There was a time when I would forgo Saturday night social activity to soak up every second of the once-great Saturday Night Live (SNL). I waited patiently for the mid-show treat – my favorite – Weekend Update with Tina Fey (on whom I have a shameless girl-crush). Though Tracy Morgan wasn’t always on-point, I could always find a spot in my heart for Brian Fellow’s Safari Planet. Then there was an extra layer of comedy goodness: the chance to see some of our favorite celebrities making fools of themselves. Of course, some the best episodes surprised us all with a Justin Timberlake-esque comedic upstaging of the entire cast. That’s what I’m hoping for this season, as the husky, hilarious redhead, Emma Stone, enlists in the hosting ranks.
This season’s outlook is a bit dismal, SNL is down two cast members: Will Forte and Jenny Slate (who is the true loss if you ask me). There’s a bit of speculation around Slate’s departure, but maybe producer Lorne Michaels was just a little miffed that Slate’s little, viral video provided more laughs that the entire last season of SNL. Whatever the reason, it doesn’t bode well for the show; that’s why we’ve got to depend on some killer celebrity guests to bring the laughs.
Enter Emma Stone. She may be young and new to the game, but she’s been making us chuckle since she confidently played opposite Jonah Hill’s disgusting, but lovable character in Superbad. Though her new flick, Easy A, looks like a typical high school romp, casting Stone as the star saves it from the fates of other terrible tween RomComs. In other words, she rocks.
And Stone is in more than good company at SNL; she joins the able ranks of the other hilarious people slated to host. This year, we can look forward to returning to that antisocial Saturday night ritual because SNL has snagged not one, but three other heavyweights – Bryan Cranston, Amy Poehler, and Jane Lynch. With a roster like that, I actually can’t wait for SNL to start back up. When’s the last time you heard someone say that?
UPDATE: Jon Hamm is also signed-on to lend his debonair style and devastatingly handsome face to the comedy show for a third time. Maybe he’ll go shirtless again; despite the awful hair and smooth jazz sax, I’d still like to see the return of…Sergio. If they keep adding killer guest hosts to their roster, I may just have to give up Saturday night socializing all season.
Sources: New York Magazine, The Hollywood Reporter
