Chris Parnell *Officially* axed from SNL

[Shaver]

Hip-hop just stopped on "Saturday Night Live."

That's right. Chris Parnell, the rap happy white comedian who rhymed about escapades with Jennifer Garner and Kirsten Dunst helped make "Lazy Sunday" (aka "The Chronic of Narnia" song) an overnight Internet hit, has been axed.

Executive producer and creator Lorne Michaels says he had to make cuts and Parnell is one of the casualties.

While it's easy to see why Michaels ousted the increasingly unfunny Horatio Sanz after eight years, Parnell, who had also clocked the same amount of time on SNL, seems like more of a necessary and relevant cast member. Who's going to spit lyrics with Andy Samberg now?

Finesse Mitchell also got the boot and Tina Fey and Rachel Dratch left on their own to work on Fey and Michaels' new sitcom, "30 Rock." Meanwhile, new head writer Seth Meyers (the guy who does a great John Kerry) will replace Fey as the co-anchor on "Weekend Update."


There is very, very little legit talent left at SNL. Amy Pohler is really the best they have and she's too talented to stay much longer. In fact, she may be the first true break-out female SNL alumni since Gilda.

This may be an unbearable season.

[SPTO]

Re: Chris Parnell *Officially* axed from SNL

Oh man....

We'll have to see how things go in the next two or three years but it seems to me that SNL may actually get cancelled at some point. The show keeps going through good periods then LOOONG periods of truly pathetic material passing itself off as comedy.

[MassNole]

Re: Chris Parnell *Officially* axed from SNL

I doubt that SNL will ever be cancelled. I know they came close back in the late 80's-early 90's, when ironically they had the most talented cast they ever had. SNL does hurt itself though, like the "Lazy Sunday" thing and the fight with Youtube. It was free advertising, what did they fail to get there?

[CM1847]

Re: Chris Parnell *Officially* axed from SNL

I'm fine with it. It is a complete rehaul of the cast, the main members are gone. They may have been funny at times but the show still sucked for the better part of the past 3-5 years. They need to do something to change it up. Starting almost from scratch isn't the worst idea.

[SPTO]

Re: Chris Parnell *Officially* axed from SNL

SNL does hurt itself though, like the "Lazy Sunday" thing and the fight with Youtube. It was free advertising, what did they fail to get there?

Can't really blame SNL for that. That was NBC's fight. If you notice there's very little to no NBC related footage on youtube. (unless it's sports or news) Youtube and NBC are supposed to launch an NBC exclusive "channel" on the site this fall.

[Peji911]

Re: Chris Parnell *Officially* axed from SNL

the problem with SNL, imo, is Lorne.. The Guy had a good idea, fine. But i dont see him as anything more than a cocky a s s who is riding the coat tails of one great idea he's had... and this is definately one of those, if he didnt have that idea, someone would eventually... He wants to much control and is a tite a s s with the show, its pathetic

[SPTO]

Re: Chris Parnell *Officially* axed from SNL

the problem with SNL, imo, is Lorne.. The Guy had a good idea, fine. But i dont see him as anything more than a cocky a s s who is riding the coat tails of one great idea he's had... and this is definately one of those, if he didnt have that idea, someone would eventually... He wants to much control and is a tite a s s with the show, its pathetic

Um...he's ALWAYS had this kind of control with the show for better or for worse. In fact, the only time when he didn't have control of it, the show nearly folded up like a cheap suitcase under Dick Ebersol's management.

NBC had to BEG Lorne to come back and do the show. This was in the late 80s IIRC.

[MassNole]

Re: Chris Parnell *Officially* axed from SNL

NBC had to BEG Lorne to come back and do the show. This was in the late 80s IIRC.

When the cast was unbelieveable.

[bad_philanthropy]

Re: Chris Parnell *Officially* axed from SNL

Can you guys imagine how great an SNL series finale would be?

[SPTO]

Re: Chris Parnell *Officially* axed from SNL

When the cast was unbelieveable.

Sorry about that I stand corrected (just checked out wiki) Lorne left after the '79-'80 season and was asked back in '85-86.

[sva91]

Re: Chris Parnell *Officially* axed from SNL

dang Parnell was probably the funniest cast member left. At least they got rid of Tina Fey the writing was horrible. I think theyll have enough talent, they just need to write better material. I couldnt stand the last couple of seasons, but I actually saw a funny skit the other day w/samberg and parnell doing a rap of chronicles of narnia. Pretty funny.