maya rudolph

‘SNL’ Prepares For Future Sans Brand-New Baby Mama Amy Poehler

2:20AM Kyle Buchanan | While it is a joyous event that comedians Amy Poehler and Will Arnett delivered their first child, Archibald, over the weekend, we recognise that this development has some downsides, too (though perhaps not the ones implied by the above “circle of child life and death” feature that is currently gracing the front page of Yahoo!). For starters, this marks Poehler’s end on Saturday Night Live, as the new mother will be segueing to her still-untitled NBC sitcom after some well-deserved maternity leave. Just as devastating: Poehler’s unplanned absence from this week’s live taping of SNL forced the audience to sit through a third, hastily scheduled Coldplay performance. Still, at least Poehler ducked out before she had to take part in the painful Barack Obama skit that Lorne Michaels pointlessly lured Maya Rudolph back for. Take a look, after the jump: More »

The Top 8 Women Who Changed the Face of ‘SNL’

8:40AM Kyle Buchanan | In honour of Saturday Night Live alum Molly Shannon, whose poorly-received sitcom Kath & Kim premieres tonight on NBC (this weekend on Aussie screens), we thought it was time to pay tribute to the women who’ve made the biggest mark on SNL over the years. Whether it’s Tina Fey, whose profile has surged since her Sarah Palin guest appearances, or an underrated player like Jan Hooks who shines in late-night SNL reruns, we have a soft spot for the women who’ve succeeded despite being greatly outnumbered in SNL’s heavily male cast and writing room. More »

Since No Other Black Comediennes Exist, ‘SNL’ Hopes to Lure Back Maya Rudolph For Michelle Obama

7:20AM Defamer Hollywood | A while ago, not long after after Barack Obama won the Iowa caucus, NPR put forth a story asking, “Is America Post-Racial?” “Probably not,” we thought to ourselves, “otherwise America’s premiere sketch comedy show would actually have this famously black presidential candidate played by, y’know, a black guy and not Fred Armisen.” Now, Saturday Night Live has reminded us of that musing once again, because TV Guide reports that instead of adding a black actress to its troupe to play Michelle Obama, the show would rather entice former cast member Maya Rudolph to return. An excerpt, with new details from Lorne Michaels on whether Tina Fey will play Sarah Palin, is after the jump: More »

8:40AM Defamer Hollywood | Paul Thomas Anderson enthusiasts, take note: Word from the Largo mailing list (via /Film) has a PTA-scripted performance by Maya Rudolph and Fred Armisen going off Aug. 5-6 at the club’s new space at the Coronet Theater. Organizers are keeping mum about everything but the price — $25 — and that tickets are available now. As the second home of Anderson’s frequent composer Jon Brion (who maintains a regular Friday gig) and other collaborators including Michael Penn and Aimee Mann, Largo seems a reasonable stopover for the filmmaker, though it hardly seems right that Fred Fucking Armisen unofficially inherits Daniel Day-Lewis’s leading-man mantle in the “mad, beautiful” continuum that is the PTA canon. Rudolph though? OK, sure, we can see it. [Largo via /Film] More »