Welcome to the return of the Rapid-Fire Appearances – September 2009 Edition, covering most things SNL and MADtv for the month of September. For the sake of time/space/preference, I have decide to focus on current/recently departed SNL cast members and for the few busy MADtv cast members.

To kick things off, let’s look into the lives of our former MADtv stars.

Orlando Jones’ latest film, “Beyond a Reasonable Doubt” is in limited release September 11th. To coincide with the release, Jones is appearing on BET’s “The Wendy Williams Show.” Also look out for Orlando in the upcoming John C. Riley movie “Cirque du Freak: The Vampire's Assistant” this October.

September 18th marks the opening of Steven Soderbergh’s “The Informant!” with Matt Damon. As previously reported by Planet Sketchcom (in an article unable to be found by yours truly) Andrew Daly and Arden Myrin make appearances in the film. Per Arden’s Twitter, her part isn’t big enough to warrant any press or talk shows. Arden continues to make the rounds on Chelsea Lately as a roundtable guest, most recently appearing on September 9th.

Fans of Mad Men may have noted that Crista Flanagan returned as Lois. It’s unclear if we’ll see her pop up again, but rest assured, she’s still employed with Sterling-Cooper.

Fresh off baby number two, Nicole Sullivan returns to her hit Lifetime series "Rita Rocks" October 5th.

Dipping into the waters of SNL, our recently departed Casey Wilson and her writing partner June Diane Raphael come off the success of their 2009 movie “Bride Wars” with 2010 lady comedy “Ass Backwards,” with previous SNL co-star Kristen Wiig slated to appear.

Kristen Wiig currently appears in Mike Judge’s “Extract,” which has been receiving less than stellar reviews. Her next movie role is as Malice in Wonderland in Drew Berrymore’s upcoming directorial debut, “Whip It,” alongside 2007 host Ellen Page. For those of you with HBO, Kristen will also appear in Jason Schwartzman’s “Bored to Death,” which premieres September 20th.

Amy Poehler’s NBC comedy “Parks and Recreation” found its way to DVD yesterday, and the second season begins next Thursday, September 17th. Amy will be hitting the New York morning talk circuit on the 16th, visiting both the “Today” show and “The View.”

Though I’m mostly ignoring the older cast members, it’s worth mentioning that SNL original Chevy Chase’s new show “Community” has been added to NBC Comedy Thursdays, and has positive buzz surrounding it. If it’s a hit remains to be seen, as it premieres the same night as “Parks and Rec.”

Apatow-favorite Bill Hader will appear on “The Tonight Show with Conan O’Brien” on the 11th to promote the September 18th opening of his movie “Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs.” Also voicing characters in the movie are fellow cast mates Will Forte and Andy Samberg.

For those looking to see a movie recently released, look out for a couple SNL-ers in the following:

• Tina Fey voicing a character in “Ponyo.”
• Tracy Morgan voicing a character in “G-Force.”
• Fred Armisen in “Post Grad.”
• Will Ferrell and Rob Riggle in “The Goods: Live Hard, Sell Hard.”
• Casey Wilson in “Julie and Julia.”
• Mike Myers in “Inglorious Basterds.”

SNL returns September 26th with host Megan Fox and musical guest U2.

Should you find any other SNL/MADtv appearances for the month of September newsworthy, feel free to post them. My personal philosophy is that if said cast member hasn’t appeared on the show since 2000 but are still relevant in the entertainment industry, perhaps they’re “too big” for Planet Sketchcom. They have escaped the throngs on sketch comedy and are stars in their own rights. But if you want the world to know that Shrek Forever After and Iron Man 2 are coming out soon, feel free to post it. I have mad love for all cast members, I just prefer to focus on those who need the publicity. Except Jimmy Fallon. Jimmy Fallon never deserves publicity.

We all know Will Sasso from his days on our beloved show. We know him as the drunken Kenny Rogers, and the former, former president Clinton, but what many people may not know is that Mr. Sasso is not only an actor, but an aspiring producer, and to that notion, I write this article to tell you all of Will Sasso's first production achievement. A work that has been in production for years, and is set to release sometime this year. The film is
For Christ's Sake.

