazing that Kenan Thompson is entering his 11th year

[robyrob]

i like Cecily Strong; i think she has a bunch of great characters and plays the "straight man" fairly well and would do a good job as the new anchor.

have not heard of any of the other new cast members at all, so we'll see how that turns out...

[TMC]

Originally Posted by TMC

http://blogs.indiewire.com/shadowand...w-this-picture

All six new cast additions appear to not be minorities.
Read more at http://www.hitfix.com/tv-tattle#PMuM0Kl4GAhYyy1e.99

http://www.salon.com/2013/09/26/satu...way_too_white/

Six new white cast members won't help "Saturday Night Live's" diversity problem.
Read more at http://www.hitfix.com/tv-tattle#3hyDxz4kGlTD0Q6K.99