SNL Casts Michelle Obama: Maya Rudolph To Return, Says Report

UPDATE:
Watch Maya Rudolph as Michelle Obama

PREVIOUSLY:
Saturday Night Live is on a roll, and joining Fred Armisen's Barack Obama will reportedly be former cast member Maya Rudolph

Since they've had great success with Tina Fey and Will Ferrell, well placed sources tell us "SNL" is once again bringing back a former cast member ... Maya Rudolph will play Michelle Obama this weekend.

Besides playing Mrs. O, we're told Maya -- who left the show last November -- will once again co-star with Amy Poehler in their "Bronx Beat" skit. Oh my gawd!

Tragically, we're told Tina will not be back playing Sarah Palin on Saturday.

Maya isn't the only former cast member returning this political season. Chris Parnell has been back to play Jim Lehrer and Tom Brokaw in debate sketches and Will Ferrell returned as President Bush. When on the show Maya was known for her impressions of Donatella Versace and Whitney Houston.

Comments

[Yovovi]

I like the Obamas, but come on now, they are total nerds! The coolest thing about them is that they are black!

[Yovovi]

I love the Obamas, but they are kinda nerdy. The only thing cool about them is that they are black.

[fyi08]

Is it just me, or did Rudolph simply do her Whitney Houston imitation last night? What is SNL's problem with hiring funny black people? It's NYC! I cannot believe that they can't find a single qualified black woman to play this roll. The Obama dude is getting better with his voice. They just need to find the funny.

[Yovovi]

I really like Maya, but I agree she is not anything like Michelle Obama. They should have hired a black woman. Unfortunately SNL has only ever had one black woman and has an abysmal record in minorities. I don't understand this at all. MADTV on Fox has the better Obama and Michelle. They are both tall, black, and funny. Saturday's Variety Show on SNL was pathetic! Lorne Michaels needs to go to diversity training -- or at least watch that episode of The Office -0 much more diverse than SNL!

[Darthwave]

I like Maya Rudolph but come on now. This would be like casting Denzel Washington to play Marcus Garvey.

[garlicpowder]

what are you saying?

[Darthwave]

She is way too light-skinned to play Michelle Obama. That's what I'm saying.

[Sandy248]

Perhaps TPTB at SNL will finally get a clue and hire a black female comedianne for the show. MadTV did it so why not SNL?

[Bitsko]

Fred Armisen is lousy at playing Senator Obama. The writers are lousy at satirizing Senator 0bama. 'Nuff said.

[HoraceOvidson]

This is just another feather in Obama's cap. He is hard to make fun of. So if Putin thinks he can get a laugh telling a joke around the water cooler in the Kremlin about Obama, he has got another thing coming. But I can guarantee, within the first 6 months of the Obama presidency, Putin will try. .. and fail miserably. And I think Joe Biden will back me up on that.

[robXdion]

Before, I laid out precisely why she would not be good for the role. Some in here b*tched and acted like I committed heresy for daring to question the blackness of Minnie Ripperton's daughter. But when even middle aged white people can see this was as much a bulls#$@% choice as McCain choosing Sarah Palin, I hate to say, "I told you so. . . .. "

NO, actually I'm gonna state it, I TOLD YOU SO!!! And anyone worth their "hood card" could see the only thing Rudolph did was try extra hard to use generalized black female cultural mannerisms and voice inflections (maybe her own "switching" habit). And to add insult to injury, having the ONLY "black" cast members sing together for Amy Poehler was the icing on the cake. Kenan did not blend well with her. Atrocious. But hey, DL Hughley with his 21st century cooning was far WORSE on CNN. He made SNL look like "In Living Color".

[evekendall]

SNL is going to be giving us Barack and Michelle for at least four years. Fred and Maya are not right for those roles. They are not nerdy enough, for one thing. If SNL put out a casting call, I'm sure they could find plenty of people to do those characters without having the actors put on "black face." It's time to have a couple of black actors on SNL besides Kenan Thompson, anyway. Also, they need more females in general since Amy will be gone. Right now, SNL is mostly a bunch of white guys.

