TV

A panel with the cast (minus Darrell Hammond and the soon-to-be-former member, Amy Poehler) of SNL and creator/executive producer, Lorne Michaels, opened with a burst of news items:

This season will be extended from the normal 20 episodes to 22.

There will be seven live episodes leading up to the November presidential election, with four consecutive live shows kicking off the season.

Most notably, during the build-up to the election, the SNL crew will stage a weekly half-hour version of Weekend Update, Thursday Night Live, which will premiere on Oct. 9.

But there was time for all of that. Another more pressing question had to be answered: How will the show deal with a pregnant Hillary Clinton? No, that's not another news flash, the First Lady and former presidential candidate isn't pregnant. But the SNL actress who impersonates her on the show is, Amy Poehler, and will be abundantly so as the election nears. "Are you going to have her wear really big dresses or have her sitting behind a desk?"

"There'll be less need for Hillary in the fall," head writer Seth Meyers ventured. But when reminded that Bill Clinton being out of the White House hadn't meant that Darrell Hammond's version of him didn't still pop into SNL skits, Mr. Meyers nodded. "That's true, well then, you're idea about the desk is a good one. We'll do that."

With the country accelerating into the final months of the presidential campaign, it's not surprising that talk during the SNL panel focused on the show's plans for and history of political satire. How, for example, will the show's writers deal with Obama, who has thus far proven to be a tough personality to parody.

"He's still defining himself," Mr. Michaels said, "and he's still primarily cast as heroic. But that will change. It's all about finding the take on him that everyone can agree on. He's still being dealt with very cautiously and reverently, but as he becomes more familiar and the campaign grinds on, the proper satirtical take will become clear."

Since both candidates have appeared on the show, although Senator Obama just appeared in one sketch while Sen. McCain was a guest host this past season, Mr. Michaels was asked "who's funnier?"

Of course, they both were funny, in their own ways. He complimented Sen,. McCain for being such a good sport and willing to go with the show's flow. When he was subsequently asked about his personal politics -- he acknowledged that he has contributed to Sen. McCain's campaign, he waved off the possibility of any such bias affecting the show's content or tone.

"I contribute to any former host running for office," he joked, before adding, "Who ever's in power, we're suspicious of."

Sounding like a coach about to enter the championship season, he also said that Amy Poehler "will be with us through the election, or at least, as long as she can be."