Robin Wright Says Leaving the U.S. for England Has Been 'Liberating': 'America Is a S---show'New Foto - Robin Wright Says Leaving the U.S. for England Has Been 'Liberating': 'America Is a S---show'

VALERY HACHE/AFP via Getty Robin Wright is opening up about her choice to leave the U.S. and rent a house on the English seaside "America is a s---show," she said in a new interview withThe Times. "There's a freedom of self here. People are so kind. They're living" The actress also opened up about her new relationship with architect Henry Smith, saying: "He is a sweetheart and just a good, decent adult" Robin Wrighthas a new country to call home — and she isn't regretting her decision to move in the slightest. In a new interview withThe Times, published on Sunday, Aug. 31, the actress, 59, shared that she and her boyfriend, architect Henry Smith, are renting a home on the English seaside. "It's liberating to be done," Wright told the outlet. "Be done with searching, looking and getting 60 percent of what you wanted." TheHouse of Cardsalum, who was born in Texas and raised in California, was candid about wanting to get out of the U.S., telling the newspaper: "America is a s---show." "I love being in this country," she added of England. "There's a freedom of self here. People are so kind. They're living. They're not in the car in traffic, panicked on a phone call, eating a sandwich. That's most of America. Everything's rush, competition and speed." Pascal Le Segretain/Getty According to theForrest Gumpstar, her decision to move was partially influenced by the noise of Los Angeles. "Everyone's building a huge house, and I'm just done with all that — I love the quiet. And I've met my person. Finally," she added, referring to 52-year-old Smith. Wright recalled meeting her now-boyfriend — and joked that they had some choice words for each other the first time they crossed paths. According to the model, she was sitting in a pub at the time, and asked a man if she could feed his dog when the man directed his attention to her now-boyfriend. "He goes, 'No, it's not my dog, it's his dog,' " she recalled of their first meeting. Darren Gerrish/WireImage Getty "Henry was standing at the bar, 6'2", and he put his pint down, came over to me and grabbed my shoulders," theHereactress recalled. "He goes, 'Who the f--- are you?' And I said, 'Who the f--- are you?' And that was it." "He is a sweetheart and just a good, decent adult. He's a man," she continued of Smith. According toTheTimes,Wright said it was "so relaxing" to be "seen and loved for who I am" after she began her relationship with Smith. Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE's free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. "That's exactly what I wanted," she shared. "I'm turning 60 and I'm, like, 'Is this it?' I love being alone and I've done that many times. But I'm, like, 'I want to grow old with somebody, and travel and see the world.' " ThePrincess Brideactress was previously married toSean Pennfrom 1996 to 2010. The former couple share two children: daughter Dylan, 34, and son Hopper, 32. Wright later wedClement Giraudetin 2018, beforefiling for divorcefrom the fashion executive in the summer of 2022, citing irreconcilable differences. She also had a brief marriage to thelateSanta Barbaraactor Dane Witherspoonfrom 1986 until their divorce two years later. Read the original article onPeople

Robin Wright Says Leaving the U.S. for England Has Been 'Liberating': 'America Is a S---show'

Robin Wright Says Leaving the U.S. for England Has Been 'Liberating': 'America Is a S---show' VALERY HACHE/AFP via Getty Rob...
Hays hits tiebreaking homer and Reds deck Cards to stop 5-game slideNew Foto - Hays hits tiebreaking homer and Reds deck Cards to stop 5-game slide