The plot of the film revolves around Robert (Jed Ress), a priest of a church that is losing money, due to low attendance. Along with this, Robert is also feeling down because he did not think that running a failing church was going to be what he was going to be doing when he decided to become a priest. He thought he was going to be helping people. One day his brother Alan (Will Sasso) comes by asking for $54.000 for a movie he wants to shoot. Robert doesn't have the money, but the church does in a savings account that is only to be used for emergencies. Robert decides to give Alan the money through the savings account, despite Alan's objections, because he feels that this may be his chance to actually help someone. After a year of stalling on the money, Robert goes to Los Angeles, where Alan lives to see what he is actually doing with the money. Robert quickly figures out that the money he gave Alan for his film was in fact money for a porn film that he is directing. Due to his faith, Robert cannot let Alan continue making this movie, or sell what he has already filmed, but unfortunately, Alan has already spent a large portion of the money on the film already, and if he doesn't sell it, Robert won't get the money, and his church will be forced to close. Robert is now in a horrible situation. If he applies by his religious convictions, and stops the film from being made, the money will be gone, and the church will most likely have to close, but if he allows the film to be released, the church could make a lot of money that can save it but he will most likely be ostracized by his churches current regulars. Robert begrudgingly decides to let the film continue, and as he watches over the production, he finds that the people who may benefit the most from his help, and the divine words of Jesus may just be the actors in the film itself.

Just like Saturday Night Live movies, this movie is filled with former MADtv stars at every turn. Former cast members include Will Sasso as brother Alan (Will is also a producer of the film as well), Alex Borstein as Mrs. Marcus, Ike Barinholtz as one of the porn actors, and former MADtv writer Michael Hitchcock, as Tom, one of Robert's church goers. The cast connections don't just end in front of the screen though, as Alex's husband Jackson Douglas holds the position as director for the film.

The film is produced through Will's production company HamFatter, so a date of release, or if it's going to be a wide release is unknown, but what is known is that this movie looks like it could be a hidden jem, and if it becomes popular, could take Will to a whole other level in his career.

See the trailer here.

Note: Just a note, because I have a strong feeling that someone is going to bring this up, no Arden Myrin is not the porn actress in the trailer.

Okay, so that title is a little misleading... although, one of the two men these impressions are of will be hailed as the new President of the United States in a few months.

With the season 14 premiere a mere few weeks away, what better time to give you the first piece of information we have been made aware of regarding what you can expect to see? While most of us have grown used to Keegan Michael Key's Barack Obama and Nicole Parker's Hilary Clinton impressions over the last two years, with Hilary now out of the running, its time for the show to introduce an impression of Republican candidate John McCain to feature in the shows political satire.

In true MADtv tradition, the show is taking a big risk by casting someone none of us expected would ever be cast for the role. Perhaps it is a response to the controversial casting of Fred Armisen as Obama on SNL, perhaps he was just the best suited person for the job, perhaps it was neither of these things... but I can now reveal to you that none other than Bobby Lee will be debuting his John McCain impression in episode #1401. Also making their first mark in the presidential stakes will be Arden Myrin's Nancy McCain and Erica Ash's Michelle Obama impression.

Here's what FOX's official release has to say about the premiere:

MADtv returns for a 14th season of off-the-wall humor and side-splitting laughs. Keegan-Michael Key and Erica Ash are "Barack and Michelle Obama" and they join Bobby Lee and Arden Myrin as "John and Cindy McCain" on a spoof of SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE: PRESIDENTIAL EDITION. The McCains try to impress the judges with their waltz as the Obamas try to win votes with their hip-hop number on the season premiere episode of MADtv airing Saturday, Sept. 13.

Just to remind you all, the new cast of regulars includes returning favorites Crista Flanagan, Keegan Michael Key, Bobby Lee, Arden Myrin, Nicole Parker and Johnny Sanchez. They will be joined by Matt Braunger and new featured players Erica Ash, Eric Price and Lauren Pritchard. The season premiere is on September 13th this year, and the show will, hopefully, be taking a step back towards the favored format by being shot, in part, in a brand new theatre. So those of you who were left disappointed by season 13, give this new season a chance before you pull the plug completely. You may be pleasantly surprised!

