Christopher Walken/Panic at the Disco

I still get the feeling of "omg that's totally Christopher Walken" when he is on the show. He's amazing and really pays attention to every word in a sketch. He treats it all with care.

This was a little bit of a crazy episode in that things really changed from the dress rehearsal to the live show. It happens from time to time and once it's set, it all makes sense. I think that element of unpredictability helps with the energy of the show too.

On Thursday I was walking around the 17th floor (where we do all the writing) and I saw all of this tin foil in the hall. Then I saw Kenan walking around in a top hat followed by an animal wrangler holding a bunch of cute little pugs. I sometimes still can't believe this is a work place.

The cast had a great time doing the Walken Family Reunion sketch. It was especially fun at the read-through, hearing everyone's version of Christopher Walken. The read through, which we do on Wednesdays, is when we read the sketches that everyone wrote. It's kind of like a radio play and there is some pretty incredible material.

A few people have asked me about this character I do on the show, Nicholas Fehn. The political comedian who comments on newspaper headlines. I have a friend who sometimes can't finish one sentence. So it's a little bit of him. I just wanted to try something where a person who claims to have a lot to say doesn't ever actually say anything. Or does he?

Also, I was going to try to add something to this blog where I take pictures of things around the studio on my camera phone. I haven't gotten to it yet but hopefully I will soon.

Thank you!
Fred

Ellen Page and Wilco

I loved this episode. So many surprise guests and one of my favorite bands ever.

Ellen Page was great to have around. Easy going and friendly and was up for doing anything. I thought she was so good in everything too.

As I look at photos from this episode (thank you new and improved SNL site!) I remember that I really enjoyed this one. Watching Virginiaca from my dressing room, I was laughing all the way through. And that digital short! I have watched that online over and over. It's somehow scary and insanely funny at the same time.

Having Hillary Clinton there was just unreal. It's a different level of excitement when a political figure makes an appearance. She was so nice and seemed very happy to be there. The people on her staff were super cool as well. I still can't believe it happened.

Vincent D'Onofrio's appearance was surreal in another way in that I see him on TV all the time. I love how he confronts criminals in the last five minutes of "Criminal Intent" and I liked being two feet away from him doing that in the cold open.

Will Forte sounded SO much like Brian Williams in that sketch btw, didn't he? He told me that he happened upon that by accident over the summer. He was trying to do this other voice and all of a sudden realized "Hey...that sounds like Brian Williams!"

Wilco were amazing and it meant a lot to me that they were there. The band are old friends of mine and I used to work for Jeff Tweedy's wife at a club she owned in Chicago. Jeff used to play there all the time, so seeing him on the SNL stage while his wife and kids were backstage was amazing to me. And yes I am name dropping.

The Peter Pan sketch was so much fun, but man we must have rehearsed that a million times. The way it was shot was complicated, so we had to get it right for the cameras. Everyone in the cast gets punchy when we have to do that. I wish you could see how we pass the time when we are standing on the set around waiting for another rehearsal.
Very immature stuff.

Okay, thanks!