
Season 31
Overview
Saturday Night Live aired its thirty-first season in the 2005-06 television season on NBC. The season began on October 1, 2005, and ended on May 20, 2006, with 19 episodes in all. The season was cut one episode short due to the 2006 Winter Olympic Games. A 30th anniversary special for the show was planned, but the plan was scrapped due to budget cuts. Before the start of the season, featured player Rob Riggle was let go from the show. Finesse Mitchell and Kenan Thompson were both promoted to repertory status while Jason Sudeikis remained a featured player. The show then added three new cast members to the show. They included: Los Angeles-based sketch comedian Bill Hader, Andy Samberg and Kristen Wiig of The Groundlings. Wiig debuted on the show in November, in the episode hosted by Jason Lee. Samberg, Schaffer and Taccone would be a notable force for creating SNL Digital Shorts. One such short was "Lazy Sunday"; after it aired during the Jack Black episode it became an Internet phenomenon. Tina Fey and Maya Rudolph missed a few episodes in this season due to both of them being pregnant and on maternity leave. Fey's place on Weekend Update was briefly taken over by Horatio Sanz until her return in the episode hosted by Catherine Zeta-Jones, making Sanz the first Hispanic Weekend Update anchor. Fey returned to the show before her maternity leave time was up. Maya Rudolph, however, appeared on the first episode of the new season, and then went on maternity leave and returned in February, in the episode hosted by Steve Martin.
Episodes

1. Steve Carell/Kanye West
2005-10-01
Live from New York, it's... Will Forte! Sketches include "Bush Addresses the Nation," "MorganStanley," "The JetBlue Crisis," "Anderson Cooper 360," "The Couple That Should Be Divorced," "Girls Gone Wild Katrina," "Kanye Backstage," "The Lundford Twins Variety Hour," "Fun With Real Audio" (cartoon), and "Debbie Downer." Kanye West performed "Gold Digger" and "Heard 'Em Say" featuring Adam Levine.

2. Jon Heder/Ashlee Simpson
2005-10-08
Sketches include "George W. Bush and Harriet Miers," "Taco Town," "Caitlin's Science Fair," "Werewolf Date," "The Misadventures of Tom Delay and Bill Frist," "Showbiz Grande Explosion!," "Wilson Brothers Funeral Home," "Hubbard Systems," "Operator Date," and "The Black Eyed Peas." Ashlee Simpson performed "Catch Me When I Fall" and "Boyfriend."

3. Catherine Zeta-Jones / Franz Ferdinand
2005-10-22
Live from New York, it's... Darrell Hammond! Sketches include "Bush's Spontaneous Chat," "Butt Cancer Treatment Center," "Newsnight with Aaron Brown," "Dancers Party," "The Italians," "Access Hollywood," "Creighton Boys School," "Glen and Gina's Wedding," "MorganStanley," and "The Scheinwalds." Franz Ferdinand performed "Do You Want To" and "Take Me Out."

4. Lance Armstrong/Sheryl Crow
2005-10-29
Live from New York, it's... Darrell Hammond! Sketches include "The Libby Indictment," "Celebrity Ironman," "RAD 3000," "Indigo Girls Harmonies," "The O'Reilly Factor," "Sheryl's Song," "Days of Our Lives," "Carol!," and "Giddy Henchman." Sheryl Crow performed "Good is Good" and "Strong Enough."

5. Jason Lee/Foo Fighters
2005-11-12
Live from New York, it's... Will Forte! Sketches include "Hardball," "JJ Casuals," "Good Morning Meth," "The Falconer," "Thomas & Dobbins," "The Soaking Wet Killer," "Refurbishments," "Butt Pregnancy," "Stachin'," "McNutly & Sons," and "American Tasar." Foo Fighters performed "DOA" and "Best of You."

6. Eva Longoria/Korn
2005-11-19
Fox News Special Report: Bush in China, Eva Longoria Monologue, Totally Rad Smoke Detector 3000 (repeat), The Spammies, Deep House Dish, Morgan Stanley (repeat), The Needlers: College Reunion, Variety Vault: Vincent Price Thanksgiving, Weekend Update featuring guests Jean Schmidt and Steve Jobs, Desperate Housewives Vanity Fair Shoot, Trapped in the Closet II, The Engelhard Five, Firmium. Korn performs "Twisted Transistor" and "Freak on a Leash". Maya Rudolph absent for maternity leave.

7. Dane Cook/James Blunt
2005-12-03
Sketches include: Tree Re-Lighting Special, Dane Cook Monologue, School Announcements, Taco Town (repeat), The Long Ride Home: The Jay Feely Story, Wool Sweater, Lettuce: An SNL Digital Short, Target Greatland, Weekend Update with guests Rachel Dratch and Michael Irvin, The Coma, Fight Back with Victor Ramos, Morgan Stanley (repeat). James Blunt performs "You're Beautiful" and "Goodbye My Lover". Maya Rudolph is absent on maternity leave.

8. Alec Baldwin/Shakira
2005-12-10
Saddam in Prison, Alec Baldwin's 12th Monologue, Commercial Parody: Tylenol BM, TV Funhouse: Celebrity Mugshot Poker, O'Reilly Factor, Carol Goes Bowling, Glengarry Glen Christmas.

9. Jack Black/Neil Young
2005-12-17
"A Holiday Message from the Vice President," "Stuart Little Mouse Removal Kit," "Sbarro," "Appalachian Emergency Room," "Christmastime for the Jews" (cartoon), "Channel 5 Photo Shoot," "Lazy Sunday" (film), "A Very Downer Christmas," "Space War 2148," "Two A-Holes Buying a Christmas Tree," and "Spelling Bee." Neil Young performed "It's a Dream" and "He Was The King."

