Over the Rainbow

I’m going to miss the hell out of Kristen Wiig on “Saturday Night Live.” It’s not that all her sketches were hilarious, or even all her characters beloved (like, seriously, please put Gilly on permanent detention). But it’s that she was a consummate Not Ready For Prime Time Player. A professional willing to do anything for the laugh. A woman who defied in her every fiber the tired, ridiculous notion that girls aren’t as funny as guys. And just the beating, lovely heart of this SNL cast. I will miss the ultimate one-upper Penelope. I will miss the endearingly overenthusiastic Target Lady. I will miss not-so-secretly lesbian reporter Michelle Dison. I will miss her dead-on amazing Bjork (and Suze Ormand and Kathie Lee Gifford and Drew Barrymore and crazy-eyes Bachmann). And, yes, I will even miss that creepy baby-hands singing sister with the hideous hairline.

I am, however, bolster by the reassuring knowledge that this most definitely will not be the last we see of Kristen. Her “Bridesmaids” success was just the tip of the proverbial hilarity iceberg when it comes to her potential. She’ll be making us laugh for years and years to come. But for this season of change and graduation and rebirth, I bid her a loving adieu from the show that made her a household name and everyone who happened to be home on a Saturday night over the last seven years fall madly and unconditionally in love. Thanks for showing us the rainbow, my dear.

[International friends, check it out here.]