Louis C.K

Watch host Louis C.K.'s opening monologue and sketches from the April 7 episode of 'SNL.'

There’s nothing new or marvel about cute cuddly talking animals; they’ve been the center of animated feature films since the earliest days of animation. But in ‘The Secret Life of Pets,’ the age old shtick still works.

Now that President Obama has come and gone, Jon Stewart’s final round of Daily Show outings will bring out a few more big guns to help send him off. Among the sure to be extensive list, we already have top comedians (and near successors) Amy Schumer, Louis C.K. and even Denis Leary booking slots on Jon Stewart’s final run.

Talking dogs and cats have been a staple of animation since the medium’s earliest days, but The Secret Life of Pets trailer actually presents a fairly fresh take on this trope. The talking animals here are ordinary house pets, alone all day while their humans are at work, and we get to see how they pass the time.

Every week, SNL ends up having to cut a sketch or two for time — these segments are released online as “digital exclusives.” Sometimes, those segments are better than anything else that aired, like this short that was cut from the Season 40 finale, featuring Louis C.K. and Kyle Mooney’s pitiful fictional comedian Bruce Chandling.

If you put a professional stand-up comic on a stage, he's going to want to perform. Did anyone actually expect 'SNL' guest host Louis C.K. to play along with any opening monologue idea that wasn't just eight minutes of hilarious comedy carefully culled from whatever he's working on at the moment? After all, C.K. is funny and he knows a good self-promotion opportunity when he sees it.

When you get Louis C.K. to host 'SNL,' there's bound to be at least one sketch that perfectly fits his specific brand of comedy, which tackles reality using surrealism and absurdity. One sketch from last night's episode felt like the perfect halfway point between an episode of C.K.'s FX comedy 'Louie' and a typically crass 'SNL' skit, making it too weird to even consider ignoring.

Where two years ago comedian and 'Louie' star Louis C.K. had his first 'SNL' hosting and promos marred by the onset of Hurricane Sandy, his March 29 return looks to be much smoother sailing. The first promos for this Saturday's 'SNL' return have arrived, wherein the revered comedian jokes with Kenan Thompson about his 'Louie' "character," and the initials of his last name.

Last night's 'SNL' featuring 'Girls' creator Lena Dunham only ticked so far up from last week's abysmal show with Jim Parsons of 'The Big Bang Theory,' but the longrunning NBC sketch comedy series' March 29 return will bring back a much more dependable host. Louis C.K. will return for his second hosting gig after 2012, but who will accompany the eternal sadsack 'Louie' star?

On ‘The Tonight Show with Jay Leno,’ comedian Louis C.K. was riffing on how straight men have to go out of their way to make sure everybody is aware that they are straight. This led Leno to comment that the slovenly ensemble Louis was currently wearing was “the most heterosexual outfit” he’d ever seen.