After months of blackmail both administered and received, we can at last reveal everything you could possibly want to know about Season 14 of "MADtv," at least before it debuts. All right, admittedly, we will not be reporting what Nicole Parker ate for breakfast this morning; nevertheless, with this update, rest assured that you will have all the Season 14 information with which any rational fan will be more than happy. Here, then, is your full scoop on the upcoming season, complete with brown chips which have not been conclusively identified as chocolate.

Let us begin by introducing you to our final addition to the Season 14 "MADtv" cast. According to this article, the fourth newbie for the upcoming season will be the lovely, versatile Erica Ash. Smile prettily for the camera, dear:



As is the case with Eric Price and Lauren Pritchard, Erica will be joining the "MADtv" cast as a featured player. According to her impressive resume, which can be found here, Erica's experience with televised sketch comedy does not actually begin with "MADtv." For two seasons, she has been a cast member on "The Big Gay Sketch Show," which, coincidentally, is directed by "MADtv" mainstay Amanda Bearse. Add to that stint her various appearances in theatrical productions and commercials, her numerous voiceovers for video games, and a list of special skills that makes most of us look downright boring by comparison; and Erica Ash may have just what it takes to survive on a show that has always prided itself on multifaceted cast members. Erica, here is hoping that you get to stick around for a while on FOX's late-night sketch comedy series.

In other news, what would a final Season 14 update be without one last surprise farewell? Fans of Jordan Peele's "MADtv" work will no doubt feel a sense of emptiness as the show's resident Morgan Freeman impersonator ends his five-year run as a cast member. Apparently, Jordan somehow managed to escape the rumored coercion by "MADtv" to squeeze a few more episodes out of its five-year players. Unfortunately, it is not known at this time whether he, Nicole Parker, and Keegan-Michael Key drew straws to determine who would get to leave after Season 13 or whether Quincy Jones simply went "eenie-meenie-miney-mo" to determine their fates. At any rate, Jordan, we at Planet MADtv hate to see you go; and we wish you the best of success in whatever showbiz endeavors you decide to pursue from this point on. Thanks for the many laughs!

Next, we can confirm that Season 14 of "MADtv" will be shot at the Sunset Bronson Studios, which are both the original location of the Warner Bros. Studios and the current home of CW affiliate KTLA, Channel 5, in Los Angeles, CA. Although we will obviously have to wait until the Season 14 debut, on September 13th, to see how these new facilities will work out for the cast, something tells me that most, if not all, of the series' diehard fans will no doubt wet themselves with glee over the sheer mention of the word studio. While Sunset Bronson Studios may not be the original "MADtv" home we all knew and loved for twelve years, I think it has to be considered a major step up from the Henry Fonda Music Box Theater. Unlike that almost roundly hated facility, Sunset Bronson will probably not inspire fans to wish all season long for a well-placed wrecking ball to find its way into the exterior walls. Enjoy your new and (we assume) vastly improved, home, you crazy Season 14 cast members, you!

Fittingly, we will conclude this "full scoop" update by reminding you of all the cast members who will be enjoying these new quarters during Season 14 of "MADtv," as well as providing you with a recap of those who will not. Established series regulars who will help provide the Season 14 fun are Crista Flanagan, Keegan-Michael Key, Bobby Lee, Arden Myrin, Nicole Parker, and Johnny Sanchez. Joining them will be new series regular Matt Braunger and three new featured players, Erica Ash, Eric Price, and Lauren Pritchard. Sadly, we have been forced at gunpoint to accept the departures of Season 13 featured players Daheli Hall, Anjelah Johnson, and Dan Oster; five-year veteran Jordan Peele; and the show's longest-running cast member ever, ten-year stalwart Michael McDonald. All in all, it will be very interesting to see how everything unfolds come September 13th. Can you handle the anticipation? I know I can. Season 14 of "MADtv," the world awaits.

Details on the fourteenth season of "MADtv" are trickling in faster than molasses in Antarctica. Now that you have had ample time to reflect on Crista Flanagan's and Nicole Parker's returns, we offer up news on the fates of two other cast members, as well as a couple of other important Season 14 details, one of which will surely make most of you happy enough to kiss a million kittens. How could I possibly keep you in suspense much longer? Well, in the most literal sense, I could drag out this paragraph for another hundred or so lines; however, in the rhetorical sense in which the question is meant to be taken, I could simply start revealing the newsworthy items at my disposal. Why don't I make life easier for all of us by proceeding with the latter plan?

