Bill Cosby to Be Honored with Johnny Carson Award; SNL Celebrates 40th Anniversary in 2015

Tuesday, April 22, 2014

Bill Cosby to Be Honored with Johnny Carson Award; SNL Celebrates 40th Anniversary in 2015

NBC and Don Mischer Productions announced that Bill Cosby (The Cosby Show, I Spy, Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids) will be honored with the Johnny Carson Award for Comedic Excellence at the American Comedy Awards, which airs Thursday, May 8 from 9-11pm ET/PT on NBC (and tapes this Saturday, April 26 in NYC). The Johnny Carson Award for Comedic Excellence is presented to an individual who, over the course of their lifetime, has made an extraordinary contribution to comedy and whose impact and innovations have changed the landscape and inspired future generations of entertainers. The American Comedy Awards will honor those who have achieved new heights during the past year in both film and television, as well as pay tribute to some of comedy's most enduring personalities. The telecast will acknowledge the work of stand-ups, those who specialize in movies and the actors and actresses who are seen by millions on TV every week. View the full nominations for the 2014 American Comedy Awards.

Saturday Night Live

NBC will air a three-hour live special on Sunday, Feb. 15, 2015 in celebration of the 40th anniversary of the iconic franchise Saturday Night Live. Past and present cast members, as well as special and musical guests from the show's incredible five-decade run, will appear on the telecast, with the specific lineup of guests to be determined in the coming months. The roster of talent over 40 years includes everyone from the iconic first cast in 1975 to household names ranging from Eddie Murphy, Billy Crystal, Dana Carvey, Mike Myers, Will Ferrell, and Adam Sandler, to Kristen Wiig, Tina Fey, Amy Poehler, Jimmy Fallon, and Seth Meyers - to name only a few. This special is just one of the many ways SNL plans to celebrate SNL's historic 40th season next year. Saturday Night Live has won 40 Emmy Awards, the most for any show in television history. Saturday Night Live also holds the title for the most nominated television show in Emmy history with 171 nominations. Saturday Night Live has been honored twice, in 1990 and 2009, with the prestigious George Foster Peabody Award and cited as "truly a national institution."

Saturday Night Live was inducted into the Broadcasting Hall of Fame by the National Association of Broadcasters. The show continues to garner the highest ratings of any late-night television program, entertaining millions each week. Broadcast live from NBC's famed Studio 8H in New York City's Rockefeller Center, Saturday Night Live premiered Oct. 11, 1975. The program is a production of Broadway Video in association with SNL Studios. Lorne Michaels is the executive producer.

Sitcoms Airing Tonight

Thursday, December 12

Young Sheldon - "Teenager Soup and a Little Ball of Fib" (CBS, 8:00PM ET/PT)
Sheldon fakes being sick to avoid a swim test at school. Also, Dr. Sturgis spies on Meemaw’s new boyfriend.

The Unicorn - "Anna and the Unicorn" (CBS, 8:30PM ET/PT)
Wade is giddy, his daughters are amused and his friends are excited when he has his first crush since becoming single again. Also, Grace and Natalie take advantage of their dad going on dates by having friends over and it starts to get out of hand.

Mom - "Higgledy-Piggledy and a Cat Show" (CBS, 9:00PM ET/PT)
Bonnie is forced to relive painful Christmas memories when Christy recounts tales from her childhood to Bonnie’s sponsee, Patty (Kate Micucci).

Carol's Second Act - "Merry December 19th" (CBS, 9:30PM ET/PT)
Carol excitedly plans an early Christmas celebration for Jenny, but Jenny’s preoccupied with her secret first date with Daniel. Also, the doctors investigate a case of food poisoning at an office holiday party.

Superstore - "Negotiations" (NBC, 9:00PM ET/PT)
Jonah and Sandra represent the Cloud 9 employees at union contract negotiations with corporate. Worried about the union’s fate, Amy, Dina and Cheyenne distract themselves by looking for the perfect Christmas tree. Mateo, Garrett and Glenn compete to see who can sell an unsellable item.

Perfect Harmony - "Merry Jaxmas" (NBC, 9:30PM ET/PT)
When Reverend Jax is visited by his charismatic parents, Arthur helps him overcome his lifelong feelings of living in their shadow, and encourages him to embrace his way of ministering in time for their Christmas performance. Meanwhile, Ginny and Wayne decide to have a secret fling.

Complete TV Listings

Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of December 9)

Thursday, December 12

Ryan Reynolds (Two Guys and a Girl) - Catch Ryan on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon at 11:35pm on NBC. He also talks about 6 Underground on NBC's Today sometime between 7-9am.
Keri Russell (Running Wilde) - Keri stops by Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
Sam Rockwell (F Is for Family) - Sam visits The Late Late Show with James Corden at 12:37am on CBS.
Mary Lynn Rajskub (Rob Riggle's Ski Master Academy/How to Be a Gentleman/Veronica's Closet) - Mary Lynn is a panelist on Lights Out with David Spade at 11:30pm on Comedy Central.
John Lithgow (Trial and Error/Twenty Good Years/3rd Rock from the Sun) - John drops by Conan at 11pm on TBS.
The Cast of The Brady Bunch - The Cast of The Brady Bunch are guests on Watch What Happens: Live at 11pm on Bravo.
Kathy Bates (Disjointed) - Kathy appears on The Talk on CBS at 2pm ET/1pm CT-PT.
Candace Cameron Bure (Fuller House/Full House) - Candace stops by The Kelly Clarkson Show, so check your local listings.
Patricia Heaton (Carol's Second Act/The Middle/Back to You/Everybody Loves Raymond) - The Heaton is on – Patricia is back and Rach has a surprise in store for her on Rachael Ray, so check your local listings.
Jamie-Lynn Sigler (Guys with Kids/Entourage) - Jamie-Lynn talks about Mob Town on NBC's Today in the 9am hour, on the BUILD Series at 1pm and on New York Live on WNBC in New York at 11:30am ET.
Madison Iseman (Still the King) - Madison talks about Jumanji: The Next Level on People Now at 12pm and on the BUILD Series at 2pm.
Ana Gasteyer (People of Earth/Lady Dynamite/Suburgatory) - Ana performs on NBC's Today in the 10am hour.