Jennifer Coolidge and Kieran Culkin SNL episodes scrapped over strike
Thanks to low wages for writers, Kieran Culkin and Jennifer Coolidge won’t be hosting SNL this season
Aux News Culkin
The writers’ strike, caused by the lack of livable wages, job insecurity, streaming residuals, and access to healthcare by multi-billion dollar monopolies, has yet another TV casualty: Kieran Culkin and Jennifer Coolidge’s SNL episodes. While we’re sure we all need to sit down for a few minutes and collect ourselves, the news is only a surprise because we didn’t know Culkin and Coolidge were on deck. SNL had Culkin scheduled for May 13 and Coolidge for the May 20 season finale.
However, after the canceled Pete Davidson episode this week, April’s Ana De Armas episode stands as the show’s de facto finale. We shudder to think what kind of bad omen it is for the show when the season finale is in promotion of something called Ghosted, which presumably is about a supernatural dating app. We’ll never know for sure, though.
The news is another attempt to remind the general public what they’re “losing” due to the strike. Yet, it has almost nothing to do with the striking writers and everything to do with the networks that refuse to pay them. So as it stands, advertisers can direct their ire toward AMPTP, allowing this strike to go even deeper into SNL’s production schedule. In response to AMPTP’s first public rebuttal to the strike, former WGA President and current co-chair of the negotiating committee David Goodman said:
“It is clear to us in the AMPTP proposals that they are coming after writing staffs that they are not interested in the longevity of writing careers. They want to turn it into a gig economy, a gig job. All of their proposals from AI to the day rate for comedy variety writers to dismissal of all the concerns we raised about free work for screenwriters, are signaling us that they have a plan to devalue writers so that less writers are hired and more pressure’s placed on those individuals that they do hire. We can’t stand for that. Nothing they said in this in these remarks, do anything to tell me otherwise.”
It’s worth noting that people probably would watch both episodes. After all, Kieran Culkin has never been better in this season of Succession. Additionally, this would’ve been Coolidge’s hosting debut, which says a whole lot about Saturday Night Live, considering Coolidge has been among America’s great comedians for the last 20 years. But it takes a long time for America’s institutions to catch up with the rest of the country. Honestly, there should’ve been some more direct action around getting Coolidge on the show earlier.
[via Deadline]
25 Comments
“Yet, it has almost nothing to do with the striking writers and everything to do with the networks that refuse to pay them.”I’m saying this as a union member who has been on strike, but yikes, Matt, an ounce of journalistic impartiality would pay dividends in terms of credibility.
“…which says a whole lot about Saturday Night Live, considering Coolidge has been among America’s great comedians for the last 20 years.”I’m as big of a fan of her episode of Frasier as anyone else, but…really?
I agree that nothing before White Lotus raised her profile to SNL-hosting levels, but I’d say that a recurring role on King of the Hill, being a part of Christopher Guest’s ensemble in everything he’s made since Best In Show, featured roles in Legally Blonde and Pootie Tang, guest shots on several beloved sitcoms, and two seasons of White Lotus at least qualify her as a great comedian.
I think I could be convinced. I don’t think it’s the “Tom Hanks is America’s dad” level of obvious, though.
She was the MILF in American Pie for fucks sake, it’s about time we put respect to her name
American Pie is 24 years old. Best in Show 23. Yeah, she’s been around for decades now.
She’s been a great character actress, but this is like saying “Why isn’t Ray Wise hosting SNL?” Because that’s not the kind of people who host SNL. Ray Wise has been great in everything and everybody recognizes his face and work, but at most, 5% of the general population could match the name to the face.Pre White Lotus, how many people could see her face and say “That’s Jennifer Coolidge. Love her”? Because I’m pretty sure anybody my age just says “Stiffler’s mom” and maybe mentions a Best In Show to flex their movie watching credentials.
See she bugged the everloving shit out of me in Legally Blonde and I feel like that breathy oblivious dingbat persona has been her go-to ever since. I loved her White Lotus character but her delivery still grated on me.ETA: And I think this is probably what we’d have gotten from her over and over again on SNL.
Yeah…I get that people love Jennifer Coolidge, but I was just thinking I’m not sure I could take an hour of her. But I’d be open to being surprised, whenever they get back on track and she’s rescheduled.
It’s like Pete Davidson can never get a break.
Amen, brother.Skeet-skeet, goddamn!
The SNL writers are some of the worst offenders of terrible writing for television. my mind boggles when i think about how the show has nearly 30 writers on staff but they crank out low-brow shit rather for only one show a week.
Yeah. This happens when you have shitty bosses approaching their fucking 80’s.
Someone on here once described a typical SNL sketch:Pete Davidson is wearing a lobster costume and handing out lobster rolls.SOME ACTRESS: “Whoa-whoa-whoa. Lemme get this straight: you’re a LOBSTER? And you’re handing out LOBSTER ROLLS?”Baffling, inexplicable laughter and applause from audience.”It absolutely blows my fucking mind the amount of respect, awe, and cachet that show has. Every sketch is like a third-rate open-mic improv night…except for some fucking reason that shit is pre-canned and written by writers, not made up on the spot.Yeah, yeah: someone’s gonna say “Some of the writer’s you love got a start there!” and that’s true, but I don’t see the connection between the good work they crank out and the dross on SNL. It’s like saying “You like this cake, right? Well, the baker used to be a pilot! That’s why they’re so good!” I have no idea how that has any bearing on the cake.
Whoa-whoa-whoa. Lemme get this straight: I chartered you for an international flight, so you’re baking a cake?You’re right. These things write themselves!
More cocaine, Hoblin?
I do not use cocaine. Cocaine? Don’t mind if I do!
Know what doesn’t need cocaine to crank out ten crappy segments a week? AI.
I could swear that someone is Groundhogging because I was positive these two already hosted recently.
Kiernan did semi recently and Snl did parody coolidge character a good amount
Thank you. Had to make sure I wasn’t going crazy.
Maybe you are. But not for this.
Culkin just hosted like, last season or the season before. I’m surprised they asked him back already. He also had a cameo on the Steve Martin/Martin Short episode.
Chloe Fineman did a pretty solid impression of her a while back.
As a great man once said, “Hooray for Fuckywood.”