First, add Keegan-Michael Key and Arden Myrin to the ever-growing list of cast members who are confirmed to be returning to "MADtv" for Season 14. Although we cannot yet say definitively whether Keegan's return is a full-season deal or the eight-episode situation that confronts Nicole Parker, the second scenario is more likely. After all, last year was Keegan's fifth on the show, and thus the nominal end to his original contract. Furthermore, because Season 13 was cut short, we can make an educated guess that "MADtv" pulled on him the same squeeze play for more episodes that it used on Nicole. As for Arden, despite all reasonable efforts by effigy-carrying protestors, fans can indeed expect a full season of her reheated red-carpet jokes, inebriated characters, and "dumb blonde" references and inferences. Bartender, keep them coming.

In other news, Season 14 shooting will begin some time in August; and once it does, rest assured that it will not be taking place at the Henry Fonda Music Box Theater. This news certainly comes as a pleasant surprise to the droves of fans who have missed the old studio and are wondering whether "MADtv" will be returning there next season. Unfortunately, the answer right now, as with most "MADtv"-related things at this stage, is a big, fat "unconfirmed." We also do not know whether the move away from the Music Box Theater is a sign that the series will be returning to its old format. Still, if you are one of several who have lamented its Season 13 metamorphosis into "Saturday Night Live II," then perhaps there is hope for you after all. Right now, though, we cannot declare anything other than the departure from the theater; so glean from that tidbit all the solace you can muster.

What will become of the other cast members who have been courageous enough to stick around this long? Will Nicole and Keegan exchange angry, knowing glares throughout the season as they somehow sludge through the next several months of taping? Does Rupert Murdoch even know that "MADtv" still exists on the FOX schedule? If he finds out, then will everyone not named Bill O'Reilly have to duck and cover? Will I be able to come up with any more questions, each more irrelevant than the last? For more information regarding the drama of Season 14, you know what to do: stay tuned to Planet MADtv for further updates!

Arden Myrin officially became Arden Martin on December 30th, 2007 -- or, at least, she would have if she planned on changing her name -- when she married her boyfriend of six years, Dan Martin.

Now, I could write out a long-winded, plagiarised article summarising the details of their nuptial engagement, or I could just provide you all with a link to an article that does it much, much better. You can read all about the occasion in this New York Times article.

Congratulations to the happy couple!

---

Original article, courtesy of the New York Times:

DAN MARTIN realized he was deeply in love when his girlfriend, Arden Myrin, began dancing wildly to piped-in music in the frozen food aisle of a Hollywood supermarket.

"I watched her reaching for the green peas and rocking out," he said. "And I thought, 'This is it. I could spend my life with her.'"

They met in early 2001 at a Los Angeles comedy club; Ms. Myrin was doing stand-up and Mr. Martin, a comedy writer, was in the audience. On the surface, at least, they had a lot in common. Both were raised on the East Coast -- he in Northport, on Long Island, and she in Little Compton, R.I. -- and both had moved to Los Angeles for their careers.

Both had staved off homesickness by listening to Howard Stern's radio program. On their first date, in fact, Mr. Martin raved about an "amazingly funny" and engaging woman he had heard on Stern, but whose name he had forgotten. "Arden looked at me and said, 'That was me!'" he recalled. "I was stunned."

It took a while to get to that first date, however. Mr. Martin, now 36 and a writer for "Code Monkeys," an animated series on the G4 cable television network, remembered being impressed by Ms. Myrin, a diminutive blonde. But he just assumed that she was dating someone. When he found out otherwise, he returned to the club every week for a month before marshaling the courage to ask her out.

Ms. Myrin, now 34, has always been focused on a stage career. "I never had a Plan B," she said. After graduating from Colorado College, she dared herself to do stand-up at a comedy club in New York. Soon she had an agent and a small role in Woody Allen's "Deconstructing Harry." Other movie roles ("What Women Want," 2000; "Kinsey," 2004; "Evan Almighty," 2007) led her to Hollywood, where two years ago she landed a job as a cast member of "MadTV," a show now in reruns because of the Writers Guild strike.

