Tag Archives: lorne-michaels

Chris Kattan: SNL Alum Says Lorne Michaels Pressured Him to Have Sex With Director

It’s a wild week for shocking accusations in celebrity memoirs. First, Lamar Odom claimed a pimp tried to kill him, and now former  Saturday Night Live star Chris Kattan has leveled some appalling accusations at iconic producer Lorne Michaels. Kattan was an SNL regular from 1996 to 2003. He played a number of recurring characters, most notably one half of the Roxbury Guys, alongside Will Ferrell. In homage to his most famous schtick, Kattan titled his newly-released memoir Baby, Don’t Hurt Me . And unlike SNL stars past, he didn’t hold back in his portrayal of the show’s famously domineering — and oddly humorous — creator, Lorne Michaels. When Roxbury was adapted into a movie in 1998 (for our younger readers — this used to be a common practice for popular SNL sketches), Amy Heckerling was tapped to direct. Following the success of such films as Fast Times at Ridgemont High and Clueless , Heckerling was one of the most in-demand comedy directors in Hollywood. And it seems Michaels was willing to go to great lengths to keep her attached to the project. Or more accurately, he was willing to pressure his employees to go to great lengths. “Paramount would only do the movie if Amy signed on as a director, not as a producer,” Kattan writes. “[Michaels] wanted to make sure the movie happened, then [he] had to keep Amy happy.” He recalls a phone call with Michaels in which his boss instructed in him just how to keep Heckerling happy” “Chris, I’m not saying you have to f–k her, but it wouldn’t hurt,” he recalls Michaels saying. And so, Kattan got it on with Heckerling — and was respectful to Lorne in the process: “She thought it would be fun to have sex on Lorne’s desk,” he writes. “Wow, what a great idea! Jesus Christ. I said a polite ‘F–k, no!’ to that, so we ended up going to her office and having sex on … yep, you guessed it, the ‘casting couch.’ ” Michaels’ camp has issued a firm denial, stating simply: “This did not happen.” Obviously, we can’t say for certain who’s telling the truth — but it would be a pretty random story for Kattan to make up 20 years later.

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Chris Kattan: SNL Alum Says Lorne Michaels Pressured Him to Have Sex With Director

Chris Kattan: SNL Alum Says Lorne Michaels Pressured Him to Have Sex With Director

It’s a wild week for shocking accusations in celebrity memoirs. First, Lamar Odom claimed a pimp tried to kill him, and now former  Saturday Night Live star Chris Kattan has leveled some appalling accusations at iconic producer Lorne Michaels. Kattan was an SNL regular from 1996 to 2003. He played a number of recurring characters, most notably one half of the Roxbury Guys, alongside Will Ferrell. In homage to his most famous schtick, Kattan titled his newly-released memoir Baby, Don’t Hurt Me . And unlike SNL stars past, he didn’t hold back in his portrayal of the show’s famously domineering — and oddly humorous — creator, Lorne Michaels. When Roxbury was adapted into a movie in 1998 (for our younger readers — this used to be a common practice for popular SNL sketches), Amy Heckerling was tapped to direct. Following the success of such films as Fast Times at Ridgemont High and Clueless , Heckerling was one of the most in-demand comedy directors in Hollywood. And it seems Michaels was willing to go to great lengths to keep her attached to the project. Or more accurately, he was willing to pressure his employees to go to great lengths. “Paramount would only do the movie if Amy signed on as a director, not as a producer,” Kattan writes. “[Michaels] wanted to make sure the movie happened, then [he] had to keep Amy happy.” He recalls a phone call with Michaels in which his boss instructed in him just how to keep Heckerling happy” “Chris, I’m not saying you have to f–k her, but it wouldn’t hurt,” he recalls Michaels saying. And so, Kattan got it on with Heckerling — and was respectful to Lorne in the process: “She thought it would be fun to have sex on Lorne’s desk,” he writes. “Wow, what a great idea! Jesus Christ. I said a polite ‘F–k, no!’ to that, so we ended up going to her office and having sex on … yep, you guessed it, the ‘casting couch.’ ” Michaels’ camp has issued a firm denial, stating simply: “This did not happen.” Obviously, we can’t say for certain who’s telling the truth — but it would be a pretty random story for Kattan to make up 20 years later.