CINCINNATI (AP) — Austin Hays hit a tiebreaking two-run homer and Matt McLain went deep for the second consecutive game to back a solid start by Brady Singer as the Cincinnati Reds beat the St. Louis Cardinals 7-4 on Sunday to snap a five-game skid and avoid a series sweep. Elly De La Cruz hit his 28th double leading off the fifth inning against Andre Pallante (6-13), and Hays followed with his 12th homer for a 5-3 lead. Hays doubled and scored on Ke'Bryan Hayes' two-out single for a 6-4 lead in the seventh, and McLain capped the scoring with his 13th homer — a solo shot off Andre Granillo in the eighth. Singer (12-9) allowed three runs and five hits in six innings with eight strikeouts and no walks. Tony Santillan struck out the side in the eighth and Emilio Pagán did the same in the ninth for his 26th save. TWINS 7, PADRES 2 MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Byron Buxton set a career best with his 29th home run and Joe Ryan pitched seven scoreless innings as Minnesota beat San Diego. Buxton and Royce Lewis each had two hits for the Twins, who took two of three games in the series. San Diego began the day a game behind the first-place Los Angeles Dodgers in the NL West. Ryan (13-7) scattered five hits and struck out eight. He threw a season-high 104 pitches while bouncing back from a pair of rough outings. The All-Star right-hander allowed 11 earned runs in nine innings over his previous two starts. Buxton sent a changeup from Kyle Hart (3-3) three rows deep into the left-field seats for a two-run shot that gave Minnesota a 2-0 lead in the third. It was his fourth homer in four games, surpassing his previous season best of 28 home runs in 2022. Recalled from Triple-A El Paso earlier in the day, Hart permitted three runs in 1 1/3 innings of relief as the Padres went with a bullpen game. He hit Luke Keaschall with a pitch to start the Minnesota fourth, and he scored on a single by James Outman. Keaschall and Lewis had RBI singles in a three-run fifth to make it 6-0. RED SOX 5, PIRATES 2 BOSTON (AP) — Jarren Duran hit an inside-the-park homer, Lucas Giolito pitched six effective innings and Boston beat Pittsburgh to avert a three-game sweep. In a tight race for one of three American League wild cards, the Red Sox won for the eighth time in 11 games. Alexander Canario hit a solo homer over the Green Monster for Pittsburgh, which had won nine of 12. Duran's three-run homer into the Fenway Park triangle in right-center field capped a four-run fifthagainst starter Mitch Keller (6-13), pushing Boston ahead 4-1. Coming off his best start of the season, when he went eight shutout innings last Tuesday in a victory over Baltimore, Giolito (10-2) gave up a run and three hits. He struck out six and walked five. Aroldis Chapman got three outs for his 27th save. RAYS 7, NATIONALS 4 WASHINGTON (AP) — Brandon Lowe hit a grand slam in Tampa Bay's six-run second inning, Everson Pereira drove in two runs and the Rays beat Washington to sweep the three-game series. Tampa Bay starter Ian Seymour (3-0) gave up four runs — one earned — and four hits with eight strikeouts. Pete Fairbanks pitched a scoreless ninth to earn his 24th save this season. Dylan Crews singled to lead off the ninth and moved to third on a single by Daylen Lile, who tried to stretch it into a double but was thrown out by Pereira at second before Brady House struck out swinging to end the game. Josh Lowe tripled and scored on a sacrifice fly by Pereira to make 7-0 in the third. Jacob Young doubled to drive in House in the third. Riley Adams walked to lead off the fourth and scored when Crews reached on a fielding error by third baseman Junior Caminero. House singled to drive in two runs that made it 7-4. Nationals starter Brad Lord (4-8) allowed seven runs and five hits in three innings. BLUE JAYS 8, BREWERS 4 TORONTO (AP) — Myles Straw and Nathan Lukes each drove in two runs, George Springer reached base three times and scored twice and Toronto beat Milwaukee to avoid a three-game sweep. Tommy Nance (2-0) pitched out of a bases-loaded jam in the fifth inning as Toronto improved to 59-4 when scoring at least five runs. Nance was one of five relievers who combined for five shutout innings in relief of a shaky Max Scherzer. William Contreras hit a two-run home run, his 17th, and Brice Turang added a solo shot, his 16th, but the Brewers failed to set a club record with a 22nd win in August. Milwaukee went 21-9 this month. The Brewers still own the best record in baseball at 85-53. Scherzer allowed four runs and a season-high nine hits in four innings. MARINERS 4, GUARDIANS 2 CLEVELAND (AP) - Julio Rodríguez drove in two runs with an infield hit and Seattle snapped a seven-game road losing streak with a victory over Cleveland to salvage the three-game series finale. With a combined