10. Scarlett Johanson/Death Cab for Cutie
2006-01-14
Live from New York, it's... the voice of Robert Smigel! Sketches include "The 700 Gang" (cartoon), "Taco Town," "Deep House Dish," "Smorgabord," "Darwin" (cartoon), "Mike and Toni's Chandelier Galaxy," "Live Duluth," "My Super Sweet 16," "Once in a Lifetime Jewelers," "The Kuril-Khamchatka Trench," and "Mr. Willoughby." Death Cab for Cutie performed "Soul Meets Body" and "Crooked Teeth."

11. Peter Sarsgaard/The Strokes
2006-01-21
Sketches include "Anderson Cooper 360," "Nelson's Baby Toupees," "Target Greatland," "National Pirate Convention," "Carol!," "Young Chuck Norris" (film), "Cat Fancy," "Gays in Space," "Fairmount Suites Inn," "NSA Wiretap," and "Peter Sarsgaard's SARS-guards." The Strokes performed "Juicebox" and "You Only Live Once."

12. Steve Martin/Prince
2006-02-04
Filmed in New York, it's... Steve Martin! Sketches include "The Sabotage of Baldwin" (film), "Teddy Bear Holding a Heart," "Oprah," "Don't Buy Stuff You Cannot Afford," "Hamas Party," "Close Talkers" (film), "Quick Zoom Theater," "Super Bowl XL Rehearsals," "Backstage: Steve, Alec and Lorne," "The Prince Show," "State of the Galaxy 2145," "The Tangent" (film), "Surfer Club," and "Naturally Crafting." Prince performed "Fury (A Woman Scorned)" and "Beautiful Loved, and Blessed" featuring Tamar.

13. Natalie Portman/Fall Out Boy
2006-03-04
Sketches include "Bush Responds to Criticism," "Nelson's Baby Toupees," "Jamba Juice," "Larry King Live," "The Couple That Should Be Divorced," "Belated Black History Moment" (cartoon), "Art Dealers and the College Boyfriend," "Sheldon's Bar Mitzvah," "The Real Natalie" Digital Short, and "RAD 3000." Fall Out Boy performed "Dance Dance" and "Sugar, We're Going Down."

14. Matt Dillon/Arctic Monkeys
2006-03-11
Live from New York, it's... Darrell Hammond! Sketches include "Bush Responds to Criticism," "Nelson's Baby Toupees," "Jamba Juice," "Larry King Live," "The Couple That Should Be Divorced," "Belated Black History Moment" (cartoon), "Art Dealers and the College Boyfriend," "Sheldon's Bar Mitzvah," "The Real Natalie" (film), and "RAD 3000." Fall Out Boy performed "Dance Dance" and "Sugar, We're Going Down."

15. Antonio Banderas/Mary J. Blige
2006-04-08
Live from New York (for the 600th time) Sketches include "Anderson Cooper 360," "Basic Instinct 2: Return of the Beaver," "Deal or No Deal," "Automated-Phone Lady," "Besos y Lagrimas," "13th Annual Women's Basketball Coaches Fashion Awards," "Zorro's Body Double," "Rascals' Karoake," "Immigrants Backstage," and "Wine Snobs." Mary J. Blige performs "Be Without You" and "Enough Crying.

16. Lindsay Lohan/Pearl Jam
2006-04-15
Live from New York, it's... Lindsay Lohan! Sketches include "The Situation Room," "Neutrogena Coin Slot," "Deep House Dish," "Journey to the Disney Vaults" (cartoon), "The O'Reilly Factor," "Le Rendezvous," "Laser Cats!" (film), "Debbie Downer," "Officemates' Night Out," and "Atlantic City Fever." Pearl Jam performed "World Wide Suicide" and "Severed Hand."

17. Tom Hanks/Red Hot Chili Peppers
2006-05-06
Sketches include "Bill Frist's Gas Plan," "Wheel of Fortune," "Kaitlin and the Iguana," "Ariell & Ephraim" (film), "Ma!," "Claremont Yoga Center," "Colin's Place," and "Country Club Tennis." Red Hot Chili Peppers performed "Dani California" and "Give It Away."

18. Julia Louis-Dreyfus/Paul Simon
2006-05-13
Former cast member Julia Louis-Dreyfus' first time hosting, promoting "The New Adventures of Old Christine". Sketches include: Parallel Universe Address from President Gore Cold Open, Julia Louis-Dreyfus Monologue (with guests Jason Alexander and Jerry Seinfeld), Tech Pack, Bum Attention, The Morning Show, MySpace Class, Weekend Update: Debate between Al Gore and Amy Poelher, Weekend Update with guests Wolfgang Fey, Finesse Mitchell and David Blaine, Charades Game Show, Unsolved Mysteries, Bullhorn: An SNL Digital Short. Paul Simon performs "How Can You Live in a Northeast Town" and "Outrageous".

19. Kevin Spacey/Nelly Furtado
2006-05-20
Sketches include "Anderson Cooper 360," "A-holes at a Crime Scene," "Oprah's Legends Ball," "Carol!," "Fun with Real Audio" (cartoon), "Kevin and Andy Backstage," "The Falconer," "Andy Walking" (film), "Lord Phillip Sarc," and "I Do Not Agree With Many of This Administration's Policies." Nelly Furtado performs "Promiscuous" (featuring Timbaland) and "Maneater."