Blake Lively will do a little moonlighting this weekend and certainly raise her stature in the entertainment world.  The 22-year-old Gossip Girl actress becomes the first-ever CW star to host Saturday Night Live, an honor typically reserved for the most-buzzworthy performers.  CW network forerunner The WB placed five young favorites in the SNL pantheon, beginning with Sarah Michelle Gellar (Buffy) in 1998, followed later by Jamie Foxx and Dawson’s Creek trio James van der Beek, Joshua Jackson and Katie Holmes.  Fifteen other WBNX stars have taken the reigns over the past 35 years, including each Friends cast member (except Matt LeBlanc), plus Melrose Place queens Heather Locklear and Laura Leighton, and Ray Romano—who was cleverly joined in his monologue by Everybody Loves Raymond parents Doris Roberts and Peter Boyle.  Ironically, Boyle was one of SNL’s earliest hosts, guiding the 13^th episode of the very first season back in ’76.  More recently, Ashlee Simpson (Melrose Place) is noted for her lip-synching fiasco as musical guest four years ago.  With Gossip Girl set in New York, it seems likely we could see Blake’s boyfriend, Penn Badgley, or other CW costars making sketch cameos.  In addition to her Upper East Side shenanigans, Blake is currently featured as young “Pippa” in the big-screen film, The Private Lives of Pippa Lee, and just finished shooting The Town, opposite Ben Affleck and Jon Hamm.  Does the vivacious, oft-photographed beauty have some hidden comedic chops, as well?  No one’s betting against Serena van der Woodsen.  

Everybody Loves Raymond co-creator Phil Rosenthal is shepherding the new Russian version of his long-running hit comedy, and the socialists do things a bit differently.  While you might expect the foreign Barone clan to dress in parkas and fur hats, the costume designer is adamant that the characters be portrayed as examples of “high fashion.”  And though a live studio audience was essential in the U.S., the idea was rebuffed in Russia, because “then we’d have to get chairs,” he was told.  Initially unsure of the project, Rosenthal chose to shoot it as a documentary about remaking his show overseas; he’s now editing the feature-length Exporting Raymond—which chronicles the casting, prep and filming of the pilot last month.  The series has been picked up and will closely follow the American scripts, says The Hollywood Reporter.  Our take?  A feisty marriage, intrusive parents and sibling rivalry translates to funny in any language.  Recreating Raymond’s dream cast and chemistry will be a much taller order.  

Most know Brad Garrett has announced he’ll take his dating foibles to the internet this fall.  For years his character on Everybody Loves Raymond was unlucky in love, and Brad lightheartedly fears life imitating art.  He’s accepting “audition” videos from single women nationwide, and will pare them down for ten dates to be chronicled online.  Dude, I’m here to officially toss Mrs. Garrett’s hat into the ring.  Sure, it’d be a May-December romance, but already there’s so much in common, including the moniker!  They both starred in hit comedies (Raymond and The Facts of Life), and have acted in TV, films and on Broadway, receiving multiple Emmy nominations.  They possess two of the industry’s most distinct voices—one deep and nasally, the other high-pitched and warbly—featured often in animation work.  They’re both Jewish, divorced with two children, and teetotalers.  Size-wise, Brad’s 6-foot-9 and Mrs. Garrett is 5-foot, so I smell a remake of My Giant. Make no mistake, Brad is one very funny bachelor, as you’ll see in this short video below previewing his dating dilemma.  If you think you two might hit it off, get your camcorder rolling—who knows, you might be the next Mrs. Garrett. 

Maggie Wheeler has carved out a nasally-niche as Chandler’s recurring nightmare/girlfriend “Janice” in 19 episodes of Friends (including Thursday night).  Is recent Grammy winner Amy Winehouse trying to clone the actress’s look, or what?  Interestingly, Maggie auditioned for the role of “Monica” on Friends and “Debra” on Everybody Loves Raymond, later appearing as different characters on each comedy.  The Friends cast is now engaged with big-screen projects, such as Matthew Perry’s “rewind” to become Seventeen Again—and look like Zac Efron—set to premiere in August.  Zac’s gal pal Vanessa Hudgens is filming the music comedy Will with Lisa Kudrow (Phoebe) and David Bowie; while Courtney Cox (Monica) is on-set with Adam Sandler in the Christmas release, Bedtime Stories.  Busy Jennifer Aniston has two flicks in-progress and two on-deck; and moviegoers this weekend will see David Schwimmer’s (Ross) directorial film debut, Run, Fatboy, Run, a comedy shot entirely in England.  Yes, there’s life after Friends, but few sitcoms connect with an audience like that one does, so I’m glad we’ve got the nightly reruns to savor.  Janice and all.

The folks who syndicate Everybody Loves Raymond surprised us this week with a rare TV comedy-fest. They’ve selected 22 of the show’s very best episodes to air between March 17-29, gems that I always love seeing again, like Raybert, The Cannister, Baggage, Marie’s Vision and She’s The One. Mirroring other classic series, Raymond hit its comic stride in Season 2 and produced consistently funny stories for nine years. Here’s an early blooper reel that highlights the close chemistry of the cast, not to mention their ability to ad-lib. Two other sitcoms that deserve attention are Everybody Hates Chris and Aliens in America, both of which are riding a lengthy wave of new episodes. Young Chris Rock (Tyler James Williams) “trains” for his first kiss Sunday night; while on Aliens, nerdy Justin is mortified to be starring opposite his mother in a stage production of Rent. Click here for one of their hilarious scenes. Both programs expertly recreate the fish-outta-water tone of The Wonder Years and, seriously, are as good as any network comedy on the air. Beginning next week, The Game will follow them with nine new episodes, trading timeslots with Girlfriends to anchor a fresh lineup thru May.