snl

NBC has remained curiously quiet on ‘SNL’’s three-hour 40th Anniversary special on February 15, and while cameos galore are expected, our first major homecoming may have arrived. Following a 31-year absence, Eddie Murphy will reportedly return to ‘SNL’ to ring in the NBC sketch comedy legend’s 40th anniversary.

J. K. Simmons has been giving us ‘Whiplash’ for decades now with head-turning performances in everything from ‘Spider-Man’ to ‘The Legend of Korra,’ but with the ‘Kong: Skull Island’ star finally nominated for an Oscar, that most hallowed of New York institutions will give Simmons his due. J.K. will host the final January ‘SNL’ installment of 2015, no “jk” about it.

NBC has been surprisingly quiet about ‘SNL’'s impending 40th anniversary special, but VH1 has upped the nostalgia ante in a major way. VH1 Classic will begin a 19-day marathon of ‘SNL’'s 40 years on January 28, working backwards through 433 episodes and staging themed mini-marathons along the way.

As if we hadn't seen 'The Hunger Games' or 'True Detective' mocked enough, 'SNL' will take an official turn with one of the major stars. Woody Harrelson has been reaped from the existing pool of victors to host 'SNL' a third time later on in November, with fellow repeat star and musical guest Kendrick Lamar.

'SNL''s additions and subtractions in its first three weeks of the 40th anniversary season have gotten some notable attention, but its first in-house promotion of the season has us a bit more excited. Following her high-profile addition to the writing staff last season, and some standout appearances along the way, Leslie Jones has been promoted to a featured player of the NBC sketch comedy series.

The unfortunate and untimely death of the great Jan Hooks this past week sent the comedy world into mourning, with countless writers and comics stepping forward to pay tribute to the late 'SNL' star. It could have been easy for this week's new episode to gloss over the passing of one of their own (it is a comedy show, after all), but 'SNL' has always been a slightly class institution -- it remembers those who came before.

We've got some sad news today as we've learned that Jan Hooks, former star of 'Saturday Night Live,' has passed away at the age of 57. Hooks, who was a member of the cast from 1986 to 1991, also starred on the hit sitcom 'Designing Women,' and more recently played Jenna's mom on episodes of '30 Rock.'

The latest episode of 'SNL' featured Sarah Silverman as the host and it looks like their raunchy guest encouraged the rest of the crew to crawl out on a few limbs. Would the writers have created a fake commercial celebrating the slowly dying power of white people if the world's most offensive female comedian wasn't on hand? Who knows!

Of the many changes in store for the 40th season of 'SNL,' none would prove so heartbreaking as the loss of beloved announcer Don Pardo, who passed away earlier this year. No one could ever replace Pardo's distinct intonation announcing every 'SNL' installment, though the new voice of the sketch comedy series will at least be a familiar one, as distinguished alum Darrell Hammond takes the mic.

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