SNL: The Current Cast Discussion

[Bruinsfan]

Yeah, her Suze Orman was perfect, and her celebrity impressions were always hilarious on the Vincent Price Holiday Specials. But every original character was like nails on a chalkboard.

[vb68]

Her takes on both Nancy Pelosi and Michelle Bachmann always seemed right on point too.  I always loved the routine on Update of Pelosi making John Boehner cry.

[Toaster Strudel]

I hope Michael Che doesn't come back.  His enunciation is too sloppy for the news desk.  He keeps stumbling and he's not funny.

 

SNL please hire me, I could do as bad a job for half the salary!

 

One word: Riblet!

[Fostersmom]

I love Riblet. As bad as SNL movies usually are, I would be all over a Riblet movie if they ever made one. 

[Fannysue]

we want Riblet!!!!!

[LADreamr]

I wasn't sure if this was the best place to put this, but 1980s alum Gary Kroeger is running for Congress from Iowa.

[formerlyfreedom]

I wasn't sure if this was the best place to put this, but 1980s alum Gary Kroeger is running for Congress from Iowa.

 

Ooooh. This is my Congressional District!

[LADreamr]

Sweet!  I think he could be really good, from the things he's been involved in.  He's also so smart and eloquent (which, admittedly, might put him a little out of place in Congress, but still :)).

[methodwriter85]

 I just realized that Kenan and Bobby are the last cast members from the 2000's. Interesting.

[nowandlater]

 I just realized that Kenan and Bobby are the last cast members from the 2000's. Interesting.

 

And they are the last cast members born in the '70s.*

 

(The first cast members born in the '70s were Jay Mohr and Sarah Silverman in 1993.)

 

I wouldn't be surprised if Bobby has a Kenan-like career at SNL. He'll probably be around for a long time. His 7-year contract is up this year.

 

 

*Leslie Jones was born in 1967.

 

*

[dusang]

*Leslie Jones was born in 1967.

 

What?!  You know, sometimes you think "black don't crack" is just an offensive stereotype.  And then sometimes you're like, "well, facts are facts," you know?

[formerlyfreedom]

Kenan Thompson will be back for next season.

[Maverick]

And that's what up with that.

[helenamonster]

*heavy sigh*

[Trini]

Kenan Thompson will be back for next season.

 

I guess they need someone to play Ben Carson for election season.

Edited May 12, 2015 by Trini

[LADreamr]

I was so glad to hear that. Can he and Bobby have Weekend Update? I would say Kate, but I don't want to lose her characters.

[Fannysue]

I was so glad to hear that. Can he and Bobby have Weekend Update? I would say Kate, but I don't want to lose her characters.

He and Bobby would be great!

[ktwo]

Lorne is not going to put Keenan on WU if next season might be his last.

[vb68]

I don't see anyone in the cast now getting cut this summer, including Che and Jost.

 

 

Several people, including Beck, Kyle and probably Sasheer and Colin will have to be promoted from the featured cast to the main cast as they have completed two seasons as customary. 

[VCRTracking]

‘SNL’s’ Cecily Strong Talks Season Finale, Her One Issue With ‘Weekend Update’ Exit and Emails From Colbert, Leno

 

 

“My one issue with the whole ‘Update’ thing was only the way that it was going to be torn apart in the press — you know, a thing that I was actually happy about,” Strong said. “I almost feel like I’m in a lucky position that I got to do it and got to flex that muscle. And then got to have a talk with Lorne, and got to have power in my [career] and say, ‘I want to do sketches more than anything on the show.'”

“Coming from that I knew, ‘OK … it’s going to be spun however in the press,'” she said. “I’m going to have an uphill battle.”

“It was a thing where, like, I’m not going to say ‘No’ to it,” Strong said of anchoring “Update” segment. “It’s such an honor to do ‘Update.'”

“But then it became clear — especially towards the end of the year, when Seth [Meyers] left — that, ‘Oh, now it’s going to need a lot more work and a lot more of my time and attention,'” she explained. “And that means taking away from this other thing that I actually really, really love even more.”

[helenamonster]

I don't see anyone in the cast now getting cut this summer, including Che and Jost.

 

Ye of little faith!

