Saturday Night Live Shakeup

Pete Davidson, Kate McKinnon, Aidy Bryant, and Kyle Mooney are all leaving the show. The first three are pursuing other opportunities in showbiz, while Mooney has been offered the all-night shift at White Castle.

Kidding aside, this is a seismic shift in the SNL tectonics. McKinnon is arguably the most talented cast member, and Davidson has achieved rock-star status on the show, on the level of Murphy or Belushi.

16 thoughts on “Saturday Night Live Shakeup

  1. Whoa!!! Comparing Davidson to Murphy or Belushi?!? Not in a long shot. Except Chad, name another Davidson bit off the top of your head? Couple random Update appearances maybe?
    Now off the top of your head I bet you can come up with half a dozen or more characters or sketches for not Murphy and Belushi.

    1. He’s certainly not in their league when it comes to talent, but the main reason for the comparison is that the audience goes totally nuts as soon as they see him. I mean Beatles nuts. Sinatra nuts. Somehow, with minimal ability for sketch comedy, he became a superstar on a sketch comedy show.

      Plus he has become famous for his sex life, and has crossed over into the mainstream of popular culture. Nobody knows who Kate McKinnon is outside of hard-core SNL fans, but everyone knows Pete, and he’s often called “superstar.” (More: 1, 2)

      That said, he is also immensely likable, and actually more talented than you seem to realize. His stand-up is good, and his movie is surprisingly good.

      1. Fair enough. I would offer though his popularity more likely has to do with two things… the kids like him because he come across as a a shiftless slacker who still lives in the basement. Everyone else cheers for him because they are expecting him to blow the scene massively and they can’t wait to see it.

  2. I’ve never seen much evidence that Davidson has any popular following at all. He’s a bit like Lena Dunham — widely acclaimed, but producing content that very few mainstream people actually care to see.

    1. I’l miss him for sure, although the stuff he’d come up with SNL always got cut and was way better than what was on the show. Like to see him be unleashed on his own stuff. Will miss him, Bryant and McKinnon who I think is awesome.

  3. Doubt anyone watches SNL because of Davidsons public sex life. And I would expect him to fade into nothing but tabloid life.

  4. I’ve always looked at SNL like a baseball team that no longer can afford their stars so they have a lot of churn in the roster. I still look forward to what the rookies can do. I think Cloe Fineman has a lot of range that she only got to show off this season. Mellissa Villasenor also has some chops….somehow Kenan Thompson never gets a better offer

      1. I think by this point Keenan’s probably decided he should stick around to get his 20 year pin. He’s only got a few more years till his 20th anniversary on the show. NBC/Lorne really wanted him to stay on. Otherwise, why would they give him a sitcom he can star in while remaining on SNL.

        The biggest star leaving is definitely Kate Mckinnon. She is just so talented. Pete Davidson is no Belushi or Murphy, but I think he’s funny. I’ve enjoyed him on the show. Lorne really seems to love the guy. I wonder if it will be him or Kate that is the first to come back and host?

  5. And Davidson arguably the least talented. Hopefully fades into obscurity now.

  6. In other earth-shattering news, tonight I had the delicious SNL Shake Cup at Arby’s.

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