�SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE� PRESENTS �THE BEST OF SATURDAY TV FUNHOUSE� ON APRIL 29
First-Time Collection of Critically Acclaimed Animated Shorts by Robert Smigel debuts with �Hosts� The Ambiguously Gay Duo, Ace & Gary
NEW YORK -- April 10, 2006 -� NBC�s �Saturday Night Live� presents a special �Best Of� compilation on April 29 (11:30 pm � 1 am ET) featuring the first-ever collection of �Saturday TV Funhouse� shorts by acclaimed comedian Robert Smigel.
The special will be hosted by �The Ambiguously Gay Duo,� Ace and Gary (voiced, as ever, by Stephen Colbert and Steve Carell) and will feature new material starring the subtly homoerotic superheroes performing an �SNL� monologue as well as interacting �live� with the current cast throughout the show.
From the familiar scruffy cartoon dog tearing through the host�s portrait to the theme song and animated Lorne Michaels shouting, �Come Back Here With My Show!� � �Saturday TV Funhouse� has become a popular recurring feature on the legendary late night show since its first installment in 1996.
The special will showcase the classic recurring series of �Funhouse� segments including �The X-Presidents,� �Fun with Real Audio� the adventures of �Michael Jackson� and �Mr. T� and , of course, �The Ambiguously Gay Duo.�
Also included are a number of what have become annual holiday classics � including 2005�s �Christmastime For The Jews,� featuring music from Darlene Love, a holiday �Peanuts� parody, and the post-9/11 �Narrator That Ruined Christmas.�
Over the past ten years, Smigel�s cartoons have skewered targets all over the culture � from an Arab TV superhero cartoon �Saddam & Osama;� to �Divertor,� a superhero whose power is to divert attention from the nation�s real troubles to celebrity news as well as a Disney-fied musical version of �Titanic� called �Titey.�
Smigel served as a writer and co-producer on �SNL� from 1985-1993, and the original head writer on �Late Night with Conan O�Brien� in 1993. Smigel�s cartoons have been honored at numerous festivals including first prize at the annual World Animation Festival in 1997 and the Ernie Kovacs Award at the Dallas Film Festival in 1998. In addition to his work on SNL�s �Saturday TV Funhouse,� Smigel, the original head writer on �Late Night with Conan O�Brien� also portrays and puppeteers Triumph the Insult Comic Dog on �Late Night,� as well as providing the lips on many of the interviewees in the popular �Clutch Cargo� segment. Wachtenheim/Marianetti Animation has been responsible for most �TV Funhouse� cartoons since 1999. The original �TV Funhouse� animators, JJ Sedelmaier Studios, still create occasional cartoons, including the Ace and Gary segments for this special.
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