We've wondered for a while what "Saturday Night Live" would do after the death of Don Pardo.
Pardo, of course, is most famous for being the announcer on "SNL," a job he held for a whopping 39 years, from the very first season until his unfortunate passing this year.
"Live, from New York... it's Saturday night!!" That was Pardo.
It's a tricky situation. Pardo was an icon, and an integral part of "SNL." Replacing him almost feels like an insult. And yet the show needs an announcer- it's not like it can continue to air without one.
Now, courtesy of USA Today, we finally know who'll be stepping into Pardo's gargantuan shoes. That man is Darrell Hammond, a former cast member on "Saturday Night Live" himself.
Hammond's got a pretty impressive pedigree. He was a cast member for fourteen years (the longest in "SNL" history), and is a whiz at impressions- so much so that Hammond actually filled in for Pardo, on rare occasions when the legendary announcer had a sore throat.
But according to series producer Lorne Michael, Hammond won't just be doing a Pardo impression- he'll have his own thing going on. Here's a quote from Mediaite:
"There were a lot of sweet ideas about carrying on with Don somehow. Because everyone has a Pardo impression. But he had the greatest run and he's a completely beloved figure. So I thought: Don't turn this into something else. That period ended," said Michaels.
"I'm really happy about it. I think it will be good to have Darrell doing his own separate thing."
It's a sad occasion, but also a cause for a little excitement. IFC has a list of reasons why we should love Hammond as the new announcer, and number one on the list is Hammond's classic Sean Connery impersonation from the "Celebrity Jeopardy" sketches.
If we can get something like that on the announcements, this might not be too bad.
Check back soon for the latest "Saturday Night Live" news.
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