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Chris Kattan: SNL Alum Says Lorne Michaels Pressured Him to Have Sex With Director

Is Nothing Sacred?! Former ‘SNL’ Star Says Lorne Michaels Told Cast To Make Trump ‘Likable’ During Presidential Run

Sam Wasson/Getty Images for iHeartMedia Taran Killam Claims Lorne Michaels Told Cast To Make Trump ‘Likable’ In the modern day simulation, Alec Baldwin impersonations are part of  Saturday Night Live ’s everyday ammunition against the reign of y’alls lil president Donald Trump . But before he was elected, and before Baldwin took on the character in 2016, the show’s creator, Lorne Michaels, reportedly insisted on only throwing soft jabs at the candidate–this is all according to an interview with former  SNL  cast member Taran Killam . In an interview with Matt Gourley on his podcast  I Was There Too , the former Trump impressionist opened up about his decision to leave  Saturday Night Live  in 2016, along with the controversial hosting of Donald Trump in 2015. As  Vulture  pointed out, the  Night School  actor says Michaels pressured the cast and writers to go easy on Donald Trump in all of their skits, later surprising them with the candidate’s invitation to host. “Lorne was being so specific about what we could and couldn’t say about him, and he was dictating a lot of the settings,” Killam said during the podcast. “At that point—the first CNN interview [Trump] was doing—and that was sort of looking like what we thought we were going to do, and Lorne’s like, ‘It’ll be too old news by then, and you know, you don’t want to vilify him. You know, he’s like any New York taxi driver. I know him, I’ve seen him around at parties for years and years, and he just says whatever it is he’s thinking, and that’s his thing. But you know, you have to find a way in that makes him likable.’” Aside from just some questionable political choices, Killam also says  SNL  went downhill after Seth Meyers’ departure in 2014. “When Seth Meyers left the show, the dynamic changed quite a bit,” he continued, saying that an increase in pre-taped sketches and Seth’s absence made the show feel like “less of a happy place to be.” Check out Taran Killam’s entire  here . Are y’all surprised to hear that SNL cast members were encouraged to go easy on Trump?!

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Is Nothing Sacred?! Former ‘SNL’ Star Says Lorne Michaels Told Cast To Make Trump ‘Likable’ During Presidential Run

Kanye West Reportedly Has THESE Special Guests Up His Sleeve For Tonight’s ‘Saturday Night Live’ Performances

 Dana Edelson/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images Kanye Might Be Joined By Some Big Artists For His SNL Performances S aturday Night Live ’s upcoming season premiere airs tonight, and according to reports from all around the internet, everything about the episode is going to be absolutely one of a kind. This weekend,  Kanye West  will return to the  SNL  stage, which will mark the rapper’s 7th time as the musical guest. When the Chicago native performed on the program in 2016 in accordance with the drop of his then-new album The Life Of Pablo , he brought along a huge cast of characters including Chance the Rapper to perform with him. Now, according to reports from  TMZ , he’s bringing along a handful of other artists for some extra special performances. Sources say that Yeezy will be joined onstage by Lil Pump, Kid Cudi, Teyana Taylor, and 070 Shake, all of whom have collaborated with the rapper in the past. It isn’t yet clear whether or not Kanye is going to perform a medley of his past hits or if he’ll share some new snippets from  Yandhi , which is set to drop Saturday night in accordance with the show. Though Lil Pump is on the list of performers reportedly on the bill, the rapper just cancelled his entire tour–presumably because he’s currently locked up–so it will be interested to see if Ye can work his magic and break him out somehow. Spike Jonze, who directed Kanye and Pump’s “I Love It” music video,  is also reportedly assisting with the creative direction of the upcoming performances. SNL ’s season 44 premiere goes down this Saturday, where Kanye will perform along with the host for the evening, Adam Driver. In other related news, series creator Lorne Michaels revealed a few days backs that Kanye performing for the season premiere wasn’t planned too far in advance, claiming that Ariana Grande was originally set to perform on the season premiere, but backed out earlier this month for emotional reasons. Will you be watching???

