‘SNL’ segment gets summer prime-time run

‘SNL’ segment gets summer prime-time run

LOS ANGELES

“Saturday Night Live” gets the summer off, but “Weekend Update” will keep the political satire coming in prime time.

NBC said Tuesday that four episodes of “Saturday Night Live: Weekend Update” will air at 9 p.m. Thursday starting Aug. 10.

Michael Che and Colin Jost, who anchor the segment, will be joined by other “SNL” cast members, the network said.

“Weekend Update” has ventured away from its late-night turf into prime time before, but political tumult makes it an especially ripe opportunity for the faux newscast.

“SNL” is enjoying a ratings bounce from milking President Donald Trump’s election and the early days of his administration.

The season to date is the show’s most-watched in 24 years, with viewership up 26 percent over last year and averaging 11 million weekly, NBC said.

Rubio blasts Snoop Dogg over Trump video

WASHINGTON

Florida Sen. Marco Rubio says Snoop Dogg shouldn’t have shot a toy gun at a clown dressed as President Donald Trump in a music video released over the weekend.

The video shows Snoop shooting at the Trump character with a gun that releases a flag with the word, “bang.”

Rubio tells TMZ that “Snoop shouldn’t have done that.” He says “we’ve had presidents assassinated before in this country, so anything like that is something people should really careful about.” He adds that if the “wrong person sees that and gets the wrong idea, you could have a real problem.”

Rubio lost to Trump in the Republican primary campaign.

The video is for a remixed version of the song “Lavender,” by Canadian group BADBADNOTGOOD featuring Snoop Dogg and Kaytranada.

Parton fund helps 921 who lost homes in fires

PIGEON FORGE, TENN.

Dolly Parton’s My People Fund has issued monthly checks to 921 people who lost their homes in deadly wildfires that ravaged East Tennessee last year.

The Knoxville News Sentinel reported that Dollywood Foundation President David Dotson said the fund received more than 80,000 donations in December and January, which has allowed it to issue the checks.

The wildfires struck in November, killing 14 people in the Gatlinburg area and destroying or damaging thousands of buildings.

Parton said afterward that she was heartbroken about wildfires that tore through the county where she grew up and promised to set up a fund to give $1,000 per month for six months to those who lost their primary residence in the blaze.

‘SpongeBob’ creator has Lou Gehrig’s disease

The creator of Nickelodeon’s “SpongeBob SquarePants” says he has been diagnosed with Lou Gehrig’s disease.

Stephen Hillenburg tells Variety he’ll continue to work on the show and his other passions for as long as he’s able.

Lou Gehrig’s disease is also known as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or ALS. It’s a progressive disease that attacks nerve cells that control the muscles. There is no known cure.

The 55-year-old Hillenburg is a former marine biology teacher who created the series featuring an animated sponge that lives in a pineapple under the sea in 1999.

Associated Press