Tina Fey wins humor prize

Finally there’s some justice in the universe – Tina Fey, SNL veteran and star of 30 Rock, was awarding the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor at the Kennedy Center last night.  That Fey is still so young and has had a relatively short career is a testament to her comedic genius, as most humorists and comedians who receive this prestigious award have been in the business for many decades, and are usually closer to 80 than 40.

The event last night was attended by the cream of Hollywood comedy – Steve Martin and Betty White were both there, as well as Fey’s former SNL colleagues Jimmy Fallon, Amy Poehler, and show creator Lorne Michaels.

Casey Wilson and Michaela Watkins Fired from Saturday Night Live

When Saturday Night Live returns for a new season, it will be without cast members Casey Wilson and Michaela Watkins. Lorne Michaels, creator of SNL, announced Friday the two women had been fired from the show. Michaela Watkins says she is shocked by her sudden elimination from the SNL cast.

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“It just felt premature,” Michael Watkins said in an interview with Entertainment Weekly. “But on some level I feel like there are so many opportunities and things that I want to do in the future and now they’ll just happen sooner rather than later.”

Watkins and Wilson joined the SNL cast in 2008. Some of Watkins’ most popular characters on the show were her portrayals of Arianna Huffington, Today Show host Hoda Kotb and Angie Tempura of bitchpleeze.com. Wilson never truly seemed to find her niche on the show and few of her characters were particularly notable.

Michaela Watkins and Casey Wilson will be replaced by Columbia University graduate Jenny Slate and Iranian native Nasim Pedrad. The new season of Saturday Night Live premiers Sept. 26.