Lindsay Lohan as Callista Gingrich on 'Saturday Night Live'? It could happen...
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Everything is fair game when Lindsay Lohan takes the stage at Studio 8H on Saturday night to host "Saturday Night Live." Maybe even some political humor.
“SNL” writers have been fleshing out skit ideas for the actress over the past few days, and a source tells Fox411 that one of the ideas involves Lohan playing none other than Republican presidential candidate Newt Gingrich’s wife Callista.
Could Lohan make the transition from Venice Beach blonde to Republican bleach blonde?
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}“It entirely depends which Lindsay Lohan shows up. Lindsay the actor, or Lindsay the TMZ celebrity we've come to know from various court appearances,” says journalist Glynnis MacNicol who covers both media and politics. “If it's the former and Lohan arrives sharp and confident, than this could be a great opportunity for her to kick her career back on track and remind people she can act. Calista Gingrich is a terrific figure in SNL terms (that hair!) and presumably someone Lohan could have a lot of over-the-top fun portraying.”
Lohan’s spokesman, Steve Honig told Fox411 that he would not comment on any agreements between Lindsay and NBC, and also had no comment on whether a Gingrich skit was in the works. Neither the Gingrich camp nor a rep for NBC returned calls and emails for comment, either.
The Republican candidate has taken past ribbings from the show in stride. A skit earlier this month had Bobby Moynihan and Kristen Wiig impersonating the couple as space adventurers trying to colonize the moon. At one point Moynihan’s Gingrich says, “May divorce be with you,” instead of the famous “Star Wars” line, “May the force be with you.”
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Ba dum bum.
But the thrice-married politician told Politico.com he didn’t mind the skit. In fact, he took it as a point of pride that the sketch comedy show believed that he was worth the ribbing.
Still, having Lohan, one of the most notorious young actresses in Hollywood who has spent the past four years enmeshed in one drama after the next from jail to rehab to Playboy would likely be less flattering for Mrs. Gingrich than being portrayed by Wiig, the kooky star of the hit movie, “Bridesmaids.”
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Television critics told Fox411 they think going after Callista would be weak.
“In my opinion, she should make fun of herself. There's enough baggage there to be unpacked - comedically and metaphorically speaking - for a few ‘SNL's.’ What's the point of making fun of Callista Gingrich? Lohan is hardly in the position to make fun of anyone,” Newsday television writer Verne Gay told Fox411. “That's the way to go - not jumping on poor ol' Callista Gingrich.”
Of course, none of it is a done deal. SNL writers float scores of ideas before a big show and anything can end up on the cutting room floor as rehearsals commence.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Regardless, viewers should be ready to expect anything. Lohan has told the SNL writers that they have carte blanche to have their way with her. Fox411 heard last week that Lohan’s camp made it clear to the SNL that nothing was off-limits, not her legal troubles, her rehab stints or her recent nude Playboy shoot.
No matter which Lohan comes out to play, experts aren’t so sure this will mean big ratings for SNL.
“My feeling is that if NBC thought it would produce a big rating they would have had it air during February sweeps which ends on February 29th,” said media analyst Brad Adgate of Horizon media. “I do think it will get some buzz but not sure if it will get a bump in viewers.”