Mad Men star Jon Hamm returns this weekend (Saturday, 11:30PM ET, NBC) for his second stint as Saturday Night Live host, and here’s the first promo, in which Hamm and cast member Fred Armisen discuss the correct pronunciation of musical guest Michael Bublé‘s name:

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• Filed in Saturday Night Live
• Tags: Jon Hamm SNL, Michaael Buble SNL, Saturday Night Live, SNL

Best line from last night’s Mark Wahlberg Talks to Christmas Animals skit on the last new SNL of the year (and the decade): “Hey partridge, how’s it hanging? Where’s your pear tree? Oh, there it is. So, you were in that song, ‘The 12 Days of Christmas.’ I was in The Happening … did you see that movie?” Aside from his digital videos, his Mark Wahlberg impersonation is Andy Samberg‘s best Saturday Night Live bit:

Host James Franco‘s monologue was also funny – he poked fun at his college career and his new General Hospital gig – but the second best holiday-themed skit of the night came late in the episode: Vincent Price’s 1954 Christmas Special. Bill Hader continues to prove himself to be one of the most talented, versatile SNL stars ever, and it was fun to see Franco, who starred in TNT’s 2001 biopic of James Dean, reprise the role:

By the way, NBC has announced the host/musical guest line-up for the first two new episodes of 2010: On January 9, Charles Barkley returns as host for the second time, with musical guest Alicia Keys, and on Jan. 16, Ugly Betty star America Ferrera hosts for the first time, with musical guest Green Day. Can’t wait to see if Kenan Thompson busts out his Barkley impersonation in a Barkley vs. Barkley showdown …

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• Filed in Saturday Night Live, TV News
• Tags: Bill Hader, Kenan Thompson, Mark Wahlberg Talks to the Animals, Saturday Night Live, Saturday Night Live 2010, Saturday Night Live Christmas, SNL, SNL 2010, SNL Christmas

UPDATE 7/8: From Variety.com this morning, the MacGruber will flick will begin filming in August. Other new details: Ryan Phillippe and Val Kilmer are in talks to join the cast; MacGruber star Will Forte will be returning to Saturday Night Live in the fall; and Jorma Taccone, an SNL writer who also starred as Chaka in this summer’s Land of the Lost movie, will direct MacGruber.

Meanwhile, THR.com has plot details for the movie, which will revolve around MacGruber, now living as a monk, being called out of retirement to help fight Cunth (Kilmer), the big baddie who’s not only threatening the United States with a nuclear warhead, but who also killed MacGruber’s bride. Phillippe would play Piper, an Army officer who (reluctantly) pairs up with MacGruber.

From 6/2: Happy happy joy joy! Straight from the MacGruber’s mouth comes word of a big-screen movie version of our favorite MacGyver-spoofin’ bomb diffuser.

MacGruber himself, a.k.a. Saturday Night Live star Will Forte, confirmed on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon Monday night that he has just finished co-writing a script that will find he and SNL co-star Kristen Wiig taking MacGruber and his pal Vicki into a full-length movie. Forte didn’t give many details, but he said fans may be surprised by some aspects of the movie.

Bring it on, I say, especially if it includes an appearance by the real MacGyver, Richard Dean Anderson (a fellow Ohio University alum – go Bobcats!), who, it was revealed, is MacGruber’s dad. Like father’s mullet, like son’s mullet.

Oh, and after you check out the clip of Forte on Late Night, take a visit to Hulu, where you’ll find the complete collection of MacGruber skit videos (including MacGruber’s foray into product placement with “Pepsuber”), all in one handy spot.

And PS: Yes, there is a big-screen MacGyver movie in development, too. Any thoughts about who should play the new-school Angus MacGyver? I nominate Chuck star Zachary Levi. Though he’d be a perfect Fletch, he’d be equally as good as MacGyver, doncha think?

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• Filed in Boob Tube to Big Screen, Chuck, Comedy
• Tags: Boob Tube to Big Screen, Chuck, Fletch, Kristen Wiig, MacGruber, MacGruber movie, MacGyver, MacGyver movie, Movie adaptation, parody, Richard Dean Anderson, Saturday Night Live, skit, SNL, TV show to movie, Will Forte, Zachary Levi

All the tube news that’s fit to surf …

– Did Izzie and George really die in the Grey’s Anatomy season finale? Meh. I find it more interesting that series creator Shonda Rhimes is living in denial about how ridiculous much of the show has become, including this season’s “ghost sex.”

– Time magazine TV critic James Poniewozik makes an excellent point about how the best comedy on TV is not necessarily always the funniest comedy on TV, using last night’s Alan Alda gem on 30 Rock as a jumping off point. Alda’s quip that referred to the classic M*A*S*H series finale is, hands down, the best, most clever quote of the whole TV season.

– Saturday Night Live airs its 34th season finale – with host Will Ferrell and musical guest Green Day – this weekend, while Fox sketch comedy counterpart MadTV airs its series finale.

