‘SNL’ Fans Are Lobbying for These Cast Members to Take Over Weekend Update
Colin Jost and Michael Che haven’t hung up their Weekend Update blazers yet, but rumors abound that the longest-running fake-news anchors in Saturday Night Live history are about to ride off into the sunset. Fans on the r/LiveFromNewYork subreddit definitely aren’t waiting for Jost and Che to turn in their resignation letters, already lobbying for the cast members they believe should replace them.
Here are four SNL comics getting Reddit support as the next anchors of Weekend Update…
Michael Longfellow
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Many fans are not only convinced that Longfellow is the heir apparent for the job, but that his Weekend Update bit last week was a soft launch for his promotion.
What are Longfellow’s qualifications? “I like his deadpan smug prick delivery,” said CyanJackal. “It’s a great niche.”
“He could be a weird combination of (Dennis) Miller and Norm (Macdonald),” wrote baccus83.
“He’s just the proper amount of weird to be an update anchor,” added MeTieDoughtyWalker.
But Reddit being Reddit, not everyone agrees. “No offense to Michael Longfellow, but I really hope this isn’t the direction they go,” argued wawkaroo.
“He’s a little too Dennis Leary for me,” said motion_city_rules. “If the only joke is smarmy arrogance there’s no ability to pivot.”
Sarah Sherman
“The true heir to Weekend Update is Sarah Sherman,” trumpeted Sea_Competition2232’s post. “Enough bland professionals in suits. It’s the freak hour, and we best well respect it.”
Sherman’s hat will almost certainly be in the ring, considering the number of times she’s killed it while roasting Jost. But other Redditors questioned whether she’s better as the off-the-wall counterpunch to an anchor with a straight-man persona. “They tried this with Cecily Strong and it was a mistake, because then she couldn’t come on as her characters like ‘the girl at the party,’” argued LarBrd33.
“No way. Sarah is the opposite of deadpan,” said failedacademic_. “I love her, but can’t imagine seeing her little smirk at the end of every punchline. And she’s very much needed for other things.”
Ashley Padilla
If not Sherman, then what about newcomer Padilla, the promising Groundlings comic who’s shown up in several sketches as a rookie? “I would prefer Ashley Padilla because comedically speaking, she is a perfect straight woman,” suggests Orthopoxtrot.
“I’d love to see if Padilla and Longfellow could co-anchor together,” agreed schrodingereatspussy. “They’d both be well-suited to that role.”
Then again, “I don’t want Padilla in the job for the selfish reason that I love her in every sketch she’s in,” said terminally_irish.
Jane Wickline
Fellow featured player Wickline has made her biggest splashes this year on Update, leading some to believe her deadpan delivery would work full-time behind the desk.
“Controversial hot take: Longfellow and Wickline,” offered kkxx1000. “She’s doing much better at Update than in sketches, the two of them have similar vibes and seem to be getting on well (at least I see them together a lot at goodnights).”
“Newscaster is one place where Jane Wickline’s deadpan weirdo schtick might actually work,” concurred tatt2tim.
Other fans, of course, beg to differ. “Longfellow/Wickline are too similar,” contends roadtrip-ne. “The dynamic is off.”