 

Although I do agree. However, last year I was positive they wouldn't boot Colin or Cecily and I ended up only being half right, so we'll see. I just...I can't with Michael. I'm not even sure if he's funny or not because I've never seen him be anything other than an asshole outside of SNL and it distracts me every time his stupid face is on my TV screen. Lorne is right with the whole "once you say your name on the show, everything changes." I doubt I would react so negatively to Michael if he only played sketch characters. Part of me knows I should just get over it, but another part of me knows that Michael just needs to stop being terrible.

[Bees]

I honestly can't think of anybody who'll end up leaving unless on their own terms this season. Not sure if this is a good or a bad thing though. 

[nowandlater]

So, who won't be back next season? (Also, when was the last time there were no cast changes between seasons? I seem to recall it last happened like a decade ago...)

 

Kenan says he's staying for Season 13.

 

I think Bobby Moynihan's 7-year contract is up. (It's a 7-year contract, right?) But I don't see him going anywhere.

 

I don't see anybody who's joined the cast in the last two seasons departing, including Michael Che and Colin Jost.

 

Lorne said in an interview this past week that he likes them on Weekend Update:

http://siouxcityjournal.com/ap/entertainment/snl-boss-michaels-wraps-its-th-season-as-he-looks/article_d67ca4e8-6234-5ff0-a72e-2e6ec2724286.html
 

Michaels: What I'm most pleased with this season is this cast. It FEELS like it's a cast. I think they feel good about themselves, like it's their time, and that the audience is completely behind them. (Weekend) Update was the hardest transition (with last season's departure of longtime anchor Seth Meyers). But now it's in a really good place with Colin (Jost) and Michael (Che).

 

 

 

So, will there be any cast changes this summer? It would seem odd not to have any changes, but I can't see anybody departing, and I don't think they're room for more cast members.

[vb68]

(Also, when was the last time there were no cast changes between seasons? I seem to recall it last happened like a decade ago...)

 

 

It wasn't that long ago.  Everybody returned at the start of Season 37.  (But Paul Brittan left or was fired, whatever happened there in January, and Kate came on very late in April at the tail-end of that season.)

 

Watching the finale, I swear it seemed like Vanessa's last show as her screentime shot up considerably from what it usually is normally, and it felt like she was a part of almost everything.  Granted I have no reason to think it was, but it felt like when Nasim was leaving , and they featured her more.

[opus]

So, who's hosting next? {What, too soon?}

[Fostersmom]

Shasheer is dead weight, but you know she's not getting cut. Other than her, I think the rest of the cast has really built their own little niche. As much as Che sucks, I'd be amazed if he wasn't back.

[cpcathy]

Sasheer is awful. I hope she chooses to move on.

[Princess Sparkle]

Vanessa is the one where I wouldn't even notice if she left. Somehow, I feel like she's gotten worse every year. I feel like her downturn was when her Miley Cyrus impression no longer worked because Miley changed her image, but Vanessa couldn't figure out how to rework the impression to make it work. I mean, Miley was even easier to skewer after she changed her image, so if she couldn't make that funny, it makes me think she's not the strongest writer.

Kyle is the person I've been most impressed by this season. He really made himself into a good utility player, which the cast always needs.

Edited May 17, 2015 by Princess Sparkle

[nowandlater]

Vanessa is the one where I wouldn't even notice if she left. Somehow, I feel like she's gotten worse every year. I feel like her downturn was when her Miley Cyrus impression no longer worked because Miley changed her image, but Vanessa couldn't figure out how to rework the impression to make it work. I mean, Miley was even easier to skewer after she changed her image, so if she couldn't make that funny, it makes me think she's not the strongest writer.

Kyle is the person I've been most impressed by this season. He really made himself into a good utility player, which the cast always needs.

 

Vanessa stars in a Lorne Michaels-produced web series called Sound Advice. (Perhaps he really likes her?!?)

 

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLChmxKYOuWIIcefbFbbVpbRDqk2CxriPz

[Fostersmom]

Vanessa fill the generic mom/wife role. I think she's pretty safe.

[ChromaKelly]

I still hate the Good Neighbor shorts, but I don't mind Kyle Mooney in sketches.
I don't get Pete Davidson. His whole thing is I'm a young stoner. Not really sure why he's even on the show.

[JTMacc99]

Dear Lorne,

 

There are too many cast members these days. Please remove 5. I am not a crackpot. 

 

Thank you,

JTMacc99

[vb68]

 

. Please remove 5

 

Five is a lot.  Who do you have in mind?  I actually thought it was much more balanced this season as opposed to last year where Brooks Wheelan, John Milhiser, etc never broke through.  Sasheer is the only one in this current cast who I feel is seriously fighting for time and still trying to figure out her role.