Also, another commenter asked "Where was the Joe the Plumber skit?" My question is where was the "Shopping with Sarah" skit? I think they could have worked one of those into the show in place of the "Throw-up" skit. That was NOT funny.

[dct1999]

There is nothing nerdy about Michelle Obama. She is straight s e x y, stylish and smart as helll.

[Yovovi]

They are both total nerds, but nerds can be smart and sexy. The only cool thing about them is they are black.

[AggravationKills]

I am a big fan of Maya. But maybe its time to bring a new black comedienne to SNL. It looks like The Obamas will be the new First Family.

[evekendall]

I love Maya Rudolph, but she was AWFUL last night as Michelle Obama. She did not sound like her. She did not look like her. Michelle Obama is a tall, classy-looking lady with a beautiful smile. In order for an impersonation to work, there has to be some resemblance to the person being portrayed. The other characters on SNL work because, when the actors come on the set, you instantly know who they are impersonating. Maya was totally unrecognizable as Michelle. SNL needs to get someone else.

[dct1999]

I think Rudolph is talented, but that was the worst impersonation I've ever seen. She didn't capture any of Michelle Obama's mannerisms, including her distinctive way of talking and the way she holds her head.

[dct1999]

There is no post-racial society. Those of you who keep insisting that we have the beginnings of one are wrong. When you continue to be dismissive of the day-in, day-out life experiences of black people in America you don't help.

When I can walk into Bloomingdales without being followed around the store then we'll talk. When I don't have to worry about driving a late model luxury car and being stopped for DWB then maybe I'll begin to believe you. When black people are no longer discriminated against within the criminal justice system, the financial system, housing, and employment I may begin to see your point.

I'm in my 30s and I have plenty of cousins and friends in their 20s. Before you claim that younger people "don't see race" maybe you should talk to some young non-white people and understand what their life is like. Many of their white peers are ignorant bigots, and they still deal with racism on a regular basis.

If you can't understand that then you are willfully ignorant and part of the problem.

[Antifascist-08]

One of the most important scientific accomplishments of the last decade or so is the mapping of the human genome.

It has once and for all proven that we are all one race- a race out of Africa. We all share the same DNA and our actual ancestry can now be traced back to antiquity.

Every country has their "pet names" for people of different "colors" than the perceived majority, so I don't think anyone on here should say that their country does not use racial distinctions in their conversations. This is just something that we have been doing for thousands of years and it comes from fear and ignorance.

A true post racial culture IS coming. It will take a while for the scientific studies to reach the mainstream, but for the first time in history, the science is there, and undisputed (except of course by the ignorant and hateful). The current young generation is growing up with this knowledge, rather than the "5 races" thing that we grew up with. They are so much closer to a post racial society than we were because they live it, not just talk about it.

The evolution of social consciousness is incremental and cannot be forced. Our job is to make sure that we protect the flame of enlightenment.

[LollieDotCom]

I have to apologize to Fred Armison. I've been giving him a hard time for not doing a good enough impression of Obama. I just saw the episode that first aired the 16th and I must revise my former review. He has clearly done his homework. He's doing a very good Obama now. The makeup people are doing a better job as well. You do him justice. Thank you Fred!

[Obinna]

The argument that Maya Rudolph is a great actress misses the point. Most people I know who have watched Fred Armisen's portrayal of Obama concede that he hasn't been very convincing in that role. Something about him just doesn't look and sound believable; does not help us suspend our disbelief temporarily like Tina Fey does impersonating Sarah Palin.

I think they need to find someone who is visually similar to Michelle Obama-- with a little acting any such beautiful dark-skinned lady can totally nail the role. Nonetheless, I realize they may not have the time to find such a character. Besides, this is just a comedy show and maybe painstaking exactitude totally defeats the purpose.

We'll see how well Maya does eventually.

[myklwain]

she will knock it out of the park. welcome back maya, break a leg.