two-hitter, the Mariners extended their lead to three games over the Guardians for the third AL wild-card spot. Seattle entered play two games up on Kansas City. Randy Arozarena hit a two-run homer for the Mariners, who got six strong innings from Bryce Miller (4-5). The right-hander gave up just two hits — on consecutive pitches in the third. Gabe Speier and Matt Brash each pitched a perfect inning and Andrés Muñoz worked the ninth for his 32nd save. MARLINS 5, METS 1 NEW YORK (AP) — Sandy Alcantara pitched seven strong innings, Agustín Ramírez hit a two-run homer and Miami defeated New York in a game that got testy. The scappy Marlins took three of four from New York after losing their previous seven series. The Mets finished 11-17 in August despite scoring 177 runs and hitting 53 homers — both franchise records for a calendar month. New York leads Cincinnati by four games in the race for the last National League wild card. Alcantara (7-11) allowed four hits and struck out six. He carried a shutout into the seventh, when he gave up a leadoff single to Jeff McNeil and plunked Mark Vientos with a pitch. Alcantara and Vientos stared each other down before the benches and bullpens emptied, though no punches were thrown as players milled around the mound. Alcantara induced a pair of forceouts, the second of which scored McNeil, before striking out Starling Marte to end the inning. The right-hander has a 2.82 ERA in his past eight starts after opening the season with a 7.14 ERA through 19 outings. Senga allowed five runs in 4 2/3 innings. He has a 5.90 ERA in nine starts since coming off the injured list July 11. ANGELS 3, ASTROS 0 HOUSTON (AP) — José Soriano and two relievers combined for a two-hitter and Oswald Peraza hit his first home run since a trade from the Yankees to lead Los Angeles to a win over the Houston. Soriano (10-9) allowed one hit and struck out eight in seven innings. Luis García allowed one hit in a scoreless eighth and Kenley Jansen threw a perfect ninth for his 25th save. There were two outs in the fifth when Peraza connected off Hunter Brown (10-7) into the bullpen in right-center field to put the Angels up 1-0. His homer comes after his two-run single in the ninth inning Saturday helped Los Angeles to a 4-1 victory that snapped a three-game skid. Brown allowed three hits and a run with five strikeouts in six innings. McCullers Jr. allowed three hits and two runs in his first relief appearance since 2018. TIGERS 5, ROYALS 0 KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Tarik Skubal pitched seven innings of four-hit ball, the Tigers scored four times off Michael Wacha in the fifth inning, and Detroit went on to beat Kansas City in the rubber game of its three-game set. Skubal (12-4) struck out four and walked one while bouncing back from his first loss in more than six weeks. Jake Rogers drove in two runs for Detroit, while Colt Keith and Gleyber Torres also drove in runs. It was a crucial game between AL Central rivals. The Tigers began the day with a half-game lead over East-leading Toronto for the best record in the American League, while Kansas City had climbed within two games of Seattle in the wild-card race. Wacha (8-11) was matching Skubal into the fifth, allowing a single baserunner while striking out four. But things suddenly went awry, beginning with a leadoff walk to Spencer Torkelson and a one-out single by Zach McKinstry. Rogers followed with a fly ball that center fielder Tyler Tolbert badly misplayed, resulting in a two-run triple. Keith added a line drive that found a gap for a two-run double, and Torres a grounder that got through the infield to make it 4-0. Wacha left after 4 2/3 innings. He was charged with four runs and four hits and a walk. WHITE SOX 3, YANKEES 2 CHICAGO (AP) — Lenyn Sosa hit a tiebreaking solo homer in the eighth inning and Chicago cooled off New York with a victory. Sosa drove a 1-2 sinker from Tim Hill over the wall in center field for his 18th homer, extending his career high. Hill (4-4) retired his first two batters before Sosa went deep. Cam Booser (2-4) got one out for the win. After Booser issued a leadoff walk to Trent Grisham in the ninth, Mike Vasil retired Paul Goldschmidt, Aaron Judge and Cody Bellinger for his third save. New York had won a season-high seven in a row. It also had a nine-game road win streak. The Yankees fell three games back of AL East-leading Toronto, which held off Milwaukee for an 8-4 win. ROCKIES 6, CUBS 5 DENVER (AP) — Pinch-hitter Mickey Moniak hit a walk-off RBI triple, Tanner Gordon struck out a career-high nine and Colorado beat Chicago to avoid a series sweep. The major league-worst Rockies snapped a four-game losing streak to improve to 39-98. They finished August with 11 wins, their most in any month this season. Orlando Arcia had three