[JTMacc99]

That is a fine question, and one I would defer to Lorne.

 

My point is simply that I believe that the show would be just fine with 10 cast members and not 15.  There was a neat article about why 17 cast members prevented the show from being great last year, and I think there is still a lot that applies to this season. The end of the article says this:

This cast is filled with young talent, but not enough airtime to accommodate all of it. Sure, everyone seems to have featured in a highlight or two -- most notably Beck Bennett and Kyle Mooney -- but the show is too crowded now to gather any momentum ... and that's a shame for them and a shame for us.

 

You can look at some seasons and see how keeping it down around 10 allowed the show to get us familiar with the cast, allowed the cast to develop, and resulted in some great stuff.  Each of these casts below eventually added in some feature players, but that worked because we were already in great shape with the core group.

 

Season 12, 9 cast members:

    Dana Carvey
    Nora Dunn
    Phil Hartman
    Jan Hooks
    Victoria Jackson
    Jon Lovitz
    Dennis Miller

Featured:

    A. Whitney Brown
    Kevin Nealon

 

By season 15 it was still only 11 people.

Repertory cast members;

    Dana Carvey
    Nora Dunn
    Phil Hartman
    Jan Hooks
    Victoria Jackson
    Jon Lovitz
    Dennis Miller
    Mike Myers
    Kevin Nealon

Featured cast members

    A. Whitney Brown
    Al Franken

 

After spending a couple years weeding out the cast, in season 24 there was a core group (9) that allowed for the addition of (3) new featured players.

Repertory players

    Will Ferrell
    Ana Gasteyer
    Darrell Hammond
    Chris Kattan
    Tim Meadows
    Tracy Morgan
    Cheri Oteri
    Colin Quinn
    Molly Shannon

Featured players

    Jimmy Fallon
    Chris Parnell
    Horatio Sanz

 

In season 32, there was another big clean up to give us just this core group of 11:

Repertory players

    Fred Armisen
    Will Forte
    Bill Hader
    Darrell Hammond
    Seth Meyers
    Amy Poehler
    Maya Rudolph
    Andy Samberg
    Jason Sudeikis
    Kenan Thompson
    Kristen Wiig

 

The show has been at 14 or more for several years now.  I would hate to see anybody lose their job, but I would be okay with a lean cast of 9 or 10.

[vb68]

One thing I will definitely be interested in seeing in the Fall is how  they handle the Republican primaries and debates with the busload of candidates.  I guess most of the guys will have to take turns leaving the stage and coming back out as someone else.  For example, in a debate Bobby might have to do both Chris Christie and Ted Cruz.  I also think Taran, Beck, and Kyle will all probably have at least two characters each.  Heck, Colin will probably have to get involved as well.

[Traveller519]

The Uproxx article earlier this week, seemed to indicate that Lorne wasn't overly fond of Kyle's own style of weird humor. Hence his sketches getting cut. I personally really like Kyle's ability to mix things up with his sketches, and hope he's not going anywhere. Plus, as I've referenced a number of times, he's a chameleon in sketches. He stands out more this season now that Milheiser is no longer on the cast, but last year i was frequently trying to figure out which was which.

 

My prediction is that Beck, Kyle, and Colin get promoted. Che, Davidson, Jones ans Zamata remain as featured.

[Janimo]

I don't know whether to put this in the "cast" section or the media section but I'll put it here 'cause Darrell Hammond is still affiliated with SNL.

Anyhoo, I saw an ad on tv with Colonel Sanders and Kentucky Fried Chicken, and when they showed a close up of the Colonel, I went "WHOA!"  to myself, "that's Darrell Hammond!!!" So, google being my friend, I looked it up and found this link. I think it's great for Darrell, 'cause I've always liked him.

http://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=darrell+hammond+as+colonel+sanders&FORM=VIRE5#view=detail&mid=C43E41B1E56C70479F2EC43E41B1E56C70479F2E

[junemeatcleaver]

It's still too bad SNL doesn't seem interested in finding or casting a funny black woman.  But if TPTB at SNL think Leslie Jones is the height of hilarity, then it's obvious why they can't (or don't want to) find a hilarious black woman cast member.

 

I can't find much fault with Sasheer.  Yeah, she's bland, but how many cast members have coasted on being bland?  Plenty IMO.

[cpcathy]

Many, and they haven't lasted long.

