Hammond will be new voice of ‘SNL’
A familiar face – former cast member Darrell Hammond – is taking over for a familiar voice at “Saturday Night Live.”
Hammond, who acted on the long-running comedy show from 1995 to 2009, is replacing announcer Don Pardo. He spent three hours in the announcing booth practicing on Thursday for the Sept. 27 season opener.
For all but one year of the NBC show’s 40-year history, it was Pardo’s voice that would announce the host, musical guest and cast members every week, and the veteran broadcaster continued the job even after he retired to Arizona. Pardo died at age 96 on Aug. 18.
Hammond is walking a delicate line in replacing him. He wants to replicate the sound of that iconic opening without doing an outright impersonation.
“It’s an homage to what a presence he was, because you’re not just going to do away with that sound,” he said.
Judge rejects Minaj wig lawsuit
A federal judge in Atlanta has tossed out a lawsuit filed against rapper Nicki Minaj by her former wig designer.
In a lawsuit in February, Terrence Davidson accused Minaj and Pink Personality LLC of breaking implied contracts, reneging on discussions to launch a reality TV show and a wig line, and misappropriating his designs.
Lawyers for Minaj filed a motion in May to dismiss the lawsuit.
Davidson, who lives in Georgia, said in the lawsuit that he began working as Minaj’s hair stylist in early 2010. He created multiple wigs for the rapper, known for her flamboyant hairpieces.
Davidson said he turned down a contract for a reality TV show at the urging of a Minaj representative. At the time, Davidson said he was discussing doing a joint reality show with Minaj and launching a line of wigs with the music star. But months passed, and Davidson said Minaj and her team shut him out. He stopped working as her stylist in early 2013.
He said Minaj took his designs without his consent and used them to start her own wig line.
The judge wrote in his order that the verbal promises of future business Davidson said he got from Minaj and her team were too vague and that it was unreasonable for Davidson to rely on them as a done deal.
The birthday bunch
Author Roger Angell is 94. Host James Lipton (“Inside the Actors Studio”) is 88. Actress Rosemary Harris is 87. Actor Adam West is 86. Actor David McCallum (“NCIS”) is 81. Singer-songwriter Paul Williams is 74. Singer Bill Medley is 74. R&B singer Freda Payne is 72. Actor Jeremy Irons is 66. Actress Twiggy Lawson is 65. TV personality Joan Lunden is 64. Celebrity chef Mario Batali is 54. Country singer Jeff Bates is 51. Country singer Trisha Yearwood is 50. Actress-comedian Cheri Oteri is 49. News anchor Soledad O’Brien is 48. “Tonight Show” host Jimmy Fallon is 40. Actress-TV host Alison Sweeney is 38.