– More from SNL: Sunday night’s SNL: Just Shorts special (9PM ET, NBC), a round-up of the show’s most memorable short films, including, of course, “Dick in a Box,” and one of my early favorites, the classic synchronized swimming clip with Martin Short and Harry Shearer.

– And another series finale: tonight’s Prison Break send-off (8PM ET, Fox).

– It makes me love Jonah Hill even more that he riffed on gruesome twosome Heidi and Spencer in a new Harper’s Bazaar interview and photo spread.

– “I want to go to there” is not the only 30 Rock catchphrase that originated with Tina Fey‘s daughter Alice, apparently.

– Thanks, Neal McDonough, for spoiling the Desperate Housewives season finale. Oh, okay, the fate of his Dave character wasn’t really a surprise, though he did also confirm in his appearance on The View Thursday that the rumor of a DH spin-off with Mrs. McCluskey (Kathryn Joosten) is true.

– Farrah Fawcett‘s documentary on her battle with cancer, Farrah’s Story, is set to air tonight on NBC (9PM ET), but as the Charlie’s Angels star is reportedly on her deathbed, a producer and her on-again, off-again love Ryan O’Neal are fighting over the video.

– USA Today has a good rundown of where the networks stand as they head into Upfront Week next week. Among the shows likely to be on the air next season: The Melrose Place remake, an NCIS spin-off and the return of Scrubs, while the fates of My Name Is Earl, Chuck, Medium, The Unit, Cold Case and Without a Trace are still up in the air.

– And somehow, I doubt Jon Stewart is really worried about Jim Cramer, through Cramer seems to suggest in a new Time magazine interview that he should be.

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• Tags: 30 Rock, Alan Alda, Chuck, Cold Case, Desperate Housewives, Farrah Fawcett, Green Day, Grey's Anatomy, Harry Shearer, Heidi, James Poniewozik, Jim Cramer, Jon Stewart, Jonah Hill, Kathryn Joosten, M*A*S*H, MadTV, Martin Short, Medium, Melrose Place, My Name Is Earl, NCIS, Neal McDonough, Prison Break, Ryan O'Neal, Saturday Night Live, season finale, series finale, Shonda Rhimes, SNL, Spencer, spin-off, The Unit, Tina Fey, Will Ferrell, Without a Trace

I’ve recently become bored with my WALL-E action figure, my Dwight Schrute bobblehead and my talking Napoleon Dynamite pen. In other words, I am in need of some new desk toys, which sent me on a hunt for a few craptacular TV-themed tchotchkes to help bring the fun to my workspace and, most importantly, give me the oh-so-important procrastination tools that every person who works at a desk every day needs.

So, my top 10 TV desk toy finds …

The Chef Duff Minimate
A 2-inch representation of Ace of Cakes master baker Duff Goldman, with 10 accessories, including two mini cakes, a spatula, a guitar and a chainsaw (hey, it’s Duff).
Cost: A mere $8. (Hours of procrastination it will provide: Priceless).

30 Rock Kenneth the Page Talking Bobblehead
Says phrases like “Frankly, LaDonica, you have not been real helpful,” “It’s gonna get raw in here like sushi, so haters to the left” and “I just love television so much.” Amen, Ken.
Cost: $22

SNL More Cowbell Kit
“Guess what?! I’ve got a fever, and the only prescription … is more cowbell!”
Cost: $20

Psych Pineapple Stress Toy
Because squeezing a real pineapple could be considerably more painful.
Cost: $6

Lost Dharma Rubik’s Cube
Easier to solve than the show’s intricate plotlines!
Cost: $19.95

Dayman Heat Sensitive Mug
Add hot water, and The Nightman appears. Brilliant! Don’t just want this It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia mug. I need to own this.
Cost: $14.95

Jack Bauer 12-inch Action Figure
A foot-tall Jack Bauer. He’ll make sure all the other desk toys toe the line.
Cost: $39.99

Talking Hurley Reyes Action Figure
Dude.
Cost: $14.99

American Idol Microphone Pops
They light up, they play music, they have a lollipop and fruit-flavored gum inside and are shaped like microphones. It’s the toy that has it all. Good favors for an AI finale party, too.
Cost: $2.99

Jack Bauer iPod Shuffle
I’d like one in pink. What … are you suggesting a real man like Jack Bauer would be uncomfortable spinning tunes from a pink device? Say that to his face, punk.
Cost: $89

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• Filed in 24, 30 Rock, American Idol, Me Likey, TV List o' the Day, TV Toys
• Tags: 24, 30 Rock, Ace of Cakes, action figure, American Idol, bobblehead, candy, Chef Duff, Dayman, desk toy, Dharma, Duff Goldman, Dwight Schrute, Hurley, Hurley Reyes, iPod, It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, Jack Bauer, Kenneth the Page, Lost, microphone, Minimate, More cowbell, Nightman, pineapple, Psych, Rubik's Cube, Saturday Night Live, SNL, stress toy, The Office, toy, TV toy