hits and an RBI for Colorado, and Braxton Fulford added two hits and an RBI. Ryan Ritter had two hits and scored the winning run, and Brenton Doyle drove in two runs. Gordon allowed two earned runs in six innings. Juan Mejia (2-1) picked up the win, striking out two in a perfect ninth. Daniel Palencia (1-5) took the loss. DODGERS 5, DIAMONDBACKS 4 LOS ANGELES (AP) — Pinch-hitter Will Smith homered leading off the bottom of the ninth inning to give Los Angeles a victory over Arizona that prevented a three-game sweep. Los Angeles took a two-game lead in the NL West over rival San Diego,which lost 7-2 at Minnesota. Smith sent the second pitch he saw from reliever John Curtiss (2-1) a projected 420 feet into the left-center stands. His 17th home run of the season saved the Dodgers after they blew a late lead. Corbin Carroll tied it 4-all by launching a three-run homer off Tanner Scott with two outs in the eighth. Blake Treinen (1-2) pitched a perfect inning for the win. Yoshinobu Yamamoto allowed one run in seven innings and matched his career high with 10 strikeouts for the Dodgers. He retired his first 10 batters before Ketel Marte bunted for a single. RANGERS 9, ATHLETICS 6 WEST SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — Joc Pederson homered, doubled and drove in three runs, Jacob deGrom struck out six in five scoreless innings, and Texas beat the Athletics to sweep the three-game series. DeGrom (10-6) allowed two hits and walked one to help the Rangers win their fifth straight game. Josh Smith walked to leadoff the game, Wyatt Langford struck out and Pederson hit a 3-2 pitch from J.T. Ginn (2-6) down the line and over the wall in right field to make it 2-0. Josh Jung homered off Ginn to lead off the second and doubled to drive in Adolis García in the ninth. Smith hit an RBI double and scored when Pederson doubled with two out in the fifth to give the Rangers a 5-0 lead. Langford drew a bases-loaded walk to bring home Ezequiel Duran before Helman singled to drive in Smith and make it 7-0. GIANTS 13, ORIOLES 2 SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Rafael Devers homered, doubled and drove in two runs to help Justin Verlander earn career win No. 265 as San Francisco beat Baltimore to take two of three games in their series. Verlander (3-10) struck out a season-high 10 in five shutout innings. He threw 121 pitches — his most since June 2018. He allowed three hits and walked four. The 42-year-old Verlander reached 10 strikeouts for the 73rd time and first since he had 10 against Philadelphia on Oct. 4, 2022. He tied Jim McCormick for 39th place in wins and pulled within four strikeouts of Gaylord Perry (3,534) for eighth on the career list. Devers homered off Tomoyuki Sagano (10-7) for a 1-0 lead in the first. It was his 28th of the season and 13th for the Giants. Drew Gilbert, Heliot Ramos and Devers had consecutive singles in the third for a two-run lead, and Willy Adames added a sacrifice fly. Gilbert hit a two-run triple before scoring on Ramos' single for a 7-0 advantage in the fourth. Devers doubled to chase Sugano, who allowed seven runs and 10 hits in 3 1/3 innings. Dominic Smith had an RBI single off Corbin Martin in a three-run sixth. Devers, Ramos and Gilbert each had three of the Giants' 16 hits. Spencer Bivens allowed two runs in the ninth but pitched the final three innings for his first career save. BRAVES 3, PHILLIES 1 PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Drake Baldwin broke a ninth-inning tie with a two-run homer and Atlanta avoided a four-game sweep with a win over Philadelphia. Braves rookie Hurston Waldrep pitched 5 2/3 strong innings. Jake Fraley came off the bench in the seventh and went 2 for 2. Michael Harris II also had two hits for Atlanta. Brandon Marsh homered for the Phillies, who lead the NL East by six games over the New York Mets heading into September. Matt Olson tied it at 1 with an RBI groundout for the Braves in the eighth. Fraley started the ninth with an infield single off José Alvarado (4-2) and went to second on a sacrifice bunt. Vidal Bruján struck out, but Baldwin drove Alvarado's first pitch, a 98 mph sinker, over the wall in left field. Baldwin walked as a pinch hitter in the eighth and remained in the game at catcher. Tyler Kinley (4-3) tossed a perfect eighth and Raisel Iglesias struck out two in a 1-2-3 ninth for his 23rd save in 28 chances. Waldrep continued to impress, giving up one run on four hits with nine strikeouts and four walks. After starting two games in 2024, the 23-year-old right-hander, the No. 24 overall draft pick in 2023, was called up to the Braves on Aug. 2 and has a 1.01 ERA in six outings, including five starts. Phillies starter Jesús Luzardo pitched 6 2/3 scoreless innings, giving up two hits while striking out seven and walking one.

