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February 9, 2012
 
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SNL fires Wilson and Watkins to make room for new cast members

by Bob Sassone, posted Sep 4th 2009 3:26PM

WilsonNick told you earlier today that Saturday Night Live had hired two new female cast members. I guess two female cast members had to be let go to make room for them (it's late night math).

Casey Wilson and Michaela Watkins have been let go from the show. Watkins has actually released a statement saying that she had a great time on the show and doesn't have any regrets. No official word yet from Wilson.

I didn't mind Watkins at all, she was fine, but I can't say I'll be sad to see Wilson go. I really don't think she added too much to the show and was often over the top/irritating in her performances and impersonations. I think she's the type of cast member that can be replaced rather easily. I know that other SNL fans never grew to like her either. But at least she had a sense of humor about it.

Update: Watkins is actually shocked by the firing.

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11 Comments

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Jim

Lorne is an idiot. Maya and Amy leave on their own, and then Casey and Michaela are "let go?" I loves me some Kristen Wiig, but she can't carry the show on her own.

Lorne hasn't had any clout since the '70s. He's riding Tina's coattails now.

September 06 2009 at 8:08 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Matthew Golem

Wilson probably deserves the chop if only for appearing in the dreadful "pie sniffer" skit on Jimmy Fallon's show.

I mostly found Watkins funny (especially in her Update bits). Too bad she won't get a full season and more airtime. Hope she does a series (or movies).

I liked Abby Elliott too - I hope she'll get more airtime this season.

September 05 2009 at 1:05 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Steve Ungrey

BOO HISS, SNL. Getting rid of both is a mistake (not a fatal one, but considering your female cast is thin enough as it is). I echo what Robert and Galley said about Casey and Michaela was growing on the audience.

If there's any consolation, Michaela can always recur on Old Christine as Christine's brother's girlfriend once again. And Casey is a screenwriter and actress away from SNL, so she can always pop up on something or write herself a role.

September 04 2009 at 8:25 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
thepassenger

So Abby Elliott gets to stay? I thought she was awful, whereas Wilson and Watkins both did some good stuff.

September 04 2009 at 6:54 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Adam

If there was any doubt SNL was a boy's club before.........

September 04 2009 at 6:41 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
robert

i love casey wilson. this may be because my brain loins have blurred the line between comedy and physical attraction. at least i still have kristen wiig.

September 04 2009 at 6:34 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Galley

Casey Wilson can appear on my sketch comedy show anytime she wants (if you know what I mean).

September 04 2009 at 4:44 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
1 reply to Galley's comment
shadowracer

Gross.

I'm glad Wilson is gone. Watkins was the one good new cast member they added. Ughh.

Just when you think SNL is getting better, this happens. They should get sh!t for firing two women to hire two more. That's absurd.

September 04 2009 at 5:59 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Jon

Really, SNL? You had to let two women go to "make room" for two new ones in your oh so crowded ranks of female performers? For the second half of the season, SNL had one woman on the main roster. That is ridiculous.

Good grief. At least Watkins had established several solid characters that were enjoyable. Her Hoda Kotb was a great straight man against Wiig's Kathy Lee Gifford, and I'm a sucker for a solid Huffington impersonation. Plus, her blogger bits on Weekend Update made me laugh every time.

If they really needed to let some people go, why not some of the guys? Does Moynihan fill any spot except the obligatory fat white guy?

Or if they had to release another woman, why not Abby Elliott? The only thing she has really established is her Angelina. While it is funny, it is also fairly one-note.

September 04 2009 at 4:05 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
1 reply to Jon's comment
David D

That too -- remember, just a few years ago? We had Maya Rudolph, Rachel Dratch, Amy Poehler, Tina Fey AND Kristen Wiig in the same cast at the same time. Now, granted, we're a long way away from the days when the show had a hard-working cast of eight (but what an eight -- Hartman, Hooks, Lovitz, Carvey, Dunn, Nealon, Miller and, oh well, Victoria Jackson), but if there was "room" for five women five years ago, we surely could have more now.

September 04 2009 at 4:40 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
David D

I thought Michaela had a lot of potential. At least she made more of an impact than Abby Elliott's (admittedly awesome) Angelina Jolie impression. In fact, I felt that if anybody from the current cast was going to co-anchor Weekend Update, she would have been the best choice.

September 04 2009 at 4:04 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply

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