Is Darrell Hammond Going To Imitate Don Pardo On ‘SNL’, Because If So, That’s A Stupid Idea

Darrell Hammond will replace the recently deceased Don Pardo as the announcer of Saturday Night Live.  Lorne Michaels is expected to make the announcement today.

I’m sure we’ll learn more today but it’s sounding very much like Hammond will be doing an impression of Pardo.

“Mr. Hammond served longer than any other performer in the history of the NBC broadcast, working in the cast from 1995 until 2009. He also had the distinction of quietly subbing for Mr. Pardo on several occasions when the announcer could not do the show for health reasons. Mr. Hammond, who was among the best impressionists in the history of “S.N.L.,” read in the introductions in the famous Pardo voice.

Most memorably, in a show from 1999, when Mr. Pardo found at dress rehearsal that he was developing an incapacitating case of laryngitis, Mr. Hammond not only performed the introduction (“Live from New York…”) but played Mr. Pardo (in voice only) in the opening monologue with host James Vanderbeek. (In a later interview, Mr. Pardo said he heard from his sister-in-law the next day, praising him for his comic repartee with the host.)”

Is he going to move into Pardo’s house and not have sex with his wife (the guy was 96, it’s doubtful he was laying pipe) because this all needs to be a certain level of creepy. Hammond is great at impressions but there is nothing wrong with his regular speaking voice. I want to hear Darrell Hammond say “It’s Saturday Night Live, starring….” not Hammond doing an impression of Pardo.

When Farley died that didn’t drag his brother in to do Matt Foley and when Belushi died they didn’t…ok, bad example, but you can’t replace an original. Pardo is Don Pardo. Darrell Hammond is INSANE but he’s not Don Pardo.

H/T New York Times