Mr. Martin is "Arden in reverse" according to Ryan Hunter, his roommate at the University of Arizona. "Arden's zaniness is on the outside, her caring and sweetness within. Dan is in some ways the opposite." Mr. Hunter described his friend as "courageous and adventurous" and "deep down, mad as a hatter."

Mr. Martin's circuitous path to Los Angeles included dropping out of high school, joining the Air Force, marrying briefly, divorcing. He used his military benefits to study creative writing at Arizona, but quit, he said, when he decided that "I wanted to write scripts, not short stories." He bounced around Los Angeles, making his living as a dog-walker and a hotel concierge before finally earning a paycheck from his writing.

When he and Ms. Myrin met, he was not looking for marriage, he said, "but, in my heart, I always thought that life would be sort of sad if you were not sharing it with someone."

As for Ms. Myrin, she spent their first few dates wondering what was wrong with Mr. Martin. "He was so tall and handsome and he looked like every guy that had ever treated me badly," she said. "I figured he was hiding something." It took her "months to trust that he was as nice and sweet as he seemed," she said.

As their relationship deepened, Mr. Martin was increasingly drawn to what he describes as her fearlessness, selflessness and goofiness. He explained: "With Arden you never know what you are going to get." He recalled finding her one afternoon "peacefully napping in bed after a long battle with insomnia, dressed to go jogging and clutching a spatula."

"I will never be bored," he added.

For her part, Ms. Myrin saw in him a man secure enough to remain unthreatened by her work. On "MadTV," she said, "mostly I just run around in my underwear and act like a ding-dong. It takes a confident guy to deal with a woman who is so out there."

"A lot of men are competitive about being funny," she said. "but not Dan."

She did not think of marriage as a priority, but, "I began to think it would actually happen." She thought that Mr. Martin was waiting until "he had his ducks in order." And, after selling a script, he surprised her with a trip in November 2006 to Dublin, where he proposed.

The day, he recalled, was miserable and rainy, perfect for a couple that prefers "real weather" to the steady sunshine of Los Angeles.

The weather could not have been more real than on the frosty, windy afternoon of Dec. 30, when Mr. Martin and Ms. Myrin were married at Round Barn Farm, an inn at Waitsfield, Vt. Just minutes before the ceremony was to begin, the bride could be found with her mother, Janet, and her attendants, dancing wildly to rock music in the reception area.

"You are the most" -- Mr. Martin said, pausing when reading his vows -- "ridiculous human being I have ever met. And I am in love with you." Ms. Myrin responded that he was her "Rock of Dan-braltar."

The ceremony, witnessed by about 140 family members and friends, was led by their friend Steve Hytner, a comedian who became a Universal Life minister for the occasion. The wedding party included a male bridesmaid, and the singer Clare Muldaur finished a mellow Nina Simone number with a kazoo solo.

Then came the first dance, an elaborately choreographed disco number. As the couple dipped and spun, they looked at once both spontaneous and wild, and perfectly in sync.

In what may be her most sizable movie role to date, Arden Myrin stars as Barbara Tilson in the upcoming motion picture The Lucky Ones. She is listed seventh in the cast credits, and her character is given an actual name--these are always good signs. Here is the plot summary of the film:

"A timely drama about life in America today, Lionsgate's The Lucky Ones stars Rachel McAdams, Tim Robbins and Michael Pena as three soldiers on leave trying to make sense of their lives during an unexpected road trip across the United States. A humorous, moving portrayal about the challenges of coming home, The Lucky Ones is directed by Neil Burger (The Illusionist) from a script by Burger and Dirk Wittenborn.

After suffering an injury during a routine patrol, hardened sergeant TK Poole (Michael Pena) is granted a one-month leave to visit his fiancé. But when an unexpected blackout cancels all flights out of New York, TK agrees to share a ride to Pittsburgh with two similarly stranded servicemen: Cheever (Tim Robbins), an older family man who longs to return to his wife in St. Louis, and Colee (Rachel McAdams), a naive private who's pinned her hopes on connecting with a dead fellow soldier's family. What begins as a short trip unexpectedly evolves into a longer journey. Forced to grapple with old relationships, broken hopes and a country divided over the war, TK, Cheever and Colee discover that home is not quite what they remembered, and that the unlikely companionship they've found might be what matters the most."

