Director's Cut Blog with Frank Macek

Saturday Night Live is getting ready to ring in the holiday season. Emma Stone returns for her third time as host on Saturday, Dec. 3 with Shawn Mendes as musical guest. Stone can next be seen in the film, “La La Land.” Mendes’ latest album, “Illuminate,” debuted atop the U.S. Billboard 200 chart. WWE superstar John Cena will make his “SNL” debut as host on Dec. 10 with musical guest Maren Morris. Cena has appeared in numerous films and TV shows, including the comedies “Trainwreck” and “Sisters.” Morris’ major label debut album, “Hero,” debuted on two Billboard charts and her debut single, "My Church,” went platinum. On Dec. 17, Casey Affleck will make his “SNL” debut. Affleck currently stars in the drama “Manchester By the Sea” recently winning Best Actor Awards from the Gotham Awards, New York Film Critics Circle and National Board Of Review. Chance The Rapper will return for his second time as musical guest. His latest album, “Coloring Book,” was released to critic...

NBC will air two "Saturday Night Live" prime-time election specials, and it's leaving the door open to cult-favorite comedy "Community" to return after next season's abbreviated run. NBC Entertainment Chairman Robert Greenblatt announced Tuesday that the "SNL" specials will air Sept. 20 and 27. (SNL airs at 11:30 p.m. on WKYC) He says "Community," which hovered near cancellation before being renewed for 13 weeks, could live beyond next season if it proves itself in its new Friday slot. Greenblatt told reporters at the Television Critics Association conference that he would love nothing more than for "Community" to continue. He also says he was proud that NBC was in third-place last season among adults 18 to 49. It's the network's best performance in eight years. Source: The Associated Press

On September 24, Alec Baldwin returns as host for his record-setting 16th appearance. Baldwin has won two Emmy Awards, three Golden Globe Awards, five SAG Awards and a Television Critics Association Award for his turn on NBC’s critically-acclaimed series "30 Rock." Baldwin garnered a 2004 Academy Award nomination for his role in "The Cooler." Radiohead returns for their second appearance as musical guest. Universally considered one of the most innovative and influential bands in existence, Radiohead's music has consistently topped charts and left audiences breathless. The three-time Grammy Award winning band recently released their newest album, "The King Of Limbs." Melissa McCarthy will make her debut appearance as host on October 1. McCarthy currently stars in the CBS sitcom "Mike & Molly," for which she recently earned her first Emmy Award nomination. She also appeared in this summer's box office blockbuster "Bridesmaids...

Special to the Director's Cut Blog By Jennifer Lindgren, WKYC Reporter PEPPER PIKE -- A 2000 graduate of Orange High School is the newest cast member on the long-running live comedy show. Vanessa Bayer, 28, is one of three new featured players to join the cast of the long-running comedy sketch show when it debuts on NBC Sept, 25. Bayer, a Moreland Hills native, graduated in 2000 from Orange High School. In her four years at Orange, Bayer was elected to homecoming court, ran cross country, and was voted by her peers 'Most Likely to Succeed.' Those who knew Bayer say no one would have guessed she'd choose stand-up comedy as a career. "Everyone was really surprised!" said Gail Price, a history teacher at OHS. Yet even a decade later, her teachers and coaches recall Bayer's smart sense of humor. "The one thing she had a talent for, she could imitate people. We would ask her to imitate other teachers and, oh my gosh, was it funny. She could ...

Saturday Night Live Shuffles Actors "Saturday Night Live" has cut two and added two for the season premiere on September 26th. Numerous media outlets are reporting Michaela Watkins and Casey Wilson are out and comedians Jenny Slate and Nasim Pedrad have joined the show. Watkins joined the program last fall as a featured cast member. Wilson joined "SNL" in 2008 after the Hollywood writers strike. Former WKYC General Manager Bill Scaffide Heading South To Retire? The Virginian Pilot newspaper reports former WKYC General Manager, most recently GM at WTVZ in Norfolk, is heading to Florida - not for another job, but to apparently enter semi-retirement. Scaffide left the station last week as the moving trucks planned to head for West Palm Beach. Bill was proud of making that station profitable during his 3 year tenure. We have lots of memories of Bill doing the same thing at WKYC and Multimedia when deep staff cuts were made after the station was acquired from NBC. ...

The famed Chicago comedy theater "The Second City" has been a training ground for NBC's "Saturday Night Live" for decades. A long line of comedy greats have headed east from the likes of John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd in the earliest days, to recent stars Tina Fey, Amy Poehler and Seth Myers. Now you can add Michael Patrick O'Brien to the list. After a five year run at "Second City" as a writer and actor, O'Brien landed a dream job as the newest writer at "Saturday Night Live". Legendary "Saturday Night Live" executive producer Lorne Michaels recently did a talent search at "Second City" And "Improv Olympic" and flew O'Brien and a couple others to New York for interviews. He got the job, and even some homework. "Two commercial parodies for the first day of work", O'Brien said. "SNL" returns to NBC with live shows beginning Saturday, September 26th. A special half-hour...

Editor's Note: So, Saturday Night Live is in trouble because it makes fun of people - especially those with disabilities. We find it ironic that this is the first time anyone has complained, especially after all those skits of former George W. Bush for years and no one cared. Apparently, this guy isn't the most righteous of folks either. ----- MORRISVILLE, N.Y. -- The legally blind governor of New York says a second parody of him on the television show "Saturday Night Live" promotes insensitivity against the disabled. Democratic Gov. David Paterson said Thursday that the show's continued parodies hurt disabled people not in a position to fight back. A segment on Paterson aired last week featured "SNL" cast member Fred Armisen -- with one eye closed most of the time, the other focused on his own nose -- unable to see fellow cast member Seth Meyers or a prop. Armisen portrayed the governor as a clueless blind man with a past of youthful drug use and womani...