Hays hits tiebreaking homer and Reds deck Cards to stop 5-game slide

Hays hits tiebreaking homer and Reds deck Cards to stop 5-game slide CINCINNATI (AP) — Austin Hays hit a tiebreaking two-run homer and Matt ...
Charles Bierbauer, former CNN correspondent, dies at 83New Foto - Charles Bierbauer, former CNN correspondent, dies at 83

Former CNN correspondent Charles Bierbauer has died, his family announced on Sunday. He was 83 years old. Bierbauer retired from CNN in 2001 after two decades covering news in Washington, DC, and around the world. He joined CNN in 1981 to cover the Pentagon as a defense correspondent. He was then the network's senior White House correspondent for nine years, covering the administrations of Presidents Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush. He also served as the network's senior Washington correspondent, highlighting his deep knowledge of the US presidency, policy and politics. The veteran journalist traveled with presidents to all 50 states and more than 30 nations, and he served as president of the White House Correspondents' Association from 1991 to 1992. He also covered presidential campaigns between 1984 and 2000, as well as the Supreme Court. Bierbauer won an Emmy for his coverage of the 1996 Olympic Park bombing in Atlanta. He also anchored CNN's "Newsmaker Saturday," a weekly show featuring interviews with top newsmakers, for a decade. "Charles Bierbauer was a cherished member of the CNN family, who covered everything from the White House and the Pentagon to the Supreme Court during his two decades with the network," said a CNN spokesperson Sunday. "A tireless reporter and wonderful colleague, Charles will be remembered for his outstanding journalism and his willingness to help others." Longtime CNN anchor Wolf Blitzer said in a statement Sunday Bierbauer had been a mentor to him. "Charles inspired me and helped me throughout my assignments at the Pentagon and the White House. He was a good friend, colleague, and mentor, and I will certainly miss him," Blitzer said. Before joining CNN, Bierbauer had an extensive career spanning more than a decade as an international journalist. He was the ABC News Moscow bureau chief and correspondent beginning in 1978, and he later served as the network's bureau chief in Bonn, Germany. He had previously worked in London, Bonn and Vienna for Westinghouse Broadcasting. Versed in coverage of Eastern Europe during the Cold War, Bierbauer covered all US-Soviet summits, starting in 1975 with President Gerald Ford and the Soviet Union's Leonid Brezhnev through the 1992 meeting between Presidents George H.W. Bush and Boris Yeltsin. He started his career as a radio reporter in his native Allentown, Pennsylvania, and later wrote for the city's local newspaper. Bierbauer graduated in 1966 from Pennsylvania State University, where he earned a bachelor's degree in Russian and bachelor's and master's degrees in journalism. He has been recognized as a distinguished alumnus and alumni fellow by the university. Bierbauer became the first dean of the University of South Carolina's College of Mass Communications and Information Studies in 2002. He stepped down from the role in 2017. Bierbauer is survived by his wife Susanne Schafer, a former journalist at the Associated Press, and his four children. This story has been updated with additional information. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account atCNN.com

Charles Bierbauer, former CNN correspondent, dies at 83

Charles Bierbauer, former CNN correspondent, dies at 83 Former CNN correspondent Charles Bierbauer has died, his family announced on Sunday....
How America's largest theme park vanished in less than a decadeNew Foto - How America's largest theme park vanished in less than a decade