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Kanye West Reportedly Has THESE Special Guests Up His Sleeve For Tonight’s ‘Saturday Night Live’ Performances

Lorne Michaels BREAKS SILENCE on Kanye West SNL Meltdown

The sheer quantity of tantrums, potshots and straight-up delusional proclamations that have exited Kanye West’s mouth this year have become too numerous to count. Kanye has chosen Twitter as the primary outlet for his word vomit, but a few weeks ago we actually got to hear Kanye in the midst of a meltdown at Saturday Night Live  on the night of his performance. The rapper was upset that the stage design had been changed on him without notice and was understandably upset. But in his expletive-filled tirade , he called Taylor Swift a “fake ass,” shouted that he was 50 percent more influential than Pablo Picasso and Paul the Apostle and screamed “Don’t f*ck with me!” numerous times. Lorne Michaels, SNL creator and executive producer, has now broken his silence on the Kanye incident, and his response sounds a lot like the work of a seasoned PR pro. “That happened in his dressing room,” Michaels told E! News. “Kanye’s been on the show a lot of years, and it’s always different. He’s an artist, you know? A great artist.” Actually, it sounds like Kanye crafted his response. Guess he’s got Michaels drinking the Kool-Aid, too (or he’s just covering his own butt). “He just always delivers, and he’s Kanye,” Michaels added. Let’s all try this at work: throw an uncensored, no-holds-barred, spitting hissy fit, then use the excuse of “I’m an artist, and I’m me” and see how that goes over. If you’re as crafty as Kanye, your co-workers will be kissing your ass and praising your creativity in no time. Expect a promotion. View Slideshow: Kanye West Rants on Twitter, Defends Taylor Swift Lyric

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Lorne Michaels BREAKS SILENCE on Kanye West SNL Meltdown

Lorne Michaels BREAKS SILENCE on Kanye West SNL Meltdown

The sheer quantity of tantrums, potshots and straight-up delusional proclamations that have exited Kanye West’s mouth this year have become too numerous to count. Kanye has chosen Twitter as the primary outlet for his word vomit, but a few weeks ago we actually got to hear Kanye in the midst of a meltdown at Saturday Night Live  on the night of his performance. The rapper was upset that the stage design had been changed on him without notice and was understandably upset. But in his expletive-filled tirade , he called Taylor Swift a “fake ass,” shouted that he was 50 percent more influential than Pablo Picasso and Paul the Apostle and screamed “Don’t f*ck with me!” numerous times. Lorne Michaels, SNL creator and executive producer, has now broken his silence on the Kanye incident, and his response sounds a lot like the work of a seasoned PR pro. “That happened in his dressing room,” Michaels told E! News. “Kanye’s been on the show a lot of years, and it’s always different. He’s an artist, you know? A great artist.” Actually, it sounds like Kanye crafted his response. Guess he’s got Michaels drinking the Kool-Aid, too (or he’s just covering his own butt). “He just always delivers, and he’s Kanye,” Michaels added. Let’s all try this at work: throw an uncensored, no-holds-barred, spitting hissy fit, then use the excuse of “I’m an artist, and I’m me” and see how that goes over. If you’re as crafty as Kanye, your co-workers will be kissing your ass and praising your creativity in no time. Expect a promotion. View Slideshow: Kanye West Rants on Twitter, Defends Taylor Swift Lyric

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Lorne Michaels BREAKS SILENCE on Kanye West SNL Meltdown

BOSSIP Exclusive: Audio Surfaces Of What Kanye Actually Said During His SNL “Meltdown” [Fed Up With Set Changes And Fake Azz Taylor Swift]

Kanye West’s SNL Rant Recording Released Remember how Kanye had a major meltdown and threatened to walk off the SNL set ? Reportedly, Kanye had a specific set plan for his performance, which he had rehearsed with. But 30 minutes before showtime, production began to dismantle and scale back his set, without asking or notifying him. Naturally…’Ye was a bit upset. The result? A very Kanye rant about how sick he is of the disrespect he receives as an influential figure and an artist — and a side swipe at Taylor Swift’s fakeness . Take a listen: PageSix is reporting that Kanye made all sorts of other sideways comments to and about the staff members during the incident, but a source close to ‘Ye’s camp is revealing to BOSSIP exclusively what really went down. As we mentioned before, the stage design that Kanye had approved and practiced with was changed without his permission or notice. Apparently the reflective flooring was catching the studio lights and clashing with the effect of the LED screen, so the lighting director made the change without any approval shortly before showtime. Understandably, Kanye was completely blindsided by the changes and upset after working hard on his performance all day. Kanye vented in a private moment with his team — a portion of which we hear (secretly) recorded here. He never once ranted to or yelled at any staff or producers. In fact, he was seen hugging Lorne Michaels just before the show’s goodnights, he stayed afte the show to chat with the staff and cast, and even thanked the producers on his way out of the door for the evening. Welp…that scenario would piss any performer off, honestly. But of course since it’s Kanye and he’s obviously been on one for the last few days, people are blowing it up into way more… SplashNews / SNL

