In brief: ‘SNL’ kicks off 50th season with star-studded open and more

Saturday Night Live kicked off its 50th season with a star-studded cold open that featured SNL alum Maya Rudolph reprising her Vice President Kamala Harris, joined by fellow SNL vets Andy Samberg and Dana Carvey, playing second gentleman Doug Emhoff and President Joe Biden, respectively. Comedian Jim Gaffigan was tapped to play Harris’ running mate Tim Walz. Current SNL cast member James Austin Johnson returned as Donald Trump, with Bowen Yang taking on the role of Trump’s running mate JD Vance. Hacks‘ Jean Smart hosted the season 50 premiere and Jelly Roll was the musical guest …

Days of Our Lives actor Drake Hogestyn, who played John Black on the long-running soap opera, has died at the age of 70 due to pancreatic cancer, his family shared Saturday on the show’s official Instagram. “After putting up an unbelievable fight, he passed peacefully surrounded by loved ones,” the statement read in part. Hogestyn was a minor league baseball player before joining the soap in 1986 …

John Ashton, the actor best known for his role as John Taggart in the Beverly Hills Cop film series, “passed away peacefully” in Fort Collins, Colorado, on Sept. 26, his rep confirmed in a statement obtained by Good Morning America. He was 76. Ashton’s other film roles include Midnight Run, alongside Robert De Niro, as well as Little Big League, Some Kind of Wonderful and She’s Having a Baby …

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