For more than 100 years,Geauga Lakein Aurora, Ohio, was an amusement park destination. From its earliest days in the late 19th century, when Geauga Lake was just a train stop with picnic tables and boats to rent, the park grew. Its first ride was a steam-powered carousel, added in 1889. Its first roller coaster didn't come until 1925 with the Big Dipper, which entertained thrill-seekers until the park closed down. And in 2001, Geauga Lake absorbed the neighboring Sea World, when the latter closed its Ohio park. That made Geauga Lake the largest theme park in the world by area at the time, covering some 700 acres on both sides of the lake. Less than a decade later, the fun was over. In 2007, the park shut down after rounds of ownership changes and park expansion. Now, what's left of Geauga Lake Park may return to its 19th-century roots. TheCity of Aurora has purchased the former Geauga Lake and Sea World land, with the intent of making it a public park. Here's a look back at the history of Geauga Lake, as reported in previous Beacon Journal articles. Here's a brief history of Geauga Lake: 1887:The northeast side of Geauga Lake is first called Picnic Lake or Giles Pond, a place where visitors camped, went fishing or picnicked. 1889:The park's first ride is added, a steam-powered carousel. 1925:Geauga Lake's first roller coaster is built. The Big Dipper was the largest wooden roller coaster built at the time, at 2,800 feet long and a height of 65 feet. 1939:A dance hall and ballroom are built. 1969:Funtime Inc. purchases the park. 1977:The Double Loop — Ohio's first looping steel coaster — opens. 1978:The Corkscrew steel coaster debuts. 1984:The Wave, the first pool of its kind that creates 6-foot waves, opens. 1988:The park celebrates its 100th year and welcomes the Raging Wolf Bobs wooden roller coaster. 1995:Geauga Lake is purchased by Premier Parks Inc. 1998:Premier Parks purchases Six Flags Theme Parks. 2000:Park changes name to Six Flags Ohio. 2001:Six Flags purchases SeaWorld Cleveland, renamed to Six Flags Worlds of Adventure. 2004:Six Flags sells the park to Cedar Fair, at the time the owner of Cedar Point. The name is changed back to Geauga Lake. 2005:Cedar Fair revamps the old Sea World into a water park called Wildwater Kingdom. 2007:The ride side of Geauga Lake closes. 2016:Wildwater Kingdom closes. SOURCES: Aurora Historical Society and Akron Beacon Journal archives. This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal:The lost American theme park that once outgrew Disney World

How America's largest theme park vanished in less than a decade

How America's largest theme park vanished in less than a decade For more than 100 years,Geauga Lakein Aurora, Ohio, was an amusement par...
'SNL' Bloodbath? Hardly. Lorne Michaels' Annual Cast Exits Occur as Regularly as 'Weekend Update'New Foto - 'SNL' Bloodbath? Hardly. Lorne Michaels' Annual Cast Exits Occur as Regularly as 'Weekend Update'

