But the show went on, with impressionist extraordinaire Darrell Hammond stepping up with his best Pardo. Elle Macpherson was the host and Sting was the musical guest. Before 2013, he missed only one show: Season 21, Episode 14. Save for a year break during the 1981-82 season, Pardo’s attendance rate was near immaculate. Despite attempts to retire over the years, Pardo, who died on Monday at the age of 96, remained a staple of the show for the rest of his life. His vocals were so ingrained in SNL’s DNA that the ’80s saw sketches riffing on the announcer’s godliness. Writers used him for comedic effect: Sketches spoofing television conventions tapped Pardo for a squeaky-clean, PSA effect. After a performer would bellow, “Live from New York, it’s Saturday Night!” Pardo’s voice would sweep in, maintaining the high when announcing the cavalcade of cast members. The Huffington Post’s Mike Ryan was also pleasantly surprised, saying in a review that Drake reminded him of Bruno Mars from last season: “An energetic host that’s been given so-so material that he’s able to elevate – to a point.”Īnd the fact that “SNL” fully integrated Zamata into the episode (versus trying to break her out as a more prominent star) also meant there was more time for Drake, Entertainment Weekly noted, “and Drake was really, really great,” particularly in the “Before They Were Stars” sketch.Don Pardo served as the announcer of Saturday Night Live from its debut on October 11, 1975, until the 39th season finale on May 17, 2014. “Drake showed he had a deft comedic hand on Saturday.” “(G)ive credit to host and musical guest Drake for shifting through characters as if he’d always belonged on the late-night sketch show,” the Los Angeles Times said in a review. In fact, the one person who won the episode more than Drake was Kate McKinnon and her impersonation of Justin Bieber in the cold open: … to his impersonation of comedian Katt Williams, and his spoof of colleagues Jay Z and Lil Wayne in “Before They Were Stars.” In addition to performing, the 27-year-old artist participated in nearly every sketch and nailed them, from his opening monologue that recalled his bar mitzvah … In the end, “SNL” went with a third option: It used Zamata liberally throughout the show as a supporting player, but her debut was virtually overshadowed by the night’s host, Drake. On Saturday, viewers were trying to figure out how “SNL” would address its highly publicized hire – would the show again poke fun at itself by making her take on everyone from the first lady to Beyoncé to Oprah in one sketch, as Kerry Washington did when she hosted last fall, or would it slowly introduce her with just one or two scenes? Behind the scenes, “SNL” has also added two new African-American women writers, LaKendra Tookes and Leslie Jones. Zamata was recently hired after the NBC sketch comedy show was criticized for its noticeable lack of African-American women, and made her debut on January 18. On the January 18 episode, the rapper dusted off his acting skills – honed on “Degrassi: The Next Generation” – and seamlessly brought “SNL” back from its hiatus with its newest cast member, Sasheer Zamata. It took Drake only one try to become one of “Saturday Night Live’s” best hosts.
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