Fred Armisen Closes Out ‘SNL’ Run With Help from Indie Rock Royalty
Fred Armisen might not have officially announced his departure from Saturday Night Live, but last night’s final sketch seemed like a fitting farewell. (According to the New York Post, a source at NBC confirmed that Armisen would be moving on.) Drawing on his pre-SNL background in music, the multi-talented (and well-connected) comedian closed the show’s season finale in the guise of Ian Rubbish, the Thatcher-loving British rocker he introduced just over a month ago in the “History of Punk.”
Backed by fellow departing castmate Bill Hader, Jason Sudeikis (who the Post’s source says is probably also leaving) and Taran Killam as the Bizarros, Armisen sang a wistfully optimistic little number called “It’s a Lovely Day.” He was soon joined onstage by Portlandia co-creator Carrie Brownstein, followed by a supergroup’s worth of other indie rock royalty: Kim Gordon, J. Mascis, Steve Jones, Aimee Mann and Michael Penn.
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As the show drew to a close and Armisen ended his 11-year run on the show, the band joined in the refrain, “It’s been all right / I’ve had a lovely night with you.”