SNL

We'd known that 'SNL' would need some additional fine-tuning after shedding some of the dead weight of season 39, but where writer Colin Jost had replaced "Weekend Update"s departed Seth Meyers alongside Cecily Strong, an unexpected shakeup has emerged. Strong will step down from the Update desk, remaining an 'SNL' regular, while 'Daily Show' correspondent and 'SNL' writer Michael Che will become Jost's new co-anchor.

Despite 'SNL' heading into its landmark 40th season (and shedding a few players in the process), things have been curiously quiet on the front of NBC's beloved sketch comedy show, particularly with regard to its initial hosts. Now, the network confirms that 'Guardians of the Galaxy' and 'Parks and Recreation' star Chris Pratt will host the September 27 premiere with musical guest Ariana Grande, preceding comedian Sarah Silverman, while rumors suggest legendary alum Bill Murray will follow!

Don Pardo, the man who introduced the 'SNL' lineup every week since 1975, has sadly passed away at the age of 96. Pardo also lent his voice to radio, sports, game shows, and commercials over the course of his incredibly long-running career, but we'll always remember him best for that wonderful phrase: "It's 'Saturday Night Live!'"

Yesterday saw 'SNL' fans caught off guard by the news that season 39 freshman Brooks Wheelan was let go from the cast in advance of season 40, and now a few more names have been cast into the fire. Fellow season 39 additions Noël Wells and John Milhiser have also been confirmed to be let go from the long-running NBC sketch comedy series, with a "murky" future for Michael Patrick O'Brien as well.

After all the turnover season 39 of 'SNL' brought to the cast, between Fred Armisen, Bill Hader, Jason Sudeikis and Seth Meyers departing, as well as controversial additions like that of Sasheer Zamata, the 40th anniversary season of the long-running NBC sketch comedy was expected to bring with it a few changes. Now, the first of the season 39 freshmen have been cut, as cast member Brooks Wheelan announces he won't return this fall.

It's always a sad day when we have to say goodbye to some of our favorite 'SNL' cast members, much as the past year saw the likes of Fred Armisen, Jason Sudeikis and Bill Hader all departing the long-running sketch comedy series. This past season's finale didn't include any explicit goodbyes, but may in fact have been the confirmed exit of series star Nasim Pedrad, as she moves on to a new FOX series.

Tracy Morgan ('30 Rock,' 'Saturday Night Live') is in critical condition after a six-vehicle accident on the New Jersey Turnpike early Saturday morning. Morgan had been riding in a limo bus from Dover, Delaware where he performed Friday night.

Having been fired from 'SNL' in 1995 along with fellow comedic legend Chris Farley, Sandler recently spoke to yet another notable alum, Norm MacDonald, who asked Sandler why he never returned to host an episode.

Alas, the 39th season of 'SNL' has come and gone with this past weekend's return of cast alumni Andy Samberg (along with a number of others). Though, even with the tremendous 40th anniversary special looming in our futures, season 39 had one last golden egg to give. Watch Andy Samberg sell a unique cologne in a deleted short from this past weekend's 'SNL.'

When Andy Samberg was a cast member on 'SNL,' he routinely set the internet on fire with his digital shorts, but none were as popular as his Lonely Island music videos, which saw him, Akiva Schaffer and Jorma Taccone performing hip-hop music that often sounded like the real thing. Well, at least it would sound like the real thing if the subject matter wasn't totally crazy. With Samberg performing

This season of 'SNL' has been all about truly weird and experimental digital shorts, so it only makes sense that guest host Andy Samberg (who helped pioneer them in the first place) would help make one of the strangest. There's almost no dialogue in this sketch and the joke isn't immediately accessible, but it's the kind of specific and eclectic comedy that 'SNL' tends to excel at when it wants to

It can be an odd experience when former 'SNL' cast members return to host the show. On one level, it's refreshing to see some of your favorite faces return to the stage. On another level, it's a reminder of what the show has lost (especially in a "rebuilding" season like this one). So the season finale's opening monologue was a bittersweet affair, with guest host Andy Samberg being joine