"SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE" RETURNS FOR ITS 32ND SEASON ON SEPT. 30

NBC'S "SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE" RETURNS FOR ITS 32nd SEASON SEPTEMBER 30

Season Premiere to Feature Stand-Up Superstar Dane Cook and Music from The Killers

NEW YORK � September 20, 2006 � "Saturday Night Live" continues its extraordinary run and returns for its 32nd season on September 30 (NBC, 11:30 p.m. � 1:00 a.m. ET).

The season premiere will be hosted by red-hot standup comedian Dane Cook, who returns for his second hosting stint. An inventive and electric performer, Cook will soon be seen starring opposite Jessica Simpson in the comedy "Employee of the Month." The comedian has built an impressive following through relentless touring (as chronicled on HBO's "Tourgasm" and standup special "Vicious Circle" and his pervasive online presence on both his own website (danecook.com) and MySpace.com (where he has over one million "friends.") Cook continues to enjoy the success of his certified platinum comedy album "Retaliation," which debuted at No. 4 on the Billboard 200, making him the highest-charting comedian in 25 years. Future projects for Cook include the features "Dan in Real Life" with Steve Carell and "Good Luck Chuck" opposite Jessica Alba.

Also returning to "SNL" are The Killers, performing from their eagerly awaited sophomore release "Sam's Town." The new album is the follow-up to the band's five million-selling debut "Hot Fuss," which garnered four hit singles and seven Grammy nominations. Named "Band of the Year" by Spin magazine in 2004, the Killers' record was the longest-running rock record to remain in the Top 50 for the same year and their new single "When You Were Young" is already Top Five at alternative radio and one of the most played videos on MTV.

Returning to the SNL repertory cast are Fred Armisen, Will Forte, Bill Hader, Darrell Hammond, Seth Meyers, Amy Poehler, Maya Rudolph, Andy Samberg, Jason Sudeikis, Kenan Thompson and Kristen Wiig.

Amy Poehler will return to the "Weekend Update" desk with a new partner to be announced later. Also returning, Seth Meyers returns for his second season as head writer, sharing the position with Emmy winners Andrew Steele and Paula Pell.

Another new addition to the show is director Don Roy King. The Emmy Award-winning live television veteran takes the helm of "SNL "with a wide range of credits running the gamut, from 14 years at CBS' "The Early Show," six years at "Good Morning America" and the first four live "Survivor" finales to "The Mike Douglas Show" and numerous Broadway productions for television.

"Saturday Night Live," which premiered on October 11, 1975, is from SNL Studios in association with Broadway Video. The creator and executive producer is Lorne Michaels. Steve Higgins produces. Marci Klein and Mike Shoemaker are producers. Head writers are Seth Meyers, Paula Pell and Andrew Steele. Don Roy King directs.