[helenamonster]

Yeah, there's always gonna be bland people on this show, but that doesn't mean that they should continue being there. I feel the same way about Sasheer as I did about Human Ambien Brooks Wheelan in that I don't feel anything at all.

[helenamonster]

I wasn't sure whether to put this here or in the media thread (or, hell, even the small-talk thread), but it's been bugging me and I just need to share it so that others can partake in this weirdness.

 

So Michael Che has twice now Instagrammed pictures of headlines from Elite Daily with a (really terrible; the dude is not funny) comment for each one that suggests he doesn't agree, finds it stupid, etc. In screenshots, you can see the author of the articles, and both times it's been someone that I know. Her mom and my mom went to high school together and while she and I are not exactly close friends, we've known each other for years. In the most recent one he posted, he actually addressed her by name in the comment.

 

I'm pretty much just posting this here because this is some six-degrees-of-Kevin-Bacon nonsense and I can't decide if it's hilarious or irritating. I kind of want to Facebook message her and show her, but again we're not really that close, and idk if she even knows who Michael is. Anyway, I thought I'd put that here cuz I figured y'all would appreciate it. I mean, what are the odds???

[Traveller519]

Here's a link to Splitsider's annual ranking of cast contributions.

http://splitsider.com/2015/05/breaking-down-each-cast-members-contribution-to-snl-season-40/

 

I thought they had charts breaking out starring and supporting roles last year, but maybe that was someone else.

 

At any rate, it's more balanced than last year, which is good for the ensemble. Beck and Kyle are the two featured players that are getting more screen time than some of the repitory players, so I won't be surprised to see them promoted next year.

 

I'm surprised Jay and Aidy are so low for different reasons. Thinking back to it, yeah, Jay didn't contribute as much, but as recently as 2 years ago it felt like he was in numerous sketches, but I guess a lot of that was one off impressions in larget sketches. Aidy, I feel like shows up a lot, including leading a lot of sketches some weeks.

 

I think Mike O'brien is well served in his current Brooks/Smigel/Taccone niche. And I still would really like to see more sketch work out of the Update guys, especially Michael.

[Princess Sparkle]

I'm a little perplexed at that article calling Sasheer an "expert impersonator" in the same sentence as Jay. Who has she impersonated well? Her Rihanna is probably her best, and even that is a pretty iffy impression.

[helenamonster]

Aw man, y'all know I love when they break out the pie charts.

 

I felt like that review was extremely generous and that the writer was too afraid to even slightly criticize anyone, especially since he framed negative comments with things like "some people felt." It's ok, friend. You don't have to like every single thing the people on this show do to still enjoy the show.

[vb68]

 

You don't have to like every single thing the people on this show do to still enjoy the show.

I kinda groaned when he said that Kira from Girlfriends Talk Show was a "fan favorite".  

[vb68]

With Donald Trump now in the presidential field, I'm assuming Darrell Hammond will be dusting that impression off too.  Between  that one and Bill Clinton, he may be a semi-regular next season.

 

I've said it before, but how are they going to fit all the Republican candidates into one sketch, like a debate?   

[Princess Sparkle]

They're probably keeping their fingers crossed some drop out by then OR make a joke about it and have the cast dash in and out changing their appearances.  Or snag a couple of the writers in there, for the couple that have on camera experience - maybe Colin, Mike O'Brien and Tim Robinson (though, Tim Robinson doesn't really look like any of the candidates).  Maybe they can call some former cast members to come and reprise their roles - I'd love to see Andy as Rick Santorum again.

[Traveller519]

I am secretly hoping that they do some sort of special with the other big Sketch Comedy players our there right now. Amy Schumer, Broad City, Key & Peele, Nikki Glaser. If they did a big debate episode using a bunch of women and black men playing the parts of the Republican field, I think you could have an all time sketch.

[vb68]

 

(though, Tim Robinson doesn't really look like any of the candidates).  Maybe they can call some former cast members to come and reprise their roles

 

 

Heh.  I was just thinking the same thing about Pete.  Who is he going to play?

 

I remember Alec Baldwin playing Rick Perry before, so I assume they could probably lure him back for an extended debate sketch.   I also think they may beg Bill to come back and do one or two on a guest basis. 

[helenamonster]

Not to change to subject, but can we all have a moment of silence for the fact that this Rachel Dolezal nonsense is breaking now and not at a time when we could see Kate do a balls-to-the-wall batshit crazy impression?