Is Jorma gone from SNL for good?

4/25/08 Update: Added the reasons why this affects Andy and Andy fans. Yesterday, added #7 and a counter-argument.
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Is Jorma gone from SNL for good?

Let's speculate. This is good speculation, but that's all this is. There is no proof that Jorma is gone from SNL for good.



Here's why I think he might be gone for good:

(1) His name isn't appearing in the SNL credits anymore.

This is a pretty big hint.

(2) He wasn't in the behind the scenes video where Akiva and Andy talked about making the Jonah Hill digital short (Jonah dates Andy's dad).

(3) We haven't had a good Digital Short song since Iran So Far (Hero Song and Daiquiri Girl don't cut it).

Jorma is the genius behind a lot of the concepts, lyrics, and music mixes.

(4) Jorma just hasn't been fighting to get on SNL as hard as he used to.

He auditioned for the show with Andy (and was offered a writing and music position instead). Then, the first season, he was on screen during Lettuce, the Usual Suspects skit (with Kevin Spacey), and My Testicles (with Tom Hanks and Andy). So he probably pushed to get on screen those times. He seems to care about being on SNL less every season. If he was proactive and went for it, I'd think they would have had added him as a featured player on SNL by now.

(5) Joni blogged that Jorma was going to go be in Will Ferrell's Land of the Lost movie.

Here's the latest from Hollywood:

Jorm is joining Will Ferrell and "Hot Rod" co-star, Danny McBride in next summer's huge blockbuster "Land of the Lost" movie as CHAKA!!!

Here's how (I'm pretty sure) it happened...

Jorm was sitting around signing notarized documents and sending out faxes when it occurred to him that he should be in a Hollywood summer blockbuster. So, he immediately faxed a fax off to Hollywood (where 93% of all magic happens [by fax]) and they faxed him back a big ole "YES!!!".
Well, I'm gonna go refill the toner in my fax machine and fax Jorm a picture of my balls and/or a heartfelt congrats!

Read more about it by fax or internet

From:
http://thelonelyisland.blogspot.com/2008/02/chaka-dis-out.html

(6) Jorma might have cleared out a little early...

Taccone is currently wrapping up this season of "Saturday Night Live" and will then report to Los Angeles to film his scenes likely under tons of prosthetics. LAND OF THE LOST just began filming in Los Angeles.

From:
http://www.joblo.com/excl-jorma-is-chaka

(7) Jorma hasn't been in the SNL photos and videos lately

Jorma hasn't been in the photos and videos lately that are taken as the SNL stars arrive and leave.

Counter-argument

Of course, this is just speculation, and all this could be explained away. As Anonymous says in the comments, perhaps he just got hired away from SNL to do the movie. Then he'd just come back to work at SNL. And perhaps he isn't trying to get on camera simply because he's not interested in being a cast member on the show anymore. That doesn't necessarily mean he's done with the show. Maybe he's fine just being a writer and wants to save acting for the movies instead.

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So, how does this affect Andy Samberg and Andy fans?


(1) The Digital Shorts aren't up to par

Daiquiri Girl proved that Andy really can't wing it when people cancel.

The dudes have only had one hit Digital Short this year with Iran So Far, and that was when we know that Jorma was there.

The thing is, the dudes have to re-invent themselves every season (that's the corner they put themselves in with the digital shorts; it's not like Will Ferrell where he could nail the same characters and make everyone happy). That's where Jorma is essential. It was his idea to do the Narnia Rap and Natalie Portman Rap (the rapping shtick is definitely his brain child, if you watch the Lonely Island vids you'll see).

It was Jorma's idea to do Junk in a Box. They need Jorma to come up with the songs and to mix the music. Otherwise, they're left with some good shorts that aren't hits.


(2) This is another step in the dudes having independent projects

Jorma is off on a major solo project this summer. Will the dudes stick together after he comes back?

I'm pretty sure they will, but if they each get enough solo projects like these (Akiva has been going off to do his music videos as well), then they may just split up without even trying.

Think about it: they are already splitting up for small independent projects. Andy Samberg is spending more of his time with Seth Meyers, Kenan, Amy/Will, Bill, and Joanna. That means he's slowly spending less time with Jorma and Kiv.

If the projects slowly get bigger and there are more of them, the Lonely Island may split up without even intending to. As they do more independent projects, they will build friendships and relationships that will pull their time away from each other.

If the dudes end up splitting apart, how funny will they be apart? I mean, while I love Andy, he's not as popular as Will Ferrell was. Without the talent of his friends, could he hold his own on SNL and in the movies? I think he could nail many great skits on his own, but what it comes down to are the ideas and the writing, and the dudes are much stronger together in that area than apart.

Is Jorma done with SNL? If so, how is this going to shape the Lonely Island dudes?

- TAE