Unfortunately, not much more about Arden's role is known at this time. From the synopsis, one might assume that she plays one of the soldiers' wives; however, we will have to wait and see. The Lucky Ones is scheduled to be released in December 2007; therefore, loyal fans of this particular "MADtv" cast member will somehow have to tough out the two-month interim. (How "unlucky" for you!) At any rate, if you have ever wanted to check out Arden in a Hollywood movie, then now--or December, rather--is your golden opportunity.

UPDATE (08/20/08): Believe it or not, Arden's film still has not made its way into theaters. According to this article, the conspicuously bumped-up release date for The Lucky Ones is October 3rd. Special thanks go to tvmanismadformad for bringing this to our attention.

Well, boys and girls, the confirmation train just pulled into the station.

Here is your final Season 13 cast:

Returning: Crista Flanagan, Keegan-Michael Key, Bobby Lee, Michael McDonald, Arden Myrin, Nicole Parker, Jordan Peele
Joining: Anjelah Johnson, Dan Oster, Johnny Sanchez
Departing: Ike Barinholtz, Frank Caeti, Lisa Donovan, Nicole Randall Johnson

Because we had the vast majority of this nailed down as early as June, there's only one real surprise here: Boom Chicago's Dan Oster is our final new cast member. Here's what we know about him at this stage:

• He's a Los Angeles native.
• He wears glasses.
• He has performed with Ultimate Improv and Boom Chicago.
• He doesn't have an IMDb profile.
• He *does* have a YouTube profile.
• He was signed as either a featured player or a series regular.
• His first name is Dan.
• His last name is Oster.
• He, apparently, is a human male between the ages of 18 and 40.

Stretching a little, I know. Dan: If you're reading this, please drop us a line! We need more information!

With casting now wrapped up like a mummy in Jeffrey Dahmer's freezer, let's move on to the show itself. Over the course of the past five updates, we've painted a near-complete picture of what to expect from MADtv's upcoming season. To summarize (and to add a few new tidbits):

• Season 13 premieres on September 15th. The first episode will be #1301.
• If history is any indication, expect three new episodes to air (September 15th, 22nd, and 29th) before baseball season commences. Because shooting doesn't begin until October, these episodes will be comprised of S12 holdover sketches.
• Barring a shooting schedule change, don't expect to see Anjelah, Johnny, or Dan before November.
• While 18 episodes will be shot this season, it's believed that 22 will air when all is said and done. Unfortunately, this cannot be definitively confirmed one way or the other until the season finale date is announced.
• Shooting has been moved to the Henry Fonda Music Box Theater in Hollywood, which, supposedly, "will enhance [MADtv's] live-event feeling". Sadly, pre-taping your episodes will then nullify said enhancement. Better luck next time, boys!
• Because the show's budget has once again been slashed, remotes will be utilized in greater numbers this season. For those who aren't aware, a "remote" is a segment shot on location (out-on-the-town sketches, red carpets, etc.). As I'm sure you can imagine, no costumes and few to no props = muchos savings!
• The landmark 300th episode will air on November 17th. No further details are known at this point.
• Former executive producer Dick Blasucci has been sent packing, and replacing him are head writer John Crane and director Bruce Leddy. These two will join forces with long-time executive producers David Salzman and Quincy Jones to form the ultimate cast-hushing, information-withholding, uber-authoritarian dream team!
• On the topic of the new season, David Salzman has stated: "Our plan is to preserve the fast-paced, cutting-edge pop culture parodies and audience-favorite characters while adding more topicality, fresh new elements and a real theater setting." Fresh new elements, eh? Oh, David -- you're so mysterious!

So, there you have it -- the full scoop on S13 almost two whole months before the premiere! To our many sources both inside and out, we thank you for making all of this possible. Beyond that, a big wet one goes out to those who provided exclusive information. We couldn't have done this without you, and for that, you have my eternal gratitude! For those who are keeping score, I'd like to note that we were once again right on every single account. First and second rules of Planet MADtv: do NOT question Planet MADtv!