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BOSSIP Exclusive: Audio Surfaces Of What Kanye Actually Said During His SNL “Meltdown” [Fed Up With Set Changes And Fake Azz Taylor Swift]

Saturday Night Live: Seeking African-American Cast Member

Saturday Night Live hears the criticism. And it’s finally doing something about it. Following the exodus of Bill Hader, Jason Sudeikis, Kristen Wiig and Fred Armisen following last season, the long-running sketch comedy hired six new cast members, all of whom have something in common: They’re white. This led to a number of diversity complaints, considering the show actually employees a grand total of zero African-American performers, something it mocked when Kerry Washington ( Scandal ) hosted in November. But insiders now confirm to The Hollywood Reporter that NBC held showcases in Los Angeles and New York this month in order to hire an African-American female. One is expected to debut as early as January. Overall, there are three people of color (Kennan Thompson, Jay Pharaoh and Nasim Pedrad) in the show’s 16-person cast and SNL has only ever had four African-American women on stage: Yvonne Hudson (1980-81), Danitra Vance (1985-86), Ellen Cleghorne (1991-95) and Maya Rudolph (2000-2007). But Thompson recently said this was less a reflection of producer Lorne Michaels and more of simply finding the right individual. “It’s just a tough part of the business,” Thompson told TV Guide of the show’s diversity issues. “Like in auditions, they just never find ones that are ready.”

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Saturday Night Live: Seeking African-American Cast Member

Miley Cyrus: Axed from Vogue Cover for Racy VMA Routine

Miley Cyrus is scarcely covering herself in the music video for Wrecking Ball . But she won’t be covering an upcoming issue of American Vogue at all after using a foam finger for ways in which it was not intended at the 2013 MTV Video Music Awards. According to The Daily Mail , Cyrus has already been photographed for the front of the December issue of this famous magazine. But editor-in-chief Anna Wintour has axed the planned feature after witnessing Miley’s antics with Robin Thicke on a national stage in Brooklyn last month. “Anna found the whole thing distasteful ,” an insider tells the newspaper. “She decided, based on Miley’s performance, to take the cover in a different direction.” It’s unclear at this time whether or not Miley’s pics will appear inside the issue or be scraped altogether. While many have been critical of Cyrus’ lewd VMA routine – did you read what Dr. Laura said about it ?!? – this is the first time any backlash has actually affected Cyrus’ career in a negative way. It’s also clear that Vogue has much higher standards than Saturday Night Live. While Wintour has essentially banned Miley from her publication, Lorne Michaels will be welcoming her as a host and musical guest on the second episode of SNL Seasom 39.  

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Miley Cyrus: Axed from Vogue Cover for Racy VMA Routine

Miley Cyrus: Axed from Vogue Cover for Racy VMA Routine

Miley Cyrus is scarcely covering herself in the music video for Wrecking Ball . But she won’t be covering an upcoming issue of American Vogue at all after using a foam finger for ways in which it was not intended at the 2013 MTV Video Music Awards. According to The Daily Mail , Cyrus has already been photographed for the front of the December issue of this famous magazine. But editor-in-chief Anna Wintour has axed the planned feature after witnessing Miley’s antics with Robin Thicke on a national stage in Brooklyn last month. “Anna found the whole thing distasteful ,” an insider tells the newspaper. “She decided, based on Miley’s performance, to take the cover in a different direction.” It’s unclear at this time whether or not Miley’s pics will appear inside the issue or be scraped altogether. While many have been critical of Cyrus’ lewd VMA routine – did you read what Dr. Laura said about it ?!? – this is the first time any backlash has actually affected Cyrus’ career in a negative way. It’s also clear that Vogue has much higher standards than Saturday Night Live. While Wintour has essentially banned Miley from her publication, Lorne Michaels will be welcoming her as a host and musical guest on the second episode of SNL Seasom 39.  

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Miley Cyrus: Axed from Vogue Cover for Racy VMA Routine