Why Are No-Names Hosting SNL This Season?

[Yavin4]

Taylor Swift? The woman from "Gossip Girl"? The third lead from the Twilight sequel? The dude from 500 days of summer?

Shouldn't you have to accomplish something BEFORE you host the show?

[LeftyMom]

1. Advertisers like a younger demographic.

[gmoney]

2. I'm sure our parents said the same thing...

If nothing else, I think Buck Henry hosted a dozen times or more...

[Yavin4]

3. Buck Henry Was An Accomplished Writer

He wrote the screenplay for The Graduate and Catch-22.

[peekaloo]

13. Uncle Roy!

at least with BH they openly mocked his "nobody" status in his early appearances.

He became one of my all time favorites. Even back in the Stoned Age the show featured pretty, popular movie stars who sucked the big live one (Raquel Welch and Dyan Cannon come to mind)

[gmoney]

24. I liked Buck, too, but he just wasn't a household name is all.

After all, I think he was the only host who did the Samurai skits with Belushi... with the exception of the brilliant "Samurai Night Fever"

http://www.hulu.com/watch/4110/saturday-night-live-samurai-night-fever

[rcrush]

4. James Franco is hosting for no reason again next week.

Thats a little better than the wolfboy.

[Yavin4]

7. Franco Has A Decent Body of Work

And he has some chops as a host.

[Blue_In_AK]

23. Plus, he's VERY easy on the eyes,

even for a grannie like me. :)

[Kat45]

5. I had no idea who tonight's host was, but when he walked out, I

immediately assumed he must be from the cast of the Twilight sequel. I actually thought he was pretty good in the skits. And perhaps to the young folks who watch the show, the hosts are well known.

[Yavin4]

6. It Makes The Show Disjointed

The cast members are all older, but the hosts are Tweens-esque. That makes it tough to write skits for that combo.

[KG]

8. because it's finally reached total irrelavancy ?

[Lavender Brown]

9. I thought Joseph Gordon Levitt was a good host

He's been around a while longer than the other people. He's 30ish.

[Dr. Strange]

14. Joseph Gordon Levitt was really good.

He really seemed to enjoy it too.

[Orrex]

10. I didn't even know that SNL was still on the air.

Is it ever still funny? Or did they just finally say "to hell with it?"

[lizerdbits]

11. LOL

One of my coworkers says it's getting funnier but I haven't bothered to watch. I think they said to hell with it a LONG time ago.

[bikebloke]

12. The last time I watched it...

...was about the third season. From what I've heard, I haven't missed much.

[UTUSN]

15. Exactly. It's dizzying how UNEVEN it is. The show can be excellent then the next week CRAP!1 n/t

[bbernardini]

16. Love her or hate her, Taylor Swift is by no means a "no-name".

I personally think her lyrics sound like excerpts from a 12-year-old's diary, but a few notable bits from her Wikipedia entry:

"In 2008, her albums sold a combined four million copies, making her the best-selling musician of the year in the United States, according to Nielsen SoundScan."

"In 2006, she released her debut single "Tim McGraw", then her self-titled debut album, which was subsequently certified Platinum several times by the Recording Industry Association of America."

"In November 2008, Swift released her second album, Fearless. Fearless and Taylor Swift finished 2008 at number three and number six respectively, with sales of 2.1 and 1.5 million.<5> Fearless has topped the Billboard 200 in 11 non-consecutive weeks,<6> no album has spent more time at No. 1 since 2000. Forbes, ranked Swift 2009's 69th-most powerful celebrity, earning $18 million.<7> Swift was named Artist of the Year by Billboard Magazine in 2009. <8>"

That's not a "no-name".

[Earth_First]

17. SNL has been this way for 2/3 seasons now...

I just remember having the conversation with the wife a few weeks ago during the mid-week teaser that I had no idea who the host, guest or the musical act was; and how I felt I was getting old.


...IM ONLY 30! WHO ARE THESE PEOPLE?!!!

[Texasgal]

18. Taylor swift

is the number one singer in the country right now. She has also won tons of awards.

I wouldn't exactly say she is a "no-name"

[Blue-Jay]

19. That depends on who you ask.

Imma let you finish....

[Texasgal]

20. heh heh...

I'm no fan of her music personally...but just because I don't like it or haven't heard of it doesn't make it irrelavent... ya know?

[Still Blue in PDX]

21. I recognize the name, but I thought it was a man.

Who knew? I blame it on listening to audiobooks in my car since AAR was wreaking havoc on my blood pressure.

[dysfunctional press]

22. because you're getting old...?

and don't recognize the next wave of entertainers?

[Yavin4]

26. Yes, The Chick From The Gossip Girl Is Going To Have A Major Career

Sorry, some random bimbo from an ensemble show should not be hosting SNL.

I'd rather see ICarly host. At least she's a star of a show and probably can do sketches.

[WinkyDink]

25. Showing your age!

[Yavin4]

27. Blake Lively???

Are you telling me that you knew who she was before she hosted the show? If so, tell me what she's done other than Gossip Girl?

[Iggo]

28. I knew who she was...

...but I couldn't've told you her name even if you held a gun to my head.

[rebel with a cause]

29. I am 64 and knew who Taylor Swift and Taylor Lautner is.

Of course I knew Taylor Lautner from "The Adventures of Lava Girl and Shark Boy" and not the Twilight series. lol

It has been a long three years of watching anything on tv (except soap operas and Fox) that I have not seen three times before. There for a while Disney became watchable just to keep my mind off serious matters.

As far as SNL goes, I thought the two Taylors were okay on it. It is just the show's writing sucks and its regulars do also. One can't expect the guest to carry the show especially if they are not writers themselves.