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Don Pardo says that Tonights Saturday Night Live will be his last

McVay Media News/Talk Specialist Holland Cooke, who was at last night’s event, reports that Pardo said this weekend’s season finale of the late night comedy show will be his last. “I think that’s enough,” Pardo told a packed house who attended the festivities in West Warwick, RI.

http://www.ntsmediaonline.com/?p=5703
 
His rumored replacement: recent NBC retiree John Madden!

"BOOM! - it's Saturday Night Live... With Brett Favre -- ugh, ugh, I mean, ugh, Fred Armisen..."
 
I'll miss Don Pardo, but at 91, he's still leaving on top, and while he's still appreciated. He probably knows more about NBC's history than most of the people who work there now.

Don, enjoy your retirement.
 
Does this mean we'll be seeing Joel Godard (Conan O'Brien's former announcer) as SNL's new announcer this fall? We hope so.

Then again, Charlie O'Donnell doesn't mind pulling double duty with "Wheel of Fortune" in L.A. and SNL in New York.
 
Surprisingly I haven't seen this news in any other sources, but I guess it isn't a shocker. Mr. Pardo is one of the giants in the broadcasting world, and his voice will be sorely missed if he is indeed turning off the microphone.
 
Wow! He may be the only "constant" for the entire run. (Maybe some behind the scenes people have been there from the start, but on-air, he is the only one!) The show won't be the same without him. I hope they do some sort of tribute tonight.
 
Don Pardo did not announce the 1981-82 season of SNL. Other than that, he's been there all along.

Wikipedia says that Don, in 2006, decided to start prerecording his intros but the producers eventually convinced him to be there in person.

I vaguely recall reading somewhere not long ago (and maybe even mentioned it here on R-I somewhere) that, on occasion, longtime SNL castmember Darrell Hammond would impersonate Pardo when Pardo wasn't available.
 
radioguy555 said:
Surprisingly I haven't seen this news in any other sources...

I know! I've been trying to fire up the link in the Twittersphere. Even an attempt at a special hashtag - #donpardo - isn't getting much traction...
 
Literally havent watched the show in years....I believe when Pardo didnt work the show, Bill Wendell who was Lettermans NBC announcer, was the guy.

If this is it, Thank you for your contributions Mr. Pardo
 
I missed the first 1/2 hour of tonight's show so unless they did something for Don then, they didn't even mention him at all.

The show itself (final show of the season) was fairly lame (the hour I saw).

Several former castmembers came by for cameo spots including Mya Rudolph, Norm MacDonald, and even Amy Poehler came back to host Weekend Update with Seth. Unfortunately, it was way too short, rather lame, and unfunny except for "Really! with Seth and Amy" and Will Ferrell's Ghost of Harry Carey.

Ferrell's thanks at the end mentioned,among others, Tom Hanks and Ben Affleck. I think it was Hanks (or Affleck) in that final sketch pretending to play the clarinet. And he made a point to thank and hug Darrell Hammond. I got the impression that maybe this was Hammond's final season. He's been there for forever but has shown up for maybe 1 or 2 sketches the last year or two and always well after midnight.
 
Yep, no mention of Pardo tonight. And while the cameos of former castmembers was attractive, nobody really delivered. And Will Ferrell doing Chicago sportscaster Harry Carey seemed irrelevant so many years after his death. That bit was funny in '99, not so much today. Hopefully, the show will re-group and re-energize for the Fall.
 
I believe there was little mention because he had such a diminished role lately...I was honestly surprised he was still connected to SNL...I don't recall hearing his voice for some time.
The last show of the season was ok. Is it just me...when old cast members come back to host SNL they just drag they whole thing down. But SNL lives, thanks to recent additions Bill Hader and Kristen Wiig. SNL's the only thing I watch on NBC.
 
So who will replace him?
Someone said Joel Goddard, but remember, Conan is in LA now, so I don't see Goddard flying back in to NYC once a week, unless Goddard isn't going to announce for "The Tonight Show"
 
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