Lorne Michaels: All 'SNL' Cast Members Will Return This Season (VIDEO)

For the first time since 2009, no "Saturday Night Live" cast members will depart the show before the next season. According a tweet from TV critic Roger Catlin, executive producer Lorne Michaels made the announcement at the Television Critics Association press tour.

Michaels also added that he would hold auditions for new cast members the end of August. "SNL" featured player Jay Pharoah announced on Twitter that the premiere would be Sept. 24, although the tweet has since been removed. No announcement has been made about the premiere's host or musical guest.

The 2010-11 new featured cast members Pharoah, Vanessa Bayer, Paul Brittain and Taran Killiam all evidently made enough of an impression on audiences (and more importantly, on Michaels) to be invited to return for the next season. In the last few years, "SNL" has let go featured players Casey Wilson, Michaela Watkins and Jenny Slate after 1-2 seasons, with longtime cast member Will Forte leaving in 2010 as well.

However, according to a recent GQ profile of Ms. Slate, getting let go from "SNL" can present as many career opportunities as limitations, if not more.

Here's a clip of returning featured player Vanessa Bayer's popular sketch "The Miley Cyrus Show," also with fellow returnee Paul Brittain.

WATCH:

(via Splitsider)

Comments

[LMPE]

02:01 PM on 08/03/2011

Too bad that John Belushi, Gilda Radner, Chris Farley and Phil Hartman aren't with us anymore.

[that is funny]

05:20 PM on 08/03/2011

Too bad you haven't seen the sketch "Debbie Downer." Between this and your posts on the science articles I just came from, you should probably check it out.

[labradog]

11:29 AM on 08/03/2011

Let's have an all-deceased-star season, starring John Belushi, Gilda Radner Chris Farley, and Chevy Chase.

[Itsafact]

01:47 PM on 08/03/2011

Chevy Chase is alive and well.

[kdlaiusa]

03:30 AM on 08/04/2011

Chevy Chase dead?

[Marilyn5401]

11:12 AM on 08/03/2011

I'm surprised that at least two of these performers didn't get axed, but I'm glad they will be given an opportunity because sometimes it takes time to gel. I used to cringe whenever Keenan came on my screen, but he has greatly improved.

Just don't touch Fred Armisen or Kristen Wiig. They are my faves!

[KickstandCat]

10:55 AM on 08/03/2011

Judging from the comments, I see SNL is doing it's job.

[Itsafact]

01:47 PM on 08/03/2011

What's your point?

[KickstandCat]

09:01 PM on 08/03/2011

As I said.

[KickstandCat]

10:48 AM on 08/03/2011

If you want a good laugh,check out some SNL from the 80's.....especially Bill Murry and Gilda Radner. Miss her.

[Matt Wilding]

11:24 AM on 08/03/2011

Bill Murray and Gilda Radner were on casts in the 1970s.

[Sumocat]

10:35 AM on 08/03/2011

"For the first time since 2009..." -- Really? The first time since two years ago, interrupted by one year in-between. Wow, that's quite a noteworthy feat truly worthy of being explained in this manner.

[MissRoseNylund]

11:03 PM on 08/03/2011

I was about to write the same thing. :-)

[benja6888]

08:24 AM on 08/03/2011

SNL is moderately funny and extremely cheap to produce, therefore it does what it needs to do at the day and time it's slotted for. There really hasn't been a time in it's history in which people didn't complain about it not being funny, even in it's so called "glory years" people just like to glorify nostalgia. If you're looking for better programming at 11 o'clock on saturday nights that you can come home and be excited to watch...you probably don't have much of a life to begin with and that's not network tv's fault.

[threnodymarch]

08:13 AM on 08/03/2011

Okay. We have people here in the comments that love SNL. We have people that hate SNL. Can we accept this and move on?

[Itsafact]

01:48 PM on 08/03/2011

Yes, you can move on at any time. No one is keeping you here.

[that is funny]

05:47 PM on 08/03/2011

Itsafact may be the angriest huff poster i've ever seen. check out the comments from article to article.

[jason9045]

08:07 AM on 08/03/2011

I should make up some HP SNL Article Bingo cards, because I swear every time an SNL-related article is posted, it's nothing but variations on the same five or six tired points.

[that is funny]

05:24 PM on 08/03/2011

Try the science articles:

1. Joke about something not being in Bible.
2. Some republican can't wait to destroy whatever discovery was made.
3. Replies to a bunch of comments to "clarify" using their vast amounts of knowledge.
4. "That is interesting." "That is uninteresting."
5. Comment that it's old news.
6. Heated thread about something unrelated.

[bursarsam]

07:59 AM on 08/03/2011

For everyone saying SNL is dead must not have been alive for the early 2000 election coverage where they had Will Ferrel play George W and Darrel Hammond as Gore-some of the funniest TV I have ever watched. I have seen the old SNL's and (to me) they really aren't that funny. Different generations find different things funny...so if you're older and don't find this generation's humor funny, you are free to watch reruns of the Golden Girls or MASH.

[Lovin Colorado]

02:13 PM on 08/04/2011

Didn't Darrel Hammond also do the "doddering" McCain in the debate segment?
Every time he wandered in front of the camera I just lost it!!
(Tim Conway could have done this incredibly well as he did on the Burnett show decades ago.)

Each generation does have what they believe to be "great humor". Current events provide so much good comedy but are certainly not timeless. Like watching a 10 yr old Comedy Central...probably won't be funny at all.

[sgtmike132]

07:51 AM on 08/03/2011

But we still won't make fun of Obama.

[Matt Wilding]

11:25 AM on 08/03/2011

Apparently you don't watch the show.

[indysteve1227]

07:26 AM on 08/03/2011

If there is any problem with SNL it's the system behind the creative process. King Lorne must be amused so he creates a competitive atmosphere that appears to be demoralizing. It's hard to understand how so many poorly developed sketches get on the air when you have 30+ writers and cast members. To me the example that the system there is broken is the classic "more cowbell" sketch got rejected 7 times before it finally went on the air. Unbelievable.

[KickstandCat]

10:51 AM on 08/03/2011

I know. It's sooooooooo bad that's is only been running since October 11, 1975!

[Itsafact]

01:49 PM on 08/03/2011

The length of time is irrelevant. Some things run way beyond their time - long after they have jumped the shark. It's happens.

[sanemd]

06:05 AM on 08/03/2011

I wish MADTV was still on.

[kicksave7]

04:28 AM on 08/03/2011

Too bad Lorne Michaels isn't leaving...

[ttbsdmmg]

04:07 AM on 08/03/2011

I am really surprised Paul Brittan is returning. He did not seem to have any breakout characters from last season. I hope he will this season because he seems to have potential.

Okay, that being said, I want to address the never ending, mind numbing debate on whether SNL is still funny. Just my 2 cents.

I am so tired of hearing people say that SNL is not as good as it used to be. What exactly is 'used to be'? Are they referring to the Chris Farley/Adam Sandler days, or the Phil Hartman/Dana Carvey days, or even all the way back to the John Belushi/Dan Ackroyd days?
Because I have heard that tired old line for almost every generation of SNL's that have come down the pike. I suppose everyone has their favorite cast or era when they thought SNL was funny. I have watched SNL for a long time and I would say that there were some eras that produced more than others, but it has always been a show that speaks satirically to the social and political commentary of our times. The show is a television icon so Michaels and Co. must be doing something right, but humor being a very subjective thing, it will never be everyone's cup of tea. I still enjoy the show. Sure they don't knock it outta the park every week, but it still has funny stuff from time to time.