3 new cast members hired at SNL

[BillBrasky]

The Comics Comic website is reporting that at least 3 new cast members have been hired for the 36th season of Saturday Night Live, which premieres September 25th.


The first is Chicago-based improviser and sketch comedian Paul Brittain. Brittain is a performer and instructor at iO Chicago, appearing regularly onstage with house team Mike Helicopter and in recurring shows Challenger and Jim Paul Jet Paul. He has performed in shows and theaters throughout Chicago, and starred in his own one-man show as "Sex Ed."

Vanessa Bayer is a Cleveland native who also performs throughout Chicago and elsewhere, either via iO Chicago (with Harold team Revolver and puppet show Felt), Second City's Touring Company, the Annoyance Theater, and also doing stand-up at Zanies.

Finally, Taran Killam is a member of The Groundlings who has previously appeared on "Mad TV" and "Nick Cannon's Wild 'N Out". Killam was also part of the Scrubs "spin-off" on ABC, "Scrubs: Interns", and is currently engaged to "How I Met Your Mother" actress Cobie Smulders.

Although the article doesn't specifically say so, one can assume these 3 are being hired as featured performers. With the recently announced departure of cast member Will Forte, this bodes well for one of the current featured players such as Bobby Moynihan or Abby Elliott to be promoted to full-time cast member.

[BillBrasky]

Here's a trailer for Brittain's one man show, "Sex Ed":



And here's a commercial for Blue Shield of California featuring Bayer:



And finally, in case you didn't see it in the SNL thread, here's a "Scrubs: Interns" web short featuring Killam where he does a bunch of impressions:

[TacoSmith]

Good news, Kenan! You'll still be playing all the black characters!

[dan telfer]

Vanessa is hilarious. She's supposed to perform at Chicago Underground Comedy on Tuesday. I am waiting to hear if she is officially too famous now!

[davidd]

That's crazy! I used to see Revolver, Vanessa Bayers' improv team, all the time when I was taking classes at iO. I even kinda know some people on it. ...I just realized I've wasted my life.

[Cool Slut]

This is real nuts, both these kids are hilarious I love this. (I don't know anything about this nonchicago guy he can burn in hell)

[James Smann]

I went to High School with Taran. He's a super-talented guy, and I'm so happy for him! NIce work dude!

[Neon]

I saw Mike Helicopter last week and one of their members was a previous improv teacher of mine. Really glad to see more Chicago talent getting a break.

[Hated Milk Machine]

Paul Brittain is very funny. Congrats to these guys!

[Monty]

Good news, Kenan! You'll still be playing all the black characters!

...except Obama.

[man124]

Very excited for this. Don't know if it ever made the rounds on here, but the pilot that Taran did with bill lawrence a few years back is fantastic. Part 1 below if you have never seen it.

[CJ Toledano]

"Whoa! Did you all see that they hired Jay Pharoah."

-Kevin Lee via CJ's computer

[CJ Toledano]

[youtube]QN6HQPRcMyI[/youtube]

[Devconn88]

I congratulated Jay on Facebook today and he said "Who told you that homie?"

[KevinLee]

Yeah. THe Comic's Comic said that it was all but a lock but then today they pulled the story from the website, so maybe not.

[darrylduffy]

Good news, Kenan! You'll still be playing all the black characters!

(remember, from earlier?)

[TacoSmith]

I'm pretty sure they hired this guy just to make me look like an asshole.

[BillBrasky]

Yeah. THe Comic's Comic said that it was all but a lock but then today they pulled the story from the website, so maybe not.

Story's still up:

http://www.thecomicscomic.com/2010/0...y-pharoah.html