At "Saturday Night Live," there's drama before you get to the comedy. Every year at about this time, credulous observers of the venerable late-night NBC showcase get flustered by a series of cast changes that roll out about four to six weeks ahead of the next season premiere of the program. Sometimes, "SNL" just adds a few featured players. In other years, a good chunk of cast veterans opt to depart. At some points in time, cost constraints or network edicts have forced executive producer Lorne Michaels to make personnel moves he might not otherwise wish to put into practice. More from Variety Devon Walker Responds to Fan Support After 'SNL' Exit: 'Y'all Acting Like We Died' Michael Longfellow Exits 'SNL' After Three Seasons Emil Wakim Exits 'SNL' in Season 51 Shake Up The increase in hand-wringing around the process, which has become an ingrained element of the "SNL" calendar, is more humorous than some of "SNL's" skits. In recent days, three young members of the "SNL" cast —featured player Emil Wakimand early-tenured Devon Walker and Michael Longfellow — have announced their exits from the show, and it seems pretty clear the departures weren't made by choice. What's more, veteran Heidi Gardner,who seemed to devise a new voice for every sketch character she playedon "SNL" over eight seasons, is leaving, presumably opting to exit after a period of time that seems suitable for most people who join the show. Some media outlets have referred to the exodus as a "bloodbath" or "earthquake." It's really anything but. Simply put, Michaels has raised his expectations for cast members –particularly featured players — since 2000. Michaela Watkins and Jenny Slate were each ousted from the program after a single season despite gaining traction with characters such as Angie Tempura and Tina-Tina Cheneuse. So too in recent years were people like Rob Riggle, Noel Wells, Brooks Whelan, Luke Null, Chloe Troast, Tim Robinson and John Milhiser. Even some who make the jump to regular cast, like Punkie Johnson, leave unexpectedly. While there has been no backlash to Wakim, Walker or Longfellow, there is an argument that can be made that none of the trio has truly "broken out" during their time on air in ways that contemporary cast members such as Chloe Fineman, Bowen Yang or Ego Nwodim have. In an era when much of "SNL" is consumed by its youngest viewers via social media or streaming video hours after the show runs on late Saturdays, Michaels may have little choice but to put his resources behind talent that generates more viral pass-along. And while the impresariorecently gave the news outlet Puck a wide-ranging interview about "SNL" matters great and small, it's interesting he wasn't asked (at least not for print purposes) about whether his show has come underthe same economic scrutiny as the rest of NBC's late-night schedule (and late-night TV in general.) NBC hasscaled Jimmy Fallon's "Tonight Show" down to four original telecasts a week, versus its previous five (no doubt, a second year of Fallon doing a handful bespoke post-"Sunday Night Football" shows is part of the network's calculus) andtaken away the live band that boosted Seth Meyers' "Late Night."Does any of that mean "SNL" is limited in how many cast members it can accommodate each season? Does the show have to cut down on its many extras, such as the live "backstage llama" that often turns up whenever cameras take viewers backstage (to this reporter's eye, the animal hasn't surfaced on camera since Aubrey Plaza hosted the show in 2023)? Only Michaels and NBC late-night chief Katie Hockmeyer know for sure. Meanwhile, people who stay at the show for years are eventually going to leave — and "SNL" will continue until the senior executives at NBCU and parent Comcast determine its costs outweigh the benefits of having it on air. Over the years, the program has weathered the exits of Chevy Chase, Eddie Murphy, Will Ferrell, Tina Fey and Kristen Wiig. Chances are it will absorb a few others. To be certain, more "SNL" changes may lie in the offing. How many more years can Kenan Thompson continue on cast after 22 seasons? Do "Weekend Update" co-anchors Colin Jost and Michael Che, each of whom has tested projects outside the show in recent years, have other ideas in the works? And, certainly, there have beenmoments when cast departures truly rattled the show. In the early part of last decade, "SNL" bid farewell to Jason Sudeikis, Bill Hader and Fred Armisen, all roughly a season after the exits of Andy Samberg and Kristen Wiig. In 2022, Kate McKinnon, Aidy Bryant, Kyle Mooney and Pete Davidsonall left at the same time,followed afew months later by Cecily Strong.Too many cast farewells at once may leave the remaining members of the "SNL" troupe with many of shoes to fill, sometimes without a full pipeline of developing players. For the most part, however, people who are animated by every year's late-August burst of "SNL" personnel news ought to see it for what it is: a well-devised promotional tactic from Michaels and NBC that gets people talking about the show after it has been on hiatus for a few months. Consider the fact that there hasn't been a fresh episode of "SNL" since Scarlett Johansson hosted in mid-May, and yet dozens of news stories and reams of online chatter about the program continue to surface. Bloodbath? Earthquake? Shocker? Sure, you can call the cast announcements any of these things. Something may happen in coming days that truly warrants such colorful words. But the smarter "SNL" aficionado might do well to quote the catchphrase of Emily Litella, the popular "Weekend Update" character played by early cast member Gilda Radner: "Never mind." Best of Variety Samsung, Sonos, Criterion Collection Among Top Brands on Sale for Labor Day - See Running List Here What's Coming to Disney+ in September 2025 New Movies Out Now in Theaters: What to See This Week Sign up forVariety's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us onFacebook,Twitter, andInstagram.

‘SNL’ Bloodbath? Hardly. Lorne Michaels’ Annual Cast Exits Occur as Regularly as ‘Weekend Update’

'SNL' Bloodbath? Hardly. Lorne Michaels' Annual Cast Exits Occur as Regularly as 'Weekend Update' At "Saturday Nigh...

 

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