Saturday, May 9, 2009

Heads Up!

The Samberger (Andy Samberg) will be making an appearance on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon this Tuesday night (that's 12th May) & the Tonight Show with Jay Leno on 21st May.

I'll remind you guys closer to the time obviously, but just thought I'd tell you so you can clear your schedules.

Land of The Lost Trailer

Just thought I'd share this with all the Jorma Taccone fans of the world. It's just a little independent movie starring a few guys called Will Ferrell & Danny McBride, and the lovely Anna Friel. Nothing major. Jorma plays a furry little guy called Chaka.

Enjoy!



Andy Samberg to Host SNL Short Films Special

From the AP:

NEW YORK (AP) — Sometimes the memorable moments on "Saturday Night Live' aren't live.
From Mr. Bill to "Lazy Sunday," the late-night show has occasionally presented short films, and is collecting many of the best for a two-hour prime-time special airing May 17 at 9 p.m. EDT. Andy Samberg is the host.
For a program that has sliced and diced material for all manner of prime-time compilations, it's the first time one is being devoted specifically to the short films.
"It's great to be able to show all these great ones from the past to a generation that is not familiar with them," Samberg said. "For me to do hosting segments and be able to (introduce) `Synchronized Swimmers,' this is not just something that influenced me heavily but influenced everybody in comedy."
That film featuring Martin Short's water acrobatics was directed by Christopher Guest.
Samberg also remembers Eddie Murphy's short film, "White Like Me," where the actor impersonated a white man.
"When I was a kid and saw that, my brain exploded," Samberg said. "It was like the greatest thing I'd ever seen in my life."
Robert Smigel's "TV Funhouse" was a frequent "SNL" feature, and the 2007 film featuring Justin Timberlake and a gift box won an Emmy Award.
But the granddaddy of "SNL" films featured Mr. Bill, a clay figure given a high-pitched voice and a tendency to meet untimely ends. Samberg, in his fourth season at "SNL," may be better known for his work on short films than live skits. "Lazy Sunday," a rap video about cupcakes and movies on an otherwise boring afternoon, became a sensation on the Internet and was key to the early success of YouTube.
Samberg has created several other films with partners Jorma Taccone and Akiva Schaffer, including a rap song with Natalie Portman and "Iran So Far Away," a tribute to Iranian President Mahmoud Amadinejad.
Samberg, Taccone and Schaffer were active posting comic videos on the Internet before joining "Saturday Night Live." That wasn't the work that got them a job on "SNL," however. Samberg said the show's staff noticed him when he wrote for an MTV awards show that was hosted by Jimmy Fallon.
Now Samberg is hosting MTV's Movie Awards after the "Saturday Night Live" season ends.
Live or taped? Samberg said he doesn't have a personal preference when he's working on the show.
"It depends on the material," he said. "I've had some of the most fun of my time here live in the studio. When something is really working in there and you're feeling the audience's energy and playing off each other, that can be kind of electric."

Justin Timberlake/Ciara Promo

So excited!


Thursday, May 7, 2009

Wednesday, May 6, 2009

Monday, May 4, 2009

Weekend Update to Return This Fall

From the NY Times:

“Weekend Update,” the satirical television news segment, worked during the presidential election year, and now NBC will again try to capitalize on interest in the news by producing it as half-hour specials during its next prime-time season, as well as the usual segments in “Saturday Night Live.”
The network will announce to advertisers in New York on Monday that it is ordering at least six and as many as 13 prime-time editions of “Update,” most likely for use on its Thursday night schedule, which has become the home once again of a critically praised comedy lineup on NBC.
Last season NBC produced special prime-time editions of “Update” during the weeks leading up to the presidential election and all were highly rated. This will be the first time the “Update” specials will be a weekly part of NBC’s fall schedule, even on weeks when “S.N.L.” is not in production.
The prime-time shows will be anchored by Seth Meyers, who does the same job on “S.N.L.” (He is also that show’s head writer.)
But NBC will look to take advantage of the presence of two former “Update” anchors,
Tina Fey and Amy Poehler, on other Thursday night comedies (“30 Rock” and “Parks and Recreation,” respectively) by inviting them to serve as occasional guests at the “Update” desk.

I'm not sure what I think of this. I enjoyed the WU segments last fall, but at the same time, the reason they worked so well was because of the presidential election. And if it is going to impact on the quality of regular Weekend Update, I'm not too sure...
What do you think? Are you excited to see them return?