This week on FX's Damages, Ellen and Tom hit the road, Michael learned the truth, and Purcell had a big surprise for Patty. On with the (belated) recap!
read more
In only two weeks on the air, Saturday Night Live is back in its sweet spot, right where it wanted to be during the long strike hiatus: smack-dab in the center of today’s political dialogue. Barack Obama made a cameo in the last episode before the strike, Mike Huckabee showed up for an aw-shucks appearance in the middle of last week’s Weekend Update, and this week, in an opener that’s likely to become part of the all-time SNL archives, it was Hillary Clinton’s turn. She who inspired last week’s classic Tina Fey slogan, “Bitch is the new black,” which I’ve already bought as a T-shirt for a friend (not an endorsement, mind you, of anything but great comedy).In a life-imitates-art moment, the real Senator Clinton gave SNL a shout-out during last Tuesday’s debate in Cleveland, in an awkward attempt to piggyback on the show’s parody of media bias favoring her rival: “I just find it curious if anybody saw Saturday Night Live, maybe we...
read more
Darrell Hammond by Mary Ellen Matthews/NBC
This summer, Saturday Night Live's Darrell Hammond will make his Broadway debut in the musical The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, replacing comedian Mo Rocca in the role of Vice Principal Douglas Panch.... In addition to showcasing numbers from the tuners nominated for best revival and best musical, this year's Tonys will include a special performance by American Idol winner Fantasia, currently starring on Broadway in The Color Purple.... It's a stage smackdown! Producers of a serious adaptation of Frankenstein, described as "a bold new theatrical experience," plan to open their show off-Broadway in October, the same month Mel Brooks' Young Frankenstein hits the Great White Way. — Reporting by Raven Snook
read more
Chris Matthews
Americans head to the polls today for one of the most anticipated midterm elections in recent memory. A power shift in both the House and Senate appears likely, and the news media has focused in, with predictions, polling and punditry having reached a fever pitch. Chris Matthews, host of MSNBC's Hardball and of the syndicated/NBC News-produced panel program The Chris Matthews Show, is one of those members of the media who believes this election deserves the hype.
"I don't think this is a prelude. This is a main event," Matthews attests. "The voters' attitude about Iraq is the big story for the world. No matter how we read the election at home, no matter what the president says or Democrats say afterward, the world press will read t
read more
Just a quick note here to say that if you enjoy Darrell Hammond, aka he of the many spot-on celebrity impressions, do not miss this weekend's Saturday Night Live. It's a special "Best of Darrell Hammond" episode, and all of the funnyman's best stuff is here, including:— Hammond as Chris Matthews, in one of SNL's best Hardball riffs ever, with Tracy Morgan doing Harry Belafonte ("The poodle is the black man of the dog world."), Rachel Dratch as a daffy ACLU rep ("Blow up one embassy, and suddenly you're a terrorist. It's just hypocritical."), and John McCain as John Ashcroft.— Hammond's Sean Connery choosing "THE RAPISTS for $200" during Celebrity Jeopardy.— Hammond as Al Gore, on-and-on-ing during a presidential debate about his "lock box."— And, of course, a montage of some of Hammond's best takes on Bill Clinton. (Remember when he made a play for Teresa Heinz Kerry? "There are 57 varieties of things I'd like to do to you.... And I'd do 'em with relish.")Must-se...
read more
24"Jack, what do we do now?" Your fake president, ladies and gentlemen. Seriously, if Logan were any less qualified to hold this office, he'd be... eh, too easy. The important thing is, our favorite fictitious POTUS to hate gets one helluva smackdown from First Crazy — to which I can only say: Thank you, Martha. I've been wanting to slap that guy square across the face for like a year now. And while I'm doling out little tidbits of appreciation, let me go ahead and offer a big ol' bite of gratitude Jack Bauer's way. Now, we've talked about Jack's mad skillz in the surly dialogue department, but sometimes the man tosses off a line so effortlessly, I'm convinced even he doesn't realize just what a badass he truly is. Case in point, when discussing Big Bad Russian Hosta
read more
The Apprentice Donald, Donald, Donald, what are you doing? You gotta plan ahead, big guy. Sure, these double-elimination boardrooms are a hoot. Sure, you manage to blindside me with them every time. And sure, Felisha's pink slip was loooong overdue. But as much fun as this week's one-two punch was, I'm pretty sure you didn't think this Alla thing through. The steely cool gaze, the Ivana-esque accent, the ex-stripper factor… I was really looking forward to seeing those qualities in full force during the whole CEO interviewpalooza that usually narrows the field from three to two. I can only hope Her Fierceness follows in the footsteps of that other Unmanageable One, the almighty Omarosa, if and when she comes back next week to lend a hand in the fi
read more
