WATCH: Arcade Fire Helps 'SNL' Say Goodbye to Kristen Wiig
- Details
- May 19, 2012
- by Variance Staff Writer
This week's episode of Saturday Night Live proved to be more than just the end of the season. For many fans, it's the end of an era. Speculation had increased over the last few weeks about the future of veteran players Andy Samberg, Jason Sudeikis and Kristen Wiig, the latter of whom acknowledged her departure during the season finale.
The show featured Jagger as host, along with musical guests Arcade Fire, Foo Fighters and Jeff Beck. To his credit, Jagger did a great job throughout his entire performance, but the Oscar-nominated Wiig stole the show--one last time.
During the final moments of the show, the entire cast appeared in graduation caps and gowns with Jagger playing a principal in what appeared to be another sketch. He noted "one particular student who is leaving this summer" before calling Wiig to join him up front.
Members of Arcade Fire played the Rolling Stones' "She's a Rainbow" while Wiig took off her cap and gown and danced with each member of the cast, including SNL creator Lorne Michaels. Foo Fighters and Jeff Beck returned to the stage, along with Steve Martin, Jon Hamm--who was featured earlier in the show. Some of Wiig's former castmates also showed up: Amy Poehler, Rachel Dratch, Chris Kattan and Chris Parnell. As the entire group came together onstage, Arcade Fire transitioned to another Stones song, "Ruby Tuesday," with the line, "still I'm gonna miss you."
It was a rousing send-off for Wiig, closing her seven seasons with the comedy show. Although NBC made no prior announcement of her departure, it comes as no surprise. She starred in and co-wrote the hit comedy Bridesmaids, and has had several notable roles in other films. She has six more in various stages of development.
Meanwhile, Samberg and Sudeikis have yet to acknowledge their status for next season. Lorne Michaels recently said that any cast changes would wait until the summer.
The multi-talented Mindy Kaling is on her way to having a big year. She already has one of the most buzzed-about new series coming this fall to Fox. Ironically, the show was developed for NBCUniversal--home of The Office--but Kaling's home network passed on the pilot, releasing it for Fox to snatch it up. Smooth move, NBC.
Explosions in the Sky recently unveiled their latest create, the third music video from the band's fifth studio album, Take Care, Take Care, Take Care. Directed by Annie Gunn and Peter Simonite, the video for "Postcard From 1952" employs yet another cinematically expansive track that provides the perfect complement to an indelible visual experience.
Electric Guest, the L.A.-based retro-pop act, performed Friday on the Late Show with David Letterman, making their network television debut.
Racing Heart play indie folk, but try instead to imagine the earnest yearnings of American golden era pop music, the earthiness of the English folk revival and the searching spirit of contemporary Scandinavian indie rock. The ten songs off their new album, To Walk Beside that Ghost (which releases today on Movemounatins), set out to accomplish something, finding themselves somewhere in the soundscapes that many of today’s Brooklyn-based bands are busy exploring, with lush vocal harmonies that lead your thoughts (and your ears) to the 1960’s and 70’s.
Gotye and Kimbra joined host Josh Brolin on NBC's Saturday Night Live this week. Following the performance, Gotye, Kimbra and SNL were all Trending Topics on Twitter--as the social networking site marked 
During the annual White House Easter Egg Roll this past weekend, Janelle Monáe stepped away from her own material to throw back to a classic, performing her rendition of The Jackson 5′s “I Want You Back.” The Monáe version keeps true to the original, with bubbly, romantic vocals nearly identical to the original.